Snowmen at Sandra's Open Studio

 Last Saturday, my friend and I drove to Cambridge to Sandra's Open Studio to have some mixed media fun! Inspired by a Cloth paper Scissors article on Snowmen, we made our own characters. Several had fasinators! (royal family hats). Here are the results!

My friend Marie created the snow lady with the purple fasinator.

The whole crew!

Marie is working so hard!

My gold accented snowman under construction!

I added a hat with a BIRD on it.

First time I used my new i phone 5 camera! ( my early Christmas present!)

Sandra's Open Studio

Happy New Year!

 It has been a very busy year and I have neglected my blog since September! So sorry ! My New Year's intention will be to keep up my blog. It really started with a new computer. I am still trying to navigate around my picture files. And then I got very busy teaching classes, entering shows and so on. I do a lot of volunteering which takes some time. I am the editor of my embroidery group's newsletter, membership coordinator for my fine arts group and I will be a communication person for another fibre group. I did give up some groups but I still have little time for house cleaning! :>)
Above and below is a highlight for me for 2011. My little house was published in Cloth Paper Scissors! There it is with the little green roof and orange door. This kind of collage and embroidery is really my style!

 Here I am at a Mixed media workshop I helped run for the Fine Arts Society of Milton.

 This my collage piece that is being critiqued by my instructor, Jill Segal.

I also taught an adult class at the new art centre in October called Art Quilt.

Below are three of my students, Sharon, Shelia and Annie.

 Mary was the also in my class and I enjoyed introducing her to fibre art.

 My other class was at the Canadian Embroiderers' Guild Guelph. I was teaching The Book of Stitches from the Jan Messent book on Celtic, Viking and Anglo Saxon Embroidery. This is 92 year old Dorothy who put the rest of us to shame with her creativity and work ethic. Her book of stitches was completed at the end of six weeks. Ellen, a retired teacher enjoyed the class as well.

 Barbara Lee, below, created a very beautiful accordion book!

I taught a children's art class at the Milton Centre for the Arts for 10 weeks. ( once a week ) We had a delightful art show of all student's art work at the Holcim Gallery in December.

Whew, it was a chaotic season! Did I mention I taught at my friend's Open Studio, did Studio Tour with the best sales ever and fitted in a few supply teaching days? I did make a bit of art in the evenings watching television to sell at the AM Gallery. I continued to do the Sketchbook challenge each month, even if it was only one sketch or collage.

Its two hours into the New Year and I will not be making New Year's Resolutions. I will work at addressing my intentions for 2012 which will include my passion for all things fibre and stitch and mixed media.





July Sketchbook Pages

                                                              A Seed Becomes a Flower

doodles collaged, gesso, paint, black marker

A tribute to my aunt in my Little Bird series

Inktense pencils, marker

Collograph printmaking samples

Made at Sandra's Open Studio

Cover of my mixed media book

Little Bird Speaks

More to come!



Fun at Open Studio

Front of my folder book made at Sandra's Open Studio.

First two pages with the the bottom pockets to hold papers.

The back of the folder in progress. The flower is a bit of ephemera I received from Suzanne's stash.

Another day we made faux encaustic art! My favourite piece!

Also another day we made decorated paper ATCs!

The vase below is my favourite, I am not giving this one away it will go in my visual art journal/sketchbook. I like to make small samples for my sketchbook as a record of what I've done. Now don't you agree that Sandra's Open Studio is very inspiring!

I am teaching a fibre class there this week! I am a lucky girl!

http://creatingartnow.blogspot.com

Little Gems at Open Studio

Inspiration often comes from the art of other artists. In an old Stitch Magazine from the Embroiderer's Guild (U.K.), I found a small project using aida cloth and the art of Paul Klee for inspiration. I was fascinated because I love small and portable projects. 'Jeweled City' above is my version of the project. I started while away on holiday and finished the embroidery when I arrived home. With encouragement from my friends, I decided to share what I did. Recently,my friend Sandra invited me to teach at her studio. Over three days I had 24 students start little gems.

This is my class sample, which is a smaller and simpler version of Jeweled City.

 At the studio, we painted small pieces of aida cloth and Venice lace with acrylic paint in jewel colours. Some paints were metallic as well. While the paint was drying, we planned a design on paper after drawing three columns on our paper. I had my students trace a 4"x6" rectangle on their background, also aida cloth. We included about 5 arched blocks in our design. Odd numbers always seem to look better.

This is my sample I started while in class. I decided to add a couple of triangles as well. I asked the ladies to fasten their cut pieces using  only a dot of glue. The shapes are secured with a running stitch or back stitch in a variety of colours of embroidery floss. Bits of painted lace are also attached as focal points. below is my second sample inspired by Persian turrets.

Here Erin and Norina are working away diligently. 

After the pieces are secured by stitch the fun part begins! I gave each participant a guide of a variety of stitches to use with ideas for combination designs. They included such stitches as french knot, detached chain, and fly stitch. I really like to use the straight stitch to make patterns such as the basket weave.

Here we are happily working in the studio. Sandra is on the right front trying her hand at stitch.

Doeteke has a lovely design. Michelle is using some Easter colours in her city.

Linda is also incorporating turrets from foil chocolate egg wrappers into her city. Her friend Karrie is working on her project.

Here Anne, Heather, and the two Lindas are concentrating on their projects.

I suggested to my students that their finished gem would be suitable to be framed with a mat or in a shadow box with the edges turned under. It will be exciting to see all of their projects finished. Each one was unique in colour and design.

I look forward to teaching another project at Sandra's Open Studio in June.

