Free Coloring Page

 Along with my other projects I have recently become fascinated with line work in drawings.  Some of you may be familiar with a meditative form of drawing repetitive patterns called Zen Tangles.  Some of the art work from Zen Tangle artists are quite beautiful although the goal is to enter a space of calm, not to create beautiful art.  But from my perspective as an artist, beautiful art is much easier to create from a state of calm.  So it is not surprising that the intricately patterned drawings are beautiful.

I haven’t really delved into Zen Tangling but did draw a landscape using lots of patterns and lines and thought you might enjoy using it as a coloring page.

Just click on the free coloring page above and print it out on paper.  Enjoy!

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Creating Art

I have been working away on a secret project that I can’t share with you yet.  So until I can I thought I would share some of the other art I have been working on lately.

I gathered these roses from my garden recently and decided to use watercolors to paint them.  They are old fashioned roses that we found living by our home when we moved here.  They are not only beautiful but also have the most amazing scent.

Watercolor painting by Marla L. Niederer

I also have been working on a sketch of our friends beautiful daughter Aubry.  I would like to make it into a painting when I am done with the sketch.

Aubry by Marla L. Niederer

I hope you have been enjoying some creative time also.

Until next time....

warm hugs,

Marla

P.S.  The secret project that I am working on is for the virtual Art Connection Summit that will occur this coming October.  I have to keep it hush hush but a hint is that I am teaching two classes on it.  

If you want to be kept posted about the summit you can check out its website here.

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Just wanted to share Jami Roux’s Moulin Rouge Dancer with you!

I always love it when doll makers share pictures of their completed dolls with me.

 

Moulin Rouge Dancer created by Jami Roux from  class presented by Marla Niederer

I just received pictures from Jami Roux of her completed Moulin Rouge Dancer from the class I am teaching on AforArtistic.  I just love how she came out!

 

Moulin Rouge Dancer created by Jami Roux  from class presented by Marla Niederer

Thank you Jami for sharing your beautiful work!

There is still time to sign up for the Moulin Rouge Dancers online class here  https://www.aforartistic.com/moulin-rouge-course

 

Moulin Rouge Dancers by Marla L. NIederer

I just started teaching my Sleeping Mermaid Class online also.  If you are interested in finding out more about it the link to the class is here.   https://www.aforartistic.com/Sleeping-Mermaid-Workshop

 

Sleeping Mermaids by Marla L. Niederer

I’m also very excited to be teaching at the Art Connection Summit virtually in October.  I can’t share with you the classes I will be teaching yet but am very excited about it.  You can click on the link below for more information about the summit.

https://artconnection.gallery/

Until next time……..

Warm hugs,

Marla

Thoughts of the Day

I support the protests and Black Lives Matter.

There are many individuals that do not seem to understand the full ramifications of what it is like to face prejudice and racial injustice on a day to day basis, what it is like for a mother to fear for her children’s safety and lives every time they walk outside the door.  The fear that their child may be stopped by an officer, pulled out of his car, and have his life breath removed by an officer’s knee.

Racism is so systemically ingrained into our society that many are unaware of the damaging effect that their language can have upon others.  Many individuals use a variety of racist terminology without awareness that their words are filled with prejudice.  There are also many subtle, but no less damaging, racist thoughts embedded in our language.  Why is everything evil considered dark and everything good considered light?

What happened to George Floyd is not an isolated event, look at how many similar deaths have occurred in our collective past. It is just that at this time there is social media to capture these events whereas they were covered up before.  It is also at this time that many are just sick and tired of having to put up with inequality and injustice on a day to day basis.

If you are viewing this and have strong opposing views; please give a moment to try to understand what it may be like living a life through another’s circumstances.  Try to have empathy for the moms who fear the real danger her sons and daughters face every day.  Try to be open to the conversations that can help implement needed change in our society.

My wish is not to add discomfort for anyone during this time of great unrest, it is just to ask for you to consider the perspective of others that may not be identical to you in appearance, in religion, or lifestyle. 

Diversity brings strength and beauty.

-OrsinisAngels

Sleeping Mermaid Class is Open for sign ups

 I am so excited to be teaching the online Sleeping Mermaid class again starting  June 23^rd on AforArtistic! 

Sleeping Mermaid by Marla L. Niederer

I had so much fun creating my Sleeping Mermaids that I wanted to share them with you again.

 

Sleeping Mermaid by Marla L. Niederer

In the class you will be presented with a variety of unique needle sculpting techniques, how to create a swivel joint at the neck, how to use watercolors for skin tone and facial coloration, and how to embellish your mermaid with beadwork.

Sleeping Mermaids by Marla L. Niederer

If you wish to sign up for my Sleeping Mermaid class or just find out more about the class you can click on the following link to AforArtistic

https://www.aforartistic.com/Sleeping-Mermaid-Workshop

Hope to see you in class!

Until next time……

warm hugs,

Marla

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Doll Making Journeys

Doll by Barbara Schoenoff

I recently received this beautiful doll created by Barbara Schoenoff.  Don’t you just absolutely love her?  I do!

Doll by Barabara Schoenoff

 

Doll by Barbara Schoenoff

I was really honored that Barbara wanted to exchange a doll with me considering she was one of my first doll making teachers.

 

Doll by Barbara Schoenoff

I met Barbara quite some time ago when I attended a doll making conference in Ottawa Canada.  She taught a class on how to make her doll Delilah which I loved and had to make.

 

Delilah made by Marla L. Niederer from Barabara Schoenoff's class and pattern

In the class Barbara used woven quilting cotton for the doll and used watercolor pencils to add facial details.  I was enthralled and have been using watercolors on my cloth dolls ever since!

Delilah made by Marla L. Niederer from Barbara Schoenoff's class and pattern

Upon our parting from this class she told me that she hoped to see me again as a teacher on the doll making circuit.

Little did I know that the next time we would see each other I would be a teacher at the Artistic Figures in Cloth and Clay conference in Ohio!

 

Marla  and Barbara at Artistic Figures in cloth and Clay

Before I took Barbara’s class I had been making my dolls out of “doe suede” which is a synthetic suede fabric. But in order to use watercolors on cloth you need to use a natural fabric such as cotton.

 

Sleeping Angel by Marla L. Niederer created from "Doe Suede"

So I switched to using woven cotton fabric for my doll making in order to use watercolors on them.  I continued to explore a variety of techniques with my watercolors and started incorporating the use of tube watercolors in my doll making.  This is the doll that I sent Barbara.  

Sleeping Mermaid by Marla L. Niederer created for Barbara

I will be teaching an online class on how to make this mermaid this June on AforArtistic.

 

Sleeping Mermaid by Marla L. Niederer created for Barbara

In all of the classes that I teach, I share my techniques for using watercolors in doll making.  You can check out my current online classes here.

 

Current Online Classes

I also just added a free tutorial on using watercolors on cloth dolls for you here.  I hope you enjoy it!

 

Free Tutorials

Until Next time……..

warm hugs,

Marla

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Little Lamb Lissette

Little Lamb Lissette by Marla L. Niederer

All four parts of the free tutorial Little Lamb Lissette are now available on my free tutorial page.  I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial as much as I have enjoyed creating it!

 

Little Lamb Lissette by Marla L. Niederer

Until next time…..

warm hugs,

Marla

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