Along Came A Spider

and sat down beside her
and frightened Miss Carol away.

After picking gardenias to bring into the house, I noticed a HUGE spider on the counter.
EEEEKKKKK! I am afraid of HUGE spiders!

My husband wasn't at home so I put a cup over it to contain it.
Then I figured that I had better add a note in case I forgot that I had captured a spider...

It was relocated to a safer habitat (other than my counter) at a later date.

Crisis averted.

Finding Inspiration

I usually work on several projects at one time.

Art ADD.

I get bored too easily.

I also get tired of working on the same thing for long periods of time (aka bored too easily).

I'm involved with a group show this October in Old Forge, New York.

I've had several great ideas, lots of techniques & concepts but can't seem to settle on one to get started with.

So what did I do?

Yep, started several at the same time.

I'll continue to work this way until one catches my attention.

The first photo shows what I have cooking on my studio table.

What's on your table?

Here's a close up of the really cool colors and textures that I collected for one of the projects.

All cast offs hoping for a new lease on life.

Maybe they will find them here.

Summer Samples

I've been working on a Fall class sample for a class that I am going to teach in Charleston SC at "Fashion Fabrics".
It's a traditional reverse applique technique with a modern twist.
I have always been so inspired by Natalie Chanin's books and love the projects in them.
But I love making my own stuff up!
So I spend a lot of time creating my own stencil designs (that I turn in to thermofax screens when I'm happy with them).
That means a lot of "stitch-outs".
Many, many samples...
I decided to make them all the same size so that I can create a throw out of them later.
Or a book of samples.
But the throw sounds like more fun, doesn't it?

Here's the latest stitch out.
It took me a few tries to get the drawing just right for its purpose as a stencil.
You never realize how far apart the lines should be for a design to work as a stencil until you try the stitching technique on it.

Did I mention that I have lots of (failed) samples?

I like this one and will probably use it in the future.

Last week I went to a place called "KRB Fabrics" in Lyman SC (no website).
It's a huge warehouse type fabric/notions store (home dec, etc).
I was looking for mid - heavy weight cotton jersey fabric (since it is so difficult to find).
Jackpot!
The place had TONS of it...not to mentions tons of everything else.
I found a wonderful roll of mid-weight canvas that I love.
All at very, very good prices.

If you're close to me (or far away) and want to go, shoot me an email and we'll get together one day.
It's a great place to find treasures...did I mention the antique/junk store next door?

One More Sketch

After I had drawn everything that was in the room I worked in, I turned to a magazine that I picked up at a gift shop for inspiration.

I don't normally draw from photos/magazines but I loved this image so much (and was so bored) that I jumped in anyway.

Here is the last drawing that I did last week.
It's a fossilized Oreodont skull found at Brule Formation South Dakota.
No credits were given for the photo in the magazine ("The Laurel of Asheville").

There you have it.

My week (last week) in sketches.

I did watch a few baseball games but didn't sketch at the park.

Too hot.

Too tired.

Too crowded.

Home sounds so good to me right now...

Satellite Studio Equipment

Another drawn image from my week in a studio away from home.
We (hubby and I) would spend one night on the Southern Wesleyan University campus, then one night at home.
After a week of this I am so content to be at home every day.
It's very difficult for me to creative work this way.
I spent more time thinking about what I should be doing than actually doing it.

I did manage to fill in a few pages of my sketchbook though.
Here's another one -

If I carry a machine with me when I travel, it's this lightweight Brother machine.
It did what I needed it to do while I was away - sew simple jersey knits. I was working on making a shirt from a ready made pattern. I was not pleased at all with the end result!
I think I will just deconstruct one of the shirts that I like (& that fits well) and use it as a pattern.
I'm through with the other patterns unless someone can convince me otherwise.

Travel time

More sketchbook images from a week of volunteer time at the "Big League World Series" in Easley SC.

I didn't have much to draw in the room that I was working in (a temp studio) so I drew the chair.
It's one of those sitting chairs that almost rock.

Travel watercolor palette, Koi waterbrush.

Sketchbook Image

Busy busy summer days lend themselves to very little creative time...
but I did make use of my (away from home) down time in a creative manner.

My trusty sketchbook, travel watercolor palette and a simple little Koi water brush.

Sketching at Home

I am doing my best to draw every single day.
Sometimes at home, sometimes in public.

This particular day it was at home.
A Trader Joe's bag, beside the TV.

I smudged the journaling to protect the privacy of another.
No deep dark secrets about me (not today anyway).

