A Documented Life - 4 Weeks in a Flash

While I've been keeping up with my Documented Life Project prompts, I've been neglecting this blog. So, here we go, the last four weeks in a flash......

Week 32, use a fortune cookie. I know I have an envelope of them somewhere, but couldn't find it, so faked it with a download. My total inspiration for this was a workshop given by DLP administrator Roben-Marie Smith. I used the insides of security envelopes and gelli print scraps, and a whole lot of doodling.

Week 33, use the underpaper (you know, the paper under your work that collects all the inks, paints and sprays). In my case, the underpaper is the deli wrap paper I used to blot off excess paint on my gelli prints. Over top, some stamping, lettering, doodling, and stitching.

Week 34, use numbers in some way to indicate how the week went. This one really speaks for itself. All in all, a pretty good week.

Week 35, draw, paint, sketch, photograph, alter a face. In other words, do something to get a face on the page. No mention of stencil, but that is exactly what I used.....a very cool one from Artistcellar, which is actually a stencil and mask in one. I started out with a background which was created during a wonderful stencil workshop I took a couple of weeks ago with Michelle Ward. (Haven't blogged about it yet. Like I said before....poor neglected blog). It was the red rosin paper used to protect the table, and while cleaning up, I just had to cut out the section by my seat. This page started out completely covered with this paper. I placed the mask section on the right hand side and covered everything else with black paint. Then I used the stencil section to trace the smaller face on whatever was left of the paint smeared red rosin paper. It was cut out and glued to the left hand side of the page. Some faux stitching and writing with a white pen finished it off.

I know many of you signed up for the DLP. Are you still doing it? 

CREATE!!

Not a command (though you really should go and create something today), but the name of the retreat I attended two weeks ago in Somerset, NJ. This was my third time and by far the best. I had many issues with the hotel in the past, but they seem to have been much better staffed this year. Last year the event coincided with one of the worst heat waves we ever had, and some of the rooms had air conditioning problems. This year the weather was mild. All in all, a good experience.

Generally, when attending a four or five day retreat, taking 4 or more classes, there is a good chance you won't be equally thrilled with them all. This time, for me, was the exception. I chose wisely, it seems, and loved each and every class I took.

First up, "Roll With It," a technique-driven class with the wonderful Michelle Ward. We each worked on a 25 foot long roll of 12" wide paper. Michelle would demo a technique, we'd run back to our seats, execute it, and then surround her again for the next technique. At the end, we folded up our roll accordian style and bound it into a book. While I love a nice finished product as much as the next person, I really appreciate a class that teaches me things I can use in my own art. A winner!

Some rolls in progress.

Before folding, we took a group shot over the balcony of the hotel. And attracted quite a bit of attention in the process. I'm the one in the yellow smock on the right side of the balcony, with my mainly green roll in front of me.

Some pages from my book.

The next day was "Threads and Letters: Art In Free Motion" with Joanne Sharpe. LOVED the opportunity to work on a Bernina sewing machine. In free motion sewing you can go in any direction without stopping or lifting the foot. Took some getting used to, but what a great, liberating feeling. We did mini quilts, two layers of muslin with batting in the middle. I did two city scapes. After sewing, we colored with markers, pencils, water color crayons, and paint. This is what one looks like before trimming and adding color.

Here are some of Joanne's gorgeous samples for the class:

Group photo. I'm the last one in the first row.

Joanne snapped this one of me and Cheryl, and caught me with a paint brush in my mouth. Hey, I only have two hands.

Look who else took the class! My old pal Stephanie from the Tim Holtz cruises!

I only got to paint one of my quilts in class, and when I got home I finished it off with some batik fabric binding. I'll get to the other one.....someday.

My third class was "Handmade Hamsas and Hearts," a polymer clay workshop with Laurie Mika. 

We worked with colored clay and added some sparkle with Pearl X and Rub N Buff. We made some of the embellishments with clay and others we brought along from our stashes of charms, old jewelry, found objects, etc.

In this photo, nothing has been baked or attached. I'm just trying things out in different positions.

And here is the finished piece, which is already hanging in my home. I love it!

My last class was "4-Color Block Printing" with Jane Davila. Jane has devised a creative way to make prints without a press, and without any toxic chemicals. She also showed us how to cut our own mats. There is a definite learning curve with this. How much paint to use? How hard to press? This print is far from perfect, but I know this is a technique I'll be trying again on my own, and I'm sure things will get better. I'm sorry I didn't think to take any photos of Jane's work, because it is fabulous. 

