hearts and needles

Giveaway Winner!

 

Wheeee! Well, it’s way past the day to announce my Soul Food giveaway winner, but I know you understand.

 

I have lots to say and show & tell, art-wise, but I’ll save it for another day and cut to the chase:

The lucky winner of 6+ months of mixed media art classes is…………………

 

Jenn: Congratulations!!!  I'll send you an email with more details.

Everyone else who entered: I hope you'll consider signing up for Soul Food, anyway.  There is so much neat stuff going on behind the scenes. I can't wait to learn from all the other artists in the line-up.

The price is reasonable - and payment plans are available (i love payment plans)! A perfect Christmas gift for yourself.......

Soul Food Mixed Media Class Giveaway!

 

Have you heard about Soul Food?

 

It’s the creative brainchild of Mystele, Heather, and Jeanette. A course in mixed media art that lasts over 26(!!) weeks, with heart and soul, and recipes, to boot!

 

The teacher line-up is pretty amazing. What I love most about it is the variety of projects and styles you'll encounter in the course. I think it's really helpful to learn all sorts of techniques while figuring out what your style is, you know?

 

Every week, a different (awesome) teacher will share her project, via video, and you’ll learn inside secrets and techniques of some of your fav artists.

 

I’m proud to say that I’m among the wonderful group of teachers! (hint: i'll be teaching something paper mache related)

 

If this seems like something you'd be into (and really, why wouldn't you?), then it's your lucky day!

 

I am giving away one spot in the class!

 

You could win a seat at one of the most creative tables in town!

 

 

Here are the rules:

 

1. Leave a comment here on my blog telling me what you love most about creativity and/or making   art.

 

2. I will draw a name and announce the winner on Friday - the day after Thanksgiving - you know,    Black Friday.

 

*Please Note: some folks had trouble with leaving a comment - an error message showed up.  I had the same problem but it seems to have resolved itself.

IF you have any trouble, leave a comment on my facebook page!!!!

 

        

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So, instead of going shopping and buying a bunch o junk, cozy up with your computer and try to win a gift for yourself - one that will enrich and nourish you for months to come!

 

Here is some extra info:

If you are already registered, you may give the class to someone else as a gift OR you may keep it and request a refund for your previously paid registration.

 

Okay, everyone! Let's go!

 

sketchbook wednesday

Had a little fun in my art journal tonight. My friend Kate inspired me to start posting my sketchbook wednesdays again, so this is for her!

halloween + my first printable!

in the shop

I have been wanting to experiment with printables in my etsy shop, and made this halloweeny witch - sort of last minutey. Just to try it out.

If you like to cut stuff out and have some of those little brads, then it might be for you.

 

Halloween is right around the corner - like, super close!

What’re you doing for Halloween?

Usually, I do dress up and do something in public (to justify the costume)...

Now that I have this Big Head, I pretty much have a costume at the ready…. I think we’re going to hand out candy + scare children, then get thai food. I hope it’s thai food.

I’ve been working on various projects and busy teaching after school art. One of my classes is middle schoolers. I walked around checking on their progress the other day, and stumbled into a conversation in which the first words I heard were “man tits”.

I’m just keeping it real - they said it, not me.

I just kept on. There’s no way I was going to try to stop the conversation. Or participate.

Sometimes, Someone Sends You a Squirrel X-ray. And You Love It.

 

 

Sometimes you swap collage materials with another artist - someone you’ve never met in real life, but whose art you really love. Yes, and you get a bunch of cool papers and collage fodder.

And sometimes you get this:

 

This isn’t going into a collage or any other art. I have it pinned to the lampshade so I can see it whenever the light is on.

Thank you, Shelley!!!!

evolving ideas vs. creative blocks

 

(sold)

 

it’s always fascinating to me how some ideas come together lickety-split, and some ideas need a whole lot of time to simmer. Both of these happen for me a lot, and I’m still not totally sure what it is that makes the difference….

Sometimes I think an idea slow to come together just may have been born a little prematurely and needs that extra time to cook…

That happened with these circus rabbits.

 

 (available here)

I was playing around with paper mache and found myself making rabbit armatures. I painted them and messed around with them, but was never totally happy with my ideas. I tried a wintry scarf, but it wasn’t right. i tried loving them unadorned. they were fine. but you know how it is when something you make just *needs* something? that was always my feeling.

then i painted their eyes to look a little more circus clown-ish…..

