So I Gathered...

Creative Pilgrimage Launch Party!

So, way back when,  I received an email from Jenny Doh, inviting me to contribute to a new book she was working on about art retreats and the instructors who taught at them.  The working title was Creative Pilgrimage and I sent in a new project (developed specifically for the book) and filled out the questionnaire. Months later, I was at ArtFest when I received an email containing the beautiful preliminary layout for my section of the book.  I thought to myself, "This is going to be a book full of eye candy!  And informative to boot!"  I couldn't wait to see the rest!

Well, the book was released on January 1st of this year!  Jenny decided to host a launch party at her new studio space in Santa Ana, CA and I decided that I just had to attend!

I flew in and Jenny and her friend, the lovely and talented Cynthia Shaffer, squired me around downtown for the day.  We did some antiquing and had dinner at an incredible Mexican food restaurant.  By the end of the day, I felt like I had known these two amazing ladies for years...or maybe that had something to do with the amount of tequila imbibed!  The next afternoon (after a silk-screening class and romp through an art supply store), we set up for the party.  Here is a peek at the studio space...

And here is Jenny, designing a new welcome sign on the chalk board...

Kim Caldwell of Artistic Bliss was in attendance as well, conducting a fun and beautiful make-it-and-take-it bracelet.  Here is a shot of the three of us before the festivities began.  Thanks for the photo, Cynthia!

I owe a huge thank you to Jenny's beautiful family for making me feel so warm and welcome in their home during my stay.  And that is a potato tornado Jenny's husband is holding, just in case you were wondering...

I wasn't prepared for the sheer number of people that came through!  The launch party coincided with an art walk that was taking place that evening in the building where the studio was located.  We were packed most of the evening...

I met so many new people and had a great time chatting about art.  Here is a picture of Cynthia and Jenny taking a well-deserved break outside of the studio...

The next day, Jenny, Cynthia and I  ran around the town gathering a few necessities for an encaustic wax set-up.  We then proceeded to spend a few blissful hours playing with wax in Jenny's home studio (I COVET her studio room!)  I think I might be coming back out later in the year to teach some classes at Jenny's studio, so keep your ears open...and don't be afraid...

Oh, and remember that February is my blog-iversary and give-away month.  I am thinking that a copy of Creative Pilgrimage needs to make its way out into the world...

 

Procrastination, thy name is Stephanie...

So, it is now November.  My last post was in February.  At least I am in the same year!  I fully intend to blog every week.  I take lots of photos and things happen in life that I would like to share.  It is just that when I think about posting, I also think, "I can do that this evening after this crazy day is over and I have some time to myself".  Yes, I have been thinking that same thought for MONTHS, as is evidenced by the cobwebs and dust present on this blog.  I had almost forgotten my password to log into Typepad.  By the time I get to that point in the evening, the last thing I usually want to do is sit down at the computer.  I think about all of the photos I want to upload, how long that will take, composing the post itself, and suddenly it all seems to be a very daunting task and I think to myself, "I will do it tomorrow."  Just like I will start eating better, go to the gym, sew that button back on Fiona's shorts, clean the fish tank, etc.  Procrastination seems to be a huge part of my life.  So, I have decided to start creating short posts with just a few photos, so this won't seem like such an onerous task.  We will see how that experiment goes...

Here are a few things I have been working on.  This little owl was all crowned and ready to go, but still seemed lacking.  I came across some metal tools for doing the soft sheet metal repousse (sp?) and voila, instant textures for my backgrounds in my encaustics!  I am completely addicted to this now!

Here is another piece I created in the last few months.  I printed one of favorite antique images on muslin, accented it with some free motion stitching, then added encaustic wax around all of that.  I am intrigued by the juxtaposition of the thread and the wax.   I think there will be more of these in the near future!

And a close up...

There.  That wasn't so bad.  I have the urge to keep listing photos and start talking about all sorts of things, but I am going to stop now, in accordance with my new efforts and reducing my desire to procrastinate.  See you soon...really, I mean it...

And We Have a Winner...Ummm...Winners!

So I plugged the 48 entries into my trusty drawing machine once she got home from school...

and here is her output:

Kari was the first name she drew, then drunk on her own power over other people's destinies and the sheer excitement of it all, she asked to pick another name.  Since I had two pieces I decided that she could choose a second name, which was Beth Bricker!  So Kari, since you were selected first, you have first pick.  The piece that was not chosen will go to Beth, should she choose to accept it.  If, for any reason, Beth does not want the second piece, I will draw another name.  Thanks to all of you who participated!  

 

Portland Art & Soul Blog Hop!

