The Altered Page

Save the Dates: Part 1

2012-01-24T14:36:00.002-05:00

2012 is turning into a very busy year for me, with so many exciting adventures waiting to unfold. As of now, I will be giving workshops in three different venues...

The Ink Pad in New York, NY on March 31st

Mixed Media Dossier - Class full. Thank you!
Waiting list started

CREATE Mixed Media Reteat in Somerset, NJ on July 18th-22nd

I will be teaching 4 workshops at the inaugural CREATE event in New Jersey. Details of my workshops and the entire event will be posted on the CREATE website during the first week of February and registration will begin in mid-February. Here is a preview:

A Box of Dreams on July 18th

Collaboration Station on July 18th

Mixed Media Dossier on July 19th

Text Tiles on July 19th

I will also be vending at the CREATE Artists' Faire July 20th

Art is You in Stamford, CT on October 4th-9th

I will be teaching at Art is You (workshop dates to be announced) and vending at The Art Trunk on October 6th. Information and registration will go live in February on the Art is You website. Until then, have a look at the amazing group of faculty already lined up.

Stay tuned for another post, Save the Dates: Part 2, which will include a list of my live events throughout the United States and Canada that will be held from March through May to celebrate the release of my book. I just may be coming to a neighborhood near you!

Master Class 7: A Material World

2012-01-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

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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A number of the selections included artists whose best-known work was driven by materials, whether paper, metal, clay, or wood.

Anne Bagby said "If I could have one artist come to my studio and bring his "stuff", it would be Fred Otnes. His work is unique, exciting, layered and complex. I would love to see him collage and talk about it. Or maybe go to his studio and see all his "stuff". Texture, neutrals, nuance. He is the best!"

Sally Turlington believes "that Fred Otnes is an old master of collage painting. His work embodies many of the aspects I aspire to with my work - arranging unrelated objects and oddments in happy, lucky juxtaposition of control and chance resulting in confident designs layered in mystery and fun. His are the ultimate."

Susan Madden shares a quote by Otnes: 'I could live with raw umber and black for the rest of my life. It has infinite possibilities, gradations, subtleties -- it has tonal variations that are very beautiful.' Susan adds "This resonates with me and keeps me at peace with some of my favorite color choices. Make a note of this: People who like dark colors are not necessarily dark and depressed."

The book: Fred Otnes Collage Paintings

See my previous blog post about the work of Fred Otnes here.
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Jane Royal chose Gerald Brommer. "He has such an amazing way of combining paint and collage elements.

His work is both realistic and otherwordly; full of imagination and unique style."

The book: Collage Techniques: A Guide for Artists and Illustrators
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Paula Art selected John Chamberlain "because he is my hero. He managed to what he wanted and have a stockade of supplies and do it his way and he made it!"

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Sharon Read would "take a lesson from Sebastian Blackie. I would love to learn how to process hand dug clay, know more about the stains he uses, build a kiln from newspaper...

and see up close and personal his relationship with the environment."

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Deb Eck picked Lee Bontecou "because I am just fascinated by her work and by her courage and ability to keep working long after she rejected the praise and definition of her work by the art establishment.

I would hope some of that spirit and certainty that I feel in her work would be magically transmitted to me! Just to see the inside of her studio would be a miracle."

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Jeanie Thorn selected Louise Nevelson. She was an amazing artist who was way ahead of her time.

Eileen Bellomo "enjoys assemblages and found art, so learning from Louise Nevelson would have been a dream."

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Next 'Master Class' will be held on Sunday, January 29th.

Mixed Media Dossier

2012-01-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

Join me in New York City on March 31st when The Ink Pad in NYC will be holding a series of special events to celebrate the release of my book The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed.

WORKSHOP

From 1pm to 5pm, I will be teaching a workshop called Mixed Media Dossier. In this workshop you will create a personal dossier - a handmade, mixed media journal that you can use long after the workshop ends. Use it as a daily journal or as a place to record a specific event or experience.

During the workshop you will learn a variety of mixed media techniques for creating texture, layers and dimension that you can apply to any future project.

A simple approach to binding will allow you to literally pull the entire project together and to add pages to your dossier at anytime in the future.

In the end, you will have a one-of-a-kind and highly personal keepsake.

Seats for the workshop are limited and must be reserved in advance. Click here to find out more information about the class and contact the Ink Pad at 212-463-9876 to register. Please note that the supplies for the class have been updated and the final list can be obtained when you call to register for the workshop.

ARTIST PANEL

Prior to the workshop on March 31st, from 10am to 12pm, I will be moderating an artist panel with contributing artists Michelle Ward, Leslie Marsh, Karen Cole, Jill Zaheer, Roxanne Evans Stout, and Julie Prichard.

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 but you must contact The Ink Pad in advance to reserve a place as seats are limited. This will be an opportunity to have a true insider's view and is an event not to be missed.

Time Passes...............

2012-01-18T08:28:00.001-05:00

Created as part of 'Dave's App Recipe Book' project from David Hayes at Clearer Reflections.

Apps used: Pic Grunger, Scratch Cam, and VintageScene

Your Blog, Your Way: Part 10

2012-01-17T11:33:00.000-05:00

Tenth post in my series on Create Mixed Media.

By cultivating the artist within and sharing our developing identities in our posts, we will be one step closer to creating a blog that by all definitions is a success.

Master Class 6: Special K

2012-01-15T00:01:00.003-05:00

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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dorit Elisha chose Paul Klee. "I would LOVE a lesson with Klee. I love his playful and imaginative control of color, texture and subject. I would love to live inside his paintings, which sometimes look and feel like a dream."

Mary Beth Shaw would "jump back into history to study with Paul Klee. I admire so many things about him, his color management, obviously his draftsmanship and also the symbolism in his work. I am especially interested in the fact he was a mixed media guy and didn't really follow the trends of his time, but developed his own voice, often working in isolation, using unconventional supplies, trying new techniques. There is a certain humor in some of his early work that intrigues me and I think it would be fun to take a class from him."

Chris Miser is on the same page but also adds a 'second K.' "I so admire Klee's use of color and color theory, his representation of mathematic and musical (metered) concepts in his art, and the humor he injected into his work. I've always been drawn to his work and to Kandinsky's, who was a peer of Klee, because of their work in cubism, surrealism, and other schools of abstract art, as well as Bauhaus, which I find odd but oddly compelling. Klee has the added appeal of working passionately in many different media, and incorporating wit."

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Barbara Kleinhans chose Anselm Kiefer "because his work is many things that mine is not: large, bold and dark. I admire his fearless use of elements other than paint in his work."

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Shayla Perreault Newcomb chose Gustav Klimt. "His family background was in jewelry and that gave him advanced techniques in the use of real gold in his paintings. I would love to learn his techniques, plus have the opportunity to see some of the larger than life paintings that sadly were destroyed by the Nazis."

annie! also chose Klimt "because I think he was brilliant with collage and color."

Cory Celaya chose Klimt for a different reason..."he used two of my favorite elements, the face/figure and pattern."

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Natasha White chose Emare Karaka (Emily Karaka). "I remember when I first saw a piece of her work during a visit to a gallery while I was still at high school and I did not get much further. I kept coming back to it. Her work mesmerized me, it was so bold and emotional and symbolic and colourful and I connected. That work has a hold on me even now, decades later I can still see it and remember my response to it. I am goosebumpy just thinking about it. I love her work and would take anything she could teach me with two hands and my heart in an instant."

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Kelly Kilmer (a double K herself) said "If I could go back in time, I would love to take a class with Corita Kent, aka Sister Corita. Her use of color, line, imagery and text resonate very deeply with me. I have her book (co-written with Jan Steward), Learning by Heart: Teachings to Free the Creative Spirit, and it has opened my eyes to the multitude of possibilities that exist in the world. It's all about learning to see and expressing what you see and feel."

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Next 'Master Class' will be held on Sunday, January 22nd.

Thoughts Dear Readers?

2012-01-12T21:53:00.001-05:00

Since I started my series Your Blog, Your Way on Create Mixed Media, I have received emails from a number of people with specific questions about the process of creating and maintaining a blog. I recently received an email about an issue related to culture and language and thought that I would reach out to all of you for your opinions. If you have a moment, please read through this post and feel free to share your thoughts in a comment. I know there is one future blogger who will benefit greatly from your opinions but I imagine that there are other bloggers out there with the same set of questions.

The (paraphrased) brief:

"My mother tongue is French. I am torn between joining the Anglophone community of bloggers (very large) or the Francophone community (small). There is little done in French in the mixed media realm, so it would also be a matter of building the community. Or I thought I could blog in both languages. This could possibly provide me with a balance of joining an existing group and starting one of my own. However I wonder if the objective of writing one post in French and one in English is a good thing when it comes to continuity. At the moment I am not able to commit to more time wise, yet hesitate to let go of either language."

Thoughts dear readers?

Go to the Gym

2012-01-10T20:32:00.000-05:00

I am all about the collaboration. But for the first time since 2008, I am collaboration-free. Toward the end of last year I completed my last ongoing collaborative project and decided to take time off so that I could focus on my book. My hiatus will be far from permanent however, as I plan to begin several new collaborations later in 2012 - including one that I have been thinking about for many years.

In the mean time, my older collaborations continue to be the gifts that keep on giving. This past September my project with Bridgette Guerzon Mills and Jen Worden was exhibited at the Logan Square Art Center in Chicago. My collaboration with Sarah Whitmire is being featured in the current issue of Somerset Studio. A collaborative project that I completed with Jill Zaheer, and which has never been posted, will also soon be published. More details on that later this year.

And it thrills me to be able to announce that two of my collaborative projects will be featured in Collaborations, an exhibition at the Brooklyn Artists Gym opening on January 28. That show will feature:

Winds of Change, my project with Roxanne Evans Stout...

and Self Contained, my collaboration with Vivian Bonder and Stephanie McAtee....

An opening reception for the show will be held on Saturday, January 28 from 6-9pm. The exhibition runs through February 6. Brooklyn Artists Gym is located on 168 7th Avenue, 3rd Floor in Brooklyn NY. Call 718-858-9069 for more information. Hope to see you locals there!

Master Class 5: Familiar Faces

2012-01-08T00:01:00.004-05:00

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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Chapter 5: Familiar Faces

Quite a number of the respondents chose artists who are an active part of our online artistic community. This was not surprising to me because each of these artists provide daily inspiration and many of them actually do give workshops. So maybe in 2012, some of these workshop dreams may just come true.

Theresa Plas chose Lynne Perrella "because I love her style, her books, her art and would love to experience a class with her energy and knowledge. Also because I know I can make it happen.

Jessica Walthall agrees. "No question, it would be Lynne Perrella. Her use of color and pattern astounds me. No matter how many times I view her amazing work, I can't figure out quite how she makes the magic that she does. Someday I hope to be able to take one of her workshops.

