The Common Denominator

New Classes, busy, busy

2012-01-23T22:55:00.000-06:00

I've been busy finalizing my classes for the year. Samples are due for Art Is.....East Coast and West Coast. I have developed new (never before taught) classes and I am rather excited about them. Here is a sneak preview.

I am really diggin' these pieces. The texture is interesting to me and I was having a lot of fun with the very limited palette and scraping, oh how I love to scrape.
I think I want to take these B-I-G......keep playing and see how big I can go.....

Of magic and hummingbirds

2012-01-20T09:40:00.001-06:00

I first met Jess at Squam a few years ago when she took one of my classes. She is a sweet and gentle soul. We caught up last year at Encausticamp when I was awestruck to watch her capture (and then release) a hummingbird which had flown into a classroom and was completely freaked out. What a magical moment.

I adore this picture and was thrilled to capture it on my phone (!!).

So Jess started this website called Seek Your Course. It is a genius concept whereby she has instructors and classes listed so that students can find courses that match up with their interests. There are individual classes and retreats and the site is growing all the time. Way cool, she is oh-so-smart.
More magic when I saw this review of my book. Oh my sweetness!!! I had no idea this was happening. What a lovely treat!
And I had totally forgotten about this interview I did quite a long time ago. Fun to see these things crop up.
It is Friday. I have had one of those weeks where I feel as though I have accomplishing nothing. Ugh, I hate it when that happens but I am trying to put a better face on it, focusing instead on all the amazing STARTS that I now have in place. Ahem, am I just deluding myself?? Do you guys do that too? Sometimes I wonder if I am just the Queen of Rationalization.
I could use some magic moments right about now so that I can pull it all together.....

Pull up a chair and stay awhile

2012-01-16T09:29:00.000-06:00

And what is she doing now, you might ask?

Well, as I said, pull up a chair......

Remember last year it was all about hats. And in 2009, they were heads. (wow I look young back then, geez.....).

Anyway, it's the time of year when Chesterfield Arts prepares for the annual ArtFeast fundraiser. I like to help with the decorations because it makes me crawl out of my box and stretch my artistic muscles.

And with Chairs as the theme, well how could I resist!!

Shown is one batch of the Rigid-wrapped chairs awaiting decoration by artists - there are 50 total. We have another Papier-mâché party today. Last week I drank wine through a straw 'cause my hands were so yuck I could never have managed a glass. How pitiful. But, in defense of my own behavior, we had been working for hours and hours and were just slightly slap happy.

The chairs will serve as centerpieces at the ArtFeast event and will then be auctioned off. I have committed (or I should be committed, I can't remember) to decorate 4 of them. I am apparently planning some sort of timewarp experience as I don't know when I thought I would do all this. Ahem. You have heard this before, haven't you, my dear readers?

Somebody slap me in the head already.

And guess what? Art Unraveled is officially OPEN tomorrow.

Master Class

2012-01-15T06:00:00.001-06:00

Seth Apter's Master Class is up and you can find my comments over there along with others......I enjoy these features so much. Thank you, Seth for your genius in doing this. I so appreciate your time in organizing and sharing with others!!

http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/

Saturday means Valley Ridge

2012-01-12T06:00:00.001-06:00

Valley Ridge registration starts this Saturday.

I am really rocked about my collaborative class, which opens the 'season' at VR. My studio partner, Julie Snidle and I will be teaching together and it is all about wax. We will start out by making Batik papers, which is something I love to do. And truly, I could probably spend the entire 3 days doing nothing but that, I like it so much. But wait, there's more! Then we move into encaustic paintings and spend a day with that. The third day we step it up one more notch by adding mixed media to our encaustic paintings. Three whole days of waxy wonder. Ah, life is good.

Julie and I really dig the idea of introducing encaustic painting to people. It's hard to 'get' on your own. I tried learning from books and even an online site, but this is one medium where it really really makes a difference to work together. In person. And the intimacy of Valley Ridge is perfect!

Just to be clear, you will still get tons from the class if you already know about encaustics. I mean we have soooo many tricks up our sleeves......I just can't wait!

One of the best parts of this workshop is the non-schlep factor. We are bringing nearly everything you need. All sorts of incredible supplies so you can learn and play and decide which parts of the process you like best before you invest in all the stuff. I think you know what I mean about that, huh.
Anyway, I hope you come join us. This one is going to be special.

Playing

2012-01-08T18:03:00.000-06:00

Mixed media on watercolor paper. These are painted with a palette knife which didn't work as well as I hoped on the paper. Then I collaged things onto them - parts - some cut out of my palette paper plates, some are Citrasolve papers. I was mainly having fun with shape. I think that bottom one, with I am calling "Point Taken" may actually go another direction? But I think it maybe works this way too.

Gifts from me to me

2012-01-03T22:50:00.001-06:00

Uh yeah, I guess I bought myself even more than I mentioned here.
I was at Artmart last week, that is our local art store extraordinaire. They have great buyers who stock the place with all the goodies you want. I mean seriously.
Anyhoo, they had this metallic set of encaustic paints from R+F. This is the set. I really wanted it, oh did I ever, swoon....... Lucky for me I had a 40% coupon burning a hole in my pocket so poof! They are mine.

I have been playing with encaustics a lot recently. I found that if you use a certain white (sadly, I don't know which one cause the label is missing from mine) plus a metallic, you can get these totally wild effects. I like heating the encaustic paint until it is molten, where it is kind of swimming on the substrate. I love to watch the colors move in and out of each other. There is a certain point where they repel one another, the colors do, and it is just magic. I could watch this all day long. Way cool.

And another thing I got were earrings. For many years I have had double piercings in both ears. I usually wear pearls that John gave me in the top hole, but I wanted another pair, more simple. I found them on this site. I wanted really small and delicate studs. Grace makes them, you can see a few more pairs here.

Art Unraveled, woo hoo!!!

2011-12-29T10:33:00.000-06:00

Yay, I get to teach at Art Unraveled again!!! All of the retreats have their own personality and, for me, this one is about community, friendship, hanging out and making art together. It is held at an Embassy Suite, so the accommodations are quite nice. Free breakfast and free happy hour (uh, yeah, I admit I have called happy hour 'dinner') set up opportunities to meet people and that is when much of the 'hanging out' takes place.

I find there more interaction between teachers and students at AU - probably because it is so comfy to lounge around in the lobby/bar/pool area. Personally, I like that a lot and it is one of the reasons I enjoy teaching at AU - Linda is also incredibly detail minded and this operation runs like a well oiled clock. As for the ART? Well you have got to see the classes.....ooh, la, la, nice lineup this year, the 10th anniversary!

So, go check it out. And I hope to see you there!!

pssssst, there is a discount for early registration, pass it on........

'twas the Day before Christmas, when all through the house.....

2011-12-24T10:48:00.000-06:00

Of Peacocks and cupcakes - stencils, oh my!!!

2011-12-22T12:17:00.000-06:00

I don't know if you're like me, but sometimes holiday gifts leave me still wanting for more.....ok, ok, call my selfish if you want, but I have a feeling some of you know what I mean. Sure it's great to get the lovely sweater from Aunt Gert, but maybe all I really wanted was a few Copic markers or Pan Pastels, or the Catalogue from the deKooning show.
As artists, many of us have art on our brains 24/7. I know that I do.
And now that my shopping for others is done, I will confess I am doing a little bit of shopping just for me. One thing I got was this:

What a great price, huh? I can hardly wait to start using it.......as dear as my family is, no one ever would have known how much of a thrill this would give me.

And I also got this, from Sabrina Ward Harrison. I have her other books, but had somehow missed this journal one. It is fantastic! She has done journaling on tons of pages, but also leaves lots of room including very thought provoking prompts. And guess what? Since she has already filled some of the area, I feel free to write all over it myself and I find that I am actually working through some issues. Yay!
Then......over at StencilGirl, we have 4 new products that I am pretty psyched about. These are 6x6 (!!) size and are being sold individually for $7 each. They are pretty special, don't you think?

