Our art related to fitness and health! Improve yourself and be happy!

Just wanted to share with you our art related to fitness motivation, self-improvement and things that we consider fun! Both Victor and I do fitness off and on for many years. I just love doing exercises by Zuzka Light and Victor is fond of Crossfit. It contributes to our sedentary art life and keeps us fit! Besides, both of us try to follow Paleo diet that concentrates on consuming protein, which is both delicious and healthy! 

Moloriki Fit, by Victor Payes

Nude Torso, by Maria Payes

Strogirl, by Maria Payes

Beast Mode, by Victor Payes

I would like to start with announcing that Victor and I, those two artists whose blog you are reading at the moment, are moving out of Los Angeles, CA to Orlando, FL. We used to live there for a year after we got married, but then decided to go to live with Victor's family in California, Universe knows why. I mean, I like LA for lots of interesting places and businesses, for somewhat cold winter (in comparison with FL), for museums and education it gave me, as well as many great friends and family who we are sadly leaving now. However, we are very excited to go back to this holiday state where people are easy-going, less pretentious and just pure happy! We miss those beaches where you can actually enjoy swimming and tanning, those green grass dog parks where our babies are not getting dust all over them, that slightly cheaper rent that offers resort-level lifestyle for a good price.
We have a month for getting all things done here, and a little stressed, because we still have screen-printing fundraiser project awaiting ahead, and lots of old artwork needing to be sold, but it's all good! If you are interested in buying something made by us, ordering a caricature or a portrait in any technique, we are ready right now! Our eBay store and Etsy store are awaiting you! We take custom orders, ship art ourselves and soon will have screen-printing equipment for sale as well.
I'm not just mentioning it to promote Moloriki, but because not many people realize how much artists depend on stable sales. I have so many people watching our artwork on eBay for weeks, and they still don't buy it. We are very reasonable with our prices, but it's just kind of annoying to see someone watching me getting desperate trying to sell art and reducing and reducing the price, so they finally bid on it or offer their price, and sometimes not at all. I know that there are different reasons why people watch art on eBay, Etsy and never buy it, but I am sitting here online trying to promote it various ways instead of creating something new and beautiful for others to enjoy, and sometimes I question my choices. I am not good at marketing, sales, I suck at this... and I am still learning to do good art, but how can I live (even in FL) if I don't sell my own artwork?! Every artist asks themselves this question at some point and answers it somehow, but we found that if you want to make art and be called an artist, you need to learn skills outside your profession and keep going even if you feel like giving up. Believe me, both Vic and I gave up many times by deciding to have "a normal job", but only now that I'm selling art online, manage our business, I feel happier than ever! It doesn't mean that things don't piss me off sometimes in my job, but you are about to find out all advantages and disadvantages of artist profession here, so stay tuned!

Mermaid, done by Victor Payes, 2015. Acrylic on illustration board, 10"x10"

So here we are, 4 years later... No, we were existing back then too, in fact, we are existing as Moloriki since 2009, but this blog was reincarnated several times, so HERE WE ARE AGAIN! 

Wow! I haven't been here for such a long time!! But good news, I still do art and will continue to post here some of my artwork as it gets done. I am taking oil painting and advertising photography, as well as printmaking classes this semester, and I have a lot of new for me art to discover!

I got the most amazing information last Saturday from my dad. He said that he found this Russian website where I can watch any of the most popular Russian channels. It is called www.kaban.tv. I have been watching it constantly for the last week, and I am so happy that I can feel this pre-New-Year winter fairytaily atmosphere! The biathlon, my favorite kind of sport, season started! That is why I am particularly happy to have the sport channel http://kaban.tv/rossiya-2-online, where I can now watch every game! I was so inspired by this new opportunity that I created a piece of art dedicated to it.

There was another day of silk screen printing, and we are almost done! We just have to go one more time tomorrow to finish the hoodies. I can tell I am becoming more professional! ))) The shirts look great too, and we cannot wait to give them to the team. This is all nice, but I am so behind my schedule on doing homework, that I get stressed out. Usually, this late in the semester, I feel stress, but I know it will take me probably another one or two weeks to get it over with everything, and then life is beautiful again! I just do not like the rush that does not let me do things the best way I can. But I know I can do it and more, so I could later have a great time during winter holidays in Los Angeles and in Russia!

Well, I can only say that I do not like to spend family holidays away from my family. I know that it is strange for a twenty-five-year-old to say that, but I just cannot help but think about them and miss them, which makes me very sad. I embarrassed myself in front of strangers today, as I started crying after one of them started talking about not having family with him, and had to spend the rest of dinner in my room. It feels bad to spoil others' holiday, and I feel terrible. Well, at least the stuffing that I made, turned out to be very delicious! )))