SPECIAL POST - collaboration with AMARYLLIS CREATIONS

Hi everyone;

I was honored to get an invite from my dear art pal, Genevieve Crabe of Amaryllis Creations, to "test drive" her wonderful new line of masks.  It was a really fun project to be part of and I am happy to share with you the projects I created using her fabulous products.

You can find out more about Genevieve, a Certified Zentangle Teacher, along with her other arty projects here on her website:

Genevieve Crabe - Amaryllis Creations Website

There are two sets of three masks, "Sisters" and "Yoga."    Immediately upon seeing them I knew they would work so well with my kind of art.  My art almost always has a meditative or spiritual/metaphysics angle to it, so adding a these types of components was a natural fit.  Though Genevieve and I did not discuss this beforehand, I have no doubt that she considered this when asking me to try out these masks.  She's so clever!

Anyway, here are the six masks.  They are made of very sturdy plastic and have terrific definition to them.  I found working with them very simple to do and they easily stood up to all the wear and tear I inflicted upon them.  They are all around the 7" tall mark, just FYI.

The first thing I did with the masks, was to use them to cut out some shapes with an assortment of different papers.  I was curious to see how these images would work with different patterns and textures.  Below is a scan of just a few of the samples I made.  They included:  sheet music (center bottom), some vintage Asian text super-imposed on scrap wallpaper (bottom right), gelli plate print (bottom left) and a print of a close up of some rusty metal (upper right).  All of them turned out just great!

If you know my art, you know I make funky little characters to use in it all the time.  I got on a roll and took some of these mask images and created some "people" for future artwork.  Here's what I came up with, using an assortment of markers, recycled doodads and collage elements.

Next, I created a set of two finished pieces using a couple of these "characters" that I'd made using my gelli plate prints.  The quote used in these two pieces is "Reach High For Stars Lie Hidden In Your Soul.  Dream Deep For Every Dream Precedes The Goal."  

Each piece uses a gelli plate print for the background, along with other gelli prints for the sun image.  The first one has dangly, metallic gold stars done with Silks acrylics and sparkly doodads for the dangles (which don't show up well in the scan unfortunately).  

I rarely use digital print in my work, usually it's all "old school" collage, cut and paste.  In this case however, I thought I'd try adding the quote digitally and I am pleased with how they turned out.  I'm still going to go back to my "old school" collage techniques and finish off the originals that way.  You know what they say about old dogs learning new tricks!  LOL.

The last piece I will share with you was created a bit differently.  I used the mask in the true sense of what they were intended for.  I laid the mask on my gelli plate, then added a number of layers of acrylic paint and inks to get this look:

Then, I dithered back and forth, trying to decide how to proceed with this piece.  I really felt like I should do some more layers with the mask but wasn't sure how to proceed without ruining what I'd already done and liked so much.  

Then, I thought I should do some zentangle-style doodling in the white space created by the mask and continue to gelli print around it.  No, couldn't bring myself to do that either.  

So, finally, since the only things that kept coming to mind for how to finish this piece involved my old standby, collage, I decided not to fight it anymore.  Once, I made that decision, the collage came together quickly.  I used other gelli prints for the "grass" and for the border at the top of the piece.  The main character is a gelli print with a stamped image on the body and a collage element for the face.  The trees and flowers are more collage elements.  A bit of scribbly doodling with white and black pens and the piece was done.  

I must reiterate how much I enjoyed working with Genevieve's masks.  They really stood up well and I know I will get years of use out of them.  She tells me she is thinking of introducing a half-sized set as well for use in smaller art and I can't wait.  I will be the first in line to snap 'em up!

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  Don't forget to visit Genevieve's site for more info on these and other fabulous products!

Genevieve Crabe - Amaryllis Creations

Cheers!

Joanna

Gelli Printing Enthusiasts - BLOG HOP

I am happy to participate in this fun event organized by Michelle Reynolds who is the administrator of one of our Facebook groups, Gelli Printing Enthusiasts.

I have been gelli printing ever since the Gelli Arts people released their wonderful gelli plates a couple of years ago.  I have to say it has added SO much to my repertoire of skills to use in my mixed media and collage art.  As a longtime mixed media artist, I sometimes feel like I need to inject something new and fresh into my work.  Gelli plate printing was just the ticket for me and there's been no looking back.  I've made bazillions of prints and even taught an online class this summer on making art journals with gelli prints and recycled materials.  

Today, I wanted to share with you some ideas of the range of things you can make with your gelli prints.  The sky really is the limit and I would encourage you to use your imagination to its fullest here.  So often, I hear from my students or followers that they just don't know what to do with all these prints they are making.  Well, here are some ideas for you.  Each photo has a caption underneath it describing how the piece was made.

