The Kick Off

Join me at The Altered Page beginning tomorrow, March 1st, as I kick off the celebration of the release of my book The Pulse of Mixed Media. As of today, the book is now shipping from both the North Light Shop and Barnes & Noble. Amazon will begin shipping soon. I will be hosting a series of online and live events that I hope you will join. I will be adding new events in the coming weeks and you can always click the links on my sidebar under the heading 'book release tour' to see the latest list.

I couldn't be any happier with North Light Books and my editor, the amazing Tonia Davenport. Here is a taste of the layout of the book. The left page is a composite of artwork from contributing artists Danny Gregory, Pam Carriker, and Orly Avineri.

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The online celebration kicks off tomorrow with 31 Artists/31 Days. You will find a post every single day in March that introduces you to each of the 31 spotlight artists in my book. See their beautiful faces, read their 'quirky' bios written in their own words, see some of their art that led me to invite them to be a part of my book, and hear my story of what they each mean to me. Then click on over to their sites and see what they have to say about The Pulse of Mixed Media. I am very excited about this blog tour...and it is only the first of many online events that will unfold. 

But what is a blog tour without a giveaway! Anytime during the month of March that you leave a comment on a 31/31 post on my blog or on a 31/31 post on the blogs of the participating artists, you will have one chance to win. So if you leave a comment on all 31 days on every site...you will have 62 chances to win. And the best part are the prizes. As I travel throughout the country on my book tour, I will be meeting many of the 133 artists that are part of the book. And each one will be signing several copies of the book, one of which will be the first prize for the 31/31 giveaway. (You will hear more about the other signed copies soon). The second and third prize will also be a copy of the book but with just a single signature...mine!

So please mark your calendars and stop by my blog for the festivities. And look for an announcement in the coming days telling how you can become a participant in a very special online component to The Pulse of Mixed Media.

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For all you Tweeters:  There will be a Twitter launch party for my book on Wednesday, March 21st from 9-10pm EST. More info on that soon. Also, I will be announcing events and sharing live updates from my book tour on Twitter. To stay current and not miss a tweet, be sure to follow #pulsebook - the hashtag that will be attached to every one of my book-related tweets.

Art is Definitely YOU!

I will be teaching a new workshop at Art is...You, which this year moves to Stamford, Connecticut. The retreat is being held from October 4th to October 8th. You can read more about the event and see all the instructors and workshops here. Registration opens on February 29th. I will also be vending at the Art Trunk on Saturday, October 6th.

52 Card Pick-Up

Saturday October 6th 10am-5pm

A deck...52 cards. A year...52 weeks. 

Make the most of this synchronicity by creating a one-of-a-kind, mixed media journal that you can use to document a year in your life, week by week. 

Click here for more detailed information.

Looking forward to seeing many of you in October!

It's a Win/Win

Two of the coolest cats out there, Lisa Hoffman and Matt Wood, have joined forces once again and have created Win/Win: Your On-Call Personal Amazing Creative Team. I am spreading the word because I believe in both of them, because I feel that their work is top notch, and because as a team they will turn your ideas into a reality and do it at a truly affordable rate.

Do you want to meet them first? Well here they are (virtually) showing up at my place in NYC all the way from Colorado.

They can help you with web illustrations, blog banners and buttons, postcard art, custom greeting cards, custom lettering, business card design, and more. Lisa handles the business side of things: concept, design, pricing, etc. and Matt handles the actual illustrating. They are artists first and truly understand the needs of our community. Head on over and read a bit more. If you contact Lisa...tell her Seth sent ya!

Master Class 13: The Final Fifteen

Welcome to the 5th edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals. More than 130 artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented in a series of online posts which will run every Sunday.

Style File and Techniques & Tools were the first two projects posted and links to all 23 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The third project, Master Class, continues now...

Participants were asked : 'If you could take a class from one artist from anytime in history, including the present, who would it be and why?'

(Images and links have been added by The Altered Page)
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Dina Wakley "would love to take a class from Helen Frankenthaler. I love her color field paintings...so inspiring!

