Throughout the rest of September, I will be introducing all the teachers who are teaching in Radiant II. Yesterday, we met Iris Fritschi-Cussens! (Hint – You can still enter her giveaway, too!)
Along with the delicious introductions, you will have a chance to enter a drawing for one of FIVE seats in Radiant II. If you’ve already purchased a seat, you will have the option to a) give your prize to a friend or b) get a full refund. YAY!!!
Please read on to meet Marieke Blokand, and later in the post you will find instructions on how to enter the giveaway!
Come back daily until October 1st when I will announce the winners!!!
I am Marieke Blokland (1980), a passionate art journaler from the Netherlands. I have kept diaries ever since I was able to read and write. As a kid I used to exchange long, decorated letters with many pen pals. In the prehistoric days of the internet (2000 to 2004) I was active in yahoo! groups sending mail-art to creative people all over the world. It was an expensive hobby, as postal costs are high. When I bumped into the website of Teesha Moore in 2003, I learned about art journaling. For me the only difference was that I made art in a sketch book that I got to keep, instead of sending it out into the unknown.
After getting my bachelor degree in design I found out that designing on a computer day after day was not my calling. Though I still am a computer geek, I also have a huge passion for art supplies. I dreamed of having my own creative art and design studio and started working under the name Bloknote in 2004. But with no selling or marketing skills I had zero clients. I needed money and found a parttime job at a local craft store. After a few years I got the amazing opportunity to get an awesome marketing job at the HQ of that same company. In the eight years that followed I learned a lot about the commercial craft business. Also I created a monthly printed crafts magazine, where I was the main creative editor for five years.
When my daughter Mathilde was born in 2008 my mother in law gave us a camcorder. Of course it was meant to record all cutesy firsts of Mathilde. But to be honest, after a while I got pretty bored with recording a 3 month old. I had played with a video camera in art school before and loved making video’s. So I started playing with the camcorder and used it to create art video’s. And opened my own YouTube channel. I was very much inspired by Suzi Blu’s art journaling video’s. Although I have not made that many video’s and did not have a huge following, my video’s were noted within the small online art community. At least they were noted by Tamara Laporte from Willowing Arts. When she asked me to be one of the teachers of Life Book 2014 this was the start of my online art career.
Meanwhile my son Silvester was born in 2011. With my life complete with a husband, a boy, a girl, a house and a cat, my old dreams started to nag in the back of my head. The company were I worked became part of a multinational and things started to change. During a reorganization I switched functions from senior marketeer to buyer. I felt unhappy. I felt like I was wasting my gifts. I can’t blame the job alone. I also kept myself away from my big dreams. It was time to follow my heart.
In May 2014 I launched my own online mixed media art school called BloknoteAcademy and I have been working from home as a full time online entrepreneur ever since. BloknoteAcademy is my big dream coming true. Also I got my 3rd book ‘Art Journaling & Mixed Media’ published at a large Dutch publisher. I am growing as an artist and as a person, deeply thankful for everyone who believes in me and allows me to do what I do best; which is teaching women about how to use art and craft supplies. And how to be the proud creators of art. I have made this into my personal mission.
I am convinced that what I do is important work. According to me, people who are able to express themselves through art, are happier and more colorful people. I have seen women transform from depressed, insecure beings to proud and empowered art journalers. It is not about being able to draw. It is about knowing how to use the tools and not be scared to use them. If more people would grab a pencil fearlessly, the world would become a happier place.
WEBSITE | CLASSES | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST
CLICK HERE TO JOIN IN RADIANT II!
How to enter the give-away!
Do one or all of the following. For each item you have completed, come back here and comment with the words “I DID IT”. Each of your comments will be entered in the drawing!
1. Share this give-away on Facebook or twitter. Here is the short link for your convenience: http://wp.me/p1ZQyo-1yx
2. Sign up to my newsletter, if you haven’t already (click here)
3. Leave a comment below letting us know why you would love to join Radiant II
4. Join my creativity network if you haven’t already. http://effywild.ning.com
I will announce the winner on OPENING DAY, October 1st.
Come back tomorrow for Day Nine of The Road To Radiant II, when I will be introducing you to Marieke Blokland!
loved radiant last year and looking forward to this year thanks for chance to win a spot great lineup of teachers
Winning a seat in Radiant II would be wonderful – I love learning from a variety of artists, and so far the teachers look awesome!
I tweeted sharing this link @TeacherCrone
I did it! I get your newsletter!
I did it! I belong to your creative network!
I love being a part of your world Effy.Wow fabulous artist..This looks so exciting.
Hugs
Hi Marieke,
Congratulations on being an instructor for RadiantII!! I am very passionate about art, mixed media and art journaling! I especially love drawing faces and this course has an amazing line up of instructors; I would love to learn from. Also, it would make a fantastic birthday gift as my birthday was just yesterday!! Just sayn… Thanks so much for the opportunity! <3<3 !! {PS I shared post on FB & subscribed to your newsletter & also a member of ning network.}
oh my goodness all along i have been tweeting and commenting, but only one post each day… yikes
I posted on tweeter
I commented, I would love to win I DID IT
I already subscribed, I DID IT :)
I did it! I’m signed up for your newsletter!
I did it! I’m signed up for your creativity network!
I did it! I’m commenting that I would love a spot in Radiant II because all of the teachers are so awesome! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Checking in today to enter the give away! I love the line, “if everyone would pick up a pencil, the world would be a happier place!”
So excited that my very favorite on-line teacher, Marieke Blockland, is going to be part of this class. I’m counting the days until October 1st!!
“I did it” I shared on Facebook.
“I did it” I signed up for your newsletter.
“I did it” I’ve heard so much about Radiant ll and would love the opportunity to be apart of this amazing course.
As always, thrilled for a chance to win anything you do!! Good luck everyone…..
I did it-signed up for newsletter!
I did it-I belong to the creativity network
more fun. more happiness. more radiance. that’s why. loved the first one….. love and light.
I did it! I did it! I signed up for the newsletter and I joined ning :)
I did it! I have been out o the loop for so long, I can really use this giveaway to get my mojo back.
I did it. Signed up for your newsletterand shared on Facebook.
I did it…signed up for newsletter
I DID IT- I tweeted :)
I DID IT – already signed up for newsletter :)
I DID IT- I’m already a member of your creativity network :)
I love art journaling and would love to learn and be inspired by this amazing group of artists! thank you
Sounds like another great teacher, and someone I had never heard of before! Incredible line-up
I’m glad to see your say it’s not about drawing. I can’t draw a straight line. I came from a family of artists but it seems to have passed me by. I’d love to be able to free up the artist in me. I make greeting cards but have a pattern to go by.
I want to be able to product pictures from my own mind.
thanks for the chance to get a seat in Radiant.
I Did It. I signed up for the newsletter.
An amazing line up of teachers! I get your newsletter! Would love to be able to take this class!
I would so love to win a spot on Radiant II. I was part of Radiant I and saw my faces improve so much – and the line up of teachers for Radiant II looks fantastic.
I have shared on Facebook! Yay!
I am already subscribing to your newsletter and it is fabulous! Yay
Oh! Heck! ‘I DID IT’