Category Archives: skeletons

Bring Goth Home for the Holidays

I was sick for a couple of weeks with COVID, but I am apparently hard-wired to make things anyway. Want to see what I was doing?

4" black skull pattern ornament — 6×6″ canvases

So me and my beloved and my two kids who live nearby all got Covid a couple of weeks ago. It could have been worse and, thankfully, we’re all pretty much back to normal.

Unfortunately, I’d made plans to be part of the Holiday Market at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts and so I was still busily making gothic style Xmas crafts right up until the day before I was supposed to go in and set up my booth. I had to cancel at the last minute, partly because I wasn’t feeling 100 percent healthy, and partly because I didn’t want to be out in public spreading Covid joy. You know how it is.

So I have all this stuff that I am going to store in my attic and put in next year’s Holiday Market, but I thought, you know, if anyone is interested in “Bringing Goth Home for the Holidays” I will happily sell and ship out whatever you like that I have.

You can find all my horrible Christmast art in my Etsy shop. Merry, Scary Christmas!

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You can buy my art imprinted on all kinds of cool stuff in my Fine Art America Shop. You can purchase my original art on Daily Paint Works or in my Etsy shop.

Curtain Call

Messing around with my new skull and some dried roses I have leftover. Doesn’t she look happy?

Sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio and insights into my process. Plus, get a free downloadable print just for signing up!

You can buy my art imprinted on all kinds of cool stuff in my Fine Art America Shop. You can purchase my original art on Daily Paint Works or in my Etsy shop.

Orange is My New Black

Anyone else wearing florescent hunter orange absolutely everywhere they go these days?

Sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio and insights into my process. Plus, get a free downloadable print just for signing up!

You can buy my art imprinted on all kinds of cool stuff in my Fine Art America Shop. You can purchase my original art on Daily Paint Works or in my Etsy shop.

Nose in a Book

I’ve always got my nose in a book! You?

Sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio and insights into my process. Plus, get a free downloadable print just for signing up!

You can buy my art imprinted on all kinds of cool stuff in my Fine Art America Shop. You can purchase my original art on Daily Paint Works or in my Etsy shop.

A Toast to Old Friends

Well, well, well. We meet again! Skull still lifes throughout the spooky season. This is fun!

Sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio and insights into my process. Plus, get a free downloadable print just for signing up!

You can buy my art imprinted on all kinds of cool stuff in my Fine Art America Shop. You can purchase my original art on Daily Paint Works or in my Etsy shop.

New skeleton painting in progress

Hey everyone! I’m working on a new skeleton painting, another in the Old (Dead) Masters series. This one is based on Maxfield Parrish’s illustration for the Dinkey Bird poem which features a beautiful figure swinging from a tree limb with a magical looking castle in the clouds behind. It’s a lovely picture and I am delighted to skeletonize it. I’ll be posting time-lapse videos of my progress here so check back often.

I am really loving all the colors in this piece! All my favorites in one painting. I’m over the moon.

Blocking in the painting.

Adding more color.

Working on the castle, sky and foliage.

Narrowing my focus a little bit.

Working on the skeleton.

Getting a lot closer now!

Sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio and insights into my process. Plus, get a free downloadable print just for signing up!

You can buy my art imprinted on all kinds of cool stuff in my Fine Art America Shop. You can purchase my original art on Daily Paint Works or in my Etsy shop.

End of the year online show!

Picture this: A virtual online exhibit showcasing eclectic, imaginative artworks! Sounds like a pretty great event, right? 💯But what if I told you that I was able to be a part of something really cool like this? It’s true! The @GristleartGallery has invited me to be a part of Toy Box, their end of the year online show. I’m in creation mode for the event that kicks off on November 20th. I’m working on 3 – 6” x 6’ collectors canvases. Life is good, don’t you agree?

And now they’re all done! Yay! Who doesn’t want skeleton Christmas paintings? No one, that’s who! Hope you like them! See below for info about pre-show sales.

UPDATE: All my original Skel Noel paintings have now been sold! Thank you to my collectors for all your support! They’re now available on my Etsy shop as a downloadable print, in my Square shop as a greeting card, in Signed cards as, what else? a signed card, and in my Fine Art America shop as anything you can imagine. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Dashing thru the Snow, acrylic on canvas, 6×6″, sold.

From Our Crypt to Yours, acrylic on canvas, 6×6″, sold.

Joyous X-mas, acrylic on canvas, 6×6″, sold.

I am so thrilled to be a part of the Toy Box show!

Special pre-show sales available

Gristle Art Gallery’s Toy Box show is open to the public starting on Saturday, November 20, 2021 at 12 noon EST, but you can purchase in advance by contacting Gristle Art Gallery starting Monday, November 15, 2021! To get first dibs on any of the artwork featured in Toy Box, send an email to gallery@gristletattoo.com or visit Gristle Art Gallery online at https://www.gristleartgallery.com .

First in a series of 3 pieces for Gristle Gallery’s end of the year show, Toy Box!

It was fun to find old fashioned Christmas greetings to skeletonize for this show! I enjoyed painting every one of them. I hope you like them as much as I do.

By the way, there will be a card featuring one of these Skel Noels coming to your mailbox soon. If you’re not on my snail mail list yet, now’s a good time to fix that!

Sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio and insights into my process. Plus, get a free downloadable print just for signing up!

You can buy my art imprinted on all kinds of cool stuff in my Fine Art America Shop. You can purchase my original art on Daily Paint Works or in my Etsy shop.

