✦ ART STUDIO VLOG ✦ Commissions, working on my first collection & days at the beach ☀ 

Great seeing a week-in-the-normal-life-of-a-creative :-)

Hi beautiful work! Thanks for sharing. I’m impressed you can film and paint at same time, it’s lovely for the viewer you handle it well . When I write I wait till everyone’s asleep and I’m all alone usually it’s 11p-4am 👍❤️

So much truth in what you said! I feel overwhelmed by this constantly. Excited for your new collection

The painting of the dog is absolutely lovely ... Very, very good. See what love can do ... (sigh)! And it's pretty three-dimensional (an understatement) -- so much for dictionary definitions and preconceived ideas.

Hi Maryellen. You have a talent for graphic art, which I've read is "based on the use of line and tone rather than three-dimensional work or the use of colour." I wonder whether that definition isn't a bit simplistic, since graphic art can be VERY colourful. I lean more in the direction of three-dimensional effects, although I've lost interest in trying to draw or paint. It was a phase I went through, but I'm still interested in visual arts in general. My art teacher at school used to strongly encourage us to visit art galleries and get inspiration from the works of other artists. He believed that it always promotes the development and enrichment of our own work. I was astonished to see what this kind of cross-pollination can do -- for example what it did for Vincent van Gogh who started off with very dark earthy colours (e.g. in The Potato Eaters, which I saw during an art history course). You might if you wanted try your own adapted version of the kind of thing that Frida Kahlo or Alphonse Mucha did -- or incorporate something scenic as a backdrop. Michelangelo's paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel are very nice, I would regard that as something close to graphic art. (Well, wait a minute, I'm confusing myself -- they are very three-dimensional, perhaps that is wishful thinking. It's just that there is something clean and clear about his lines, and he uses beautiful colours.) I could imagine being motivated by making a painting of yourself or a loved one (something that so many artists have done -- probably because it is meaningful to them), with some significant details that incorporate things that they are interested in and busy themselves with -- a work of love, instead of an idea of what someone else may regard as "cool" or sophisticated. So paint to please yourself first and foremost -- paint something that has personal significance to you, emotional value. Do not paint to please someone else who might conceivably one day be interested in buying something you've painted. Paint to celebrate and pay tribute to someone or something that you love -- for whose existence you are grateful. (Sketching your husband -- you did exactly that.) I love evocative landscapes myself, that is what I would have liked to see hanging on my walls if I had a choice -- but strangely I've only ever wanted to paint people. It's frustrating because people aren't easy to paint. But that's how it is. Animals though are something in between -- I have drawn cats (in coloured pencil). But using paint is so much more exciting and quicker and easier to do on a bigger scale. It might help to take a firm decision ahead of time that you're not going to give in to an impulse to augment a painting but plan it out meticulously beforehand and stick to what you've decided. It might make a difference and help you to THINK more so that you get into a habit of being very deliberate about what you do (maybe a bit less spontaneous, but also more efficient in the use of your time). These are just loose ideas that I'm throwing around as a kind of "think tank" exercise. In poetry for example some poets have gone for the sonnet style, which is extremely restrictive but also so satisfying when you've done your best and astonished yourself. More restrictions could provide more structure and "support" and could actually stimulate you to rise to the challenge and do your best ("against the odds"). I don't know whether I've talked nonsense now that might be completely insensitive to what makes painting worth the effort for you. However, being more restrictive and strict with yourself, deciding to accept a difficult challenge might help you to feel freer and more refreshed when you allow yourself a RETURN to spontaneity FOLLOWING the restrictive exercise. (In other words, a kind of pressure-on, pressure-off variety of approach.) In my own life I haven't been energized by the idea of painting a loved one -- perhaps because there was no one that I liked and felt comfortable with enough to focus on them that much. So it's certainly different for different people. What energized me most was when our art teacher brought in someone he found who was looking for a job, and got that person to pose as a model (with all of their clothes on -- though in the case of one lithe young woman with well-defined muscles, he pushed up her sleeves so that we could get a better look at her arms). For some reason I always found that very exciting -- to draw them (in ordinary pencil) as quickly as possible but as meticulously as possible too. I wanted to capture something of their essence. Perhaps this was because I didn't feel threatened by them. I might have identified with them to some extent. So it's definitely different for different people, what we find appealing, intriguing and motivating. What we find worthwhile and meaningful. On the other hand, if I'd made a mental decision to paint a loved one (or any person for that matter, for instance "on commission"), it might have turned out well too, if I'd decided that I would do it in a positive way (workman-like, without reluctance or complaining), and that I would rise to the challenge no matter what. If someone tried to do something different from what their normal tendency is (a different way of approaching the whole thing), it might have helped them to feel freer -- if only to feel freer and less restrained by the way they've always tended to do it. Not that there was anything wrong with the way they've always tended to do it -- but sometimes something inside us wants to break loose of that and explore other directions, other potentialities that are as yet untapped and unexplored. Enjoy the adventure. It's wonderful that painting is an activity that can be engaged in at practically any age -- I hope you have many years ahead of you!

haha I love Leigh Ellexson as well so when I heard her I was like "I know this voice from somewhere🤔" Love this vid😍