So I will be teaching in Portland at the end of September/beginning of October at Art & Soul!  If you haven't attended this event before, you need to!  Lots of amazing instructors and enthusiastic students make for a heady mix of creative energy that lasts for a week!  To introduce you to some of these fabulous instructors, we are having a blog hop...so read on and start making a list of the workshops you want to take as you visit their blogs!  And I apologize to the artists for not putting photos with their links...I am not tech-savvy enough for that!

Jane Robberstad does amazing things with fabric...I would love to take her fabric birds class!  

Elizabeth Kettle wants to teach you how to create unique and beautiful decorated fabrics to use in your work!

I have been a long time fan of Ingrid Dijkers...check out the amazing art journals she is famous for!

Create larger than life flowers and birds with Marcia Schultz and learn some nifty resin techniques!

Kari McKnight-Holbrook will brighten your world with her eclectic art journals!

Karen O'Brien is another favorite artist of mine...you will love making artist blocks like the ones you see in the Art-O-Mat vending machines!

Jane Davies will teach you how to make your own scrumptious collage materials with various techniques!

Aaaand, last but not least, our intrepid Art & Soul producer, Glenny Moir, works her tail off to bring you all of these opportunities to meet and work with all of these artists!

There you have it!  A list of must-see blogs to give you a feel of what you are in for if you attend Art & Soul this year!  As for me, I will be teaching classes such as House of Cards where we alter cabinet cards and build a house with them!  The following are pictures from the workshop I held here at my house this past weekend!  We had a blast, so you should seriously think about joining me this fall!

Laying out the materials and collaging away!

This looked like a baby Elton John to me!

And I loved her overall house of oddities!

A rather Poe-esque mansion...

Starting to stitch the house together...

Love the black gesso used on these walls!

And here is a finished house!

I will also be teaching Bedazzling Butterfly Boxes, Over the Edge collages and Marvelous Mica ATC's!  So check the Art & Soul website out and plan a trip to fuel your creativity!

Oh, and don't forget to leave a comment on my previous post for your chance to win an encaustic house collage!  The deadline for entry is midnight PST, February 22!

 

Blog-iversary Give Away!!!

So I have been attempting to blog for almost two years now!  And "blog-iversary" is in the dictionary...look it up!  ;  )  I know I am not the most consistent one out there, but I do try.  I can't wait any more!  I am ready to give a little wood and encaustic house away!  However, I had a hard time deciding which one to give away, so I settled on two and the winner gets to pick which one they want!

And here it is from the side...I did paint the sides with black acrylic paint to finish it off as you can see...

And the other contender...

And from the side...

So here is the fine print:  Please leave a comment on this post by midnight PST, February 22 (I like the number 22) and your name will be entered in the drawing. But wait, there's more...post this give-away on your blog and I will enter your name yet again.  And for $19.95 plus S&H (kidding!)...become a follower or let me know that you already follow my blog and I will enter your name yet again.  Do you see the winning potential here?  Also, since I haven't posted much in a while, I don't have a lot of readers so you could have a REALLY good chance of winning!  Good luck!!

Cold Day...Hot Wax!!!

So we had a snow day here in Austin, TX this past Friday.  

I know the few inches of accumulation we had were nothing compared to other parts of the country, but it was a big deal here!  Schools were shut down, as well as some businesses.  Lots of wrecks as things came to a screeching halt...or at least tried to but the snow and ice played their part.  Fiona was beside herself and spent several hours outside...

The "snowball as big as my head!"

Harley had never been in the snow before so I set her down to see her reaction...

Here are the paw prints she literally leaped out of to get back onto the porch...

And the indignant look I received.  I believe the thought bubble over her head would have read "We are not amused."

I (smart person that I am!) stayed inside and played around with some more encaustic wax collages. Remember those little wooden houses?  Well here they are in their new finery...fabric, gem tintypes, antique papers...

This one is for a friend who recently had some surgery...

This one had a lovely base of opaque blue wax...it reminded me of a fondant covered petis-four...

Then I started thinking about the extra butterfly wings I had from my Butterfly Boxes...voila!

"Monarch"

This one I tinted with some of the blue wax so it was translucent over the antique paper...

All in a row...

And a few close-ups so you can see the texture of the wings and such...

So I am thinking that one of these little gems should be my February give-away!  What do you think?

 

 

 

Waxing Eloquent

So I have been EXTREMELY remiss in posting I know. December was just crazy busy and I finally had some time in January to play with some of the ideas in my head.  One of said ideas came into creation as I tried to figure out a project to submit for a book I was invited to be in.  Nothing like a deadline looming to kick those creative juices into motion...hmmm, I don't think that metaphor works, but you know what I mean!