 

 (available here)

but still they sat……

one left the nest without a collar…

 

last weekend, it just came to me: a ruffled collar. and then there was not stopping me!

these guys are listed on etsy. but i have to confide that i have one left, still needs some work, but i’m keeping it for myself, because i love them so much.

i know the process of these dudes coming together isn’t mind blowing, but i think it’s important to share the creative process - especially the parts that aren’t super easy or straightforward.

sometimes it’s hard to know what to do. in the case of these lil old buns, it was best for me to put them away for a while. let them rest and let my brain forget about them a bit.

what about you? how do you deal with creative blocks? do you view them as blocks, or as ideas whose time hasn't yet come? 

i’d like to know...

art and space (inner, not outer)

 

 

here's a peep at some paper mache i just sent off to Revival in Akron, Ohio. they're flat wall plaques, painted and some cut paper collage.

i had a great time making these.

summer was too busy, and i had barely a moment for art making. i made these after my last week of summer art camp teaching.

just me, some glue, and torn paper.

hours of calming, quiet art time. it rejuvenated me. 

it filled in a piece that was missing.

making always does. always has.

 

"What art offers is space - a certain breathing room for the spirit."  -John Updike

 

he was right on.

 

I entered a contest.......and lost.

 

earlier this summer, the wonderful lilla rogers ran a global talent search contest. the goal was to wow her and her panel of awesome folks into representing you.  i love the artists lilla rogers reps and, though i had no realistic hopes of winning, i entered.

the contestants had to design a journal cover with the theme of “vintage playground”. we got a bit of guidance (telling us to limit research time was a nice reminder. it’s so easy to over-pin) and instructions on how to submit.

i think i read that over 1500 artists entered - wow. i googled and found blog posts with amazing entries. the competition was more than fierce. but it was also really cute and colorful, which took the edge off!

if you were one of the 50 who made the cut to go to the next level….you might have a snowball’s chance of winning….

so i worked really hard. i pushed myself to make my entry to be awesome, to be appealing to other people and still stay true to my style. that’s a pretty large order!

i made something i was proud of, i formatted it, i uploaded it to the contest site……

and didn’t make the cut.

 

that's right. 

 

but i didn't cry. i wasn't completely disappointed, even. i felt great that i even entered, truth be told. and i felt super proud of my work. and it made me want to develop my work more, so that maybe, one day.... someone like lilla rogers *will* represent me.

 

because really, i want to see my illustrations on plates and cards and fabric and....who knows where else!

 

(i hope the finalists who are awaiting the news of the Big Winner are doing okay. i know if i'd made it this far, i'd be puking until i found out. good luck to all, but if you did make it this far, you're already completely awesome!)

 

 

 

 

hello, september! i’ve been waiting for you, autumn lover that i am. you’re a little too hot, right now, here in virginia. i’ll give it a few more days….

oh, where did the summer go?

i’ll tell you.....

teaching a lot of giant paper mache to kids. who made things like this giraffe-icorn:

 

or this taco with a mustache:

traveling, especially to portland, oregon for the world domination summit.

 

totally amazing and life affirming.

and getting a chance to see soul shine studio - beautiful, just as you would expect.

and meeting the always inspiring kelly rae roberts - yep!

i was nervous/awkward, but she was super nice.

 

she liked my hair and took a bunch of pictures of it from all angles, which cracked me up.

been making stuff, too.  that’s for next time. the nitty gritty. and a special project i’ve been working on with some friends.

june bloom

 

happy june!

it's nice to be here. maybe i'll stick around.

life - it gets busy, right? i wonder how people who blog regularly - religiously, even - manage to keep it going, despite their also busy lives...

 

make it a habit, right?

don't overthink it.

make it a priority.

 

okay.......

 

i could use that advice for lots of things. like....making art.

 

so here it is. i'm writing. i painted that lil face up above. it's on an aceo sized piece of wood. i have a lot of them - i think they're from the wood section at michael's or hobby lobby. might make all of them faces in this style - simple with soft colors.

 

i'm also prepping to teach a fun two-hour painting class at a cute local gallery.

Fun Painting Day!

 

i'm excited about it - it's going to be super laid-back fun-style painting. it's a way that i teach my kid students so that their paintings don't all look like mud! but it can also result in adorableness, and is fun for all ages.  yay! here's a detail of an example i'm preparing:

 

maybe i'll see you there!

 

xo