In what has become a tradition, Cheryl and I left early Monday afternoon and stopped for lunch at Joe's Crab Shack before heading home. This time, we had Brenna with us. A perfect way to finish a wonderful week of art and friends.

Fifty Shades of.....White!

Many years ago, my introduction to collaborative art journals began with the book True Colors.  It chronicled with breathtaking illustrations a collaborative effort between 15 outstanding mixed media artists.  The originator was one of my favorites,
Lynne Perrella.  Each artist chose a color palette for their book, and Lynne chose white.  Ever since then I've wanted to do a primarily white book.  If that seems boring, think again.  As anyone who has ever headed to Home Depot to buy white house paint can tell you, there are at least 50 shades of this color. 

The Kindred Souls group I belong to is just finishing up our first round robin, and for our second we're doing a color theme.  I signed up immediately and chose all the shades of white plus a touch of black.  My first task, to create the journal itself.  Here are my covers.

front:

 

close up:

 

back:

 

inside:

 

 

As you can see, I had a little a whole lot of fabric and lace leftover from my recent vintage lace round robin.

 

 

Next, my own page to get things started.  I recently was fortunate enough to take a class with Anna Dabrowska, AKA  Finnabair, and was happy to use many of the leftover elements from that class.  And her techniques for making all those diverse pieces work together through color.

 

 

 

It began with a grid of scrapbook paper rectangles, most of which was covered with a dry brush application of white gesso.  Then the image of the woman was added.  Ribbon was twisted and adhered for her head scarf, and her clothing was gessoed over so I could decorate it with ink and stamps.  Her sleeve was done with a Michelle Ward stamp, and the body with stamp I carved myself.

 

 

 

I then began adding my assortment of metal, wood, and paper embellishments.  They were all covered with gesso, paint, and sprays.  My last step was to add some stenciling (again, by Michelle Ward) to the background.  I used black paint, then toned it down with a whitewash.

 

 

 

I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out, and I just can't wait to see what everyone else does in my book.  It is packaged and ready to begin its journey.  First stop, Michigan!



 

 









Far Away Places

For the third May in a row I traveled to Connecticut for one of my favorite activities......taking a workshop with the fabulous Lynne Perrella.  This year was better than ever, for two reasons:  co-teaching with Lynne was Michelle Ward, and I was able to share the experience with three of my favorite peeps, Cheryl, Pat, and Teri.  Oh, I should have said there were three reaons this year was the best:  Cheryl drove, so we car-less city folk didn't have to do the Metro-North -(with a train change)-to-Wassaic-then-get-a-cab-to-the-hotel-with-two-tons-of-art-supplies routine.

The theme was Far Away Places, and we spent many hours in the weeks preceding the workshop deciding on our places, doing research, and gathering images and supplies. 

Of course I brought my camera; I even brought extra batteries.  Did I take any photos?  Not a one.  With my table full of materials and my hands full of paint and gesso, pulling out the camera was the last thing on my mind.  Luckily, Michelle posted a few nice snaps on her blog.  Check it out.  It also has pictures of both Lynne's and Michelle's sample pieces, a beautiful photo of Lynne and Michelle, and a group shot, which I have swiped here:

 

 

The workshop was held, as usual, at the lovely Interlaken Resort and Conference Center in Lakeville,  where they treat us very well, providing breakfast, lunch, day-long beverages and afternoon snacks.  Here are a few photos of the grounds taken at past workshops:





 

 

 

Actually, the grounds were even more beautiful and full of flowers this year.

 

I decided on Russia as my far away place.  My grandparents came from there, and though their experiences both pre and post revolution were not exactly a day at the beach, it is where they came from, and I wanted to include that in my work.

 

On day one we did a project with Michelle.  She showed us how to make cuts in folded paper to create windows and shapes that either pop out or recede.  I loved it!  Here is that piece (all photos taken at home):

When folded, it looks like a book, and this would be the cover:



 

 

The cover with the windows opened:

 

The back cover:

 





 

The piece opened and standing:

 

Opened and lying flat:

 

Details:

 

The back:

 

 



On the second day, we did a long banner with Lynne.  While Michelle largely uses paint as her color source, Lynne is all about the Portfolio water soluble oil pastels.  I love them too. 

 



 

 

Day three was a project with Lynne and Michelle.  First they each demonstrated the way they approach making a grid design, and then we set out to do our own version.  My grid was made up of two inch squares of various papers, many left over from the previous days.  Although much of the grid wound up being covered by the focal image and stenciling, enough of it is evident and makes an interesting base for what came afterwards.

 

 

 

We were told that Lynne and Michelle are already talking about what they want to do next year.  Sign me up!