Mixy's Art Blog

TWELVE years since TWELVTY!

Well, can we have a big “YIKES” to acknowledge that 12 years have elapsed since my very first 12 colours in 12 months project?!?!

I had to double check my numbers, but it’s for real. TWELVE years indeed!

What is TWELVTY?

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, 2012 was a tough year for me…

my home life had been turned upside down, and creativity kept me afloat.

At the time I’d recently discovered fibre artist Marlene Glickman

Her piece “Day by Day” appealed to every part of my colour-hungry soul.

Making color and design decisions is sometimes difficult so I challenge myself to use only one color from the color wheel each month during my daily design exercises. A box sits on my worktable containing all the supplies I collected at the beginning of the month in one color.

From this I choose bits and pieces creating a 5″ x 5″ design/collage/drawing. The small format offers me the chance to explore a design and decide whether or not to enlarge it or expand on an idea. I also keep a journal for sketches, fabric swatches and working out future ideas and larger pieces.
Marlene Glickman 1948-2023

A Year Full of Colour

On Marlene’s advice, I decided to dedicate a sketchbook to single colour experiments, with one colour each month for a year. This is how it turned out (excuse the wonky video – this was new to me!)

the original 12 colors in 12 months art journal from 2012

Over the years I revisited this idea, and reimaging the monthly format. For a few years I ran a year long class sharing my process and guiding other creatives in their own 12 colour projects.

TWELVTY 2024

I can’t let this 12 year marker go uncelebrated, so this year I’ve got a new twist on the old idea in mind. Catch this month’s studio newsletter to see what I’ve been making, and find out how this year will be a wee bit different!

Is this something you’d like to join in with?
Comment below to LMK, I’ve got so many ideas to share!

Hi – I’m Mixy!

I’m a mixed media & textile artist from London, UK.

I love to share what I’m making, and I hope it brings some inspiration to your creative time.

You can see what I’m making on this blog, and in these places too

Insta @mixygregory
MadebyMixy.com

Join Me!

Get monthly-ish Studio Musings Newsletter.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Unfashionably late to the new year!

Mixy, the London-based mixed media & textile artist, took a relaxed approach to starting 2024, sharing a flip through her Book of Days series. She’s brimming with plans for the year and invites followers to join her newsletter for updates. Follow her creative journey on her blog, Instagram, and website MadebyMixy.com.

I took such a relaxed approach to beginning 2024 that it’s already February before my first post of the year!

Let’s kick off with a little flip through from the end of last summer in my always-a-bit-behind series from the Book of Days.

If you enjoyed this, check out the rest of the series here 🙂

I’m full of plans and ideas for 2024
join my newsletter to find out more – Feb’s mail goes out this week 🙂

Hi – I’m Mixy!

I’m a mixed media & textile artist from London, UK.

I love to share what I’m making, and I hope it brings some inspiration to your creative time.

You can see what I’m making on this blog, and in these places too

Insta @mixygregory
MadebyMixy.com

Join Me!

Get monthly-ish Studio Musings Newsletter.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Art Journal Serendipity

It’s said the way a person does one thing is the way they do everything…

So it came as no surprise to me when I noticed more than two years had passed since I wrote:

“When it comes to making a book like this, keep in mind that progress isn’t linear.

It’s more like a dance back and forth through the pages.”

The book I’m describing is an art journal I made from scrap paper, for the purpose of demonstrating how I make my art.

I documented the steps as I filled the pages, videoed my progress, made notes…

..and then a lot of life happened, time passed, and suddenly it’s now.

Time is so slippery!

My disorganised, wabi-sabi approach to art making became the way I made this book, and together they evolved in their own time. At long last, I’m happy to say it’s all done and ready to go!

This is how the art journal came out:

If you’ve signed up for my newsletter, then my Art Journal Serendipity ebook will be arriving in your inbox very soon!

It’s not too late — sign up below by the end of December & I’ll send it to you direct!

Hi – I’m Mixy!

I’m a mixed media & textile artist from London, UK.

I love to share what I’m making, and I hope it brings some inspiration to your creative time.

You can see what I’m making on this blog, and in these places too

Insta @mixygregory
MadebyMixy.com

Join Me!

Get monthly-ish Studio Musings Newsletter.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

My gift to you, and a confession.

Can we talk about imposter syndrome? …

Imposter syndrome is very real.

I have a confession to make: When I made this book I didn’t love it. Some parts of some pages made me happy, but as a whole I wasn’t especially excited about it.

I recorded much of the process of making the pages, and while I edited the videos I wasn’t at all sure what I was trying to achieve by sharing them.

So much so, I left this project unfinished for over TWO years!

But letting time pass lets us see things through fresh eyes. I still don’t love every single bit, but that’s not so important to me now.

Why I am I telling you all this?

Because maybe there’s a project you’ve let sit because you weren’t sure what direction it needed to go in next.

Because maybe you look at other peoples art and think ‘it’s different for them, they know what they’re doing, they have a plan…’ when in reality we are all winging it.

