Michelle G Brown | Mixed Media Art

Street Artists of Florence

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Florence is a beautiful city with it’s galleries, churches and palaces but my favourite memories will be of the many street artists that could be found in the shady corners and streets of the city. Many of the street artists getting the tourist’s attention were drawing amazing portraits; their quick skills and incredible likenesses gaining the attention of many. Others were creating lovely water colours, others rough works with acrylics.

The symbols of Florence where everywhere in these paintings – Ponte Vecchio, the San Maria Basillica dome, the skyline from Piazzale Michelangelo, the Tuscany country side; all represented in the muted shades that are well known in this part of the world.

The one that caught my attention was this lady, creating lovely water colours on cotton and finishing them with sepia ink. I could have watched her all day and it created a yearning for my own paints and art supplies.

Street artists in Florence, outside the Uffizi Gallery

When you visit Florence, make sure you allow time to wander the street without aim and spend time watching the street artists; you never know which corner you wil find them around.

Uffizi Gallery forecourt with artists

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Four Seasons

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This article is written by Gloria Malouf-Marsh

In this painting, I have used the ‘Four Seasons’ in explaining how they are interpreted and cultivated  in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In the three months of spring, all things on the earth begin to grow.  The natural world is resuscitating and all things are flourishing. This is a time to activate and promote the positive side of nature, which in turn is the principle for cultivation of health.

In the three months of summer, it is a time of prosperity. Nature is blossoming, and an attitude towards life is a manifestation of a cheerful state of mental equilibrium. This is also a time for gratitude and appreciating all our gifts and the overall positive mental approach to life as a result.

The three months of autumn is the season of ripening.  In autumn it is cool, the wind blows fast and the atmosphere appears clear.  Our minds should be peaceful to alleviate the soughing effect of autumn. Experiencing moderation of mental activity for balance is very important. This is a time of cultivation of moderation and harmony and prevents outward signs of agitation.

The three months of winter is the season for storage.  This is a time of hibernating, having quiet mental times, providing extra rest, warmth, taking care of our bodily organs and preserving our energy for the following seasons. This is a time to keep out of drafts and the cold and enjoying the glorious radiant sunshine in its splendour.

My favourite months of the year are May and October.

Mixed media painting to express oneself

My study of Taoism has greatly influenced my lifestyle and thinking.  I enjoy the rhythms of nature, walking, meditating, and spending time in the sunshine and fresh air.  In Chinese philosophy the yin and yang symbols are used and their meanings provide the intellectual framework of Chinese scientific thinking, especially in the field of medicine. Maintaining optimum health plays an integral part in this science.  Illness and emotions are seen as disturbances in the balance of yin and yang. This occurs when one’s balance in life is exaggerated as being too excessive. One could overwork, or one could be the opposite and not be motivated – the need for balance is of paramount importance, blending the strong and the soft. The yang being the heavens and the yin being the earth. Yin is passive and yang is strong.

My canvas is rectangular in shape, and I halved and marked it vertically and horizontally. I then painted the top part being spring, summer, and the bottom autumn and winter, and being cyclical.  The colours in the painting are vibrant.

I painted the top part first and followed with the bottom. Each season told a story. The variety of colours – warm, hot, and happy greatly affected my mood. Cyclic rhythms of nature contribute to weather and environmental changes. I went on a journey with nature and was in awe of its magnificence. It’s a natural phenomenon how the seasons take form.

It’s important to challenge oneself and work ‘out of the box’ as this expresses our personal creativity.  I could have covered the branches in spring and summer with foliage, but I said no – this is how I interpret the seasons – working from the inside out.  Surprise yourself! You may be amazed at the end result!

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My name is Gloria Malouf-Marsh. I live in Brisbane, Australia, in a very leafy suburb called Indooroopilly.  I live with my husband Greg and my daughter Salwa.

Among my many interest are, singing, playing the piano, cooking, doing voluntary work and studying Ayurveda and Taoism.  I’m a Yoga Chi Gung Teacher.

The weather in Brisbane is glorious in winter.  We are experiencing some very cold weather at present.  I’m looking forward to springtime.  The atmosphere is very clear and fresh and spring is preparing itself with celebration.

