Recycled Circles

Here's my most recent  Recycled Circles.







Check here  to see where I'll be teaching this next.

just because

Jane Powell has this monkey in her collection of...vintage...uh...odd stuff. You can see my tutorial on how I got the sheet music in the background here.


I bought this little ceramic bird in North Carolina, so had to draw him too.

And still playing with ideas for my workshoip Mixed Media Sketchbooks & Journals on July 9 & 10 at San Clemente Art Supply (CA) with Linda Blinn.

Saluda, North Carolina

Just returned from teaching in beautiful North Carolina.
   
We stayed in charming Saluda, where Random Arts is located and where I taught two workshops.
   
We stayed at The Oaks Bed and Breakfast right in Saluda. We could walk to dinner (Purple Onion) and to Random Arts.



Here's Donna, one of my favorite students. I met Donna, last year, when I taught Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style at Random Arts. She's a retired lawyer, and had been struggling with finding an artistic outlet for her left-brained self. Since that first class last September, Donna has taken 3 online classes with me and was back this time for another class. Oh my! I've watched her art and her spirit blossom!! It was wonderful to see her again.

The lovely, talented, spirited and fun, Jane Alice Powell, proprietor of Random Arts. 
 
  
Some student work, from my Recycle Circles workshop.

Susan Brubaker Knapp and Jane Elizabeth friended each other on facebook!

Husb and I took a little time and hiked to Pearson Falls. I don't need any words to describe how beautfiul it was.


 

Just foolin' around

This is a Strathmore Visual Journal (mixed media 5.5x8"). Just playing around with it, as Linda Blinn and I are teaching a workshop July 9 &10 in San Clemente Art Supply, CA. (register here)  All the students get a journal for class (the bigger version, I think) so I figured I'd better get to know it. 

Recycled Circles

BeBop likes my new Recycle Circles pillow!



I'll be teaching Recycled Circles in fabric at the Long Beach International Quilt Festival on Thursday, July 28, all day. (You'll bring your own fabric.) You can make it a wall hanging or a pillow top or proudly wear it on the back of your coat...
And I'm teaching Monoprinting on Cloth all day Friday, July 29 at the Quilt Festival.

Friday Harbor and what Danny Gregory said

Beautiful Friday Harbor, Washington (81 miles from Seattle) I'm teaching a two day "Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style" workshop at Wild at Heart, September 10 and 11, 2011. Details are on the website or you can email Jan or call her (360) 298-2195.
I sent a copy of my DVD to my pal and mentor, Danny Gregory and here's what he wrote  "I love Jane LaFazio's new DVD 'from art journaling to art" which is an elegant, clear introduction to my favorite art form, full of specific lessons, tips and inspiration."
That makes me happy! Thanks Danny for all you've done for me and every other journaler! And you know, I'm one of 50 artists in Danny's fabulous book "An Illustrated Life."

My first edited video. Notify the Academy!

Mundo Lindo ~ Beautiful World

For the past 4 years, I've taught Mundo Lindo ~ Beautiful World, a program I created for 4th & 5th grade kids. It's an afterschool art program and free to the kids. This photo was taken yesterday, June 2, with the kids wearing the tie dye t-shirts they made last week.
I'm in the photo, along with my assistant Amy Williams, teen volunteers Monica, Leo and Jonathan. Mundo Lindo is taking a summer break and will return in September 2011. It's a grant and donation based program. And we need some funding to start up again. You can donate directly here (be sure and mention Mundo Lindo). Go look at the Mundo Lindo blog I've kept up, and you'll see the kids, the art and the joy... Thanks!

dreaming of Italy

I made caprese the other day for a party, and just had to paint it. And of course, it made me think of Italy, and eating and the sketching and watercolor workshop I'm teaching Orvieto in 2012!

Shopping Spree

I've been on a shopping spree. Beautiful things, that I want to share with you.

This bird necklace from Concetta's ETSY Shop.
  
This cool tunic dress, another addition to my wardrobe from Secret Lentil, reconstructed, one of a kind clothing.

And a gorgeous new purse from Laga Designs (made my indonesian tsunami survivors). And if you want to continue shopping for a good cause, check out Punjammies.

Watercolor journal pages. My usual 5x7" Guess what! I'll be teaching a two day workshop "Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style" in beautiful Friday Harbor (near Seattle) on September 10 & 11 with Wild at Heart Studios. My husb is from Seattle, so he'll definitely come with me.

Kitties

Really, this is not my kitchen table. 
BeBop is sleeping on the end of Buddy's tail.

Buddy is quite photogenic.
I love my kitties.

Monoprinting on cloth or paper

I love monoprinting on a gelatin plate. And you can do so many things with your monoprints. You can print on cloth and do a reverse appliqué (that's my beet pomegranate batting peaking through)

You can print on colored cloth (this is black linen from an old pair of pants.)

You can print on paper and collage and stitch.

You can use the monoprint as a background and appliqué on top.

You can just hand stitch the dickens out of it.

You can make them and sell them on ETSY (Agave Casa is here in my Etsy shop.)


You could make monoprints on your own, and use my friend Leslie Jenison's tutorial on The Sketchbook Challenge blog, OR, better yet, take a full day workshop from me at the Long Beach Quilt Festival on Friday, July 29. Or if you live farther east (giggle) take Monoprinting on Fabric and Paper at Art Unraveled in Phoenix on August 4. I'll bring the gelatin!