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Judy Shea said "Right now, Anne Bagby. I am engrossed in her approach to collage by creating one of a kind papers with her own printing and color mixing methods. As you examine her finished pieces, they take you on a ride to examine all the layers she's put into them. They seem complicated, but watching her create them (on her DVDs) is compelling and straightforward at the same time. Amazing!

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Billie's Craft Room selected Julie Prichard. "I love the expressive, fearless way she uses colour and different media in combination." Online workshops with Julie.

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Svetlana Spasojevic chose three artists:

Raymond Papka...

Daniel Essig (workshops)...

and Dorothy Simpson Krause.

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Katherine Labbe (AKA Miz Katie) selected Misty Mawn, adding "I have taken an online class with her. I can only imagine studying with her in person. Her work is pure soul work. Love her."

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Paula Bogdan "fell in love with Elizabeth Bunsen's (eb) journals a long time ago! Each and every time she posts pics of her journal pages, I spend hours lost in them, studying them, and wishing I could produce them. I admire her ability to recreate everyday magic with swirls of colors and bits and pieces of her everyday life. Pages vibrate with texture and color...soft or bold they always grab me. I think I could learn to let go of the rules and the need to produce "complicated" pages; I would love to learn how she uses the white spaces."

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Rachel Whetzel would "love to take a class from Kerin Gale. She does some pretty amazing things with that resin clay of hers. I'm a hands on learner, and for the things I know I would like to learn to do with resin, I know it's going to take a teacher in person. I think Kerin would be JUST the woman for that job."

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Roxanne Evans Stout may just be the first person on this list whose dream has already come true between the time she answered this question and this posting. Roxanne said "I have always wanted to take a class with Bridgette Guerzon Mills, and when I saw that she was coming to the Pacific Northwest I was thrilled. Now I am signed up for a workshop with her and can hardly wait. Her style and intuitiveness are both soft and strong. Her work is layered and mysterious and thought provoking to me." You can read about Roxanne's experience with Bridgette here.

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Luthien Thye picked Judy Wilkenfeld. "I love her altered books and the emotions they exude. They are poignant, but there is hope, feminine, yet not weak. I would love to be there to observe her thinking and creative processes as she creates. I think it would be like a dance!"

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Humbly I add that Bleubeard and Elizabeth said that "honestly I would love to spend one day with you Seth. I have a love affair with rust and old peeling paint, and would like to learn how you get the patinas and various backgrounds you get."

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Dawn DeVries Sokol is one lucky person based on her answer. "I can't think of any one person because I've already taken classes from many of my art journaling heroines, including Sabrina Ward Harrison, Teesha Moore, Anahata Katkin, and Pam Garrison. I've also taken workshops from many other amazing artists, such as Karen Michel, Carla Sonheim, Claudine Hellmuth, Lynn Whipple, Sas Colby, Lisa Engelbrecht, and Traci Bautista. Needless to say, I feel very fortunate."
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Next 'Master Class' will be held on Sunday, January 15th.

The Ink Pad

2012-01-04T08:31:00.000-05:00

This arrived in my inbox this morning:

The Ink Pad is in New York City and I hope those of you who are near will be able to attend this day of creative exploration. Stay tuned for more details on my blog soon.

Master Class 4: Leonardo da Vinci

2012-01-01T00:01:00.003-05:00

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...

Pam Carriker says "I would take a sketching class from Leonardo da Vinci. His techniques looks so simple but it's so detailed at the same time. I love the simple beauty of his sketches and could spend for hours on end practicing. It's something you would never be 'done' with, it would just go and on as you play with light, shading, and various drawing instruments."

David Hayes concurs. "It would have to be Leonardo da Vinci. Why? Why isn't that obvious! The man was a genius...to spend time with him discussing anything he wanted to would just be an amazing time. Even still, given my choice of topics I would want him to focus on his "process"...how he came up with his concepts...how he viewed life and translated this to his art. So much to learn from just this!"

Donna Joy feels that "it would be interesting to hear his thought process while he is creating something."

Stacey Merrill says "not only did he have an incredible eye, but he was a master of looking at things from a whole new perspective...and then coming up with a creative solution. His interests were so varied, you could be learning anything from figure drawing to mechanical engineering (+ everything in between) in his classroom."

For Lelainia N. Lloyd, "hands down, without a second of thought, I would have to say Leonardo da Vinci. Not only was the man a brilliant painter and sculptor, but he was also an architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, philosopher, humanist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer (Can you say "Polymath"boys and girls?). He was a true visionary and one of the most brilliant minds of all time. Who wouldn't want the opportunity to tap into his genius?"

Nelda Ream sums this all up very well. "The man was a genius. I would probably be so awestruck I couldn't say a word."
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Next "Master Class" will be held on Sunday, January 8th.

There is Magic...

2011-12-30T11:53:00.000-05:00

As 2011 turns into 2012 it feels to me as though time is speeding up. Because of that, I am doing my very best to make the most out of every precious minute that has been given to me. And I have been spending many of these moments lately reflecting on this past year and looking forward to the coming year. As always, life has brought both ups & downs, smiles & tears, and light & shadow. Throughout it all, my anchor has been art. And for that I feel lucky.

In this moment of transition, I want to thank you all for being there and joining me on this great adventure. Your support of my creative life never ceases to amaze me and I never take it for granted. I "feel the love" everyday and I cannot thank you enough for that.

There is magic to be found in the lives we are all living and I look forward to sharing many more magical moments with you in 2012.

Why?

2011-12-28T21:14:00.000-05:00

When they ask why...

...I say why not?

Master Class 3: Jesse Reno

2011-12-25T00:01:00.005-05:00

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...

Quite a few of the participants chose artists from the present time, including many who are in our community and who currently do in fact offer workshops. Jesse Reno was one of the choices most frequently picked.

"I would LOVE to go to a 5 day workshop with Jesse Reno in Mexico" said Jodi Ohl. "His work is extreme, intuitive, richly layered and contemporary. All things I hope my work is starting to become as I grow as an artist. I am looking for a benefactor, collector, or overall dream maker to help me get my wish!"

This was echoed by Patti Edmon who said "I believe my life would change if I had a chance to participate in Jesse Reno's workshop, preferably in Mexico. Jesse Reno, an 'outsider artist' based in Portland, OR, is totally different from me in most every way - life story, style of work, life style. But after watching his creative process I believe he defines artistic freedom, which is compelling albeit elusive."

Sharmon Davidson adds "I had to think about this one for a long time, but ultimately I decided that the artist who best exemplifies what's missing from my work is Jesse Reno. My goal for some time now has been to achieve that sense of childlike freedom - the sheer joy of mark-making that's so evident in his work. Picasso said it took him a whole lifetime to learn to draw like a child, and I think Jesse Reno clearly has mastered that."

Marcia Beckett said "I admire Jesse Reno's free style of painting. I have seen videos of him painting, but would love to watch him in person."

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I shared with Jesse that he was among those artists selected and that people were very passionate about and fascinated by his style. He was kind enough to answer a set of questions that I had for him and share his thoughts about his work, his workshops, and himself.

Q: A number of people who said that they would choose you to be the artist they would want to take a class with used words such as free, freedom, freestyle, intuitive, and joyful to describe your style. Can you speak to this and describe how this sense of freedom developed?

A: my entire process is based on trying things that should work, the idea of destroying to let a piece be reborn, creating from abstractions and random colors guided by intention over direction. searching for meaning and visions in abstraction. changing direction when something feels no longer potent. choosing on feeling as much as visual aspects. not stop till you find meaning and a story that develops from the choices and decision you make throughout the creative process. noting your thoughts. and changing direction when they are no longer relevant. the idea of finding beauty in your mistakes rather than stress. it's about how and why you paint more than what. what should come from how and why.

if you search for truth and have a meaningful engagement you will create something alive with purpose. this has always been the basis of my process. the evolution has been moving further and further towards finding a deeper connection and story within this act that is part clairvoyance, part magic, part learning, part painting, part understanding as well as an explanation of self growth and purpose.

Q: Is there a dream workshop that you would give if time/money/location/materials were unlimited?

A: i'd love to teach a workshop somewhere near or among ancient ruins, relics, etc. maybe on site of an archaeological location or maybe a workshop with day trips to the natural history museum or other anthropological museum. this is my biggest inspiration and connection within the art i create so it would be nice to draw a firm connection to that for students for inspirational and explanatory purposes. it is also my dream to exhibit in an environment like this or alongside contemporary native aboriginal artisans.

Q: How would you answer the same question...what artist (past or present) would you want to take a class with?

A: i'm not so interested in classes as i am very content with my path passion and creations. i would love to collaborate and create with the person who encouraged me to paint in the first place - chris giordani. his process and ideals are very similar in his work, his ethic and ideas, tons of emotion and expression in his work. when i first started painting we would collaborate or work in the same space 3x a week for a good year. the energy was just tops. it's not that i feel there's nothing to learn i just feel that inward is the direction of truth and personal growth. this is what i teach in my workshops and this is what i seek and at this point i don't really want to be distracted from my current path. as i'm chasing it like a fever everyday.

To learn more about Jesse, you can visit his website or blog. You can watch him create (a treat if you never have) here.

Thanks for taking the time Jesse to share these thoughts with the readers of The Altered Page.

Let Nature Appear

2011-12-22T00:01:00.002-05:00

Many moons ago, Sarah Whitmire and I embarked on a collaborative art project based on the theme of nature. We both created our own handmade and handbound books, which we traded back and forth over the course of three years. We each worked in both books and challenged ourselves even more by working on top of each other's work -- a true collaborative effort. The end result was two books, each filled with artwork and memories.

Happily, our books are being featured in the January/February issue of Somerset Studio.

let nature appear

like no other feeling, like no other sound

the rush of the wind, the pulse of the ground

elixer, intention, a spontaneous space

a sense of adventure, a majestic embrace

light and enchanting, a plumage so warm

dark and encumbered, in shadow and form

by design it will stream, it will soar, it will fly

the power of forests, the freedom of sky

there is rain, there is thunder, it is second to none

adrift and asunder, it can't be undone

transition will follow the edge of a breeze

and times we cannot see the woods for the trees

the call of the wild, the answer so clear

the echo of time, both rich and austere

the story is written, let nature appear

Your Blog, Your Way: Part 9

2011-12-20T08:22:00.001-05:00

Ninth post in my series on Create Mixed Media.

"Simply put, you become more creative with your blog (and with everything else) when you become more yourself, when you are open to being vulnerable and to sharing your ideas, your beliefs, and your creative energy, and when you stop listening to the voices that say you shouldn't and you can't."

Master Class 2: Cornell & Rauschenberg

2011-12-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

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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Chapter 2: Cornell and Rauschenberg
Many of the classes would be crowded, as there were quite a few artists who were selected by multiple participants in the survey. Today's post highlights two American artists, each of whom came to prominence in the 1950s, worked innovatively with collage and sculpture, and used found objects in their work: Joseph Cornell and Robert Rauschenberg.

