a work in progress

This is what it looks like when the mobiles are hanging around my house, before heading over to EureKan Art Gallery. They really do look a lot better in the gallery where they hang freely and you can see the twirling movement of the birds and the sparkle of the beads or crystals. Head over to 150 N. Main Street in Eureka Springs, Arkansas to experience the meditative beauty of these peace cranes. The mobiles range in price from $24. to $168. depending on the papers and beads or crystals and the number and size of the birds. Presented to the bride and groom on the occasion of their marriage, origami cranes are a traditional wedding blessing, with each crane symbolizing 100 years of lasting togetherness. Origami cranes have brought hope for centuries. It is believed that folding one thousand cranes brings the fulfillment of one’s wish. To learn more about the tradition of folding cranes and to read the story of a young girl whose brilliant heart made origami cranes a symbol of the wish for world peace, please visit sadako.org .

Style maven Marcia V. has been keeping the blog world informed of all fabulosity for a full year now. If you have not yet checked out her blog, Precious Style, now is a great time to join the fun. Marcia is hosting a cupcake contest and awarding some fabulous prizes to the crafty winner. Sorry foodies, this contest is for cupcakes which look good enough to eat, not the actual edibles. Isn’t that just precious?

With all these rainy days and the high season approaching, I have been folding origami cranes and stringing them with beads to make mobiles for EurekanArt.

February’s Studio Play Day was held today and I was happy to find the participants had little experience in art making but were eager to step into new territory. It was a lot of fun to watch one woman struggle through the discomfort of the beginning stages, where you don’t know where you’re going with it as an art piece but have some intention as to your theme, and into the finishing of the piece where the flow has taken over and the piece seems to have a life of its own. I am sharing her collage with you above.

When she arrived at my studio, she stated that she wanted something to help her keep her focus as she moves through a major home remodeling project, an intention I completely relate to with all my desires for improvements to my home. She has a lot of energy and is attracted by bright colors. She is building a room in the attic of her house to be her space for meditation. I think her collage does a wonderful job of combining her colorful exuberance with a feeling of well-being. She is moving into her power and learning to be calm about her exuberance! She said that the final minutes of creating the piece made her have to really consider what elements, among the hundreds she had gathered around her, were essential. I hope her collage will serve as a playful and cheerful reminder that her focus is always present when wishes to access it and that part of the joy of being the person she is lies in the abundance of ideas she carries around with her.

As for me, I hope I continue to be blessed with just the right participants in my workshops. It is so much fun to make materials and techniques accessible to people and to be present with their often new-found ways of self expression. Thanks for coming to the workshop today, ladies. I enjoyed having each of you and hope you will return for more creative play. Next month’s Studio Play Day will focus on polymer clay as we make beautiful filigree rattles from eggs. More on that later. I think I must go karaoke now…

A little over a week ago, I held a Studio Play Day in Paper Making and was thrilled to have a weaver and a potter attend. (Guess which one made the sheet above?) Since I am a big fan of Arnold Grummer’s Paper Making Supplies and have maintained a relationship with them since back when I was into writing how to projects, I have recently added a post to their blog about what happened when these two artists tried their hand at paper making. They will also use a version of that little article for their upcoming newsletter, so I guess I’m kind of still involved with the crafts industry even as I toil away in the world of fine art. Suits me fine, I really believe in the Arnold Grummer products and I am happy to stay in touch with his wonderful family. If you check out their new blog, you’ll likely notice that it’s a family business.

It was another fun day of experimentation and mess making in the studio. I really enjoyed the flow of ideas between the participants. It was great for me to have artists in the class, they taught me new things! And at least one, a potter, discovered a new medium and techniques that she can incorporate into her existing work. Her work has a strong dragonfly motif running through it and she really liked Arnold Grummer’s Paper Castng Dragonfly Mold. I’ll be blogging about what happens when artists try their hand at paper casting over on the Arnold Grummer’s new blog later this week.

