I'm going to Artfest 2009

March 31, 2009I'm going to Artfest 2009!!!
This will be my 1st ArtFest and I am so excited to be going. They call 1st timers Festal Virgins.
ArtFest is April 1-5 2009 and is held yearly at Fort Worden in Port Townsend, WA. ArtFest is organized by Teesha Mooreblog) and her husband Tracy Moore . The theme this year is "Playing with Sea Monsters".

Artfest, billed as "A Creativity Retreat among Friends" is a gathering of almost 40 teachers and 500+ artist attendees who take 3 days of full day classes. I am taking 3 classes Thursday Richard Salley's Turning Leaves, Nina Bagley's (blog) Destination: Journey - Touch and Ty & Marcia Schultz's Heavy Metal

Most attendees make a item to "trade" with other artists, as a way to get to know and remember each other. I have made a octopus charm on a bracelet designed to allow attendees to collect other charms.
The bracelet is made up of copper, goldtone and silvertone thin bangles. the charm is a wooden bead painted with Metal Effects copper paint, patina-d with blue and then black aging solutions and coated with matte varnish. Artfest 2009 is written on back. Dangling from the middle of the bead are silvertone chains that make up the octopus tentacles. Finally a funny face was drawn on the bead to make it a comic octopus.

I added a heart shaped business card charm to each.
I had originally planned to make 100 of these but time would not allow it and I only made 50.
So on 50 of my business cards I printed a digital ATC on the back. The photos is a digitally manipulated image of a composite of many photos I took at the Monterrey Aquarium jelly fish exhibit.

I'm always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning... Every day I find something creative to do with my life.~ Miles Davis

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~ Pablo Picasso

True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist. ~ Albert Einstein

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. ~ Thomas Merton

Art

"Rose Flower Fairie" ATC for swap

Decopaged book text pages under procien dyed paper towel , stitched on vintage Fairie image,and silk mini rose ribbon

Thursday, March 27, 2008...WOW I have been away from this blog far too long.
So much has happened in the last few months and then again... time has flown and it seems like yesterday was March 27. Life... it gets in the way of having fun.

This year I made the resolution to change and that change involved doing more art.
I have been doing more art but I have not shared that art with you. I will attempt to post more again. Starting today!

"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time" ~ unknown

"Art comes to you proposing frankly to give nothing but the highest quality to your moments as they pass, and simply for those moments' sake" ~ unknown

Hearts ~ I LOVE Heartz!

The second February journal prompt is "Hearts"!
How lucky for me.... I love hearts.

This was so easy to do. I simply looked over by Valentine's (Heartz) Day post for inspiration.
On one side I reprinted all the quotes form the Valentine's post.
Then for the actual journal page I gathered up a bunch of heart images I had been collecting and collaged away. finishing it off with a mylar overlay "Heartz"..
Fun ... fun ... fun!

Fear of failure ~ Fear of success

The February/March journal prompt is FEAR. I can think of lots of things to fear. Right now, doing this page is the BIGGEST one of them. Instead of focusing on day-to-day life fears, I am going to focus on fear as it relates to doing art. Or more precisely ... why my fear of making art prevents me from making art.

Several years ago, I picked up the book “Art and Fear” [Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking] by David Bayles and Ted Orland. This is a book about making art. Ordinary art. Not art not made by Monet, Picasso, or Rembrandt. Most art is made by ordinary people, ordinary artists. Our ordinary art can still be quite extraordinary, yet, we artists, sometimes fear our ordinary art will not be extraordinary. The book looks at the way art is made, the reasons art isn’t made and the difficulties that cause artists to give up along the way. Making art can be a lonely, daunting tedious task. If the book gets you to your art sooner and bolder, great. There is a mention that the book is a safety net. That reading the book can become a substitute for the process of making art. It makes you feel better but does not get you "working”. So instead of painting today? You reply, “No. I read parts of Art & Fear”

Hence, I find myself.
I have so many books on art and art processes that I’ve run out of room on my bookshelVES. I read about art. I do “do art”. However, mostly to the assignments and swaps I commit myself to do. But I rarely just do ART. Why?

Because ... I fear, I will fail.
I say... Humm ... I don’t know what to do.
Humm ... I need to learn how.
Oh now...I need a better technique.
Oops now ... I need a specific material.
Oh shoots ... I have no time.
Oh no ... Not now ... after this assignment.