Joseph Cornell

"Beauty should be shared for it enhances our joys. To explore its mystery is to venture towards the sublime"

"That's easy" said Rebeca Trevino. "Joseph Cornell for sure, and maybe not a class but rather an afternoon walk around New York City, to the places he used to go. I would like to talk with him about his art. I would like to get an idea of how he put things together, in his head, in his thoughts, and in his art. I would like to get a glimpse of how he selected the papers and objects he collected for his work. Later, maybe we would have time to visit his studio, and work on an art piece together.

Pat Pitingolo chose Cornell "because I would love to learn how he incorporates the magic into his art. Watching him assemble a piece of box art would be fascinating and hearing his thoughts behind the process would hopefully lead to insight into what makes his art so timeless and poetic.

Anne M. Huskey-Lockard chose Cornell noting that "his boxes are so ordered but intriguing; I would love to know the how's and why's of content selection. Was it random? Was there hidden meaning? How did he choose?"

These thoughts were echoed by Amy Duncan who said "Since I consider myself a collage artist, Joseph Cornell certainly comes to mind - he was one of the first to organize found objects into an artistic arrangement. It would have been interesting to hear his insights on what he gathered and how he determined the process in constructing his pieces."

Cornell was also the artist of choice from Pam McKnight. "I love the interesting bits and pieces he put together and how he got his inspiration from walking around in NYC." She added "I grew up in NJ but moved out west at an early age and wished I could have spent some time in the NYC art scene."

detail

Darlene AkA HugGer Wilkinson went right to the heart of the matter with her choice of Cornell, saying "he worked with assemblage creations and they are simple with wonderful composition."
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Robert Rauschenberg

"I think a painting is more like the real world if it's made out of the real world."

Robert Stockton said "I am always amazed and inspired by the fact that he is a master at taking the seemingly mundane and trivial aspects of his environment, and, through his art, transform this ephemera in such a way that the viewer begins to experience the everyday objects that he or she encounters in his or her own environment differently. He introduces us to ourselves, and I think that that is what is the strength of Bob Rauschenberg. We learn about ourselves through him. Yes! Give me that kind of teacher!"

Dorothy Simpson Krause "would love to have been able to work with Rauschenberg not only because he was a master at making powerful work by inventively combining photographs and found objects but also for his spirit of exploration and collaboration."

detail

Eric Adama "would have a look over the shoulder of Robert Rauschenberg, especially while working on his early works." Eric also adds Antonio Tapies and Cy Twombly (two of my favorites as well) to his list.

Laura Lein-Svencner would also take "a class with Rauschenberg, because of his ability to stick to his visual voice." She also included Jasper Johns on her list to, noting "I love his gray series and the use of the letters."

detail

Kim Logan says "I would have loved to have taken instruction from Rauschenberg. The time that he was most prolific as an artist was one of the most exciting times in the history of art. His influential friends and colleagues were testament to his energy and talent. I would have seen it as a privilege to have heard some stories of the time, and learned from a master.
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Next "Master Class" will be held on Sunday, December 25th.

Look Inside!

2011-12-16T16:49:00.001-05:00

The "Look Inside" feature has just been enabled on Amazon for my book The Pulse of Mixed Media. Head on over and have your first look at the inside pages. See the list of contributing artists (all 130+) and get a sneak peek at some of the words and art that together keep The Pulse beating.

Work(shop)

2011-12-16T08:30:00.001-05:00

I have been working overtime, planning and prepping workshop proposals for 2012. I have one workshop set to go in New York City in March and will be announcing all the details soon. Several other workshop proposals have been submitted and I will be eagerly waiting to see if they are accepted. And several additional proposals are being prepared for a January deadline. I hope to be able to add a long list of 2012 workshops to my sidebar soon. Stay tuned...

Master Class 1: Women in the Arts

2011-12-11T00:01:00.003-05:00

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, starts 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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Chapter 1: Women in the Arts
The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to...Frida Kahlo

Jacqueline Auvigne sums this chapter up very well by 'breaking the rules' and listing 7 artists, all women. Jacqueline says "My short list includes all women who fearlessly live out their potential in most authentic ways. Making art as a women has never been for the faint of heart. These women have all been balls to wall kinda gals - while being true to themselves and their convictions, art and otherwise. The list includes but isn't limited to (yes it was a much longer list!) Georgia O'Keefe, Louise Bourgeois, Frida Kahlo, Carolee Schneemann, Kiki Smith, Yoko Ono and Coco Chanel."
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Bonnie Clark would also like to study with Kiki Smith. Says Bonnie "I consider her to be one of the greatest feminist artists of our time.

Throughout her career, she's used her artwork to explore issues such as gender, sexuality, self, and the role of women in society through a diverse array of creative mediums including painting, sculpture, collage, and printmaking, as well as mediums often considered women's crafts such as embroidery and surface design.
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Georgia O'Keefe's workshop would be very full, with three of the participants listing her as their teacher of choice.

Wen Redmond gave several answers but listed O'Keefe as first. Stephanie Hilvitz would "love to hear her speak as to how she 'saw' her world and how she distilled it into such rich, simple color and shape. And Liz Hampton-Derivan admires "her work and her character. She is a major art icon. Thank you to Georgia for her female presence and significant status and contributions to the art world.
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Judy Sidonie Tillinger makes a great point when she says "Knowing too much about the personalities and personal lives of so many artists I esteem eliminates many from the running. I would most like to sit down with Agnes Martin, watch and listen.

The stillness and the immensity of her work moves me in ways I will never be able to understand much less articulate. Looking into her work is like confronting something absolute and perfect."

I am highlighting this piece from Agnes Martin that I saw at Sotheby's because while the style is clearly Martin's, her use of what appear to be nailheads makes this painting very unusual and unique.
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Diana Trout says that "if there is a heaven, I would watch Eva Hesse work. Her process is so present in her drawings, painting and sculptures. She was experimental and married minimalism and conceptual art in ways that excite me.

She brought humor and great sensitivity into her art - simultaneously. Dang good artmaking."
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Roseann Cazares "would love to have taken a class by Frida Kahlo. She is my favorite artist and has been a BIG influence on my own work.

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To these incredible women I would add:

Pat Steir

Kara Walker

Maya Lin

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Next "Master Class" will be held on Sunday, December 18th.

You be the Judge

2011-12-09T09:00:00.002-05:00

Are you all familiar with Gary Reef? He is an Australian mixed media artist with a very successful You Tube channel with over 1,500,000 views, his very own social and art network Loving Mixed Media with over 2,500 members, and of course a blog and website. I am happy to say that he is also featured in my upcoming book.

Gary asked me to be a judge of a fascinating, online art competition - the Sardine Can Shrine Challenge.

Participants were provided with an empty sardine can and had to create a mixed media assemblage. Boy, those Aussies are imaginative. The above image shows the empty can and an example of a shrine made by Gary.

There were a lot of creative entries. I had a hard time choosing between my final two but feel great about the winning shrine. You can read all about the competition, see the submissions, and decide if you agree with my choice here.

Thanks for the opportunity Gary!

Back Around Again

2011-12-08T08:30:00.001-05:00

This week Diana Trout, artist and author of Journal Spilling, is guest curating on Jenny Doh's site CRESCENDOh.

She has chosen to link back to an old favorite of mine from 2008. Click here to see all of today's selections on CRESCENDOh. Thanks so much Diana for featuring my work.

Class in Session

2011-12-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

The Pulse

The next chapter begins 12/11/11

Technique & Tool: Chapter 11

2011-12-04T00:01:00.001-05:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, the second project, continues now...

Participants were asked: 'The one technique or tool that you cannot live without is... ' I have added links of my own choosing to each contribution below, sometimes to products, sometimes to videos, sometimes to the artist's own work, and sometimes to something unexpected. Even the contributors do not know what I will be linking to!
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Angela Cartwright

That would be a pencil and paper...(does that count as one? They go together like sugar and spice). There is always something to sketch, and I feel like I'll be using these two items till the day I die.
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Roxanne Evans Stout

I love using a process of layering of photographs, original art and paints. And what ever else that seems to fit into my projects. I love to use metal pieces as well, and to twist wire in interesting ways. I like to sew pieces together with wire instead of always using glue and the way metal makes my art feel heavier and strong.
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Dawn DeVries Sokol

A black .05 tip pen, such as Micron.
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Sharmon Davidson

It might be cheating here, but I have to say it would be paper...and my press. All my work is on paper, it's the primary material for printmaking and collage, and I love everything about it, including the precious trees it is made from. But since most of my work starts with monotype as a foundational base, I have to include my press, because for me the two are inseparable.
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Pat Pitingolo

Liquid or gel matte medium.
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Victoria Crowder Payne

Embroidery over Lyra Watercolor Crayon painting (on unbleached, unwashed muslin).
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Marion Bockelmann

Stamping! It's so versatile and can be done in soooo many different ways and styles that it never gets boring; in fact it gets more interesting the longer you do it and the more stamps you have. You can even use your stamps to get texture in your layers of gesso, UTEE or beeswax.
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Rhomany

I don't know what I would do without a waterproof black pen. It was my first tool working in my art journal all those years ago and it still serves me today for my artwork and art journaling. My pens of choice are the Uniball Pin pens. For all my illustrations I use a 0.05mm which gives a very, very fine, broken line that looks like dark pencil and contrasts well with the bright colours I like to use.
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Debrina: Debbie Price-Ewen

Layering: for depth it is everything!
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Robert Stockton

As am intermediate step in creating my mixed media work, I create monotypes by rolling-out, or brushing, acrylic paint onto a glass plate. I then press drawing paper (frequently, Rives BFK) to the plate's surface, and "pull" prints off the plate which can be left "as-is" or modified, or altered, in any number of ways. The resulting monotypes have many applications in my work.
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This is the final post in the "Techniques & Tools" series from The Pulse. Join me at The Altered Page next Sunday, December 11th with a brand new series. Stay tuned...

The Fog

2011-11-29T17:21:00.000-05:00

In the midst of the fog, illuminate your own path.

A Pause

2011-11-27T18:44:00.000-05:00

In honor of the long Thanksgiving weekend, there will be a brief pause today in the postings for The Pulse. Come back next Sunday 12/4 when I will put up the last post of the Techniques and Tools series. And join The Altered Page the following Sunday 12/11 when a new series from The Pulse begins: Master Class.

Wishing all my amazing, creative, and loyal readers endless thanks for all the blog love that has come my way. You are the best!

Your Blog, Your Way: Part 8

2011-11-22T07:57:00.001-05:00

Eighth post in my series on Create Mixed Media.

Click here to read how by Censoring, you can let your art do the talking.

