Stencil Reveal and Giveaway!

The day has finally come when I am able to share my new set of stencils from StencilGirl Products with all of you. There is always a lot of built up anticipation between the time an idea comes to me and the day of the reveal. To celebrate, the crew at StencilGirl is hosting both a blog hop and a giveaway. Details for both can be found at the end of this post.

Inside Out

Timeless

Past Present Future

While each of these stencils can be used in its entirety, they have been designed so that the artist using them can pick and choose individual elements from all three. As an example, the following piece On Time, No Time was created using bits from each new stencil. 

(Sold. Thank You)

All three stencils were also used in Creative Space, an art piece I painted this past weekend on a cabinet panel at Random Arts in North Carolina. All workshop instructors at that shop are asked to make a piece of "installation art" that is permanently left on their kitchen cabinets. This was my contribution to the gallery...

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These three new stencils are my second release from StencilGirl. All of my designs can be found in stores, on my page at StencilGirl Products, and in my website shop. Today only (Monday April 28th), my original three stencils (as a set only) are available at a special price as the Daily Deal Monday at StencilGirl Products.

Unfinished

Numbers

Story Time

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BLOG HOP GIVEAWAY DETAILS

A group of ten artists has been invited to participate in the blog hop and given a license to create. Stop by their blogs and see what they came up with. And, while you are there, plan to leave a comment because two lucky people will win one set of my new stencils each. You can also leave a comment on this post and on the main post at StencilGirl Talk, so that you will have 12 chances to win in total. Comments close on Sunday May 4th, 11:59pm Central Time.

Start at Mary Beth's blog and each participant along the way will direct you to the next artist in the order listed.

Blog Hop Order

StencilGirl Talk

Seth Apter - you are here!

Mary Beth Shaw

Mary C. Nasser

Linda Cain

Carolyn Dube

Kirsten Reed

Linda Kittmer

Janet Joehlin

Judy Shea

Leslie Tucker Jenison

Paula Phillips

It's Random

Been down in Saluda, North Carolina for the past few days. I am here to teach 3 days of workshops at  Random Arts. Both the town (population of about 600) and the shop are very, very special. 

Random Arts is filled with the best selection of art supplies, gifts, and artful clothes. But the best part for me was the huge selection of one-of-a-kind flea market finds. I am leaving with a big bag!

There was a great group of artists taking my first workshop: Shredded Silhouettes. Here are some of them in action.

Evidence of the creativity that filled the room.

Nothing like happy people at the end of a workshop.

A quick video showing the unbelievably amazing work that was created.

The next day, the creative fun continued with a 2-day workshop: For Your Eyes Only

More on this workshop in an upcoming post...

New Stencils!

So very excited to announce that my second set of stencils is about to be released. To celebrate the reveal, StencilGirl Products will be hosting a blog hop and giveaway beginning this coming Monday 4/28.  Hope to see all you stencil lovers there!

Giving thanks!

Sitting in my NYC studio on the 29th floor...

inspired by the view...

tethered to the computer...

next to my inspiration wall...

starting a new project...

I got to thinking how fortunate I am.

And how appreciative I am for all of YOU! 

Sending thanks to each and every one of you who have supported me in my adventure in the world of art. The journey could never have happened without ya!

As a thank you, I would like to giveaway gift boxes to two different people, each filled with some of the items that I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to create...

The Mixed-Media Artist

The Pulse of Mixed Media

Unfinished, Numbers, Story Time stencils

Easy Mixed Media Techniques for the Art Journal

Easy Mixed Media Surface Techniques

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To be eligible for the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post. Comments will close at the end of the day on Monday 4/21 and two people will be selected using a random numbers table. Winners of the giveaway will be contacted by email, so please be sure that I have your email address.

Comments are now closed and the giveaway is complete. Congratulations to both Nickalli Braaten and Ruth Satterlee for winning!!

Somerset Memories

Thrilled to have my work featured in the current, Spring 2014 issue of Somerset Memories. Starting on page 44, you will find my article and step-by-step tutorial entitled Memory Cards: A Unique & Artful Way to Store & Display Your Photographs. Sending thanks to Jana Holstein, Managing Editor, and the whole crew at Somerset Memories.

 Front Side of cards

Back side of cards

Workshops: A Student's View

Last month I posted my top 5 tips for instructors on both planning for and execution of an art workshop. In response, I received an email from an artist who shared with me her own list of tips from the perspective of a student. I think her thoughts are right on target and have included them below. I believe they could be helpful to many instructors in our community. Any resemblance to a workshop instructor that you have had may be purely coincidental. Or not.

1. Avoid extended introductions. Class time is usually limited and it should not be used to "get to know each other." At retreats, people can get to know each other at meals and the bar. Classes should be - primarily - for instruction.

2. Avoid padded supply lists. An oversized supply list is a safety net for the teacher, but can be a hardship financially and physically for the participants. Try to limit lists, or perhaps provide a "bare bones" list and then some suggestions for additional "niceties." And do not list items by specific manufacturers unless they are absolutely necessary. Instead, provide the item type and then share info about your own likes.

3. Make sure that the workshop content reflects the pre-workshop description. Yes -- I have taken workshops with artists who presented a totality different project or technique from the one offered.

4. Attitude. The teacher's first job is to generate enthusiasm or excitement for the subject. I think I believe that an enthusiastic teacher with lesser skills can often outshine the skilled teacher who is "just there." On this topic...

-----Do not demonstrate boredom.
-----Do not use workshop time to work on your own projects.
-----Do not present a "live" book or video. By this I mean that a workshop should be largely a unique entity and not just a "phone it in" presentation of the instructor's videos or book.
-----Avoid editing the content/demonstration when there are a number of "groupies" present. They may have heard the basics before , but the newbies deserve the full course.

5. The Delicate Dance. Instructors are charged with a dual task: to present/protect their own style/vision and to foster/nurture individual expression in their students. Not an easy task, but when it is done well, it is a source of creative excitement. I think it is what we are seeking when we sign-up for workshops and retreats.

Thoughts? Opinions? Additional tips?

It's a Setup

I have been creating work for Artexpo New York for a number of months now. Today was the day I was finally able to see it all come together -- booth setup.

Artexpo is being held inside Pier 94 in NYC

I am in booth 210 -- home sweet home

This is how it all began today -- like a blank canvas

Unpacking is always a good way to start

The main wall - 10 feet wide. The 4 small pieces in the lowest row were completed in collaboration with Roxanne Evans Stout.

Work from my Passages series on one 4 foot side wall

Work from my Interior Angles series on the opposite wall

A corner view

The other corner view

Artexpo New York opens Friday 4/4 at 10am and runs through Sunday 4/6. I will share more pics from the event in the coming days -- the next best thing to being there!

Nooks and Crannies

Detail shots of new work created for Artexpo New York - opening this Friday 4/4 and running through Sunday 4/6. Decided to go all nooks and crannies for this series.

Contact me for complimentary tickets if you would like to attend.