Faces in the Crowd

I keep  saying that I want to learn to do quick sketches of people.
Saturday morning was a great place to start that since there were lots of people downtown at the Saturday Morning Market.
I did a couple of easy sketches first - buildings, tents, trees, backs of people...that kind of thing.

I finally made myself begin to make quick marks that resembled people.
As soon as I began that, the lady at the table next to us started looking over my shoulder watching me.
I almost froze but decided that it didn't matter anyway. I would just keep sketching and hope for the best.
I couldn't have asked for a kinder onlooker.
She was like my mother, constantly giving me positive affirmations and murmurs of encouragement as I pushed forward (even though I secretly wished she would quit watching me work and thought that my sketches were less than stellar).

I will hesitantly share them here- only because it will force me to do more.
Which will in turn make me sketch more, which will increase my skill, which will help me share more, which will encourage you to sketch people too.

Ahhh, the circle of sharing ones artwork, right?

Evidently I was so intent on sketching that I was unaware of the actual faces that I drew.
I spied a vampire on the page after I got home (mid page on the left).

In looking at this page now (and then actually), I can see that I REALLY need a lot more practice.
I will certainly work on that.

Market Sketches

Here's another sketch that I did on Saturday morning.

This tent was right in front of us.
As the day progressed, the shadows did as well.
My sketch doesn't reflect that but I'd love to go back next week and do a series of sketches showing the changing shadows from the tree on the top of the tent.

As before, I added color after I got home.
I didn't work from a photograph (even though I had one) as I was away from my computer so I made up most of the colors...except the green cucumber.
And the tree colors.
Oh, and the tent...

Saturday Morning Market Sketches

My friend Sarah and I met in downtown Greenville, SC at the Saturday Morning Market to do some urban sketching.

I had never been to the Market and was surprised at the number of people selling organic produce, "happy" meat (as my friend Liz calls it), local baked goods, herb plants and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
I was equally surprised by the number of people milling about & shopping on Main Street.
Rows of crisp white "E-Z Up" tents and  brightly colored coordinated shop signs greeted us as we turned the corner.
It was a veritable feast of sketching scenes!

We found a small table under an awning to sit away from the sun, grabbed a cup of joe and got to "work".

I wanted to spend some time (trying to) sketch people in the crowd but didn't want to start out on this (as it would wound my sense of accomplishment right away).
I spied a woman sitting in front of one of downtown Greenville's beautiful fountains - quietly reading.
She was to the right of me, with a busy main street hustle and bustle all around her.
But, there she was, sitting still.
Barely moving!

I was using a Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen on a 6" x 8" piece of 90 pound watercolor paper.
(well, it's actually a piece of 8" x 12" paper that is folded to be the above size).
I will stitch my loose pages into a handmade book later.
I like the flexibility that the loose pages offer me.
I added color (with various watercolors) and small details at home.

I'll share more sketches this week.

Beaded Birds

"Birds of a Feather"

Art and Soul Retreat

Virginia Beach, Virginia

April 24, 2013

Sea Life

While I am (supposed to be) working on class details, putting together samples and step-outs,
I have to do other things to keep me inspired (to keep me away from work) and to help me keep a fresh outlook.
When you teach, you tend to deal with the same materials and the same projects for a long time.
It's nice to take a break and (escape) (run away) play with other things.

Drawing is one of those things for me.
I have long held the belief, as many others do as well, that daily drawing/writing/painting (insert whatever creative endeavor you love) will not only improve your technical skills but your creative skills as well.
It's just like exercising your skeletal muscles...you use them/exercise them and they increase in size/stamina.
They reward you by serving you in an increased capacity.
If you exercise your creativity, it will do the same thing!

Grab a cheap journal, sketchbook, pile of paper and get to it!

Just make marks, write, paint...just do something creative every day.

I started drawing these little underwater plants a couple of days ago.
Now I can't seem to stop!


This is where it all began -

I usually begin my drawings with simple lines.

I getting a little looser with the designs in this one.

Maybe it's time to stop...

I made a thermofax screen out of some of these and I love it!
The tiny details really look good on paper as well as fabric. I'm going to use this screen on the "Birds of a Feather" mobile that I'm working on.

"Birds of a Feather"

I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer. It's hot and humid here in the upper corner of SC.
You can usually find me inside, far from the maddening humidity.
Playing with pen and paper, moving paint around or beading on some tiny birds that are hanging around in my studio.

This little fellow is just peeking out of my window.

This one looks kinda like a sea horse with the crocheted tail feathers!

Look at all of the beading fun on this little bird!

