Mariel's Art and Sketches: nature

, by Mariel

Embrace This Earth

"May the wings of an eagle make your heart soar high above the clouds, so that your eyes may see the vast beauty and wonder that is in this world. May the vines grasp your soul closer to the soil so that you may feel what it's like to live among others in harmony and that one can thrive even in the most obscure places. And may the flowers that the hummingbirds flock to give you the lightest sweet scent that will remind you just how beautiful it is to be alive. I pray that you will remember me, dear, just as much as I remember you, always."

Mother Earth, the spirit of our world, beckons us to immerse ourselves in nature. There is more to understand and love in our world that we seem to have forgotten. There are many lessons to be learned even from the tiniest leaf. I hope we are thinking of this Earth and just how beautiful it is. We must do our best to give back for the resources we take, even in the littlest way. Earth Day should always be celebrated.

I have always loved nature. How could I not? It's always there to inspire me, to nourish me, to challenge me. Living in the small bungalow that our house once was during my childhood, I've always loved the way the breeze would graze my skin, whether it be a hot summer gale or a gentle breeze during September. I loved watching the birds in the trees and in the yard as they pick up bits of rice that I left intentionally just to see them up close; I like the way they build their nest and their tweets too. I like the moss that covered the garden pots, the smell of grass being trimmed, the taste of dew from the flowers (yes, I'm that kind of girl who tried to taste the nectar from the santan flowers before making flower crowns), and the way the sun cast our clones on the wall as we tried to dance like cartoons in a theater.

I like the crickets at night, the cold sharp scent that enters my nose each time I went out for a look at the stars. And speaking of stars, I love the way that they stayed where they are as I walked at night with my family after dinner, the way they shimmered like a morse code kind of curiosity in the sky. I will always remember kneeling down the road and looking at this really beautiful bright star and wished for something that my heart has always yearned for. I'm not telling though, my younger self would throw a fit, nor the wish I asked for when I was twenty three as the first traveling star showed itself to me at four or five in the morning in the upstairs garden, nor the secret message I gave the silver firefly that flew above our Indian tree during the longest energy black out that occurred after a terrible storm -- these are secrets I wish to keep and hope to say again the moment I meet the bright star, the traveling star and the silver firefly again.

The water sprinkling from the garden hose, made glittery by the sunlight has always been a spectacle to see. More so would be the world inside a dew drop. If you look closer, it's a whole new world in there, with you as a character! The water that flowed along the clean side canal has always been the route of many leaf boats, most of them carrying little flowers on the top. The moment I stepped my feet in the ocean for the first time at seven or eight years old, I felt wonderful. It's like going to a secret room in the house that you know has always been there but have never been to despite wanting to take a glimpse of. I'll always love the beauty and strength of the waters.

I like watching the ants walking a straight line with one in front of the other and the way they'd carry anything that's even bigger than they are. I love it whenever we pull this particular pot away from its place and seeing the hundreds or thousands of gentle black ants walking and minding their own business; we'd always stand beside this pot and wait for the ants to run around our legs. I'm allowing them to be with me, I thought. Maybe I'd be able to grow like a plant too if they walked around me. Out of whack sometimes, but I liked the idea.

The first time I saw butterflies, I screamed bloody murder. It was the first time we went to see where we will be living in -- a small white bungalow house overran by grass and tons of clouds in the hot blue sky. Yes, I'm scared of butterflies. And insects for that matter. The way their feet would scurry about, it makes me cringe up until now. But despite avoiding as fast as I can manage without screaming, I'll make sure that none of their eggs or larvae would be destroyed -- I'd enlist my family's help for that though! The moment I saw the giant daddy long legs up in our school's tree, and the tarantula in the shoe cupboard door were the moments I realized just how scary nature can sometimes be. But I try my best not to hate them so much. They were made that way, I'm sure they are beautiful in their own unique way, really. But seriously, let me appreciate from afar. I'll be content with that.

The soil felt so cozy -- I can't say for sure if that's a feeling one gets whenever they touch the soil. But for me, it feels so good in my hands and feet. I like holding them and turning them into cakes and feeding them to ants and fairies. Top it off with a lovely blossom and it's such a lovely chocolate cake!

My imagination was and has always been inspired by nature. It's an innate part of me.

My fondest memories were the one spent alongside it's "raw" beauty. Nature that is not manufactured, just nature being itself.

Nature must be treated kindly and with respect. When we take something, should we not give something back? No, nature doesn't need new buildings to make the landscape look good, nor does it need more plastic either. I'm not saying that progress should be stopped. Progress must be made with nature in mind and plan.

Look back on all those days when all we did was look at the world with the eyes of a child -- isn't the world such a beautiful place? I still feel the same about all these things. I still do most of them too! As an adult, peering closely at dew drops or saving ants from drowning or watching birds building their nests are still wonders that I still love to see.

Let's not waste this curious and wonderful place so that our children, or the plants' and animals' children would be able to fully experience the beauty and marvel that is this one earth.

