How many of you absolutely drool over the sweeping landscapes that Miss Mustard Seed paints on her furniture pieces?You know what we're talking about...The clouds in this one get us every time!And the cute fluffy sheep on this one?  Stop. It. Right. Now.Well if you love these landscapes, then you're going to be obsessed with our newest featured MMSMP artisan, MaryJane of MaryJane Jones Art. MaryJane is a fabulous artist happily situated in coastal Georgia and we first discovered her beautiful landscape furniture through one of our retailers, Cottle & Gunn. We were scrolling through their Instagram feed and we saw this. Isn't it scroll-stopping?! The brush strokes. The color. The blending. Everything made our Milk Paint loving hearts jump for joy!  

That's when we started learning more about the fabulous MaryJane and we just had to share her with all of you!Painting has always been a part of who MaryJane is.  She was born and raised in New Orleans and her mother is an art teacher there.  Her mother cultivated an interest in different styles and techniques in her heart at a young age to the point that by the age of six, MaryJane was taking oil painting classes from a local artist who lived in her neighborhood!  She describes it as love at first brushstroke!(We feel the same way about her work!) MaryJane found so much inspiration from living in New Orleans. Many cities claim to be “melting pots” but in her travels, she has found that it truly was the most unique blend of people groups in the US.

Between the jazz brass bands playing alongside the honking of car horns, technicolor homes with classical architecture, and Mardi Gras beads dangling from the limbs of hundred-year-old oaks as if they were chandeliers are all par for the course in her city and all of the pieces of the NOLA puzzle influence her works.This influence is obvious in MaryJane's vibrant color palettes and bold brushstrokes. She says that in New Orleans, there's beauty in the weird, the unexpected and the different; it empowers a person to have confidence in being themselves.

About two years ago, MaryJane was approach by Deb Cottle about showing her artwork at Cottle & Gunn. Deb's shop is located in historic St.Marys, Georgia, and this partnership gave MaryJane the opportunity to branch out in the fine art world. She was an admirer of Miss Mustard Seed's rural landscape dressers, so she approached Deb about possibly painting a scene on one of the dressers in the shop. She showed Deb some sketches and she let her run wild!  Like all of our retailers, Deb is very generous with her knowledge of MMSMP products and her vintage workshop inspires creativity. MaryJane knew it was only a matter of time before she used our Milk Paint as an artist’s medium!

Deb, we're so glad you took the time to open up MaryJane to our products! She love how our paint has a very natural feel. The colors are bright without feeling artificial. Also, because MMSMP is pigmented powder, it allows her (and you) to get varying color values in one brush stroke. She loves seeing this striation in color because it truly gives each piece its own unique look.

One of her favorite pieces is this dresser titled "Golden Marsh". One of her favorite parts of residing in coastal Georgia is the beautiful marshland and the abundant wildlife. The Marsh Dresser allowed MaryJane to chance to showcase this affinity for nature.

She used plenty of Shutter Gray along with Mustard Seed Yellow. She loves the juxtaposition of the cool blue with the warm yellow and she had to sneak in a pair of roseate spoonbills. (Birds are one of her favorite subjects to paint!)Plus, the "canvas" of "Golden Marsh" was amazing to work on. It was a gorgeous turn-of-the-century dresser with distinct hand-carved pulls, which MaryJane chose to leave unpainted. MaryJane tries to make every brushstroke count in her artwork.  

She likes them to be deliberate and expressive, giving a sense of life and movement.We asked her what advice she would give to someone who is too intimidated to pick up a paintbrush and try painting for the first time.  Here's what she wrote:

"Don’t focus on the final product.

Just enjoy the creative process and only adhere to your own timetable.

A project is only complete when you want it to be.  

And most importantly, have fun!"

We quite agree with her and we hope you are inspired to think outside the box and experience something new!  Perhaps you've never given Milk Paint a try.  Maybe you have always wanted to paint a landscape like MaryJane and Marian.  Or perhaps you simply want to try tackling a focus wall in your home.  Whatever your canvas that's waiting in the wings, we hope you have been inspired to give it a go!  Who knows where it will take you!

For more inspiration from Mary Jane, follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and visit her website.

We would be remiss not to give a huge shout out to Deb of Cottle & Gunn for partnering with MaryJane and fostering a love of Milk Paint in her heart.

Our retailers are dedicated individuals who love our product and want to help you discover your inner artist.  Find your closest retailer here.

Do you know of a fabulous artisan who is using MMS Milk Paint in beautiful ways?  Share their work with us by emailing Jenn Baker at jenn@missmustardseed.com.  We love seeing what you're up to with our products!