Working on a Class

I have been working on plans and examples for a class I will be teaching in a couple of weeks.  Basic surface design.  I am making this altered book for an end of the class drawing prize.  I have enjoyed this book as I started it early enough that the journey has been relaxed and fun!  I also have been making student kits.  And flyers.   I hope I get some students, lol.

I have examples of all the techniques I hope to demonstrate in the class in this book.  Should be a great reference book for someone, hun?

Peek

Here is a peek of the spring goddess doll I have been working on.  I am not sure she is totally finished.  She is a cutie, and minimalist in features....

What's On Your Art Desk?

I have a bunch of projects going on right now.  So, my art desk is pretty well covered up.  I like having more than one thing to work on cuz when I am in the mood, I am in the mood, ya know?  So, if I need to wait for glue or paint to dry, I can move to the next project and just keep right in my groove.  My muse loves me when I do this.  She gets rather out of sorts if she want to help me do something and there is nothing in the pipe yet.  So, today, I thought I would give you a glimpse or two of what I am working on.

The April Glossy challenge from the talented Alma Stoller.

A wire Art doll, just because.

And in the picture you see upper left, a card board shrine because I found this cool looking piece of cardboard and because my friend from the sketchbook group, Janet, posted a picture of a fabric shrine and inspired me.  And in the box is the folder books I am still working on (see previous post).  

And way to the left you can see an altered board book I am making for a prize for the surface design class I will be teaching at Gypsy Mama's in May.  And last but not least, somewhere in this place are some collage post cards as examples I used for the Earth Day fifth grade glass art project at our local elementary school, that I taught on Friday.  Art is so much fun... and sharing here and other places is one of the perks!

CPS Folder/books

In the last CPS,  an article on how to make some pocket folder books is found.  Since I have boo coo folders, manila and colors, I immediately made some... I always make more than one.  I sent a few away to people as gifts.  Then, in one of my groups, a discussion about them came up and some ideas for adaptations and such was bantered around.  I decided to try again.  The only adaptation I found I could do without major ajustments was to make the pockets deeper.  So, the folders are the same width but shorter.  They are fun to make... maybe you would like to make one!

Ancient Digs

I am always picking up little, and sometimes big books in my foraging at the YSM and thrift shops.
And, I don't know if I mentioned it but I have been on a mission to de clutter my stashes all this year.
And today, I found this sweet little book I bought somewhere and I thought I would share it with you.

I t is just this little maybe 4" X 5 " red cloth book.  No name on the front or on the spint.  See, I put my pen next to it so you can see it is not all that big.

And do you see the inside cover?  They are covered with flags from different countries in a checker board fashion.  And on the fly leaf, someone wrote such a sweet message to their Grandma.

And after that, every spread highlights a different country.  What I like about this is that it shows you how to say I Love You for that country on the left side.   Here is the spread for Brazil.

So, little red book, in English.... I love you!

I wonder if I will ever be able to actually "alter" this lovely little book? Sometimes, even your art can't improve something this cute.

Out on a Branch

Somewhere someone threw out the prompt "out on a limb."  I am not sure where now, sorry, it has been a while.  And although I thought about the prompt, as you probably have noticed, I have been brain dead when it comes to ideas and interpretations in art.  I am sorry if you have been wondering where I have been and what I have been doing.  Today, as I was  piddling around at my art desk, I came upon a piece of card/paper (the stuff I have on a roll and love) on which I had laminated some scrap eye lash yarns.  When I looked at one side of the piece it seemed to yell "here is your branching out piece of art!"  So, I cut off half of the card and kept the tree looking part (branches).  I glued this to a piece of gessoed board.  Tried out the new frog tape that is supposed to keep paint from migrating under it's edges, which worked very well thank you, continued a few of the thread lines into the gesso area, gave that a gold wash and here the little darling is.  A rather abstract small painting.  I plan to add a miniature bird somewhere... have to find one I like yet.  But, it was fun to do art I can post again.  I have been altering some board books, and sewing on some folder mini books too but not ready to show those yet.  This week I have to prepare a lesson on Guerilla Art for earth day with my 5th grade GD's class at school.  We are doing postcards.  Should be fun.

Another Mandala

In our mandala group we are trying all kinds of different ways to make mandalas.  This one is so shiney and eye catching and sparkling.  Wow, it was fun too!

Nuke Babe

Playing around with a rubber doll, and some special effects paint.  I called this Nuke Baby, lol.

Shopping at the Yard Sale Mall

No, yard sale mall is not an official title... it is just how I refer to hitting the circuit of yard sales, kind of like mall shopping, going from place to place.  So, over the years I have started referring to it as YSM, you know, cyber terminology like.  So, from spring to fall, you will see "this is what I found at the YSM" posts.  Today, I have two treasures (not all YSM finds are actually treasures but some do stand out) to show you.

For quite a few years I wanted a sewing dummy.  I found this old dress from on the coast of Oregon last summer... a true vintage lady.  I love her.  She is covered in old natural colored linen and has a metal neck piece with a name on it.   The hat too found locally, is pink felt... I want to someday do something fun with that.   I have the 100% natural linen jacket on her hoping an inspiration for jazzing the color up will pop into my mind. 

And for my first YSM shopping this spring I found these lovelies in a grocery sack full of old linens and doilies I bought.  I love these guys too.  I am sure they will adorn something soon!

And, in keeping with showing my almost daily art efforts, another mandala.  This one was an experiment in adding color using watercolor pencils and my new aqua brushes.  I like that I can water color on regular drawing paper with these brushes since the water control is great.

Fairies

These little ladies have been on my desktop for quite sometime.  I made them for a swap.  They are gone off to their new homes and others will be replacing most of them and all will join in a fat book.  I want to clean off my desktop this morning so here they are.

Painted Madalas

I decided to try some painted mandalas.  This is really a fun relaxing activity!  They turned out much more eye catching then I expected. These are rather small...about 6 or 7 inches.  I think I want to get a huge piece of paper and do a giant one!  lol.  Then, I would have to use the paper for something, but what?

Spring Hope

I usually get spring fever about the middle of Feb.  I did not suffer from it so much this year as I had a feeling of tiredness for the snow and cold.  Today, thrill, thrill, I was able to meander out doors for a stroll down the rock wall ( plus a few rock moving efforts to replace fallen rocks) and out into the sage to get a feel for my summer project I have in mind...that of making a walking labrynth.  I found the spot I think I want to construct in on, and hope that it is not going to be too difficult for this old lady to create!
And, so this brought me around to how well my feet are doing now.  I am able to walk pain free and had my walking tennys on this morning! Still do, actually, lol.
  Now, I have to show you a page I made about my feet.  I decided to use up a bit of gouache I had in a small container.  Red.  I added water and mooshed it around until it was the thickness of cream.  Using a brayer, I brayed the bottom of my feet then stepped onto the page to make feet prints.  This sorta reminded me of the cute little foot prints they put on babies birth records when they are born.  Those are so darn cute!  Mine, are not cute.

 I journaled about my feet as we are planning to go to Disneyland with our three car girls this summer and I am so glad and grateful they are well and I will be able to walk around with the girls somewhat.  I wanted the page to reflect the California sunny look.  It does.  One problem, however.  The gouache stained the bottom of my feet so red and they stayed that way for about ten days.  Who knew water based paint could be so color strong?