Painting away....

Believe it or not but YES I still find time to create "free" work. It is something I actually need, painting in total freedom. No time pressure, no instructions, no rules, just paint, following my instinct, boosting my creativity. I am showing you one of the paintings I am working on at the moment. It is not quite finished. I am still missing something, but I haven't quite figured it out yet. In order to find out what it is missing I have hung it on my wall in stead of leaving it on the easel. It is a great little trick that helps me to see my work from a different angle. What also helps is photographing the painting frequently while in progress. A photograph enables me to distance myself from my work and helps me to finally dare to take the decision that a works is finished (I can be my most brutal critic)!

Morning Coffee (a New York International Gift Fair sneak peek)!

 working on the original design

finished design

I am an addict. I have to admit that when I don't have my latte in the morning I don't function properly. I just love that moment when I switch on my Nespresso machine, foaming some milk and then accompanied with a slice of "peperkoek" (a typical Dutch breakfast cake) hit my desk, sipping coffee while doing my mail.
Especially for that moment I designed a small tray measuring 20x27cm. Just big enough for a nice cup (or two) and a treat. The tray is handmade out of birchwood in Scandinavia and eco-friendly. It will be making its debut at the New York International Gift Fair in August (13-18) as part of my new Abstract collection of trays and pillows. Soon available through various retailers worldwide or alternatively my webstore. (pssssst and mum you know the even better part of this functional little work of art.... no more stains on my antique desk! :)).

For wholesale enquiries kindly send and e-mail to info@mariskameijers.com.

Happy Father's Day!

with my dad (April 2011)

Love you dad! xox

Painting For Charity

 

 
I receive regular requests to donate artwork for charity auctions, but a few weeks back I got an unusual request from The Orange Babies Foundation .... if I could paint some ostrich eggs. I reluctantly said yes, not because I did not want to support the cause, but simply because I had no clue how to tackle the eggs. I have no experience when it comes to painting 3 dimensional objects. I love my canvases, and I love them big. My favourite medium is oils but because of the time pressure I needed to work with acrylics. The eggs were staring at me and I was staring back. Yesterday the foundation came to pick up the result: 3 ikat inspired eggs. Off they went to join the other art eggs by, amongst others, fashion illustrator Piet Paris, tattoo artist Hollywood Mark and painters Ans Markus and Menno Schenk that have participated in this project. The eggs will be sold during the Orange Babies Gala on June 25 and one of my favourites is Hollywood Mark's tattood egg!

* The Orange Babies Foundation was established to help HIV infected women and their babies in Africa. Orange Babies also supports children infected with the virus or otherwise directly affected.

Wonderful mention in ELLE Decor's Design Insiders' Weekly Finds!

 

Lily and Molly modelling an Ada and Darcy  sea blue dog bed 

(and in the corner a glimpse of my Painted Ikat pillow also available through Ada and Darcy)

ELLE Decor Design Insiders' Weekly Finds

Where would I be without great clients and fans! To quote Kellie Collis of stylish blog and webstore Ada and Darcy in ELLE Decor's Design Insiders' weekly finds:
“Being a lover of all things colorful, I adore artist Mariska Meijers' home. I have absolutely no talent with a paint brush, so it's wonderful to see Mariska work her magic around her house.”
As you may guess this quote made me silent, especially as I was having one of those days feeling totally insecure, juggling too many things at the same time, feeling that I am not getting anywhere, totally unhappy with my own work.....
So thank you Kellie for this warm encouragement, for your support both in words and in action!
Wishing everyone a lovely weekend. The sun is out here in Amsterdam, my bike is ready to roll to a nice outdoor restaurant along one of the canals. xxx

Inspired design!

I have never claimed to be an autonomous artist-designer. I just can't bear the idea of locking myself up in the attic and suffer. I need contact, lots of it. With beautiful objects and inspiring people. Museums, stacks of books and magazines, conversations over coffee, dinner or a glass of wine. I store everything in my head and when I create I mix a cocktail with ingredients from my "storage room". The stock in this room is ever evolving and as a consequence so are my designs and art,  the interior of my house and last but not least me, myself and I! In these pictures some of the latest evolvements: vintage Rolf Benz leather sofa, antique porcelain coffee cup Abstract Neon pillow (100% linen, size 40x60cm), Purple Allium tray handmade in Scandinavia out of eco friendly birchwood (both available through my webstore or through various storelocations). Wishing you all a fabulous and inspiring weekend! xox

Growing: New Store Locations!