My art class is on Wednesdays and I so eagerly look forward to going. The group of ladies is so friendly, interested and caring.  Our teacher is very supportive also. I enjoy variety of mediums very much – collage, acrylic, etc.  I believe, the recipe to maintaining momentum with my brush is to keep on practicing and creating at home and making this a habit that I love. It’s amazing how much confidence we acquire after daily practice. No excuses Gloria, to do other things, practice and practice puts one in the mood and motivates one. It does wonders to my self-esteem and creativity.  This is so beneficial generally.

I have enjoyed painting this art contribution of the Four Seasons very much.

Enjoy and create something from nothing.

Emails are welcome- My email is: gloria@radiantpathways.com.au

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Doorways of Rome

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There are themes we often see reoccurring in mixed media art and the doorway is one that fascinates me. It wasn’t until I visited Rome that I truly fell in love with the ornate doorway. Every street, at every corner and through every alleyway, a new vista opens and another streetscape is presented. And they are filled with different sized doors with patterns and ornate knockers and knobs.

using doorways in our mixed media art

And the streets themselves, with the housed lined up so tightly, also inspire artists delight – the shapes and symmetry of the windows, the shutters, the planter boxes with the tiny collection of colour that stands out against the weariness of the buildings walls.

Rome alleyway

The colour pallette is also gorgeous in the summer light; through a range of whites to browns that words simply can’t describe.

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Where is your inspiration coming from today?

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Mixed Media Artist: Ann Strecko Koeman

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This article is writen by Ann Strecko Koeman

Hi. My name is Ann, I have always been making stuff. In fact just two days ago a fellow scrap booking friend stopped by my house, it was her first time. As I was giving her the nickel tour of my home and then my craft room area she asked: “Is there ANYTHING you don’t do?” I did have to admit that I don’t know metal work very much. Hee hee. Actually, there are probably many things I could learn and it will take more than the rest of my life. That is why I am hardly ever bored, I am too busy.

Ann’s Arts and Crafts         Ann’s Arts and Crafts         Ann’s Scrapbook

As a little girl I would spend hours gluing, stapling, taping, and stringing odds and ends into whatever my imagination wanted. I learned to sew at my mother’s side when I was at pre-school. I wrote little stories and illustrated them. I learned to knit and cook before I was nine. I loved flowers and playing in the dirt in my toddler years. As an adolescent I built forts in our woods and igloos in the winter. I have always been creative and wanted to make whatever I imagined.

Ann’s Arts and Crafts         Creativity         Creativity

Today at, ahem… 45 years, I have amassed an incredible collection of skills and stuff. My skills impress my friends and family. My stuff, well, shocks! But it is organized! I love to collect stuff and find a use for it down the road. My collecting, repairing and repurposing drives my husband insane! He has little vision! We clash. I persevere. I do not like to throw stuff out and just go buy new. I hate waste. Thankfully we own a large home and I am able to stuff it in an organized manner. Hee hee

Arts and Crafts                                             Arts and Crafts

My children think I can fix anything! And always bring me stuff to repair. They think it is normal, and believe every mom can multi task and is creative. I have sewn and knitted many or their baby clothes. I continued to sew many articles for them over the years. Even now in their teenage years I sew some of their pajamas. I do more altering and repairs now, as they are, well, teens. I have made many of their costumes for Halloween or plays. I crochet some of their favorite video game characters. We have made buildings and towns out of cardboard boxes, board games from the recycling bin contents, and more.

Until a few years ago I had never heard of Mixed Media. When I did I thought, “that’s me!” I do and love so many things and often combine them. I sew, knit, crochet, scrapbook, do paper crafts, draw, paint, repurpose, decorate, garden, cook etc… In art school I got discouraged because of one professor, and there was family pressure to have “something to fall back on”. I switched concentrations. I went to University and Graduate school and became a professional. And hated it! I kept my “hobbies” and became a wife and mother, I was happier!
My kids are my proudest creations.

Ann,

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Ann lives east of Ottawa, Canada’s capital, in a small bucolic country town with her husband of nineteen years, their two teenage sons and a meowing fur ball on four legs.  She has been creating since she could hold scissors and hasn’t stopped.  She was introduced to mixed media four years ago and declared: “That’s me”.

You can see more of Ann’s work at Ann Makes.

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