In the Studio with Mary: Paint Poppies with Me! *a FREE tutorial + printable paint guide* by Marydean Draws Paint poppies with me + a FREE printable 5×7″ paint guide Read on Substack
I was so honored to get to display my art in TWO local shows. One was at The Church of the Incarnation here in Harrisonburg. They have an entire Arts Incarnate program dedicated to platforming local artists and celebrating the arts with monthly art shows and musical and dance performances. My First Friday opening was shared with a local basket weaver and a performance by a local band. It was so fun! I am displaying the large landscapes and...
Well hello there friends! Welcome to my last blog post of 2021! I have a fun watercolor tutorial for you inspired by the Christmas Tree Farm. Here’s what you can round up before you start the video: SUPPLIES jar of water paper towel for blotting watercolor paints. I am using a set of tube watercolors squeezed into the lid of an old watercolor tray set preferably a flat brush watercolor paper (I am using a 5×7″ piece) with the...
It's here! The Bright Spots Collection is live! I've been working on this collection through the dark winter months. I enjoyed playing with mixing the mediums of watercolor and pastels (and sometimes pencil). I explore the way colors played with each other. Each piece is named after the "bright spots" we've found this past year.
My kindergarten son and I recorded a tutorial for a fun cool and warm color study abstract. You can tell he wasn’t thrilled to join me, but he ended up really happy with his creation and it’s now framed in his room. I love seeing kids respond to art. I also love projects that have enough guidance that they don’t feel overwhelmed, but also enough freedom that they can create something unique to them. Instructions and a materials list...
I am creating a series of art and poems based on the words Jesus spoke to women. This poem is based on the story of the woman at the well from John 4. I learned to see myselfthrough their gazea useful objector a cautionary talemy worth measured by the weight I carry I carry it wellin this one-well townbalanced on my hips just rightI can’t afford any softnessI suffer the heatTo avoid theirs the sweaty stranger at noonthrows off this balanceasks...
I’m no professional, but you know what I prescribe for stressful days when life feels crushing? Breathing. Prayer and Scripture. Friends. Therapy. The outdoors. And low-stress painting! I can help you with the last one! Here’s a little color mixing experiment you can do with simple watercolor supplies. I found this idea for mixing greens in the Watercolor Fix-it Book by Tony Van Hasselt and Judi Wagner. To break out of the “tray” or “bottle” of greens and get...
Here’s a little easy, relaxing, no-pressure art project you can try at home! I love playing with abstracts when you want to experiment with color mixing and not worry about “getting it right.” First grab these supplies (Amazon links are associate links*): watercolor paints (I use this Koi brand tray set, my kids use a tray set from Michael’s) brushes + water thick paper or watercolor paper cut into small rectangles optional: oil pastels, Nupastels, or chalk pastels for...
September 10, 2020
all good things•anti-racism•art•books that shape me•Uncategorized
All good things: September
I can’t believe I haven’t checked in since June! It feels like the last few months have been a bit of a time warp. I don’t even think I’ll attempt a detailed recap, but the intervening months included: grocery store sushi, puzzles, exploring streams and rivers, smoothies, books on tape, Minecraft, library books, bike riding, cartoons, attempts at gardening, lots of Hamilton listening, daily naps (for me), and just one emergency dental appointment (which turned out well). My kids...
