#MB_AtoZ: An About the Artist Alphabet

Mar 22, 2018 | Creative Process, Creative Projects, Fine Art, My Creative Journey, Storytelling

I started an Instagram hashtag project where I used the letters of the alphabet as writing prompts to share my art, creative process, and inspiration.

I’m not sure why writing about my art and creative process feels so challenging.

After all, writing was my very first creative pursuit. I’ve worked as a writer for many more years than I’ve held a paintbrush.

Last year I created #mb_AtoZ: An About the Artist Alphabet. It’s an Instagram project that I started to help me get more comfortable with writing about my art and creative process. I decided to use each letter of the alphabet as a writing prompt to share something related to my art, creative process, or inspiration.

I finished the project near the end of 2017 and am sharing the whole thing right here. I hope you enjoy it!

#mb_AtoZ All right! Ready?* A is for ANDY WARHOL. . . Andy Warhol was my first artist crush. I learned about him and his work when I was 18 or 19. I wasn't exposed to much art growing up. I lived in a super small town in north Louisiana most of my childhood. There was one art museum nearby but I didn't visit it until I was older, after I had met and made artist friends. When I started learning about Andy - his personality, his process, The Factory, his beginnings, Edie, his obsessions, his multidisciplinary creative interests - I couldn't get enough info about him. Before the Internet - (I KNOW, RIGHT?!) - I took a road trip with a friend all the way from Louisiana to NYC and ended up lugging a bunch of heavy books about Andy all the way home from @strandbookstore. I still have some of them. . . I've noticed that I'm super inspired by people who use a lot of different mediums to express their creativity. Much of my observations about my own artistic influences are in retrospect since I didn't start making a lot of art until much later in life. I dabbled in writing since childhood, started doing it regularly nearly 20 years ago. I dabbled in photography as a kid too - started doing it regularly about 10 years ago. Graphic design came next, then fine art (in my 40s!). Save the best for last, maybe? . . See @thewarholmuseum for more Andy. . . *If you have no idea what I'm doing/talking about here, see previous post. #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess #melaniebiehle_inspiration #melaniebiehle_sketchbook

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Day 2: #mb_AtoZ When I started planning out this art inspiration/process documenting project, I realized that one item for each one letter of the alphabet wouldn't be enough. I mean, I'm okay with one for the letter X (spoiler alert: Xanadu, duh) but some letters need more. So here's another A - A is for @acehotelpalmsprings. This place is a magical oasis of inspiration in the Palm Springs desert. I've stayed there a couple of times and feel complete inspired and relaxed when I leave. The hotel itself was flawlessly designed by @communedesign and I'm obsessed with the details, color palettes, and California cool vibe. I even created an art print based on this place! You can see it at the end of this slideshow, after some of the details that make the Ace Hotel and Swim Club special to me. #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_inspiration #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess

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Day 3: #mb_AtoZ | B is for BLOGGING ••• Blogging was my gateway drug to becoming an artist and designer. In 2009, after I moved back to Seattle (for the 4th time) from Los Angeles (2nd time), I started a blog to get back into the habit of writing again. The first time I lived in L.A. my goal was to become a screenwriter - instead I worked in film marketing, which can suck the life out of writing for yourself or even wanting to write scripts anymore. Back in Seattle I started Inward Facing Girl - a personal blog that ended up being a journey of writing, creativity, obsessions, motherhood, travel, design, photography, art, and ultimately, finding myself. I learned about @altsummit and saw that people were combining lots of creative skills and using their blogs to create their own brands and businesses. I taught myself photography and graphic design, at first just to make my blog look the way I wanted it to look, but eventually paired those skills with writing and marketing to start my own creative consulting business. For years I shared and praised the artwork of others, but remained an observer/appreciator. In 2013 I began to dabble - playing in sketchbooks a bit, eventually taking a weekend abstract composition workshop with @juliarick at @gageacademy that I did as a photography/writing assignment for my weekly column at @seattlerefined. That story changed my life. It was in 2014 that I began to take real steps toward becoming an artist, and it all sprung from starting a personal blog. #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_inspiration #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess

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Day 4 #mb_AtoZ | C is for COLLAGE ... Before I got super into painting, I spent most of my art time on creating collages. The first set here were created during an abstract composition workshop and an abstract drawing class at @gageacademy in Seattle - some were used as inspiration for pastel drawings later. ... Others featured in this set include mixed media collages made with hand painted papers, found images, acrylic paint, and more. .... I have been experimenting with collage again lately and plan to use some of my creations in future surface pattern designs. I think the materials could create some interesting textures. ... Later today I'll share some super early collages in Instagram stories...you know, since they will disappear. 😂🦄🌈 #melaniebiehle