I’ve been gathering my supplies for Saturday’s paper making class and today the icing on the cake arrived.  Arnold Grummer’s Hand Papermaking Supplies are my favorite and I have worked with them for several years. I really value the quality of these supplies and the knowledge and experience Mr. Grummer shares through his instructional books.  I taught myself paper making and casting using Arnold Grummer’s supplies and, back when I was designing and writing how-to projects for the crafts industry, I created several items for their display at the Craft Hobby Association Trade Show. I have always used their supplies when teaching paper making and I am delighted that they have been so supportive of my teaching. Today I received a large box of all the wonderful items in the picture above. I now have enough hand molds for each student in the class, as well as a large assortment of templates-what a luxury!  Kim, who put this package together at the AG HQ, also included some of their new products. Check out the Arnold Grummer’s website to learn more about paper making from the master himself, or to shop for some wonderful supplies.

The little Peepeyed Critters were assembling again last Friday during my Studio Sale and Party when a couple of local artists came by and discovered them. I may have finally found some friends to be put away with when shipped off to the funny farm to paint happy trees all day! They played with the little critters, describing and acting out their personalities and dramas just like I did when I was creating them. Perhaps it is not surprising, from this display of their love of personal expression and character development to learn that they are both painters of people. Jerri Stevens has been doing amazing, intensely beautiful paintings of people and has been recently commissioned for some portrait work in her contemporary, expressionist style. Jerri works in acrylics, as I do, so I’m thinking we will share some ideas and tips one day. Wendi Beauford is an oil painter and I have unfortunately only seen one of her paintings. It was an incredibly detailed and realistic portrait with a feeling of great history. Each of these painters has a studio/shop space at the Art Colony on North Main here in Eureka Springs. I’ll be back soon for another visit. It’s inspiring, fun, and downright cozy.

I finished the postcards/fliers for my Holiday Sale and Party on Friday, December 14th. Tomorrow I am going to put some colorful lights on the outside of the studio. I’m considering my options for the yard and patio and I think I will make luminarias/farolitos for the pathway and maybe set up a small, slow burning fire for that night. I want it to feel welcoming and giving people a chance to gather in front of the fire just may do the trick. Inside, I’ll offer some refreshments and all sorts of small artwork created to be given as gifts. I hope to sell all the remaining polymer clay pieces and hand painted clothing, since I am limiting my crafty endeavors to the classroom now. I also hope to sell all of the small framed prints I have in stock since they are not available anywhere else. I will also have prints of my newest work available, and the walls will be covered with original paintings, all available, of course! I know it will be fun. I love setting up a display in my studio and enjoy talking about my artwork, this wonderful studio, and its creation. I like throwing parties, too, and I will enjoy setting the mood and seeing friends, old and new.

Everyone who attended the first Studio Play Day on Saturday did a great job on their cards. I was amazed at how many new techniques they both learned and created. In the photos above you can see that many different types of materials were used, including papers from all over the world, threads, ribbon, fabric, paints, stamps, adhesives, wire mesh, markers, paint pens, glitter, iron-on threads, buttons, and one altogether necessary jingle bell. Click on photo above for larger image. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I opened my evening of karaoke with I Feel Fine.

First of all, see that card on the table with the little tree on it? Well, it is amazing! Brian made it and he GAVE IT to me. (Thank you, Brian!) Not only is he generous and thoughtful, he is incredibly diligent, patient, and amazingly adept with that sewing machine.
This was a great group to start my series of Studio Play Days! I hope they are serious about coming back for my monthly events. This groups is fun, creative, and easy to be around. I had a blast and everyone else did too. I can hardly wait to share the photos I quickly snapped of some of their cards because they are incredible. I love the variety and it is always wonderful to see how each person’s personality shines through their art work. I learned from each of them today and I found having them in my studio very inspiring. I have cleaned up the studio and now I’m off for some karaoke. I’ll show more photos of their cards tomorrow. By the way, we all sang along to the Beatles today, so I’ll sing a song for them tonight. Beatles songs are my standard opener.

The First Studio Play Day is filled to capacity and I am excited to share my studio and introduce some people to a wide variety of craft materials and techniques. I have pulled out many supplies and tools for everyone to explore, including Color Cutters, Kreinik iron-on threads, ribbons, a sewing machine, many types of markers, Leow-Cornell oil pastels, Delta paints for paper, stencils and rubber stamps. There are also Deco Art Snow Writers and Paper Effects writers, Delight paper clay, countless adhesives, art glitters and other embellishments, cutting tools galore, and of course, many, many papers. I can hardly wait to see the brilliant creations these materials bring forth.