Tag Archives: Art

Altered Book Art Journaling Workshop November 22

26 Saturday Oct 2024

Posted by in art class, Gratitude Journal

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Friday, November 22 from 6-9pm Registration deadline November 8

Do you want to have an art journal that has pages with inspiration already on them?

Do you want to play with acrylic paint and stencils?

Do you enjoy found word poetry?

Do you want to start a daily art practice or rev up your current practice?

If you answered yes to any of these questions this class is for you. Join me at the Art Hub in Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Art Hub is located at 145 W. Main, Cambridge, WI.

This is an art class about working with what you have on multiple levels. We will transform old library books into lovely art journals. This class is perfect for someone just getting into making art but will also have novel techniques (or nonfiction) that will be interesting to the experienced artist. Learn how to repurpose a hardcover book using gesso, acrylic paint, writing tools and stencils. We will explore using what you find in the book for inspiration.

Gratitude is one of the key components in living a happy life. I focused on gratitude in my art journals for years, but they can be used in many ways to help you reach goals and improve your art skills, overall health, and satisfaction with your life. An art journal is a great place to experiment with art supplies and different techniques. We will do a simple art journal page layout using mostly just acrylic paints. We will explore layering transparent and opaque acrylic paint to create a harmonious composition. You will leave with an art journal that doesn’t have blank pages, ready for you to keep making art. You get to do all of this while you enjoy a beverage of your choice! (included in price with all supplies).

November 22, 6-9pm Registration deadline Nov. 8

$78

Register here

ART HUB 145 W. Main, Cambridge, WI 53523

A selection of my altered book gratitude journals from the past 10+ years. These will be on display at the class.

Upcoming Mixed Media Class

02 Wednesday Oct 2024

Posted by in art class

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Oct. 19, Saturday from 1-4pm Cost: $58
Art Hub
145 W. MAIN    
CAMBRIDGE, WI

Registration deadline: SATURDAY OCT 5 at Art Hub

Create your own floral collage! This class is an introduction to gelli printing and mixed media collage. It is for both beginning and intermediate artists. In this class we will use acrylic paint and a gelli plate to paint a variety of papers to use in a 5×7 collage. Gelli printing is a fun and easy process that creates unexpected combinations of color and texture. It is somewhat unpredictable, and you are sure to get some papers you can use in your collage. There will be a selection of papers for you to print on (ie. maps, book pages, old sheet music). Lace will be used to make papers that look like tablecloths and stencils and other patterning tools will be used to make papers that look like wallpaper. We will use some of my carved blocks to stamp leaves and flowers on some of the papers and cut simple shapes for a table, wall and vase. After we cut out the flowers and leaves, we will play around with different paper and color combinations for the collage. Then we glue it all together. You will take home a matted 5×7 still life that is ready for an 8×10 frame.

Another 100 Mandalas Project

28 Saturday Sep 2024

Posted by in 100 Day Project, Zendala

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In the past I have done my own challenges during which I aspired to make mandalas (almost) every day for 100 days. I have been able to work on a mandala almost every day but a lot of my work takes more energy than I have on a given day. Frequently when I try to make a simple one it becomes complicated. So I once again am aspiring to make 100 mandalas by the end of the year, or make a whole lot and finish up a lot of works in progress. I started the project when there was a little more than 100 days left in the year.

Here’s an overview of week 1. I’m off to a good start! I did make 7 mandalas, but one is in the same sketchbook as the art supplies inventory rainbow so it’s not in the overall photo. Another one also appears twice as I combined a completed mandala with one that was in progress and not going well.

Sketchbook Revival class on art supply inventory taught by Janine Vangool of Uppercase Magazine
Combination of dragonfly mandala and zendala featuring a pattern by Debbie Huntington.
This zendala is from a class in the Tangle Talez workshop taught by Shie Naritomi.
This zendala is a combination of one of my handcarved stamps and some Zentangle patterns.
A collection of my handcarved stamps with some mixed media Zentangles and enhancements.
Another Tangle Talez zendala. This one was taught by Anica Gabrovec (Zen.linea).
The central portion of this mandala is another tile that was taught at Tangle Talez by Anica. I incorporated it into a collage that uses my stamps, zentangles and mixed media.

I hope you have a beautiful day!

