Tag Archives: art

Collage Unleashed

So yesterday Shawn wanted to trade in his car for a new sporty one… (perhaps a mid-life crisis thing?) Anyhow, I had to go along since my name is on the loans, but I knew it would be HOURS of boring sitting and number crunching. So I brought a stack of books to read and view to entertain myself. I actually READ through the entire Collage Unleashed by Traci Bautista. I have been planning to do some projects out of this book for a while, perhaps even ALL of them like Eliza is doing, and I already did do one for Jen’s challenge last week. Lots of great ideas in there. BUT I really need to organize my studio so that I can get going on some of them. Luckily the two go hand in hand as Jen’s Challenge this week is Mono-printing and that is also in Traci’s book. So if I could only convince myself to clean off my desk!

While reading and waiting I also made it mostly through The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery by Karen Michel and Free-Style Quilts by Susan Carlson.

I think I was MOST inspired by the Free-Style Quilts since fabric is really what I want to be doing… part of me wants to just purge ALL my paper stuff… and make more room for fabric stuff. But I still do like to create with paper sometimes and it hurts to thinking of getting rid of so much stuff. I know I could just take it all to school and therefore still have access to it, while letting the kids use it. But even that sounds like a huge chore.

I am working on a “hand” series right now… though it is mostly in development phase right now. While looking through Free-Style Quilts, I realized this picture would make a great fabric or paper collage…. so next will be sketchs and patterns to turn this into some arty goodness…

stay tuned!

Guiding Word

4422Still on my hunt for tips and tricks for setting SMART Goals I ran across Christine’s Blog. There are SO many wonderful and creative people out there, it is hard not to spend the whole day on the computer exploring… So anyway, she suggests a GUIDING WORD to be an alternative to resolutions. She has done this and blogged about it for a few years and I really like the idea. Here are a few of the words from her list that are grabbing me… but I will need to ponder and settle on one for the year that fits my other goals and plans as well as my overall direction.

Growth: this can cover a lot of areas… and I strive to always grow and be open to growth… but this word really was a great focus for me a few years ago when I returned to school for my masters and did a lot of mental health healing. Not that I can’t use a word just because it was a past focus, but I think I am not in this part of my life cycle right now.  

Health: This one fits my fitness goals but doesn’t really cover any of my other ones.

Action: This one could address my fitness goals and my art ones as well… so I am leaning towards it.

Adventure: My life has become so settled and kinda in a rut…so I feel like I want some adventure but I think I am too comfortable to really use it as a focus word.

Discipline: This word is a tough one for me… something I really need more of but something I hate! It has a real negative connotation in my mind, so I hesitate to use it, but If I could wrap my mind around the positive aspects and really focus on it in every area of my life it could be a good thing.

Artfulness or Creativity: I think these are such a part of my life and person that I don’t need the word to drive my actions anymore.

One word that she didn’t list that popped into my head right away is Interact. I really want to participate in art groups (both live and online) as well as my teacher community more. Plus join some fitness events, and generally get-out-more! not be such a homebody… I think this word might be in the top three of possibilities.

Jen’s Art Challenge #2

Jen Worden is one of my bloggy art friends that likes to challenge herself and others… she is offering up a new weekly Challenge and I felt like giving it a try this week.

So the challenge is “Grab one of your DIY books or magazines. Flip open to a random page and create the project. The FIRST. No flipping through to find something you WANT to do. This is an exercise in expanding your horizons coupled with making the project yours.”

This is MUCH harder than you might think… I started with an Expressions issue July/August 2005. I flipped to a random page, got an advertisement, flipped again and got a polymer clay project that requires supplies that I don’t have. I am on a supply diet, so I needed another idea. I ended up flipping through almost every project and not a one had supplies that matched my current stock. I thought, “Why the heck do I even have this magazine?” I promptly decided I need to purge my magazine and book collection to match my current focus!

So I looked in Cloth Paper Scissors fall 2005 and got some colorful pages on handmade books which reminded me of the funky signatures that are in Collage Unleashed that Eliza just finished doing. So I just decided to do that. It is actually a project that has been simmering in my mind for a while anyways. I have some much little scrappy stuff I thought I would make a bunch of little books to use as trades at artfest this year, and in the process try to purge and clean up my paper supplies. Mostly I just ended up with a ton of paper junk all over my floor! But I did locate a bunch of old tip-ins from a swap that I should get put into an altered book and more magazines that I am truely befuddled as to why they are in my studio.

So did I do some art? yes… kinda. Did I meet the challenge? me thinks not. I guess I will try again later this week after I do some more cleaning!

Actionable Items

With my desire to make SMART goals this year, I have been hunting the net for tips and tools for setting goals that fit these parameters. In January’s EBSQ Zine, Amie discusses the topic of resolutions, goals and plans for the new year and she shares a list of questions to ask yourself that she found on ArtBiz Coach. Here are a few that I feel I can tackle.

