The Raw & Messy Sessions
The Raw & Messy Sessions are your weekly reminder to make time for creativity.
These real-time art journaling sessions are here to keep you company while you create. They’re not tutorials, you don’t have to follow along. Just press play, grab your art journal or sketchbook, and create alongside me.
On Starting Before You’re Ready & Getting Angry at Billionaires | Raw & Messy Sessions
In this week's Raw & Messy Session I start with a page I almost wanted to give up on. Along the way we end up talking about perfectionism, starting before ...you're ready, rebuilding my creative business, difficult emotions, and why I believe art is about so much more than making pretty pictures.
Grab your journal, create alongside me, and let's see where the page takes us.
✦ New Raw & Messy Sessions every week.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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On Starting Before You’re Ready & Getting Angry at Billionaires | Raw & Messy Sessions
In this week's Raw & Messy Session I start with a page I almost wanted to give up on. Along the way we end up talking about perfectionism, starting before ...you're ready, rebuilding my creative business, difficult emotions, and why I believe art is about so much more than making pretty pictures.
Grab your journal, create alongside me, and let's see where the page takes us.
✦ New Raw & Messy Sessions every week.
---
I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Art Journaling During A Heatwave | Raw & Messy Sessions
On Sensitivy, Visual Language and more | Raw & Messy Sessions
It's that time of the week again: a new Raw & Messy Session.
I don't pretend these sessions are TED Talk-worthy. Quite the opposite. I literally turn on the camera and ...work in my journal the same way I would if nobody was watching.
What I do share are the thoughts that show up while I'm making. Sometimes they're about art journaling itself, sometimes they're about life, and Sometimes they wander off in completely unexpected directions.
This week I ended up talking about sensitivity, visual language, and how art journaling might actually be helping me become a nicer person.
Grab a journal an join me for a new Raw and Messy Sessions!
---
I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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On Sisterhood, Self-Expression and Random Thoughts | Raw & Messy Sessions
Welcome to another Raw & Messy Session.
These videos are not tutorials, lessons, or carefully planned talks. They are simply moments where I sit down with my art journal, make something, ...and let my thoughts wander wherever they want to go.
In this session I found myself thinking about sisterhood, women supporting women, why we can be so hard on each other, and how much better the world might be if we spent a little less time tearing each other down and a little more time lifting each other up.
Somewhere in between paint, coloring, random thoughts, and a birthday / graduation interruption from my daughter, this conversation happened.
Thanks for spending some time with me.
---
I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Could not Stop Talking About Art Journaling | Raw & Messy Sessions
I'm sorry, I really wanted to dive into a more in-depth topic today. But after filming all day, I got so excited about the art journaling classes I'm currently working ...on, and about how I developed The Raw Art Method a few years ago, that I simply couldn't stop talking about it.
Then again, that's really who I am and how my mind works.
So in this new episode of the Raw & Messy Sessions, your art journaling friend invites you to grab a journal, make some art, or tackle a small creative task (like finally sharpening all those coloured pencils) and join me for a brand-new Raw & Messy Sessions video.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Turn Your Energy Into Art | Raw & Messy Sessions
In this episode I talk about my amount of energy (spoiler: a lot, lol!) and how i turn this into marks and patterns in my art journals. I also talk ...about how I do not believe in so called negative energy: there is just energy. I hope you enjoy this new episode of the Raw and Messy Sessions.
---
I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Art Journaling About Anger | Raw & Messy Sessions
“Anger belongs here.”In this Raw & Messy Session I reflect on why that sentence felt so true.
Anger is an important emotion. It appears when something is taken from us, when ...we lose something, when we think something is unfair, or when we are not heard. It moves us and pushes us into action.
At the same time, the sentence also feels like a note to myself: anger belongs here, in my art journal. Not thrown at other people, but transformed into something meaningful.
I also talk about the past few weeks. I was away from YouTube for a while, and during that time something shifted. I started to feel more confidence and a stronger sense of my place in the world as an artist. It reminded me how essential self-expression is for me and why it now feels like the right moment to truly bring my method into the world.
