Hey,welcome to hills to heart, I’m Mareike —— writer, artist, part-time waitress, horse owner, plant lover, sort of country girl and introvert. Over here, I’m trying to make sense of my world in written form, share the path from talked-into-shyness to living my best introvert life, while recovering from creative block; in particular writers block. To receive all (every second Tuesday) newsletters and support my work as an artist and writer, consider becoming a subscriber. For more insights into my creative practice, especially about my painting practice, subscribe to my “Studio Journal” newsletter and read my studio blog.
About hills to heart
Coming here and taking this bold step (for me), took about a year, but now I feel like I might need a new place to write for, as writing felt very difficult lately. I’ve been a blogger for a long time, managed my own blog and wrote for a media agency for incredible two months. Said job at the media agency made me lose my creativity in writing and joy for blogging last year. Though I feel like I’m recovering (slowly), blogging still feels odd and feels like I’m outgrowing it a bit. So, in search of a new way of writing and to rediscover my joy for writing I came here. And because social media doesn’t feel like a place I want to spent more time at.
I’ve never considered myself a writer or blogger. More as a person who writes digital texts. And I still struggle with identifying myself as writer and artist (update: got a bit better by now!). My life is MUCH less glamorous and interesting and aesthetic as you (and I) might belief it must be. That’s also why I’m here: to share the less glamorous, less aesthetic life of an artist and writer and part-time waitress. I want to be honest in my writing, not planned and structured for algorithms. I want to share what’s on my mind, to get it out there, because it can be draining. Sharing beauty and ugliness. Life, with it’s ups and downs and winding paths, like the ones on our hills at home, straight from the heart. Unless my head comes in the way again, as it often does, but we’ll see.
Right now, I can’t really tell you what this will be about in detail, because I don’t know. It took me a year to start, two months of considering a name and colours and now I’m done with it. I want to start writing. Feel free to join me on my journey.
What else?
Maybe I should clarify one or two things written in the first passage. So here we go!
Writer: person who writes blog texts, also studied literature and social and cultural studies a while ago (it boosted my love for writing, which hadn’t existed before as I believed I’m bad at it).
Artist: I paint oil, watercolour and mixed media paintings. See my website for more: mareikeheilstudio.com.
part-time waitress: 2022 was difficult job-wise. In short, I got my “short term dream job” in a media agency, but left after two months and started to work in a tiny bookstore-café because money and I needed to see other humans than my partner. However, working in a café was probably the bravest move I’ve done in years, because it’s a job I never thought I would do (hello to introvert me).
Horse owner & plant lover: two old, sometimes crazy, often stubborn icelandics and many indoor plants (my inner child, who dreamt about having plants, but wasn’t able to keep them alive during childhood, is delighted!)
Sort of country girl: Grew up on a farm with cows, pigs, dogs, a rabbit, chicken, a peacock, horses and cats and love living in a tiny village where everyone knows each other, but when you’re very reflected, a little bit “different” and eco-consious it’s sometimes not so easy. And I miss having a café near by.
Introvert: Might sound naive, but I only discovered what being an introvert means a few years ago and it changed SO MUCH, as I started to not see my being as lacking, but just the way I am. For example, I realised that I’m not at all shy, what I always thought because others said so, but that I just enjoy having a deep talk with a friend much more than small talk with a stranger.
That’s it for now. I appreciate your interest in my work and hope you will find something that speaks to you or resonates with you.
Take care and have a wonderful day,
Mareike
