Brand Ambassadors - Healing Art - Part 2

Hey there Dear Friends!

Do you remember this brilliant post by my Brand Ambassadors?

I love seeing their gorgeous creations again and reading

the beautiful and personal stories about the healing power of art in their lives...

Today we continue with my Ambassadors sharing

some more super inspiring artworks and reflections.

You'll love it all!!

* DOROTA *

As long as I can remember, I have been creating lots of different forms of art which helped me overcome stress.

For a few years now, my favorite way to unwind and deal with stress has been making albums.

I always create in the evenings, with a cup of good coffee, a great movie series on, ready to start cutting and glueing.

Even prepairing the materials and supplies, searching for pretty add-ons and the whole process of getting ready helps me to relax, distance myself from the rest of the world and think only about what the outcome is going to be.

These small mixed media albums (my favourite ones are 5 x 5 inch) I create just for myself and they always make me feel calm.

I also like to give them to my closest friends as little presents without occasion.

Making others happy is also a form of therapy because there is nothing more beautiful and rewarding than a smile on someone's face. :)

* JOHN *

Since I was a young child, art has always been my retreat. Creating has always led me to a safe space where there are no rules, no worries about the outside world – just me and bringing my ideas to life.

As I’ve grown older, my studio has become my escape from the trials and tribulations of the outside world. The instant that I walk into my studio, I leave all the stress and worries at the door. After turning on the lights and turning on some music, I sit at my table, take a deep breath, and an instant feeling of CALM falls upon me.

 


The project I want to share with all of you is titled CALM, the feeling that I have when I’m sitting at my studio table to create with no boundaries.

The other place that brings me peace of mind is being in the outdoors, where there’s no wifi, no cell service, no hustle and bustle of the city. Just myself enjoying the sound of the breeze, the trees and mountains of the Pacific Northwest where I can clear my mind and ground myself.

This canvas incorporates bark that I found in the yard, highlighted with Metallique and Antique Art Alchemy Waxes. The bark strip on the right was broken into three pieces, connected with heavy gauge wire and individually wrapped with copper wire.

The background of the canvas was created with Texture Paste to resemble the pattern of the tree bark then colored with washes of Impasto and Metallique paints.

An upcycled piece of cardboard is the background behind the Scrabble pieces that spell CALM.

I hope that you’ve found inspiration to remember the importance of incorporating creativity in your life, even if for a few moments each day.

Don't forget to cultivate your souls and take time to recharge, to relax and allow yourselves the opportunity to just BE.

* KEREN * 

Art is one of the things that really helps me emotionally and spiritually.

Creating puts me in a type of meditative state. It calms my spirit and my soul.

When I’m creating, I am not thinking of anything else. I just dive right into the art and get lost in it. It clears my mind and helps me deal with everyday stressors a little easier.

One of the creative forms that helps me the most is Art Journaling.

In art journaling you can express yourself and pour all your emotions onto a page. It is like an art diary where all your emotions and worries can be released.

I become so relaxed right after I create an art journal page. It's as if all my stress was released and poured into my art.

Art is a very powerful emotional outlet for me and I love it so much!!!

I created this art journal page with Finnabair's Impasto paints and stamps.

The page surface is canvas and therefore it has such great texture.

Here is the video on how I created this piece.

I hope you'll feel inspired to pour your own emotions onto a page or canvas! :)

* ELENA *

I must admit that March and April were difficult months for me... Constant stress and lots of work, there was no time for creativity.

And then a day came when I just had enough and I simply pushed everything away, cleared my table and created these mixed media cards.

This was such a great pleasure! The very process of creating something beautiful, we should always find time for it, even if it's just 10 minutes a day!

Sometimes it's so important to drop everything and do something that makes you feel recharged and joyous! Simply grab your favorite paints and don't think too much. Just relax!

I'd like to share a video in which you'll be able to see step by step how I created my cards. Enjoy!

 

* LINDA *

This is all about a project that you've put lots of time and effort into, only to see it ruined by a blotch of paint, a blob of glue, or other "I can't fix this" misstep along the way.

 

It's about not giving up, or throwing something away that doesn't make you happy.

We all have this in our lives, whether it's art projects, friendships, jobs, or just life in general.

 

 

 

 

This started out on a tall 4x8" canvas with lots of scrap papers, tissue paper, stenciling with Plaster Paste, and paints for the background.

It also was running the opposite direction with a stunning vintage lady on the right side where the metal turn is now.

I had applied Soft Matte Gel and then decided to spray some blue around her base. Well, long story short, the spray ruined the image of the lady and would not budge.