Raw & Messy Sessions are my space for honest art journaling, reflection and creative self-expression. They are not to inspire, but to invite you to grab some art supplies and start messing around too.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Cats, books, Fun Loving Criminals and trying new things | Raw & Messy Sessions
Just thinking out loud while art journaling, inviting you to grab your art journal or sketchbook too.
In this raw and messy session, I ramble my way through cats, books, music, ...doubts, plans, old ideas, new ideas, and the realization that trying new things is sometimes the only way forward.
___
I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Art Journaling in Crazy Times | Raw & Messy Sessions
Some days are just… a lot. This Raw & Messy session is for moments when the world feels heavy and you’re tired of being told to “stay positive.”
Art journaling doesn’t ...require optimism. You’re allowed to show up exactly as you are. And if that means there’s a big “WTF” floating above your head, use that energy in your art journaling. Take care, people!
--
I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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How Inspiration Actually Works (And Why I Don’t Rely on It) | Raw & Messy Sessions
This is a Raw & Messy Session.
A long, unpolished art journaling session you can work alongside.
In this video I talk, while making, about how inspiration actually works (for me). Why ...I don’t need to feel inspired to create.
I share how seeing an exhibition by Iris van Herpen sparked something in me, not as a magical lightning bolt, but as creative fuel. And I reflect on the difference between being inspired and being able to work without it.
Interested in the exhibition I am refering to?
https://www.kunsthal.nl/nl/plan-je-bezoek/tentoonstellingen/iris-van-herpen/
If you’re an artist or creative who:
– waits for inspiration
– doubts yourself when it’s not there
– or wonders if you’re “doing it wrong”
This one’s for you!
You can treat this session as a body double: put it on, grab your materials, and make alongside me.
I’m curious: How does inspiration work for you? Do you need to feel inspired to create, or can you keep going without it?
Let me know in the comments!
If this resonates, subscribe for more Raw & Messy Sessions, Creative Rituals for No One, and reflections on making raw art.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Can You Feel Safe With Your Art? | Raw & Messy Sessions
What does it mean to feel safe while creating?
In this video I talk about safety. Not in the literal sense of living in or near a war zone. (And if ...you do: I truly hope you have the safest place possible!) I mean safety in a quieter way: feeling safe enough to be who you are, and to make what feels true.
In my Raw & Messy Sessions, I never really plan what I’m going to make. This is your weekly body double: I turn on the camera, I start creating, and I talk about whatever is actually happening in my mind in that moment. It can be anything. And today, it was this: feeling safe.
I recently came across an old video of myself from 2009. Seeing myself back then was strange. And it was painfully obvious: I wasn’t really able to be myself. That’s a deep feeling, like there’s always some kind of danger nearby. The danger of being rejected. The danger of criticism. The danger of being “too much” or "not the right kind of person".
And that’s exactly why art journaling sits so close to my heart. Because it helps me to create a sort of mental safe space.
Many of us don’t stop creating because we lack ideas or skill. We stop because somewhere along the way, creating stopped feeling safe.
This video is not a tutorial, fix or transformation story, but a light invitation to slow down, to notice what your body needs while you create, and to question the quiet ways we "punish" ourselves for just being human.
Anyway, I guess what I want to say is: You don’t need to make anything beautiful today. Just create from a place where you feel safe to create messy stuff / be a mess.
___
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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A Gentle Beginning for 2026 | Raw & Messy Sessions
At the start of a new year, everything seems to ask for more. More goals. More plans. More pressure to become someone else.
In this Raw & Messy Session, I’m doing ...the opposite.
I talk about intentions instead of resolutions. About choosing a word for the year. About feeling at home, in yourself, in your life, in the place you already are.
This Raw & Messy Session is a gentle reminder to be kind to yourself.
To work on your own happiness without constantly wanting more.
You’re welcome to watch, or to create along with me in your art journal, while I chat and play in mine.
--
I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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When the Holidays Feel Heavy | Raw & Messy Sessions
December is not easy for everyone. Behind the lights and loud joy, many of us are quietly carrying something heavy. Grief, loneliness or strained relationships. A sense of loss, or ...simply the exhaustion of getting through.
This special December edition of Raw & Messy Sessions is an invitation to slow down and make space for what is real, and not what is expected.Even if December sometimes hurts, your art journal is kindly waiting for you.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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I Woke Up! - Art, Activism & Taking a Stand | Raw & Messy Sessions
After six months of silence, I’m back! Finally!
