Hands on Creativity 2013

Here are the pictures from this years Hands on Creativity at Plaza Artist Material.  Plaza has been my home for the past seven years, I have grown as an artist and a recycler there.  This year I had a booth as REmake Art teaching small pamphlet bookmaking made from reuse with the help of Lineco bookmaking supplies.  Everyone at HOC had a great time thanks to my wonderful boss, Bruce Baker (see above).  There were demos and booths with jacquard products, liquitex, golden acrylic paint, montanta paint pens and spray paint, amazing pin striping by Rick Harris, encaustic and much much more.  Hope to see you there in October 2014.

Groupings

1. Lost me, what does foam board have to do with life.

2. Madame, a mini book.  She was made from a sticker. 

3. Pink Girl

4. Abe from the behind.

5. him, his head

6. She got stuck.
7. THE Smush Series, #44

* Used on the set of ABC Nashville season 1

Christmas Card Workshop

Nothing quite as special as giving someone a handmade card.  Its unique and totally you plus can be environmentally friendly if you play your cards right (wow, me and art puns!).

I will show you on November 23rd (12 to 3pm) at Plaza Artist Material how to design and make handmade cards in large quantity, because you have a bunch of friends right?   We will talk about sourcing material, how to work more sustainable and tricks to working in a series, producing 20-30 cards in class.

Here are some I made.

Merry is an old print I had laying around, blue and maybe a bunny.  I added a hat in red berries.  I love the Plant a Tree cards below.  The cards are made from damaged paper I had tore down from another project, trees are construction paper doll outfit left over from babysitting and old letraset.

Plant two trees and give Thanks!

Plastic, Ewww.

So I have been a little plastic obsessed lately, not in a good way, like anti-plastic, like eww I don't want to touch it.  I get this way almost annually at work, all the plastic bags and all the waste.  Plastic bags and styrofoam are not easily recycled and let off fumes.   Maybe getting close to christmas does it to me, all that consumption, I start worrying.  Please help and pass on to lesson our plastic load.

Goals this week for me…1. Purchase Reusable to-go containers and use.  2. Not buy any plastic at the grocery store this week, WOW this will be hard.  All the things I can't buy running through my head; no chocolate almonds, no cheese, no lots of STUFF.  This week only, give it a try and I am defiantly reading up on My Plastic Free Life Guide get me through this change.  Visit the bulk bins at my local health food store and watch what I consume.

What can you try?

Book Love on Pinterest

Yes, I love Pinterest. Once you get rolling on it, it can link you with all kinds of beautiful web related things via image. Artist love images, so yes I love Pinterest. Here are six art book pieces that I find intriguing. Hope you do to.  Check out my Pinterest page and start pinning.  Lots of reuse ideas also.

Susan Mills

Doug Baulos-machinewithnoname

Erica Ekrem

Judith Hoffman - "Fish Messages, 1992"

3D paper heads

Louisa Boyd

Three New Books

1.  Chopped up dog, pamphlet dye books

2.  Paint Book, abstract watercolor cover

3.  The Wheel, canvas tabs with cut outs and collage

All the books are made from reuse and found materials.  I look in trash cans and love dirty paper.  Don't worry not too dirty.  I collect paper, then tear down to size, dye or munipulate in book form.  Blank pages to be filled, some to be turned, viewed.  

Workin It

I found some old prints.  I added a few layers to them to bring them up to date.  The florals turned out nice, muted colors on the yellow background.

These are old.  A self portrait in linoleum, printed badly I dare say but fun none the less.  

Another floral.  I did a run of small florals for different card series in the past.   

Trying to make cards lately and feeling stumped.  Christmas cards especially stuck, ugg.  Have a Christmas card class coming up on November 23rd 12 to 3.  

I will get over my card making hump way before the class, so join us.  

Email me today, registration is $40.00.  

We will make all the cards you need for the upcoming season.

Holiday sales will be coming up.  First on is on November 2nd at East Magnet Holiday Market.  I think this will be really fun, Janet Lee is putting it on.  Visit us 9am to 5pm.