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Artistic Endeavors

Artistic Endeavors

beach photos with 70-200 Sigma lens

It’s been over five years since I bought a new piece of camera gear.  As I grew as a photographer, I kept upgrading my camera body and lenses so my gear could grow along with my ability.  When I’ve taught photography workshops over the years, I would discourage fledgling photographers from going out and buying a bunch of new gear.  Use and get to know what you have, even if it’s just the camera on a smartphone, and you’ll know when they are ready for an upgrade.  When I thoroughly knew a camera, had an understanding of its capabilities and deficiencies, then I knew I was ready to look into an upgrade.  I’ve ended up with two DSLR camera bodies (Nikon D800 and D810) and a range of lenses geared towards shooting products and interiors.  The lenses I use most are a 50mm Sigma, followed by a 35mm Nikon.  I

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Art

March 28, 2025 | original art sale preview

My next original art sale is scheduled and happening this Friday, March 28, 2025, at 1:00 pm Eastern.  In this original art sale, I have pieces ranging from 5 x 7 ($75) up to 12 x 16 ($500.)  Animals, landscapes, seascapes, still life, and a couple of master studies are all included in this collection.   I’ve also included vintage frames on a couple of pieces.  There are two pieces I painted in acrylics for a painting workshop I taught at our church.  I was planning on painting over them in oils, but I sort of loved the looseness of them.  I found myself wanting to leave them as is, so I followed that instinct. As usual, this post is a preview of all of the available works including sizes and pricing, so you have a few days to think about a potential purchase.  Let me know if you have

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Art

free oil painting paint along | geraniums in terra cotta pot

I filmed this oil painting tutorial over a year ago and, for some reason, never edited it!  I think it felt a little overwhelming at the time and abandoning it seemed to be easier than getting it ready to post.  I’ve had more requests for painting tutorials and paint-a-long videos, so I decided to finally dust this off and post it.  In most cases, the painting videos I make have been and will continue to be tutorials with instruction and commentary included.  When I filmed this, I just had my music on and was intending to record and add the commentary.  I didn’t do that at the time, so I don’t recall exactly what colors I was mixing over a year later!  So, this oil painting video has some commentary at the beginning and is then just classical music.  You can paint along with me or just watch how I

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Art

#indexcardartproject 2025 | free oil painting tutorial | index card “D”

If you’re just joining us for the #indexcardartproject of 2025, you can catch up in these posts… Details & Materials for the Project Inspiration and References Oil Painting Tutorial | Card “C” In this post, I’m sharing another oil painting video tutorial.  Instead of using an Edward Seago painting as a reference, we’ll be painting from one of my own reference photos.  It’s available for free on Artist Reference Photos (and all of the photos are royalty-free if you want to sell the work.) My recommended beginner palette –  Ultramarine Blue (Gamblin) – $13.42 Burnt Sienna (WN) – $14.00 Yellow Ochre Light (WN) – $13.50 Cadmium Yellow Medium (Gamblin) – $28.00 Flake White Replacement (Gamblin) – $9.75 Other supplies –  Gray Paper Palette Liquitex Professional White Gesso A mix of flat synthetic and hog’s bristle brushes.  I get most of my brushes from Rosemary & Co. but brushes are very

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Art

#indexcardartpoject 2025 | free oil painting video tutorial | card “c”

For those who have been waiting for another paint-a-long video, this post is for you!  I am going to film painting a few of my index cards since they are great little studies for beginners, those new to oil paints, or those who want to do a little painting exercise with me.  For this card, card “C”, I’m painting a quick and loose study of an Edward Seago painting. If you’re just hopping into the 2025 Index Card Art Project, you can get all of the details HERE. This is the Edward Seago painting we’re studying, although it becomes more of a loose interpretation and less of a study as I get going! I’ll be posting the exact colors on my palette in a separate video and blog post, but if you’re new to oils, this is the beginner palette I would suggest.  I do use a touch of red

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Art

Index Card Art Project 2025 | Inspiration & References

For those joining me in the #indexcardartproject (or those who are just interested in following along), I decided to walk through my inspiration for this project along with some of the reference photos I’m using.  I’m going to stick with landscapes as I did for the previous two Index Card Art Projects, primarily because I haven’t worked on landscapes lately and would like to give them some attention.  Little studies are a great way to practice color mixing and composition.  I will paint a mix of my own reference photos and some master studies. Here is a video showing my sources of inspiration as well as some of the reference photos I’ll be painting from.  All of the reference photos are royalty-free and available on the Artist Reference Photos website. The books shared in this video are… Composition of Outdoor Painting… This is a must-have book by Edgar Payne for

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Art

how to clean up artists’ oil paint

I wanted to work with oils for a long time, probably years.  I set out looking for different kinds of paints to try, to experiment with.  As intrigued as I was with oils, I was also terrified of them.  What about the fumes, the clean-up, and the slow drying time?  I had used oil products when we built and refinished butcher block counters and on a few other projects, but I always bought brushes specifically for the purpose and I disposed of them after use because I was scared of the clean-up.  I finally decided my desire to try oil paints as a fine art medium outweighed my fear of the clean-up.  I was going to learn how to use and how to clean up artist’s oil paint. I painted a landscape, so I got past that initial hurdle.  I was still scared of the clean-up so I let the

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Art

Join us for the #indexcardartproject 2025

As I shared last week, I decided to do another Index Card Art Project and you’re invited to paint along!  I did one in 2019 with two of my art buddies from Instagram – Michelle Wooderson and Paige from Open Field Mercantile.  We started our oil painting journeys together and have stayed in touch and checked in through the years.  I cannot tell you how amazing it was to have two other artists who were brand new to oil paints to talk to.  We could ask each other questions, share what we learned, exchange feedback on our work, and encourage one another.  Having books and video tutorials is awesome, but it doesn’t replace the ways you can grow in a digital “sewing circle.”  Michelle and Paige are going to paint along with the 2025 index card art project and, if you want to be a part of it, you can

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

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