Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Marion Esposito

Hi guys happy tuesday

I'm not very well today so I'm going to keep my little intro short, so

here's this weeks Tell All Tuesday post with featured artist Marion enjoy =)

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
Hi there. My name is Marion Esposito. I'm 46 years old, born in Hollywood California but live in Virginia now. I have a 19 year old daughter, a 27 year old son, and I became a "Nana" last year! I come from a very artistic family, but never thought the talent got passed down to me. My German grandpa sketched a picture of my grandma so beautifully that you couldn't tell the drawing from the photograph. I always wished that I had his drawing ability, but I am learning that artistic skills can be improved with practice, patience and time.

I used to call myself a Mixed Media artist until recently. I have a love-hate relationship with mixed media art. I absolutely love how it looks when other people do it, but I hate how it looks when I attempt to achieve similar results on my canvas. I have a hard time just "letting go" because I am the type of person that has to have things organized in my life, and Mixed Media is a very free, sometimes messy style of art. I love to "mix-up" the type of art I enjoy doing. For example, I may be in the mood to create and paint one of my children's benches, the next day I'll decoupage a vintage suitcase or work in my art journals, and the next day I'm making one of my chalkboards. It all depends on how I feel that day and what inspires me.

On September 20, 2008 my husband was injured in a terrorist bombing attack in Pakistan, so many things that I depended on and took for granted have changed. Being married to someone who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a Traumatic Brain Injury is life-changing to say the least. Every day is different. I think that is why I struggle with Mixed Media art. Since my life is a bit unpredictable, I like my art to have some neatness and order to it if that makes sense.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
Sometimes I go to my craft room and stand there not having a clue what to do. It's as if all my creativity has drained out of me. I want to do something but I have no ideas coming to mind. I'm surrounded by a room full of acrylics, watercolors, markers, paper, embellishments, magazines, books, journals etc and my mind is completely blank. Those are the days I know I need to read a book, visit a friend, go for a walk, exercise, watch TV etc. I realize that I won’t feel creative every day and that's ok. Before I know it, I'll be back in the craft room getting my hands messy again.

 
Do you think you have achieved a uniquely recognisable style as an artist, or do you find it a struggle to find your own style?
Since I enjoy doing various types of art, I find it a struggle to develop my own style. As an example, I love working with vintage images from the 40's - 60's. My dad was a movie director in Hollywood so I'm passionate about creating things with all the wonderful ephemera he left behind! He was in his 50's when I was born so we're talking "classic old Hollywood" which I adore. I also love painting images for children, so I'm not sure that my style will be recognized because of how different they are from each other.

What is your heart’s greatest desire for your life as an artist?
I recently opened an Etsy store and sold my first item. It was the most satisfying feeling to know that someone appreciated my art. That is what motivates me more than anything. It's not about the money, it's about creating things that people enjoy. I love to personalize gifts for friends and family. I love to know that something that I made is in someone else's home. I also want to encourage other women who are struggling as I am, to find encouragement and healing through art and journaling. That has been my saving grace. The time I spend in my craft room is for me, and it is one of the greatest things I do that keeps me emotionally healthy.

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?
You can read more about me on my blog: http://marionsretreat.com/blog/. Once there you can find links to my Youtube videos, Flicker, Facebook, Pinterest and Etsy. Most of the photos of my artwork is posted on Flickr where you'll find a variety of art I have done. I'd love for you to stop by and visit my blog sometime! It's fairly new still, but it has been one of my goals that I have achieved and I'm really proud of it.

Thank you so much for sharing your life and art Marion, I'm sure everyone's love will go out to you when they read what your husband went through and now what both of you go through on a daily basis as a consequence. I think many will also be able to relate to the 'wanting order' wish, when life feels unpredictable it's just part of human nature but I don't think your affair with mixed media is over by any means...and really you hit the nail on the head when you said 'artistic skills can be improved with practice, patience and time.' Perhaps one day you will wake up and want the messiness and craziness of mixed media, to let off some steam by being totally un-ordered and that will be your next art phase...we never know what the future will bring. 

And lately I've been realising that it's not really our business to force our artistic futures, it's more our jobs as creatives to let what will happen happen, and just be grateful that we are those creatives in the first place =)

Want to join the TAT-ranks??

Email me or click the link to find all the details here =)