Tag Archives: art

art, commitment, creator, excuses, showing up

How to be more productive

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How to be more productive in a society that asks so much of us every day is a challenge. After nine-to-five it’s hard to get motivated when all your energy is gone, BUT if you take the step to do something you love, you’ll find that you perk right up. It beats sitting on the couch eating popcorn.

The first step

Identify what you can do NOW to move your dreams forward. I’m coming from an artist’s point of view, but all areas of life can use the same approach. As an artist, I have so many art supplies that I have collected over the years, so I have no excuses.

Making art is a journey. There is a beginning but no end. The journey is traveling through many facets of creativity, and when one style doesn’t support your enthusiasm it’s important to trust the progress forward.

The second step

Can you commit to something you love to do? When you sign up for an exercise program you commit to following through, but how many do? It gets boring but you gain stamina and mobility. So, what change can you make to be more excited about it? Try a different style? It takes creativity to get out of a rut. Commitment is invaluable! Follow through until it gets to be second nature. That is probably the most valuable lesson I have had in my years as an artist.

I have made many clay figures in the past, and the above picture is a new variant of the same theme. I wanted to make a toadstool hat, which I knew would be a challenge. This is how I did it (lots of gnashing of teeth.): I took a Styrofoam ball and cut the top off. I already had the sculpture’s head done. I carved out the foam to fit the head. That was the easy part. Then I needed pleated fabric on the underside. I used A LOT of glue to press down every fold of white muslin. (You should’ve seen my gluey hands!) I made sure the folds were attached well, and then I went back to press them down as the glue was drying. Then I trimmed the excess of fabric at the edge, and there it was. I felt a great sense of accomplishment. I painted the red area first so that I wouldn’t get paint on the white pleats, and I added the clay hair afterward.

Step three: Keep experimenting!

You don’t learn what works unless you experiment with the materials. Many times a material won’t work, but you get a better idea of what will.

Set small goals

Climbing Mt. Everest takes MANY small steps. Say you can commit to half an hour of art-ing every day, plan ahead. If you’re a visual artist, bring a sketchbook in your purse and some pens and pencils. If you paint abstracts, make a wild background on a blank canvas. If you work with clay, make an armature for the sculpture you want to create. One small step will get you going.

How to be more productive happens in small steps!

The Universe helps those who help themselves. Brilliant ideas come from nowhere, and you can be the vessel for those ideas.

Show up, and magic will start happening 🙂

It’s true.

If you have no clue what excites you, think of what you liked in school, or what you were good at. Talent often shows itself early, a suggestion of a future to come. Doing what you love makes you HAPPY! If clueless, try different things; the smallest effort will eventually show you the path.

Lots of love,

Maria

My etsy shop EarthandFaery is filled with magic!

art, art tutorial, mixed media

How to make a simple clay bird

How to make this ornament:

I started with a “banana” shaped core of aluminum foil, and then I covered that with polymer clay. I rolled out a sheet of clay approx. 1/8″ thick and applied in sections to the bird shape. Then I added wings and some feather texture. I had clay beads from a previous project and used a couple of those and a jute string for hanging. I used an awl to push a hole through the bird before I baked it. Easy peasy!! If you don’t want to make one but want to buy one, you can do so HERE.

I had a pretty productive month of July, and here are some things I made, mostly clay figures: As you can see there were a lot of different figures involved! 🙂

I used polymer clay, plaster, paints, resin, and a few ready-made embellishments. I was particularly pleased with the figure with a dangling heart in the middle, made of plaster and a foam core. I love to experiment, and plaster is such a fun material, if messy.

The crochet blanket is my latest project that I finished last night. I think I’m obsessed with crocheting! If you missed the other blanket I made this spring, here’s a link to that blog post. Click HERE. The design is by Janie Crow. Everything she designs is breathtakingly beautiful.

How to be courageous

The only way to learn new things is to DO them. Book learning or art classes are good, but I don’t want to paint like the instructor or read books about art when I can sit down and experiment. I’m not saying it’s easy.

I constantly look for what inspires me, but then make something similar in my style. To develop a style, you have to try many things, make ugly art, and never give up! The challenge is always there, but you learn how to live it and “carry on” no matter what. Follow what makes you excited and make that in whatever medium you’re drawn to. Keep following that excitement and see where it leads! 🙂

You can always buy small batches of material and try them. That way you don’t spend $$$$$ on materials that then sit unused on a shelf. That makes you feel guilty every time you look at them.

All the above items are available in my etsy shop EarthandFaery.

I also have a YouTube channel with many mixed media art tutorials. Check out my latest video where I unbox a Grabie watercolor kit, and a Himi gouache kit. Click HERE.

Have a wonderful and creative August!

Lots of love,

art, to do list, writing

Do you jot down to-do lists and follow through?

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Do you or don’t you? I go in spurts. When I get too lazy, I bring out my small notebook (with gilded edges, no less!) and jot down about five things I need to do daily. My list usually contains these items:

Make art, write or edit chapters, pack etsy orders, clean something.

Art: I usually have something half finished, so it’s easy to choose what to do, but there are days when I have no ideas, and I have to drag myself into the studio. On such days, I might start something like making a clay body for a chicken–nothing too elaborate.