In this Raw and Messy Session I speak openly, really openly, about what happened over the past months. About losing my footing, and ...then slowly finding it again. About waking up, not just creatively, but politically and ethically too.
I talk about reconnecting with myself as an artist. About joining the Red Line demonstration. About becoming part of the feminist movement Dolle Mina. About becoming more activist, more outspoken, and finally choosing to stand for something instead of staying safely on the sidelines.
While I’m rambling, I invite you to join me: grab a pen, your art supplies and a sketchbook, and make a mess along with me. You’re more than welcome.
Oh, and from now on I’m officially a crazy cat lady, so expect to be interrupted every now and then by two fluffy black creatures.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Dealing with Frustration Through Art | Raw & Messy Sessions
I was a little frustrated,"about everything" and I needed to get it out. So I grabbed a journal, a brush, and just… stomped. Hope this helps!
Raw & Messy means showing ...up exactly as you are. Even when it’s not cute. Even when you’re mad. Art doesn’t fix things, but it can shift your energy.
If you’ve ever felt stuck, furious, or just done with everything, this video is for you.
---
I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Why Free Expression Matters | Raw & Messy Sessions
This Raw & Messy Session went… well, a little all over the place.
I rambled on and on, as I tend to do. But underneath it all, this is a fiery ...plea for the importance of free expression. Why it matters.
If you’re an artist, art journaler, or just someone who feels deeply, I made this one for you. Grab your journal. And let’s be loud in our own quiet way.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Art can change the world | Raw & Messy Sessions
This episode of The Raw and Messy Sessions is a rambly one. I had the feeling I had so much to say, but when I feel that way, I find ...it hard to make my point.
What I actually want to say, I guess, is that we artists gotta stick together in these messy times. Create. Be brave. Open up. Inspire each other to be honest, to fight for our rights.
Grab your art journal or junk journal. Join me. Make something. Feel something. And let’s stick together.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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Art Journaling Background Done - Now what? | Raw & Messy Sessions
Your art journal background is done… But now what?
So you’ve got your paint layer. Ink, prints, texture, a whole beautiful mess. Ready to add something more. But how do you ...move past that?
I received a question from one of you guys and in this Raw and Messy session I take the time to answer this.
In this Raw & Messy Session, I show you what I do when I get stuck in doing the same things over and over again. Just some random tips to help you try new things.
This one’s for the rebels who love messy layers, but hate feeling stuck.
Grab your journal. Let’s make something raw.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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This Almost Didn't Get Made - Perfectionism & Self-Doubt | Raw & Messy Sessions
In this Raw and Messy Session, I almost didn’t show up. I was tired. I felt like nothing I made was good enough. I doubted everything: the footage, the message, ...myself.
I even decided not to post it. But the next day, I sat down, still stuck in that familiar spiral of insecurity. And then it hit me: this is the video.This is what art journaling is really about, showing up messy, unsure, imperfect. So here it is. Unfiltered, fragmented, and real.
Grab your art journal and create along with me. Let me know in the comments if this hit home for you.
About Raw and Messy Sessions: A weekly series by Studio Bloknote. No scripts. No perfection. Just honest art journaling sessions to keep your creativity moving. New videos every week. Subscribe for more raw creativity.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknoteShow More
Low energy, high emotion | Raw & Messy Sessions
You don’t always need a plan. Or a spark. Sometimes, you just need a pencil.
In this RAw and Messy session, I talk about what you can do when your energy ...level feels flat. Not necessarily sad, or stuck, just… off.
I share one of my favorite ways to begin: writing simple, surface-level thoughts in my journal. No deep digging. Just words.
If you're unsure where to begin, this video is your creative body double.
Hit play. Pick up a pen. And see where it takes you.
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I'm Marieke Blokland, artist, designer and founder of Studio Bloknote.
At Studio Bloknote, I create raw, expressive art journaling and mixed media content that embraces imperfection, emotion, and creative rebellion.
Explore my website:
http://www.studiobloknote.com
Follow me on Instagram:
http://www.instagram.com/studiobloknote
Subscribe on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/@studiobloknote
—
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