That having been said, I ripped her off!!! The canvas then sat on my desk for weeks... usually I don't give up that easily, there's always a way to cover a mistake up, but in this instance, I pushed it aside.

 

But then weeks later I decided to "turn this piece around." Literally. I added more tissue paper, some script and number stamps, a new vintage image, and we were off to the races!

 

I dug into my metal ephemera from years ago; added a turn with a tiny number, and a brass plate. I used Metallique Art Alchemy Waxes on the high points to make them shine.

 

I wanted bright colors to offset the sepia-toned photo, so the butterflies took center stage.

The Art Stones with various Metallique and Impasto paints got surrounded with a mixture of Micro Beads and Glass Glitter.

Shading brought the piece some dimension, and white splatters broke up the background just a bit. I loved it even more now.

I guess the lesson here is "never give up". Much like all events in life, there's usually a better day coming. Things will look different tomorrow.

 

Hopefully you can take something that didn't quite work and "turn it around" to create a whole new situation that makes you happy. That's what I did here. That's what I hope you can do in your tough situations. When life gives you lemons ~ I hope you can make lemonade. Turn it around.

 

Brand Ambassadors New Products Reviews {Part 2}

Hello My Dears!

A while ago my wonderful Brand Ambassadors shared their stunning artworks with us all, reviewing the brand new Finnabair products that were released in January.

Make sure you didn't miss that post!

I must say that I'm deepply touched by their enthusiasm and so inspired by their creativity...

Today, I'm proud to present another part of gorgeous art created by my Ambassadors and hear what they have can say about all my new paints, pastes and brushes. :)

Please, enjoy this collection and let us know what you think!

ELENA

I love this new release!

The new Art Alchemy Metallique paints have amazing colors and the new inspiring Rust Effect Pastes sets are just jumping into my hands and asking to be used! :) 

Today I'd like to share a Mixed Media heart I created. I used my plotter to cut out the base and adhered a few cardstock scraps onto it. And then the magic has begun...

I started with adding white Paper Texture Paste. I especially recommend it to those of you who are looking for a perfect white paste.

Then I added Metal Rust Pastes. After adding some embellishments I used one of the Art Alchemy Waxes.

 
Everything looks so beautiful on the textured paste and I loved the whole process! I have created a video so you can see my creation step by step and all the yummy new products I used. Enjoy!

LOUISE

Today I would like to share with you a canvas called, 'Shattered".

I created this canvas painting using many of Finnabair's divine products, but most especially the new release Art Alchemy Plaster Paste and the Metallique Acrylic paint Rustic Brown.

The Plaster Paste is quite possibly THE most DIVINE dimensional product I have ever used to create patterned dimension with a stencil! Oh My Gosh!

I can't describe it any better than my most amazing Team member Gayle, who said: "I was amazed at how light and smooth this beautiful paste is… It reminds me of the white, chalky, super smooth surfaces the old masters would have painted on."

It really is like softish butter and an absolute dream to apply!

Just one tip though: if you are creating in high temperatures, like we are experiencing 'Down Under' at the moment, work quickly as it is fast drying 😊.

I also used the fabulous new release Rustic Brown Metallique Acrylic paint! Along with Finnabairs Black and White Gesso I mixed and created all of the colours used in my painting.

I only used very small amounts of this highly pigmented paint as I built up the layers [using both and wet brush techniques]; combining with the gesso's in both thin and thick consistencies. They worked so well together! Big love for the new colour releases for the Metallique acrylic paints!!!

RUN! don't Walk my creative friends to your nearest Store as these products are a Must Have! :)

JOHN

Just like everyone else, I’d been patiently waiting for the Finnabair releases and of course Anna didn’t disappoint with her newest products – Texture Pastes, Rust Effects Pastes, Metallique Paints, Dabbing Brushes and Mechanicals. With so many products, it was hard to narrow it down to just one project to showcase everything!

For those of you who follow my posts on Instagram, you’ll know that I’ve been collecting new finds at thrift stores, antique malls and markets.

Because I wanted to showcase the versatility of the new Camouflage Rust Effects Pastes, I decided that I’d use a pair of home decor pieces to showcase the rich colors and textures that can be created with this set.

If you haven’t used the Rust Effects Pastes, there are multiple sets to choose from – and the colors are completely interchangeable between all of them, giving endless color combinations to work with!

One of the features of the Rust Effects Pastes is that they can be used on virtually any surface without any prep work, which was perfect for transforming these plastic home decor pieces.

For this project, I wanted to show everyone the different results that can be made with the same set of pastes for completely different results!

On the left (with the keyhole), I worked from lighter to darker by first applying the Dusty color from the Camouflage Rust Effect Paste set with a Dabbing Brush which makes applying the pastes so simple and easy!