Clearing a list makes you feel good.

I feel compelled to follow through if I make a list. When I don’t, it’s easy to blow things off, and the day goes by without any progress, making me feel bored and ungrounded. I also feel guilty if I don’t progress, especially with my art.

Sometimes it’s okay to blow things off and go out for fresh views and new inspiration. There’s a distinct difference between blowing things off and feeling as if your well is empty. Ignoring your impulses to create is detrimental to your “feel good” that day. I love to create, but I don’t want to be an art-aholic in the studio.

‘Tis a fine line to walk.

Due to my list-making, I had a productive week. I’ve been sculpting goddesses on shells lately and made more angel shrines. Christmas is coming, and I’ve been selling a lot of angels lately.

The angels below are slightly different designs compared to my old ones. I still have a few of the older designs left on etsy.

I also created a couple of paintings. I went back to my work in 2005 to see what Christmas motifs I had used. Back in the day, I painted Americana folk art. I decided to revisit that style and came up with a new and better(?) version. The first painting is current, and the other is from 2005. It was a lot of fun!

I forgot to make a bunch of Christmas things to sell this year. Time has gone by so quickly, and I can’t seem to get a handle on it.

As far as writing goes, I just put up my second mystery, TO DIE FOR, for pre-order on Kindle. It’s free on Kindle Unlimited. I had a lot of fun writing this story. Mysteries are tricky as you have to embed clues and hold back lots of info to keep the suspense up. I’m working on number three now, RENDEZVOUS WITH DEATH. It’ll be a while before it comes out.

The last thing on my list is “clean something.” I often fail in that department since I hate cleaning, but I don’t want to live like a pig.

With three cats, it’s hard to keep any surfaces clean. They have a monopoly on the house… You can find lots of pictures of them on my Instagram feed. My handle there is @greeneearth. Mama Sassy and her six-month-old kittens, Elfie and Pixie. They are all tuxedos, and the kittens are almost identical. Anyway, I feel good if I clean one countertop or dust some shelves. Better than nothing, right?

Have a happy and productive week!

Lots of love,

Maria

art, art making, art tutorial, art video

New year, new inspiration, still old me

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New year, can you believe it? We begin with a bang thinking that this year will be different. We’re going to shed all bad habits, take up good ones and finally break through THAT resistance, and vanquish all procrastination.

I have news, we are still who we were on December 31, but I can see the lure of a fresh year ahead. I entered the Goodreads reading challenge to read 55 books this year. I read a lot so I will probably make it, but maybe that is the optimism of a new year speaking? We shall see…

I did start the year with a creative bang, so at least I have that going for me. Art is in my blood, and the more art I make, the more anchored the “habit” gets. It is a good, nourishing habit!

Make art get into your blood! Take a daring step to incorporating an art habit into your daily life this year. It’s amazingly rewarding. If you are reading this blog, you are an artist. This year, give your art a great deal of love and attention. It will make you so happy.

Here are some things I made in January. These figures are elves /nature spirits / fairies, whatever you want to call them.

New year creations

I made some floral paintings as well, and a funky bird. You can check out these items in my etsy shop Earth and Faery.

Creative month of January

I have a gift for you! Yesterday I made a how-to YouTube video on painting a funky floral like the one above.

YouTube video link

One of my most popular YT videos is the on how to make a spirit doll. You can easily make one and stuff some intentions and affirmations into it. I write them down on pieces of paper, and with the focus on my intentions, I incorporate them into the doll. So much fun! Check out that VIDEO here.

For art journaling or plain writing journaling, I have a simple tutorial on how to make your own journal. All you need is willingness, some art supplies like watercolor paper and a few paints, and some string or embroidery floss. Check that blog post HERE.

I’d love to hear what you’re working on or what difficulties you have with making art into a consistent practice. Leave a comment below or write to me at maria@mariagreene.org.

Have the best year ever, and lots of love and glitter sprinkles! 🙂

Maria

art, art assemblage, artist, clay, creativity, mixed media, motivational, painting, resistance

When in a creative slump

When in a creative slump, it’s easy to panic and think that the well has dried up for good. You feel uninspired, unmotivated, moody, a lack of general energy, and you look at things negatively. The last thing you want to hear is “rise above” or “do it anyway” or “buck up, it’s not the end of the world.”

While some of those expressions are true in many ways, it’s easy to dismiss them and stay in the doldrums.

When in the dumps you can make a conscious choice to change, but it’s not easy.

So basically how you feel is a choice. I can hear arguments coming at me, but let me explain. How do you “rise above”? I personally do it by meditation to feel better, and then everything seems easier, even if it isn’t.

Practice is a great fall-back.

When you’ve been in a slump several times, you know they don’t last, so experience makes it easier to bear.

When I feel a longing to create and do it, no matter what, I feel progress even if everything came out as mud on paper.

I suppose you could call it “do it anyway.” I have written about that before, and it boils down to a habit of going to the studio and make attempts at creating every day, even if it’s only for ten minutes. You feel progress, if not satisfaction.

