I love walking in the mornings, especially when the sky is all lit up with cotton candy clouds and the sun is reflecting on the snow. Today there were bare patches of leaves and needles under the trees and for a moment they looked like they were on fire.
Morning Walk, 9.5×7″ pastel on sanded paper, $700.
Morning Walk, 9.5×7″ soft pastel on sanded paper. $700.
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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 downloads in my Etsy shop or cards imprinted with a personal message and mailed for you in my Signed Cards store. Buy greeting cards, prints and stickers in my Square shop. Please contact me directly about purchasing original artwork. Thanks!
Hey, y’all. I’m planning to teach a pastel portrait class from 6-9pm on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts, 107 S. Harrison St., Ludington, Michigan.
I will provide everything you need to make an 8×10″ pastel portrait on sanded paper. There will be paper already mounted on a board, there will be a large selection of pastels to choose from, although you can certainly bring your own (not oil pastels, though, cuz that’s a different can of worms). All you need to do is bring a reference photo of either an animal face or a human face.
Please note: the reference photo should be 8×10″ with the size of the head measuring at least 7″ from top of the brow to the chin. There’s some leeway here, but basically, I want you to be able to draw a face that’s large enough to easily put some details in.
We’re going to be using the grid method of making a portrait. So you’ll draw a 1 inch grid on your reference and then a 1 inch grid on your sanded paper. This will let you get a pretty good likeness right from the get go.
If you want to participate, you should go to LACA’s website, and register for the pastel portrait workshop. Cost is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. There is a limit of 6 people.
Here are a couple of time lapse videos showing the process.
Maeve Speaks Out, soft pastel on sanded paper, 10×8″. NFS.
Roger Dodger You Old Codger, soft pastel on sanded paper, 8×10″. NFS.
Hope to see you there!
Sign up for my Marie Marfia Fine Art newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio plus 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 downloads in my Etsy shop or cards imprinted with a personal message and mailed for you in my Signed Cards store. Buy greeting cards, prints and stickers in my Square shop. Please contact me directly about purchasing original artwork. Thanks!
This is a portrait of me and my husband from a selfie I took a while ago. We were out walking around Magoon Creek, which is about a half hour north of where we live along Lake Michigan. It’s a really pretty spot to wander in, with a wooded area, a creek and then a long strip of beach. It was late fall when we were out there, pre-pandemic. The sun was shining in our faces, the wind was blowing. It was a glorious day.
Later, after I stopped recording the time lapse of this piece, I ended up overworking it and lost whatever likeness I’d achieved earlier. Sigh. It happens. Just means I need to do more of these and more often.
Sign up for my Marie Marfia Fine Art newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio plus 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 downloads in my Etsy shop or cards imprinted with a personal message and mailed for you in my Signed Cards store. Buy greeting cards, prints and stickers in my Square shop. Please contact me directly about purchasing original artwork. Thanks!
I have some art resolutions for 2022 and I’ve been taking stock of what I accomplished in 2021. First things first, though. A huge thank you to you for keeping company with me on my art journey. I appreciate all the attagirls you send my way and I plan to keep making stuff and sharing it with you. We make a good team, I think.
Art Resolutions for 2022
More plein air outings! I’ve joined the Plein Air Artists of West Michigan group, which meets twice a month all year except December. I’m looking forward to painting with them this year. Check them out here.
More live events! I’ve had the most success with my art when I’m out in the public eye, meeting people and talking with them in person. So I’ve got my eye on a few more shows this year than last. I’ll keep you posted about which ones I’ll be participating in as and when they happen, so stay tuned.
More collaborations! I want to make more of a spectacle of myself this year (if that’s even possible). If you or someone you know is looking for entertainment for their fundraising event, please pass my name along. I would love to set up and do a live painting demo for someone’s organization. It could be a portrait, a landscape, or a scene from the event itself. Then the resulting artwork could be auctioned or raffled off to raise money for a worthy cause. Could be fun!
More creating, every day! I want to really concentrate on painting every day. It’s about following my passion, yes, but it’s also about taking care of my mental health. Focusing on creating something is a way to block out the negative noisiness of the world around me. When I’m painting I’m not thinking about anything else and I need that creative time-out every day. It’s important and I want to make it a priority this year. I hope you join me!
Marie Marfia, Joyous X-mas, acrylic on canvas, 6 in x 6 in.
Come out, chickens! soft pastel on toned sanded paper, 9×12″.
Marie Marfia, Neverending Love Story, soft pastel on sanded paper, 12×16.375″.