I love the tiny scrap of tulle that I used on the wings.
Lots of seed beads put to good use here.

Nothing like showing off a little bead embroidery, is there?

Here's a full view of the mobile with another one in the  background.

I am so excited to be one of the artists teaching at Art and Soul next year!
I'll be teaching one class in Virginia Beach in April.
The class, "Birds of a Feather", is a mixture of surface design (we paint our own fabric with Thermofax screen printing), a tiny bit of machine stitching, creating the stuffed birds (stuffed with a secret ingredient!), several different beading techniques, constructing a mobile and crocheting the wings (if you choose to use that type of wings).
Maybe that is too much for one class...maybe I will crochet the wings and bring them for everyone to pick from.
The photos above are of one of the first mobiles that I made.
Here is another -

The last one is particularly difficult to photograph...But you'll get the idea by this shot -

I'm working on (yet) another one and I think that I will weave bones and other found items into it.
Won't that be fun?!

So - you can register for next years Art & Soul now.
My class will have a kit so you won't have many items to bring at all.
I promise that it will be fun and filled with interesting techniques! You'll get a thermofax screen for the bird pattern and get to use my huge stash of screens for painting your base fabric.

I'm off to do some beading.
What about you?

Sketchbook- Fourth of July

The fourth of July found us looking for a little cooler temperatures so we headed up to Ceasar's Head (in SC) and stopped at Bald Rock to see if we could catch any fireworks while overlooking Greenville, Easley and Table Rock (South Carolina).
It was much, much cooler there with a nice gentle breeze blowing.
The outcropping of mountainous rocks is a popular viewing spot but has been desecrated with graffiti over the years.
It's a beautiful place - you just have to look over the irreverent graffiti.
It would seem that many of the guests that stop there have the overwhelming urge to document their name...
I could expound on this but I won't.
It's just ridiculous (in my opinion).

Anyway - here's another two page spread in my Moleskine sketchbook of the overlook.
I did pencil in colors of various areas to remind myself later (when I will add color - hopefully).

Here we were, surrounded by the majesty of the beautiful mountains and what is the lady next to me doing?
Playing games on her phone.
I wasn't surprised when she left (after sitting there for over two hours) about 10 minutes before the fireworks started.
She had already missed the show that nature was putting on anyway.

We did see some beautiful fireworks but evidently the show from Greenville's downtown area hit a snag.
We thought that we were just too far away but seems that the people right there at it didn't see very much either.
I know that the event coordinators really hated that. All of the work that goes into an event that size is tremendous. To have that happen must have been so disappointing.

Still drawing?
Every single day?

Sketchbook- Daily Life

I chose the theme last month for the "Sketchbook Challenge" blog.
It was "Urban Sketching".
If you regularly read my blog, you'll know that I love getting out and sketching outside - not only around my own town/city but every where I go.
Since I started sketching public places, I've hardly left my home without a sketchbook or pieces of drawing paper in my possession.

I know that I have said it before, that you've read it in any sketching /drawing book, but it really does force you to look at your world differently!
You have a greater appreciation for the world around you - for the potential sketches- for the layout that nature provides you.
Every single direction that you look lends itself to a sketch or drawing.

Like this, for example...

My husband got a little too much sun/heat one day and had to go in for IV fluid replacement.
What's a doting wife to do after she has tucked him in and done every little thing that she can think of to comfort him?
Why draw him, of course!

Draw.
Every.
Day.

Winner!

And the winner is

SANDY!

 Sandy said...

What a great blog hop - I'm loving all the art, the ideas, and the suggestions and comments. And I can't wait to see the book.

07 July, 2012 14:01

Sue Bleiweiss will be contacting you with details about your prize.

Thank you for following along with the blog hop!

The "Sketchbook Challenge" Blog Hop Give Away!

Sue Bleiweiss is at it again!

She has written a fantastic book about the crazy popular "Sketchbook Challenge" blog that she created in the late days of 2009.
I'm so excited to be a part of this project as well as the original blog.


Sue invited a handful of artists (21) to create projects from prompts that she came up with.
These prompts/themes were different from the "Sketchbook Challenge" blog themes at the time of publication.
She also invited seven artists to submit artwork for the book.


Here's a peek at the projects that I submitted -
(all photography by Sue Bleiweiss)

I created two different books and one mixed media fiber wall hanging for the two different themes that I participated in.

And I love the actual physical format of the book!
It's a smaller size (7.4 inches x 9 inches) with rounded corners.
It really fits into my backpack so much better.


