Pacific Northwest Art Retreat

 I had the pleasure to spend the long weekend with my friend Lucie at her new home in Washington State.  She prepared an "art menu" for me to chose activities from.  We started with this "etch a sketch" style art work. 

You start by creating a single line drawing with a gel pen on coloured paper.  Mine was pale blue - not the grey it appears to be here.  In one continuous line you add whatever comes into your head - real or imagined, trying to fill the page.

You can "cheat" and go back and add additional details as you can see here.  Then you use coloured pencils to add the colour and whimsy you can see up top!

Here is one that Lucie did.  We agree we like the dark background much better - it gives the colours more "pop"!

And here is another one Lucie did - aren't they cute!

 Next we got to ply with  Gelli Plate - a rubbery thing you apply paint to with a brayer and then "print" onto heavy paper in random or deliberate ways.  You can see above i pressed 4 sheets of paper - into ONE layer of paint.

 Next you can add additional colours and use stencils to add pattern.

 Here are 4 completed works that Lucie did.

 and here are the 8 that i did!  i like some more than others.  But the idea is that you can cut them into postcard shapes and add additional paint or collage to create interesting little works of art.

 Speaking of little artworks - here was our next activity - Gypsy Cards!  Above are Lucie's.  Each of these 3" squares started life as a cereal box - or some other random packaging.  We created various collage materials using household items to make stamps of circles and dots. then we wrote "wishes" or goals on the back of each one.  throughout the day we added bits of paint and collage as we worked on other projects.

Here are mine!  i used a combination of black and white papers with circles stamped on them, plus some green and aqua tissue paper.  i garnished them with a rosy red border and little dots.  When we were all done we had to pick three at random to be our first set of goals. I suppose when i accomplish those i get to pick three more!

(or i might just frame them - i like how they look all together!)

 Next we created an art collage on a white gesso'd wooden board.  The concept is that you just apply bits of paper and don't think to much about it. This was Lucie's.

 Next you try to see if an image appears.  Spin it around, squint, and user your imagination. With the geometric shapes and nautical colour scheme - Lucie "found" a sailboat!

 Next you paint the background - but leave your original collage show through.  It is all about serendipity - you might find something wonderful!

 Here is my original collage.  I actually liked it just like this!

 But i tried to find some images and a tree and little house emerged.  We outlined them in dark inky paint with a small brush.

 And here it is all painted in!  Why is the branch and bird sticking out of the chimney and not the tree?  well - it just didn't turn out that way and that makes it more charming, n'est pas?

 One more thing to share - we took a bunch of security envelopes and rolled on white gesso.  Then we added blue and green watercolours and let them dry.  You can rub and buff the watercolours to reveal the texture of the rolled on gesso. (but my gesso wasn't thick enough so it didn't really work)

BUT.... they were still interesting enough to fold and sew into pages.  then Lucie used her Zutter machine to bind  them into a book!

Thanks Lucie for a lovely artful weekend in your beautiful home!

Play Date - Altered Blocks

 My friend L was in town this weekend and we got together for a little play date.  I saw some cool altered children's blocks on line and thought - let's try that!  L took some old blocks, i picked up at a garage sale and gave them a coat of gesso. then she took some stamps and stickers and added some  whimsy.  then she took some crayons and blended into the gesso to give depth. They look so modern!

 My friend Z joined and and decided to finish her block doll project she started back HERE.  this is a sweet doll with her grandaughter's image.  Love the pretty wings and the hair bow!

 And Z continued to work on this biker chick doll with cool earrings for arms and spikey ring makes a striking head piece.  She'll be getting a couple of nails for legs and feet!

I also added a child's block to my doll - Q for "cute"!

Next I took some blocks and gave them a coat of gesso.  Then i took pages from a french dictionary and glued them to the sides with matte gel adhesive.

I chose the french words for laugh, dance, sing, music and sweet to represent my husband.

They are still a work in progress - but here you can see i added blue and green crayon blended into the gesso to give them some colour.  Kisses and hugs to my sweetie!

Block Head Dolls Play Date

We spent saturday afternoon crafting art dolls out of blocks of wood.  Our inspiration came from some similar dolls i saw online on Teresa Mcfayden's whimsical blog HERE.  I read that she got the idea from Laura Robberts blog HERE.  You can see Laura's video and even sign up for a workshop to learn how to make your own.

You can start with any old wooden blocks or shapes. I had some 1 1/2 inch childs blocks so i used those.  I stacked three together using tacky glue and painted them with white gesso.  My friend Z gave me some Jenga blocks she bought at a garage sale.  Her husband cut some into thirds to make the heads.

 The process is kind of varied but for me followed this sequence.  Cover the blocks with paper.  Add tissue napkins with gell medium to add layers.  The faces were cut from vintage photos (copies) and Anthro catalogs.  Join head with wire, a dowel, or screw eyes.  Add small nails with beads for hair and arms. 

Many of the samples i saw online showed faces with underlying or overlying text.  Since image transfer is iffy, i decided to try a technique i learned about years ago but never tried until now.  Buy a small box of roller papers and the beauty supply store.  (you know the kind you use with a home permanent?)  Use a blank ink pad, like StazOn and stamp text on the thin paper.  Then glue it onto your face with gel medium.  It literally disappears!

 For this little Jenga doll i used paper beads we made HERE.  I always thought they were kind of icky and looked like larvae and never wanted to use them for anything.  For for legs on this quirky doll i think they are PERFECT!  She isn't quite finished.  Still needs more details - hair, hat, arms, whatever.  The "you will be taught to fly" quote was cut from a napkin.

 This gal has screw eyes to join her head to body and some wire legs wrapped with paper clay.  I will paint the clay as soon as it dries completely.

 Here is a work in progress from D.  Love the tacks used for hair on this expressive face. Like her use of small spools to hold the doll upright.  (mine will probably hang on a hook)

 D made her block doll reversable - here it has a complely different look and mood.

 K's work in progress features many metal elements including a clock face and some wooden spool legs.

K also worked on this architectural creature which will have copper tassels for limbs.

 Here is a doll from Z - in progress.  She chose the zebra print to echo the edginess of the biker chick face.  A studded collar was a perfect addition.  The image in the background is our inspiration from Teresa's blog.

 Z is also creating a doll with her grandaughter's face.  Love the cute dotted sparkly dress with the velvet trim belt.

 Another work in progress from K.  As you can see just about anything goes and those butterfly wings will be really impressive on this doll!

Another piece by K - where she is using larger wooden blocks and a wooden ball for the head.  Love the lace cap contrasted with the metal elements.

As you see just about anything goes and we had so much fun creating our block head dolls!

Another successful play date!