Michelle Ward, of course, don't you love it?!!?!

New designer, June Pfaff Daley!!! How sweet she is.

More Michelle, coordinates with the large damask, so you are gonna want both....just sayin'

And another new designer, Kae Pea, a friend of mine from years ago, I'm so glad she is part of StencilGirl!!

So, if you are in the mood to treat yourself, here's the link to StencilGirl.
More designers and more designs coming soon. Too many to mention, but suffice to say, we are wallowing in the goodness and can.not.wait. to share it all with you!!

Valley Ridge lineup!!

2011-12-19T21:19:00.001-06:00

You all know how much I love Valley Ridge. I adore Katherine, her house, the studio, her land and especially the students who attend the classes. Oh my, what a divine place to teach.

For 2012 I am thrilled to be opening the season by co-teaching with my studio partner, Julie Snidle. Obviously Julie rocks, I mean why would I share a studio with her otherwise, right? She is an encaustic dynamo. I kid you not. She has a way of teaching where she guides you step by step until poof! before you know it you have created an incredibly successful encaustic painting!

And I'm teaching the Batik Paper part - it was 'passed on' to me by Katherine and I will be thrilled to share all the new techniques I have discovered. Plus I'll reveal some of the many ways you can use Mixed Media with your encaustic works. It is all waxy goodness and I would lovelovelove for you to join us.

So check it out HERE at the Valley Ridge site.

Tis the Season

2011-12-12T11:20:00.000-06:00

I know it's time to decorate. Well, past time, if you consider so many places have had their decorations up since Halloween or Thanksgiving. PEOPLE, what are you thinking.
Oh sorry, I digress.
I am in a quandry about the tree this year. Mainly because of........

Remington in the back, Lyra up front

Ahem....yes, I know they look innocent but, trust me, they are wild beasts. One morning John and I walked downstairs to find they had wiped out a dining room chair. On its back it was, all four feet up in the air, how they managed it I can not imagine. Or the bigger question, why didn't it wake us up?
The idea of a tree seems, well, a little nuts quite frankly.
But I do want ornaments, yes I do. I think I am going to duct tape them to the railing. It won't be the most glamorous look, but festive in a different way. I will get cute duct tape, tee, hee.

Seriously though, these are the ornaments on my list.......aren't they fab? They are oversize, B-I-G, very cool. Painted by my friend Calise for the wee sum of $18. If you are in St. Louis, you can grab them at the Wood Icing Store in Chesterfield Mall. If you are out of town email her: caliserae@gmail.com
She does custom work too, it is completely adorable. Hmmmm, me thinks I should have her do Remy and Lyra........

Time in Flight

2011-12-07T09:42:00.000-06:00

Where oh where does the time go? I mean seriously.
Lately I have become a delinquent blogger. I don't mean to, there are tons of blog posts that I construct in my head, but they never make it to the page for one reason or another.
I am doing a trunk show this weekend, over at Chesterfield Arts. Since I've been doing so much teaching, I am waaaayyyyyy out of practice with the shows. Hence I feel like I've been reinventing the wheel this week. Plus I like to make gift items (in addition to wall art) for the holidays. Here is the small journal kit I made.

This required me to sew - see that handpainted paper on the cover of the journal, that is sewn together. I actually poked myself and bled on one of them, nothing that paint couldn't fix, tee, hee.
Several of my local art friends are doing the show so I know it is going to be fun.
Dawson will be there.

I adore her work, have bought some of her tea lights for my house and also for gifts. Plus I am pining away for the work above, from her WallFlower series. I even have a spot picked out, where it will hang.......just sayin'....
And Sharon will be there.

Her work rocks. Seriously. Rock stars own it. Actually I just made that up, I don't know if they do or not, but they should.
So, in case you have been wondering what I'm doing, this is it.
If you are in the St. Louis area, come out and see us!!!

Where oh where is my table??

2011-11-29T09:22:00.000-06:00

I am getting ready for a holiday show. Seeing as my year was filled with teaching and stencils, I haven't done a show for a long time. And since it is holiday time, that means I am making some functional products in addition to wall art. As usual I am also attempting to re-invent the wheel.
I mean seriously. You know how easy it would be to paint up some products and be done? But oh-no, I am taking this time to experiment, play with different palettes, discover some new stuff. And on and on and on......these things make me happy though, so no complaints!!

Here is an aerial view of a portion of my table. This is after I cleaned.
No joke.
Yesterday (that was the day I should have stayed in bed cause my head was killing me) I stumbled into the studio with my cup of coffee which I promptly spilled all over my table. Then I spilled my dirty paint water while I was trying to clean up the coffee. Needless to say there were bad words, oy oy oy and I had to cover impressionable little kitty ears.

I am continuing to play with the Annie Sloan Chalk Paints. Love 'em. Here are some initial layers. The crackle was achieved by using Wood Icing's Fissure product which works beautifully with the chalk paint.

I have a lot of new ideas. My head is spinning but you know, I kinda like it that way. And guess what, no headache today, hooray for that!!!
So tell me, blog friends, what is on your table these days?

Sale is over now.....stay tuned for another one in the future.

2011-11-27T22:45:00.001-06:00

Yeah, yeah, we did this on Black Friday, but it seems just plan ole silly to skip Cyber Monday so......
let's do it again!!

StencilGirl Products is having a Sale.

Pick a FREE 6x5 stencil with any order. Woo hooooooooo!!!!!!
That means you get to 'break up' the sets and pick one of our little stencils.
For Free.
All you need to do is Click HERE and place your order.
Then email me:
stencilgirlproducts at gmail dot com
to tell me which stencil you want.
That's it!
One per customer please, Monday only.

Designers include Judy Wise, Michelle Ward, Pam Carriker and Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch - with more designers coming soon!!!

StencilGirl Products Sale - can you say FREE Stencil!!!!

2011-11-23T14:52:00.000-06:00

Yep, you heard it here first (well, maybe not 1st as I did send a Promotion earlier today).

StencilGirl Products is having a Sale.

Pick a FREE 6x5 stencil with any order. Woo hooooooooo!!!!!!

CLICK HERE to see details.

Designers include Judy Wise, Michelle Ward, Pam Carriker and Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch - with more designers coming soon!!!

Happy Turkey Day to all of you in the US.

Another kind of painting

2011-11-21T10:23:00.000-06:00

Some of you might be wondering what the heck I've been doing. Not making any of my usual art, that is for sure. But I am working on art of another kind, putzing around the house to prepare for Thanksgiving and the ~~onslaught~~ welcome arrival of 11 extra family members, all staying with us.
And some people might think this would involve cleaning and cooking. But no, for me it tends to involve painting of another kind.....

This is a child-size chair that I picked up on my drive back from new Hampshire (Squam) a couple years ago. Yeah, as if I didn't already have the car packed to the gills, I managed to jam this $5 chair in. I have meant to paint it for years and finally got around to it over the weekend. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint that I got from the Wood Icing store. I will warn you it is expensive, about $35 for a quart. But worth every stinkin' penny. Seriously. This paint rocks.
First of all, you don't have to do any prep work to the surface you are painting. Huh!?!? But it says so right on the can and that is what I did. My photography is not terribly good, but this color is called Duck Egg and I did a swoon when I saw it. Oh my.
I first painted some Wood Icing Fissure in random places on the chair and allowed that to dry overnight. The next day I painted on coat of the Annie Sloan paint. Wherever I had put the Fissure, it started cracked in a gorgeous way. It dries super fast, this paint does which is perfect when working on furniture. I found that one coat was plenty.
I also used the Clear Wax (another Annie Sloan product). Again, following instructions on the can, I applied a light coat, buffed, then distressed with sandpaper. Just a little bit here and there.
I love how it turned out and wish you could all feel the surface - it is so smooth and silky. Just amazing!!

