JADE ART

Monday, July 12, 2010

"THE ARTISTIC MOTHER WORKSHOP WEEK TWO: POETRY JOURNAL AND WEEK THREE: POETRY TOTE"

Here's Week Two and Three of the workshop. I have yet to tie some fibers and charms to my Poetry Journal (I made some Shrinky Dink charms today, can't wait to use it!) and I haven't decided what to paint on the white canvas square in the center of the Poetry Tote. I think it'll be a Frida, but I'm undecided since there's a fairy trying to get the spot, so we'll see :)

Hugs and nite nite, my luvs.
Jade

"THE ARTISTIC MOTHER WEEK ONE: BACKGROUND PAPERS"

I'm reading this incredible, fantastic book - The Artistic Mother by Shona Cole http://www.amazon.com/Artistic-Mother-Practical-Fitting-Creativity/dp/1600613489/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278987689&sr=1-1 and it's been a life-saver and tremendously helpful since I'm feeling very scattered and going through a rough, uninspired, unmotivated phase right now. I feel so blessed to have found this book right when I needed it. It's amazing how God always puts something in my artistic path when I'm most in need.

I highly recommend this book, regardless of whether or not you're a mother. The author herself is a mother of five gorgeous children and a superbly talented artist. Reading her book is not only very instructional, but also inspiring, motivating, chock full of tips, ideas, techniques and other things, and a real good starter for those interested in having a go with mixed media as well as digital photography. I also love how Shona Cole allows us to take a peek into her life. In the end, you're not only ready and aching to create, but you also feel like you made a new friend, that's how she made "me" feel, like I know her since forever.

On the second part of the book, we are presented with a structured way of getting our art started in the form of a 12 week workshop, divided in a way to make it attainable even for the busiest mom/artist out there. Week 1 teaches us how to make background papers to use on several of the projects taught in the book and collage amongst other things. I made a whole bunch and I had a blast creating these papers. I found this Moroccan recipe book somewhere, with beautiful glossy pages and the best thing, the pages were all blank! An obvious flunk but good for me, I get to have dozens of this beautiful surface ready to be transformed. I used Winsor and Newton Drawing Inks and stamped with some background rubber stamps afterwards. I love the way the inks reacted with the glossy surface, creating an agate kind of effect.

Check out Shona's blog here: http://shonastudio.blogspot.com/ to learn more about her book, her art and to see her beautiful photographs of her trip to Ireland (amongst other things, of course). A very inspirational blog, always fun to read, full of wonderful stuff, tutorials, and alternative projects for the workshop in the book. I find myself anxiously checking to see if she has new posts, every morning, the second I finish reading my e-mails. Also, I joined a group of other artists doing the projects in the book. It's a good way to keep motivated and create art with other like-minded people. Here's the link: http://artisticcreationswithtrudy.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-artistic-mother-group-forming-i.html The hostess, Trudy Callan, is a very talented and gracious artist and she has some wonderful words of encouragement for those who want to join. Be sure to check that out as well, you'll love it!

Anyways, my luvs, it's late and I should go now, but before I do, I'll post pics of weeks 2 and three of the workshop as well. I made the poetry tote with two old bandanas in my favorite colors - lime green and pink and for the handle I used an equally old Gucci silk scarf I hadn't worn in a long time. For a split second, I felt a pang of pain at the thought of cutting that scarf but then I thought, what the heck, I haven't even seen that scarf in a million years, it's been buried deep inside my closet for that long, so might as well put it to good use. The only thing missing is to paint something on the canvas square in the center. Shona uses a picture for her tote, but I decided I'd rather paint something on mine, maybe a fairy or a Frida, I don't know yet. The poetry journal was created with some of the other background papers I made and the only thing missing is to tie a few fibers and maybe a charm or two on the spiral binding. Hope you like it.

Hugs and have a wonderful and creative week,
Jade

Friday, July 9, 2010

"DEAD POETS SOCIETY - EDGAR ALLAN POE"

DEAD POETS SOCIETY - EDGAR ALLAN POE, originally uploaded by Jade Erin Scarlett O'Branagain.

My newest adventure on mixed media. I tried to combine my love of poetry in this piece and used one of my favorite poems by Edgar Allan Poe. Although he's not necessarily my favorite poet, I happened to come across a rather haunting portrait of him and I just knew I had to use it somehow. Hence, the first of what I'm planning of making into a series, "Dead Poets Society" named after the movie, which I happen to love. Whenever I watch "House", I still can't believe that Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) was Neil, it's been a very long time since the movie indeed! (Note to self, put movie on top of Netflix list and watch it again)

Anyways, now that I used the image of Poe's I liked, I can move on to the poets I love the most, my Irish ones, of course! I know I want to do Seamus Heaney next and the series will go more according to whichever poem inspires me at the moment (hence Heaney, since that's what I'm reading now) as opposed to creating in order of most favorite poets. Will see how it goes.

For this piece, I used everything but the kitchen sink. Just kidding (kinda). It was done on a wooden plaque I got on sale from Michael's for $ 0.50 and it's aproximately 8"X10". After gessoing the board (for better adhesion), I selected some vintage scrapbook papers and an old music sheet, and glued everything with a semi-gloss gel medium. The border I did with torn papers from an old book. Then the fun really began. I started distressing the papers with acrylic paints, alcohol inks, distress inks, sanding paper, you name it. I added texture with bubble wrap, sequin waste, paint bottle caps and polymer clay texture stamps. After selecting the bit of the poem I wanted to use, the title, the image of Poe and his last name, I printed everything on an ink jet printer, distressed all the elements and glued and transfered the image in place. Last, I stamped his name, embossed it and added some final details with charcoal pencils, Shiva Paint Sticks and some more distressing. Finished it all with several coats of clear acrylic sealer. Hope you like it.

Many hugs and wish you all a wonderful and restful weekend,

Jade

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

"LABOR PAINS? NOTHING COMPARED TO A REAL BAD TOOTHACHE!!!"

I haven't done much art in the past few days due to a problem with my teeth, I'm in a lot of pain and getting ready for oral surgery soon, so my inspiration is not at its best. Alas, the inspiration is there and even the desire to create, but the pain is just too much to handle. In any case, I managed to make a little mixed media piece with Frida Kahlo as the major source of inspiration once again and I used all sorts of things to distress and complete this small square of canvas board. Tons of fun, hope you like her. My favorite is the effect of glass on the wings which I got it by using Folk Art Papier Glass Effects. Too bad this product has been discontinued, but if you search it on Ebay you might get lucky, that's how I managed to stock up on it, got 6 bottles!

Many hugs,
Jade