Clean = Inviting

Inviting and refreshing, that is how the art studio feels when it is clean. As we wrap up the school year, I have had very little free time to express myself creatively. To hinder me further, piles were accumulating and swallowing up my work spaces. Today I tackled the studio and won the match. Creativity reigns once again.

After putting away the clutter, I was able to finish a page in an art journal and continue on a couple other projects that were buried in the rubble earlier. I feel invigorated, recharged.

Tonight I think I’ll curl up with this book by Kelly Rae Roberts,

Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts

my journal, and a cup of tea and allow swirling thoughts to settle in my brain.

amanda ∞

A Handmade Life

Issue 4, Creative Community, is available.

Robin at Alchemy Studios puts out an inspirational zine, A Handmade Life, and she was so gracious to include some art and writing by moi. Other contributors besides Robin herself include Patricia Mosca, Dawn Rice, and Jim Dubois. Check it out, folks. And thank you, Robin.!

amanda ∞

Botanica Exotica

The last class I took at Artfest was Botanica Exotica taught by Melissa Manley. We formed botanical shapes from wire and added sausage casing. Having had little experience working with wire, I found forming the shapes to be the challenge. Also the lack of sleep from several days of Artfest infusion was affecting my ability to let my intuitive creativity flow. I was having a serious mental block and couldn’t remember what a flower looked like! To top that off, I found myself comparing my work to the others in the class. I caught myself soon enough, but really struggled with it the whole class.

Despite these challenges, I found myself truly enjoying working the SAUSAGE CASING and plan on experimenting more with it this summer. The casing was soaked in water. To apply it to the form, it either needed to be split open to wrap around the form, or slid over the form in its natural tubular shape. The casing adheres to itself when wet, so no adhesive was needed. While wet, it looked like a lumpy white mess, but when dried it had the appearance of aged translucent parchment. I used a type of wire that I knew would rust. I loved how the rust added to the ancient look of the pieces.

My dad’s birthday is this week. He is such a creative, earthy person, I thought this would be the perfect gift for him. Actually, he is the one I would like to work with this summer on some new projects. I hope we have the opportunity.

amanda ∞

Disposal

As a school assignment, my daughter wrote the script for this short film. It came together wonderfully. So what grade should she get?

amanda ∞

Have spray paint, will travel

One thing I have learned on this creative journey is to take advantage of each available moment. I’m becoming even more creative with time management. Do you suppose it will become a right brain activity at some point?

Tuesday is baseball practice day for my son. It takes 20 minutes to get there and practice is for an hour and a half. I could go home during that time, but would lose 40 minutes to driving time not to mention the extra expense and waste of gasoline.

So today I packed up my spray paint and stencils and set up a spray paint station in the large parking lot by the ball fields.

Despite the wind, I still had fun experimenting, trying color combos, different techniques on odds of cardboard and paper.

My next step is to take the paper and play with it in my art studio, adding paint, imagery, and words. Fun!

amanda ∞

Pure Experimentation

Mary Ann Moss is offering an online stencilry class over at Dispatch from LA. There is still time to register folks! The class officially began a week ago Friday, but the nice thing about an online class is the flexibility in timing. I just finally got to the assignment from last week today. No sweat, no pressure, and I had so much fun!

Check out the portfolio covers I made this evening:

They are made from scraps of cardboard. I love that! After they are completely dry, I’ll bind them with gaffer tape. I think red or black will be nice.

But before I had so much fun, I was a good, responsible wife and mommy. Accomplishments for the day include actually going to the grocery store (first time this month),  laundry, homeschool administrative duties, and a wee bit of Latin. The kids tried to trick me into being a teacher, but I wasn’t fooled by their clever rouse. I said NO. Teachers need a day off here and there or they tend to get grouchy.

amanda ∞

Scrabble face

If you can’t laugh at yourself…

amanda ∞

Connections

The longer I live, the more I believe we are all connected in some cosmic way. Over a year ago I posted about a 1948 Calling All Girls magazine found in my grandmother-in-law’s attic. And last month I received an email from the daughter of the cover model of that same magazine! I feel I was meant to find and post about it so that the magazine could find its way home.

Seems the charming girl on the cover was stopped while walking down the street in New York and asked if she were interested in modeling. That’s how her modeling career began. Do things like that happen anymore?

I was so fortunate to be able to make charms with the magazine cover and another picture of her from the magazine for the daughter and her two sisters.

I love making things with a story attached. The project just comes alive. How precious are objects that invoke memories of people and stories, that speak of something deeper than the objects themselves. I am thrilled to have been touched by this story.

amanda ∞

Artfest

Artfest caused yet another shift within me. Surrounded by such beauty and so many others who think in ways similar to me, I felt that if I did have a place I fit on this earth, I had found it. I have never felt more comfortable around so many people I’d just met. Just being around so many other creative minds gave me such confidence in my own path. I envisioned and set goals, became more firmly established, found more of my self.