Next I highlighted with the Brown paste, finishing with the Dark Olive one.

On the right (with the key), I applied the colors in the opposite combination from darker to lighter – Dark Olive, Brown, and then Dusty. And the results? Completely different and both so amazing!

Although these pieces were beautiful with using just the Camouflage colors, of course I couldn’t resist adding some new metallic highlights with two of the new Metallique Paints in Rustic Brown and Golden Moss. By dry brushing these colors lightly onto the texture, the metallic highlights just add an added dimension and highlight to the finished home decor pieces.

The possibilities are absolutely endless with the other two new Rust Effects Paste sets – Military and Metal Rust. Don’t let the names fool you, these sets create stunning results that you can’t create with any other products!

KASSA

Who doesn't love a new product release,  I sure do,  it makes my fingers tingle in anticipation... :)

So today I have a little loose journal page 'Twinkle, Twinkle', my 1st and main focal point is this beautiful girl image from the Ephemera Melange set. 

The new Paper Texture Paste is a dream to paste over a pre-gessoed background with the Mixed Media Silicone Brush. Its light and fluffy mashmallowy quality is a delight to work with.

It's also cool to flick dollops of this paste onto your background to give a lumpy effect. When dried, the surface of this Paper Paste has a granulated looking effect, paints and waxes are a dream on this uneven finished surface - texture heaven!

I went for 4 of the new Metallique Paints as they truly are irresistible -

the Royal Blue and Ice Queen are perfect used side by side, blending and melding into one another effortlessly, you can get so lost in these blues...

the Rustic Brown and Romance Pink throw off magical iridescent gold sparkle when the light hits them, they gave my page a rich and colorful depth.

This new Rustic Brown Metallique Paint is perfect for using alongside sepia pictures, the sepia like color hue melts the sepia picture into any background. 

As usual I use the paints straight from the pot for the strong pigmented pop of colour and watered down for the beautiful blurry soft watercolor effect.

And hip hip hurray for the Dabbing Brushes! The large one is just perfect for the dry brushing technique, it cut my time down to dry brush the edges of my piece using firstly, Metallique Rustic Brown, then Black Gesso by three quarters of the time it would normally have taken me to do this... AmaZING tool!

P.S. Don't forget to lightly run a little Art Alchemy Wax over your dry Paper Paste to maximise the textured look of this paste... Like I said earlier, texture heaven!

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Gotta love my Teams' enthusiasm, don't you think? :)

I hope you're all feeling inspired by the stunning artworks the Ambassadors presented today and we simply can't wait to hear your reviews and see what you all are up to with my new products!

Feel most welcome to leave a comment below or drop us a line (and/or a photo of your own creations!) in our super friendly Finnabair & Friends Open Studio facebook group.

Hope to see you there!

Finn & The Team


P.S. We have the lucky Giveaway winner!

I was reading all your comments and it was very hard to pick just one - but finally, I decided to pick Nancy Robards Thompson - her dream resonated with mine so much that it had to be it!
Please email us: missmoth1@gmail.com to claim your prize!

Meet the Ambassadors {Part 2}

Hello Dear Friends!

I'd like to make sure you that didn't miss the announcement of my Brand Ambassadors Team. :)

Please help me say hello (and 'great to see you again!' :) ) to another 5 brilliant Artists who agreed to support my brand.

Most of all, check if you've seen the first part of our 'Take 5' project!

I asked these beautifully creative Artists to choose 5 objects that always accompany them in their creative process and I find their answers incredibly inspiring. Please, enjoy the 'confessions' of another 5 Ambassadors!

DOROTA

It is nearly impossible to choose only 5 objects that are always with me as I always make a lot of mess when I start creating a project. :)

1. As long as I can remember, I’ve always been reading a lot of books and it’s the books that shaped my personality and my imagination.

I don’t have them on my studio desk but when I think about things I can’t live without – it's definitely books. You might never guess that my favorites are the dark ones, that is why as often as I can, I escape into this world and use a black album base. ;)

2. I can’t imagine my studio without scissors and a precise knife. When I can’t find these two, I get goosebumps.  ;)

3. I love all kinds of stamps and stencils and I have loads of them. Sometimes one little stamp can inspire me to make a whole album.
4. I have been cooperating with Scrapiniec brand for a long time so in my works chipboards are an indispensable element.

5. I can’t think of working without different media, but If I had to choose one, it would definitely be gel medium.

You can find Dorota's stunning creations and all her social media links on her blog.

KASSA

How happy to be here and keep sharing my 'haPPy art' with you all as Finnabair Ambassador - feeling very blessed...

So I will have to let you all into a little secret about my fave 5 - because I am crazy & capricious my 5 faves constantly change with my moods. :)

1. Vivid colours always feature largely in my art especially all the Art Alchemy paints.

2. Texture Powder! Just a dab mixed into the paints creates a custom coloured texture powder that I love to pull through the prettiest and most delicate of 3. stencils.

4. My addiction for various doodle pens, crayons, pencils and chalks never wanes as they as so lush for tiny details, scribbles and splatters!

5. But I will leave you with the constant that's always around me when I'm creating - it's my cheeky cute Pug Sammy. Somehow he just knows when it's time for a tea break, a stretch of the legs and a Puggle snuggle... :)

You can follow Kassa's happy art adventures on her blog.

ELENA

Here are the top 5 inspirational things for me:

1. Brushes. I love the feeling of a brush in my hand. I then feel like a magician with a wand. :)

2. Art Alchemy Waxes. I love the tangible part of my art and I enjoy working with my fingers.

3. My own projects and projects of other artists. It's my source of inspiration every time I want to surprise not only others, but myself in the first place.

4. Small embellishments like Micro Beads, Glass Glitter, Mica Flakes and other wonderful Art Ingredients.

5. Photos of my family.

Follow Elena's art and find her social media links on her blog.

LOUISE

So like the other Ambassadors I have 'those things' that I like to surround myself with when I create and my must have/go to products. It is pretty hard picking out just 5 but here they are 😊

1. A source of natural light over my desk is a 'Must Have'! It sets the mood for me and helps to create the relaxed atmosphere that I like for creating.

2. I also need to have a television close by and on whilst I am creating. It isn't about wanting to watch favourite shows but more the 'noise' from the TV.

So those 2 set the mood for me; now some must have/go to products!
3. Finnabair's Art Basics: Heavy Gesso (Black and White) and the Soft Matte Gel! You need these you your life people!!!

4. My Gelli Printing Plates! Siiiiiiiigh! Essential kit for me and my style of creating. I so so love creating my own patterned backgrounds for paper projects.

5. My hand carved stamps! I so love carving them and I love using them! There is nothing quite like being able to use a stamped image that is unique and your own design.

So that is it. 😊 If you would like to catch a little more about me and my creative life please check out my Instagram account.

MONIKA

There are always some constant elements both in my artworks and in the reality around me.

I have my favorite things that always inspire me and help to escape the ordinary.

1. Vintage books. Not just for reading. :) I love using books (mostly flea market finds) as bases of my artworks. I love their smell and textures, the beautiful old paper, vintage illustrations and that poetic old-fashioned language they're written in. They are brilliant when used as art journals!

2. Another flea market must for me are differrent kinds of metal bits and trinkets. I equally love all the "new" metal embellishements like Mechanicals.

3. I simply cannot create without stamps, especially those with writing and different kinds of sentiments.

4. In my life I like to surround myself with monochrome tones, I choose black, white and greys in my apartment and wardrobe but in my art I love reaching for the energy of vivid bright colors of inks and paints.

5. Finally, one more element that is always present and that is coffee. :) Nothing works better to age paper, make beautiful stains and splashes and create a unique vintage feel.

Don't miss any of Monika's beautiful creations following her blog.

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So here they are - my whole wonderful Team of Brand Ambassadors!

Keep an eye on my blog, this bunch of talented Artists will be sharing their creative ideas very soon! :)

And if you're feeling inspired by our posts, we'd love to know what are your own 5 objects that are always near you while you create?

 

Do you always have fresh flowers on your work table because of their color and beauty, because they bring you a sense of calm?

Do you have any go to medium you can’t imagine creating a piece of work without?

Can you only create with some heavy metal music playing in the background? Do you light a candle every time you are about to start a piece of work?

Feel most welcome to go right ahead to our Finnabair & Friends Open Studio facebook group where you can share your Take 5 photo and tell us about those special little things that make you feel good when you create.

See you there!

xx

Finn & The Team

 

Ambassadors' Comfort Zones

Hi dear Friends!

My talented Brand Ambassadors are back with fresh inspirations, stunning art and some interesting stories to tell - as always! :)

This month I asked them to share what are the recurring themes in their art world - their favorite techniques, objects, colors, symbols etc.

Because who said that a comfort zone is such a bad place after all? ;)

I know you'll love this post!

*   *   *   *

Riikka

We all have our favorite colors, techniques and go to supplies. But I bet that we also have a re-occurring theme in our crafts, something we try to capture and create over and over again. I actually have several.