The thing about experiencing a slump is part of the process of being an artist. It’s as sure as the sun rising in the sky. You feel it especially hard if you’re changing your art expression by trusting that an old style no longer works.

I’ve looked at my progression of styles over the years and it’s mind-boggling how many times things have changed! I get bored easily.

I especially dislike the “buck up” version of friendly advice. Let me just wallow in my misery, okay? 🙂 I guess I’d rather not admit that “bucking up” is a valid choice…

Anyway, IF YOU JUST SHOW UP, things will turn around and you’ll think you wasted a bunch of days on misery.

That said, I’ve changed a lot recently, and it shows up in my art. However, a friend of mine said, “I can always see YOU in all of your art styles.” That made me feel good as I have been worrying about changing from something that worked in the past to something new.

My clay art is much easier than painting. Check out my latest funky chicken, Elmer:

When in a slump, make a clay chicken…

And here’s Selma:

Selma, the sassy chicken

I made some mixed media art /paintings, and had a huge struggle to get past the super messy backgrounds. It was as if I threw everything single technique at them before I could see any steps forward. It was a messy slump indeed, but I gritted my teeth and moved one inch forward every day. I hated the panels!

I don’t have any process pictures, but these happy summer motifs came out of all that angst and disgust. To top it all, the art looked happy, the colors bright, full of joy. Go figure.

They are different than my previous painting expressions, but I felt good about the new direction. Who doesn’t like a happy summer day?

I also tried some wood panels, and I LOVE THEM! Painting on a hard surface is easier than canvas somehow. You have to experience it to know.

They are a mixture of messy paint, decorative papers, and in one case, scraps of lace.

The painting below ended up with loads of paper strips for hair. It was painstaking but I liked the result.

Air fairy

I have been admiring dioramas on Pinterest, and I made a couple, though I had no idea what I was doing. It was loads of fun! Something for you to try if you get into a creative slump??

The fairy in the second picture was store bought, and I created the landscape around her.

So when all else fails, try a simple collage or a diorama! Painting has been my hardest taskmaster. Crafts are more relaxing and not half as challenging. So, in conclusion, to grow we need to do more of what challenges us…

If you missed my last tutorial on funky paper dolls you can check it out HERE.

Have a great creative weekend!

Lots of love,

Maria

P.S. The above items are for sale in my etsy shop, Earth and Faery.

If you’d like to get my newsletter once a month, sign up a the top right corner under News.

art, art assemblage, clay, creativity, Paper dolls

Paper dolls and muscle memory

Paper dolls and muscle memory, what do they have in common, you might ask. With a cursory glance they don’t, but if you look closer, you’ll see that my paper dolls have clay faces, and I make a lot of clay faces.

Muscle memory comes into the picture when I feel as if I can make and paint the faces in my sleep. That is how art is sometimes.

The more you practice art, the deeper you get with the process, and much of the action comes from using your muscles to repeat the process. You don’t worry about it; you just do it.

MAKING ART FRIGHTENS ME

When people sit down at an art table for the first time, it’s like the first time they sit in the car they’re supposed to drive. It’s intimidating and scary, but somehow you overcome the fear and “let it roll.”

That’s why art classes are a good way to get going with art. A good teacher will take you by the virtual hand and show you what to do, as with any new subject you approach. Think of it like learning a new language. At first, you only know a few words. After a year or so, you can speak haltingly and understand much of what people say in that language.

ART IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT’S ALWAYS NEW

Unless you paint the same motif every day, you’ll face the challenge of putting something on the blank page. Many artists paint the same style and motifs over and over, and they learn from that, but how do you explore wider vistas? You can add an element to the well-trod path. If you paint, incorporate some paper collage, or use colors you stay away from normally.

To grow as artists, we have to go down unfamiliar paths, but what we’ve learned along the way, is easy, it comes without struggle, like muscle memory for those who lift weights. You trust that your hands can do the work!

I digress..

Let’s get back to paper dolls. I have had many questions on how to paint clay faces, so I made a video, How to paint clay faces, Part 1.

The faces evolved into funky paper dolls, so you can check out the second video, How to add a painted face to a mixed media paper doll, Part 2.

I realized the faces could be used with so many styles, and how you dress the dolls, is a challenge because there are so many choices. The possibilities are endless. That’s where the exploration begins. But make a clay face first. It’s not that hard!

I’ve been busy in my studio this month, and sales are picking up since January. I’ve sold a lot of different items, and when I sell one, I usually make a replacement. Here are some samples, and these only include my etsy items, not my art journal pages.

The whimsy girl in the striped jersey is a popular items. I’ve made several. Maybe it’s the stripes?? The Love You More plaque was a custom order, the largest plaque I’ve made with my painted tiles, 10×10″.

I also really enjoyed making the “twin flame” driftwood and clay wand. Something new for me even though I sneaked in two clay faces!

Okay, what are you working on? I’d love to see some paper dolls with clay faces from you. You can send pictures to:

maria@mariagreene.org.

I love seeing other people’s art!

I wish you loads of inspiration in March, and productive happiness. ‘Til the next time, lot’s of love.

Maria

If you must have one of my latest items, please check out my etsy shop, Earth and Faery.