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Laura J. Wellner chose Karl Schrag, saying "I had the pleasure to meet him in 1991 when Syracuse University hosted an exhibition of his paintings and prints; he was very kind and I sensed a well-being about him that echoed from his artwork. He truly loved what he did. He kept on track of his vision rather than being swayed by the latest art movement.  I love his use of line and color.

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Dave Dube selected Maxfield Parrish. "I've always admired his illustrations and his use of glazing in his landscapes.

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Shirley Ende-Saxe said "I'd love to just be around Charles Burchfield and watch him. He was so awfully conventional, wore a sit and tie to paint but his paintings are thoroughly wild and virtually dance off the paper. That kind of juxtaposition intrigues me. It's as if his whole artistic life was surreal.

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Annie Kerr said "it would have to be with William Turner learning how he depicts skies and light. Naturally, we would have to be out in the wilds, with sketches held down by stones and vast skies all around us."

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Arabella Grayson selected Ghanaian artist/philosopher Kofi Setordji. "He is one of the keenest observers, a philosopher of depth, a wise spirit who expressed himself through sculpture and painting. Self-taught, his work is unencumbered by convention and the Academy. His is truly an authentic expression, giving voice to his world views and spiritual awareness.

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Terry Garrett chose Joseph Cornell. "I have read lots about him and his collages and boxes are so intriguing to me. I would love to learn how he approached his work."

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Julie Schackson said "I would like to take a class from Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser because of the immense diversity of form and media that his art covered. Hundertwasser was an incredibly prolific artist - a magnificent painter, a vibrant architect who was the first to advocate sustainable building methods. He made mosaic murals, designed a collection of stamps, designed and made his own clothes, etc. I love the way his keen aesthetic threaded its way through the many forms he embraced."

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Debbie Price-Ewen selected "Marc Chagall - for his unique perspective, his colours and his style. He painted with true freedom of expression: fluid, unfettered and celebratory."

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Victoria Crowder Payne said "Without a doubt, Anne Sexton. Her singular style of word-smithing and pushing both cultural and poetic form limits has informed and inspired my own journey of developing text as art in both my visual and written arts."

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Lisa Scadron picked Mark Twain. "He believed in the worthiness of being or trying to be a well-rounded individual. He did not believe in the necessity of singularly devoting oneself to Art in order to be a "great" artist. I think this perspective from someone who was a truly great artist (yes, I consider writing a form of art) would create a substantive learning environment, regardless of the class subject matter."

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Tari Goerlitz chose Florence Broadhurst. "She was not only an amazing artist and printer, she was a clever business woman."

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Gail Pierce selected photographer Edward Weston. I had the privilege of knowing two of his sons, both now deceased, and took workshops from them. Edward used a basic camera and is known for his 'masterful eye.' He, I believe, was one of the most influential photographers of the 20th Century. There are times when I look through the viewfinder of a digital camera and wonder what Weston would think."

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Art by Canace chose Frederic Church of the Hudson River School of Artists. The style is unmistakably dramatic, the subject material breathtaking. I've visited most all of the sites on the Hudson River School trail and it's exciting to walk in the footsteps of those I consider the American Masters."

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Martha Marshall said "I would like to just be in the room to watch Antoni Tapies work. He wouldn't even have to speak. I love the directness and meditative qualities of his paintings."

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This posting marks the end of the 'Master Class' series. The links to all 13 posts will remain on my sidebar, where you can also find links to every post of every edition of The Pulse.

This will also be the last weekly Sunday posting for several months, at which time the posts from the fifth edition of The Pulse will continue. In it's place will be daily posts related to my book , an extension of this online series.

First up, beginning March 1:

Master Class 12: Artist Groups

Welcome to the 5th edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals. More than 130 artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented in a series of online posts which will run every Sunday.

Style File and Techniques & Tools were the first two projects posted and links to all 23 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The third project, Master Class, continues now...

Participants were asked : 'If you could take a class from one artist from anytime in history, including the present, who would it be and why?'

(Images and links have been added by The Altered Page)
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In some cases, rather than selecting single artists, the participants chose artist groups.

