Thing #1 – Gargoyles

Gargoyles, submitted by Lisa

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Comment with a topic (it can be just one or two words, or a sentence, a quote, etc.), and I will pick one and create a “word poster” like the one below (topic: Rube Goldberg). I plan to do 10 of them… please suggest some topics if this sounds fun to you! Thank you!!

NEW Blog Thing!

Hi everyone! In 2017 I did three different blog “runs” which I loved doing, and am finally feeling free enough this year to start a new one. (If you missed them last year, you can find them HERE, HERE and HERE,and follow the “next post” arrows through the end.)

Comment with a topic (it can be just one or two words, or a sentence, a quote, etc.), and I will pick one and create a “word poster” like the one below (topic: Rube Goldberg). I plan to do 10 of them… please suggest some topics if this sounds fun to you! Thank you!!

San Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico

The past two weeks I was on my way to… IN… and on my way home from San Cristobal, Mexico. I taught a week-long art class to these lovely women. The class was “Favorite Animal Artist Books” and it was perfectly organized by Kathie Vezzani of Bellissima Art Escapes.

On the first day of “class” we walked to Taller Lenateros, a collective started in 1975 by poet Ambar Past, who gathered Mayan women together to document their stories for generations to come. They create exquisite books, posters and fine-art prints from handmade recycled paper.

We got to make some paper from recycled materials and also purchase some paper, which later turned in this little mini project:

I returned home refreshed and full of ideas! It was a working vacation, but with an emphasis on vacation, as it truly was a wonderful experience. (I think I need another one soon!)

Thank you to everyone who came and especially to organizers Kathie and Ana Elena.

NEW Online Class with Anne Marie Grgich!

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The Collage Techniques of Anne Marie Grgich
Collage + Painting
Instructor: Anne Marie Grgich
4-Week Class • 9 Lessons
Class Dates: April 17 – May 11, 2018

“Anne Marie Grgich is one of the most original and innovative artists in the group of American artists known as Outsiders. Completely self-taught and the cover story of Raw Vision Magazine (#22), she became known for her one-of-a-kind books filled with page after page of impassioned, expressionistic faces and figures. Grgich often employs collage and vigorously applies layer after layer of overpainting, covering found texts and images, yet allowing some of the underneath to remain visible. This layering suggests generations of mystery and mystique to her exotic characters.”               — by Phil Demise Smith, 1998 

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We are grateful to be able to bring you this 9-lesson, 4-week online class where Visionary artist Anne Marie Grgich generously shares her process refined from her lifelong passion for making art. Incorporate Anne’s creative approach and techniques to augment your skillset. You will learn step-by-step the Grgich technique as she demonstrates mixed-media elements of ornamentation, printing, drawing, painting and cold wax treatment.

You will learn how to assemble overlays of collage and cutouts and build up colour fields and use subliminal tactics, like overpainting collage with “glow in the dark” paint, to achieve a deep transparent layering.

In this class you will create a large, compelling, mosaic-like collage painting filled with complexity.

 

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A selection of art made with the techniques Anne shares in this class:

Detail:

Figures:

Faces:

“It’s fun to be weird.”
– Anne Marie Grgich

Anne will also share with class participants an extensive pdf of clip art imagery she uses in her own work. Please join us for this unique opportunity to create alongside the wonderful Anne Marie Grgich!

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND TO SIGN UP!

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Born in Portland, Oregon in 1961, Anne Marie Grgich began making spontaneous art at the age of 15, mostly junk constructions and clandestine paintings in her family’s books. She first introduced collage into her work around 1988, but took it to a higher level in 1997 during a period of illness. After her recovery she began to produce collage paintings – images of people encountered over time in the street and in mind journeys that manifest themselves and recombine, according to her mood, in the process of creation. Over the past 30 years, Anne has been featured in numerous publications and exhibitions, and her books and paintings are in public and private collections worldwide.

Anne was mentioned in The New York Times in January 2018 and is exclusively exhibiting her prolific work with ZQ Art Gallery in NYC and New Jersey City (visit their site in April when they hold a huge international auction of her work!). Anne lives with her sweetheart and collaborator Steve Fisk, Seattle record producer. Together they create and support each other and live in the Ballard neighborhood.

See more of her work at http://annegrgich.com.

 

 

Liam & the Funny Guy

Liam’s turn! 