Well, here's a photo of the book -

(see those nice rounded corners? Great for decreasing the wear on book edges while being carried in your book bag)

I'll be taking comments through Sunday July 8 and announcing a winner (via random number generator) that evening.

I'll be giving away a 10yd combination package of Mistyfuse that includes 6 yards of White and 2 yards each of Black and Ultraviolet and a Goddess Sheet.  Total retail value: $48!

Order your copy of the book here -
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
ArtPlantae


Hop on over to Carla Sonheim's blog today for a different giveaway.

Check out tomorrow's post from these artists -
Susan Brubaker Knapp
Diana Trout

The giveaways will be going on until July 10.

As always, thanks go out to all of the sponsors for your generosity!

Mistyfuse
My Creative Classroom http://www.mycreativeclassroom.com/
ArtPlantae Today 
Gelli Arts 
Joggles
Sue Pelland Designs
ProChemical and Dye
The Thread Studio
Blue Twig Studio
ArtistCellar 

The "Sketchbook Challenge" book give away!

I am a few days late in posting this but there is a HUGE give away going on!

Sue Bleiweiss's "The Sketchbook Challenge" book was released June 26.
There is quite the line-up of sponsors as well as bloggers/artists that are joining her to celebrate the release.


This is the list of sponsors participating -

Mistyfuse 

ArtPlantae Today 

Gelli Arts 

Joggles 

Sue Pelland Designs 

ProChemical and Dye 

The Thread Studio 

Blue Twig Studio 

The Artist Cellar 




The daily give-away will continue through July 10 with two blogs to visit for an opportunity to win.


Here is the complete line up. I think that you can still post a comment to win for the earlier prizes.

Blog hop schedule:

June 26:
Jill Berry
Sue Bleiweiss

June 27:
Violette
Kathyanne White

June 28:
Kathy Sperino
Leslie Tucker Jenison

June 29:
Jamie Fingal
Lynn Krawczyk

July 2:
Jackie Bowcutt
Lyric Kinard

July 3:
Jane Davies
Kim Rae Nugent

July 5:
Carla Sonheim
Carol Sloan

July 6:
Susan Brubaker Knapp
Diana Trout

July 9:
Tracie Lyn Huskamp
Judi Hurwitt

July 10:
Jane LaFazio
Kelli Nina Perkins

Check the book out at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or ArtPlantae.

I've got two projects in there that I am SO excited about!

I'll be giving you a peek at them on July 5, the day that you need to hop back over to my blog for another great give-away.

Now go and hop to those blogs!!

Urban Sketching

As posted in the "Sketchbook Challenge" blog today -


I've been seriously pursuing "Urban Sketching" for about a year.
The first few times that I went, my pen marks were very light...kinda wobbly and probably not to good.
I was not feeling secure about sketching in public.

But the longer that I sit in public places and sketch, the less I worry about the end product - the actual sketch.
I'm loving the practice of urban sketching.
It makes me feel a little more secure in my abilities, a little less concerned about what other people think of my sketching and, above all, it lets me stop and really see the world around me.

That's one of the "side effects", if you will, of this urban sketching activity.
You begin to truly look at and see every little thing in your world.
Not just the things that you are drawing but the potential subjects.

Everything begins to look like a sketch waiting to happen.
It makes the world a more beautiful place.

It allows you to celebrate the beauty in the ugly things around you.

I've got page after page of urban sketches - some of them aren't too bad, some of them continue to hide in my sketchbook - embarrassed by the thought of being shown in public.

I'll share a few more with you today.

This is a partial sketch of the Greenville Art Museum. I added a tiny bit
of watercolor on site but wasn't able to complete this there.
I usually don't add any more details/paint at home.

A playground robot stands guard over the playground .

I plucked some lavender from the garden and drew it before I took it in the house.
I was drawing on a piece of cold press watercolor paper -
I love the way that the uneven paper grabs the graphite.

While sitting in my car, waiting on my sketching  buddies, I drew a local
McDonald's as a warm-up sketch. I had forgot my water brush so I used
watercolor pencils instead.

This is a metal sculpture in Greenville SC. I love the lines of it.
I had to draw it several times to get the lines right...
I can see from this sketch that I need more practice with it!

This is one of the beautiful old buildings in downtown Greenville SC.
Our city has spent many, many hours (and dollars) on revitalization of the area.
I am so proud to call this area home. I love to see people milling about downtown, enjoying
this beautiful and busy city.

I hope that I have tempted you to step outside your comfort zone and do some urban sketching.
It will reward you in ways that you would not expect if you just give it a chance.