What will you do to amplify your online presence? I have had an online presence since 1999, but I can’t say that I have much of a following… So my Actional Items to improve my online presence include:

  • Updating my art blog (with images) at least twice a week. Including articles that cross reference othe blogs and artists that I admire.
  • Participate in my online groups and forums more often by making weekly posts that are interactive with the members.
  • Visiting and commenting on other art blogs that I find inspiring.

What seminars/workshops/lectures will you attend?

What galleries, exhibits, or other venues will you submit your art to?

Questions I still want to consider…

  • What is the single thing you can do in 2008 that will move your career ahead the fastest?
  • How will you improve your studio habits?

(more at ArtBizCoach.com)

WIP: Medusa Doll and Peacock

4315This is a doll I started…. let’s see right after I made my freak show doll, so that would be August-September 2005. The body all went according to plan but then I got stuck with the head. I wanted to have some really detailed and movable snakes for her hair and I bought all kinds of different thicknesses of wire to try and make it work….

I am pretty sure my intention was to enter it into the Classic Mythology Show  Depending on the prospectus, I might take a new direction with the head/hair and finish her in time enter her in the Creation Myths: An EBSQ Juried Artists Exhibit later this year.

4330

This one was started 02/2007 for the Wild Birds Show But I didn’t get very far before life, work and other projects became more important. I really have a fantastic vision for what I want this to become, I have all the proper fabrics collected, I even have many of the pieces cut-out. Each peacock feather eye is a 5 layer circle of different fabrics cut, ironed on and then sewn together. I had all these laying on my ironing board and an early Spring had me opening the windows. In a brisk breeze, all my small little circles (not yet attached to each other) blew all over the studio. This quickly discouraged anymore progress!

I have entered these both into the EBSQ WIP show… and also plan to put them at the top of my “want to finish” pile.

Making Window Collages

So a few people have asked about how I make my window collages. A few years ago, I taught a workshop on how to do this technique on a smaller scale, some of the images shown here are from this workshop and NOT my artwork, but they show the process. I shared these steps in an online lecture at EBSQ. You can read more from that 2004 workshop at EBSQ.

The windows are a long PROCESS. And admittedly I haven’t taken on the task since I moved my studio to the attic some 3 years ago. I only have a little pull-down ladder access to my studio so hauling up big heavy windows from the basement hasn’t been a priority. I have been adapting this technique to fabric instead. But if they start selling at the gallery I will need to get back in gear with this style of collage. I still have several windows waiting for their transformation and even sketches from the hand series that I began. My paper collection has not dwindled by any means… but could use some reorganization. So this gallery opening has in fact been an inspiration and motivation to get back with it.

So here is how I create my window collages….

Continue reading →

Gallery Opening January 2008

What a great way to start the new year! I was amazed at how packed the gallery was and how many people we doing gallery walk. It was pouring down rain and traffic getting there was pretty scary with many violent accidents on the side of the road. But Josh and I arrived in one piece, found some free parking only 5 blocks away and headed over to the gallery.

Arriving damp but excited, I found the owner and let him know I was there, then search for my art and someone that I might know. Found the art. He select 4 great pieces including GREED my all time favorite. We tried to eavesdrop on people talking about my art, but I wasn’t brave enough to introduce myself to these interested strangers. People were interested and interesting!

We checked out all the artist loft studios above the gallery. Six floors of great little hidden spaces, many with interesting, beautiful, weird, and some ugly art. Josh was amazed at all of it. He was wearing his cool new top hat and fitting in well with the funky artist look.

Josh had a good time looking at and critiquing the art. I think he was also inspired. Overall, I was very impressed with the gallery and had fun! But I wish the owner had introduced me to some people… or had run into some people that I know!

Now I need to make some new art for the February show and cross my fingers that some thing sell!

Canvas Gallery

S.M.A.R.T. Art Goals and Reflections

WOW… I was just looking through the art I have entered into EBSQ Shows over the past 4 years (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) and was really impressed with my consistency to make art based on the themes and even to win recognition a few times. This year I am setting SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and with a Time line) instead of just the standard resolutions. So I have decided on my SMART-ART goal for 2008.

I will create at least one NEW artwork (in any medium of my choice as is fitting for the theme) per month to enter into EBSQ Shows.

The shows that I am scoping out and thinking up ideas include:

Continue reading →

Canvas Gallery Opening January 3, 2008

JOIN ME!
Art Walk and our grand opening.  Doors will be open at noon and we will be featuring many artists including Cynthia Gaub, Nicola Carpi/Nelli, William Debilzan and Friese Undine.  Canvas will also be presenting a live art show with Nicola Carpi/Nelli painting a 4’x8′ painting thoughout the night.  You have to see this!  It starts at 7pm.  Proceeds from the sales of the live art piece go toward the canvas scholarship fund.
We are also starting our first “social @ canvas” which is monthly party for the gathering of art collectors and enthusiasts.  This event runs from 6pm to 2am. We will have a full bar available and a champagne toast to our new opening at 8pm.  Please come and enjoy the art, the show and the refreshments.
located @ 917 Western Ave. Seattle, WA 98104