monsbrick

If I send you mail that has postage due please let me know! ~~~~

Happy June to you! I am Marie or you can call me Mons which is what my family calls me. It’s short for Montserrat. A place in Spain where they have a black Madonna and it’s a beautiful retreat and prayer place high up built right into the mountain like cliffs or via ferrata in the Alps. I have not been to Montserrat but I have books about it and I’ve seen many photos! There is also an island called Montserrat in the Caribbean. It is called the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean as many Irish immigrants settled there.

I can go and on like that about random things.

ATC Jams— which are collaborative cards— ATC are artist trading cards Are my current passion.

I also enjoy making collaborative or handmade postcards. I try all kinds of ways to create. But I’m still a beginner and work full time and volunteer until I’m dizzy.

But I put off making art until maybe 5 years ago? Now I’m almost 60 years old. And I’m loving these tiny art creations.

We have some of my Dad’s paintings though he only dabbled in art. And I have one of my Mom’s cousin’s paintings. I told her I’d really like to get a hold of one of her 1970’s mixed media paintings or works. She went through a red or maroon phase. All these paintings were in that color family. But they had fabric and texture and objects mixed in sometimes cowrie shells. But she sold them all she is not one to go “back” in time the way I like to do! But I do have one small 5x7 size painting of hers. It is not multi media but she painted it on a big wooden frame no stretched canvas. And it is maroon with a few other colors.

We saw a recent exhibit here at SFMOMA or San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, of Pacita Abad’s epic work. Pacita and my aunt, Maria Lench were contemporaries but Abad had a political view and she was much more famous than my aunt. Though my aunt’s cousin Jessica did lecture on Abad. Jessica is on my aunt Maria’s other side of the family but I consider her my friend too.

As I get older, I’m finding my voice and art. But I’m not trying to become famous. I am just aiming at art practice. Or creating every day.

Just like as a kid I would practice piano every day. And I danced ballet every day. Not as a tiny ballerina but more as exercise. My Mom signed me up and never let me be pressured to be super thin like many dancers but just like before everyone started doing yoga or Pilates. And we had live piano at dance class.

Boy am I a rambler today!

I'm currently reading about 7 books. Will settle down and focus on one of them soon.

On audiobooks, listening to The Difference Engine by Bruce Sterling & William Gibson. I’ve read it before but this is my first time listening to the audiobook. Gibson is one of the authors I reread and listen to his books over and over.

My reading goal for 2024 is about 52-55 books. But I do love books and reading.

Picked up a few Annie Ernaux books. I’m not sure if I like her books. They do flow in a minimalist French style like Marguerite Duras. But Ernaux has won the French Prix Goncourt but maybe I’m beyond that sort of romance and yearning now.

My writing goal well I don’t really have a goal with writing. My practice around writing is structured around several areas of my life. I keep a few log books and planners for work, workouts, finances, volunteer work, art, and pen pen letters! Phew! And I almost forgot my spiritual practices log and Bible study notebook :)

For decades, I did morning pages and other practices around The Writers Way by Julia Cameron. It was such a big part of my life and what I found most challenging were the “artists dates.” A common pattern for me is to avoid or push something or even someone aside and then to decide I do like that thing or behavior or person. Now I find I do tons of artistic work. Experimentation and doodling with pen or with paint or fabric or embroidery. Or different mediums like crayons, pencils, markers, paints, and more.

Probably my writing style is more like memoirs or storytelling. As a teen I loved anthropology. Documentary films or shows. Oral history. But now I also love dystopian and apocalyptic fiction. I love science fiction and fantasy. I don’t write that way but I love mystic writings and experiences. I’ve started a bit of St. Teresa of Avila’s writings and she had many mystical experiences. But I’m not aspiring to have more of those ecstatic experiences.

Being grounded is also important to me. Walking, swimming, yoga, dancing all help me stay grounded in reality.

All right I am prone to streams of consciousness as you can tell.

I have been in therapy for decades and go to a few different types of 12 step meetings. That helps me stay grounded.