Index Card a Day and 2025 Solo Exhibition Preparations

04 Sunday Aug 2024

Posted by in Art, art class, Art on Exhibit

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Index Card a Day is an Instagram challenge intended to encourage a daily art practice. I have a pretty robust daily art practice and this year I created some small works on index cards for this challenge. Some are Zentangled, some are collaged, one is stitched and many include practice components for pieces that I am working on. I frequently use these index cards either on a plain book page or as part of a collage to create a note card for friends and family, as seen in the first photo.

Can you see components from these 2 mandalas in the index cards? I have a new solo exhibition scheduled for 2025 at the Art Hub in Cambridge. It is going to include 100 mandalas, some old and some new. These 2 are going to be part of that show if they don’t sell before then. I currently have 5 pieces in the $100 and Under show at the Art Hub this August and 3 of them are mandalas. I also have a prototype from a still life class I will be offering in October and a block print in that show.

So if you are in the market for some affordable art, head on over!

New Gallery Consignments

08 Monday Jul 2024

Posted by in art class, Art on Exhibit

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The EcoSquared Exhibit is going on right now at Hatch Art House. There will be a reception Friday July 12, from 5-8. I plan to be there and I hope to see you there. There is a lot of detail in these pieces that you can only see in person. What is EcoSquared?

“EcoSquared (eco for eco-friendly, squared for square art) focuses entirely on square works of art made with upcycled materials by local artists. This year will be a massive show of upcycled artworks with nearly 120 pieces made by over 40 Wisconsin artists.”

Hatch Art House is located at 1248 Williamson Street in Madison, WI. Their hours are M-F: 11am – 6pm,
Sat: 11pm-5pm, Sunday: 11-4.

I have started working with a new gallery, The Art Hub in Cambridge. I will have 2 pieces in the general exhibit for the next six months. I will have more in the August show 100 and Under. There will be a fantastic selection of affordable art, as the title implies they will all be $100 or less. (photos coming soon).

The Art Hub is located at 145 W. Main in Cambridge, WI. Their hours are Tuesday -Saturday 10AM-5PM. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Mixed Media Collage Oct. 19, 1-4
Altered Book Art Journal Nov. 22, 6-9
Introduction to Zentangle Dec 14, 1-3:30

This fall I will also be teaching at the Art Hub. The fall 2024 schedule will be available soon here.

October 19th from 1-4 I will be teaching a mixed media collage workshop. “Create your own floral collage. This class is an introduction to gelli printing and mixed media collage. It is for both beginning and intermediate artists. In this class we will use acrylic paint and a gelli plate to paint a variety of papers to use in a 5×7 floral still life collage.”

November 22 from 6-9 I will be teaching an altered book art journal workshop with a focus on gratitude. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. “Learn how to repurpose a hardcover book using gesso, acrylic paint, writing tools and stencils. We will explore using what you find in the book for inspiration. An art journal is a great place to experiment with art supplies and different techniques. We will do a simple art journal page layout using mostly just acrylic paints. We will explore layering transparent and opaque acrylic paint to create a harmonious composition. You will leave with an art journal that doesn’t have blank pages, ready for you to keep making art.”

December 14 from 1-3:30 I will teach an introduction to Zentangle® class. “In this workshop you will get the tools and skills needed to create beautiful, small works of art using the Zentangle® Method of drawing. This meditative art form uses quality art supplies and simple instructions to create patterns to explore non-representational art. You will be using a Zentangle® kit that includes a professional grade Micron pen, pencil, tortillion, and 5 Zentangle® tiles. You will have 2 small abstract pieces of art completed by the end of the class and the kit is yours to keep.”

100 Day Project Wrap Up

03 Monday Jun 2024

Posted by in 100 Day Project, Art

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I finished the 100 day project again this year and felt it was my most successful one ever. This amazing set of torus mandala and seed of life mandala blocks and some coordinating center blocks will entertain me for years to come. Would you be interested in playing with one of the different sized sets? What size? Which combinations do you like best?

Here are the prints I made using these blocks and a page of sampler prints of my medium sized torus mandala. To see the development and samplers for the small and large torus mandalas and the seed of life mandalas see my previous post.

