Creativity ~ The Muse and the Universal Well    Monday, April 9, 2018

The Muses - Mixed Media on Paper

As a teaching artist I read a lot about living creatively and how other artists go about keeping the flow of creativity open and fluid. I have always felt that during a creative session the process seems effortless and happens without any apparent active thought.  Some call this the flow state. Some people who approach creative work from a spiritual standpoint theorize about a universal creative font that is accessible to all; and accessing this universal creativity plugs you into a limitless flow of creative ideas. This well of creativity is ever expanding and unlimited and one you can continue to dip into at any time. Having this mindset can serve to take the burden off of the artist who now only needs to serve as a vessel who draws from this well for creative ideas.

Instead of blaming lack of productivity on writers block, artistic dry spells or other cliché’s those holding to this mindset now need only to commit to making time to be creative a priority, get down to the actual work and allow creativity to flow.  Rather than chasing the muse you simple need to learn to allow it flow through by showing up, by establishing good studio habits, by being there ready to work, be it for visual art, music, writing or performance.

Nothing will allow the creative muse to go silent faster than fear, neglect or procrastination. You simply cannot run out of creativity – the more you use it the more creativity you generate. Fear is a tremendous blocker for most people and out of fear comes self-imposed blocks like procrastination, and lies we tell ourselves about not being good enough, or having the time or any reason we use to not get down to the actual work of making and creating our art – it really doesn’t matter what medium you are working in.

The muse is what draws you into your practice but there is also other components to creative thought. Ones of delving into process and learning as much as possible about a subject, and then the transformational process that takes it beyond yourself and outside of the mundane.

There is a lot to agree or disagree with here. Some will argue that they are responsible for their own ideas but as documented over history many times in art, science and literature more than one person is working on the same idea simultaniously - so interesting ! Can they be pulling ideas from the same creative well? So many things to think and ponder about here but it is time to head to the studio to do some actual art work.

More thoughts on creativity next time….

 

Lets Connect!

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CONNECTICUT WOMEN ARTISTS 2018 MEMBERS SHOW    Tuesday, April 3, 2018

 

 

Connecticut Women Artists 2018

Members Juried Show

30 Cedar Street, New Britain, CT 06052

Wednesday April 4 through Friday May 4th

Opening Reception April 7th from 2 - 4

 

I have two pieces in this upcoming show a ceramic sculpture and an abstract painting.  The CWA is a juried women's art organization since 1929. 

 "For over three quarters of a century, Connecticut Women Artists, Inc. has provided a forum for women's artwork and continues to emphasize the importance of art in our society today."

 

Lets Connect!

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https://www.facebook.com/MarcyJLaBella/?ref=br_rs

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bellamarcella1212/

SPRING CLASSES    Monday, April 2, 2018

ART CLASSES SPRING 2018

 

NEW BRITAIN MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART

56 Lexington St, New Britain, CT 06052

Phone: (860) 229-0257

 In May I will be teaching a 5 week class for children called Boxes & Beaches with the Prendergast Brothers, for ages 8 -10 This Class is a Studio4 class at the Museum. please call for availability and pricing.

You can register your child for this class using this link  http://www.nbmaa.org/event/studio4-boxes-and-beaches-with-the-prendergast-brother

 

SPRING CLASSES AT GUILFORD ART CENTER

411 Church St, Guilford, CT 06437
Phone: (203) 453-5947

 

FREE DRAWING - GIRL WITH A FLOWER - 5 YEAR OLD STUDENT

EXPLORATORY ART - 8 Mondays - Starts April 2 4 - 5:30- 

Students are exposed to a wide variety of art materials in this mixed media class. Watercolor, tempera, collage, mixed media, clay and fiber arts will be explored. Projects are seasonal and rotate so your child can take it more than one time and have a different experience.

Call the center for availability.