They are all excuses not to do it.

"Everything I've ever done was out of fear of being mediocre." ~ Chet Atkins

“The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.” ~ Sven Goran Eriksson

Last year I resolved to “Create one thing each day” ... and I did. Only I let that creativity extend to all creative aspects of life and then any aspect of life from cooking to cleaning ... baby steps.

This year my word is CHANGE, so to change.....

“The key to change... is to let go of fear.” ~ Rosanne Cash

Nevertheless, saying I will change and let go of fear and actually doing it are 2 big and different things. Again baby steps.

It is easier if you just realize ... FEAR is just another four-letter word ~ Anon

AND

“FEAR is an acronym in the English language for "False Evidence Appearing Real" ~ Neale Donald Walsch

In his song, F.E.A.R. Ian Brown he gives several meanings to the acronym FEAR in the lyrics

Fantastic expectations Amazing revelations

Final execution and resurrection
Free expression as revolution
Finding everything and realizing

For everything a reason

Once we overcome a fear, we are courageous, successful, aware, and free.

Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live. ~ Dorothy Thompson

You don't face your fears, you stand up to them. ~ Anon

So, just do art.
Any kind of art ... Ordinary art ... Experiment ... Work in a new medium.
And keep in mind ....not every “work” will be a masterpiece. Some will be disasters, but learn from the “process”.
If you create one thing today ... It just might be extraordinary.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear.
Action breeds confidence and courage.
If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it.
Go out and get busy.” ~ Dale Carnegie

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience
in which you really stop to look fear in the face.
You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Words are powerful tools

My blog postings are so far behind, but sometimes life gets in the way of blogging!!!

The second January prompt is “Words”.
When given the prompt “Words” the first thing that came to mind was the song:

Words by the Bee Gees
Smile an everlasting smile,
A smile can bring you near to me.
Don’t ever let me find you down,
Cause that would bring a tear to me.
This world has lost its glory,
Let’s start a brand New story now, my love.
Right now, there’ll be no other time
And I can show you how, my love.

Talk in everlasting words,
And dedicate them all to me.
And I will give you all my life,
I’m here if you should call to me.
You think that I don’t even mean a single word I say.
Its only words, and words are all I have,
To take your heart away

How appropriate the prompt “Words” is for me, since words are usually the basis for my inspirations. When given most assignments I have to look up everything about the topic. So given a prompt I Google “(the prompt word) quotes”.

I also look thru my database of favorite "Word" quotes.

“Tears are words the heart can't express” ` Unknown

“Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.” ~ Unknown

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” ~ Unknown

Words are powerful tools.
They convey emotions, thoughts, ideas. Words can comfort, sooth and entertain.
But words can also be deadly weapons. Words used maliciously to hurt someone. Words used unknowingly and carelessly can also be weapons that hurt someone. Like all of us, I have too much experience with the last experience.
Often we do not hear or see how the word or tone we use for word said to a child can devastate him/her. Or how words to or from a friend can wound. Often the comments, stories, or phrases we make are never meant to hurt but they do. There are also times our words lie.

"You mustn't always believe what I say.
Questions tempt you to tell lies, particularly when there is no answer." - Pablo Picasso

And then there are those times when you are down and feel no one values your opinion or your words. And you ask “why bother?” (to say anything). These times also hurt.

In the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The first agreement he talks about is “Be Impeccable With Your Word”. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

Hard to do 24-7, but oh so worthwhile at bedtime, when you sit and reflect on your day.

To do my journal page I used recycled paper towels used to blot procein dye for dying fabric for another project. I “matte media" adhered the paper towels to gesso primed pages. then overlayed one side with my "Words" song and quotes printed on Mylar. On the other side I wrote "Words" then 2 columns for words I Like and Not Like. I wrote the words in white paint pen, outlined by a permanent black marker and highlighted with chalk pens. Glad to say the "Like" words list was much longer!

Looking over these pages I am often reminded that the words that often haunts me most when I spend time in evening reflection are...

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Art Quote of the Day for Friday March 7, 2008

The Art Quote of the Day for Friday March 7, 2008, on my blog sidebar is:

There are no original ideas.
There are only original people. ~ Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

from Famous Quotes

Balance ...It's like riding a bicycle

I am in an art group for journaling. Each month and we are given an assignment of 2 prompts and 2 pages to put in our journal.