Leslie Marsh "would love to have been mentored by the artists of the Roycroft community in East Aurora, New York, during the Arts and Crafts movement.

The furniture, lamps, books and metal work produced by the Roycrofters are very appealing to me, as is their community of creative thinks sharing social and cultural ideas. I surround myself with furniture and work that came from this period, and the colors and elements I choose to work with are borrowed from the rich Arts and Crafts palette."

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Wen Redmond went further back in history. "I would like to be there, for a day, with the ancient cave painters. I would like to feel their pulse of energy as the inspiration struck to use the contours of the walls in the development of their paintings."

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Kesha Bruce "would like to take a quilting class from the women of Gee's Bend. I'd give anything to better understand how they go about making their compositions, choosing colors, etc. Every quilt is a universe unto itself."

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Lottie Anderson said "there is a group that meets Wednesday evening and posts their work here that I would love to participate in and feed from. I love the various styles, the emotions they each capture, the fluidity. It is all so wonderful.

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Deryn Mentock would chose the "American Indian jewelry artists from the old days of Indian silversmithing. That jewelry was (and still is) such a beautiful expression of the culture; done with a limited number of tolls and supplies. Amazing!"

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Stephanie Brouwers chose "some unknown artist from some remote area like Papua New Guinea. I'd like to learn how that achieve so many intricate designs with the most basic tools. I'd like to see how they carve wood, how they drill the teeth and shells they use in their necklaces, how they weave fibers. The main thing I would like to learn is how to make more with less. It's already my philosophy but there's always room for improvement. I notice that the less I have the more creative I am.

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Next 'Master Class' will be held on Sunday, February 26th.

Save the Dates: Part 3

To celebrate the release of The Pulse of Mixed Media, I will be holding a series of live events starting in March and ending in May. My book tour will take me from coast to coast in the United States and into western Canada. Along the way, I will be meeting up with many of the more than 130 artists that are represented in the book. I hope that I can meet up with YOU too!

There are still more events that I am planning, but I wanted to share with you the cities, venues, and dates that have been confirmed so far, so that you can save the date if I am making a stop in your neighborhood. I will post updates to my blog and add to this original post, which will always be available to find by clicking the link on the sidebar of my blog.

And if you know of a venue that you think would be a good match, please do not hesitate to email me with contact information. Hey...you never know!

March 2nd: Annex 24 Gallery in Lancaster, PA. Join me for a book signing from 6-8:30pm to celebrate the opening of Out of the Dark - an exhibition by Loryn Spangler-Jones, one of the contributing artists in my book.

March 20th: Live radio interview with Lynne Asha Golliher and Dennis Warner on 'Dennis in the Morning' - WELV Radio Show 107.9 from Ellenville, NY. Tune in at 8:30am to hear about the book release and about my solo exhibition at The Gallery Link.

March 26th: The Gallery Link in Ellenvile, NY. There will be an artist reception at 6pm (coinciding with my art exhibition running from March 1 to April 23). At 7pm I will be presenting an artist talk about the inner aspects of the creative process of the artist as revealed on the pages of The Pulse of Mixed Media. This will be followed by a Q & A session and a book signing. Local, contributing artists 'Art by Canace' and Denise Aumick will also be attending the event. The events are free and open to the public but please RSVP at 845-647-5530.

March 31st: The Ink Pad in NYC. I will be moderating an artist panel with contributing artists Michelle Ward, Leslie Marsh, Karen Cole, Jill Zaheer, Roxanne Evans Stout, Julie Prichard, and Danny Gregory. The panel members will discuss their contributions to the book, answer audience questions, show samples of their artwork, share their personal creative process, and sign copies of the book. The panel runs from 10am to 12pm. The event is free and open to the public but you must contact The Ink Pad in advance at 212-463-9876 to reserve a place as seats are limited.

April 11th: Judith HeartSong Fine Art Studio and Gallery in Metro DC. Artist talk, book signing. The event runs from 6 to 8pm. Seating is very limited. Please email me at shap97@gmail.com for more details and to reserve your space.

April 14th: Barnes & Noble, Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, PA. Join me from 11am for a book signing. Also attending the event will be contributing artists Karen Cole and Leslie Marsh.

April 26th: Momo Lomo in Fort Collins, CO. Join me from 7 to 9pm for a book signing and launch party. Also attending will be a number of contributing artists from Colorado, including Sarah Fishburn and Lisa Hoffman. The event runs from 7-9pm.

April 28th: Two Hands Paperie in Boulder, CO. I will be moderating an artist panel with local contributing artists Lisa Hoffman, Sarah Fishburn, Fran Meneley and Marie Danti. The panel members will discuss their contributions to the book, answer audience questions, show samples of their artwork, share their personal creative process, and sign copies of the book. The panel is free and open to the public. The event runs from 10:30am to 12:00pm.

May 3rd: Le Marche St. George in Vancouver, BC Canada. Join me for a book signing and launch party at 6pm. Also attending will be a number of contributing artists from the book, including Patricia Larsen, Lelainia Lloyd, and Leslie Avon Miller. The event will be held in conjunction with Con Leche, an art exhibition including works by the Larsen family (Patricia, Janaki, Klee) and myself.

May 5th: Bellevue Art & Frame in Bellevue, Washington. Join me for an afternoon of art from 12-2pm. Contributing artists Donna Watson and leslie Avon Miller will be participating in an artist discussion, an art demo, and a book signing. The event is free and will be the last stop on my traveling promotional tour.

Master Class 11: Those in the Now

Welcome to the 5th edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals. More than 130 artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented in a series of online posts which will run every Sunday.

Style File and Techniques & Tools were the first two projects posted and links to all 23 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The third project, Master Class, continues now...

Participants were asked : 'If you could take a class from one artist from anytime in history, including the present, who would it be and why?'

(Images and links have been added by The Altered Page)
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While many survey participants chose old master artists, a good number chose artists hard at work today. These artists in the know have become artists in the now.

Denise Aumick said "One day I stumbled upon images of Gerhard Richter's abstract paintings while perusing a museum's holiday gift catalogue. Richter's abstracts are filled with so many textures and layers they encourage me to look deeper and look longer, enveloping me in their depths. Who better to take a class from than the person whose work has had a direct influence on my own?

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Ange selected Yves Leterme "for his striking contrast of blue pigment on gesso but mostly for his apparent ease in constructing gestuals of alphabets; they seem to arise effortlessly out of each piece."

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Kim Palmer decided to "go with someone from the present that I really admire and say Elfi Cella. Her ability to combine both her skills in miniature painting,

along with found objects and fabrics

and create the stunning work and textures she does, leaves me absolutely hooked every time. Where do I sign up?"
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Lise Hoffman selected Flora Bowley. "I love her approach of art and spirituality. I love her colors and art technique."

Brave Intuitive Painting

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Cathie Parreco chose Gregory Euclide. "I admire the many layers in his work and would like to know what adhesives and materials in uses. Does he start with a plan or does he just 'wing it.' He has a large library of You Tube videos documenting his work. It adds value for his audience and is a fine example of how an artist can use the web to market their work."

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Jude said "I'm going with Gregory Colbert. He is one artist whose work I look at and think 'what more can an artist say?' I'd like to learn more about his creative process."

Ashes and Snow: One Thousand Rivers

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Tracie Lyn Huskamp selected Sarah Lugg. "It would be heaven to study under Sarah Lugg. Although I admire many artists and many different styles, her nature inspired, ethereal works imbued with the most rich and dreamy colors, often highlighted with a splash of metallic, leaves me completely mesmerized. It is her complex collage arrangements, married with natural objects that has me staring at and studying her work for hours."

The Objects Of My Affection
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Dayna J. Collins said "It has to be Pat Wheeler, who I have been fortunate enough to take classes from on three occasions. Any chance I get to learn from Pat is time well spent. She not only teaches great art techniques, but also how to live in this world."

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Next 'Master Class' will be held on Saturday, February 25th.