DRAWING AND PAINTING

8 Tuesdays Starts April 3 4:00-6:00

Students improve thier ability to draw what they see while drawing from observation. We will create both abstract and representational works and use graphite, charcoal paint and mixed media. Ages 8+

PAINTING FOR KIDS

8 Wednesdays - 4 - 5:30  ages 5 and up

For Kids who love to paint!  Explore different painting mediums acrylic, watercolor, pastel, tempera, and mixed media. 

call the center for availability

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Creative Collage with Encaustic Process

Adult Workshop Saturday April 22, 10 - 4

Use papers and ephemera and paint to create a creative collage on board.  You can also incorporate your own drawings or photos.  We will also be using fiber, fabrics and found objects. This is a beautiful layering process. All materials included. 

please contact the center for availability

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Middletown Senior Center

61 Durant Terrace, Middletown, CT 06457

Phone: (860) 344-3513

I am currently teaching Clay, drawing and painting through Middletown Senior Services.  You must be over the age of 60 years old to attend these classes which are at a greatly reduced price.  The facility is WONDERFUL and we have a lovely time and there is a great group of lively seniors there. You do not have to live in Middletown to attend. Please contact Senior Services. Drawing and painting classes rotate every 6 weeks, and currently I am teaching drawing, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media on a rotating basis. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Opportunities    Wednesday, March 21, 2018

New Opportunities

I must apologize to my neglected blog, it is only so because I find myself extremely busy with my work and teaching.  A very good thing for an artist!  A couple of months back I was surprised and pleased to be asked to teach some classes at the New Britain Museum of American Art.  It was a surprise because I had not approached them, rather unbeknownst to me a collegue had referred me as a teaching artist. I am super excited about the opportunity to work in such a creatively stimulating environment. 

New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT

As a teaching artist one of my favorite classes that I developed and have been teaching to different age groups is my "Masters" class. In it the class looks at the work of a different art master each week, and studies what particular elements define the style of that artist.  Then students create an original painting in that style.  Being able to work in a museum and teach directly from masterworks to create class projects is truly a dream come true.

Interestingly the first artist installation that I will be working with is American Post-Impressionists: Maurice & Charles Prendergast, March 9 - June 10 2018.  I have long been interested in the work of Maurice Prendergast as I was deeply involved in watercolor painting for many years and he has created many gorgeous impressionist watercolors. I am just pinching myself that I will have special time to spend with the work in the collection.  The work of his brother Charles is also quite compelling, hand crafted frames, collaged boxes and paintings. 

The NBMAA is a wonderful gem in central Connecticut with a very fine collection of American art. There are so many wonderful paintings and you will find works of many wonderful artists such as Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins, Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, Maurice Prendergast, Georgia O'Keeffe, Charles Demuth, Thomas Hart Benton, Lee Krasner and Robert Motherwell just to name a few notables.

I will be teaching a 5 week class for children called Boxes & Beaches with the Prendergast Brothers, for ages 8 -10

You can register your child for this class using this link  http://www.nbmaa.org/event/studio4-boxes-and-beaches-with-the-prendergast-brother

I will be returning to the museum this summer to teach another youth class.

Namaste,

Marcy

 

New Work Summer 2017    Monday, September 4, 2017

 

New Work  Summer 2017

Abstract Watercolor and Seed Pod Inspired Ink Drawings 9"x14" on  paper

Mixed Media Watercolor Abstract with Seed Pod Inspired Ink Drawing

Mixed Media,Gouache and Graphite, Inks on Paper 9"x14" 2017

Watercolor and Graphite on Paper 9"x14" 2017

Clay Play, Handbuilt Om Cups, Tri-foot Mug, Pinch Pot Birds 

Stoneware, slips, engobes 2017

Handbuilt cups and Pinch Pot birds - stoneware. greenware, waiting to be fired 2017

Beachy Abstract Watercolor and Ink on Paper, 9"x14" - 2017

Mixed Media Watercolor Abstracts with Seed Pod Inspired lnk Drawing

Om Shanti Om series #2 - 12"x14" - 2017

Om Shanti Om Series, 20"x20" on mixed media on canvas - 2017

Upcoming Spring Classes 2018    Monday, September 4, 2017

ART CLASSES SPRING 2018

 

NEW BRITAIN MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART

56 Lexington St, New Britain, CT 06052

Phone: (860) 229-0257

 In May I will be teaching a 5 week class for children called Boxes & Beaches with the Prendergast Brothers, for ages 8 -10 This Class is a Studio4 class at the Museum. please call for availability and pricing.

You can register your child for this class using this link  http://www.nbmaa.org/event/studio4-boxes-and-beaches-with-the-prendergast-brother

 

SPRING CLASSES AT GUILFORD ART CENTER

411 Church St, Guilford, CT 06437
Phone: (203) 453-5947

 

FREE DRAWING - GIRL WITH A FLOWER - 5 YEAR OLD STUDENT

EXPLORATORY ART - 8 Mondays - Starts April 2 4 - 5:30- 

Students are exposed to a wide variety of art materials in this mixed media class. Watercolor, tempera, collage, mixed media, clay and fiber arts will be explored. Projects are seasonal and rotate so your child can take it more than one time and have a different experience.

Call the center for availability.

DRAWING AND PAINTING

8 Tuesdays Starts April 3 4:00-6:00

Students improve thier ability to draw what they see while drawing from observation. We will create both abstract and representational works and use graphite, charcoal paint and mixed media. Ages 8+

PAINTING FOR KIDS

8 Wednesdays - 4 - 5:30  ages 5 and up

For Kids who love to paint!  Explore different painting mediums acrylic, watercolor, pastel, tempera, and mixed media. 

call the center for availability

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Creative Collage with Encaustic Process

Adult Workshop Saturday April 22, 10 - 4

Use papers and ephemera and paint to create a creative collage on board.  You can also incorporate your own drawings or photos.  We will also be using fiber, fabrics and found objects. This is a beautiful layering process. All materials included. 

please contact the center for availability

Middletown Senior Center

61 Durant Terrace, Middletown, CT 06457

Phone: (860) 344-3513

I am currently teaching Clay, drawing and painting through Middletown Senior Services.  You must be over the age of 60 years old to attend these classes which are at a greatly reduced price.  The facility is WONDERFUL and we have a lovely time and there is a great group of lively seniors there. You do not have to live in Middletown to attend. Please contact Senior Services. Drawing and painting classes rotate every 6 weeks, and currently I am teaching drawing, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media on a rotating basis. 

 

 

 

 

Mixed Media Zine - Sketchbook Paper, Graphite, Watercolor, Pencils    Friday, March 3, 2017

Mixed Media Zine - Sketchbook Paper, Graphite, Watercolor, Pencils from Marcy LaBella on Vimeo.

Making Art With Children    Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Making art with Children

Making Art With Children with Marcy LaBella from Marcy LaBella on Vimeo.

This little video vlog was made by me in my painting for kids class.  I love painting with children because I get a window into their unaltered and pure streaming creative process. I started our class yesterday by sharing the work of Gordon Hopkins.  They loved seeing his bright colors and simplified shapes.  I had some still life images but the girls were drawn to his cup and bowl pieces so we decided to use those as inspiration.  I am so happy that I work for art centers where there are hand crafted bowls and cups just everywhere to use.  The kids can hold, touch and feel them in their hands and look at them for inspiration for drawing.  So different from the mass produced wares that are more commonly found today.  

Prilimanary Sketch - Cups Lily age 6

We started by practicing cup shapes and then by drawing them on a big piece of water color paper. First in pencil and then in pastel.  We devided our page to create abstract color breaks.  I did not limit colors but told them to be creative and to divide the pages and choose the colors they loved.  I love the results!

Cups Floating in a field of Pie Shapes - Chloe age 6

Making Art With Children    Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Making Art with Children

Flowers in a Vase by Samantha age 6 Oil Pastel, Acrylic on Paper

The non-profit arts center where I work takes a long break over the holiday season.  It almost seems like too long a break sometimes even though I love having the time to finish up my holiday wares, put in time at my co-op's annual holiday sale and refocus my goals for my own work for the upcoming year.

Van Gogh Inspired Winter Trees by Caleb 2nd Grade Oil Pastel and Acrylic on Paper

 I really miss working with the kids and was so glad to finally get back to classes this week.  This semester I have two Kindergarten through grade 2 classes running, my favorite age.  They are so open, ready and free about creating at this age and can't wait to start working on whatever I throw at them. 

