Back From Art & Soul, Portland...

And feeling a bit under the weather. At least I didn't get sick while I was in the midst of all my creative workshops, exploring the city of Portland, and shopping for fun and funky junk! I'll post a full report about my trip when I'm feeling better...

And... She's Off...

Well, everybody... I'm off on my next adventure. I'll be attending Art & Soul — a week-long mixed media art retreat — in Portland, Oregon. I've been to these retreats before (they have them in several places around the country) in their Virginia location, so I know I'm in for a treat! I'll be taking several classes on dollmaking in clay, metal etching, using power tools (yeah, I'm gonna man-up!), as well as how to make a mechanical flying bird!

I'll meet lots of other wonderful adventurers too, who love to learn and create new, imaginative works of art. I'll also get to meet up with several instructors, many of whom I've made lasting friendships with over the years. I'm also looking forward to the amazing vendor night where I can peruse everything I might need to feed my mixed media fetish! And I even left a few days open to play around in the city! So I'm all set.

I won't have access to a computer, but you can follow my adventures on twitter, or check out my feeds on facebook. Wheeeeee, here we go...

Art Journaling Tip #36 (and a bonus!)

One of my favorite techniques to add interest on a journal page is to color in all the letters that are "closed". You can do it with stamped letters, printing, or cursive handwriting. They all look great. If your ink is fresh, you may want to heat set it or let it dry overnight. Then choose a marker or pencil color that coordinates with your theme... and you're set... Instant interest!

Another technique I have on this page is varying capital and lower-case letters. So as not to overthink it (that could take forever!) I did the vowels in small letters. And a few other miscellaneous consonants I thought looked good.

On Transformation & Aging (really, it's not what you think!)...

Everything new is old again. One of my favorite backwards sayings. Believe it or not, I'm actually an old fashioned kind of girl. I like to take things slow... take my time... savor the moment. Not all this rush-rush-rush we have today. So I like to surround myself with things that remind me of a simpler time. Antiques, collectibles and, well... junk. The older-looking the better I like it. But I can't always find what I'm looking for. Either the items are out of my price range, smell a little funky, or just too rare to obtain.

And that's when the fun starts! I get to take something new and make it look old and dirty and dusty and unkempt and disheveled and like it's been kept in Grandma's attic (or perhaps basement) for decades! Such is the case with my most recent acquisition... a dress form.

Before and After

I searched high and low for an antique dress form to use as a model for my jewelry making. But, alas, there were none that met my criteria. So I gave in and ordered a new version, with the intention of transforming it into something vintage. And that, I did. Over the course of a few days, I dyed it with tea, aged it with espresso and spritzed it with a watery mix of Van Dyke Brown acrylic paint... letting it drip dry in the sun (although I think I scared the mailman once or twice when I left it in the alleyway!). I sanded it, stamped on it, and went back over it way too many times! I even took an old page from a math book and added it to the neck (I thought it looked like a measurement chart. And of course I had to distress that as well.

Sometimes it's just the simplest of details...

 Look at those beautiful, decades-old looking discolorations...

 Every diva needs a pair of wings...

Sticking my neck out...

Why 42? Because I'm 42!

All-in-all this was one of my favorite projects to do. I love aging things just right because it's impossible! Huh? That's right, these techniques are so unpredictable that you never know how they'll turn out, and you are just going to have to course correct. Kind of like life...

Photos: All photos by Michelle Bernard, with the exception of: Original Dress Form picture courtesy of MannequinHub.com

I Can't Do That...

Well, that's what I originally thought when I found Suzi Blu teaching online classes. For a long time I had admired her fun, whimsical, folk art style paintings. So... I took the leap. And what a leap it was! You learn via the many, many entertaining videos Suzi has created for you... and you get to download and keep them all forever. You get to work at your own pace. You learn everything from the beginning. How to draw a folk art face. How to color and shade using pencil. Even how to draw more complicated, realistic faces too. The information and techniques she gives on layering backgrounds alone, is worth the price of admission (which is great, by the way)! You'll learn so much, you'll be so proud of yourself, and you'll be in of one of the most enjoyable online communities I've ever been a part of. On top of all that, Suzi makes you feel like an artist. Her techniques are easy and inspiring. As is she! Right now I'm taking her Mermaids class, La Sirena. You mermie's out there should check it out!

Putting The Right Foot Forward...

Remember as a child, when you were just crawling around on the ground? But you see all these people that seem bigger than you... walking around. Doing what they want, when they want, and getting there all by themselves. They have a vantage point you don't because they're standing so tall... just walking right along. So you want to do it too. You find something to prop yourself up with—anything—and just try it. Whoa! A little wobbly and uneasy... but here we go! Then...

CRASH!

Right back down on the ground. But you don't give up. You know it's possible. You've seen it done. It's your birthright. So you keep trying. You lift up your head and keep your eye on the target. On where you want to go. And you keep getting up when you fall. And you're surrounded by people who let you know you can do it. That this is something you can accomplish!

Sometimes when you take that first step, it's just because you have to. But as long as you put the right foot forward... and keep focused on your intentions... you won't have to look down at the ground anymore...

Please Won't You Join Me...

If you're in the area, come on out and join me this weekend for the 4th annual Asbury Park, NJ OysterFest. I have lots of new goodies for sale including jewelry, kitschy holiday ornaments, greeting cards made from my original collages, Tillie-themed stuff and more! The festival is free and starts tonight! They'll be music, plenty to eat and drink, craft vendors, stuff for the kids, and tons of fun.

Friday 5-8 • Saturday 10-8 • Sunday 10-5