2nd Annual Where Bloggers Create party- June 19th, 2010!!!! It’s time again to share your creative spaces!!!

Wherever your creative space is here is an opportunity to share yours with other like-minded souls, all artists at heart or otherwise. Here is a chance to play with other artists, be entered in the contest for some great prizes and  find loads of inspiration for your art and your studio design:

“This year is special because Jo Packham and Where Women Create magazine is offering some fabulous prizes!
The first prize is your own feature in Where Women Create magazine! (How cool is that?) Jo Packham herself will pick the winner and boy is it ever a fun experience!

Then [they] will be offering to 6 random party goers,

2- 1 year subscriptions to Where Women Create magazine

2 -Sets of Jo’s books Where Women Create and The Book of Inspiration

2-WWC charm bracelets.”

I don’t know about you but I think it really sounds like lots of fun, and a great opportunity to see other artist’s creative spaces. If you are like me, your space is never really done – there is always room for improvements LOL.

Anyway, why don’t you hop on over to Karen’s blog, “My Desert Cottage” for details on how to enter… Remember, it is June 19th so you should get a move on!

Ciao for now,

Beth

Memorial Day Weekend is Here!

Wow, how time does fly by! I had the best of intentions of writing more in my blog this month and here it is almost over and this is only my 4th entry. I have been busy learning some new art skills however, which I guess I could use as an excuse and oh what a wonderful excuse it has been. I have discovered yet another site with online classes (and more), which you must, must visit :  http://www.mystele.com/the-story/ . Mystele is a wonderfully energetic and very creative mixed media artist who is only too ready to teach you her unique ideas and discoveries, much of which is free! She has tons of free tutorials on Youtube and very reasonably priced classes on her site. I couldn't take notes fast enough while watching her book arts series! I have also been working on a fun calligraphy class at Creative Workshops as well as continuing on with my "faces" painting class with Sharon Tomlinson. Oh yes, and a mixed media background class with Nancy Lefko at Creative Workshops. Now my challenge is to begin incorporating all of these wonderful techniques and ideas into my own art! I hope to have a new line of handmade journals incorporating all these great new ideas coming out in my etsy shop sometime this summer. In the meantime I thought you might like to see one more of my paintings ala Sharon Tomlinson a.k.a. All Norah'S Art so here she is... her name is MaraLee.
Well, I guess I better go feed my very hungry DH before he mutinies LOL.
Have a fun and safe Memorial Day Weekend and to all those in the armed forces working to keep all of us safe, A Big Hug and Giant THANK YOU!!!
Ciao for now,
Beth

Attention is Always Nice!

Today I got a bit of a shock, a good one but very surprised. I joined this wonderful art group called Milliande Art Community for Women and have been enjoying the sheer fun of being surrounded by other women artists, looking at their work, reading their poetry and journal entries and learning from tutorials graciously uploaded for the community to use. Anyway, one of my paintings I had uploaded was picked by Milliande as one of the days featured works of art! Me of all people - I just began this painting adventure and there are so many extremely talented women in this community - it was a very nice surprise! Just in case you are curious the picture here is the one I am talking about - who knew?! It is 12x14 acrylic with decorative napkin embellishments on cardboard. An experiment from Sharon Tomlinson's class.

Does Art Have to Make A Statement?

Something I have always been confused about is when you are creating a piece of art do you have a purpose and focus for the piece beyond your muse simply telling you it is time to create? How do you imbue your work with a meaning other than just a pretty painting or whatever medium you are working in? Or, better yet do you feel you need to intentionally have a purpose/focus/statement to your piece in which you are trying to convey something to the viewer other than just the beauty of the piece? I often hear artists say they go with the flow of their muse as they create, more or less spontaneously rather than a focused direction. If that is the case how can the piece make a specific statement? Often I also hear artists state that the viewer will get the sense of the message you were trying to draw out into the open with their work... can a piece be both spontaneous and at the same time impart a message?

Second painting in Sharon's class...

Love to hear your thoughts,
Ciao for now,
Beth

Found Memories Art: More Mixed Media / Collage Giveaway Goodness!#links#links#links#links

Found Memories Art: More Mixed Media / Collage Giveaway Goodness!#links#links#links#links

OMG - this gal has a lot going on over at her blog. This giveaway is not to be sneezed at so get on over there quick as a bunny!
Ciao for now,
Beth

Oh my Gosh...I'm Painting!

In my last post I was talking about my new discovery of both a very talented teacher and a new medium - painting. After having a field day in art supply stores buying all my new supplies I made a new space for my all my new supplies. I finally got the courage up to begin, and I worked on the background. After finishing my background I looked over my work and let it sit for a few days as I kept letting fear of making a mistake get in my way of actually beginning my painting! How dumb, that is why you take a class - because you don't know how to do something that you want to learn - this is the environment to make those mistakes - so you can learn! I felt my muse grab me by the collar and the next thing I new I was painting! Here is my first attempt...