"Moon Goddess" was made with a recycled shipping tag
that was gelli printed on both sides.  I used a second
print for the face and stamped images for her "hair."
Funky fibers and some stick-on sparkly doodads
complete the piece.

"Full Moon On The 26" is an altered tag art doll.
The tag was gelli printed on both sides and then I used
salvaged beads and jewelry bits for the arms and
legs, and other recycled items for the head.
It's about 4.5" tall

"A Breath Of Fresh Air" was created on a
recycled CD for the base.  I glued a gelli print
onto the CD, then used other gelli prints to make
the little person, along with stamped images
and other collage elements.  It measures 4.75".

Artist Trading Cards - made with gelli prints
for the backgrounds and then stamped images
(Teesha Moore) and collage elements to finish them off.

Bookmarks - you can wrap a gelli print around
a piece of cardstock or cardboard and make
funky bookmarks.  Here I did that and added some
fun little collage characters to complete each piece.

Gelli Print Art Magnets - here I took gelli scraps
and adhered them to sticky-backed sheet magnets
and then collaged on top.  Each is 2" X 3.5"

Use your gelli scraps and your rubber stamps
to make fun little collage elements for other projects.

Use your gelli scraps and your rubber stampsto make fun little collage elements for other projects.

Gellii prints glued to recycled CDs which
will be used to make mixed media art magnets

Use a template to draw out this bow pattern
on the back of a gelli print, cut out and
assemble for one-of-a-kind gift ornaments.

There are so many more uses for those gelli prints but I'd better stop now so you can move along in your blog hop.  I hope I've sparked your imagination as to just a couple of fun and creative things you too can try.
Enjoy the rest of the hop!
Here's the list of other participants in this fun blog hop:

Wednesday 15th Oct Michelle Reynolds http://shellsinthebush.blogspot.com.au/
Thursday 16th Oct Joanna Grant  http://joannabananadesignoriginals.blogspot.com
Friday 17th Oct Jacques Williamos http://theelevatorpress.wordpress.com/
Saturday 18th Oct Linda Stokes http://www.lindastokes-textileartist.com/
Sunday 19th Oct Phillippa Montier http://pipart71.weebly.com
Monday 20th Oct Lauri Crowe http://www.laurijeancrowe.com
Tuesday 21st Oct Gail Schmidt http://www.shabbycottagestudio.net
Wednesday 22nd Oct Tami Sturm Howse  Www.thisandthatfromtami.blogspot.com

COLLABORATIVE ART PROJECT WITH JUDY WOOD

Hi again everyone!

Like my post last week, this project was another collaborative one, this time with my arty friend, the talented Judy Wood.  

Judy sent me this beautiful background to work with.  It's about 8" X 10" on watercolor paper.  The colors are just gorgeous and the scans really don't do it justice.  It has a beautiful metallic sheen to it.  It's also highly textural.  Judy said to me that she saw a beach scene when she looked at it (in landscape format, obviously).  I turned it to portrait format and began to see possibilities of my own.

The first thing I did was take some of my gelli print scraps and collaged them on to the background (far left and far right of the piece).  Down the center, I added some collage elements (courtesy Teesha Moore).

Next, I added a couple more of Teesha's collage elements to the bottom right and upper left.

The next step was to use an old credit card and white acrylic paint to get the streak effect running vertically down the piece.

 I added my central character next.  Her body is another Teesha collage element and her head is an image from an old catalog.

More collage elements (upper left corner and upper right of the piece) and some additional elements added to the body, including a black outline in china marker to make the central image stand out a bit more.

In the next step I added another character to the right side of the piece (she's made up of a couple of different elements).  I also added some of my own handmade art doodle circles. 

Next, I painted the stars in gold Silks (shimmery acrylics) and used some recycled scrapbooking supplies for the dangles the stars hang from.  And finally I added some doodling to highlight areas of the piece.

I was amazed how quickly this piece came together.  Very often when I am working on collaborative pieces with other artists, it seems to take forever to get going on it.  This one came together in a matter of a few hours and was done.  Obviously, I was in "the zone" when this opportunity came my way.

Thank you, dear Judy, for this fun project to work on together. I  hope you like the final result.

Thanks for looking and I'll see you all next time.

Cheers!

Joanna

Guest Artist - Judy Wood

Hello and welcome back!  It's my pleasure today to present an interview done recently with the talented, Judy Wood, of Mesa, Arizona.  Judy is a multi-media artist and a woman of many talents.

I hope you'll enjoy getting to know Judy a bit better and seeing some of her wonderful art.  Thank you so much, Judy, for sharing a bit of yourself with us!

Cheers!
Joanna

Interview With Judy Wood

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a long time resident of sunny Arizona.  I am happily married with two grown kids and a myriad of grandchildren, including two new grand daughters born in 2013.  I am a mixed media artist with a degree in painting from Arizona State University.  I started college later than most, when my youngest son started kindergarten. 

How long have you been making art?

My grandmother was a mixed media artist, everything from basket weaving to decoupage.  My dad is a retired photographer.  We always had art supplies around the house.  Like most kids, one of my favorite mediums growing up was crayon on paper.  The paper was furnished by my grandmother; she worked in an envelope factory in Portland, Oregon.  She would send us boxes of "windows", the cut outs from envelopes.  I'd be the first one up on Saturday morning, I'd turn on the TV and draw, cut, create by the hour while watching Saturday morning cartoons.  I took an art class in high school, I really enjoyed mixing paint.  That's when I really started to create what I called "art!"

What is/are your favorite medium/media to work in?  Why?

I've dabbled in almost every area: printmaking, photography, sculpture, jewelry, papermaking, watercolor, acrylic painting and I've worked in wood and bronze.  There is nothing I won't try in the field of art.  Something that is on my "bucket list" is to find the perfect simple line.  I draw or paint almost daily.  Sometimes I can't duplicate exactly what I see in my mind's eye, but I'm usually pleased with the unexpected results of my efforts.

What are your favorite art supplies to work with and why?

Watercolor is my absolute favorite, it's so unpredictable?  Last summer I worked on a technique that's always elude dme.  I had two studios set up during the summer, one in my art room and one in my dining room.  If I woke up early, let's say for example four a.m., I'd go into the dining room.  Everything was already set up, even the water, and I'd paint until others in the house awoke.  It was so refreshing to get an early start.

I also love taking photos!  I like to take something so mundane and make it interesting, through composition or creative editing.

Who or what inspires you in your art?

I love to study the old masters; Van Gogh, Monet, da Vinci, Degas, and so many others.  I love studying the color schemes and compositions of old masters.  When I was assigned an official "Old Masters Study" in college, I stuied the work of pop artist, Claes Oldenburg.  Pop art is so fun and colorful!  I learned so much copying the details, color schemes, subject matter of various pop artists.  I created a series of light bulbs in the part, in bright colored acrylics.  The set was sold to a stockbroker!

What are your greatest challenges in making art?

Wall space!  We bought a lovely home 14 years ago, I wasn't going to hang artwork except in the "gallery."  I was painting so much and so large that walls began to fill!  Sometimes people would come over and see lots of nails on the wall and inquire about the missing artwork.  Some of my largest pieces have had shows at galleries and shops.  It's a nice topic of conversation.

How has being an artist impacted your life?

Good question!  I have the freedom to create!  I am a mixed media artist and writer, but most importantly, I enjoy teaching others my techniques!  Nothing I make, even my own "shimmery backgrounds" is off limits, ask a question how I make ANYTHING and I will tell you!  My sons are both artists and musicians.  We took them everywhere with us, museums, movies, operas, symphonies, art festivals, musicals, the list goes on.  My greatest joy is influencing my children to become more than I've ever hoped to be!

If you couldn't make art, what would you do instead?

I would love to find more time to write, and write and write.  I am a poet, I "tweet" two micro poems almost every day.  I am also sel- publishing my book of autobiographical poetry.  My book has some of my photos and artwork included.  I also love teaching.  There weren't any jobs in the arts when I got my masters degree in secondary education so I work as a full time high school substitute teacher.  I work almost every day and love to encourage students to do their best, go to college or find out what they are passionate about and do that for a living.

Where do you see yourself as an artist in five years?  Ten years?

Life is a mystery, I don't know what my future holds.  I hope to be a well rounded mixed media artist.  I'd love to show my work in a variety of locations, in and out of our lovely state.  My dream job is to be an educational director at a local museum.

What advice to you have for others just starting on their creative journey?

Don't hold back!  If you can visualize it, you can create it!

Judy's Domino Collages:

"One of the household items I use in collage is dominoes.  I've made mini books and pendants, but I just can't get enough of making altered domino collages.  Here are a few of my favorites.  I have instructions on how to make your own domino collage on my blog at :
http://creativearts-jwood.blogspot.com/  "

You can find Judy here:

Email: judy@abrushwithangels.com

Art Blog: http://creativearts-jwood.blogspot.com/

Local Interest Blog: http://aztreasures.blogspot.com/

RECYCLE THOSE CHRISTMAS CARDS INTO ORNAMENTS !

Hello All and welcome back!

This is just a quick post to share the link to my guest artist post over on "12 Months In View," where we take Christmas cards and recycle them into angel ornaments.  For those of you with me back in December 2012, I posted this lesson here on my own blog.

Here is the link and I hope you enjoy this quick and easy project!

Cheers!
Joanna

Tutorial - How To Make Angel Ornaments With Recycled Christmas Cards