The beginning of my creative venture...

Welcome everyone! I am excited to begin this blogging journey with all of you like-minded creative souls. It makes sense to start off my first blog talking about how my creative journey began.

I took drawing and traditional art in high school which then led me to explore fashion designing classes. I was not meant to go in this direction I guess, since my grades could not get me into The Fashion Institute of Technology in NY. I ended up going to community college to study psychology. I was not happy with the school and ended up switching to business school. I felt lost and confused and needed a job so I ended up working in the financial district for a few years. I got married and had children and my life took a completely different direction for many years. I felt something was missing and couldn't figure it out until the day that my husband James bought me an art easel and a painting kit for my birthday. He always knew I should go back to my original passion. Creativity was in my blood but I think I denied that for a long time. So I messed around with some acrylics and started to paint a lot of ethereal looking angels with no faces. I did that for a while until I felt like something was missing. I wanted more and felt I could do more. I wanted the angels to have faces but that was never something that I was taught in school.

I searched my area in NJ for art studios and had no luck. I gave up for a while and got into pottery until one day on the way to dropping off the kids at school, I looked to the right of me while at a red light and to my surprise there was a sign in a store front window that read "Gypsy Art School". It appeared to me out of nowhere. I almost fainted at the wheel. As soon as I got home I Googled it to find everything I needed to know about Suzi Blu and mixed media art. I had never heard of mixed media before. It just so happened that Suzi was having a grand opening the next week which consisted of a small workshop to create a fairy sign. I knew that would be the perfect opportunity to find out more. I can't beleive how terrified I was to go because I didn't know anything about Suzi at that point or mixed media. My hubby and children are the ones who finally forced me out the door that day. So I walk in and I'm greeted by Suzi who was so warm and welcoming. I felt comfortable right away. I didn't really know what everyone was doing but I watched and learned some of her techniques. After that day, all I did for weeks was research all I could find out about mixed media. I decided to take her "Petite Dolls" class and fell in love instantly. I was finally tought how to draw a face in a nice simplistic way that didn't feel intimidating. Suzi's style is so fun and whimsical and yet she also creates the most amazing portraits. She has a great personality and makes you feel like you can do anything. She gave me the confidence to believe in myself.  Learning mixed media art from Suzi has opened up a whole new world to me where I can add a different feel to my current style. Blending it together to form a new and exciting layer to my art. 
Here is my first mixed media collage from "Le Petite Dolls" class.

Since then I have learned so much more from Suzi from her Fairy class and mermaids class, as well as, angels and gypsies. I have come a long way the past two years. There has been so much growth in my art which is evident in the three photos I have posted here.  Suzi has taken me on a magical journey of self discovery and has awoken a true artist in me. 

I am grateful that it all started with the answered prayer of seeing Suzi's studio down the block from my kids school. Since that day, Suzi has become a great friend. I thank her for believing in me and giving me courage to come out of the creative closet. She is a special part of my life. Gypsy Art School is no longer in NJ, but I have been taking her online courses and we keep in touch. I'm happy that I got to see her in October for her Gypsy Girl Workshop(which I will be posting about another time). Thank you for letting me share the beginning of this journey with all of you! There is lots more to share in the coming months and I am really looking forward to it.

Bye for now!

xoxo,

Michele