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, by Mariel

In artist, artwork

Tea, spells and books

"Got a cozy chair and a nice hot cuppa tea? Mayhap you might need a book? A book is nothing short of a delight, especially when read when one is at her or his most coziest. A compendium of magic folks' stories will not only bring forth adventure, but a nice story or two to tell the children."

Philippa

There is something so wonderful about reading books. When you dive right into the pages, they take you to far off places, introduce you to unique and wonderful characters and most of all, give you an unforgettable adventure, that after reading, you emerge as a different person -- all in the comfort of your cosy nook. I've always been a fan. Ever since I was a young girl, my imagination would always run wild, creating stories and sceneries in my head, maybe about three or five, all before I got myself ready for the morning breakfast. Needless to say, I love storytelling. The pleasure of reading stories and writing them gives me a sense of bliss as strong as my passion for illustrations. Illustration and stories always go together for me. Even if it's just a drawing, for me, it has a story. I may not have had written about it, but if one might wonder and ask me about a particular illustration, I shall do my best to tell you the story behind it. Sometimes it is unfinished, sometimes it's just a sliver of a thought. But there's always something there.

Last year, after coming up with more than a couple of stories and illustrations that go together, I thought about compiling them in one tiny book. These are the stories of whimsical fellows who are all in love with nature, magic, coffee or tea and of course, books. It pleased me so much to think that these book-loving darlings will be having a book about them! The bookworm in me is giddy, and the illustrator in me is humbled and excited. I have not really thought I'd be able to create a small book about anything at all last year. It was a far-off dream, really. But when the idea came, it came just naturally. Of course, once the decision has been made, the tedious process of publishing a book began.

I've already illustrated most of the characters and written the stories since 2016, but after much deliberation, I decided to remake six characters' illustrations around October. I had to rewrite or add some more to the stories too. I gave myself a deadline, mind, and there's only barely a month left to recreate them. Not just that, looking for a font that can be used for publication that does not cost a huge sum of money and is free for publication use was so hard to do. Luckily, I got the chance to know of Google fonts, and it helped me so much. Thank you, Igino Marini for the font!

Now on to the printing. I got it printed at Dexact, a printing studio beside my college that I've always loved working with when it comes to my prints. I decided to self-publish this little book, or zine, to be more precise. I've never printed my own book, not even for a school project. I didn't know anything about it. So for the first few weeks of planning and illustrating on the side, I was so confused. I didn't know if I should send over my files as separate jpeg pages or pdf once I will get the zine printed. The color output was also taken into consideration as well as the page borders. The printed outcome, fortunately, was wonderful. Although, there was a blunder on my part about the page borders as they got cut in the binding process. I forgot that once a book is bound together, regardless of the kind of binding, the pages' edges will have to be cut. I really forgot about that one. In the second reprint, the borders are now redesigned and readjusted.

Everything came into intense scrutiny -- the printing, the cost, the overall design and not to mention the proofreading.

To be honest, I knew it was going to be quite difficult for me to be self-publishing my own book. But I couldn't be any happier. I love being involved and hands on with my art and ideas. Knowing how much of a hard work it would require will push me to do it even more. I've come to love the process of creating that requires not just hard work and energy, but also the strong dedication to stick to it no matter what. Taking photos of the zines, I am in bliss. I'm happy for the hard work I've put to it, but most of all, I'm grateful that these whimsical darlings have decided to show themselves to me and tell me their stories. For that, I am grateful. Truly grateful.

The zines have been sold at an Art bazaar last year and much to my happiness, were well-received. The second printing of the zines are now available at my Etsy store, "SunlitCuriosities." For the meantime though, only 8 are available. More shall be printed in the next coming weeks.

Below is a video I made of the zine showing the contents. I hope you can take a short peek at it.

Cheers! Happy New Year too! Let's be braver and stronger and kinder this year. :)

Music credits:

Enchanted Valley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1200093

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

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, by Mariel

In adventure, art

Wind and Sky

Odgerel looks up at the sky, the warmth of the sun radiating brightly against the embroidered threads on his clothes that shine blindingly, almost rivals to the bright day star. The sun seemed almost as if it blinked, twice, as Oktai and Gerel flew beneath it, their wings hovering beautifully in the air. The blue expanse, devoid of clouds, was like the mirror of the sea, a place which Odgerel has heard of from his ancestors but has never seen it himself. Is it as vast as the summer sky? As rich in stars like the mysterious black sky?
Gerel landed on Odgerel's outstretched hand, her feathers fluffed in pride as her friend caressed them lovingly. Oktai, as always, would perch on his back, nipping his ear affectionately. Odgerel could imagine what his winged friends have seen -- sometimes he'd like to be them, to be able to soar amongst the tallest mountains or be in the company of other beings. As he ruffled Oktai's feathers, he saw in his friend's eyes another version of him. Maybe it's like the sky and the sea -- different, but similar in many ways. Miles apart, but still the same, in a way. He smiled as the wind whipped his hair, watching his friends drift between sky and sand.