Fabienne Jouvin (via The Zhush)

 

 Jonathan Adler (via The Zhush)

Two is a Company (via The Zhush)

Mariska Meijers (via The Zhush)

Yes we are progressing. Slowly but steadily. Thanks to my agents and distributors more store locations are carrying my products and more designers include my designs in their projects. What once started as a one woman band is becoming more and more of a team. A team of people who believe in my art and designs and in me! It also means a growing responsibility. A responsibility to continue to create, to maintain quality.

Today I would like to highlight two recent addtions to Store Locations in The Netherlands and The United States

The Zhush

This stylish US webstore has been founded by Sue De Chiara (a (former) lawyer, just like me shhhhhhh). Sue, smitten by good design and style started blogging. With an ever growing number of loyal followers and fans style creating her own store was the logical next step. Sue does not shy away from bold and colorful designs and that is exactly why my designs feel perfectly at home alongside designs by for example Jonathan Adler and Fabienne Jouvin.
If you love Sue's style I recommend to follow her blog: The Zhush!

Maan (Utrecht)

Maan (Utrecht)

Maan (Utrecht) featuring In Bloom Orange and Pink pillows

 alongside Designers Guild

Maan

Maan is a wonderful lifestyle store situated in the historic centre of Utrecht. Founded by energetic Liselot von Barnau Sythoff, Maan carries a beautiful range of products (e.g. Piet Hein Eek, Designers Guild). Liselot loves to mix different styles and treasures originality and sustainability when it comes to selecting products for her store.
Maan is a must visit when you are in Utrecht!

Thank you Maan and The Zush for adding me to your collections! For a current overview of retailers go to Store Locations. If you have any suggestions as to store locations we should be approaching do send me an e-mail at info@mariskameijers.com.

New Press update: from Germany to the US!

Shame on me that I am running behind in my updates on all fronts. Not only regarding press, but also regarding new projects, products and stockists.On Monday I received a wonderful suprise in the mail, the latest edition of German magazine Stilvoll Wohnen. It contained a 9 page article on my home and designs. Editor in Chief Stephanie Hackel also gave me extra attention in the editorial. In addition local Amsterdam magazine ZOZ did a lovely spread on my appartment as well and last but not least I am sharing pages from various issues of US magazine Home Accents Today featuring some of my pillow and tray designs. I don't have to tell you how happy, flattered and above all grateful I am. A big thank you to Stilvoll Wohnen, ZOZ and Home Accents Today!

My goals in life according to my children

 On our way to my birthday dinner (Mauk&Annemarth in the middle)

Last week I spend a wonderful holiday with my children and friends in Turkey. Delicious food, sun, sports, boating. It was also my birthday :). My daughter, with the help of her younger brother made me a very special gift. A TO DO book which she customized.

On the first page there is a note which I will translate for you.

"Dear Mummy
Today is your birthday! That is why we are giving you this present.
It is a TO DO book that we have personalized. The reason for this TO DO book is that YOU HAVE ALWAYS GOT SOMETHING TO DO.
And to make sure you won't forget anything anymore, carry this book with you and keep it up to date.
Lots of fun and succes. We hope that you will get lots of inspiration and ideas.
Love & kisses
Mauk & Annemarth"

On one of the other pages they have written my goals in life (in English)....

How many (subtle) hints can your children give you :). Well I guess there is work to be done so I am off to the studio!

To my dear Mum

 My parents with my son Mauk and daughter Annemarth (Easter 2011)

"That strong mother doesn't tell her cub, Son, stay weak so the wolves can get you. She says, Toughen up, this is reality we are living in."

                                                                                                            Lauryn Hill

Dear Mum,

Just to say that I am proud being your daughter. From as early as I can remember you have been strong and courageous, warm and loving, disciplined and hard working, honest and fair. You have made me and my sisters good persons by being a wonderful role model and a loving mother. I love you and wish you a happy mother's day.


xoxoxoxoxoxox

About Life....

 

source: BBC

source: CNN

While many of us may be watching the Royal Wedding, the American South East is picking up the pieces after yesterday's destructive storm that claimed nearly 300 lives. With so many consecutive natural disasters one might start questioning the life that one is leading. Life is fragile and precious, it can't be taken for granted. Do you take full advantage of your life or are you wasting it? Since I traded my banking career for an uncertain artistic path I feel my life has become more intense, more real and much more true to myself. I do my best to stay alert to live my life as best as I can.

We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving. And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.

Louisa May Alcott