Taking a New Class

I'm taking an online class called "Complex Collage" with Chris Cozen and Julie Prichard. I have to admit. I wasn't connecting to the first six "lessons," a testament to the studying and practicing I've been doing for the past few years and how far I've come, rather than speaking of the class. I just realized that I should have had this course 4 years ago and no telling how far along the art superhighway I'd be. Beginners should take this class to get a great foundation under them. The first six lessons start with fundamental principles of design. More experienced artists will still get their money's worth IMHO. I got 4 "ah-has" in lesson 7 alone.

I also took another Julie Prichard class that I especially recommend if you're interested at all in bookmaking. It's called "Super Nova," and it explains and helps you make three different journals.

So far I've taken just two online courses before this one. The first course I took is Mary Ann Moss's "Remains of the Day Journal." Mary Ann is wonderful. She's the 2nd grade teacher you always wanted (which, in fact, she is). Let's just say, nobody else could coax me into using a sewing machine, but not only did I use one, I bought a cheap machine and haven't looked back!

I really love the concept of taking online classes, and now, with these Flip camcorders, it's so easy. I'm ready to make a video of my art journals. Stay tuned.

"Remains of the Day" Journal

If you're looking for a great online workshop experience try Mary Ann Moss's "Remains of the Day" journal-making workshop. Here are some pictures of one of my journals.

This series, called Paris Shop Windows, was made in response to the lovely shop windows we saw in Paris last year. The subsequent reflections in the window and the challenge of reproducing them, was fun. I hope you enjoy looking at them.

"Hope Chest"

I joined an altered doll furniture swap on one of my online groups and made a Barbie-sized "hope chest" filled with a bird nest, a bird and quotes related to hope (think Emily Dickinson's "Hope is the thing with feathers." I also included one of my favorite CDs as a surprise!

Fun Project!

I made some "paper/cloth" this week, muslin on the bottom, tissue paper and other papers on top brushed liberally with watered down white glue. When it dried, it was so much like cloth, but better than cloth because it didn't ravel, I decided to make this pocketbook. It's my prototype, and I will doubtless improve it if I make another one, but it's pretty darned cute if I do say so!

Visitors Look at My Painting!

This is a shot I cherish of people looking at my painting, "Pointer" at the 20th Annual Juried Competition Exhibition in Rock Hill, SC. Notice one man pointing. I talked to these people who were very complimentary concerning my portrayal of these slaves based on an old photo in the National Archives.

Sharing My Dream

So, 5 years ago, my husband, during dialysis and later transplant surgery, and I decided to buy this building on Main Street in Clover, SC. Last used in the 1960s (one office by a dentist; you can still get a whiff of novacaine), the building built in 1895, has four rental spaces downstairs, offices on the second floor, and the 3rd floor is a theatre in the round (people sit on a platform around all sides of the stage) with perfect tin ceiling tiles, room for a commercial kitchen. We're talking somewhere around 20,000 sq. feet here. I envision the 2nd floor holding studio space and the 3rd floor a performance/gathering place for music venues and art classes. My husband was about to go into surgery (already in the hospital) when the doctor told him he'd never be able to be around bird poop or construction debris. (The bird poop is a story for later.) But, that halted our "do it yourself" restoration and the hospital bills took care of the rest. It sits waiting for other people to get involved. I'm just putting it out there...