♻️

Paper: I love paper!! Any kind of paper, stationery, loose pieces of paper, letter sets, postcards, notecards, ephemera.

Arts & crafts I’m into are journals, book pages like old books including illustrated flowers and plants, washi tape, wrapping paper, home made paper, yarn, tissue, packaging, found objects, and more.

Thank you for all the extras and gifts from you all!!!

Likes: [I'm always trying new styles and techniques. I don't think there's a single style that defines me unless maybe eclectic is a way to define. Though there are times I want more of a simple austere look. Then there are times I want a more busy collaged and contrasting look.]

Vintage or new but in a vintage style

Junk journals and fodder for them

Art all kinds and every style of art and crafts

Die cuts

Doodles

ephemera, any

Lace

Ribbons

Rice paper

Sari ribbon

Stationery anything

Stamped images

Stickers

Washi tape

Found objects

Dyed by ink or store bought or hand dyed fabric or yarn

Recipes

In general I like all colors.

** For Journals **

I’m making art journals, junk journals, scrapbooks and more. I use planners for work and church and include some other financial and other details in these.

For junk journals, any size works for me.

And I like all themes. To give you a few ideas, here are some: sea, nautical, floral, circus, antique or vintage even if it's new but in the vintage style, Asian theme or French style. Grunge or distressed are also good for me. I often think of French as distressed though there is the sleek French style too. I’m really all over the place.

Any theme is good as I like eclectic or putting various themes together in more a mix! Ha ha!

I have been collecting things to put into a junk journal but I haven't actually started making the journal itself. I've no doubt it'll happen. I'm having a ton of itself and enjoying the process. I hope you enjoy your process too!

Been watching lots of tv or streaming shows.

Watching the tv series Tracker. And finished eatching The Crown on Netflix.

After all these decades I o my recently started watching Law & Order but I am slowly catching up. I watch all 3 variations: the original, Special Victims, and also Organized Crime. Plus police and detective shows from Europe such as the Paris Murders, Van der walk, Murder in Sweden, and Prime Suspect the old ones with Helen Mirren.

And on Amazon, I’ve watched and rewatched The Peripheral. I even relistened to William Gibson’s audio version. I’d read the book in print too.

I think we used to call this cyberpunk fiction but I don’t know what it’s called anymore. I just like it.

And the Amazon series based on Tolkien’s Silmarillion which is ambitious don’t you think? If you’ve ever paged through this collection of myths and songs and stories. But I did enjoy the show on Amazon, it’s called The Rings of Power.

I watch the Jesus Image and EWTN. My life feels so fragile. Well it is for all of us. It can be all gone on a moment. And that makes me push myself very hard and always has. Since I was a little thing. My caretakers died when well one of my caretakers was murdered. And it sort of jaded me but I’ve been through lots and lots of therapy and prayer and 12 step programs. Art is therapy now. But I try to not make everything cathartic. Sometimes a doodle really is just a doodle!

Here are a few of the artists and makers I watch at YouTube:

My newest discovery is Caroline on the Hillside.

I’ve been adding lots of new channels I can’t keep up with them but I’m watching more reels and shorts and love all the creative inspiration!

iMarcy’s Misadventures in Mixed Media on YouTube.

Ana Bondu she works in French mostly and her specialty is Gelli prints

Barbara at 49dragonflies who makes grunge and other fun styles of journals

Claire at art_journal love

Cathy’s Garden

Denise Love aka @2lilowlsstudio and she makes intuitive abstract art very colorful

Tim Holtz

Dina Wakely

Maremi Small Art

Amity Bloom

Gayle Agostinelli

Helen Colebrook

Jackie Bernardi

Jane Davenport

Louise Heinzl

Mystele

Niamh Baly

Nicole Relax.Cut.Glue

Nik the Booksmith

Pink Odd Bird

Roxy Creations

Shabbydabbydoodah

ShanoukiArt

Shawn Petite

Susanne Rose Art

Teal and Tattered Journal

The Paper Outpost

TiffanySmplySharpe

Willowing

These are my favorites!!!