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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 11h

I wanted this piece to feel intimate and cosmic at the same time, like someone standing inside their own constellation map. Also, painting tiny stars is a very effective way to lose track of time. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #celestialart #figurativeart

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I'm working on a little 8x10 painting with gold leaf in the Renaissance style. I'm much inspired by the pre Raphaelite style. Thanks to @howardlyonart.bsky.social for the reference photo. Available soon #artsky #oilpainting #bskyart #painting #art #mercurialmuse #portraiture #traditionalart #icons

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Tiny altar energy. I liked the idea of giving a bee the kind of setting usually reserved for relics and icons. Gold leaf really does love making small things feel important. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #beeart #gilding #painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

When I plan a symbolic portrait, I do not start with what looks impressive. I start with what feels true. A gesture, an expression, an animal, or a touch of gold can completely change the story a painting tells. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #arttips

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Some paintings tell a whole story. This one just stared back. I loved how that deep blue came alive against the gold. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #birdart #goldleafart

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I love taking small subjects and treating them with real care. A bee, a bird, a tiny painted panel. Sometimes making something feel sacred is just a matter of slowing down and giving it attention. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #arttips

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I am pretty sure this crow knows something and is choosing silence for dramatic effect. The gold background only encouraged that behavior. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #crowart #goldleafart

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Sometimes a patch of water acts like it deserves its own portrait, and honestly this one did. Just reeds, ripples, and a few and a yass queen of the dramatic. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #natureart #painting #reflectivewater

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Sometimes a patch of water acts like it deserves its own portrait, and honestly I should have kept on walking.They can't all be winners. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #natureart #painting #reflectivewater

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I love the moment when an animal in a painting stops feeling literal and starts feeling personal. A crow or a frog can carry so much meaning once you start thinking beyond the surface. That is when the story opens up for me. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #arttips

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

A crow holding a gemstone felt too good to pass up. It has the energy of a treasure, a prank, and a secret all at once. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #crowart #raven

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

In this one, the room refused to behave like a background. The birds, the pattern, the gold floor, everything wanted a speaking role. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #figurativeart #painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Heralding the fall, I've nearly completed this lifecycle of the deathhead moth altar. It will be available soon on my website. Painted on an antique Florentine triptych. I'm thinking of a Luna moth altar next? What would you want on your altar? #art #deathshead #moth #altar #painting #oilpainting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Another could wonderful photos from my recent pre Raphaelite Ophelia photoshoot with my shes and theys. They are so gorgeous! Im already starting to paint some of them. Get on my newsletter for updates Mercurialmuseart.com #artshow #painting #artphoto #preraphaelite #artsky #art #photography

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I love symbolic portraiture because it feels like building a person from clues. A face, a pose, a crow, a pattern, a bit of gold. Small choices can quietly shape the whole feeling of a painting. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #arttips

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Another photo from my recent Ophelia photoshoot! There's going to be so many choices for paintings. How do I choose which one to paint next? #painting #inspiration #mercurialmuse #Shakespeare #art #artphotography

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

This painting has chains, a snake, and the emotional energy of someone who has had enough. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #Painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The first time I used gold leaf I thought I had made a mess. It stuck everywhere except where I wanted it. Then I stepped back and saw how it changed the light in the painting. That is why I keep coming back to it. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #arttips

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Another amazing shot from my recent Ophelia photoshoot. A lot of these are going to become fodder for my next paintings. #art #artsky #bskyart #photoshoot #ophelia #Hamlet #painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Lake Tahoe really does most of the work for you. I just showed up with paint and tried not to embarrass myself. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #Painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Don't just use black out of tube, mix it up! It's called chromatic black and it has so much more life to it. #art #painting #mixingpaint #painting #arttips #mercurialmuse #artsky #bskyart

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I had this idea for painting series for a long time a various imagery of Ophelia and I finally got to do my own photo shoot with several models they came out amazing! I can't wait to paint some of these. #art #photoshoot #photoreference #hamlet #blueskyart

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

This dog looks like the water was a terrible idea and somehow also his own idea. Very relatable. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #Painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Another amazing shot from my recent Ophelia photoshoot. A lot of these are going to become fodder for my next paintings. #art #artsky #bskyart #photoshoot #ophelia #Hamlet #painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Tiny blue bird, pink blossoms, and absolutely no interest in being subtle. Honestly, fair. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

This piece came from one of my favorite instincts as an artist: taking something small and treating it like it matters enormously. In this case, a bee and a lot of gold. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #beeart #goldleafart

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

This piece is my love letter to the choices that define moments at crossroads. It's a meditation on decisions, the moments that shape them, and the beauty of the pause. mercurialmuseart.com sign up for my newsletter and get a 20% off code #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #fineart #gilding

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I entered this painting in the oil painters of America summer showcase. I have just started doing some submissions so wish me luck my entry is accepted out of 1200 entries Also available for purchase at mercurialmuseart.com #art #painting #competition #artawards #artsky #bskyart

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

This crow has the exact energy of someone who spotted one shiny thing and made it everyone else’s problem. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #arttips

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I really love making small pieces that feel like they have their own private mythology. This moth shrine came from that place. Tiny, gilded, and a little strange in the best way. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #mothart #gilding

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I'm trying to elevate my art practice these days and get all my presentation polished up. To that end I had to sit for awhile this week and think about my motivations for doing art. What do I make? Why do I make it? (That was absolutely difficult beyond It's Pretty!) And why is it important? #art

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Sehnsucht-the melancholic longing for something elusive or unattainable. It's the fluttery little reason for what and why I paint. Darn introspection takes a lot of work. #art #artsky #motivation #bskyart #painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I started combining oil painting and egg tempera because I wanted two different things from one painting. Oil gives me softness and depth. Egg tempera gives me crisp detail and control. Together they just work. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #arttips #painting

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Trying to understand my own why for why I choose the stories I show in paint. If asked that last year I would have said, it's pretty. Now I really look and realized I do have a motivation but it was so abstract there isn't even an English word for it. But there is a German one- Sehnsucht

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Sometimes I want a painting to be almost nothing but light, surface, and one small subject holding the center. This bee did that for me. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #beeart #gilding

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

This one gathers a lot of the things I keep coming back to: gold, rich color, animals, and that feeling of a painting holding a private story. The fox really made it for me. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #foxart #figurativeart

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Sneaky peek Monday. My canvas is busy this week with my first homage to Ophelia. I'm using @howardlyonart.bsky.social reference photos. It's slow going as I add in all the plants she references in Hamlet. #bskyart #art #Shakespeare #artsky #wip #mercurialmuse #portraiture #painting #portraitart

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Mercurial Muse Art @mercurialmuseart.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

I love fabric that behaves like drama. This robe absolutely did. At some point I stopped painting clothing and started painting weather. #art #artsky #mercurialmuse #bskyart #painting #figurativeart #fabric

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