On the Radio

2011-11-21T07:10:00.001-05:00

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Lesley Riley as a guest on her Art & Soul radio program. The show goes live on Monday, November 21st at 7pm EST and you can listen at this link. The show will be available to hear at any time after Monday and will also be available as a podcast on iTunes. Thanks for listening!

Technique & Tool: Chapter 10

2011-11-20T00:01:00.004-05:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, the second project, continues now...

Take a Chance

2011-11-19T08:50:00.004-05:00

If you are anything like me, you have a bunch of art supplies and products in your studio that you were excited to get but have never used. I have decided that now is the time to blow off the dust, break open the seals, and actually use these items. In my newest piece, 'Take a Chance', I have used two products that were gifted to me: Liquid Pencil and Wood Icing.

I was introduced to Liquid Pencil by Pam Carriker, who helped developed this line of products with Derivan. Think of this product as graphite in a bottle. There are many ways to use it but I used it as a 'paint', covering the entire surface of the panel along with layers of more traditional acrylic paint.

I first heard about Wood Icing from Mary Beth Shaw, who highlighted the product on my blog in a post for The Pulse. She had me at the word texture. Wood Icing is a versatile paste that can be used on multiple substrates and in multiple ways. On this piece, I sanded it down to create very subtle surface texture.

Take a Chance

Available for purchase from my Etsy Shop.

Sold. Thank you!

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Catori (sold. thank you!) and Hiyana, two pieces from my Facets series, will retire from my Etsy shop on 11/22 and are now shipping free worldwide until then.

Time to Take the Pulse

2011-11-15T18:51:00.001-05:00

My first book, The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed, is now available for pre-order from Amazon.

Many months have passed since the idea for this book was formed and I am excited that the home stretch is now in sight. It will still be some time before I have an actual copy in hand but having it available for pre-order is one step closer. If you would like to get updates to your inbox regarding the book and the planned events surrounding its release, feel free to join my mailing list.

Technique & Tool: Chapter 9

2011-11-13T00:01:00.002-05:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, the second project, continues now...

Participants were asked: 'The one technique or tool that you cannot live without is... ' I have added links of my own choosing to each contribution below, sometimes to products, sometimes to videos, sometimes to the artist's own work, and sometimes to something unexpected. Even the contributors do not know what I will be linking to!
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Rebeca Trevino

My favorite tool is my cordless drill. I used to be a big fan of glues and adhesives. Today, although I still use glue and adhesive for some things, I find that screws work best for most things. And I pre-drill everything. My favorite technique is making gel transfers and using them in my artwork.
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Trudi Sissons

An eraser.
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Roseann Cazares

The one tool I cannot live without is masking tape. I can't get enough of it!
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JoAnnA Pierotti

It would have to be a sewing machine. My mom taught me how to sew when I was a little girl. Sewing is one thing that I have been consistent with throughout my entire life thus far.
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Kim Palmer

A sewing needle! Have you ever tried to sew anything without a needle? I could make my own paints or dyes, use plant fibres as thread, but a needle. Just give me one and save us both a load of colourful language and frustration.
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Paula Bogdan

I am beginning to rely more and more on what others might term "junk." I reach for the expired credit card/gift card to spread paint or to scrape it off. Corrugated cardboard makes the neatest marks, as does the bottom of a paper cup. A piece of wallpaper used to make numerous prints becomes a journal cover. The numerous bands my husband wore during his last hospital stay become journal fodder. Everyday life's "leftovers" make for great journal pages.
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Ange

A piece of stray cardboard or balsa wood, cut at the right slant. Mmmm, no really it would have to be the basic Chinese paintbrush my calligraphy teacher gave me 3 years ago. I will shed tears when the last bristle falls out of the shaft.
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Kesha Bruce

I am addicted to black sharpie markers. I write with them, draw with them; I use them in my under-paintings. It may not be a sophisticated are tool, but I use it for everything. I love the bold black mark.
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AnTonia Griva

My brushes and color in painting and my MacBook in life.
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Alicia Caudle

This is an ever-changing response for me as I vacillate so very much in my artistic focus on any give day: assemblages, paintings, collages, altered books, sewing, etc. Looking more at my art as a whole though, I would have to say paint, I think, because I can always find objects to assemble and paper to collage. A life without paint would be ever so bland!
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Next 'Techniques & Tools' will be posted on Sunday, November 20th.

In the Studio

2011-11-08T22:57:00.000-05:00

I have the pleasure of being part of a wonderful crew that will be talking about the book Inside the Creative Studio: Inspiration and Ideas for Your Art and Craft Space live on Wednesday, November 9.

The show airs on Mark Lipinski's online radio show and podcast Creative Mojo from 3 to 5pm EST. Joining Mark will be Cate Coulacos Prato, the author, along with 5 of the more than 30 artists whose studios were featured in the book. You can hear it live by going here and clicking on the 'Live On Air' button. During the broadcast, listeners can call in to speak with all of us. The show will also be archived and available at any time beginning a few hours after broadcast at this link. Hope to see you there!

Technique & Tool: Chapter 8

2011-11-06T00:01:00.002-04:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, continues now...

Participants were asked: 'The one technique or tool that you cannot live without is... ' I have added links of my own choosing to each contribution below, sometimes to products, sometimes to videos, sometimes to the artist's own work, and sometimes to something unexpected. Even the contributors do not know what I will be linking to!
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Holly Dean

In my work, I am forever experimenting with ways of combining art and word. My love of text and letterforms is evident in all that I create, whether expressed through calligraphy, typography or as pattern. I might write directly on the piece with a dip bib or brush, using acrylic ink or thinned-down paint, or I might choose to use the process of collage, transfer or hand-cut stenciling. Lettering may be obscured in layers of paint medium and imagery or it may be the focal point. In my work, it is often both.
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Theresa Plas

Sauvignon Blanc
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Bleubeard and Elizabeth

It's hard to limit my tools to one, because I use my paper cutter every day and my needle-nose pliers most days. But for painting, I guess my one tool I can't live without is my old faux credit card.
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Bonnie Clark

Collage
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Arabella Grayson

Crayons. Can't live without crayons. In addition to coloring with them, they remind me of the importance of play during the creative process.
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William J. Charlebois

Now that I am creating multi-media paintings, I'm finding out the many uses of gesso.
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Laura A. Pace (LA Pace)

My 24" curtain rod mahl stick. Works for most small canvas sizes when extended to various lengths, and can be closed down to fit on my easel or in my travel bag.
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marianne konvalinka

Currently, matte gel medium - useful for so many things - gluing, texture, layers.
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Lelainia N. Lloyd

In the last year it's been my sewing machine, with which I've been madly sewing paper for Remains of the Day Journals. Most recently, it's been my brand new Canon Rebel DSLR, which is helping me explore a whole new avenue of creativity.
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Dayna J. Collins

Well if I have to pick just one (a cruel limitation), at this moment in time it would be my wood-handled bulbous awl. I use it to draw into wet paint, to scratch and make marks into wood and plaster. I love how the handle fits in my hand and the many marks I can make with the sharp tip.
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Next 'Techniques & Tools' will be posted on Sunday, November 13th.

Small Works 2012

2011-11-03T12:46:00.001-04:00

Four of my pieces will be on display at the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences in Small Works 2012, their annual juried exhibition. The show runs from November 4th through December 19th, with a reception being held on Sunday, November 20th from 4-6pm (please note revised date). LBIF is located at 120 Long Beach Boulevard in Loveladies, New Jersey.

Technique & Tool: Chapter 7

2011-10-30T00:01:00.002-04:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, continues now...

APPetite

2011-10-29T00:01:00.002-04:00

David Hayes from Clearer Reflections is sponsoring an online collaborative project aptly called 'Dave's Apps Recipe Book Project.' The brief is simple: share a photograph that was taken with and edited within an iPhone or iPad and share the recipe so others can 'cook' too. Head on over to his blog to see the links to all the participants.

My photo was edited using Grungetastic. With a name like that, it has got to be good.

Recipe

Take one photograph and add:

One scoop of Classic Grunge 3

A heaping teaspoon of tone & color adjustment

Two cups of border

A dash of abstract layer

Grainy layer to taste

And to further whet your APPetite...

Your Blog, Your Way: Part 7

2011-10-25T09:05:00.002-04:00

Seventh post in my series on Create Mixed Media.

Today's topic. Composition

Composition refers to the arrangement of the visual elements within a piece of art. Click here to find out how you can apply this concept to your blog.

Technique & Tool: Chapter 6

2011-10-23T00:01:00.003-04:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, continues now...

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Pat McNally

My camera!

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Dorothy Simpson Krause

The computer.

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judi sidonie tillinger

The camera in my iPhone. Any camera for that matter but the iPhone has become an extension of my, well, I.

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Sally Turlington

I couldn't live without my computer! Having access to my art and photos and being able to change color, size, etc. on a whim -- critical. Next on my list would be COLOR: my golden acrylics, my ink pads, my oil pastels, my watercolors, etc. I rarely do anything that doesn't have lots of color.

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Maude May

My iPhone camera (and glue stick).

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Terry Garrett

There was a time when I would never have said this but it's my computer. It's both a tool for altering my photography and collages and a window on the world.

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Dave Dube

The camera for composition.

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Marsha Jorgensen

Why can I never follow the rules and have just one answer? I cannot live without my computer/Photoshop and my collection of antique ephemera/pictures.

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Liz Hampton-Derivan

My camera.

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Susan Madden

The Internet. When I start feeling smug about the work I've done ("That's perfect!") I take the time to cruise through my list of Favorite Blogs. Seeing other people's incredible artwork has the necessary effect of deflating my ego balloon and forcing me back to the studio to eat humble pie and start over again. And again. And again. A bad thing? Of course not. Being totally satisfied with your art means you don't need to keep working at it. That means you stop making art and that is a bad thing.

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Jacqueline Auvigne

My camera. It is my pure joy, I do it for me and my enjoyment alone. It's like a form of sketching for me, it keeps me loose, yet it keeps my eye sharp.

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Marie Otero

My computer (and camera - sorry, I know that is two , but they are inseparable!)

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Gail Pierce

A camera. Right now I'm in love with my Canon Powershot SX10is.

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theresa mARTin

Photoshop. I use it to scan in photos that I alter in use in artwork, and I use it to tweak and organize photos of completed art.

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Sarah Fishburn

At this exact moment in time, and subject to change in the future, because of the amount of digital deconstruction I find myself doing, my Mac.

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Corey Celaya

Too many to mention...this includes a camera.

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Next 'Techniques & Tools' will be posted on Sunday, October 30th.

Doodle Sketchbook

2011-10-20T12:23:00.001-04:00

Doodle Sketchbook: Art Journaling for Boys is the newest book released by artist and author Dawn Devries Sokol. I received a signed copy from Dawn and have had so much fun looking through the pages.