And here is the finished product, sitting with its companion chair (that is little Remington underneath). So much fun!! I will definitely be doing more with this paint. Fantastic!!

Well smack me down with a feather

2011-11-17T10:34:00.000-06:00

Just lookie here, my name is on the cover of a magazine. I feel like Steve Martin in that movie where he sees his name in the phonebook for the first time.

When I got my issue I was literally dancing around the house. It was the night I had cooked dinner for my stepdaughter & her family. I was so wound up about showing them the magazine that John and I drove over to their house without the food. Yes. Without.The.Food. Geez, had to get a pizza.

Ricë Freeman-Zachery wrote a great article. She really crawled into my head in the nicest way possible. I think that she gets me, ya know?

Obviously I knew the Portfolio had been written but I didn't tell my Mom cause I wanted to surprise her by mailing it. Of course it hadn't arrived yet when she saw (I mean what are the odds!?!) the magazine in a bookstore. Needless to say she flipped and instantly bought it while also notifying anyone withing spitting distance that was her daughter. My youngest brother says he feels like he is related to a famous person. Ha, just wait till I start telling stories.....as if.....

Anyway, I am beyondo thrilled to be part of such a lovely issue full of inspiring projects and eye candy. One of my blog acquaintances, Kate Crane is in there. Her name is on the cover too. I want to meet her some day, hopefully I will get to travel to England to do it, wouldn't that be fun?

Can you say Cruise Time??

2011-11-10T22:52:00.000-06:00

This is so darn exciting it is going to be hard to wait till next year.

It is expected to sell out, so I would suggest you sign up quickly - nothing would thrill me more than to have a bunch of peeps that I know on board, oh how fun would that be!??! So do let me know if you sign up, ok? Just cause I am nosy like that.

and ps.......is it just me or do all of the participants have the same hair cut? Jim says he thought his was different, ha, ha. But seriously it cracked me up. And I have to chuckle when I do that 'head tilt' thing, awe geez....... My hubby says I automatically do it whenever I'm within a mile of a camera.

Lesson re-learned

2011-11-08T17:52:00.000-06:00

I have written about this before. The Lesson of getting my brain out of my own way. See here for reference. I will probably write about it again because it is just darn hard. The idea of letting go and allowing the art to be what it wants to be. And not beating myself up so much when my art goes in a direction other than what I originally intended. Oy vay, it can be hard, can't it?

I signed up for a swap, yeah, I know, what the heck was I thinking, but it was a group of really cool women, some whom I knew and others who I wanted to know. I was flattered to be asked so, even though I have like a zillion things on my plate, I said yes. I mean we're all busy, right? They are busy too and they are doing it. Plus it's only 13 months. Ha, ha, ha.....right.....
The projects are masks and last week was the week to mail our first project. Naturally I had waited until the last possible moment to work on mine.

I had encaustics on the brain, partly because I am taking Judy Wise's class and partly cause I just love the wax. So I got this brilliant idea to paint my mask with encaustic pigment. I've never done a 3 dimensional piece, but lack of knowledge (or experience) typically never stops me. This can be a good trait or an incredibly stupid one depending on your vantage point.

In retrospect, I don't think my encaustic skills were ready for a 3D experience. I have this tendency to over-fuse, which means I allow the wax to get really liquid-like. Imagine how that might work with the curves on this face and you will immediately see where I went wrong. Wax sliding off the cheeks. The forehead, the chin. Over. And over. And over. Because I am nothing if not persistent. I ~~used~~ wasted so much wax. I worked on and off for a couple days. Being stubborn and trying to paint the mask of my dreams. I would get within spitting distance and then manage to mess it up, ugh.

The mailing date came and went. I persisted with more layers of wax. I carved, used oil sticks, painted, tried all the tricks I knew. But remained incredibly frustrated and uptight with my work. Angry even, I will just admit it since I am trying to be honest here.
Finally I gave it up and stopped. Period. Put her under my table.

Grabbed another substrate and decided to collage. I pawed through my box and found some really cool hand painted tissue paper. I loved the way the paper had turned out and had been saving it for some unknown project. I tore smallish pieces and started gluing it to my mask. I added some tar around the edges. Painted the lips, added a little eyebrow texture with Wood Icing. Put it up on the wall and pronounced it done. It was that easy.

Perhaps not genius, but I liked it.
Looking back at the encaustic mask(which is still under my table), I don't hate it as much as I did last week. What a compliment, huh? And I do want to try again because I still love the concept.

My question for you is why oh why are we so hard on ourselves? Artists seem to be their own worst critics. I frequently point this out to my students and urge them to be gentle with themselves. A lesson I definitely need to take to heart, huh?

Change is in the Air

2011-11-04T23:13:00.000-05:00

Don't know if you have heard the word, but 2012 will be the final Artfest. There are some spots left, so you might wand to sign up right away. Two of my classes are already filled, but there are still openings in my Parts class which is going to be fun-fun-fun!!
I am so grateful to be part of the final event. Teesha writes more detail about this decision in her recent blog post, which you can read here. I respect her so much for going with her gut. In my opinion, Teesha tends to be on the leading edge with things, so I very much look forward to whatever comes next.

And for me.......well, I said change is in the air, didn't I?
You have asked and asked and well, asked again. And I am finally going to do it.
I will be offering an online class early next year.
Yep, I'm working it all out before I post specific details. But suffice to say I am very excited, so stay tuned for more information.

Smitten with Kittens

2011-10-31T12:44:00.000-05:00

Ok, so here's the thing about me and John. We are slightly nuts. Ahem, or perhaps I only speak for myself. I would venture that John often feels like our life is an amusement park ride. But I warned him about that, admitted as much on our first date.
So anyway, last time I wrote, I told you all that Gilligan died, right? It was horribly sad and our feelings were only eclipsed by the forlorn attitude of Jasper Johns, our remaining cat who continued to mope around the house day after day. I was grumpy, John was silent, we were mourning.
At the same time, we knew we wanted another cat (and I secretly wanted 2 more) preferably Maine Coons since that is what we like - big ole furry animals!
John and I worked all the angles and contacted numerous organizations, toured humane societies, surfed online, etc, etc, etc. We were a tad obsessed and yes, I do mean both of us.
I registered on the Maine Coon Rescue site and was assigned an adoption counselor named Kelley. She was a treat to work with and quickly tied down what we wanted, that being 'older' kittens. But, as these things sometimes happen, the cutest kittens were in North Carolina and were plural as in there were 2 of them and you know how tragic it would be to split up a duo. Hmmm, what to do, oh what to do?
My glorious, perfect, kitty loving husband jumped in the car and drove on over there. From Missouri to North Carolina. Ten hours, you say? Pshaw, we say!

From upper left - Remy with Jasper, Lyra stretched out, Lyra asleep, all 3 on the landing, Remy playing, then on the scratching post, Remy closeup, middle pic is Lyra standing and Remy seated.

He met with Cat & Glen, the wonderful foster parents, loaded up the babies, and then drove 10 hours back home. After a brief isolation period (ok, I'm impatient, so sue me), we introduced the critters and life has never been the same. They jump, play, leap, scratch (we're working on that) and generally sound like a small herd - oh so much action and noise for such small kitties - running around the house. We love every second of it. In fact, it was love at first site for me. Definitely smitten.

So there you have it. We are a 3 cat family again.
Everyone is getting on splendidly and happiness has returned to the Shaw household.

Rambling around

2011-10-23T12:21:00.000-05:00

When I stepped into my Collector's home and saw the diptych in their foyer, I felt like I had come across an old friend. I honestly couldn't even remember when I painted it, at least 5 years ago. Then I walked into the dining room and saw a more recent piece, I think that one was maybe last year?