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Day 5: #MB_ATOZ | D is for DOCUMENTING ••• I didn't think I would post today because I caught my son's stomach virus and have been in bed since yesterday afternoon. But since I am basically addicted to DOCUMENTING, finding an old work-in-progress photo was a piece of cake. I always document my work-in-progress, especially if it's at a point that I like but I still plan on pushing forward. ••• I got my first diary in elementary school. It was filled with revelations like, "My brother wouldn't eat his lunch so we can't go to the movies...we went to the movies anyway." Later I wrote bad poetry, drew single eyes crying, and taped @esprit ads ripped from @seventeen magazine into my @judyblume diary. That one must have good stuff in it because I ripped it up and threw it away. ••• Today I document my gratitude, daily inspiration, and ideal life visions in a bright pink journal. I write about my art and art projects in a sketchbook. I keep tons of mood board/notes/inspiration sketchbooks that I refer back to when I'm blocked. Building my extensive inspiration library is a huge part of my creative process. I capture and collect color palettes, patterns, and motifs from the rough texture of a seashell, glowing colors of a city skyline, interesting shapes of a building, glossy fashion editorials, and my personal library of contemporary art and design books. I draw and paste my collections into physical sketchbooks, save them in digital files, or store them publicly on my blog, Instagram, or Pinterest boards. My vast multimedia collection inspires my art narratives, abstract paintings, and textile print designs. ••• Documenting is a HUGE part of my life and creative process. #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_inspiration

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Day 7 #MB_ATOZ | F is for FASHION … While I've long given up my personal fashionista status, the industry remains a huge source of inspiration for my art and design work. As I continue to explore new "homes" for my art in the world, fashion feels like a natural fit for my abstract aesthetic. Bold, punchy patterns • patterns inspired by the sea • 80s abstracts • gaga over geometry • mid-century modern inspired textile designs … much of what I love to create would feel at home in your closet. … "Dark Side" shirt available at @printalloverme … Custom designs/collaborations/commercial prints for sale or license: melanie@melaniebiehle.com … #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_inspiration #melaniebiehle_fashion

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Day 11 #MB_ATOZ | H is for HOME . I've always moved around a lot. When I was a kid it was back and forth over a 20 mile radius in North Louisiana. As an adult I called Alpharetta, Georgia home (briefly), Los Angeles (West Hollywood, Miracle Mile, Santa Monica) home a couple of times, and Seattle home four times. Some places felt more "home" than others - like Seattle. It feels more "home" than the place where I grew up. The apartment that I live in now marks the longest time I've ever lived in one place - 7 years. For me "home" is more of a state of mind than an actual place - where I feel comfortable, where I feel most me. My little family hopes to live abroad for an extended period of time sometime. From what I've heard, I think we'd feel really at home in Australia. . Patterned Topography" available at @saatchiart. #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_inspiration

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Day 12 #MB_ATOZ | I is for INSPIRATION . I find inspiration through the adventure of travel, the architecture and energy of cities, and the fluidity, movement, and meditative qualities of oceans and lakes. My work is influenced by street art, 60s romantic comedies, vintage 50s mid-century modern abstract and geometric textiles, and Southern California surf culture. . Building my extensive inspiration library is a huge part of my creative process. I capture and collect color palettes, patterns, and motifs from the rough texture of a seashell, glowing colors of a city skyline, interesting shapes of a building, glossy fashion editorials, and my personal library of contemporary art and design books. I draw and paste my collections into physical sketchbooks, save them in digital files, or store them publicly on my blog, Instagram, or Pinterest boards. My vast multimedia collection inspires my art narratives, abstract paintings, and textile print designs. . #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_inspiration #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess

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Day 13 #MB_ATOZ | I is for INTROVERT … I am an introvert. My Meyers-Briggs personality type was INFJ for years and the last time I took the test I had morphed into an INFP. … Being an introvert means that I have to have time and space to be able to mentally process and decompress after taking in a lot of stimuli – for me this includes interaction with others, the novelty of new places and adventures when traveling, and visiting art museums. When I don’t have that time or space, I can feel it in my body and brain – tension, anxiety, distraction, resentment, depression…basically I’m tons of fun to hang out with. … Spending time alone to recharge my brain is an essential part of my creative process as well. I need chunks of uninterrupted time to immerse myself into my work to be able to find my rhythm in a piece or build upon ideas that have been to take root in my brain. … Photo taken at @kingshighwaydiner at @acehotelpalmsprings. @bigbravely I'm pretty sure that's you. 😘 … #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess

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I can't find a reason to keep counting the number of days I'm doing this project, so from now on it's just #MB_ATOZ. … J is for JOURNAL … As many of you know, writing was my first love. When I started my blog back in 2009 it was to get back into the habit of writing again after neglecting it during my sentence...umm...time spent in movie marketing in Los Angeles. … Writing and journaling remains a huge part of my personal life and creative process. I've always turned to writing to help me through hard times, organize what is going on in my head, and release all sorts of emotions in a healthy way. In my work I use writing to connect and explore themes that I use in my painting series and surface design collections, and of course to share my "story" of being an artist. … Writing was my diving board into the creative pool. 💦👩🏻‍🎨🎨 … Blank and lined journals available in my @society6 shop. Direct link in profile today! … #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess #melaniebiehle_stationery

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It's been awhile for one of my #MB_ATOZ posts, an ongoing exploration/sharing of my artist journey, so here's one: M is for MEDITATION. This photo was actually taken in 2008, about 7 years before I started a regular meditation practice. Even then I knew I needed it! I go through periods of meditating nearly every day to times when I only sit once a week - more is definitely better. I float in a sensory deprivation tank about once a month. My first experience with floating plus @oprah + @deepakchopra's 21 Day Meditation Experience is what showed me how much a regular meditation practice could change my life. A meditation + medication combo is what has helped me deal with lifelong anxiety issues, which I know has played a part in my ability to be open to sharing my art and life experiences with others. #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess #melaniebiehle_inspiration

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More #MB_ATOZ – N is for NEW YORK CITY. I haven't spent tons of time in NYC, but it's a place that I've always been fascinated with and energized by. I remember reading Judy Blume tales of kids taking the subway and hanging out in Central Park while I lived in a small rural town in Louisiana. In middle school/junior high I became obsessed with a book called The Rise and Fall of a Teenage Wacko and constantly checked it out from the library. I first visited the city with a friend's family when I was about 14, then with a friend at 25, then with my husband at 40, and with a group of awesome women at 45. I had very different lives at each of these visits and received different gifts from this city each time. I can't wait to go again. #melanie_in_nyc #melaniebiehle_inspiration #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess #mb_cityandsea

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Two more P’s for #mb_atoz (Pink and Paris) and an excerpt from a previous life when I used to share my love of 50s/60s romantic comedies through words (via @huffpost). … It’s December 31, 2005. I’m on my way back to Seattle to live there for the third time, except now I’m on my own. … Just hours earlier I spent my last night in Los Angeles, watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s on my laptop and eating pizza on the floor of my empty apartment. The next morning I had my last breakfast as an L.A. resident (that time, anyway) at a little café that was part of a lovely flower shop. I sat by the window watching the rain and listening to Frank Sinatra. That’s when I opened up my brand new journal and wrote the first sentence of a fresh start. … I want my life to be like an Audrey Hepburn movie.” … Three weeks earlier, my husband had ended our ten-year marriage by leaving me a note and moving out while I was in Austin for my best friend’s wedding reception. Even better, he left the “Dear Melanie” letter on top of a birthday gift that arrived while I was gone — a boxed set of Rock Hudson and Doris Day romantic comedies. And yes, the gift was from him. I honestly couldn’t make up something this good if I tried, right? … A few days later, a very dear and wise friend said, “Now you can just think about you. Make your life exactly the way you want it to be.” … That’s when I decided to model my newfound freedom after my vintage heroine. I will live like Audrey in all of her roles. I’ll be Holly Golighty and keep men at a distance. I’ll focus on my own life like Sabrina Fairchild, maybe even run off to Paris sans cooking school plans, instead of obsessing over the David Larrabees of the world. I’ll ride on the back of a Vespa in Italy with a stranger who doesn’t know I’m a princess. . . . Swoon | 30x30 inch acrylic painting on canvas

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Q is for QUIET #mb_atoz | As an artist and an introvert, I need a lot of quiet to do my work and to remain (somewhat) sane. 😜 Sometimes though I feel like I spend too much time alone, even though I love it. Ever since I’ve started painting I feel like it can be a real effort to motivate myself to go out into the world. If I look at that behavior through the lens of my psychology background, it reads as withdrawal from society, depression, other negative terms. But in fact I usually feel awesome when I’m alone and working, and feel more calm and grounded than I’ve ever felt. I used to be a lot more social, and while I don’t need it at that level anymore, I do want to get out a little more. When I think back 20+ years it makes me laugh that I now have to really convince myself to go out. #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess #melaniebiehle_inspiration #mb_cityandsea

