Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Wanna Play?

Let's Make Art

APRIL 

The Ink Pad
New York, New York
April 13 - Mixed Media Revolution - workshop full

Pratt Institute
New York, New York
April 28 - Creating an Artist Folio - registration open

MAY 

EncaustiCastle 
Lexington, Kentucky
May 9-12 - Library of Memories - registration open

Everything Scrapbook & Stamps
Lake Worth, Florida
May 19 - Get Baked! - registration open
May 20 - Abstraction Reaction - registration open

Quilt & Surface Design Symposium 
Columbus, Ohio
May 28-June 1 - Table of Contents - registration open

JUNE 

Quilt & Surface Design Symposium 
Columbus, Ohio
June 2-3 - For Your Eyes Only - registration open

Idyllwild Arts 
Idyllwild, California
June 15 - 52 Card Pickup - registration open
June 16-17 - A Book of Moments - registration open 

Visions of Australia
Hornsby, New South Wales Australia
June 30-July 1 - A Book of Moments 
email me at shap97@gmail.com for info
registration open

JULY 

Fibre Arts Australia
Ballarat, Victoria Australia
July 5-9 - Table of Contents - workshop full

Fibre Arts Australia
Lismore, New South Wales Australia
July 12-16 - Table of Contents - registration open

AUGUST 

PaperCraft Clubhouse
Westbrook, Connecticut
August 11 - save the date
August 12 - save the date

Clipper Street Scrapbook Company
Langley, British Columbia Canada
August 17 - save the date
August 18 - save the date
August 19 - save the date

SEPTEMBER 

Burritt's Rapids Community Hall
Burritt's Rapids, Ontario Canada
The Exquisite Corpse
A 5-day retreat with Holly Dean
September 3-7 - registration open
email me at shap97@gmail.com for info

Shake Rag Alley
Mineral Point, Wisconsin
Table of Contents
September 21-23 - registration open

OCTOBER 

The Art is You Movement
Art Retreat
Stamford, Connecticut
October 3-4 - save the date
Registration Opens May

A Work of Heart
San Jose, California
October  7 - save the date
October  8 - save the date

The Art is You Movement
Masterclass Series
Ogden, Utah
A 5-day retreat with Sharon Payne Bolton
October 10-14 - save the date
Registration Opens May 30

Artistic Artifacts
Alexandria, Virginia
November  16 - save the date
November  17 - save the date
November  18 - save the date

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Friday Fifty on Tuesday


This past Friday I posted my first Friday Five, a new weekly series. What better way to start than with 5 thoughts on how to live a better life?

1. Follow your gut. Always.
2. If it seems too good to be true, it is.
3. Put in the work.
4. It is okay to say no.
5. Always be authentic. Always

All you wonderful people added your own thoughts to the list in the blog comments and on Facebook. Totally printable and absolutely helpful on one of "those" days, here is my updated list of the Friday Fifty, including your additions.

1. Follow your gut. Always.
2. If it seems too good to be true, it is.
3. Put in the work.
4. It is okay to say no.
5. Always be authentic. Always.
6. Follow your dreams.
7. Stay true to yourself.
8. Be grateful for what you have.
9. Never feel guilty for experiencing love or joy.
10. Success in everything - even in getting the right opportunities - takes drive and effort.
11. Know the rules so that you can break them.
12. You create the life you lead.
13. Be yourself, be kind, be brave, grateful, be happy.
14. Your work and thoughts are unique.
15. Do something creative every single day.
16. It's never too late to become an artist.
17. Always take the road less traveled.
18. Believe there is good in the world.
19. Be the change you want to see in the world.
20. Be kind, say please and thank you, and never take love for granted.
21. Do what is in your heart.
22. Do what you are driven to do.
23. Live life to the full as there may not be a tomorrow.
24. Be a timely, effective communicator.
25. Courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day that says "I will try again tomorrow."
26. Being creative is not a hobby, it's a way of life.
27. Be mindful and grateful.
28. Perfection is the enemy of progress.
29. Manners matter. 
30. Work hard. 
31. Follow your passion.
32. Try something new.
33. Spend your time on what you love.
34. Immerse yourself in music.
35. Share your blessings through your actions, words, and art.
36. Don't compare yourself to others.
37. Always be kind.
38. Communicate appropriately and in a timely fashion.
39. Always be encouraging.
40. Remember, no one is perfect.
41. Don't be afraid to ask.
42. Give it a go...you never know what might happen.
43. Always act with integrity.
44. Always be you.
45. Be true to yourself.
46. Never give in or give up...even when it looks like a hot mess.
47. Choose the simple way. Always.
48. There is always something to be grateful for.
49. Never try to eat anything bigger than your head.
50. It is never okay to say no to an online shopping cart.

