Black Lives Matter

I am not a political person and I don’t much care for religious beliefs either: my philosophy has always been live and let live. It’s hard for me, though, to just stand by and not do anything about what we are going through in this pivotal moment in history.

As hard as it is for me to express in words how I feel about the state of this country right now, I am expressing my feelings through journaling. We need to remember what it’s like to be human, to be kind, to be humble, to be loving, to be accepting of EVERYONE!

Creative expression of my thoughts

I came to this country 20 years ago thinking this was the promised land where caste and creed didn’t matter, women were treated fairly, and there was freedom of choice.

I was ignorant…or maybe too naive. But I accepted everything that I felt was wrong as part of the cultural fabric of this nation…not my problem to solve, right? Wrong.

As protests rage around the country, fighting for equality and justice for ALL, I’m taking a stand by monetarily supporting Black Lives Matter and ACLU of Northern California. And I am supporting the works of: Art by Jekein, M Koby Art, Coco Michele, Pretty Strange Design, Oh Happy Dani, Shema Love, Monica Ahanonu, Nikkolas Design and Lauren Pierce to stay connected, keep learning and never forget that complacency is our enemy and kindness changes everything.

Each one of us is responsible for forging the way for a more humane and just society. We need to speak up individually and collectively; we need to be compassionate, empathetic and committed; we need to do our part in ending racism across the board.  

It will take all of us working together to make these changes. The conversations won’t be easy or comfortable, but they are critical. I urge you all to reflect honestly, discuss openly and become part of the solution actively.

Don’t be a bystander. Change the cultural fabric of the place you’re living in. Lead by example. We can do better. We can be better.

If you would like to do guided intuitive art journaling, please fill out your email address so you can be notified of upcoming classes.

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with MansiMakes and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

Supplies

Curious about the products I used? I have listed them below.
(These are compensated affiliate links at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Affiliate and product disclosure can be found here. As always, I was not paid to do this post and I only use products from companies I love.)

Fluid Acrylic Pour: Mermaids

I had posted some images of fluid acrylic pours on dolphins and sea horses on social media, when I got a message asking if I could paint two mermaids. The client wanted pinks, purples, and blues with a healthy dose of glitter. And this would be a birthday gift. No pressure!

I didn’t hesitate. The chance to paint mermaids for a little girl’s room! How was I to pass up on a challenge like that?

But to be honest, it was nerve-racking. I spent an inordinate amount of time looking for the perfect shaped MDF board silhouette and finally found one on Etsy (yay for small businesses!). Once it arrived, I just had to wait for a half day of alone time when I could start and finish the pour. Why? It only takes 30 seconds to pour paint on something! Right? Wrong!

Before the pouring could begin, I had to prep all the paint mixes with the right ratios of paint to pouring medium. Getting that melting ice cream consistency is key to those beautiful cells. Then there’s the little matter of creating a space in one’s family room where the paintings can stay untouched for a couple of days and cure. Lastly, of course, comes the very-involved process of cleaning up all the drippings! For those of you who have little ones, you’ll understand how that goes.

In this video, you’ll see more than just the act of pouring. There’s a lot more that goes into taking a raw idea and making into a finished product—one that I can be proud of.

It took approximately eight weeks from the time I first discussed the idea with the client to when it was shipped to her. Yes, you read that correctly: eight weeks. Varnishing is critical to the longevity of the product and I also always take time to sand and smooth all edges. So, the next time you see a quick reel on fluid acrylic pouring, please know that the artist has likely spent many hours creating the final product.

I used soft body acrylic paints from Liquitex for this project and varnished the final product with three coats of Kamar Varnish followed by a coat of Liquitex Glossy Varnishing Medium.

Let me know in the comments if you have any specific questions or have tips and tricks to share!