Art Unraveled!

My Fukiro Toji Book

What a wonderful time I had at Art Unraveled! Linda Young does a fantastic job of organizing this retreat and I had encouraging and talented instructors. An extra bonus was running into women I met at Art and Soul in Hampton,Va. last May.


I am so thrilled that I've learned how to bind a book in the easy style taught by Kelly Kilmer in her Fukuro Toji class. In May I did my best to learn how to do a book with the Coptic stitch. I came away with a cool book done in my own style: The Drunken Sailor stitch. I'll tackle that one again later, but in the meantime I'll do a few more bindings Kelly-style.

We started by painting pieces of scrapbook paper, using layer on layer of transparent paint in a variety of colors. We got richly colored pages that we then bound into a book. After that we had a blast collaging and embellishing our pages. I made a conscious effort to use materials and methods I'd never tried. Kelly turned us on to the possibilities of simple clear packing tape, as well as many decorated tapes. I'd never thought of using tape before. I even put a Hello Kitty image on one page, something I would never have done in the past. I did, however give Kitty a mouth--everyone should have a voice.

A student adds embellishments

A proud student with her book. They all looked different and equally wonderful.

Kelly demonstrating adding tape

Another proud student

I did a lot of pages in class, working fast and freely. Later in the evenings I watched t.v. while decorating more pages of the book.

My first pages

Love these crazy tapes

That's the infamous Kitty on the right. I made a pocket on the left to hold two ATC cards

The page on the left has some rusted mesh that I got at the Vendor Event from the wonderful Hannah Grey store.

There are still more pages to fill! Gotta get some of that cool tape. Who knew?

Cover of my Journal

Another book class I took was Petite Vintage Journal with Tracie Lynn and Marylin Huskamp, an energetic mother-in-law and daughter-in-law team. We learned how to make little journals without sewing! We chose from a vast array of fabric to cut out our page covers. We used watercolor paper cut to match our vintage book after first removing all the pages. I got Timon of Athens by Shakespeare. The cut out pages will be great for future collages. We used Steam A Seam to attach the fabric to our pages and to make seams to attach pages together for an accordion book.

The first page of my book

I didn't finish mine in class, but got a good start. We were able to take plenty of the Steam A Seam and fabric with us to finish the book at home. I'm hoping to finish mine this weekend. I chose fabric in colors that would go well together. Some of the fabric was quite different from anything I've used before as far as design. Even if I wasn't crazy about the fabric, once it was attached to the book it looked great. The teachers were so encouraging and helpful that I was able to overcome my occasional anxiety about doing something beyond my comfort level!

Marylin working on a sample page

A student lays out her book

Fusing the fabric to the page

Love the inside of this book!

Tracie Lyn takes a photo of a student book

The journals are meant to look home-made and vintage, so we didn't have to worry about unfinished edges and a few stray threads. Just what I like!

Second page of my journal. More to come.

I had an all day workshop with the energetic and magical artist Emelina Figueroa, called "Accessing Your Creativity." This class was full of inspiration and experimentation. Emilina creates "Urbanic" art, using many natural materials that we got to try in class.

Emelina is full of contagious enthusiasm

We started our work by playing with mixing various natural and/or unusal substances with Elmer's glue. We had lentilsl, sunflower seeds, sand, rice, flax seed, wood putty, instant coffee, coffee grounds, and more to try out.

A couple of my experiments

I love the look of this sample sheet. The top two drawings are covered with toilet paper and a little instant coffee! The experiments were later sealed with polyurethane.

This great texture board has toilet paper "painted on" with coffee, sand, marble dust, plaster gauze, and wood putty.

Accessing the Child Past

My final piece. This wasn't at all what I thought I would do. This just emerged from my subconscious.

First I drew the design with pencil and then drew over that with a fine Sharpie. I then added pieces of toilet paper with instant coffee. Then I sealed the piece with polyurethane and let it dry in the Phoenix sun. I then painted with acrylic paint and sealed it again. I wasn't totally satisfied with it after class, and those who know me won't be surprised that I couldn't let it be. I tore off a bunch of the surface leaving the bare canvas with the drawings. I then began to add t.p. and the morning's coffee. I liked this a lot better and sealed the piece again.

I've been going through art retreat withdrawal since I got back yesterday. Now I'm looking forward to Art and Soul in Portland this fall where I'll be teaching and taking classes.

This post is long enough so tomorrow I'll continue with pictures of some of my art retreat friends and what they made plus another GASP update.

Yee-ha!

Having a fantastic time at Art Unraveled! I've learned how to make two easy yet fascinating books and have another class today. Can't wait to share my pictures when I get back.

I've been having fun connecting with former students/friends from Hampton last May and having so much time just to create.

See you soon!

GASPing along and Art Unraveled coming up

This cabinet and work top came with the garage--I'm in process of painting it with the floor paint I rejected for the bathroom.

Latest news on the Garage Art Studio Project:

The bathroom is built and painted. We painted the floor first. (Mostly done by the long-suffering Steve, contractor and carpenter.) I kind of chose a floor color at random, knowing the bathroom needed to be painted before the city inspectors beheld it. The wall color was similarly hurried. I like both colors but the combination looked 1940's institutional. Or like an old set from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Later I went over the floor with a wash of another color. I like the look but find it interesting that the green walls and red-brown floor replicate colors already in the garage that I plan to paint over.

New window, old trim and new walls

Saturday I went to Home Depot to look for a vanity and sink. I knew what size I needed so thought it would be simple. Haha. I don't know what it is, but I really suspect there's a network of home improvement stores that prepare for my visits. "She's headed toward the Johnson Creek Home Depot" or "Subject sighted at Acme Overhead Doors. Prepare to deflate!"

It unfolds like this. I enter the store, and find a helpful (ha) clerk. I explain clearly and concisely what I need. Said clerk then proceeds to tell me that what I (i.e. my contractor, plumber, or electrician) are planning to do Will Never Work.

If I tell them I need an insulated garage door with an R factor of 13 they'll tell me why I don't need that high an R factor. If I say I know I need a custom size door for my old garage, they'll tell me I don't and that my contractor measured it wrong. (Ha!)

So yesterday the helpful employee opined that none of the vanity units they had would work for my project and that the way my contractor and plumber proposed to handle the insertion of a water heater was Completely Wrong Headed. I called the long-suffering Steve, and wailed to him that he needed to talk to this mean man. They talked and little was resolved. Steve rightly suggested that I call the plumbing and electrical supervisor. I did and related my tale of woe. The latter stalwart fellow said he would go to Home Depot and sort out which vanity I needed.

I do try to do some of this myself, I really do. I did manage to get another color of floor paint to wash over the institutional gray, after hearing dire warnings from two clerks about how the paint would take days to dry and perhaps 1000 years to cure.

Repainted floor treatment

What I seem to be best at is popping into Goodwill when I have ten minutes to kill and coming out the owner of a huge armoire. As soon as I saw this, I knew I was a goner. What a patina. What character. I love it. The long-suffering Steve met me there and hauled it back to the studio. The next day he and my long-suffering son unloaded it.

Beautiful, isn't it?

I can't believe that I leave in a few days for Phoenix. Who would go to Phoenix in August? Many art lovers who will descend on the Embassy Suites for Art Unraveled. This will be my first time attending this retreat and I'm very excited. I know the Embassy Suites well from Art and Soul retreats, so I imagine there will be no need to leave the building and go into the hot sun! I'll tell you all about the retreat when I return.

Steampunk and Back to the Sixties

Paths Divergent Mixed Media Assemblage
( Collage paper, vintage paper, reproductions from French fashion newspaper of the 1870's, vintage watch parts, vintage illustration, vintage photograph reproductions, vintage bottle, found plant, acrylic paint, acrylic medium, found metal coil, shredded paper, and wooden cigar box.)

My craze for the moment is Steampunk! (See above assemblage.) Okay, I know it's mostly a young people's movement, but why should they have all the fun? I've been intrigued by the steampunk vision since I read The Difference Engine by William Gibson in the early 90's. (I just didn't know that was what it's called.) I've just finished a new novel in the steampunk genre: The Affinity Bridge by George Mann. (See link at left of blog.)

Mann's intrepid heroine, Veronica. inspired my second steampunk assemblage shown later in this post. If you aren't sure what steampunk refers to, rest assured it is complicated. Here's what I've written about my own brand of the genre:

Imagine you’re living in a parallel universe where the styles and sciences of Victorian England combine with advanced technology and other-worldly creatures. A world where steam power reigns supreme and all automated devices are made with elegance and individuality. People travel in dirigibles (called airships) and steam-powered buggies, while Victorian manners still prevail. Imagine yourself wearing a bustle under your miniskirt, reading H.G. Wells’ science fiction and being served Earl Grey tea in a china cup by your automaton butler.

Steampunk is many things to many people, but always includes a love of Victorian clothing with modern touches and machines where you can see the gadgetry at work. Steampunk says “yes” to technology, but insists that beauty and artistry not be left behind.

Steampunk themes you'll often see:

old watch parts
airships
goggles
Victorian fashion modernized
steam driven machines
engravings
natural history and science engravings

Paths Divergent (left side)

(The face I used for this bride is actually that of Queen Alexandra of England, wife of the King who gave his name to the Edwardian age.)

Paths Divergent (right side)

(This bold young woman wears the face of my great-great-great aunt.)