These pages belong to a book I made from scratch.
They’re filled with messy paint, scribbles and experiments, vulnerability and love. I made this book for YOU.

There’s a full length flip through in my Youtube, and you can find out how I did it all in my ebook *Art Journal Serendipity*. All you need do is sign up for my newsletter by 27 December and it’s all yours!

Thank you to everyone for your support through the year, it means more than you could know.

For your free copy of my eBook Art Journal Serendipity sign up for my newsletter below by the launch date 27 December 2023

Hi – I’m Mixy!

I’m a mixed media & textile artist from London, UK.

I love to share what I’m making, and I hope it brings some inspiration to your creative time.

You can see what I’m making on this blog, and in these places too

Insta @mixygregory
MadebyMixy.com

Join Me!

Get monthly-ish Studio Musings Newsletter.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Art Journal Serendipity

As a gift to everyone who supported my art this year…

This is more than just an art journal flip through: this one comes with a full back-story!

I documented the whole process of making this book, from selecting the paper for the pages to the layering of the pages, then I bundled this all together in an illustrated eBook with over 50 minutes of footage in little bite sized videos! For YOU!

It’s not the paper, the paint or the pens; it isn’t only the inks or the collage. What makes a project like this so much fun is trusting the magic of serendipity

For your free copy of my eBook Art Journal Serendipity sign up for my newsletter below by the launch date 27 December 2023

Hi – I’m Mixy!

I’m a mixed media & textile artist from London, UK.

I love to share what I’m making, and I hope it brings some inspiration to your creative time.

You can see what I’m making on this blog, and in these places too

Insta @mixygregory
MadebyMixy.com

Join Me!

Get monthly-ish Studio Musings Newsletter.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Flip through: Book of Days Part TEN

The latest look through the pages of the enormous sketchbook!

Pages 146-161 are from May to August 2023.

Gradually these flip through vids are catching up to where I am now in time!

It’s over 3 years since I began this weekly project, and it’s come to be so much part of my creative practice I can’t imagine not doing it…

The characters from these pages are going to show up in a few new projects early in 2024. I hope you’ll join us!

Hi – I’m Mixy!

I’m a mixed media & textile artist from London, UK.

I love to share what I’m making, and I hope it brings some inspiration to your creative time.

You can see what I’m making on this blog, and in these places too

Insta @mixygregory
MadebyMixy.com

Join Me!

Get monthly-ish Studio Musings Newsletter.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Last Shipping Dates

For delivery before Christmas!

UK: Monday 18 December
Everywhere Else: Monday 11 December

Shop Shopify for
Original Art, Handmade Cards, Collage Paper Bundles:

Free shipping

UK orders over £15GBP
International orders over £30GBP

(no codes required: automatic at checkout)

MadebyMixy.Myshopify.com

SHOP Etsy for
Postcards, Stickers, Zines:

Free shipping

UK orders over £15GBP
use code HAPPYHOLLYUK
International orders over £30GBP
use code HAPPYHOLLYWORLD

Etsy / MadeByMixy

Both shops are open throughout December
(but orders after these dates may get delayed in the mail)

Free shipping is available until the end of the year.

I’m planning to combine the shops in 2024 to make it easier all round! 😉

Flip through: Book of Days Part NINE

For over 3 years I’ve been adding a double page spread to this ginormous sketchbook every week.

Pages 136-146 came together through February to May 2023.

It’s funny, I look back at these pages and they feel as familiar as yesterday, and at the same time, like a life time ago.

What is it they say – as you get older the days drag but the years fly. I’m not sure it’s that consistent. But I do know time is wobbly and makes no sense to me.

I’m busy-ing away on a new project based around the characters who show up in these pages. Be sure to follow along to be first to see what I’m making!

Hi – I’m Mixy!

I’m a mixed media & textile artist from London, UK.

I love to share what I’m making, and I hope it brings some inspiration to your creative time.

You can see what I’m making on this blog, and in these places too

Insta @mixygregory
MadebyMixy.com

Join Me!

Get monthly-ish Studio Musings Newsletter.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Why Spirals

New Artwork available + a discount just for YOU!

I’m especially fond of the spiral, both as a shape and a metaphor, you might’ve noticed it shows up again and again in my art! Back at the start of this year I leant right into this love and made a series of 100 spiral pieces for the 100 day project.

I’ve always advocated for letting art rest.
Time allows it to shed the weight of judgement during the making process – ‘this was NOT what I planned!’ – falls away with time. I can look much more objectively at it when it’s been asleep in a desk drawer for a while.

These pieces have rested a few months, so when I came to look again it was easy to pick out my favourites to list in my shop.

As we’re heading into gift-giving season,
this is a thank you for being a part of my art world
***************************
Use COUPON CODE:: NewNovember
***************************
for 15% off all my Spiral Paintings
until midnight GMT Sunday 19 November

Spiral Watching!

Because I documented the making of the 100 days of spirals on Instagram, many of they come with a little back story where you can take a peak into it being created, for instance:

Spiral #4
Watch the ink and watercolour layers bringing this to life here

See links in the listing details.