Poe

 A monoprint on fabric (13x6") with an applique. Remember, I took Jenn Mason's gelatin monoprinting workshop at CREATE in August. I'd done the technique before, but had never used rubber bands as the resist--omg--love it. Did it all day! This piece started in the class, but has some Shiva Paintstiks and color pencil too.

two bee c

 Teaching art classes keeps me on my toes! I'm always on the look out for new projects and techniques, and then trying them in my studio. This exercise (from Sue Dove) is fun, and frankly addictive. Briefly, you collage pieces of color, torn or cut from magazines, and glue onto paper, making sure to leave lots of white space between the shapes. Then, you fill in the white space with oil pastel, and from the back of your artwork, cut the thing up into random squares/rectangles, turn them over and see what you've got. Then you can add color or whatever to each individual piece. THEN, you can scan it and play with it in photoshop (there goes another 3 hours in front of the computer!). The idea is to use these small color study/compositions as inspiration for painting or art piece from cloth. This is my recent exercise. Fun. lots of fun.

another tutorial!

And Judy Coates Perez has a felted pumpkin tutorial and get a load of the cute skulls!!

More Tutorials Tsunami!

Tracie's Journal

Tracie Lyn Huskamp has a tutorial on how to add nature to your journal.

And Alma has a tutorial on how to make a tie as a fashion accessory.

Day three of Tutorial Tsunami!

My friend Melly is had a great tutorial up on her blog. I too love sticky-back foam as a stamp medium, and here she also shows how to cut the plexi for the backing.

olives

 Today, at the lovely Bernardo Winery.

Tutorial ~ over at Lyric Kinard's!

My friend Lyric Kinard has a tutorial on how to make beaded fringe! Check it out!

wine bottle

 My online class, "Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style" starts tomorrow! it's not too late to register.

Tiny Tutorial: Layered Journal Page



When I taught in Orvieto, Italy, I prepared 5x7" pages for each of my students, using a map of Orvieto as the background to draw and paint on. Here's how I did it:

Materials needed:

• liquid acrylic medium
• Image: photocopy or page from book or magazine
• watercolor paper (I used 5x7")
• watercolor paints, permanent ink pen
• Golden Absorbent ground

1.Start with liquid acrylic medium and a credit card or palette knife.

2. Spread liquid acrylic medium on the BACK your your image. 

3. Thoroughly cover the back of the image with liquid acrylic medium.

4. Place image, glue side down, on watercolor paper

5. Smooth image completely flat, using a credit card or palette knife.

6. No need to let it dry, go on to the next step.

7. Spread absorbent ground over the image, using a brush. Paint thin layers until you are happy with the coverage. You want to be able to see some of the image, but not too much, since  it will be the background for your watercolor painting.

8. Let dry completely. It dries a milky white.

9. Now it's ready to draw on in pencil, pen, or watercolor!  

I used a page from a bird book for this background, then drew, inked and watercolored the birds.

A page from my trip to Italy, with the map of Orvieto in the background.

Drawn and painted.

The page started like this

Red Rocks

 Needle-felted/hand stitched piece "Red Rocks." Details here and here. I'll put this on JaneVille Etsy soon.
Also, tomorrow starts another Tutorial Tsunami with my very talented art friends! Stay tuned!

greens...

Inspired to Quilt

I've long admired Melanie Testa's work, both in her journals and in her cloth work (and as a friend!) In this book, she shares her inspiration, insight, process, and step by step photos of her gorgeous work. As I read through the book, I'm immediately inspired to try one of her techniques, in my own way with my own spin. Melanie is known for her layered complex compositions and as an experienced artist myself, this book encourages me to experiment, and play using her work as a stepping stone to improve my own work.

Inspired to Quilt is full of gorgeous images and both big and tiny ideas to inspire.

zinnia

 My friend Tracie Lynn Huskamp just returned from teaching in Orvieto, Italy. Make me year for that lovely city again...oh that's right! I'll be teaching there again in May 2012!

new boots

 I got new cowboy boots! So of course, I had to draw them. Used a water soluble ink pen and just water for this. And, it's a continuous line straight to ink drawing. (I'm preparing for my upcoming 'sketching & watercolor: journal style" online workshop and one in San Diego in December.)

give em the bird

 I did these monoprints on cloth in Jenn Mason's workshop at CREATE. Then, I recently bought a bird stencil and suddenly I was giving 'em all the bird! These are (4) works in progess, with more stitching to do.

Chad Alice Hagen, my new idol and Asheville

This is Chad Alice Hagen's work. and here is her blog. Just take a look at her work on flickr. I was lucky enough to spend time with her while I was in Asheville. She dyes felt, using a resist method. Her work is GORGEOUS. Not to mention she's a total kick. I hope to take a workshop from her soon!
And just one more post on Asheville, North Carolina. If you go, eat at Tupelo Honey Cafe, go to Blue Spiral Gallery, and Grovewood Gallery and the Folk Art Center. And you already know to visit the Biltmore Estate.

A wonderful message on hand work...

Basillica San Marco

I've completed Basillica San Marco! It's 37x21 inches. I started the quilt right after our return from Venice, Italy, in June, and in my usual way, created a piece at a time, joining them together until it was finished. As I'd written before, I'm proud of the content and intent of this piece.

Basillica San Marco~ detail

Like most of my work, this quilt is 'in the details.'

Basillica San Marco~ detail

I couched black cord around the horses, and now they are the clearly focal point of the piece.