I figured out a way to make these fabric panels and of course had to go out and purchase a sewing machine to make my creative dreams a reality!  I had been holding back on getting involved with textiles again, but the pull was too strong and I finally cratered.

I started out making my own printed fabric and constructing these little houses...

 Here is an inside shot (which I really like the look of) ...

Next, I thought that since I have been playing with encaustic wax recently, how cool would these houses look covered in wax?  I also wondered if the tintype would stand up to the heat or would the emulsion be destroyed?

Then, inspired by my friend Beth Billups amazing encaustic work, I wondered how these houses would look as heads on women in antique photos...

I love the dimensionality of these pieces!

A few more houses...I like them plain AND covered in wax!

And a few more ladies...

I really liked the idea of this girl having two girls in her house...uh, head...

I recently joined the Austin Chapter of Texas Wax (which will become part of the IEA, International Encaustic Artists, this month!) and these three pieces were included in the group hanging at the beautiful Georgetown public library.  

And a few close-ups...pretty nifty to see them hanging with these lovely pieces...

So much fun!  Lots of ideas buzzing around in my head just waiting to get out!  And while I was going through a bag of wood pieces, I found some that I had my husband cut down for me...

Stay tuned to see what these turn into and watch for a February give-away!

Ready, Set...

So it is that time...making last minute lists so I don't forget anything, laying out what I need and forgot to send in my boxes last week (!), finishing up artwork...here is a group ready to go!

I thought I would show you a bit more of the encaustic work.  I am in love with the tiny 3x4 inch blocks!  I started carving into them and making foil crowns...so this post is pretty much eye candy!

And here are a few more of my bird-headed ladies...

And of course, a few more pixies for good measure...

Oh, and here is the link to a lovely little piece that was written about some of the artists who travel for their art that are participating in the  OOAK shows in Chicago and New York (including me!):  http://www.wanderingeducators.com/artisans/lives-artists/traveling-their-art.html

I will post upon my return from the Big Apple!  Hope to see some of you at the show!

New York State of Mind

So, my big news for the weekend is that I will be in New York City November 18-21 for the One of a Kind Show and Sale!  

 I had applied for the OOAK show in Chicago this past summer.  I received a phone call from a woman who said she was with the New York show and that they had seen my jury photos from Chicago and wanted to invite me to the NYC show!  I was accepted into the Chicago show too, but couldn't afford to do both.  This is my first big out of state art show and I am both very nervous and excited! Fortunately, I have two wonderful, arty friends, Pamela Huntington and Kecia Deveney, coming in and helping me to set up my booth.  The event will be held indoors at a building across the street from the Empire State Building.  I will have 3 hard walls, carpet and track lighting, VERY different from my usual outdoor art festival decor, lol!  If you will be in the area, please email me and let me know because I can send you a ticket (worth $15) that is good for both weekends!

I shipped off four big boxes last week full of inventory and booth materials and am still scurrying to produce more inventory which I will pack in a suitcase.  The holidays are going to be very busy this year, but more about the Christmas shows here in Austin later...

I found these amazing blue bunny slippers at Uncommon Objects and HAD to have them!

Of course, one became the home for a pixie and the other will reside in my studio...

And remember, if you have any images of me teaching at any of the art retreats, please let me know!  The deadline is looming to turn these in!  Thanks and I will talk to you soon!

Call for Entries! Photos of...me...

Hello again after such long time away!  I really do mean to write more often, but (insert excuse here) keeps happening.  Yes, you read the title of this post correctly...I need photos of me.  I haven't suddenly become egocentric, but I do need pictures of me teaching classes.  If you have taken photos of me in the past during a workshop, could you please let me know?  I will choose the best ones (ahem, shots from behind will not be considered "best") and give away bits of some new work.  These photos may eventually end up in a forthcoming book.  So, dig through your digital files and let me know what you come up with!  Thanks!

And now a peek at what has been keeping me occupied art-wise this week...

I have been creating digital collages and layering them in wax...

then I carve words into the wax and add metal crowns and such...

And here are a bunch of pieces completed for a recent show...

I am so excited to finally have some time to play with encaustic wax!  I love it!  

Here are some tiny pieces I have in the works...the soap bottle is there for a size reference...

And last but not least, a quick shot from the Halloween family scrapbook...a friend commented that it is obvious where I get my good looks from...

My buns were a bit droopy...I was hoping that wouldn't happen for some years yet...

Stay tuned as I plan on making a big show announcement this weekend!  Really!  I promise...