Winter Trees, Inspired by Van Gogh by Elio, Kindergarten, Oil Pastel and Acrylic on Paper

Monday's class was more then half full of exuberant boys but thankfully ones who LOVE making art.  It was hard to get them to focus after a full day at school but they all managed to pull off wonderful Van Gogh inspired winter tree paintings.  We talked a bit about Van Gogh and his process, his use of impasto and his textural mark making.  We mimicked this with staccato marks in Oil Pastel and followed up by using watered down acrylic paint to finish our work..AMAZING See more in the gallery of children's art work on this site.

Flowers in a Vase by Eve, Kindergarten, Oil Pastel and Acrylic Paint

Tuesday's class was comprised of 5 young ladies of the same age group, all in grades kindergarten through 2nd grade. They created gorgeous still life paintings of flowers in a vase.  First they drew very lightly with pencil and then with oil pastel to create dynamic marks.  We finished up with expressive watercolor.  I told the girls to be creative with colors and they were!  I love these so much.

Claire age 8 Flowers in a Vase, Oil Pastel and Acrylic on Paper

I am always blown away by the creativity and sensitivity of the work my young students create.  It amazes me and I love watching them work and engage in the process drawing and painting. We can learn so much by watching the effortless way that kids immerse themselves in art making. They don't spend time agonizing over which colors to use or if they made the wrong mark and miraculously everything works. I love children's art for it's innocence and unintentional sophistocation.

 

New Year New Beginnings    Monday, January 9, 2017

New Year New Beginnings

Mind Mapping Journal Paper, Ink on Paper, Watercolor 2017 

I guess I'm not really the typical New Years Resolution type person - I live my life in a much more organic kind of way normally but sometimes I really try to focus my goals and get type A-ish about stuff and the New Year always seems like a good time to do some serious goal setting. 

I started thinking about goals for my art journey and business and want I wanted to acomplish this year.  I will say that last year was a hard one because my father was extremely ill and passed from cancer and dementia.  Understandably it was a set back and I was kind to myself and felt lucky to be able to be flexible enough with my work that I could spend the time with my family over those months. 

Rilke Quote - Pen and Ink on Paper, Marcy LaBella 2017

As I began to think about the different things I wanted to do and the goals I have set for myself it's become clear that I really need to be specific about things if I want them to happen. I want to do more writing, so I have outlines and ideas for several articles to submit and the publication guidelines for publications I am submitting to.  I went over my classes and added new ones to offer, re-wrote discriptions and added some new adult workshops. I completely overhauled my Etsy Shop that has been lying dormant for a few years.  It has been so easy to just lie back and sell through galleries that I haven't been pushing my online sales but I really need to get back in the game.  I am narrowing my focus within the mediums I work with, clay, mixed media paint and jewelry and setting my studio, web and writing schedule to keep on track.

Image taken from my 2017 Vision Board and DIgitally Altered

I am compiling images, empowering words, drawings, and the like to create a large 2017 Vision Board.  This will be an ongoing project for my studio wall and I plan to keep it going all year - adding to it and keeping it going and alive with ideas.  I did this Ink and Watercolor piece inspired by project presented by the very talented Misty Mawn in her workshop Make/Do/Art. I recently signed up for this class and am enjoying it very much.  I love her classes and she has wonderful projects and content.  I thoroughly enjoyed her class Art Entwined which is also still available. Find Make/Do/Art here.

Rilke Quote - Digitally Altered

I am enjoying the process of getting back to daily drawing and love the process of taking simple contour drawings in pencil over to ink and coloring them simply with just watercolor - or digitally altering them with photo apps.  This is something I've been playing with for sometime and I've been toying with adding some prints and cards with drawings and quotes I really like into a line of contemporary female portrait drawings with quotes that are uplifting or those that make you think.

So I guess even a typical Type B, creative person needs a little goal setting and focus occasionally.  I have learned from my  online coach/mentor/goddess Leonie Dawson that setting goals, writing them down and defining the steps you need to do to acomplish them is the way to success - we will see!  

Namaste,

Marcy