And there were others too, not shown here because my photography is so unbearably pitiful. It is interesting to see how my style has changed. This Collector first met me when I was doing the Common Denominator series, which started over 10 years ago. They own a few of those too, what a blast to the past. I feel incredibly blessed to have Collectors; people who own multiple pieces of my work. What a gift to be in their home and see my work all around.

They told me a story about a friend who visited and, after looking at their art collection said....I saw some art you need to see because I know you would love it, I think the artist's name is Mary Beth Shaw....We all got a laugh out of that one.
And their children, so adorable, they have been the subject of several commissioned works although they are too young to take it seriously, I feel they will appreciate it one day.

I am coming off a crappy week, what with my cat Gilligan dying on Tuesday. I have been wallowing around, can't seem to motivate myself in any specific direction; I wander about my studio making ugly art, sit in my office staring at a blank screen or hang out in bed way too long.
I though perhaps I would try to pull myself out of it today. And be thankful for all that life gives me, thankful for the fact that I shared almost 20 years with such a loyal and loving kitty. Thankful for the gift of art, the way it restores and invigorates me and allows me to share my passion with like minded souls. Making it, looking at it, reading about it, all those things. And especially that lovely sweet spot when someone resonates with a piece.
So thanks to all of you too, my readers and friends.
I think I am finally ready to get back to work. I have paintings to make, ideas to explore. How about you? What is going on in your neck of the woods?

I'm in The Pulse - let's celebrate with a contest

2011-10-16T06:00:00.002-05:00

YAY, We have winners!!!!! Carlanda, Bren, AmyD Woo hoo!!!

Check it out HERE. It's Techniques & Tools, so this ought to be good. I think I'm going to mosey on over myself and see what everyone talks about. I have also includes a link over in my sidebar, so you can click over any time.

Since I talk about Wood Icing (yeah, yeah, I love the stuff, what can I say?), thought this might be a great time to have another contest.......so......just leave a comment below and you will be entered for container of Wood Icing. YAY!!!! I will give away 1 container each to 3 lucky winners. I'll draw names on Friday, so you have plenty of time.

Artsy Shout Outs

2011-10-11T13:03:00.000-05:00

In the course of my rambles, I often run into other artists. Well duh, of course I do! I always enjoy seeing other people's work but sometimes I really really like what I see. And that is when I need to do a 'Shout-Out'. Just so you'all get a chance to look at these neat things too.

First up, and this goes back awhile, to when I was in Chicago at CREATE. The first day - in my Circles class - June Pfaff Daly was in there. She is a blogger I met online and then I met her in person several years ago. We sort of clicked, you know? Needless to say, I was thrilled when she signed up for my class. And....brought a couple of her friends, Claire and Heather. They were so.much.fun. My roommate, Julia and Kelley (I met both at Valley Ridge, is this a small world, or what!??!) had dinner with these girls.

Aren't they cute? Anyway, if you look real close you will see they are all wearing uber-cool fiber necklaces made by Heather, she is the one in the middle. She collects gorgeous vintage fabrics from Paris and sews them (by hand!) into amazing necklaces. I bought one. Julia bought one. Pokey Bolton, yes, *that* Pokey bought one. We were all wearing them, cult-like, as we perused the stores of Napierville. I can't believe how many people complimented us on our necklaces, it became a joke of sorts. But they are really that cool. So, anyway, I was cleaning my office. Ahem. When Heather's biz card surfaced and I knew I had to tell you guys about her. So here is a LINK to her etsy shop if you happen to be interested.

The second artist is Carmen Alana Tibbets - she goes by Alana. I met her at The Historic Shaw Art Fair, a show I used to do, back in the day (a few years ago, ha, ha) when I was doing the outdoor art fairs. Anyhoo, even though she lives in Edwardsville, IL, I had not crossed paths with her before. Here is a pic of her holding one of her completely delightful creations.

You must go look at her WEBSITE. Seriously. Go now, I'll still be here when you get back. Look at the gallery and enlarge the pics of all her creatures. They are so amazing in person, the level of detail blew my mind, especially the hands.....and the faces. Plus all their little outfits. Oh my, I really want one of the rabbits. Their expressions are so real, I can't even find the right words and you know I am rarely rendered speechless, ha!!
Seems to be a little trend here, in my admiration of fabric work, eh?

Destination Creativity Blog Hop

2011-10-05T06:00:00.004-05:00

We have a winner, woo hoo!!!! Contest is over, thanks so much for entering :)

Have you heard that Ricë has a new book? You all know who I'm talking about, right? Ricë Freeman-Zachery, writer extraordinaire! Maybe you saw her hilarious video book promo? Maybe you heard people talking about the book at a recent retreat? Maybe you have already pre-ordered a copy? Or perhaps you wanna WIN a copy? More on that in a minute.

Ricë's new book, Destination Creativity: The Life-Altering Journey of the Art Retreat is all about Art Retreats. She and Earl (her hubby, aka The EGE or the Photographer) spent a year touring the country and attending Art Retreats, interviewing artists and kind of documenting 'the scene.' I ran into them several times, first was Artfest 2010. Naturally I had heard of Ricë, I mean she is a celebrity in my world. So I was more than a wee bit star struck. And yeah, I acted ignorant like I do when I get nervous and don't know what to say. But thank goodness I got to know them better. Cause they are such fun folks!!

Since Ricë spends so much time interviewing artists, I thought it was high time someone turned the tables and asked her some questions. So how about a little back story.....some of the nitty gritty, never been told details, revealed right here, right now (oh my goodness, I feel like a tabloid writer). Because I dare to ask the questions, tee, hee, hee........and share the answers. Read on for my interview with Ricë.

1. You have such a strong sense of personal style and make/alter/dye many of your clothes. As a 'fashion chameleon' I am curious as to when and how your style developed?

Thanks, Mary Beth! I’ve been obsessed with my clothes as far back as I can remember. My mother and I would go shopping for my school clothes, but not in clothing stores; we’d go to the fabric store and pick out fabric and patterns. But not just A Pattern. Nope. My mother would get one pattern for the bodice, and one for the skirt, and another for the sleeves. I would describe what I wanted, and she would bring it to life. She indulged me totally. My favorite outfit in grade school was an orange corduroy jumper worn over an orange-and-white striped long-sleeved t-shirt with orange fish-net tights, burnt orange patent leather shoes, with an orange plaid poncho my mother made and finished with a rabbit fur collar from an old coat. I ADORED this outfit and would have worn it every single day if I could have gotten away with it. I started altering my own clothes when I was in high school, embellishing my jeans and swapping out the buttons on my workshirts every night. I was inspired by Native Funk and Flash and just kept on going.

2. Prolific is your middle name! How do you find your writing inspiration and do you ever face the blank page syndrome. If so, how do you handle those moments?

Mostly I work on assignment, and those have deadlines, and I’m really good with deadlines. So I don’t have a lot of trouble getting started. I’m *kind of* (snort) anal-retentive about it. But if I have something huge to do--a book, for instance--I get started by setting my own deadlines and working back from those, picking a day to start and telling myself, “OK. Today you need to write just the first sentence, and then you can stop.” Since I really love to write more than just about anything, once I get the first sentence, I want to keep going. I love the process of writing; it’s just that, like most people, I dread getting started on something huge. By telling myself I can take baby steps, I’m off and running. It’s kind of pathetic when you use reverse psychology on yourself, isn’t it?

3. Ok, so who did the driving, you or Earl or do you take turns? What do you do in the car - listen to music, books, work on hand sewing, etc?