Fabulous Mixed Media Art at Sandra's Open Studio

A while back, I took this photo at my dear friend's studio. Here are a 'bunch' of the ladies listening to Sandra intently. This is not always the case, we seldom listen INTENTLY. We are so immersed in art it is actually our therapy in play. Today was Sandra's first Anniversary! We all came for cake and to make art! It was all yummy! I have been coming regularly once a week to Sandra's Studio for a whole year. It is something I am totally passionate about. I hate to miss a single lesson! I wish you all live close enough to come to Open Studio. I know three of my blog readers and dear friends, Michelle, Erin and Doeteke all come to Open Studio regularly. I met Michelle through my blog. Actually, I met Sandra through Cloth Paper Studios Magazine when I saw her name and work in one of the issues. I emailed her and the rest is history! I love her dearly and she has become like the daughter I wished I had, but I only had boys!

This fuzzy photo is a picture of a class with Sandra using paper and stitch! It was so much fun! Below is another lesson using magazine pieces in one colour to create a tree collage. This is my bird tree! If you would like to see more student work, check out Sandra's blog at http://creatingartnow.blogspot.com

Now for the exciting news, I am teaching at Sandra's studio all next week. ( Wed. Thurs. Sat. from 10:00 - 1:00 ) I will be teaching an embroidery piece called Jewel City. We will paint aida cloth and create a city inspired by the art of Paul Klee. It will be embellished with embroidery and beads and lace bits. I found this lesson in an old Stitch (UK)  magazine and I impoved upon it in my style. I hope if you are interested you will contact me and I will send you  an email address for Sandra.
My art ventures are all very exciting right now and I am contemplating what I can do next! Any suggestions? I'd love to hear from you!  More photos to follow!

Just Photos

Oatis and me on Christmas Day with his new toy! A Snake!

My grand niece, Maddie wearing her Princess Dress she got for Christmas.

Shimmering Ornaments!

Tags I made at Sandra's open Studio.

My Christmas Owls made from drop cloths.

Thanks to a Gentle Reminder

My Class at the Guelph Embroiderers' Guild
Embroidery by Barbara Lee

Embroidery by Erin

Sheena concentrating on her art.

Doeteke working hard.

Michelle, happy to be creating.

I was reminded tonight at my fibre art meeting that I haven't posted in awhile. Thanks Doeteke! I certainly have intended to, but I have been so busy making art and other things. I am participating in the Sketchbook Challenge and a free workshop with Pam Carriker with Strathmore Online Workshops. I have been inspired to sketch, paint and collage. On Sunday, I was making paper at Sandra's Open Studio. I love going to Open Studio to play. A new semester has started with the classes at the Guelph Embroiderers' Guild, and I am immersed in making a 4 sided vessel, fabric collage of course.
December was the end of my class, teaching at the Guelph Guild and I have some photos to share of my students and their work. It was a invaluable experience working with such creative embroiderers.
I have several pans in the fire for 2011! I want to concentrate on teaching and publishing my art. But it will be in small steps. For the new year, I will be a guest artist at The Three Creative Studios. Watch for my Technique of the Month in April. I am teaching a class on Brown Paper and Embroidery at the Mixed Minded Conference in May. www.mixedminded.ca
I am published in A Needle Pulling Thread, Spring edition. Look for my Keepsake Wallets using recycled fabrics.
Its looking like a very Creative year! Happy New Year everyone!

My Summer Obsession

Do you remember summer?
This is a photo of Port Burwell Beach on Lake Erie in late summer.
Gorgeous sky!

This summer I couldn't remember what I did. Oh yes, I went to Sandra's classes on Art Journaling at her Open Studio. I became possessed with this project which is still under construction. It is called 'The Rose Journal'. I was inspired with a doodle I did of roses and of course my mom's name is Rose ( sentimental meaning) . My favourite saying is: Take the time to smell the roses! This is the cover made of paper and fabric and machine quilted and hand embroidered. I added stitch to almost all the pages.

This is the back cover with only free motion stitch added.

Page 1
All of the edges of the pages are collaged and embellished.

I did a lot of collaging and painting on each page. Here I added a small stitchery on woven rug canvas.
Here I added a page of journaling, a drawing and a quote about roses on a paint chip.

One of our classes included a calligraphy lesson with Sharon Chalmers. R is for Roses.

Another stitchery from painted fabric. Every splash of paint became a stitched rose.

I love this painted and stamped page, the metallic paint just shimmers. I also added a painted and woven fabric stitchery. I embellished with embroidery of course.

Another rose embroidery and real rose petals collaged around the vintage photo. The painted and stamped page has small saying about roses in each frame. Do you like the button border?

This spread the one of the first I completely finished. It has vintage laces attached.

This page reminds me of 'Me!" I had blonde, curly hair when I was young. I now have that Passion for Art. The background is painted, collaged and painted again and again! The white paint pen is just the right touch.

This was the first page I worked on and it was totally frustrating. It has numerous layers of paint and collage. Sandra says that it must get ugly before it gets beautiful. Well, it was so ugly I almost painted black over the whole page until I stamped squares on it to integrate the images together. Integration is so important!

You can see the small elements in each of the windows.

This is a Close up of the back inside cover showing the freemotion stitching designs inspired by Leah Day's 365 days of Free motion quilting. So you can see how busy I was this summer and I still have a lot of details to add. Now I see I missed the centrefold page that has my inspiration doodle. I'll post it next time, hopefully all finished. Off to do Studio Tour for the next two days. I made 25 fabric collaged book marks and now my Pfaff is sick. She won't do zigzag for me. Next week the repair shop. Good thing I have my old Pfaff machine that still hums along nicely to finish all my bookmarks. Until next time, keep stitching!