Naturally in my scrapbook layouts my two girls are a constant theme, but I also have a theme in my mixed media work. In large it's music. In more specific, it's my favorite band Turisas. 

I do make crafts about other music as well, for example about Finnish national anthem "Finlandia" or of Astor Piazzola's "Libertango", but the band that keeps surfing in my projects is Turisas. I think the first project was a heart canvas that I also turned into a workshop.

But this project is actually a part of a series I'm doing for the band members. I'm not sure if they are thrilled or not, but as I started with two band members, I think it's only fair that they all have a gift. This particular piece is done for their drummer, that's why the cymbal and the drumstick. 

The project doesn't follow my usual go to color scheme of blue, green and turquoise but it inspired by a poster of their latest album and the red and black face paint they use.

The golden disk has one of my all time favorite Finnabair embellishment - the Mechanicals Bottle Cap. They are so handy and go with every project!

The little Stars are also really versatile and go both with sweet, romantic crafts and more masculine and grungier things.

For more of Riikka's amazing art and info about her workshops go to her blog! 

Linda

I always reach for certain products to create my projects. It seems that bright and metallic are my color choices lately. 

You can use several products to work with, but here I used the Metallique Paints to add color and shine.

I had a plain wooden box that I base-coated with a wonderful sage colored paint.

Using the Iron Orchid Design Mould and paper clay, I added several pieces to the box. Then I added a watered-down glaze I made with Pitch Black Impasto Paint.

The final step is the light layers of Metallique paints applied in a dry-brush method.

The cracks in the paper clay and the rough box make for some delightful contrasting elements to this piece.

I originally bought this box to hold some of my ink pads. They did fit perfectly into the opening and take up little room on my desk. Space is at a premium on the work area right now it seems. 

I must admit I've always loved Linda's blog name. :)

Don't forget to follow it and check out this post in which Linda explains in detail

how she created this stunning box.

Monika

I actually have a whole list of different elements and products I most often use in my artworks:

layered pages from vintage books, old photos (both authentic ones and images from Ephemera sets), stamps, Gesso and metal embellishments.

All of these things constantly inspire me with their textures, shapes, scents and stories they tell.

This art journal cover is a perfect example of an artwork that is so very 'me'. :) I used all of my beloved elements and had a blast putting them together into one unique whole. You can see my creative process in this video.

I like to surround myself with objects that have their own history and soul, a little bit dusty, stained and maybe a little bit forgotten. I just love giving them a brand new life and save them from oblivion while telling stories of my own.

Make sure you go for more beautiful art by Monika to her blog!

Louise

For many years Louise's art journaling favourites included: a monochromatic colour scheme, mono-printing and stamp carving for techniques, and cute or slightly weird looking peeps.

However a few months ago she was starting to be bored by her own creativity so she decided it was time to change it up! Develop some new 'got to' techniques and themes!

So Louise joined in with an online Instagram challenge #the100daychallenge to focus on broadening her creative range by using more colour and starting to hand draw people and faces, instead of using a hand carved stamp of her own design.

Paint just casually slapped onto a white background without thinking too much about it to create a background for the drawings. No overthinking or getting caught up on ensuring that colours and shading/tones were correct.

Then using a black gel pen Louise just stated to draw her faces letting the paint shapes guide her! She let the painted backgrounds 'speak to her' and guide her on how to draw her faces.

As you can see they aren't realistic, they are abstract and just a little weird; so totally Louise style. Louise enjoyed this challenge so much that she now is more confident in using colour and just letting go and drawing her faces and people instinctively! This creative approach is now her new favourite! 

It went without saying that Louise would reach for her favourite water based paints: Finnabair Art Alchemy Impasto Paints! These paints are absolutely lush and the pigment depth is to 'die for'!

The best way to follow Louise's talent and creative adventures

is to keep an eye on her Instagram and blog!

Elena

My comfort zone is a multi-layered one. :)

I always reach for dozens of pieces of paper, die cuts, stencils and lately for circles. I really love circles.

This mini album cover is a perfect example of the things I love. Some of the layers are covered with Vintage Gold Metallique Wax and it gives an interesting metal look to the project.

I also always make sure to add small decorative accents before finishing the work: crystals and delicate paint splatters in this case.

Keep an eye on Elena's Instagram to be up to date with her classes all the gorgeous art!

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Aren't these Ladies crazy talented?!
We're very curious what your comfort zones consist of? Maybe you will find new favorite ideas after today's post? :)

psst psst... Keep an eye on the blog, there is more news coming your way. :) This very special group of my Brand Ambassadors is about to grow and I can't wait to introduce its new members!

Have a great creative weekend!
Finn & The Team