Not being a 'doodler' and not having seen Dawn's previous book Doodle Diary: Art Journaling for Girls, I did not know what to expect from this book. My first reaction was that I loved the size (approximately 7" x 5") and the cool cover (splattered and grungy). As I flipped through the pages I discovered that this was a book to play with and play in. It briefly covers tips and tools for art journaling but the bulk of its 160 pages are for journaling. Every page has a different background and a different prompt. The reader is encouraged to follow the prompts and add their own art and journaling. As such, this book is in the style of Keri Smith's Wreck This Journal.

The book has a graffiti-like feel and the splatters and splashes of brightly colored, painted pages really drew me in. Examples of the journaling prompts include Doodle your Typical Day as a Comic Strip, What I Found this Week, Collaged Alphabet, and Scribble a Cityscape. The book seems to be marketed to children, and to boys specifically. Personally I think that this would appeal to both boys and girls. And, although some prompts are definitely geared toward kids (such as Fave Class Subjects), I believe that adults would also love this book as it appeals to the kid in all of us.

You can learn a lot more about Dawn by visiting her website or by listening to her podcast interview conducted by Rice Zachery-Freeman that was just released today.

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GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader will win a copy of Doodle Sketchbook, signed by the author. For a chance to win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post by Wednesday 10/26. Please be sure to include your email address so I can contact the winner. I will announce the winner on my Facebook page on Thursday 10/27. Good luck!

The Monday Minute

2011-10-17T23:15:00.002-04:00

I have converted. And there is no going back. The only thing I am wondering is what took me so long?! I am now the proud owner of a MacBook, an iPad, and an iPhone. And I am exploring the world of Apps. I would love suggestions from those in the know of favorite art and photography Apps. Feel free to name names in a comment to this post.

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Thank you to everybody who signed up for my giveaway of two copies of the first issue of Stampington's newest magazine Mingle. The lucky winners are Bridgette from Contemplating the Moon and Eileen from Art Saves Lives.

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Stay tuned for a book review and a new giveaway as part of The Book Guild later this week.

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I have begun to stock my Etsy shop with some of my new mini books. Use them as a journal to collect your thoughts, remember an event, make a list, or spill the beans. Fill one with your doodles and drawings. Attach one to a gift for a personalized touch. Pop it in your pocket and record your travels. Many more will be added in the coming days. If you see one in this image that has not yet been added to the shop, email me and it is yours.

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And of course come back next Sunday for the 6th installment of Techniques & Tools, where the favorites of 11 more artists will be revealed.

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Technique & Tool: Chapter 5

2011-10-16T00:01:00.003-04:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, continues now...

Participants were asked: 'The one technique or tool that you cannot live without is... ' I have added links of my own choosing to each contribution below, sometimes to products, sometimes to videos, sometimes to the artist's own work, and sometimes to something unexpected. Even the contributors do not know what I will be linking to!
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Anne M. Huskey-Lockard

Good quality chalky gesso!
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Crystal Neubauer

I am and always will be a collage artist above all else. No matter what my artistic interests lead me to experiment with, I always come back to collage, or find a way to incorporate collage into other mediums, so the one thing I cannot live without is simply a jar of glue.
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Tari Goerlitz

Paper and pencil. Living in Germany, I estimate that I have access to less than 30% of the mixed media products that are all over the US and UK markets. At first I was really angry and jealous about this. Years later I think this has benefited me more than I realize.
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Darlene AkA HugGeR Wilkinson

I would say a credit card. I use them to create marks by cutting designs, scrape paint, and spread gesso and gel mediums. They are also great for making marks by using the edges of the card.
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Amy Duncan

I love using Elmer's glue for my paper decoupage work. I use a mixture of glue diluted with a little bit of water. I like how the drying time is very long so I'm able to place pieces exactly where I want them and also have plenty of time to smooth out the paper pieces so there are no trapped air bubbles. A close second is wax crayons - the kind children use. I like the uneven texture of color you can create with rubbing the crayon across an image.
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Adrienne "Dree" Berry

Gesso. Whenever I screw up I can just cover it up and start over again.
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Mary Beth Shaw

Techniques and tools come and go for me and I will often be completely obsessed with a tool until I get bored and then suddenly switch to something else. So it is more a situation of the "Tool du jour." Right now I am stuck on Wood Icing, a texture medium that I use in nearly all my pieces. I haven't found any other medium that will do all the things that it does, especially the way it holds such a crisp line so that you can draw into it while it is damp or incise after it has dried. I use it throughout my painting process, in numerous layers, and also in my encaustic pieces.
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Jude

A pencil. For many years that was all I used. Anything else seemed like more than enough. Now I use watercolor and acrylic and ink and other stuff. Although you might not notice it, pencil is usually still in there. Wouldn't want to live without it.
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Loryn Spangler-Jones

Paint. Just the primary colors would be fine.
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Tracie Lyn Huskamp

The one technique I could not live without is using acrylic paints on bleached muslin fabric. Fabric is a perfect canvas, as it is much more flexible and strong than any paper and is an excellent material to use in collage art.
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Shayla Perreault Newcomb

Impasto. It's said that once an artist is successful they hire a team to do prep work and most of the painting for them. While I'd love a team to do prep work like stretching canvases and cleaning up after me, I wouldn't give up spreading that first, thick layer of white paint. While someone could do that step for me, the feel of spreading the paint on with my knife is meditative and relaxing. It prepares me mentally for the layers to follow and is a favorite ritual.
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Next 'Techniques & Tools' will be posted on Sunday, October 23rd.

Studio in the Sky

2011-10-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

Happy to share that my 'Studio in the Sky' is featured in the book Inside the Creative Studio by Cate Coulacos Prato.

Inside the Creative Studio shares the art studio spaces of more than 30 artists and includes images, interviews, tips, and more. It is available now for pre-order on Amazon, where you can also preview the pages in the book. And if you want a preview of my studio, you can head to this post from my blog from August 2010.

Community Rules

2011-10-12T00:01:00.001-04:00

Community rules. And by 'rules' I am not talking about regulations. By now you know how I feel about our community and the importance of the support that we all provide each other. I receive that from all of you every time I log on. But this past weekend, I experienced this in 'real life.'

I attended Art is...You, the art retreat in Danbury, Connecticut, as a vendor at the Art Trunk. This was my first real experience at one of the big retreats. Even though I did not take or teach a workshop, I felt fully welcomed and immersed in this incredible community of ours. It was inspiring, surreal, exhausting, and invigorating...all at the same time. I had the pleasure of seeing many art bloggers that I had already met before, of meeting a new group of art bloggers that I had only known online, of getting to know many of my blog visitors, and of having the opportunity to meet many of the contributors to my upcoming book. There were too many people to list names...but you know who you all are.

It has been said before, but get thee to an art retreat! It is an experience to remember, not the least of which is actually being able to meet all the wonderful people from all over the world we interact with everyday online. I am already making plans for next year!

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GIVEAWAY WINNER

Sending out congratulations to Andrea from Falling Ladies who is the lucky winner of Rice Freeman-Zachery's newest book Destination Creativity: The Life-Altering Journey of the Art Retreat. Rice works overtime to create and foster a community among artists, bloggers, and authors. Her book is all about her experience visiting art retreat during a year-long, cross country road trip.

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NEW GIVEAWAY

The newest Publication from Stampington & Company, hot off the presses, is Mingle. Mingle celebrates the best part of community: gatherings, retreats, parties, and events. From small, intimate gatherings to large, artful retreats, Mingle invites you to join in the celebration with beautiful photography, descriptive writing, and creative tips. Stampington provided me with two copies of the debut issue which I am offering to you in a giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post by Sunday 10/16 to be eligible. Please be sure that I have your email address. The two winners will be announced on Monday 10/17.

Technique & Tool: Chapter 4

2011-10-09T00:01:00.004-04:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, continues now...

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Chris Miser

A must-do technique for me a lot of the time is gesso stamping and embossing under layers of paint so that the embossing is visible and adds texture and mystery. It can be done several times on the same piece and can look amazing if done with patience.

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Pam McKnight

e6000 glue.

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Art by Canace

I could not function as an assemblage artist without my trusty Dremel EZ lock cutoff wheel. Nothing is sacred once I've got that wheel in full gear. Buzzzzzzzzzz!

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Marit Barentsen

Pens. Pencils. Markers...anything that writes! My work almost always has words in it. I can't do without the writing part! I recently got the opportunity to lay my hand on a set of posterpaint Sharpies (they don't sell those in the Netherlands) and I'm completely in love!

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Evie Zaccardelli

Painting layers and then scraping back to reveal the hidden.

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Pam Carriker

A pencil, that's it. Give me a pencil and I'll be happily entertained for hours.

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Marcia Beckett

Watercolor paints. I love to paint translucent layers.

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Denise Aumick

Being a somewhat fickle artist, this answer can vary at any given time depending on the medium I am working in, but I would have to say...modeling paste.

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debi lynn designs

Mine is actually "materials" -- metal, crosses, turquoise, leather. Sorry, has to be these four because these are my "branding"! But, if I had to decide on a tool, as a jeweler it would have to be my beading needles, as a mixed media artist -- tar glue.

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Barbara Kleinhans

My assortment of painting and palette knives. I have a favorite in the group so I'd be particularly sad if I no longer had that one.

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Cathie Parreco

It's called Lil' Chizler. My first one was a gift from the technician who installed window tinting on my car and he used it to tuck and smooth the material over the glass. I use it for so many things -- spreading glue, burnishing, scraping, scoring, folding, etc. It's edges are rounded and gentle on any surface I am working on. They are inexpensive and last forever.
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Next 'techniques & Tools' will be posted on Sunday, October 16th

Destination Creativity

2011-10-04T08:50:00.008-04:00

When artist, author, and all-around-amazing-person Rice Freeman-Zachery asked me to be part of the blog hop for her newest book, Destination Creativity: The Life-Altering Journey of the Art Retreat, I jumped at the chance.

I know that when the subject of creativity comes up, Rice is a pro. And her two most recent books, Living the Creative Life: Ideas and Inspiration from Working Artists and Creative Time and Space: Making Room for Making Art, are among my most favorites.

Rice and her husband the Ever Gorgeous Earl took a year out of their lives to travel across the United States to attend a series of art retreats. Their experiences are shared in this book as a way to bring the creative energy from these retreats to your home. But this book is so much more than just a personal travelogue. Five step-by-step workshops from well known artists are shared. Stories from retreat attendees are highlighted. Photos from each retreat are included to better present the experience. And Rice shares tips to help anybody start a small workshop retreat in their hometown.
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I asked Rice to share a personal anecdote about the book with the readers of The Altered Page:

"I've written about this before, but it's such a huge deal, and so key to the reason I urge people to attend art retreats, that I have to mention it. At Art and Soul in Hampton, we stayed at the Embassy Suites, and in the evenings they have the Manager's Reception, where you get free drinks and bad-for-you snacks for a couple of hours each evening. It was great because it gave people a place to meet after their workshops -- you didn't have to go to your room all by yourself because you knew where to find everyone.