~
I am curious, what does it feel like to be beside the sky?
Have you ever stood on top of a mountain peak, looking over a vast horizon as endless as the sea and sky, or felt the cold wind shake your body as if it is trying to finally wake up your soul? How beautiful it must feel! The light of the sun shining beautifully over the vastness of it all, making everything even more breathtaking. I have never been high up on a mountain before and therefore have not seen a vast horizon. Many times I have seen the ocean and felt insignificant and small yet strangely attached to it. Is it the same with being up in the mountains? What am I missing? I have seen the clouds beneath me as I rode the airplane, but is it different from being on a peak, feeling the wind shift, the clouds like an illuminated ocean right at the same level as your own feet that took you up the mountain? I should like to feel that, even once, no, maybe several times, hopefully.

~
Drawing Odgerel and his friends Oktai and Gerel was a challenge. Every thought was challenged, every stroke indecisive and at some point, I felt afraid. I wasn't really sure how I was going to go about it. Looking closely at the texture of his skin, I am quite sure it's obvious just how many mistakes there are. I'm quite humbled to know that I did finish it and I do quite like it as well, especially when their story came into mind and heart. I am glad I never gave up. I walked back and forth just looking at him, wondering however shall I do once I mess another thing up. But I am happy I was challenged -- it gave me such restlessness that an ordinary day can't give and I felt like I should focus more.

I have been lacking the discipline to keep drawing on a regular basis. There are days when I draw too much and some where not even an idea comes at all. This one is sort of an "ice breaker"? I 'm not sure how to describe it, but it certainly pulled me from my rather "used" state. When I say used, it's that feeling where you just know what to do all the time, and you know all the solutions. I don't mind it, in fact, I would so much love to know what I should be doing! But, in came to a point where I couldn't advance since I felt like what I was doing was the same all the time. It kind of makes me afraid that that was all I'll ever be able to do.

So I must find new things.

Finding new things is tough! It feels scary. Some days I'll space out or at night I would lie in bed and look up at my golden-light filled room, wondering just how would I ever succeed in doing something new. I am putting much pressure unto myself. But I have to, so I will move forward. If not, I do not advance at all, I'll just be stuck. And I would hate myself so much if that's the case. I hope not.

I do so much want to see the sea like Odgerel. He's been living in the desert surrounded by mountains and fields. Though he adores his home so much, he yearns for something new. He's curious. He's ready to know. Then maybe, after we both see and experience what we want, we can find something new again in the place we call home, new eyes to see new things in familiar places. Wouldn't that be nice too?

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, by Mariel

In art, artist

Dark Waters

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, by Mariel

In birds, drawing

Birds of Flight

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, by Mariel

In art, cottage

The Tapestry

I have always been fond of crafts, of cottages, of simple things made with love. Well, anything made with love has never been simple at all, though in its simplicity, they feel a lot more close to the heart, more intimate. Maybe this is just me.

Anyways, ever since the Honey Bee embroidery, I found myself more and more in love with needles and threads. I was always watching my mother as she busied herself in her cross stitches and crochets, that I only dreamed of ever doing the same things she did so beautifully. I would always loved the way she did her crafts as she told me stories and sometimes, even in the silence, I was happy, as long as I get to watch her make her new piece sitting by the door with the light coming in from the outside, golden and illuminating.

I feel that these simple yet beautiful moments have inspired me to finally start doing embroidery. Sitting down with a quiet perseverance and a little bit of simple chatter with loved ones, I start making new pieces that felt close to home, to heart. I love the feel of making an image with threads, flowers and foliage all made from scratch on stretched canvas. The sketch of what I wanted to make is always the hardest part as well as choosing the colors. I love ink until now, and it is only until some time did I start using colors. I must always feel that the colors are "right" -- sometimes they are too dark, sometimes too bright. I find myself drawn to the earthy tones. But as always, like a ray in the middle of the forest whose colors I loved so much, a bit of sun light always finds its way to my colors.

As for the fondness I have for nature, it probably stemmed from my childhood days spent looking at the bright blue sky, of intently watching the leaves and weeds swaying in the wind, at the brightness of our little garden filled with flowers and bees, of listening to the songs of the birds, of the feel of the gale in the middle of the day, even the moss on plant pots and the ants crawling up the concrete walls. They were all so fascinating to me and I felt that they have always been there and will always be in existence. I felt that these things are eternal and have always felt like an innate sort of distant memory I had in me, tucked away somewhere deep inside me. They spoke to me in a way I could not understand. But now, I felt their presence every day. Even though I have some rather unpleasant days, it is to these beings that I draw strength from plus the warmth of love and home.

I have been pricked by my needles so many times, accidentally snapped them in two twice as much and still I love this. It probably wouldn't change.

Embroidery feels so much like one of the things I love -- nature and home. They are all like threads woven to make one lovely image, complex and yet filled with beauty. And we are all bonded together, hundreds and even thousands of threads all into one. And it always fills me with a deep kind of happiness.