Frida Skelly with Monkeys ofrenda display for Duncan Woods Park trunk show
Green Crested Drooler, acrylic on canvas, 6x6x.75″
Been There, Done That, Bought the Sweatshirt, acrylic on canvas, 6×6″.
Holiday Open House is Saturday, November 27, 2021 from 1-5pm.
Shaded Mary, soft pastel on sanded paper, 11×14″
Chickadee tile pattern
That’s it! I hope you enjoyed reliving some of my best memories from last year with me. And I hope you’ll be around while I make new stuff this year! Thanks for hanging out with me. I couldn’t do this without you. (Well, I could, but it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun!)
This painting is about the light shining through the trees that’s reflecting off a poplar that’s loaded with yellow and gold leaves. Normally I am what is called a seasonal painter. I like to paint what’s around me, but today I went looking for something colorful from my photo archives and found this. I had just gotten bad news about one of my brothers who is suffering from some kind of dementia and I felt like I needed something cheerful to paint. From my journal, …Endurance. It’s the best you can hope for now.
Distant Fire, soft pastel on sanded paper, 8×5″. $600.
Distant Fire, soft pastel on sanded paper, 8×5″. $600.
I still remember watching my dad’s decline and I really hope my brother isn’t in for the same thing. It’s no way to go. And everyone suffers along with you, which makes it so much worse.
Sign up for my Marie Marfia Fine Art newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio plus 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 downloads in my Etsy shop or cards imprinted with a personal message and mailed for you in my Signed Cards store. Buy greeting cards, prints and stickers in my Square shop. Please contact me directly about purchasing original artwork. Thanks!
I woke up feeling sad over the death of a friend. From my journal: …we can make new pathways in our brains. But sometimes you start down the old path and gravity works to keep you on it.
I went for a walk outside with the dogs and there was fresh snow on one of my favorite juniper bushes, with a pale peachy sky behind it, so that became the focus for my daily painting.
Time lapse of Early Snow, soft pastel on sanded paper, 6×8″, Early Snow, soft pastel on sanded paper, 5×8″, $600.
I am still sad about the death of my friend, but I’m happy I made this little painting. I can feel both things and it’s okay.
Sign up for my Marie Marfia Fine Art newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio plus 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 downloads in my Etsy shop or cards imprinted with a personal message and mailed for you in my Signed Cards store. Buy greeting cards, prints and stickers in my Square shop. Please contact me directly about purchasing original artwork. Thanks!
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 .
Dashing Thru the Snow
Joyous X-mas
From Our Crypt to Yours
Work in progress detail
Work in progress detail
Work in progress detail
Work in progress detail
Work in progress detail
Work in progress detail
Work in progress detail
Skel Noel series
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 Marie Marfia Fine Art newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio plus 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 downloads in my Etsy shop or cards imprinted with a personal message and mailed for you in my Signed Cards store. Buy greeting cards, prints and stickers in my Square shop. Please contact me directly about purchasing original artwork. Thanks!
Could you use a little help with your Christmas shopping this year? You’re in luck, I have just the thing!
It’s my “Holiday Open House” at the one and only Marie Marfia She Shed! 🎄🎅🎄It’s all happening on Small Business Saturday, November 27 from 1 to 5 pm. 2858 N Sherman Rd Ludington, MI
I’ve been working hard to create unique one of a kind pieces, cards, stickers and more! It’s perfect for people who love landscape art, skellies & monsters.
Seeing the Light, WIP, pastel on sanded paper, 20×16″.
We all have a lot on our plates, that’s why I’m here to help make shopping for those on your list easier!
Also, cookies! Hot cocoa!
UPDATE: Thank you so much to everyone who came out in the snow and cold to tour my studio space. It was lovely to see your smiling faces. I’m so grateful for your support! Let’s do it again, soon! (But maybe wait until it warms up again…)
Sign up for my Marie Marfia Fine Art newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio plus 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 downloads in my Etsy shop or cards imprinted with a personal message and mailed for you in my Signed Cards store. Buy greeting cards, prints and stickers in my Square shop. Please contact me directly about purchasing original artwork. Thanks!
I am participating in Inktober 2021 this year. I’ll post my daily black and white drawings, sketches, and studies here. Enjoy!
Sign up for my Marie Marfia Fine Art newsletter! You’ll get regular updates about my latest work in the studio plus 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 downloads in my Etsy shop or cards imprinted with a personal message and mailed for you in my Signed Cards store. Buy greeting cards, prints and stickers in my Square shop. Please contact me directly about purchasing original artwork. Thanks!