One night there were a couple of us sitting around talking, and someone pulled out her journal, and we asked to see it. She passed it around -- I think it was melanie Testa. Then someone else pulled out their journal -- Jill Berry, I think -- and then we all started showing what we were working on. More people pulled up chairs. I was stitching; others started drawing. Then someone started talking about magazines and editors and then books and publishing and possibilities, and we shared information and contacts and wrote stuff down to remember. It was like suddenly there was this community of people who were interested in the same things you were interested in -- stuff nobody in your hometown would care about at all.

Things like this happened at other retreats, and opportunities and ideas arose -- just like the very best communities, where you introduce each other to your friends and share recipes and power tools. For someone like me who lives in a really isolated-from-other-people-like-me place, this was just the best, bar none. It changed my life, believe it or not; now, when I'm at home and far, far away from all these fabulous people, I know they're still out there, still interested in the same things, still doing amazing stuff. It makes the world seem so much warmer, you know?

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GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of this wonderful book, all of the participants on the blog hop are hosting a giveaway. To win a copy of Destination Creativity, please leave a comment on this post by Tuesday 10/11. It's that easy. Sorry to say that people with addresses outside the United States are not eligible. Make sure I have your email and look for my announcement of the lucky winner on 10/12.

Please visit all the stops on this blog hop to learn more about the book and to sign up for more giveaways!

Monday, 10/3 - Melanie Testa

Tuesday, 10/4 - Seth Apter

Wednesday, 10/5 - Mary Beth Shaw

Thursday, 10/6 - Carla Sonheim

Friday, 10/7 - Lisa Myers Bulmash

Saturday, 10/8 - Melissa Manley

Sunday, 10/9 - Deryn Mentock

Monday, 10/10 - Jen Cushman

Questions and Answers

2011-10-03T19:00:00.001-04:00

I am the Featured Artist of the Month on Billie's Craft Room, a wonderful blog from the UK that regularly features art tutorials, book and product reviews, artist interviews, free downloads, and more. Sending my thanks out to Billie for giving me the opportunity to be interviewed and to showcase my art.

Technique & Tool: Chapter 3

2011-10-02T00:01:00.005-04:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, continues now...

Participants were asked: 'The one technique or tool that you cannot live without is... ' I have added links of my own choosing to each contribution below, sometimes to products, sometimes to videos, sometimes to the artist's own work, and sometimes to something unexpected. Even the contributors do not know what I will be linking to!
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Kathryn Dyche Dechairo

While I love using brushes to paint I feel most connected with a piece when I put down my tools and use my fingers. Maybe it is reminiscent of finger painting as a child but the process feels much more instinctual that way. Nothing beats the feel of paint on my fingers as they move across a textured surface.
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Jill Zaheer

My brain. There's always something that you can find to color with, layer with, create on - but without my brain - there's no thought or emotion to draw from.
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Jeanie Thorn

There are two tools I could not live without: the first is my ability to problem solve and the second are the design principles that I learned in school and continue to learn while making art. Both have come to my rescue many times.
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Annie Kerr

Being out and about. Too much desk time makes my work grind to a halt. Nearly all my creative work arises from wanderings and wondering, the wilder the better.
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donna louise rodgers

My eyes and really seeing, being observant. I can hold pictures in my head until I have some other tool to get the mark onto a surface for others to see what I see.
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David Hayes

My hands. I use them in everything I create. I'm not happy unless I can get my fingers and hands into it...whether it's my drawings, my paintings, my collages...my fingers have to get involved...I have to Feel it! This is true even with my photography.
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Stacey Merrill

My eyes. I jump around with materials and techniques, but much of what I make is really just reinterpreting what I see.
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Cyn Richardson

My hands! I've used them to sculpt, carve, manipulate, feel the texture of things, recreate the texture, or a shape, or the size of something. I can make art with-out man-made tools as long as I have my hands.
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annie!

My imagination!
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Cathy Minerva (aka MinervasMadness)

My mind! Enough said...
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Karen Lee (aka The Colourguru)

In a very practical sense - my fingers and hands. Having had joint issues the last few years that have restricted some of my movement and in particular the ability to 'pinch', I realized how much I valued being able to 'smoosh' into paint, to smudge charcoal over titan buff paint and to life ink and watercolour that has travelled a little farther than I want it to. As far as supplies go - a Black Stabilo Marks All Pencil. Nothing is blacker or so versitile. Love it!!
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Next 'Techniques & Tools' will be posted on Sunday, October 9th

Ice Ice Baby

2011-10-01T09:23:00.000-04:00

Sending thanks out to Jen Cushman for inviting me to be featured in Susan Lenart Kazmer's newly redesigned Ice Queen E-Zine. Click here to read my interview and see my newest artwork. And while you are there, spend some time reading the daily, themed posts on this fascinating site.

Art Trunk

2011-09-29T00:01:00.004-04:00

Beginning Thursday, October 6th, Art is...You will hold it's 5th annual east coast art retreat in Danbury, Connecticut. On Sunday, October 9th, I will be one of the more than 30 artists and shops that will be participating in the Art Trunk - a full day of vending.

I will be selling original art...

handmade mini books...

and nearly 100 bags of cool, assorted art supplies - many one of a kind.

More information about the entire event, including location and hours, can be found here. I am excited to meet many art bloggers for the first time and I would love to meet you too.

Your Blog, Your Way: Part 6

2011-09-27T05:00:00.003-04:00

Sixth post in my series on Create Mixed Media.

Today's topic: Comments

What did 46% of survey respondents answer to the question "The most typical reason I do not leave a comment on a blog post is..."? Click here to find out.

Technique & Tool: Chapter 2

2011-09-25T00:01:00.003-04:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, continues now...

Participants were asked: 'The one technique or tool that you cannot live without is... ' I have added links of my own choosing to each contribution below, sometimes to products, sometimes to videos, sometimes to the artist's own work, and sometimes to something unexpected. Even the contributors do not know what I will be linking to!
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Wen Redmond

Paint! In all its forms! I create ALL my fabric and papers. They start out white and I dye, paint, print, digitalize, and go mad with color. Working with color and texture has always been a source of jubilation for me.
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Lisa Sarsfield

A ruler. A simple 30 cm ruler is invaluable when I'm creating a collage as I really like the soft rippled edge I can create, which happens to be my favourite technique.
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Lisa Scadron

Layering, which requires patience. I discovered layering by beginning again, after years, on a previously painted canvas. Instead of scraping away the old work and starting fresh, I found that adding paint and other media on top of the old surface created a richly textured piece. As I stumbled by "accident" into layering as a technique, perhaps honoring accidents/mistakes is more accurately my favorite technique.
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Deb Eck

My bonefolder. I use it for smoothing things, opening things, tearing and folding paper (of course) and lately I have been using it when I make cast paper too. It is in my hands more than any other tool I use.
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Julie Shackson

My camera. I use it to inform all the other media I work with. Sometimes I use the photographic image itself, but more often it is a jumping off point into other media.
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Julie Prichard

Golden Acrylic Paint
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Diana Trout

Quite a question for a mixed media artist! I'd have to say watercolors because of the flexibility. I could draw with them and paint. Can I have a brush (or two) as well?
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Sharon Read

The tool I could never work without is my trowel. I have had the same trowel for over half my life and it is used for mixing, applications, creating texture, propping things up, scraping, smoothing, lifting, and mark making.
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Laura J. Wellner

Just a pencil. Whenever I get "stuck" and need to get back on track with what I want to accomplish, I always go back to the pencil on paper to work it out and as long as I have a pencil or two around with some paper, I'll always be making art.
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Lynn Cohen

My sewing machine; or at least a needle and thread!
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Jane Royal

Derwent INKtense pencils. Just add water and it's like painting with a pencil! They're especially good for traveling.
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Next 'Techniques & Tools' will be posted on Sunday, October 2nd

Spotlight: Patricia Oblack

2011-09-23T08:16:00.001-04:00

In the first year after starting my blog in 2007, I had a regular feature where I spotlighted other artists that inspired me. It is fascinating for me to look back at my choices and to read what I wrote, as some of these artists that were new to me then have become good friends since. Many of the names will be familiar to you and some will likely not. If you like, you can read my original posts for the following eight artists: Bridgette Guerzon Mills, Judy Wilkenfeld, Janet Jones, CW Slade, Barbara Kleinhans, Scott Gordon, Erik Saak, and John Copeland.

I bring this older feature from my blog up today as there is now another artist that I want to spotlight in the same manner: Patricia Oblack. Patty's paintings speak to me. All of them. The colors and textures of her abstract work captures something so organic and elemental.

In Patty's words:

"Early, in 1954, I picked up a pencil and sat in front of the TV with Jon Gnagy’s New Television Art Book and my stack of white envelopes, ready to learn to draw. I learned how to shade cones, cylinders, and cubes, while hearing about the principals of perspective. Jon believed that everyone has a time in their life when the Art Spirit is dominant, I suppose I was right on target and the seed was sown.

Crayons, colored pencils, tracing paper and coloring books, gave way to pen and ink and I begged my mother to purchase art lessons from Art Instruction, Inc. in Minneapolis, Minn. around 1962. You know the one...with the draw the pirate contest. I won, I think everybody won, but my Mom paid the $500.00 and in a few weeks a huge box arrived, with an oak adjustable drawing table, (which I still own) pads of paper, pen tips, charcoal sticks, watercolors, brushes, a Deluxe Bear Brand compass, a wooden T square and my first palette knife, which continues to be my favorite tool. I finished every lesson and mailed off the homework to be critiqued, by H. Okins, my instructor. After the first year, I received a Certificate of Accomplishment, andwas urged to keep going. Another student of the school, was Charles M Schulz, I was in good company. From that humble beginning, I continued through my whole life, painting, and drawing, constantly moving forward, on my journey through art.

Through several successful art related businesses, I have painted on walls, furniture, pottery, fabric, wicker, and glass. A chest of drawers, based on a Neoclassical Commode from 1770 is in London, England and two chests recreating Charles Wysocki’s early American style are somewhere in France. I’ve painted realistic folded curtains on hardboard, Jack Russell dogs and race horses on terra cotta pottery, orchid botanicals in watercolor, and on clay tiles for table tops, pine boughs on truck cabs, kites, birds and clouds on ceilings, and also antique furniture, refinished with milk paint.

Today, my work is abstract on hardboard, continuing to be self-educated, I am ever as always moving forward. My work has been shown from coast to coast in many galleries and recently a painting was shipped to an office in Hong Kong, during the Olympics.

Today and for the past 8 yrs., I have woven strings of color onto board with the same palette knife from childhood, creating surfaces of deconstructed relief, crumbling stucco, and contemporary fresco. My paintings have been highly influenced by Jackson Pollock, Anselm Kiefer, Joaquin Sorolla, Pierre Redoute, Tosha Tudor, Marjolein Bastin and Marcia Myers. In studying their work and other contemporary artists, I began what was to be the backbone of my current style with a surface I can’t walk away from."