Trunk show coming up in October

I and my skellies will be at “A Walk in the Woods,” pop-up art show in Grand Haven on Sunday, October 10, 2021. Rain date is Sunday, October 17.

This is going to be a fun show! I will bring all my skeleton prints, cards and stickers, plus one original (see below) and I hope to see a lot of people coming out to browse the trunks.

Frida Skelly with Monkeys all dressed up for the show!

I spent a morning figuring out how to use my Ford Focus to best advantage for this show. I especially loved making an ofrenda for Frida Skelly using some battery operated candles and lights under the hatchback. I wonder what kind of foods she might like? Bonbons, of course! I plan to add some more things to her altar to make a fitting tribute to her life and work.

Bonus! I will be giving away a Frida Skelly with Monkeys print at the show to some lucky person who fills out an entry for the drawing. I will also be drawing a random name from my subscriber list for the same prize, so keep an eye on your inbox for an announcement of the winners.

The show will go from 1 until 4 pm, and there will be lots of other artists participating, so please come if you can and show your support! Here’s some more info about Duncan Woods Park.

UPDATE

What a great time! I met a lot of new skelly art fans and sold some stuff! Also, congratulations to Kylee on winning the Frida Skelly with Monkeys print that was on display. Check your email Kylee! Plus, if you’re already a subscriber to my email list you may have won the exact same signed print, so look in your inbox for an email from me.

Thanks everyone for supporting me and my art! You’re the best.

You can buy my art imprinted on all kinds of cool stuff in my Fine Art America Shop. You can purchase my original art on Daily Paint Works or in my Etsy shop.

Sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio and insights into my process. Plus, get a free downloadable print just for signing up!

Ludington Gold Coast Artisan Fair

I’m showing my skeleton art at the Ludington Gold Coast Artisan Fair on August 14-15, 2021 in Rotary Park, Ludington, Michigan. I hope you can come!

The Ludington Gold Coast Artisan Fair is a fun event, drawing more than 170 vendors showing everything from lawn art to original drawings to household crafts. A lot of the booths feature local artisans. It’s a great way to purchase unique hand-crafted items for holidays, anniversaries and birthdays!

About Ludington

If you have never been to Ludington, it is worth the trip! Ludington is a beautiful resort town with a deep water harbor on the shores of Lake Michigan. There are beaches galore here, plus lots of choices for dining, shopping and stuff to do outdoors, including the Ludington State Park with its miles of hiking, biking and canoe trails, and beautiful beaches!

Print giveaway

Stop by my booth and enter the drawing for an 11×14″ framed and matted print of Neverending Love Story! You don’t have to buy anything to enter, but you can sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter at the same time if you like.

The details

What: Gold Coast Artisan Fair
Where: Booth C-26 (Court Street), Rotary Park, downtown Ludington, Michigan
When: Saturday, August 14, 10 am-5 pm and Sunday, August 15, 10 am-4 pm

Where to find me

I’ll be in space C-26, which is on the Court Street side of the park. Hope to see you there!

Some of what I’m bringing

Marie Marfia, The Kiss (Skelly Lovers), soft pastel on textured gator board with gilding, 18x18". — The Kiss (Skelly Lovers), soft pastel on textured gator board with gilding, 18×18″.

Marie Marfia, Neverending Love Story, soft pastel, 12x16.375 — The Kiss (Skelly Lovers), soft pastel on textured gator board with gilding, 18×18″.

I’ll have stickers, greeting cards, small prints, large prints and some original pastels in my booth. Plus, don’t forget to sign up for the giveaway!

Sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio and insights into my process. Plus, get a free downloadable print just for signing up!

You can buy my art imprinted on all kinds of cool stuff in my Fine Art America Shop. You can purchase my original art on Daily Paint Works or in my Etsy shop.

Nicolette and Aucassin progress

Thought I’d share some progress on the the latest skeleton Old (Dead) Masters painting. It’s coming along. I’m doing some refining right now, and that’s going to take a bit. I like doing these because they’re like a real intense workshop on the style of the artist whose work I’m copying. That’s definitely the case with this one.

grid and sketch of Nicolette and Aucassin — Grid and sketch of Nicolette and Aucassin

Here’s a video tour of where I’m at with this one. (Can you tell I’m listening to NPR?)

Here’s the final!

Marie Marfia, Aucassin and Nicolette, soft pastel on sanded paper, 12x16.375 — Neverending Love Story (Aucassin and Nicolette parody), soft pastel on sanded paper, 12×16.375″.

Finally! These parodies always take forever to finish. I have so much respect for the original creators of the pieces I copy. And I learn a ton while I’m working.

So, no official title for this one yet. If you have a suggestion, please send it along. Of course, puns are given first priority and if I pick your title to use, I’ll happily send you a print as a thank you. Email me, marie@mariemarfia.com, and tell me your idea!

As soon as I have a title for this one I’ll be adding it to my Etsy downloads and my Fine Art America shop, so I’ll keep you posted.

UPDATE! I have decided on a title. It’s going to be Neverending Love Story. It’s because it’s all about the story that never ends. Also, this particular couple is based on a story–Nicolette and Aucassin–which is also referenced in one of my favorite series of books ever.

Thanks to everyone who submitted ideas for the title. They really helped me a lot to come up with something that I liked and seemed fitting. You’re the best fans ever!

Sign up for my Bone Appetit newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio and insights into my process. Plus, get a free downloadable print just for signing up!