Still life pieces made by mixing and matching gelli printed papers and book pages snuck into all the mandala printing. I carved leaf and flower blocks and a block print template to make the different components. I plan to teach this as a class that can be easily modified for differing ability levels. I’m also thinking about putting these samples up for sale in a local gallery for $25 each. (details to follow)

I love to make cards with my blocks and here are some quick thank you cards I made. One of my goals was to print on fabric by the end of the 100 day project and I was successful in that I did make an attempt. It was a good learning experience and shows that I have plenty more to explore with block printing!

Let me know if you have a favorite piece or want prints of something from my Fine Art America product on demand shop. I don’t have everything uploaded so just let me know what you’re interested in and I will get it there for you.

Thanks for stopping by!

My First Solo Exhibit

31 Sunday Mar 2024

Posted by in Art, Art on Exhibit

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My first solo art exhibit is currently open at Oakwood Village 5565 Tancho Drive in Madison, WI. It will remain open until April 30,2024. I had a reception and gave a talk on March 29. It was well attended and there were a lot of great questions.

Torus Mandalas and Color Schemes

06 Tuesday Feb 2024

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I have continued my pattern play and have carved a variety of blocks to use in small and large torus mandalas. I have been having a lot of fun on Instagram following along with the Printer Solstice challenge hosted by Susana McDonnell. She provides a color combination prompt and I use various combinations of blocks and colors to create examples of the color scheme. Here I have posted some of my monochrome blue mandalas and some analogous yellow, green, blue mandalas. These are my favorite colors schemes if I have to pick, but I am enjoying all of the interesting combinations!

I am slowing uploading them to my Etsy shop as digital downloads for an extremely reasonable price. The larger mandalas are about 18 inches in diameter and the smaller ones are about 9 inches in diameter, but you can print them whatever size you want!

Big blue torus mandala

Yellow dahlia large torus mandala in analogous colors, yellow, green, blue. My followers on Instagram appreciated the photos with the blocks laid out to help see how these are constructed.

I have quite a few more printed but printing is a lot more fun that photographing and posting them. I hope you will check back in my Etsy shop to see if some new combinations of blocks and colors are available!

A Year in Review: 2023

02 Tuesday Jan 2024

Posted by in Art, Art on Exhibit, Zentangle Inspired Art

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This year has been a productive year for art, but not as many big pieces as I have made in the past. My most recent larger piece is Garden Party Mandala that is an experiment for a larger piece that is in the works. This one is going to be on exhibit at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in January of 2024. Keep reading for more information on this exciting opportunity.

It was a really great year for me on Instagram. I reached 1,000 followers and successfully participated in the 100 day project and Carve December. I just finished up Carve December and I’m really excited about it so I’m going to show pictures of it first.

Carve December is an Instagram challenge created by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer 11 years ago. I have participated for a few years but this year was something special for me. Julie provides a prompt for each day and this year I followed the prompts. I was exploring hexagons and ogees from a pattern design class I had just finished (description and photos below). I threw in some other shapes and also carved a few larger stamps that I have big plans for in 2024!

Carve December 2023
Stamps from Carve December
Smaller prints from Carve December

I took a deep dive into repeat pattern design with Ali at 3dottedpenguins. The class was so excellent. I have so many prints! There was a very inspiring and supportive community and the instruction was fantastic. I think the progress in my carving, printing and designs show the impact! It was also very helpful to have so much carving to do so no one block became too precious. That really allowed me to experiment with design and learn so much in the process. Playing with art supplies really is such a learning experience.

Ali challenged us to create a final project and I created 3! I was exploring integrating block printing into my mixed media art and also took one design bigger.

The 100 day project is another Instagram challenge that I participated in. The idea is to make art every day for 100 days. It can be whatever you want and I chose to create a small collage that included stamps, Zentange and collage papers and ephemera every day. It was an excellent exercise in creativity and I am happy with what I created. I have sent many out as cards and I’m not sure what I’m going to do with those that remain.

One of the reasons I got back into making art 10 years ago was that I hoped to see it in medical facilities when I went for appointments. This dream came true in 2023. I had 2 pieces exhibited at the University of Wisconsin Hospital last year and I’m scheduled to have 2 more in January. I joined the Wisconsin Visual Artist association and the Madison Art Guild and they each exhibit art in the hospital for one month every year. This piece, Abstract Waterlilies, was one of the first ones. The other was one of my flower mandalas from 2022.

I’m excited to see what 2024 holds.

Peace