Stencil Love

Since I began to design stencils for StencilGirl Products, I have released six designs. While I often use my own stencils in my own art, what really gets me excited is seeing how other artists incorporate my designs into their own work. Coming across a blog post that highlights this is always an unexpected thrill.

Today I wanted to share with you some of the artwork I have come across since my stencils were released. And if you have used my stencils in your own work, I would love if you would share a link in the comments section.

Vicky Hibbs (there is so much depth and movement in these pages)

Gwen Lafleur (The background was created using my stencil but I love the fact that stencils from both Orly Avineri and Roxanne Evans Stout were used for the main images)

Mary C. Nasser (Most of the amazing design in this piece was made using Mary's own stencils)

Linda Cain (love the color palette and the layering effect that she achieved here)

Suze Weinberg (so great to see the stencils used as part of a unique assemblage)

Boo (love the fact that she repeated many of the stencil details multiple times)

Karenliz Henderson (so much mystery and beauty in this artwork)

Judi Kauffman (a fan is such a unique shape for mixed media art)

Thanks to all these artists and to all of you who have created such incredible work using my stencils. 

Available for purchase here.

Spellbound: the giveaway

As a blogger for Spellbinders, I have had a chance to work with many of their product lines. A recent favorite of mine is definitely the A Gilded Life collection that was designed by mother and daughter team Shea Fragoso and Debbie Murray. I've spoken about this product line many times before and have used their bezels, pendants, dies, and texture plates as part of many recent art pieces.

Shea and Debbie host an annual art retreat in Pasadena, California called Spellbound. Spellbinders is running an amazing contest called Creating a Gilded Life and will be giving away a prize package that includes registration, airfare and shared hotel accommodations for one winner and their friend. To be eligible for this amazing contest, click here and follow the instructions. And tell them Seth sent you!

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The Week Links: 9

Join me every Sunday when I will share some of my favorite links I discovered in the previous week.
Weeks 1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8...

And here is Week 9

Absolutely in love these 6 tiny books in a bundle created by Trace Willans from the blog SoewnEarth.

I am finding these vintage photo drawings --posted on I Need a Guide -- by Lauren King quite mesmerizing and compelling. 

Ever want to be part of an art retreat but couldn't because of location, lack of time, expense, or home/job responsibilities? The Reality Retreat, coming this August, from the Art is You crew is perfect for you.

Fascinated by a post on textileartist.org that highlights the variety of effects that 7 textile artists have achieved using traditional stitch techniques in unique and innovate ways. 

Miriam Schulman shares her list of the 10 Best Blue Paint Colors for Your Home. As a lover of all hues blue, I am taking inspiration for my artwork from the color swatches in this post.

Darcy Wilkinson from the PaperArtsy blog created an artwork that used gel medium in 15 different ways. This is like a mini-workshop in a post.

Glimpses of the Masters

I feel so fortunate to live in NYC for countless reasons, not the least of which is easy access to so many museums and galleries. I often find that upon repeat visits, I am drawn to the same works of art over and over. This occurred yet again on a recent visit to the Museum of Modern Art.

As a way to see the works with fresh eyes, I decided to photograph details of each piece rather than the whole. In my mind, though, every glimpse is as compelling and exciting as the entire work.

Gilliam

Rothko

Marden

Johns

Rauschenberg

Rauschenberg

Decree

I could spend hours creating these backgrounds. Oh...I actually DO. 4 x4 inch cradled wood panel slathered in layers of gesso, acrylic paint, and acrylic glaze.

A beauty of a bezel from Spellbinders A Gilded Life Collection. This one is called Crown Bezel. It is the large, bronze variety and sets a majestic tone for the rest of the piece.

All the bezels in this collection come with matching dies so that you can cut the perfect inset to place inside. I cut some of my hand painted watercolor paper in shades of wine, red, and pink.

I used the same hand painted paper to cut a shape that I thought would match the curves of the bezel using die #3 from Spellbinders Labels Thirty-Two die set. This would be placed under the bezel.

My pieces would never be complete without the addition of some hardware or found object. I chose three metal pieces that I would layer and inset into the bezel. The gear is from a vintage watch.

To add to the background of the piece, I cut a circle and a loop from Spellbinders Large and Small Standard Circle die sets. The paper was card stock that I altered.

One of the beautiful dies from A Gilded Life collection is the Petite Monarch die. I used it to die cut and emboss a piece of gold craft foil.

As beautiful as this die is, my plan was to snip off four of the ends of the die cut to use as corner pieces in my artwork. The remainder of the die has been saved to use in a future project.

Layering and gluing all the elements that I had gathered led to a completed piece that I call Decree.

Sold. Thank you!

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Supply List

Spellbinders Paper Art Supplies:

MMM-001 Spellbinders® Artisan X-plorer
GLLB-003 Spellbinders® A Gilded Life Crown Bezel Large
GLD-003 Spellbinders® A Gilded Life Crown Circle die
S4-407 Spellbinders® Nestabilities^TM Labels Thirty-Two

S4-114 Spellbinders® Nestabilities^TM Standard Circles Large

S4-116 Spellbinders® Nestabilities^TM Standard Circles Small
GLLD-001 Spellbinders® A Gilded Life Petit Monarch die
F-012 Spellbinders® Precious Metals Premium Craft Foils Assortment 

Cross Promotional Partners: Golden Artists Colors, Inc. Fluid Acrylic Paint, Golden Artists Colors, Inc. Acrylic Glazing Liquid

Other: cradled wood panel, gesso, paint brush, hand painted and stamped paper, metal hardware, adhesive, scissor

The Week Links: 8

Join me every Sunday when I will share some of my favorite links I discovered in the previous week.
Weeks 1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7...

And here is Week 8

Selling Art, From a Gallerist's Perspective. This post from Brenda Hope Zappitell on Professional Artist website shares insights from three gallerists. It also includes links to 5 fascinating, artist videos.

Love this post on drawing from Lynne Hoppe. I am always mesmerized by her creations and the spirit/personality in each one. Head over to hear her thoughts on self doubt, critics, and drawings without hair, arms and legs.

15 seconds of mixed media heaven: art journals from Ruth Rae.

Karen Valentine from My Desert Cottage is hosting Where Bloggers Create 2014, an online party sharing links to a group of 100+ bloggers posting pictures of their studio spaces.

Paint outside the lines by following this tutorial posted on Create Mixed Media and excerpted from Tracy Verdugo's new book Paint Mojo.

Holly Becker from decor8 has a recent post entitled Can Full-time Bloggers Live Off Of Rainbows +Hugs? which she wrote in response to a reader who commented on the recent opening of her online store suggesting that she was selling out. Holly's post (along with the 120+ comments she received) is a must read for all bloggers. 

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