I can't walk away from them either.

Stackoholics Anonymous

2011-09-21T08:45:00.058-04:00

Stack Attack

Stacks. We all have them. They seem to take on a life of their own and grow before our very eyes. Why deny them? Embrace them instead. Today is the day. Welcome to the Paper Stack Project.

Stand tall, be proud, and join the list of artists and bloggers who are admitted stackoholics. Take a picture of your favorite stack or stacks, post to your own blog, and email the link to me so I can add you to the link list. And visit your fellow stackoholics for inspiration. Please check back here often as I will be updating this list continuously as more people post. The links are numbered so you can keep track of what you have seen.

001 Blissful Things
002 See Jane Run
003 Insights and Bellylaughs
004 Art by Canace
005 bohemiannie! art
006 Dabblings
007 A Colorful Journey
008 Two Dresses Studio
009 My Time Out of the World
010 The Land of Lost Luggage
011 Faerie Acres
012 The Art of Cheryl Connell
013 Artfully Ooglebloops
014 Clearer Reflections
015 A Pale Novel
016 WJC's Digital World
017 Sheep Rustling
018 River Garden Studio
019 dosfishes
020 The Rhinestone Contessa
021 World of Joy
022 Sparkleblue Faery
023 Dandelion and Daisy
024 Cerulean
025 Faery Rocks and Things
026 printmaking without a press
027 JazWorks
028 A Paper Bear
029 Art Beneath the Cottonwoods
030 The Distractible Scrapper
031 Magpie's Nest
032 LaWendula
033 Kelly Kilmer
034 Altered Book Lover
035 QuinnCreative
036 life as a five ring circus
037 4 rooms and the moon
038 Marit's Blog
039 Painted Heart Studio
040 Art from the heart
041 Often Medieval in Mood
042 Ingrid Dijkers
043 Art Camp for Women
044 turn UP the Sound Lulu
045 I am Rushmore
046 Four Corners Design
047 DharmaKarmaArts Blog
048 Ro Bruhn Art
049 An Artist's Journal
050 What's Next???
051 fibra artysta
052 Altered by the Sea
053 Loving the Smell of Wet Paint
054 Oma's Patch
055 Sun Soul Art
056 Getting my Feet Wet
057 Hidden Art
058 Dust off the Butterfly
059 Halle's Hobbies
060 Altered Attic
061 Right Brain Planner
062 Alley Art Studio
063 Barnacle Goose Paperworks
064 cHim Prints
065 shauna lee lange studios
066 April Cole's Studio
067 Soul Humming
068 Magic, Miracles and Joy of an Artist
069 creative lenna
070 Claudine Intner
071 jaeartworks
072 Quinceberry
073 Rolling in the Deep
074 Sonya's Daily Art Journal
075 Hazelnut Cottage
076 Tattered Edge
077 CappuccinoAndArtJournal
078 Parabolic Muse
079 True Adventures of an Art Addict
080 NM Creatix
081 Drawing Near
082 Gulfsprite
083 Altered Bits
084 Katie Cahill Art
085 Jabberwocky
086 Colorsmith
087 Arte Tatorigato
088 Ms Grubby Little Mitts
089 Dryadart's Weblog
090 Michele Jackson Studio
091 creative lenna
092 erika husselman
093 Earth Cuddles
094 ess-arr
095 Things I Make and Find
096 Wen Redmond
097 Suzi Qu's Threadworks
098 Just a Note
099 Arting Around with Fibre
100 Kelli Nina Perkins
101 moments in time
102 Carol Sloan
102 Gosia S. "Po prostu karteczki"
103 Sue's Craft Cupboard
104 Lisa Call
105 Whimsical Mermaid
106 Diana Trout

In the Queue

2011-09-19T12:19:00.000-04:00

I am lucky enough to be receiving an advanced copy of Mingle, Stampington's newest magazine set to hit newsstands in October. Mingle is all about hosting artistic gatherings, celebrating community, and exploring creative retreats. As soon as it arrives, I will be writing a review, posting a preview, and hosting a giveaway. In the mean time, click here to read more about the inaugural issue.

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The Paper Stack Project goes live this Wednesday, September 21st. There is still time to join the 70+ artists who have already signed up. Read all about this online collaborative project here.

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The newest project from The Pulse began yesterday and continues every Sunday. Participating artists share their very favorite artist techniques and/or tools and I add a special link to each contribution.

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Techniques & Tools: Chapter 1

2011-09-18T00:01:00.005-04:00

Style File was the first project posted and links to all 12 posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The second project, Techniques & Tools, begins right now...

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Erin Perry

Paint splatter. I learned this from Lynne Perrella and I find myself using it on almost everything I do. I love to experiment with thin and thick paint mixtures and different angles and brush tapping techniques. Endlessly diverse results.

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Anne Bagby

I love my stencils. I use stencils when it would be easier not to. They protect the best areas, they can add pattern or texture. I like sticky stencils, quilting stencils, paper stencils, hand cut stencils. scrapbook stencils, and every other kind of stencil. Anything with a hole in it can be a stencil. Anything you can cut a hole into is potentially be a stencil.

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Stephanie Hilvitz

Caran d'Ache water soluble wax pastel crayons.

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Paula Art

Dremel Tool

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Shirley Ende-Saxe

Stitching. It's obsessive, nostalgic, and holds everything together.

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Dina Wakley

Spray ink and stenciling/masking. So versatile. I am constantly finding new ways to use spray ink.

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Rachel Whetzel

There are too many! I'm still in love with Creative Paperclay. There are so many ideas I have for its application. Now I just have to find the time.

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Lani Gerity

At the moment (and this changes from year to year) I would have to say Photoshop. I can't go a day without playing with my Photoshop.

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Deryn Mentock

I can't live without my Fretz hammers. I refuse to consider it. My best piece of advice on this is: get the best tools you can afford.

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Kim Logan

Hmm...so many...have to say TomBow glue sticks!

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Lise Hoffman

Alcohol Inks from Ranger.

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Next 'Techniques & Tools' will be posted on Sunday, September 25th

Air and Light

2011-09-16T10:26:00.001-04:00

Aether

Greek God of the Upper Air and Light. He is the personification of heaven and space. Aether has been referred to as the soul of the world from which all life emanates.

Available for purchase from my Etsy shop.

Sold. Thank you!

Paper Stacks

2011-09-14T00:01:00.001-04:00

Paper Stacks - A Call for Collaborative Participants!

Earlier this month I posted this picture on my Facebook Page. I had been moving some things around in my studio and had temporarily stacked these journals, papers, artworks, and handmade books in a pile. Couldn't resist the photo op. One of my visitors, Heather Campbell from Blissful Things, commented 'I love stacks of paper and handmade books...we should all take a picture of our own. Maybe Seth you have a place we could post them?' Great idea Heather. Ask and ye shall receive.

One week from today, on Wednesday September 21st, The Altered Page will host Paper Stacks, an online collaboration. Please leave a comment on this post if you would like to participate. All you need to do is post an image on 9/21 on your own blog of your stacks - be they papers, books, journals, or anything else of your liking. On the 21st I will post a list of all participating artists on my blog so that you can be sure to find all the links to the stacks. Feel free to let your own readers know about this project by spotlighting it on a post on or prior to reveal day. Please (and this is important) email me with a link when your post goes up so I know to add you to the posted list on my blog.

This is one time when the higher your stacks of stuff, the better.

Collage in Color

2011-09-12T11:33:00.003-04:00

The future is now. Cloth Paper Scissors has recently release Collage in Color - an amazing eMag. This is a must have, both in terms of content and format. Their eMag is not just any downloadable file. It is fully interactive, in all the best ways. Of course you can click on links all over the place, but you can also pan and zoom in on the images, watch one of the 19 videos embedded in the eMag, view slideshows, scroll through articles, print out pages and lists, and much more. You can also see my piece 'With Wings' in the gallery section of Jenn Mason's article 'Complementary Colors.'

Available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Sold. Thank you!

The first time though the eMag I barely even looked at all the articles and pictures - I was too focused on the fun format. But since then, I have come to see that the eMag is packed with information and art as well. For more information, click here. Or for iPad, you can go directly here.

Ten Years

2011-09-11T00:01:00.005-04:00

In memory of...

Double Header

2011-09-06T20:27:00.000-04:00

The collaborative project that I completed with Bridgette Guerzon-Mills and Jen Worden will be featured as part of Come Together: an exhibition of sculpture, installation and collaborative work. Juried and curated by Beth LeFauve, Jane Michalski, and Emily Rutledge, this show is the inaugural exhibition in the new Logan Square Arts Center in Logan Square/Avondale in Chicago.

Come Together opens on September 10th with a reception from 6 to 9pm and continues through September 30th. Logan Square Arts Center is located at 2810 N. Milwaukee Avenue, 2nd Floor, in Chicago. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Thursday 12-3pm, Friday to Sunday 12-5pm. For more information contact Jane Michalski at 733-392-1866.

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An Object Found continues its journey. After being featured in a juried exhibition of members works at the Printmaking Center of New Jersey, it is traveling to the Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery at the New Jersey City University.

The exhibition opens with a reception on September 15th from 4:30 to 7:30pm and runs through October 26th. The gallery is located on the campus of New Jersey City University in Jersey City in Room 323 Hepburn Hall on 2039 Kennedy Boulevard. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 11am-5pm. Call Midori Yoshimoto, Gallery Director, at 201-200-3246 for more information.

