Growing as an Artist Archives - Peony and Parakeet

Remembering Collageland

Päivi — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:51:15 +0000

With this spread, I say farewell to a course called Collageland. Yesterday, when I was making backgrounds and decorating handmade papers for this spread, I looked back on my artistic journey. Three Stages Stylistically, my artistic journey can be divided into three main stages. The first stage began around 2010 when I created decorative collages. […]

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Do You Need a Mentor?

Päivi — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:49:53 +0000

I am honored to be invited to mentor at Mastrius and join a group of top art mentors and teachers around the world. Become a member of my mentorship group here: Paivi’s mentorship group Mastrius has a great concept for mentoring and the mentorship complements my courses. I will still be running my online courses […]

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A Dot That Went For a Walk

Päivi — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:51:15 +0000

Paul Klee said: “A line is a dot that went for a walk.” I would continue the conversation about the line:“Art is a line that was freed to play.” Everything starts with a single line. When people say they can’t draw, they simply haven’t made friends with their line yet. Art doesn’t start by comparing yourself […]

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Artist Vlog – Day in the Life of an Artist

Päivi — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 15:21:25 +0000

This week, you get to see my day from morning to evening! I’m walking the dogs, painting in oil and watercolor, taking care of my orchids, editing course videos, etc. I hope you enjoy this kind of documentary-style artist vlog! The black journal that I used in the video is the Dylusions Creative Journal. Remember […]

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Stop Drawing the Same Subject!

Päivi — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 12:17:36 +0000

When you want to grow as an artist, stop drawing the same subject! Stop thinking that you have to narrow it down to find your artistic style. This week, I talk about the benefits of drawing a wide range of subjects and show what we will create in the new course, Drawing Soulfully. Theories and […]

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From Drawing to Style

Päivi — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:56:55 +0000

I know there are plenty of art courses out there advertised with slogans like “find your style” or “discover your inner artist.” To be honest, those sound like pretty big words to me. Maybe it’s because we Finns tend to be quite modest—and sometimes so brutally honest it makes you want to shake us a […]

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Finding Your Soulful Line

Päivi — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 07:38:09 +0000

This week, I am excited to talk about the soulful line and share thoughts behind the new course Drawing Soulfully. This blog post can be watched as a video here! We want to achieve something grand with art, but in reality, art begins with something so small it almost goes unnoticed. Art begins with a […]

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Sneak Peek at The New Course

Päivi — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:31:39 +0000

This week, you get to see a sneak peek at the upcoming course! The course is about expressing yourself through drawing. It’s a journey into your artistry and teaches a way to work towards your style. We will draw mostly with black pens, and then color some of the drawings with watercolors and colored pencils. […]

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Abstract Composition in Watercolor

Päivi — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:08:42 +0000

This week, we create geometric and modern art. Pick your supplies, and make an abstract composition! Lately, I’ve been exploring the extremes of my own style, especially when it comes to visual language. I’ve been searching for something angular and adventurous for inspiration, as my style has recently drifted perhaps a bit too much toward […]

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Ikigai – Making Intuitive Painting Feel Natural

Päivi — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:29:42 +0000

This week, I show you my newest oil painting, ‘Ikigai,’ and talk about how intuitive painting can become logical, and how a logical painting can feel natural. There are many extraordinary elements in this painting, but it still feels quite realistic and natural. Find the Guiding Element When you create intuitively, the first layers get […]

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Artistic Line Drawing – What Do You Think About This Course Idea?

Päivi — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:47:13 +0000

To me, all visual art begins with drawing. When you want to get to know yourself, draw! When you want to develop as an artist—say, as a painter—draw! To draw is to think. Make your lines come alive, and gradually, a whole new world will emerge, even on a small piece of paper. That’s what […]

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Three Brave Questions to Ask Yourself about Your Art

Päivi — Thu, 14 May 2026 10:36:25 +0000

This week, I have questions about your art, and I will also share my answers as an example. As an artist, you’re always asked: 1) where do you get your inspiration, 2) how is your art made, and 3) what does it represent or mean? But when you want to go deeper and find answers […]

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