Random Arts is BACK!!

The shop that we all love in the western mountains of NC is back!
Random Arts is back!
Jane Powell will have her shop open tomorrow (Thursday), Sept. 22 from 10-5.
I'm hoping to be able to make it up there with samples for my next book class.

Oh - the next book class!

I'm so happy to report that I'm teaching the fun mixed media book making class on Oct. 13 & 14 at the new shop!
I can't wait to see what the new place is like.
Jane has such a way of putting things together that I'm sure the studio is going to look wonderful.
We're going to have lots of room to spread out too.

So - if you're interested in taking the book class in this new and creative environment, get in touch with Jane about the class.
I was actually thinking that you could get a room in one of the local B&B's and make a mini retreat out  of the whole thing!
Now that would be fun...I'm thinking that I will stay up there overnight for the second day of class...be sure to let me know if you're staying in town or close, we can get together for dinner.

I'll leave you with several photos of books that I have made for the class.
I use my books to paint in, draw/sketch in as well as write in.
You could make them the work of art...
You could use them as visual journals, a place to capture photos, or as a written journal.

I love to just thumb through them after I have made them.

Those of us who love books will know exactly what I mean when I say that it is just a joy to hold that handmade book in your hands.
The effort that goes in to making the book is so worth it.
I promise that you will love this class!

Published!

Last year, when my buddy Jane Powell recommended this awesome book to me, I never dreamt of the impact it would have in my life.
"Life is a Verb" by Patti Digh.
Jane had Patti out to her shop to do a reading along with a book signing. And, loving the book as I do, my husband and I went.
I met Patti (and Mr. Brilliant (her husband) and sweet little Tess(her beautiful daughter) and signed up to be on the list to submit artwork for her next book.
Last February (I think) I got an email with a "Call for Art" in it.
A mere two weeks to respond...yikes!
And you know how it goes, everything under the sun happened in those two weeks to slow me down...
to keep me from making art for Patti.
But, stubbornness won out and I submitted a piece.
A little bit later I got an email from her editor saying that my artwork had been chosen to grace the pages of her book!
Yippee!
Today, I had this waiting for me when I got home...

My complimentary copy of the new book "Four Word Self Help"!
Here is what I sent in for my essay "Sit in the sunshine".

By the way, you folks that have taken my layered paper class may recognise the background...I used one of the papers that I demo in class.

See? I told you that those papers could be used for all manner of things!

Anyway - here is my page, page 75.

And it's very good advice too -

"Sit in the Sunshine"

Trashcan Annie

Last Friday, I taught my "Scraps, Fragments and Artifacts" class at Random Arts Studio.
There was a mixture of five beautiful and quite entertaining women there.
I always love to watch the group dynamics unfold as the day passes, and I
certainly wasn't disappointed with this awesome group of artists!

Woman are always so supportive of each other, aren't they?

As we went through our stash of memories of people, places and things,
we managed to begin a very good foundation of work.
I took photos but because I was remiss in asking permission,
I'll wait about posting them.
I will, however, post Jane's piece
since she posted it on her facebook page already.
But first, since I uploaded the photos in the wrong order,
I'll share a one of the last two pieces that I did.
They are both mixed media fiber collage.
I mounted both of them in shadowboxes and it looks really nice.
The shadowbox on the left is especially nice,
as it has a hinged front that opens so you can mount items easily.
I'm thinking about taking the Artifact piece I did about my grandmother
and putting it in one of these.
It would work great since it is an interactive piece of art work.
It would be housed in a frame that would keep the dust away
yet I'd still be able to pull the little pieces of paper out
to show and read.
In front of the framed pieces are a few things that Jane has made.
Maybe the woven book covers belong to more than just Jane -
I can't remember for sure.
What I do know for sure is that they are beautiful!

Here is Jane's Artifact piece. She sat down with a small box of random vintage items
and challenged herself to create a piece of work
without adding items from any other source.
I'd say that she did a really good job, wouldn't you?
I love the simplicity of it and the colors.
I also love the gridded background.
She used walnut ink to tone down the fabric.

I enjoy teaching so very much.
A friend of mine, who is also a teacher, and I were talking the other day
about why we liked to share this type of knowledge.
With our type of artwork, it's our creative process that we are sharing.
I think that, as artists, we (as in all artists) think in a different manner.
And when you embark on the mixed media journey, you really do
look at everyday items in a different way.
We try to help people look through our eyes, or look at things the way that we do.

I love to tell the story of going to a Salvation Army type store
and finding the best art supplies in the trash!
The lady there told me (in her very sweet southern way) that it was just trash
but "hunny, ye take what che want. Ye just hep yeself."
That was the day that I acquired the most fabulous lace tablecloth!
It was torn in a couple of places but it has proved to be
an invaluable resource of collage work for me.

I guess I am what my grandmother would call a "Trashcan Annie"...
In all the photos of me as a child, there was a paper bag in there somewhere.
I, like Pippi Longstocking, was a "Thing Finder".
I found all sorts of treasures in my ramblings...
sticks, stones, feathers, leaves...
And the funny thing is, I still collect those things.
I just have a more sophisticated manner of displaying them!

New Class Schedule

I have finally scheduled more classes.
Talk about being Slack...well, we weren't but if we were,
I'd be the topic of that particular conversation.
My (awesome) friend Jane (Powell as in Random Arts Jane) has got her new studio space up and running!
I am SO excited about this!
I went to visit her last week and let me tell you...
what an awesome space it is! She has huge work tables
and even bigger sinks.
Really, really nice space.
I've scheduled two classes there.
One is a class that I had been asked to teach last year and just never got around to it.
It's a class on painted backgrounds. I'll do another blog post with some links to photos of backgrounds that I've posted before...I'll try to get them all in one place!
Join me at Random Arts Studio for the new "Bodacious Backgrounds" class.

The other class is another "class by request".
"Scraps, Fragments and Artifacts".
Follow the link and you'll be able to read a little about that class as well.
It is really about a journey, someones story...
It's about keepsakes and artifacts.
Heartstrings.
It's all about your heartstrings.

Lake and Mountain Quilt Guild

Last night I had the immense pleasure of visiting the Lake and Mountain Quilt Guild.
That place is filled to the brim with such nice folks
(can't say "ladies" cause there is a couple of male members too)!
They took me out to a nice, relaxing dinner before the meeting (thanks Nancy and Mary!),
keeping my nerves at bay for a little bit.
It doesn't bother me to speak in front of a small group, but yikes! a large group is a little different.
Thank goodness I was able to talk about my work instead of just talking about me.
I find that to be A Lot easier.
I had several questions last night about different links on the Internet.
I pointed people to this blog to find them but I thought it would be easier if I just post them all right here.
So, here goes. If I miss anything, someone send me an email and I'll post it too.
To navigate to any of the web sites, click on the highlighted or underlined link.
It will take you right to that particular web site.

I try to get a lot of my art supplies from my good friend Jane Powell at Random Arts.
She has closed her shop front but still has goodies to sell.
I do believe that she is selling on eBay as well.
I'll post her web site and her email address (randomarts@charter.net).
I know that Jane would love for you to email her and ask about anything that you need.
She is great that way!

I also mentioned Marie Seroskie and her Victorian Applique Designs.
She has a ton of really beautiful patterns and tools also.

I mentioned this awesome fiber art retreat as well.
Believe in Yourself retreat with Kristin Steiner and Susan Edmondson.
These two ladies run a wonderful three day retreat that,
if you liked the type of art mixed media fiber art that I brought, will knock your socks off.
I have learned so much from Kristi and Susan through the couple of years that I have known them.
And they are also two of the most creative spirits that I know.

Now, was that it?
If I forgot to mention anything or anyone, let me know!

Looks like the upstate is going to get more snow today.
I was supposed to teach the "Scraps, Fragments and Artifacts" class today
but we've rescheduled it to May 4. I think there are still a few spots in the class
so sign up before it's full.
I'll be collecting little bits of things to bring and share with everyone in the class.

I just love turning people on to mixed media art!
And their own creativity.
A lot of people have the whisperings of this fantastic creativity deep inside of them...
they just don't know how to caress it out
or how to get started.
Last night I saw a couple of people with that
sparkle in their eyes...they're onto something.
And all I can say is
Watch Out.
When they realize the power of their own dreams, there is going to be an explosion.
They are This Close to finding their tribe...
This Close.

Bead Work

Why is it that you always find 872 other things to do when you have a deadline?
I do it - all the time.
I was (really , I was) working on the Deadline Project when I got side tracked
by The Camera.
Here's what I wound up doing with the beads instead of actually sewing them on the Deadline Project...

Hey! There's Jane's Wholey Paper in the above photo!
I love that stuff.

I was auditioning the colored glass beads to see which one looked the best...

the gold won out over the blue ones.

And the green ones.

It's a snow man stack of beads!

Hope that you all have a great day.

Remember to do something creative today- allow your creative spirit to play.

finito a meta'

Half finished? What do I mean by that?
Well, I think I'm finished with the painting of the painting
but I plan on doing so much more with the painting itself...
Maybe a mixed media fiber piece?
A nice vintage looking wall hanging?
Give me a few days to mull it over and I'm sure I will come up with something.
I've got to get better pictures so we can use this face in transparencies for Jane.
But for now, here she is.