Illustration, Art Journals, Photography, and anything that moves me!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Some exciting art journaling news!





I am so happy to share with you about the new artist journals that are coming out very soon by Strathmore Artist Papers.  I was asked to submit the work I do on watercolor paper in my visual journals (girl and sisters) for the NAMTA (national art materials trade association) show this April.  The visual journals have just debuted at the show and will be available to purchase in July I believe. They were produced with the thought of having heavyweight paper that can hold up to the rigors of mixed media and watercolor.  There will be
a product line of Visual Journals that include high performing papers such as heavyweight drawing, mixed media, bristol and watercolor.
I will be sharing more soon...
What do you create in for your visual/artist journals?

Monday, April 26, 2010

A Happy Day

Happy day

"A happy day when you can paint, eat ice cream or go for a swing. It's a happy day when the birds sing." Created on heavy 140lb watercolor paper, 8 x 10.
(in my shop)

Sunday, April 25, 2010

ATC's


I will be adding lots of atc's in my etsy shop. If you see one you would like before I list them, let me know. They are $12.00 + $1.00 shipping. If you aren't quite sure what atc's (artist trading cards) are, you can google it, there is a lot of information about them on-line.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Some new journal pages and watercolor fun

As you notice I am quite smitten with watercolor these days.  I love finding papers and journals that work best with this medium.  My acrylics have been resting patiently on my studio table waiting for me to come back to them!

Monday, April 19, 2010

A new journal page

I have been busy working in my new journal.  I have been using lots of watercolor.  The watercolors are professional grade artist colors and are so much better than pan watercolors.  I have strayed a little from acrylics, but maybe that's only temporary.  You can't get in a rut, you know!    These pages are created in my latest journal, I seem to have a few going at the same time.
xo...

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Artistic Timeline, by Micheal Demeng

Michael says this so wonderfully, I totally share in this belief of sharing and growing as artists.  Thank you Michael!

The Artistic Timeline

"I have always held the FIRM belief that artistic ideas belong to no one single person.  I have always held the firm belief that Art grows from the ideas of others.  If it didnt' we would still be drawing in the mud.  Ever single art that has ever existed comes from a gradual development of a concept or a technique.  Art movements are about artists working on a similar theme, but from those themes come individuality.  If you look at the Renaissance with blurred vision you it would seem that all the artists were sort of copying each other...and guess what, they were.  Of course, I tend to think of it less of copying and more of "learning" from new ideas.  If you look closely you start to notice subtleties in each artists work.  Bosch and Bruegel are very similar...but look closer and they are not.  That is the point, there is no possible way for them to be identical, no two minds will never be able to create exactly the same thing (unless you are a forger which is a different kind of thing altogether).  Art movements are about trends that are interesting or pertinent to the time of the creations.  If there wasn't a fair amount of "learning" from each other there would be no such thing as an art movement.  Otherwise Raphael would be doing Renaissance painting while DaVinci would have invented Abstract Expressionism...its not what happens.  Artists grow, and expand on the ideas of other Artists.

Now I'm going to pull out a quote from Picasso...well at least it has been attributed to him "Good artists borrow.  Great artists steal."  The reason this is important is that an artist's role is to move ideas forward.  The way they do this is by paying attention to what's going on around them.  I promise you that Michelangelo was well aware of what Raphael was doing and vice versa.    I view art as a science.  Like scientific discoveries, artistic discoveries are built on the bones of its predecessors.  It seems ludicrous to me to have to reinvent something that has already been explored.  All styles and techniques are worthy to be reexamined and rediscovered.  It is what we as artist's do.

So the reason I have sort of a bee in my britches over this isssue is that I am amazed at how many of my students seem surprised that I am willing to share my ideas with them.  Of course I'm going to share my ideas.  Art MUST grow!  It must move forward.

I have absolutely no fear that someone is going to "steal" my style and run with it.  Let them, but it won't be my style.  They may use my techniques but it will never be mine and anything I do will not be there's.  It is probable that other artists using certain techniques of mine will grow in directions that I would have never thought of.   In some cases perhaps better.  So be it!  That is a good thing.  If nothing else it keeps me motivated to stay on top of my game.

So for those teachers worried about someone stealing you "secrets"...well you have the choice not to teach or share those secrets.  Of course, by now,  you know how I feel about that point of view.

The reason I am so avid about this position of sharing is that, to me, art is sacred and magical.  It is perhaps one of the most sacred and magical things we have on this earth.   The idea of keeping artistic ideas, techniques and thoughts hidden from other artists seems like an spit in the face of everything that I hold as divine in the Universe.  It is sacrilegious to everything that I believe as an artist.  I believe, as an artist I am here to explore this place through my eyes and hands.  At some point I will have shuffled off this mortal coil.  What greater honor is there than inspiring others and knowing you have contributed to the continuity of the artistic timeline.  Before I die that is what I hope I can achieve, but I can't achieve it unless I am willing to share."

With bunny

Album cover fun!

I created this lovely piece on an old record album. Can you see the original part of the album? It would be really fun to make a huge journal out of record cover albums. Find old ones at thrift stores that inspire you. Paint up all the spots you can't use with gesso, then add your own work, and add some collage elements too! Taa daa!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Tara

Meet Tara,,,, (no not me),,, she looks sweet but she is up to something...
Created on lovely 140 lb watercolor paper, graphite, size = 9 x 12

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

This way...

Or that way...
This page has a total different look depending on which way you turn it... I like that.

Monday, April 12, 2010

More watercolor journal pages

I am really enjoying using watercolors for my work. The colors are more vibrant than I imagined. After creating a page like this I journal all around the opening spots. Then I add the pages to one of my permanent journals. This page is called "Here to Help".
xo...

Sunday, April 11, 2010

My trip to the thrift store

I went to the thrift store today and look what I found!  I was so delighted to find these plates.  Apparently they were made by children for a local food bank.  I'm assuming they may have been for a benefit of some sort.  There were about 20 or so plates and I picked these.  I really love them.  It also seems that they were professionally fired because they are very substantial.  I don't think they were done in one of those franchise ceramic shops.  Anyway I just had to share what I found.  I think they are delightful, don't you?

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

"I know you"

I call this one "I know you".  It's my favorite one so far.  This one really spoke to me.  That little guy with the octopus arms came out at the very end of my painting. 

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Some new art...

I have been working on some new techniques with watercolor. I took a wonderful class with Alex Shur and discovered a new way of looking at hidden images and working with watercolor.
I used a more textured paper for the middle piece. It is 140lb,and I am not sure of the brand name.  The one on the top is Fabriano.
The last piece is in my journal and the paper seems a little thin.  I used acrylic grounds to coat the page before I put watercolor on, but I think I need to coat it more thickly.  I'll start journaling on this page very soon.

I am hoping to paint with a new artist paper line that Strathmore is putting out in a couple of weeks. Some of my work will be featured in the Strathmore Artist Paper booth at NAMTA I can't wait to try it and let you all know the results!!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

What I saw at Vendor night at Artfest


There were so many cool booths to see with art goodies.  Here is just some of the art I got to see, early, before the rest of the art gang arrived.  You could spend a lot of money here, but such wonderful treasures are to be found that you cannot find anywhere else!

Friday, April 2, 2010

More class photos, Artfest

Lacy sent me these photos of wonderful artist hands.  They were taken during my class.  There is nothing more beautiful than expressing your passion,,,,,with your hands. The energy we shared in our class was wonderfully humbling.  Thank you Lacy for sending these to me.