Now I am back to my “normal” life. Taxes and traveling over the weekend have caused me to push into high gear to get several much needed projects done while still maintaining the balance with homeschooling and my husband’s business. I feel a mellowness setting in where there once would have been stress. My dreams and goals are pushing me past this time of “catch up” to that of grand plans in my art studio.

I will share more fully over the months about specifics, the classes I took, the exciting things I learned. Until then enjoy some of my Artfest Art Journal filled with treasures from other artists and the outpouring of my thoughts.

amanda ∞

My daughter, the teacher

While I was away at Artfest filling my head with creative things, my daughter became the teacher for the art journaling class at VERONICA’s Voice. She did a wonderful job leading and teaching and guiding.  Here’s the mosaic collage technique she demonstrated that day:

She sketched out the tree for placement, then added the color. The paper is from magazines which she tore and placed with a glue stick. Fun!

The art journal class is going well. While we do bring suggestions and techniques to the table, the women are free to do whatever they would like in their journals. I’ve signed up for the Stencilry Class over at Dispatch from LA and am hoping I can share some of what I learn. Fresh ideas are always welcome.

On another note, I just had to share this hilarious card my mom sent me:

The inside reads, “You’re my symbol-minded friend…”

Isn’t it hilarious? My grandmother purchased this card sometime in the 60s or 70s. I come from a family that either saved or used everything, so after both my grandparents passed, my mom inherited a box of very charming vintage cards. I am so thrilled to get them in the mail on occasion. They are my absolute favorite.

Our family will be joining with all of my husband’s immediate family this weekend for the Easter Holiday. It has been years since all the siblings and cousins were together at the same time. We are all very excited for the reunion.

And then next week I’m going to share all my wonderful tales from Artfest as well as glimpses of my projects. I’m still on a creative high. Even preparing tax returns could not bring me down.

Have a meaningful and joyful Holiday in celebration of the risen Savior, and in remembrance of the Passover.

amanda ∞

Taxes await

I arrived home from Artfest Sunday evening full of inspiration and blissful exhaustion. Since then I have tried to get unpacked, but haven’t quite succeeded. There is something larger looming over my head…our tax return. I am the house accountant and we are a self-employed household, so naturally the task of preparing and filing goes to moi. So although I really, really want to give you all a full report of the wonderful things I learned at Artfest, and take lots of pictures of the treasures that came home with me, and add some things to my etsy shop, it will all have to wait. Soon and very soon…

Note to self: Next year get the tax return finished BEFORE going to Artfest.

amanda ∞

No school? Think again.

This week our homeschool is closed, no math, no Latin, no writing assignments, no school at all. I leave my students and the principal as I set off for Artfest early Wednesday morning. But I had to chuckle about the excitement my students were displaying about having no school this week while set about their chosen activities for the day.

Here’s what my students accomplished on this “day off”:

• Week’s menu was planned, using new recipes and working around the parameters of our grocery budget
• Grocery list was made
• Piano was played
• Laundry was sorted, washed, and dried
• Neighbors yard had hours worth of bulbs planted
• Comic book was outlined and sketch begun
• Gonache was prepared, will be ready to eat tomorrow
• Jungle Pilot was read
• Fast ball was polished

And this is Monday. I think they will have as much fun as me this week. My daughter has decided to prepare all the meals for the week, except for the gonache which my chocolate loving son just had to make. I can’t wait to hear the stories of their week when I return home.

amanda ∞

Preparations, anticipation

Artfest is fast approaching. I’ll be leaving in 10 days! As I gather the supplies needed for my workshops, the excitement builds inside my chest. I find it a little harder to fall asleep each night as my mind whirls with anticipation. This will be my first year attending, so I’m keeping things pretty low key. I didn’t sign up for any additional projects like ATCs or Fatbooks just so preparations would not become stressful for me, but I have committed to one tradition. I’ll be bringing trades, something I have to share in exchange for something another artist has brought. I’ve soldered 100 marbles, and have begun adding the jump rings. They make the cutest charms, so this is what I’ll be trading.

The other thing I’ve been doing with my time is Latin catch up. I got behind in February while meeting a commission deadline, so now I’m intently learning and translating. My student is a chapter ahead of me, so I’m working to surpass her before I’m off to Artfest. It’s best that the teacher know the material first, but I am thankful that my student loves Latin as well, and has not let my lapse affect her work. I’m also thankful that I enjoy Latin or this could be an exercise in torture.

And have you all noticed? Spring has arrived!

amanda ∞

Great quote

An excellent post about T.S. Eliot and this quote is here. Check it out.

Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? T.S. Eliot

amanda ∞

Innovation – Trash to Fuzzy Socks

I’m making a robe for my son, a soft fuzzy robe. I’m so glad my mom and dad were in town when I was cutting it out. My mom is such an expert at pattern placement, especially when I am short on material. You see I bought the material when he was a little younger and just haven’t gotten it done!

There weren’t too many scraps left over to save after the pieces were cut, and they were all very odd shaped, so to the trash they went. My son couldn’t stand that. He rescued every scrap from the trash and took the small bundle to his room. And late at night when we were all tucked in bed reading, he made these:



Cut and sewn by hand. How’s that for recycling?

amanda ∞