My plan now is to step a little farther out of my own comfort zone and begin sketching more people.
Real live moving people...

What's your plan?

Summer Art Camp

So, where did I leave the story at?

Oh, yes, the front door of Art Camp For Women.

Now, I figured the women that came up with the idea of Camp had to be pretty cool gals, right?
They must be creative, visionaries, fearless, talented and oh so much fun...

How right I was!

Lori and Lorri (yep, it was either "Hey Lori" or "No, the other Lorri" all week!) are dynamos that have this Camp "thing" down pat.
They both met me at the door with a hug and a helping hand.
I felt like I had known them for ages by the time that I got there though. We had talked on the phone several times as well as emailed back and forth.

The energy there in that large, open cabin was palpable.

I looked around at all of the art supplies, the books, the smiles, the projects in various stages of completeness and figured that I must have landed in Summer Art Camp Heaven.

The rest of the day was spent unpacking, meeting some wonderful women, sipping wine and getting my bearings again.
And putting on my "Art Camp For Women" apron (love the hand dyed aprons ladies!).

It's so difficult to put the emotion, the energy and the excitement into words.
Going to an art class is wonderful in and of itself. But being seeped in the creative process for several days (with no interruptions from the outside world) is just fantastic!
I had created a brand spanking new book making class for these ladies. I made sample book after sample book, timing myself to make sure that they would be able to complete the project in the amount of time that we had.
Even though I've been teaching several years now, I still get a little nervous. But it's always from the standpoint of "what if I forget something? (they had plenty of supplies if I did)" "what if the menopause brain fog takes over?" (it did but they all understood)...I've learned to deal with it.
I guess it's kinda like an entertainer that gets stage fright...you take a deep breathe and keep on going.

The view from the cabin was inspiring (to say the least).
Have a peek at this.

This is the view from the left side of the
cabin porch.

Beautiful snow-capped mountains

This may be my favorite shot. The sun
setting over the mountains make them appear to be pink.

We even watched a wedding from the front porch!

The bride walked down a dusty trail to her groom.

Someone said that it must be a "fad" type wedding-
all the guys had on overalls and sported facial hair...

But the girls held out for beautiful turquoise dresses!

One morning (at about 0700), we heard shouting out front.
We got new neighbors the day before in two (maybe three) of the cabins to our left.
Lots and lots of (supervised) ninjas!

The adults kept the kids very busy with exercises like the ones above.

The main book class was almost three days long. The last day was for catching up, getting help with anything that you didn't finish the day before and just being able to use all of the supplies at their disposal.
But these ladies did so great on their books (they completely finished the book construction in the first two days!) that we spent the last day embellishing the pages.
I pulled out a stack of my personal thermofax screens, demonstrated how to use them, showed a few more embellishing techniques and let them go.
They had a great time filling in page after page of glorious color with paint, inks, thermofax images, stamps, drawing, writing and all manner of mark making.

I can say, without a doubt, that Art Camp is one best teaching experiences that I have ever had!
These ladies thought of everything that anyone could need.

Did I mention that we had a chef (waving to Emily!) there preparing our meals? And then there was Liz, the beautiful assistant to the chef (kiss!kiss!).
These two young ladies are artists in their own right.
One day they gave us a fashion show of beautiful and fun aprons that they make.
Check them out at their Etsy shop (Sparrow Waits).
Funky & colorful fabrics and the designs are just wonderful. They will also take commissions if they can find the fabric that you want.

If you could go to an "adult art camp" where you have the best supplies, talented and experienced teachers, wonderful techniques and projects, no cooking!, nightly Happy Hour all in the most beautiful setting then this is your place ladies!
All you have to do is take your clothes (and you can wear your pj's all day if you want!).

Just remember to leave a little bit of space in your suitcase to take your project home!


Thank you Lori and Lorri for inviting me to teach at your Camp. I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Here are a few photos of the completed books. I missed getting shots of three books...two of the ladies left before I could photograph theirs. And Lori - where was your book during all of this?

Patti's gratitude cube

Inside of Ann Lynn's book

Inside spread of Carole's book

Group shot Linda, Lorri, Jane, Patti, Ann Lynn

We added Mary Lou's on the left
and Tania's on the back right

Jane's book

Linda's book

Lorri's book on the back
and Jane's (her mom) on the front

Mary Lou and Linda

Mary Lou's book, art journal and gratitude box

Patti's book, art journal and gratitude box

Tania's book, art journal and gratitude box

What a great Colorado trip I had.
A great big "thank you" goes out to everyone that helped me along the way!