One of the prompts for the month of January is - Balance.
The Balance page on the left is all the quotes I have collected on balance printed on rice paper, adhered with matte medium to background sheet, colored with linen ink and red pattern stamping. Then a mylar sheet overlay with a balance image printed on it. A few of the most inspiring of the balance quotes are:

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.” ~ Robert Heinlein

“In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.” ~ Patti Smith

"Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some." ~ Robert Fulghum

The right hand page is an overlay of the same balance image printed on vellum.
Lift the vellum sheet to reveal the background balance sheet. Ta da ...

Acrylic paint was used to paint the yin yang symbol and clipart images were matte medium adhered in a balancing act!

"Life is like riding a bicycle.
To keep your balance you must keep moving."
~ Albert Einstein

Change page for Change journal

My January 17th post, "Change in the New Year" were some change quotes which provided the inspiration springboard for a Change page in my Change journal.

I put all those quotes on the inside cover of the journal and then did a change page. This just might be the format for future pages.

Printed on the Mylar sheet over the next page are the words:

Change
Cannot change
Can change
Want to change
Be the change
The change
Change of life
Change your life
Life change
Dramatic change
Inter change
Things change
Time change
Change time
Time to change
Change color
Change of plans
Change horses
Change for the better
Change for the worse
Change of heart
Change of fortune
Change of luck
Loose change
Got change?
Change over

Change...don’t ya just hate it!

The background sheet is painted with Metal Effects copper metal paint and green patina. Then decopaged on the words to a song printed on rice paper, and aged with walnut oil.
The background sheet has the words to the song "Changes" by David Bowie, originally released on the album Hunky Dory in December 1971 and as a single in January 1972. (Live, France 1999)

“Changes” by David Bowie
I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't tell t hem to grow up and out of it

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Where's your shame
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I'm going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time

still need a bit more inspiration, view this impessionistic montage of Chachacha Changes.

“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.”
~ Unknown

A new day ...

A new day ... your past, your present, your future ... all become your legacy.

"This is the beginning of a new day.

You have been given this day to use as you will.

You can waste it or use it for good.

What you do today is important because

you are exchanging a day of your life for it.

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever;

In it's place is something that you have left behind . . .

let it be something good." ~ Anon*

You ask "Who was Anon?"
A Google search led me to find he was a Greek Scholar.
But Wikipedia sent me to the meanings - anonymity and anonymous.

Either way those are words to live by.

In the final scene of Back to the Future III, Doc Emmett Brown says:

"Your future hasn't been written yet.

No one's has.

Your future is whatever you make it.

So make it a good one."

Become Like Wildfire

I am sure most of you have seen the movie "Pay it Forward"
In the movie the boy Trevor is given an assignment by his teacher. The assignment is to think of something to change the world and put it into action. Trevor decides to pay a favor not back, but forward. He repays good deeds not with payback, but with new good deeds to three new people. Trevor's efforts bring about change not only in his live but in the lives of his mother and his teacher. His actions also affect the lives of an ever-widening circle of people completely unknown to him.

Also on TV the Liberty Mutual ads part 1 and part 2 illustrate the Pay It Forward phenomenon.
The beautiful song played in the background is entitled, "The Part Where You Let Go" from the group, Hem.

"The Part Where You Let Go" by Hem
When the rain breaks the road
Are you holding on
Are you holding on
To your last good day

When the stone breaks the wheel
Are you holding on
Are you holding on
Til the stone rolls away

And I don't know
Is this the part where you let go
And tumbling out of a window
Is this the part where you find out
I'm there for you

When the sun leaves the field
Are you holding on
Are you holding on
To the last sweet light

When the flame leaves your eyes
I still see you there
I still see you there
On your darkest night

And I don't know
Is this the part where you let go
And sinking under a shadow
Is this the part where you find out
I'm there for you now

As your hand's breaking free
I am holding on
I am holding on
As you've held on to me

And I don't know
Is this the part where we let go
Tumbling out of a window
Is this the part you're there for me

And I don't know
Is this the part where you let go
And sinking under a shadow
Is this the part where you find out
I'm there for you
You find out I'm there for you
You find out I'm there for you

A couple days ago I wrote about "one little thing...making a difference".
If you still haven't found one little thing maybe you can pay it forward.

When you are kind to someone in trouble, you hope they'll remember and be kind to someone else. And it'll become like wildfire.-- Whoopi Goldberg