Earl drove every. Single. Inch. Of the entire trip. I didn’t even back the car out of the parking space at the hotels. We have music on the iPhone going through the speakers, and I sew whenever I’m not navigating. I love road trips where I can get a ton of stitching done--that’s why I love going to Dallas or Houston--it’s far enough that I can get a lot done, but we’ve done it so many times I don’t have to navigate at all. The truck could drive itself.

4.What's up with all the animals in your car?

Those are Car Toys. The SUV is so big and empty, we thought it needed some toys. Some are ones friends made for us, and some are those you buy at Kohl’s for $5 and the money is donated to some good cause. You need toys, you know?

5. When did you start with the tattoos and are they your own design? Are you still adding more tattoos?

Until I was 45, I had brown hair that was below my waist--I could sit on it--one set of holes in my earlobes, and not even the slightest interest in tattoos. I’d never even thought of getting one. Then I started going through menopause, and, man, did my life change. By the time I figured out what was going on, I had a couple tattoos, very little hair, and a bunch more holes in my ears. Better than joining the circus or having an affair, for sure. I haven’t gotten any tattoos in several years--I had the whole melanoma thing with checkups for two years, and I kind of got out of the habit.

6. Your favorite road food? Snacks you keep in the car?

We’re not really snackers. [of course they aren't, this is MB talking, because they have amazing friggin' bodies and, well, how did I think they maintained them, duh, stupid question on my part .] We’re pretty disciplined about what and when we eat, but when we travel, we do make some allowances. Earl gets ice cream every now and then, and I will sometimes eat Cheetos, which is pretty much like eating deep fried salt with a shovelful of fat. Sure, I feel guilty for abusing my arteries. Also bloated. And thirsty. But, oooooh, the crunchiness!

7. I know (for sure) that you love to hit used clothing stores, can you reveal your favorites around the country?

Ha! You know the answer to that one: My Sister’s Closet (all four fabulous locations!) in Phoenix, introduced to us by Jeanie Thorn. Here in Midland, I love BJ’s (yeah, the name always makes me snort, too, especially since the sign for the shop features just the name and a huge pair of lips. For years I thought it was a naughty lingerie shop, which is totally laughable if you know Midland, Texas (they’d have the sheriff shut it down in a heartbeat)). I’d love it if people would take me to their favorites when we travel, but Jeanie is one of the few who’s willing to share. Most people keep their sources pretty secret, you know?

Would you like a chance to win a copy of Rice's book? Oh I know you would! Please leave me a comment below and you will be entered for the book drawing.
If you want to go ahead and order the book now, you can hit the link below.
Be sure to check out the other stops on the Blog Hop!

Thursday, October 6th: Carla Sonheim
Friday, October 7th: Lisa Myers Bulmash
Saturday, October 8th: Melissa Manley
Sunday, October 9th: Deryn Mentock
Monday, October 10th: Jen Cushman
Tuesday, October 11th: Jill Berry
And don't forget to visit Ricë's blog here.

My summer vacation - ICA Boston

2011-10-03T09:44:00.000-05:00

After I left Squam, I drove down to Boston to pick up the hubster who was flying in from St. Louis. I knew I would have a little extra time and I wanted to see the Swoon exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Art.

Swoon is a street artist who has gone museum, woo hoo for her, huh? I adore her work because of the printmaking and of course all the paper cuts. They are incredibly intricate and honestly I can not even imagine how her mind conceptualizes these pieces.

At ICA Boston, the piece spans their lobby area and then sort of meanders over into an elevator shaft where you can view the work from various floors. Needless to say it is hard to photograph. I swear I walked around with my mouth hanging open the entire time. Really cool. I wanted to take the papercuts home with me. LOVED.THEM.
Go watch this video to see what I am talking about.

Encaustic Landscape (of sorts)

2011-09-27T16:48:00.000-05:00

Recent encaustic work that I completed while I was at Squam.

It is so rare I demo and then actually complete a piece during class.

But I like these.

That goes to show you I was really relaxed.

And that's a good thing.

The Journey called Squam

2011-09-25T21:39:00.000-05:00

This is the third year I have been privileged to teach at Squam.
SAW is a difficult event to explain. One, because it isn't really an 'event' per se; it is more of an experience, a journey.

Kelley, Susan, Sue, Kathy

I shared a large house with 12 other women, some I knew from my first year, others I met this year. To say they were all special sounds idiotically trite, but they really were. I felt a connection with each and every woman, this deep visceral thing that doesn't lend itself to words.
It is so odd to me how this group of incredibly diverse people migrate to Squam each year and how the right ones manage to find and connect with one another. Like I always find the exact person I need at the exact moment. I don't know how it happens really, I am convinced it's magic conjured up by Elizabeth and somehow dispersed through a wand??
I took very few photos this year, preferring to sap up the feelings instead. But now I wish I had more photos. I wish I could have captured a shot showing the spirit of friendship that developed in our house, a camaraderie so natural it was as if we had known each other forever.

Linda and Jacqueline

Mary's butt - the quote says Live fully, Laugh often, Leave a legacy.

But it wasn't just about my housemates. I saw other people too, my teaching peers, people of whom I am IN AWE, like how can I even be part of this inspiring group!?!?
Jen Lee, who I met my 1st year; she is an ancient spirit I am certain of that, uncanny wisdom in such a young body. And Misty, what a treat for me to see her a second time this year! And Flora. Ok, maybe I have just a wee little crush on Flora. Me and the rest of the world, that woman is on fire, simply radiating beauty in everything she does. Pixie, it was the first time I met her, another old soul - naturally I knew who she was, but was stunned when she knew who I was, geez, I am such a dork like that, all self confidence on the outside but a bundle of insecurities on the inside.
And Elizabeth, always the hostess with the mostess, what a legacy she has built. I soooooo admire that.

Ice block at the Art Faire

And my students, with their love of learning and willingness to try new techniques. Sadly, my photos of their work did not turn out, but suffice to say I was blown away by the work they produced, wow, wow, wow! They filled me up.

Another Star Pupil

2011-09-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

You may recall that I taught in Chicago at the CREATE retreat in August. Oh was it ever fun, hope I get to do it again next year. Anyhow, I did a Circle Mania Class and Peggy Wilkinson was one of my students. She did great work in class, but then went home and made a CLOCK! Wowza, what a terrific idea. Needless to say, it is gorgeous, and look how amazing with her pieces from class. Great job, Peggy and thank you so much for allowing me to share your creations.

This is so gratifying to me you can not imagine. Oh be still my heart :)
Happy weekend, everyone. Let's all paint, how about it!?!?!?

Star Pupil

2011-09-22T09:00:00.001-05:00

Since I have run away from home(joke), I apparently am not generating intelligent blog content at the moment. But! Lucky for me, one of my students from Art Unraveled has been working away......check out his post here.
Thanks, Don!!!
And keep making those color charts, what a great way to enhance your painting skills. For those of you wondering, there is a chapter in my book which includes the instructions much like the class I teach.

Where oh where is Mary Beth

2011-09-20T07:20:00.000-05:00

Resting.....

reflecting and remembering;

thinking and musing.

But not too hard.

Sewing with Stencils

2011-09-07T10:18:00.000-05:00

Some of you dear readers follow me over on Facebook and noticed my post about my stiff neck and shoulder.......from my hand sewing efforts no less.

Well, here it is. My second altered t-shirt using my stencils (the first debuts in the next issue of Pasticcio)
I first saw The Incredible Jenny Doh using one of my stencils on a scarf. Then I saw stencils used as applique patterns in the The Alabama Stitch book. So why not mine?
I think Pam Carriker's WING or Judy Wise's ROOSTER or Michelle Ward's CIRCLE RAY or Patricia Seggebruch Baldwin's BUBBLES would be amazing........and just think, you could paint the design too.
Ohohoh!!! I just remembered, has anyone else seen the new Martha Stewart paints at Michael's? The display said they would work on glass, ceramic, fabric, metal.....hmmmm, don't tell me I need to try yet another product?? Has anyone tried them yet?

