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PAGES OF REFLECTION – what it takes to become an ARTIST (LESSON 1) 105

Dear reader, wherever you may be, whatever language you speak, whichever stage in life you are, I hope you are an admirer of art.

This is because I plan to make the next few blog articles into a reflective journal about my experience of living and creating art. And as inconsistent as I am in general, I am pretty confident that this time I can give my stories continuity and meaningfulness not just for me, but for you too.

I plan to talk about my LESSONS of creating art, as selfish and personal as they may look at first sight. I’ll do it regularly because I’m confident that there is at least one person out there just like me: someone who makes mistakes, someone who struggles to understand their real call, their real style, their unique place in the world; but most of all, someone who fights to make peace with what they are becoming instead of what the world wants them to be.

Today's LESSON 1

How do you grow into a reputable artist without any expertise or previous experience?

This is a question that keeps on bothering me every time I find yet another successful artist on Instagram. It looks as if every great artist of our days has some sort of previous art-related education, hours and hours of guided advice, work with a purpose, and of course, the TALENT.

For instance, check on wonderful Yvette Coppersmith:

-Archibald Prize, 2018

-studied at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia.

-more than 21 years of experimenting with styles and subjects

-painting self-portraits since the age of 17

Yvette Coppersmith Archibald Australia portrait prize outstanding sydney artist

Painting by Australian artist Yvette Coppersmith, winner of the Archibald Prize 2018

How does MY art journey ever come close to such a glorious artist?

I bet you too keep on ruminating about the same thing as me: Maybe it’s not even worth it. Maybe it’s yet another waste of time…

But this morning I finished painting this:

surreal art painting decoration christine onward sydney artist night beautiful

"After the Dark", by Christine Onward (all rights reserved). For sale HERE

Right through the open blinds a few sun rays started coming in. I watched them dancing merrily on the colours of the painting. That whole world, right there in the paper, was coming to life right in front of me… I was witnessing a miracle.

I had created a world that was a reflection of myself. Somewhere in this world someone like me will find themselves in this story, as much as I did. Maybe more in my painting than in other people’s paintings. Maybe I get to make them smile. And that’s the best accomplishment I can achieve.

My lesson for today is this:

Every story you create has you in it, your adventures, your memories, your sadness, your heart. Someone will surely connect with it. If not today, they will surely show up tomorrow.

The more stories there are, the more people will connect with your art. Just keep on creating. Reward will come.

Loving these stories? Here is a beautiful story from my childhood : Surreal Night in Transylvania

More outstanding products from my latest surreal paintings are HERE

tote bag surreal night sleep story tote bag original art night black birds christine onward tote bag christine onward sale night painting surreal story lessons blog

A Visit to Italy - The Amazing Marilena Sostero Talking about Her Passion for Creating Art on Rocks 38

It is surprising for me how, after ten years now, my art still brings so much joy and happy smiles to everyone…

È sorprendente per me come, dopo dieci anni, la mia arte porti ancora tanta gioia e sorrisi felici a tutti…

Ancona Italy place of Marilena Sostero

A beautiful day in Ancona, Italy. Photo by artist Marilena Sostero

Greetings to everyone from Italy!

My name is Marilena Sostero and I live in a beautiful city by the sea, called Ancona.

For many years I have passionately painted using oil techniques. I also loved making portraits in crayons and charcoal. Later I approached the art of rock painting, with much love and fun.

The most exciting thing about rock painting is how you can change a stone or a little pebble found by chance, into a small artwork that so many people love!

I love to find rocks in the shape of a cottage or a mushroom, which nobody appreciates , and turn them into beautiful pieces of art.

Saluti a tutti dall'Italia!

Mi chiamo Marilena Sostero e vivo in una bella città sul mare, Ancona.

Per molti anni ho dipinto con grande passione quadri con tecnica ad olio e poi ritratti a pastelli e carboncino. Poi mi sono avvicinata all’arte della pittura su roccia, con molto amore e divertimento. Trovo emozionante ricavare da un sasso o da una pietra trovata per caso, una piccola opera d’arte che piace a appassiona tante persone. Adoro trovare le forme di una casetta o di un fungo da un sasso che nessuno apprezzae e trasformali in bellissime opere d'arte.

Painted rocks by Italian artist Marilena Sostero for sale on Rock Street

Mixed media by Marilena Sostero | I sassi di Marilena | Instagram | for sale Here

My great passion is to paint stones of every form, but my true love is to reproduce the ancient houses with the flowers lurking on the walls. I love to create these houses without painting the walls with colours, but using only shadows to create the depth. Then I add the flowers and trunks that climb around the windows with synthetic paste. I do not draw almost anything in pencil, but I rely on the brush using black colour to letting my imagination carry me on.

Here is one of the works I never wanted to sell, because it embodies the best I want to achieve.

La mia grande passsione è dipingere i sassi di ogni forma, ma il vero amore è riprodurre le case antiche con i fiori che si arraampicano sui muri. Adoro creare queste case senza dipingere i muri con i colori, ma usando solo i colori per creare la profondità. Poi aggiungo con la pasta sintetica i fiori e i tronchi che si arrampicano intorno alle finestre. Non disegno quasi nulla con la matita, ma mi affido al pennello col colore nero e mi lascio trasportare dalla fantasia.

Ecco una delle opere che non ho mai voluto vendere, perchè rappresenta meglio quello che cerco.

Artwork mixed medium by Italian artist Marilena Sostero

Artwork painted rock by Marilena Sostero | I sassi di Marilena | Instagram |

If I were to give a piece of advice to someone who has just started painting I would say:
Always observe with great attention all the beautiful things that are around us … and never miss the joy of creating, like any baby would do.

Se dovessi dare un consiglio a qualcuno che ha appena iniziato a dipingere, direi: Osservare sempre con grande attenzione tutte le cose belle che vediamo intorno a noi… e non perdere mai la gioia di creare come farebbe un bambino.