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Since I have several S’s, I’m going to do another #mb_atoz today. One that I actually wrote about on my blog today (link in profile). S is for SKETCHBOOK. I spend a lot of time working in my sketchbook. The pages are full of thoughts, connections, and ideas for themes to explore in my paintings. I also use it to get an idea of what my abstractions could look like at a larger scale. My sketchbook is one of my most valuable tools as an artist. It helps me make creative connections when I’m working through current ideas. I explore past pages to unearth something brand new. Revisiting a concept allows me to see a sketch from before in an entirely different way. #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_sketchbook #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess

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My last S for #mb_atoz. S is for SOFIA COPPOLA. I can’t remember exactly when I became obsessed with Sofia Coppola’s artistic eye and creative vision, but in early 2014 I did a mood board project based on her films that made me realize what my affection had to do with my own creative work. Sofia Coppola excels at creating a mood, and she uses a variety of creative tools to achieve this. Whether she’s writing a screenplay, directing a film, designing clothing or handbags, selecting the perfect music to accompany her movies, or using her creative eye to take photographs, one thing is certain – SC’s work is about HER vision. HER creativity. HER aesthetic. It’s not about the tools she uses. It’s not about being a screenwriter OR a fashion designer OR a director OR a @wmag or @dazed guest magazine editor. It’s how the exact blend of her professional experience, skills, and talent shape her body of creative work. I admire her for being uniquely her in all that she does, and I aspire to do the same. #melaniebiehle_inspiration #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess

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T is for TIME TRAVEL. I’m not sure if/how my obsession with time travel will show up in my visual art practice yet. My long term love of/fascination with it presented itself in creative writing as a yet-to-be-finished novel (about an abstract painter...boom!🎨), but I haven’t explored the theme through painting yet. I used to think about do-overs more often - earlier in my life they were about love and in more recent years about work. And I always wish I could travel back in time for just one more day with my younger brother who died when we were in our 20s. Time Travel/Alternate Reality Favorites: The Time Traveler’s Wife (Book!), Sliding Doors (movie), Being Erica (TV), Freaky Friday (original movie). ❤️ 🔮💫🌖🌓⭐️💥 #mb_atoz #melaniebiehle_inspiration

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One more T in my #mb_atoz About The Artist Alphabet...T is for TRAVEL. Sometimes you can overtly see the influence of place in a painting I create - like this one. Big Bear was the first painting in my California abstract art print series. This piece is inspired by the Southern California landscape on a road trip from Los Angeles to Big Bear Lake. The painting style and color palette was new to me at the time. I created the watercolor/gouache/charcoal abstract fireside at @noon_collection_ Noon Lodge at Mallard Bay, a cozy cabin tucked away in the mountains. Prints available at @saatchiart. Other times, you can’t see the influence that travel has. Often the novelty and the sense of stepping back from the day-to-day brings me to big decisions about my life and my work. Like when I finished #the100dayproject in Iceland in 2015...that’s when I made the bold decision to focus on visual art full-time, moving away from my writing/marketing/photography background. | “We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.” - Anaïs Nin #melaniebiehle #melaniebiehle_creativeprocess #melaniebiehle_lax #biehle_travels

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U is for UPPERCASE MAGAZINE. #mb_atoz | The first time I saw @uppercasemag was in 2011. I took a trip to L.A. (primarily to see the Art in the Streets exhibition at @mocalosangeles) and visited some of my old Silver Lake hangouts (hi, @intelligentsiacoffee!). I went into a shop called Reform School and met Uppercase for the very first time. I didn’t buy it right away. I had hardly ever spent more than $5 on a magazine at the time. Later that day I regretted walking out of the shop without it. It was so cool. Then I was at Firefly in Venice and I saw it again! It was meant to be! I immediately subscribed and devoured all of the creative inspiration I could handle. I learned about tons of artists, companies, and careers I never knew existed. Later on I met the creator/editor-in-chief/ PERSON WHO DOES EVERYTHING TO PUBLISH THE MAGAZINE Janine Vangool and she was lovely and inspiring. I’m amazed by what she does. Since then, I feel like I’ve come full circle. I became part of the magazine that offered me so much inspiration when I was thinking about starting my own creative business. My art/surface design was featured in the 2017 surface design issue. Janine also hired me to write and photograph an article about @mightytieton. I was honored! Thank you so much for all that you share with us, Janine! Discovering your magazine was a big step in my own creative journey. #melaniebiehle_inspiration

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