Lookee Here - Podcast time

2011-09-02T16:24:00.000-05:00

Oh me oh my, it is with ~~a little~~ ok, a lot of trepidation that I announce

Ricë Freeman-Zachery has done a Podcast with me.

I can't listen to it, seriously I can't. My voice drives me crazy for one thing. Plus I have already heard it, being there while it was recorded, ya know.

Ricë is so fun I forgot we were recording.

Consequently there were several times I was possibly a bit too animated for a podcast.

Ahem.

Just saying.

Seriously though, I adore Ricë. She is a wonderfully caring individual and I have such respect for all the contributions she makes in our little patch of the art world. Take a minute to check out the content on her Voodoo Cafe Blog or over at Create mixed Media. How does she do it all!?!?

And listen to my Podcast......if you must......oh geez, I think I was probably supposed to publicize this better......

Happy Weekend everyone.

Triad Color Theory - with just 3 paints

2011-08-31T06:00:00.007-05:00

This past weekend, at Create Chicago, I taught Color Moods, which is basically a half day color theory class based on different Triads of Red/Yellow/Blue. The idea is to work very abstractly with the paints, trying out a few triads until you find one that suits your mood. This project is outlined in my book too in case you are interested.

One of my students, Bette Brody, loved(!!!!) Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Paints. Using the Triad - Dash of Red, Smidge of Blue, Dab of Yellow (and white), you can make such pretty colors - I mean look how happy these colors are - they make me smile!

And the little pieces that Bette cut out? They are adorable abstract compositions, aren't they?

Destination: Creativity

2011-08-30T09:18:00.000-05:00

Rice Freeman Zachery's latest book. I saw a sneak preview when I was at Art Unraveled and can't wait to get a copy of my own so I can wallow page by page.
Check out this delightful video promotion. There is silly footage of me dancing (omg, that is too much information) and hanging a spoon from my nose. The retreats are so much fun.......and we even make art too, ha!!!

Adding or Subtracting

2011-08-23T09:51:00.001-05:00

I am fascinated with the idea of adding or subtracting. Have no fear, I am not talking about math, just hang with me for a moment.....I remember the exact moment this occurred - I was at an artist's talk being given by local sculptor Iain Fraser.....someone asked him if his process was completely additive.....to which he replied, "yes" and then talked about that for awhile. I listened with one ear as I pondered my own process.
To be honest, I had never thought about this before as it seemed a little esoteric. But the more I pondered (and yeah, I get totally obsessive this way, especially in the middle of the night, ha!) the more I came to understand that my process is both Additive and Subtractive. Very strange for a girl who has never enjoyed Math.

"Happy Birthday Mr. Turner" 30" x 30"

(You can click on both of these images to enlarge, by the way)

"Ode to a Wall" 24" x 18"

These are my most recent explorations. There is a lot of additive followed by a lot of subtractive including use of a palm sander, distressing down into the layers......plus, the white squares were carved out of the finished piece, back to the white of the Claybord - don't the squares look like confetti? I will confess that the palm sander was slightly scary and I felt out of control during that part. But maybe that's a good thing?

Artfest 2012

2011-08-17T09:44:00.000-05:00

I swear I am on a perpetual swirl. But I am not dizzy......
Anyway, I forget if I mentioned that Artfest is up and open and registrations need to be sent in very soon. Teesha will start to open and process them (by lottery) on September 1st.

I am thrilled beyond belief to be teaching 3 classes. You an see lots more detail on the site but I thought I would tease you with some images just because that is how I am.

I sooooooo look forward to Artfest. For me, in addition to teaching, I meet up with friends who I see only at this event. Artfest is a pilgrimage of sorts, for us to gather and spend time together making art, such an amazing way to honor our creative souls. Teesha and Tracy have created something magical with Artfest, the original art retreat, in its 13th year. Whether teaching or student-ing, I lovelovelove to attend!! There is something indescribably delicious about being part of a huge gathering of like minded souls. Oh swoon goes my heart......

Art Unraveled 2011

2011-08-09T12:32:00.000-05:00

All I can say is wow, wow, wow and wow. What a great time I had this year - caught up with old friends, made new friends, taught classes to genius students, signed books, sold stencils, ate good food, bought art supplies (mica from Dan Essig!!) and jewelry (bracelet from Ruth Rae, earrings from Deryn Mentock).
Now I'm back home, slept 12 hours straight last night I was so exhausted. Geez.....

But I'm back in action and made a little slide show.....wish I had taken more pics, but I lost my camera at one point (lucky for me it was found). Hopefully you can get a flavor of the event. The Embassy Suite is a sweet place to hang out and Linda and Chuck do a first class job. I need to put together my class proposals for next year, any suggestions? I have some ideas, but would love to hear what my blog readers have to say about this too.

Open Studio Recap

2011-08-02T08:40:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures that Greg took at Open Studio. This first picture is the view from the door. That is Dawson standing on the left, her ceramic art in the middle. Straight ahead is the Flat File draped with paint stained tarps (as a tablecloth). It was a cool and artsy touch, Dawson's clever idea. I think that me, Greg & Dawson put together a pretty nice show if I do say so myself. I felt very proud.

The bottom picture is 'my' view from my painting table. As you can see, even when given tons of space, I manage to reduce my working area to postcard size. Geez......
On the left, my stepdaughter and one of my grandsons admiring Dawson's work.
The entire event was a roaring success and CAM did a great job - the best year ever! We had quite a nice crowd of people come through, pretty much a steady stream of people all day long. It was so neat to talk to folks who asked interesting questions and seemed to have a genuine interest in the artistic process - I love being able to share my passion with like minded peeps.
So now I am headed out to Art Unraveled. If you are in the Phoenix area, you can even sign up last minute and still take a class.
And..........registration for Squam closes on 8/15.
And, wait, there's more.........classes for Artfest are up!! Details on the site. It is a stellar lineup with return teachers (I am so thrilled to be back) as well as exciting new names. I can.not.wait.

Circling round Encaustics

2011-07-25T10:20:00.000-05:00

Yes I am mad for Encaustic Painting.

Yes I am mad for circles.

See what happens?

Summer Studio

2011-07-20T08:50:00.000-05:00

You may recall I sublet a studio for the summer. Yes, I do already have a studio in my home, so this is an indulgence to say the least. I felt I needed time away - time to percolate new ideas, push myself in fresh directions. Time when I am not be lulled into laundry and other nagging chores around the house. Time to take risks with my art.

'My' space is in the back, see the glow coming from the doors? It is part of a larger space, shared by several artists, only one whom I have met thus far. The common workshop (shown here) is filled with power tools and has a fabulous ceiling that allows light (and heat, I might add) to pour into the space.

When you walk through 'my' doors, this is what you see. Swoon, double swoon. I adore this place. So spacious and spare. I brought canvasses, paint, brushes. That is it. Everything else belongs to the true owner of the space, lucky lucky man that he is, painting in Paris for a couple months.

This is where I am working. See those canvasses leaning against the white wall in the back? They are 30x40. Now you see what I mean about size. Of course I am still working 'small', ha, ha as evidenced by the ones on the wall. Big is coming soon though.
It feels so expansive with amazing energy - something I can't quite put my finger on, but it is all good. I'm headed out there right now.

Style File

2011-07-17T21:55:00.000-05:00

Check it out HERE. Seth Apter, The Pulse. My art & comment are featured today.
I also returned from Encausticamp today. Geez, still reeling from all the waxy goodness. Even better than the art-making was the comraderie of like-minded people. I was sad leaving. Once I come down from my 'high' I will share some details. But right now I am wallowing with John and the kitties. Ok, maybe that was too much information :)

Wax Portrait

2011-07-15T09:39:00.001-05:00

If someone had told me I could paint an encaustic portrait I would have told them they were delusional. Yet here it is.....from my class with Judy Wise.

