blogging challenge day 4 - Tranquility

Last night I attended an art show.  It was the first solo show for a former student of mine.

Her name is Sarra .  

 She is a senior in high school heading out to study art in the fall at Penn State.  She titled her show Tranquility. 

She not only created the art, but also planned and hung her own show.

  Several family members, friends, teachers and friends of friends were in attendance.  I've known Sarra since she was my student at 3 years old in preschool.  She's grown in so many ways and I couldn't be prouder.

As I was leaving, I saw a piece of art by another former student, Carly.  It was in a little case just outside the door.  It is a beautiful vessel, executed very nicely.

I remember when these two were running around camp coloring pictures with markers, I am suddenly feeling older...

I know you want to come to NASHVILLE!

Art-Is-You Art Retreats is coming to Nashville! 

 I am so excited to be one of the faculty teaching at this event.  My good friend and art sister, loretta benedetto marvel is co-teaching a very special class with me.  Together, we make The Poet and The Painter Sisters and our class is called the Art of Food. 

 Join us in making a mixed media book of food memories.  

It can be a cookbook with recipes, a memoir of your childhood favorites or simply a food journal.  You are only limited to your imagination!!  We will play with painting backgrounds, collaging, learn how to do an image transfer, make hidden pocket pull-outs and even learn how to create a double sliding mechanism which will all be bound with a super simple binding technique. 

 Oh, and don't forget about playing with words, washi tape and all kinds of embellishments!  And as a bonus, there will definitely be chocolate!! So start gathering up your recipes, memories and photos....it's going to be a foot-stompin' kicking up our heels kinda fun (and i'll wear my new cowboy boots)!!! Registration is open..sign up now...ART IS...NASHVILLE 

30 days of get your ART on!

Beginning October 1st, I'm joining traci bunkers in 30 days of get your ART on!!!  I need to jumpstart my creativity and the timing is right.  I'll be at ART IS for the first few days of October so i'll have some momentum going in.  wish me luck and if you can, join me!  

cherish mother earth

my latest painting, cherish mother earth, started with a sketch in my art journal.  i sat down and just started drawing. i was thinking about global warming and all the harsh weather systems that have passed through lately. I thought about all the tornadoes, heavy rain, hurricanes, heat, and the snow we had last october (which caused power outages for days, very unusual for metro NY).  i couldn't help but wonder, "Is there something to all this global warming?"  

original sketch in my art journal

I liked how this sketch made me feel, so i decided to paint it for the upcoming LIVING LARGE show.  I started painting and thinking about the natural elements of air, fire, water and earth.  I thought about global warming, I thought about mother nature.  The finished product is this.  When you look closely you can see drips here and there, that represents the melting, or global warming that is occurring on our planet.  

cherish mother earth
acrylic, 30"x40

me with my painting at the NRAA's LIVING LARGE exhibit
 part of the New Rochelle's ArtsFest 2012

Paper Source opens!!!

There's a NEW playspace in town!

Yesterday was my annual eye exam.  After it, i decided to take a walk and do a little window shopping.  well, my window shopping turned into real shopping when i discovered what opened! As an artist, imagine my excitement when i saw this:

Paper Source!  YaY!  I am so excited!  It's like a playspace for me.  When I need inspiration, I often will go to a bookstore and scour the books in the art section or I'll go to an art supply store and shop (A new pen or paint will work wonders for artist block).  That is exactly what I did at Paper Source.  They carry such beauty as this...

I just love handmade papers, japanese papers especially!  the colors, textures, feel..yum!

They also have a wonderful space to have classes, birthday parties and get togethers...

Who wants to come here with me and have a Friday night art journaling party complete with wine and cheese?

Something I liked was the look of these stamps together.  I've always had a fondness for typography and this just appealed to me.

I really don't use stamps in my art, but how cool is this?

Paper Source also carries stencils, gel pens, micron pens, bind it all machines, beautiful art calendars, fun little books and all kinds of little gifts.  They also have cardstock in a variety of colors with matching letter weight, and envelopes of various sizes.  good to know when you are planning a party.

But my latest guilty pleasure is washi tape and tissue tape.  Paper Source has it!

(some of this is fabric tape :) oooohhhh)

Another thing I found hiding on a table was this wonderful game:

I didn't buy it, but i think I'll be going back for it.  I'm thinking it will be a fun start off point for a crazy art journaling page.

And when I return, these guys are waiting for me...

 I think I'm going to need to get them too!!!

this is how santa's elves feel!

I've been busy preparing for my studio sale.  (which is this sunday 3-5 and monday 10-5)


why is it that we never feel we have enough?  well i've got glass tile necklaces, scrabble tile charms, prints of my work, originals of my work, fabric tote bags...and now 20 journals!
i've made 20 - 16 page pamphlet stitch journals filled with gorgeous paper that accepts both wet and dry media.  they all have handpainted covers, are handbound and they all have charm danglies hanging from the spine.  i just love danglies!

here are 8 of them

then i decided to go crazy!  I added fabric prints of my art and stitched all over the cover!  how fun!  this really is mixed media!!

i have 12 of these babies!!

it's funny, each one is different and i'm attached to them all.  

i can see different art in each one, or lists, or special writings or quotes that appeal to you!  my daughter just came home and spotted the 'peace heart' one and said, 'oh cool'. approval from a teen.   i guess i'm on the right track with these!

now i'm off to make some felt ornaments.....