Veronica's Next Adventure Mixed Media Assemblage

(Vintage photograph reproductions, found vintage pressed flowers, rose petals, vintage paper, vintage pen nibs, vintage watch parts, reproductions of vintage illustrations, reproduction of French fashion illustration of the 1870's, founs jewelry box, found vintage necklace and chain, reproduction of vintage ticket, diamond glaze, acrylic paint, vintage key, acrylic medium, vintage dress patterns and wooden cigar box.)

Veronica's Next Adventure (right side)

Veronica's Next Adventure (left side)


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The rather frightening photo below is one of me at my dear friend Ellen's 60th birthday party in Seattle this past weekend. The theme was to dress as you did in the 1960's, or as you wished you had. I came pretty close. Take off forty pounds, forty years, and some wrinkles, and you have me when Ellen and I hung around during our college years.

Peace.

Ellen's life and mine have often paralleled. We married (and later divorced) men from the same small Oregon town, who grew up together. We had daughters one year apart. Ellen did not produce a son to match mine, however. We have both been in relationships for many years now with our life partners. We both went into counseling/social work. Now Ellen is in management with a big health clinic, while I'm doing it myself with about four aspects to my business. I am so grateful to have someone to remember and laugh with and to share the big and small events with. Someone who knew me when...

I loved this outfit glimpsed at the party. So 1964.

Ellen and her 91 year old father, Ed. Ellen and I have been friends since late junior high, so I've known them both forever. Here Ellen appears in early 60's garb, complete with uncomfortable high boots.

Ellen's lovely daughter, Laura

Ellen in late 60's costume

Ellen and her partner, Chris, have an incredible back garden that is an official wildlife habitat. Chris is the most talented gardener I've ever known and a keen birder.

A glimpse of Chris' shop and verdant foliage (no other term for it.)

Ellen and Chris hung the gazebo with Indian Madras print for the occasion. This print was everywhere in the 60's. You hung it over your bed, used it as a bedspread, used it for picnic blankets, shawls, doorways, and once I even made a dress out of it.

Too busy to blog?! No, I can't let it happen...

A previous block party gets underway

I have been remiss in blogging...not a good thing! Just a quick post for now:

Tomorrow is the splendiferous semi-annual

Taylor Court Block Party
1135 SE 80th Ave and environs
Saturday, July 18, 2009

11-4

Live music, kid's games and activities, a dunk tank (located in my driveway), display tables, food, parade, and more!

I'll have a Make-Your Own-Collage table and some small works to sell. Even if you're not a Montavilla resident, feel free to come on by and experience this old-fashioned celebration. Errol and Mel of Taylor Court Grocery (our neighbors) mastermind and manage this event with help from neighborhood volunteers.

Celebrating the 4th with a bang and miscellaneous cool stuff

Peter, Dex, and Nate clowning

As usual, my very extended family trooped out to the woods for our annual 4th of July picnic. We go out to a large wood lot owned by my stepfather Rob, he of the recent 80th birthday and kayaking fame. Above are my grandson (middle) and two step cousins once removed. I tried making a family tree for those attending who were confused about who was who, but I'm not sure it helped. Anyway, we always have a great time. The men and boys (sorry to be sexist, but it's true) always enjoy most the firing of the cannon. Rob has a miniature cannon that used to be on a steamboat on the Ohio river, and would signal when the boat was rounding a bend.

The famous cannon

Dexter and Rob as Dex ponders the offer to light the fuse. (He did light it, brave boy.)

I just sent off my article to Cloth, Paper, Scissors! This is my first art/craft magazine article, so I'm pretty excited. I don't know yet when it will appear, but of course I'll let you know! Below are a couple of new pieces I'll send them as well as several others.

Going Up and Not Falling
Mixed Media 7" x 5"

Regenerate Mixed Media 7" x 5"

Bridget and her husband, Eric, at her garage sale

I went hunting and gathering last Friday, and ended up at a cool yard sale. I was surprised and delighted to see the sale was given by my friend Bridget Hart-Schumock, artist, crafter and collector. She was de-stashing some of her wonderful items. I got a pink tutu that I know one of my young clients will love to wear, a Golden Book of the Shy Little Kitten (one of my early favorites), two small brass candelabra, an old recipe book with built in envelopes full of someone's beloved recipes, and an extremely wonderful purse.

Is this cute, or what?

OK, folks, it's time to get inspired and artsy. I'm again offering one of my most popular classes, "Altered Alchemy." If you've taken this before, feel free to join me again--especially if your altered book has been languishing in a neglected state due to the pressures of daily life. If you haven't taken this workshop before, you are in for a treat!

A bunch of altered books from a past class Altered Alchemy: Creating Your Altered Book
	July 11, 2009 12-4:30 75. The Art of Your Life Studio Bring an old book to alter. All other supplies provided. Transform an old boring book in to your own fascinating work of art! Come join us for this mind and book-altering workshop. No previous experience necessary--just a desire to experiment and have fun creating!

To register, go to my website or email me through the site. Or comment to ask questions!