Sunday, March 25, 2018

The Sunday Papers: 23


Welcome to the Sunday Papers. Grab a cuppa, get comfy and turn the virtual pages. Did you miss any along the way? See every edition here.

LAYER LOVE


PAPER PERFECT

Joyce Bantock

DYNAMIC CERAMIC


TABLESCAPES


SCRATCH THE SURFACE


COLOR FIELDS


DETAILS, DETAILS

SaveSaveSaveSave

Saturday, March 24, 2018

The Affordable Art Fair

One of the many advantages of living in NYC is the all-access pass to art that you get 24/7/365. It could be the museums, the galleries, the auction houses, the graffiti on the walls, or the myriad of art fairs that seem to be held every weekend from September through May.

This weekend, the Affordable Art Fair has come to town. To be clear, affordable is artwork priced $10,000 or less. Happily, I have to say that some of the best work I saw was in the lower half of that price range.


For you locals, the fair runs through Sunday and is most definitely worth a visit. For those of you who cannot come to NYC and do not have access to these types of events, consider this your (very biased) private showing of some of my favorites.

Lee Kwan Woo
Lilac Gallery

Lee Kwan Woo hand carves every stamp that is used to create the undulating surface of his unique works. They are mesmerizing in person.


Russell Frampton
Will's Art Warehouse


The closer I got to these pieces from Russell Frampton, the more I was entranced. It is the smallest of detail, mark and line that makes a large impact in these vessel-like structures he creates.



Michele Mikesell
Decorazon


I have seen Michele Mikesell's work at the AAF for many years and I am always drawn to the figures that she paints that seem to have their own personality, emotions and just the right amount of quirk.



Russell West
Woolff Gallery


I have seen Russell West's work before both in NYC and in London. These pieces are quite compelling and fascinating. His piece below was so new that it still carried the scent of the oil paint.




Noelle Hamlyn
Lustre Art


Noelle Hamlyn layers these bobbins (and other objects) with salt-encrusted hand spun paper. They are gorgeous and completely unlike any other surface treatment I have seen before.


Michael Phillipp Schnitzer
Galerie Juliane Hundertmark

I loved the surfaces created by Michael Philipp Schnitzer, who was one of the few artists actually at the show and who graciously took the time to explain how he created this effect layer after layer.


Daniel Sueiras
Galerie Juliane Hundertmark

This salon-style wall of art from Daniel Sueiras captivated me, as did his portraiture of animals, complete with the perfect choice of frames. Front and center was this wonderful piece.


And speaking of, artwork featuring animals of all sorts and in all forms was a huge trend at this show.   While there was of course the requisite dogs and cats, it looks like rhinos and elephants - often juxtaposed in unexpected backgrounds - are trending.

Gabriele Buratti
Palma Arte
(detail)

Nathalie Boissonnault
Arteria Gallery
(detail)

Edouard Buzon
Galerie Envie d'art
(detail)

Sebastien Levigne
The Linda Blackstone Gallery
(detail)

Also trending at the show were portraits with flowers.

Minas Halaj
Retrospect Gallery


The work from Minas Halaj was hands down my favorite in this category, with his florals collaged with appliqués, fabric, buttons, and painted paper. 



Share your favorites in the comments.

The Affordable Art Fair runs through Sunday March 25 at The Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea.