Time to rest

I've been feeling a little fried lately...just too much jammed into a day...so in honor of Labor Day, I'm taking the weekend off...the Southern Man and I are having a little staycation...the weather will actually be quite nice here...
I need to soak up a bit more of summer...I'm not ready to give in to fall quite yet...

I hope you take some time for yourself this weekend...its good to pause and relax every once in a while...

Texture Tuesday

Adding texture...and other enhancements to photographs...has been one of the benefits of participating in Beyond Layers, my online creativity class.  I've been feeling pretty comfortable with the basics of Photoshop which is lightyears ahead of where I was just 8 months ago...and feel confident enough to participate in Texture Tuesday over at Kim Klassen's blog.  Today's theme is free and easy...so just about anything goes...here's my creative entry...

I edited my photo with Kim's texture stampright2 at multiply 37% opacity; the paris postmark is from FrenchKiss Collections...did you know that if you sign up for Kim's Texture Tuesday email, you get free textures sent right to your inbox?  and likewise, FrenchKiss Collections has freebies you can sign up for as well...the paris postmark was one of five freebies I downloaded...I thought it was the perfect finishing touch...

So join me as I head over to Texture Tuesday to discover what other creatives are posting...always impressive to see all the talent out there...

Steal like an Artist

I've just finished reading the most amazing book...Steal like an Artist by Austin Kleon...(thanks a million Sandy from rhubarb reign for the recommendation!)








It was the perfect kick in the seat of the pants/knock on the side of the head...as a creative type, you need to just do what you do, taking in what fits, subtracting what doesn't, and not getting hung up on approval/acceptance/understanding...

it all fits in quite nicely with my word for the year (which I haven't neglected just because its August!) which is

Just do it...and in the process, you will discover what is important in your work and what about it that speaks to you...as well as realizing there is nothing new or original in creative circles...its the same ideas over and over...all with your unique spin on it...so get over yourself and go make some art!













and talking about making art...Cindy over at Fat Cow Studio is sponsoring a great giveaway (which ends tonight!)...she makes these fantastic necklaces out of vintage bits and bobs...very arty/creative/free spirit feeling...hop on over to her blog for all the details...because she is the epitome of steps #6, #7 and #8 listed above!

After the rush

It was a busy, hectic weekend for Fresh Paint, the art festival here in Everett where I was a participating artist.  Set-up on Friday was hot...which is not news in the rest of the country but when we get a day or two over 80 degrees here, everything  is fried!

So it was welcome relief when Saturday morning  dawned with typical marine weather...and I enjoyed the calmness of the marina before the start of the show...

A special aspect of this show is that the artists are to be "in action"...demonstrating some aspect of their art.  Since I deal with paper and recycling/upcycling is an important part of my creations, I decided to make mini art journals, assembling them on the spot and giving them away to anyone who stopped by my booth.

I pre-cut a huge stack of leftover paper scraps - both unprinted sheets as well as printed book pages/maps/receipts/etc.  For the journal cover I used cardstock that was leftover from my previous
greeting card line...I had a large variety of colors and the texture of the paper was fantastic...

I counted out 8 assorted sheets, stacked them inside of the card stock cover, stapled twice on the fold and then slapped a white label on the logo that had been printed on the old cardstock.  Sometimes I added an embellishment of a colored sticker or a few crayon colorings...







People seemed to like them...and were so surprised they were free!  I didn't keep track but I would guess I made over 200 journals during the weekend...and by Sunday afternoon, I was out of paper so I take that as a measure of success...

The show...well, a mild success... art is a discretionary purchase and with the economy still on the mend, its a tough market...good news is that the perfect wheel collage went to an enthusiastic art lover...

and I enjoyed talking with all who came by my booth...and catching up with artist friends from around the area...





















but I still need to unpack...and return the dining room table to its original use (dining rather than art work surface!) before I can take a needed rest...where is that studio boy when I need him...!

It's time...

Setting up today for the Fresh Paint show this weekend...I'll be in Booth #13  (how lucky is that!) 
and my artists friends will be there too...
Shelly Holm - From the Alley to the Gallery - Booth #75
Jody Carlson Cain - Latitude Studio - Booth #44
Tammi Sloan - My Brown Wren - Booth #12

plus 72 other great artists...I'll be looking for you...

Saturday and Sunday from 10am - 5pm each day...at the Everett Marina...

Here and now

My last art piece is ready for Fresh Paint..what started as an old typeset drawer...

has become one of the largest multi-media collages I have ever tackled...

I removed some of the wooden dividers so there would be a greater variety of size...which gave me 77 compartments...I left some compartments empty...because all art needs negative space...right?!

The piece took me about a month...a little bit here, a little bit there...it evolved as I worked on it...
and the theme of a passage of time emerged...

the past...

the present...

and the future...

I enjoyed tinkering with it...figuring what worked where...and how to attach/secure everything soundly...
it really is imbued with...

It will be the pearl of my booth at Fresh Paint...I hope you'll stop by to see it...