Style File: Chapter 12

2011-09-04T00:01:00.003-04:00

Style File is the 1st of 6 projects from The Pulse. Participants were asked: How would you describe your artistic style?
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Roseann Cazares

My artistic style is not about making pretty art, but instead, about honesty and what is going on in my life at the moment. I am drawn to journaling and collaging, as well as hands and hearts, which play a huge part in my art making.
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Jodi Ohl

By and large, I think my work is distinctly textured with lots of layers, contemporary in color palette, and almost always inspirational in some way. I oftentimes incorporate hidden messages, inspirational words or free expression journal writing in my pieces. That said, a girl is allowed to change her mind and go in a different direction if she wants to! (fly away with me)
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Pam McKnight

Found object assemblage - Using up all the stuff that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
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Jeanie Thorn

I think it is a combination of two styles: Constructivism which is a precise and logical ordering of space inherited from the Classical world and the second style is Minimalism. I always try to simplify and remove what is unnecessary to tell my style...you know, less is more. Unfortunately less is more difficult...not a lot to hide behind. (Patch)

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debi lynn designs

Gypsyfied (Mae West meets Stevie Nicks)
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Lynn Cohen

Often my style is wild and colorful. This is the Sunflower art quilt that just won first place in the Yolo county sunflower art show. (Indian Summer)
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Marit Barentsen

That's difficult...right now I am in a 'reflection period'. I am standing at a crossroads, not knowing which way to chose or which direction my art will go. But I will keep my 'weekly journal' going, and that maybe shows a bit of my style. I always include text. My art is personal and on many occasions has a deeper meaning. This is not always visible though. For the 'unsaid' things, I use my own symbols - that way, some emotions stay unseen to the viewer and are just known by me. (The Chronicles of Marit - week 23)
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Laura A. Pace

I paint in an impressionist style. I go back and forth between mixing the paint on my palette and letting the paint just mix directly on the canvas. Many times I start with an underpainting of complementary colors as I feel that brings a certain sparkle and light to my work. I use little to no black, though I harbor no resentments toward it! It is beginning to be mostly about the play of light for me now, as I think this piece shows. (Hot Laundry Alley)
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donna louise rodgers

Everything I make is one of one. People are what fascinate me and everyone is unique so there are endless subjects to draw. And making dolls is an art form that enables me to recreate human based characters in three dimensions and make up stories to go with them. Making 3d bodies is hugely helpful when drawing life figures - your hands begin to 'know' what the image should feel like if it were 'real'. My limited edition salt dough dolls are absolutely me in terms of style. 'adonnalouiserodgersthing' does not try to be anything else.
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AnTonia Griva

SurRealistiC and DreamLike.
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Dave Dube

Realism. That's been my style since I was five years old. I want viewers to see what I see in my visual world of 'storyland'. There is of course a story to go with this piece. (Marianne's Putnam Lightening Jar)
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This posting marks the end of Style File, the first project from The Pulse V. The links to all twelve posts will remain on my sidebar but will drop down toward the bottom with the links to all four previous editions.

There will be no post for The Pulse next Sunday in honor of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. But please join me at The Altered Page on Sunday, September 18th, when the next project from the The Pulse begins...

High Wire Act

2011-09-02T10:57:00.000-04:00

Back in April I answered a call for artwork from Cloth Paper Scissors for their Wild Wire Challenge. CPS was looking for artwork made from or with wire, whether soldered, twisted, braided, weaved, torched, or shaped. In May I was happy to see on Barbara Delaney's blog that I was among the finalists. I am now even happier to find out that my submission was among those selected and has been published in the September/October issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. I share the page with David Hayes and his very cool creation 'Hot-Wired Terrier.'

My submission 'Bone Folder' was made using a twist on a technique I learned in a workshop with Keith LoBue.

You may also recall my recent collaborative sculpture 'Angel' that I made for the Exquisite Corpse Festival, again created using paper and wire.

Many thanks and much appreciation to the crew at CPS for this honor.

Contexture Concludes

2011-08-31T11:18:00.001-04:00

This is the third and last update on my collaboration with Bridgette Guerzon Mills and Jen Wordon. We have been working together on an art project since early 2009 and have recently completed our pieces. You can see my contributions to Bridgette's plaster pages here and Jen's metal pages here. And below you will find a complete set of images from Contexture, my book of brittle, vintage paper pages. Please enlarge the photos for a detailed view.

Front Cover

Back Cover

Bridgette

Jen

Seth

Bridgette

Jen

Seth

Bridgette

Seth

And again a thank you to Bridgette and Jen for joining me on this collaborative journey. Those of you in the Chicago area can see all three projects in September at the inaugural exhibit at the Logan Square Art Center. Specifics will be posted on my blog and Facebook page soon.

Your Blog, Your Way: Part 5

2011-08-30T08:41:00.002-04:00

'The ideas for blog posts are as endless as your own creative imagination. And as artists, we are nothing if not creative.' Part 5 of my series Your Blog, Your Way is now posted at Create Mixed Media. Today's topic: the 'what' and 'how' of blog Content.

Style File: Chapter 11

2011-08-28T00:01:00.002-04:00

Style File is the 1st of 6 projects from The Pulse. Participants were asked: How would you describe your artistic style?
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Terry Garrett

I would describe my work as narrative collage. I use my own altered photographic imagery and various kinds of ephemera to create works that can tell a story. (Flickers of Memory)
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Cathie Parreco

I am an amateur and, as such, haven't really developed a style but I lean toward surrealistic-type depictions and like to play with placing images out of context. The relationships I create aren't done to shock or amuse; I mostly do it because I think they look good together. (Church Ladies)
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Eileen Bellomo

Layers, layers, and more layers.
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Shirley Ende-Saxe

I hope it's evocative. I want the work to sidle up to nostalgia without getting on that (rather sticky) horse and riding away. It should speak about the inevitable evanescence of time. One can hope at least.
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Lottie Anderson

Expressionist or responsive.
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Paula Bogdan

I am very much a visual journalist...the words are as important to me as the art. I have a great need to tell my story as it were. My pages jump with color and texture and there are layers upon layers. Paint covers up paper, and then I add more paper, and then more paint. Bits and pieces peek through, but even if they're covered up, each bit lends an energy that would have be lost if I'd only put down a single coat or two. I love the end product, but I love the process even more.
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Robert Stockton

I am not sure that the artwork which I produce can be categorized as being directly connected to a particular artistic style. Most of my artwork falls into one of two distinct types: mixed media pieces on paper or museum board and wooden shadow boxes (which I call "scrapboxes"). I enjoy materials and processes that create an unusual juxtaposition of textures, patterns, colors and ideas, which sometimes lead to surprising visual connections. I like to think of my artwork as brief glimpses into the everyday details of a reality that may exist in another time or place. (Fall into Place).
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Trudi Sissons

What I focus on when I am creating for myself is the 'inspiration' and emotion I experience as I study a certain color, image, or texture. The inspiration provides a starting point. Each day brings with it a blank canvas and an opportunity to explore. Right now, I would say I couldn't imagine not continuing to explore my love affair with colors. So, more often than not, my style normally is colourful!

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Marion Bockelmann

It's eclectic: I like to use everything that seems to fit a theme, may it be collage, paint or stamping, and I also include digital elements and words. This image is a journal page I've made for a tip-in project. The theme here was "An Italian-Affair". This is the right page incorporating my own photo taken in Florence that I've altered (soaked, scratched and painted) and mixed with papers and stamps. The result is am impression that doesn't try to be realistic at all but evokes memories of some happy days in Italy. (A Corner of Heaven)

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Marianne Konvalinka

I love to incorporate my photos in my art. When I painted, it was landscapes from my photos. My mixed media features my photography. I also love color and graphic elements. I would describe my style as influenced by my observations of the natural world, using colors and imagery that resonate and reflect the mystery of nature. (Sunset)

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Next 'Style File' will be posted on Sunday, September 4th.

Under Cover

2011-08-24T19:17:00.001-04:00

My first book, The Pulse of Mixed Media, is being released by North Light Books in March 2012. Working on this project has been nothing short of phenomenal. With just over six months to go, there is still a lot of work to do. Right now I am in the midst of my first round of manuscript editing and, believe it or not, I am loving every minute of it.

In between all the hard work it takes to birth a book are many peak moments. For me, one of these was seeing the cover for the first time. And another peak moment is occurring right now in real time: sharing the cover with you. I think I feel much like a new father who sees his child as the most beautiful thing in the world.

More details about the book will be shared as it gets closer to the publication date. Be sure to join my mailing list to receive upcoming eNewsletters that will include updates about the book and related events.

Happy Hands

2011-08-22T13:11:00.002-04:00

Eric Adama, a talented artist from the Netherlands, highlighted a topic that is close to my heart on this post on his blog Cerulean: hands. Hands down my favorite picture from his post is the first image of Louise Bourgeois. And what a quote: "I am not what I am, I am what I do with my hands." Also included among the selection of images was a mosaic that Eric put together of my Making Waves series. Thanks for the shout out Eric.

The newest addition to the Making Waves family is Tyche, the Greek Goddess of Luck, Destiny, and Fortune.

Available for purchase in my Etsy Shop.

Sold. Thank you!

Style File: Chapter 10

2011-08-21T09:01:00.001-04:00

Style File is the 1st of 6 projects from The Pulse. Participants were asked: How would you describe your artistic style?
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Shayla Perreault Newcomb

My artistic style is 'meditative.' The rhythm of the three shapes prompts us to pause. I found out afterwards that this was also used by the ancient Greeks in a similar way to express what they call 'Kairos' or unmeasured time. When in 'Kairos' time, we're free of the daily rush and time stands still. (Sun Stood Still)
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Annie Kerr

How would I describe my artistic style? As I don't call myself and artist and have no art training except just getting on and doing it, this is a difficult question. I'm a musician and writer and spend most of my time with those. The time I get to spend on artwork is very precious and has to make the most of every moment available. So, it tends to be spontaneous and gestural, usually done in one sitting with the weather dictating if a piece gets finished there or not. I think this piece, inspired by a landscape near Wastwater in the Lake District, might show some of that.
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Laura J. Wellner

It is mine, I have no name for it, it's intuitive and natural, random - at times whimsical - it can go from complex to minimalistic from one piece to the next. I have hit a sweetspot creatively these last twelve years or so, these have been happy times. (If Not, Winter)
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Darlene AkA HugGeR Wilkinson

Altered or something where many mediums are used.

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Maude May

Ordered chaos. As a graphic designer I strive for order but as a mixed-media artist I lean toward 'more is better.' (donde su alma vida)
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judy sidonie tillinger

This is tough - I'm kind of a dabbler and jump from medium to medium with photography being the through line. The photo represents one theme in my work - going close, finding the overlooked, the torn - an appreciation of the imperfect. I'm drawn to the Japanese aesthetic of wabi sabi, defined concisely on Wikipedia as 'a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent and incomplete".
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Sharmon Davidson

My style is an eclectic mix of several, though I suppose it could be described as treading the fine line between realism and abstraction. My work is largely representational, in that real things are depicted, but aside from the fact that the images are layered onto the same substrate, the relationships between them don't usually occur that way inside the confines of physical reality. Content-wise, it probably fits best into the symbolist/surrealist genre.
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Tari Goerlitz

My style is busy and colorful with lots of black lines that confuse the order in which the layers were made. I have a weird compulsion to inter-connect everything inside my artwork. And I'm definitely going through a 'German' Phase!
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Billie's Craft Room

I vary between elegant, clean and minimal designs and grunge. I adore making something new look years old and well used.
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annie!

My artistic style is bohemian - free, loose, fearless and easy. An artist that I greatly admire saw my work on Flickr and commented that she loves my sloppy style...so I guess it's sloppy...but in a good way. An image that shows this off would be a page from my newest book...The Boat Book.
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Next 'Style File' will be posted on Sunday, August 28th.

Sanuye

2011-08-18T10:20:00.001-04:00

Sanuye

Red Clouds at Sundown

A new addition to my series Facets.

Available for purchase in my Etsy Shop.