I'm sorry that you wiped out (covered up, obliterated) so much of the big painting of the hooded woman, that you started off with in the video -- it looked really interesting the way it looked at the start, there were some beautiful jewel-like parts (like on the left-hand bottom side -- one area reminiscent of Klimt's work as well as those pleasing leaf-like shapes) that you could have worked into (for want of a better word -- included, incorporated, distributed, worked through?) to some other parts of it as well. Klimt might have obtained some of his decorative patterns and visual effects from nature -- from the shapes and patterns of some semi-precious stones. (Always a good idea to take inspiration from nature -- it's a treasure trove of visual concepts and impressions. I'm stating the obvious, like I often do. Helps me to think and orientate myself.) Patience and a kind of unworldly humility is needed, to avoid being too critical and perfectionistic (self-sabotage). A workman-like approach -- less perfectionism and driving ambition. Baby steps. Don't drive yourself too much in a worldly kind of way (not that you did, but I could imagine that something like that could result in a kind of self-torture). Pressure that could be overwhelming, that you talked about, is of course perfectionism (and together with perfectionism perhaps a degree of impatience). The impatience might be connected to not liking your subject quite as much as you feel you need to (with the dog you didn't seem to have any problems). In my own life I have a tendency to feel aimless and frustrated when my expectations are too high, regarding the pleasure or satisfaction I hope to get from a certain activity. I suspect that it might be better to "just get on with it", to get immersed in a task and "let go and let God". Sometimes burnout comes from trying to do things in one's own strength. Do everything for the glory of God, thanking and praising and honouring Him, and He will help you. In our own strength we cannot achieve perfection, but through God's supernatural help, we can achieve a kind of perfection (trusting and believing). See what God made possible for George Frederick Handel, who composed the music for his monumental oratorio The Messiah in only 24 days. A work that entranced Beethoven, who said, "To him I bend the knee, for Handel was the greatest, ablest composer that ever lived." Christians know of course that God is the real originator of everything that is good and perfect: Handel did his best, using his God-given talent for the glorification of his Creator -- and God did the rest. It's all possible thanks to God -- His goodness, wisdom and power. You might not like me saying this Maryellen, but Seventh-day Adventism teaches a works-based gospel, which is a false gospel and will not ensure entry into the kingdom of heaven, since it negates the redemptive work that Jesus did on the Cross by sacrificing Himself to pay the price for our sins. On the cross He cried out, "It is finished!" But false prophet Ellen G. White, herself misled, have misled others. She is just one of a myriad of false prophets -- there are many others, and other false religions, even other churches that call themselves Christian (like the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches and the Worldwide Church of God, to name just a few) and say that they believe in the Bible and love Jesus, but who in fact have been taught unbiblical beliefs and follow a false, works-based gospel. To stay on the path of truth, we need to pay attention and stick to *what the Bible says*. Any prophets who claim to have authority over how the Bible should be interpreted and presume to try and add to the Bible, are putting themselves above the Bible. Every part of Scripture should be interpreted and understood within the context of that particular piece of Scripture, but also within the context of the Bible as a whole, otherwise one piece of Scripture could be twisted out of context and misinterpreted. We are saved through the grace of God, not through works (Ephesians 2:4-10) The idea that Jesus did NOT finish his redemptive work on the Cross is unbiblical. (Hebrews 10:10-14) Paul urgently warned the Galatians to beware of a "different gospel", that is belief in works-based salvation. (Galatians 1:6-10) We need to take a proper look at what the Bible says, for ourselves, and think for ourselves about what we've read; then we won't be so easily misled by false preachers and false prophets. It is a matter of (eternal) life or death. Reading a good translation of the Bible (I trust the New American Standard Bible and the old King James Version) is also essential since so many have been corrupted (I've read for example that the English Standard Version used to be trustworthy, but that in the 2016 version of it some verses have been changed to mean the opposite of what they're supposed to mean, for example Genesis 3:16: "Your desire will be contrary to your husband, but he will rule over you" -- what a tragic twisting of truth into a lie, when God meant for a wife and husband to live together in love and harmony, with the wife longing for her husband and craving his company, and he acting as her loving leader and protector). Seeing such a blatant lie printed in a Bible that used to be trustworthy was a strong motivation to warn other people about what is going on (about attacks on biblical truth), and to treasure the good translations that are still available. The devil is always looking for ways to confuse and discourage and bamboozle people and we need to be watchful and alert and as well-informed and prepared as possible to resist him and stand fast on what God tells us in the Bible. He is subtle and cunning, and he knows that one of our weakest spots is our desire to be liked and esteemed by other people. That we tend to let our guard down when we are in the company of people that we like and admire and need to feel close to (as Adam did in fellow-feeling with his wife). Yet our problem isn't other people but our own sinful natures and the temptations of the devil, who at times uses people as his instruments. Pleasing people (who all are vulnerable and imperfect) won't get us into Heaven -- we need to please God (the Creator of everything that exists, including the people we love) first and foremost -- He gives us a firm and sure foundation for everything else in our lives, and the power and strength and guidance to have the best life that we could possibly have. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding; acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6) Please look again at Nathan Busenitz's article "Evaluating Seventh-day Adventism" Maryellen. The article specifically. It appeals to reason and emphasizes Biblical truth. Please look at the article rather than at the video on that webpage. Busenitz looks quite critical and judgmental in the video, as far as his body language is concerned, which could I think be upsetting and discombobulating and even offensive to someone who has felt comfortable and safe in the SDA environment, as an environment that is familiar to them. I'm sorry about that, it could be a bit hurtful, but I feel sympathetic towards him as well. I think he was showing his true feelings of unease and sadness about people being led to their doom. His attitude towards the matter is one of concern and active resistance -- he is like a watchman who knows that he will be held responsible if he should forsake his duty of warning others of the peril they are in (Ezekiel 3). Wishing you the best Maryellen. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10)

Are you still doing the no-poo method!? Can we get an update if you are?

Hello