The above drawing is by my oldest grandson, Liam (6). I think the colors are fantastic and it is a good example of a symmetrical composition. For the most part, the piece is divided straight down the middle, with both sides of the axis mirroring each other.

(There are slight differences, such as the grey line extending down past the box on the left side. But that is balanced beautifully by the grey “bulb” on the right end of the middle horizontal line. And while the two red orbs are different sizes, the slightly brighter yellow rays coming out of the smaller one balances it out.)

I really love this drawing.

Here is a recent animal of mine:

Have a great day!

Registration is Now OPEN for Lynn Whipple’s New Class!

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The Essence of Still Life
Drawing + Painting
Instructor: Lynn Whipple
Three-Week Class • 6 Lessons • $85

Class Dates: March 6-22, 2018

Quirky is okay!

In “The Essence of Still Life,” we’ll enjoy playing with new ways to depict a traditional subject matter, the still life, as we create fresh and contemporary paintings and drawings that are infused with the core essential qualities of our favorite objects. We will surround ourselves the with wonderful things that we have collected throughout the years and the simple things that add a special spark to our everyday.

In this artful exploration, we will create three 12″x12″ paintings and one 16″x16″ painting on wood panel, starting each lesson with with a quick drawing exercise. Charming line, interesting shapes, new ways to create, cover and uncover color, abstraction, mark making and poetic editing are a few of the key elements we will explore in this class.

The best part is that we will have fun as we share our discoveries together in our special “Essence” community! I hope you will join us! I can’t wait to see what you will create!!

All my best!
xoxo

Lynn

For a list of supplies needed, click HERE.

Click HERE for details and to sign up!

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Happy Valentine’s Day

Ethan & the Pony

My grandson Ethan (almost 5) was here for a few hours this afternoon. After he ate two snacks, watched two tv episodes, and tried to get Grandpa to play with him, he finally decided to sit down with me and draw.

Ethan is a wonderful artist. He really likes drawing (as long as eating, television, and Grandpa are off the table), and he particularly likes to use the bold acrylic paint pens.

The above drawing has some great design elements. He started off with a big red spiral which you can see peeking through and ties the whole thing together. He naturally moved the other colors around the piece to keep our eyes moving, and he varied the size and density of his marks (especially the gray). He even used two similar, but different, colors of pink, which makes it fun to look at.

I really love this drawing.

My pony truly pales in comparison, but… ah well!

Sanity

Hello!

I’ve just started reading James Thurber’s The Thirteen Clocks and laughed out loud at the following from his forward:

I wrote The Thirteen Clocks in Bermuda, where I had gone to finish another book. The shift to this one was an example of escapism and self-indulgence. Unless modern Man wanders down these byways occasionally, I do not see how he can hope to preserve his sanity.

So go ahead! Escape and self-indulge today in the name of sanity!

 

 

 

Lendon Noe’s NEW Class is Open for Registration!

The charming Lendon Noe has a new class! I hope you can join us!

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Inspired by Lives & Letters
Instructor: Lendon Noe
3-Week Class • 6 Lessons • $85
Class Dates: February 13- March 1, 2018

As artists we are always looking for inspiration. What’s my next project going to be? What is it that I am trying to say with my artwork?

Rather than just wait in hopes of a muse, I often go looking!

One of my sources for inspiration has been in the lives as revealed in the letters of my favorite poets and authors, and in this class I would like to share some of my approaches  with you.

It’s not unlike a treasure hunt. A little bit of reading, an interest is sparked, one clue leads to the next, and before you know it you have a whole series of work!

Letters (as in correspondence between two people) will be an underlying theme. We will look at some of my favorites: the Master Letters of Emily Dickinson, Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet and Letters to a Young Painter. We will give a nod to Nick Bantok and his Griffen and Sabine series.  And then John Berger’s correspondence with John Christie, and I have some personal letters that are real treasures and I bet you do, too.

We will be working relatively small, usually no bigger than 9″x 12″. In fact, 4″ squares will be another underlying theme. There will be lots of mixed media, ink, tissue and collage techniques, a plaster surface treatment and some optional sealing wax tips. You should come away with quite a few pieces of finished work, some of which could actually be mailed!

I am so looking forward to working with you.

Lendon

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Sign Up Today! For details, click HERE.