Is it great? No, not really. But I am still proud and so anxious to try another one.
And oh, did I mention I only used Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Black & White? Just like the Egyptian Fayum portraits from the 1st century BC. Crazy, huh?
Encausticamp waxes on today when I am in class with Michelle Belto.

Experience Mixed Media art in France: announcing La Cascade

2011-07-06T16:46:00.000-05:00

Have you been wondering about my exciting news? I am still pinching myself over this one, seems so unbelievable how could it possibly be real? I am teaching in Durfort, France next year, at La Cascade.
Durfort is a small town southeast from Toulouse; imagine a 17th century house, perched next to a babbling river. Adventures abound - hiking (Roman ruins, anyone?), museums (Toulouse, Goya), markets, and food from our in house chef. And art. There is always art. I need it to breathe and I know you do too or you wouldn't be reading this.

So, what will I teach, you might ask?

I want to journey back to my roots of collage and painting and writing. I want us to feel the gentle influence of the land, taste the flavors, experience the light and energy of this fabulous location and allow it to guide our art. If we look and listen the roots will grow and sprout a new voice.

Photos of LaCascade courtesy of Dayle Doroshow, published with her permission

I am limiting the number of students to keep it very small. One of the things I have learned from Valley Ridge is the incredible gift of intimacy. It is a dance really, when one is attempting to earn a living - do I accept a lot of students (ie, more money) or do I keep it small? Well, this time I am keeping it small, very very small.

June 8-15, 2012. $1800 includes lodging, majority of food and class. More details available upon request, shoot me an email or comment if you are seriously interested. I don't plan to do widespread advertising.

Heating up for Encausticamp

2011-06-30T09:48:00.000-05:00

I've been painting a lot with encaustics as I prepare to leave for Encausticamp. Yeah, I know, that's a little crazy since I'm heading out there to learn about encaustics, why do I need to 'pre' study. What can I say, I consider myself a newbie with this medium and I just can't seem to get enough right now.
I will be taking classes from Michelle Belto, Judy Wise and Bridgette Guerzon Mills. Should be a fabulous experience.

I'm traveling with my friend Julie and we are so compatible in our ways. We are flying out early to spend a little extra time in Portland being tourists since we have never been there before. If anyone has suggested 'must see' places, just let me know, ok? We plan to catch up with Dayna, a friend from Artfest and I bet she knows some great spots, but the more the merrier.

And oh!! The 5th edition of The Pulse comes comes out this Saturday, with posts also on Sunday and Monday. Thereafter you can look for weekly posts every Sunday. I have put a link over on my sidebar so you can easily click over to it. I submitted some material but I'm not sure when mine will be published. I'll let you know.

Art Heals

2011-06-27T10:36:00.000-05:00

Jenny Doh has made a mission of how Art Saves and I have experienced this over and over in my own life. This past weekend reaffirmed my thinking. I spent a lot of time in the studio, playing with plaster techniques I learned in Judy and Stephanie's class. I'm getting ready for Encausticamp, so I used my 'plaster preps' as the underlayer for encaustic pieces. Here are some of the pieces:

Plaster of Paris (grid) with tar and encaustic

Plaster of Paris (see the grayish parts), tar and encaustic

Plaster of Paris, tar, encaustic and collage

I want to give my profound thanks to all of you who commented or sent me personal emails. I can't tell you how much this meant to me. It was really hard for me to show the vulnerable side of myself in such a public way and I am very grateful for the love and support.

No wine for whiners

2011-06-24T00:05:00.000-05:00

My blog is not a whining platform. Ok, maybe just a little bit, I've had a poopy ~~day~~ week, so just indulge me for a moment or two if you don't mind.
I know I project this happy go-lucky front, but sometimes not so much; it really is just a front. Inside I am a bundle of insecurities and I take everything way too personally.
Like when I get a nasty-gram email from an anonymous person. Or another anonymous person keys my car while it is parked at the Mall. Or when yet another anonymous person gives my book an insanely cruddy review because I use the word, "Yum."
Perhaps I am too thin skinned, I know I am, always hoping that everyone likes me. Which many people do and of course that makes it even harder when someone lashes out. Particularly when they hide behind the cloak of anonymity! Geez, that is kind of a cheap shot, at least I think so.

"The Moon's Burden redux"- Acrylic, Wood Icing, graphite, ink

So I'm sad today. Sad for people who don't have the courage to stand behind their words or actions. Sad for the reality from which they come. And sad because I can't help or take action or fix something like I am want to do.

Plaster me with Diamonds

2011-06-20T10:49:00.000-05:00

I had the most marvelous weekend. Got to make some art, hang out with my sweetie, see the grand kids, catch up with art friends, wallow around the house - geez, as far as I'm concerned it doesn't get much better than this.
I am taking Judy Wise & Stephanie Lee's Plaster class. It is wonderful and I am loving it. You all know how much I adore Wood Icing, well, I wanted to take this class to basically force myself to experiment with all the other plaster and plaster type products on the market. I guess I feel like I will be a better representative for Wood Icing if I completely understand how all the products work. And, after just one week of class, I have learned so much. If you aren't in the class, grab their book for sure.
Plaster Studio: Mixed-Media Techniques for Painting, Casting and Carving
It is chock full of interesting projects and techniques.
Ok, so here's my first attempt at using the Joint Compound.

12" x 6" Mixed media

And, so far I have learned that I like Plaster of Paris a lot. It dries down nice and hard and the substrate feels familiar to me. But it is kind of a pain to have to mix it up since I am basically pretty lazy.Joint Compound.....mmm, I'm not as hip on it. I can't get it to do what I want as it doesn't want to hold the level of texture and when I rub it too hard, the texture sort of rubs off, it is hard to explain. I am glad I tried it though.
Overall, my infatuation with Wood Icing continues for several reasons - it holds a nice precise line when you carve into it and use stencils. It is super sturdy and doesn't crack off the substrate. Plus the drying time (of the Wood Icing) simply can't be beat. Geez Louise does it take a long time for some of these others to dry. I tend to want to use texture through my entire process, like I'll be painting and want to stencil some more texture on top, or palette texture over part of the piece and then write into it.....Wood Icing allows me to do that, but I can't see myself mixing up Plaster of Paris or using the Joint Compound due to drying issues.
All this being said, I still adore (!!!) the class with the genius Judy and Stephanie duo and am learning great things from them. They are top notch teachers.
I have some exciting news but it is going to have to wait as I'm still firming up details. Suffice to say it.is.big.

A Perfect Pear and/or Pair

2011-06-15T09:28:00.001-05:00

Katherine Engen and me

Some images from the class - Paste Painted Paper, Batik, some arty pics that I took

You all know how much I love Valley Ridge, geez, I talk about it enough, huh? Well, I finagled another trip up there, tee, hee. This time the class was Paste Painted Paper (which I taught) and Batik Paper (which Katherine taught). It was a blast. The students loved the Paste Paper and enjoyed my unusual techniques........that is, until the genius Katherine pulled out dyes for Batik Paper......and we smelled wax.....and we played in wax......and........well, let's just say I am in love with a new technique. I have been bitten hard by this one. Wowza!!! It was too good for words, and sadly, my paste painted papers look very mundane in comparison.
You will see more Batik papers from me as Katherine wants me to take this class from her and "run with it." Such generosity and oh how I can.not.wait. Have already ordered supplies as I am anxious to make this my own, with a strong influence from my dear friend Katherine. Of course.
And see that pic of horses......we were thrilled beyond belief when Katherine's neighbor Verne offered us a ride with his majestic Percherons.
And what, pray tell is that other item? Turkey feet. Yeah, who knew they were so beautiful. My eyes were opened to all sorts of beauty this past weekend and I am so grateful to Katherine for the opportunity.....to my students for their support and friendship.....and to life....I have to pinch myself I feel so blissed.

Stencil Madness

2011-06-08T08:41:00.000-05:00

Available in both the 9x12 and 6x5 sizes. Click HERE to see them on Stencil Girl. I am heading off to Valley Ridge for 3 days of Paste Paper and Batik Wax paper, woo hoo!!! Katherine and I are doing a collaborative painting frenzy and I can.not.wait. I sincerely hope it is cooler in Wisconsin and I also hope there are no Cicadas.
No worries though, John will be here to fulfill all your Stencil Girl orders cause I like to keep him busy, ha, ha.

Nine

2011-06-06T17:22:00.000-05:00

That is the number of new stencils we will release very soon - in both the 9x12 and 5x6 sizes. John has photographed them and I am working on getting them up on the site. Actually, better said, I am building a totally new site. So, here are my teaser photos.......amazing stencils by Judy Wise and Pam Carriker. I can hardly wait to share them with you guys. They are sooooo sweet!

A little imaginary vacation

2011-06-02T11:13:00.002-05:00

You might recall here when I drove to Licking, MO to teach a collage class organized by Lanie Frick. Well, I told Lanie about my involvement with the Wood Icing Studio & Gallery and how I teach and exhibit there. She was immediately interested and we've been trying to set up a time for her to come over and see the space.
And yesterday was it! She came for lunch cause of course everything I do has to involve food I am a little piggy like that. We met up with Bud. Lanie and Bud are friends from a long time ago, horse friends. It was really fun for me to hear them share stories - not being a 'horse person', it is incredibly exotic to me. I especially enjoy hearing about the horse's personalities; they are apparently just like people with very strong traits. It really makes me wish I had another childhood to live, so I could grow up as a 'horse girl' riding bareback through the woods, oh how I can dream.......
Anyhoo, I digress. As usual.

Once at Wood Icing, Lanie showed her work to Rose and was invited to join the Gallery. Yippee!!! Since we have an Opening coming up on 6/18, getting her work framed was of the utmost importance, so we headed straight to Michael's, coupon in hand, to select frames for her pieces. Pieces that are so friggin' amazing......like this......

I adored hearing Lanie's stories and I wanted to listen all day long, I think I must have lived in the country in a previous life, that is how drawn I am to hearing about every.little.thing......from raising baby goats to getting thrown from a horse to a bank drive thru where the teller not only knows your name, but knows your dog and sends a treat back with the deposit slip. Another world that is oh-so-lovely and oh-so-different from the suburban world where I live. Ahh....
We popped over to Chesterfield Arts to see a show that my friend Jeff had curated (nice job, dude!) and I signed up to volunteer for Make Your Mark which happens this coming Saturday and is the singular coolest community arts project that I know of. We saw the 'paint by number' on the levee wall, perused the sketch and I am getting very excited indeed. Hope that my grandsons and anyone else in our area will come on out to paint with us on Saturday.
Geez, Louise, sorry I've been such a blabber mouth today, before I leave, here is a link to Lanie's BLOG.
I wanna get her writing more. Cause I, for one, really like her stories.
And oh.......forgot to mention.....I have started a new site - a place to sell my art since I'm not doing the Art Fairs this year. If you are interested, you can check it out HERE. I will post pieces every now and then. I'm trying to keep the prices reasonable since I don't have to incur the booth fee, etc. And each one is obviously an original, so when it's gone it's gone.

Stratalicious!! It's not just about rocks ya know

2011-05-31T17:00:00.000-05:00

I am crazy about rocks, most of my friends know this odd fact about me. I pick them up everywhere and have several displays in my studio. I thought I would talk about the history of this journey.
I have to say my obsession started when I was a kid and spent so much time piddling around in the creek. That was back in the days when we didn't have air conditioning; we only had one car; we certainly didn't have computers or electronic toys, so the summers were long and they were hot. I swear my Mom used to throw us out of the house and we couldn't come back till mealtime. I exaggerate, but it was nearly that bad.
It is definitely true that we played in the creek a lot. With rocks and crawdads mainly. Me with rocks, my brothers with crawdads.
So I have alwaysalwaysalways loved the way that rocks look, especially when they are in water. It is so amazing because their color intensifies and there is so much variation of hue.
Several years ago, I went up to St. Joseph, MI for an art fair and found the most amazing rocks there; finding them brought back childhood memories like crazy. I ended up carrying a ton of them home and even did a series prompted by these rocks, "The Community Series."


St. Joseph, MI - the east side of Lake Michigan


8x8 on claybord, part of my Community series

Then, I visited an Open Mine in New Hampshire and ohmygoodness, that was all she wrote. I could.not.get.enough. The idea of depicting cut away views of rocks kept nagging at me and I knew I had to play around with this idea. That is when I started my Stratalicious series. Here are a few paintings I have done:

Then, some friends asked me to teach them. Which I did, here in St. Louis.
I was stunned at the work they made. Beautiful, amazing interpretations, all very diverse. Look at just a few student's work. One person had never painted before.......ahem.....sweet, huh?

But ya know, it's not really all about the rocks. It's more about layers and how to build effective color and texture and especially trying to create numerous variations of texture. In fact, the pieces end up being practically texture samplers that are lots of fun to make.

I'll be teaching this class at Art Unraveled and also at Squam (where we will include an Encaustic layer too!) Still room in both classes......would love to see you there!

Final Blog Book Tour, week #15 - and we have a winner!!

2011-05-25T09:50:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Connie, who is the lucky winner of the 'Whole Shabang' for the final stop on the Book Tour. Yipppee!!!

The Book (of course you know I'm talking about my book, more pimping) visits Misty Mawn today. Yep, Misty is one of my guest artists, - she created a lovely monochromatic white on white piece for the book. I lovelovelove the piece and it now hangs in my foyer, because she is so sweet she gave it to me.

I was lucky enough to be in her very first ever class, which she taught at Artfest, I can't remember how many years ago. She was crazy nervous about it for no reason whatsoever, I might add. Because she was brilliant, such a generous teacher that I thoroughly enjoyed the class - she turned me on to the Stabilo Marks all pencil that has since become one of my 'must have' pencils.

And then we became friends. Girls who hang spoons from their noses need to stick together, ha, ha.
And now we both have books out, yippeee, who would have thunk it? I got Misty's book in the mail last week and can attest to how fabulous it is - so fabulous that I have read it cover to cover and I seldom do that. So, go now and buy my book and Misty's book. You know you deserve it, tee, hee.
All right, pimping over.
Since it is our last week of the Blog Book Tour, I have a great give away in store for you.....

Stencils + Book + Wood Icing = the Whole Shebang!!!

Enter early, enter often. Tweet & Facebook, let's make this one a biggie and end with a splash. I so appreciate the enthusiasm you have all displayed for these contests. It has been a lot of fun! I will pick a winner at the end of the day on Monday, May 30th.

What do you get

2011-05-24T16:10:00.001-05:00

When you combine rice, pearl couscous, wild rice and macaroni?

I guess you are going to have to wait and see. I'm being a tease today, wink, wink. I will say it is most probably not what you think.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Congratulations!

2011-05-23T16:12:00.002-05:00

Jennifer Higgens!!!!! won Beth's lovely photo.

Valley Ridge Recap

2011-05-19T18:46:00.011-05:00

Here is a little slide show/movie of the student work from Valley Ridge. I took these with my iPhone, so some are a tad fuzzy and I'm sure some are upside down. But they are all gorgeous and the paintings work from any direction which means they are good abstracts!!

My next teaching gig is Art Unraveled, Click HERE to see my classes.

And don't forget to enter this week's contests HERE and HERE.