Sometimes you just have to play... While working in my studio one day, I got the urge to give the repurposed cans I use as brush holders a collage makeover. Using medium and transparent papers over layers of paper, I now have containers that reflect what I do as well as hold my brushes. It's one more way to use up all the papers I can't seem to throw away!





CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER

Waddayathink it is, Hank?

The sweet, tense moment of concentrated attention as the child explores...this is something the artist, too, recognizes.  Curiosity is such an essential ingredient to the creative process and children seem to have it in abundance.  To play with the eyes and mind of a child is to know the freedom of artistic exploration.  To me, this is what art is all about.  Without it...well, something is definitely lost.  With it...it's Mixed Media Playtime at its finest! We're looking forward to another fun play date this Sunday. Yippee!!

I'm getting ready for our next workshop on May 1st by using up left over paint...(we save everything!!). It's so much fun to use what is in front of me without having to make color decisions of my own. So I made backgrounds using our favorite dry brush painting techniques and recycled mark making 'tools'.

We have two more Sunday Studio Workshops here in Laguna Beach before the Sawdust Art Festival begins: May 1st and May 15th. Contact me for more details:
suzette7@cox.net



These are the backgrounds...images could be added, or more layers...

 




These are the tools I used to stamp and stencil the marks. The letter stencil and rubber stamps are the only purchased items. The other things have been repurposed for mark making.

 


This is my box of my favorite stenciling tools...all things that most people throw away!

If you'd like to learn more, come to one of our Sunday Studio Workshops in Laguna!



ART THAT'S SMALL

Suzette here. I checked out 'ART THAT'S SMALL AT CITY HALL' on Monday. I enter this show every year. The size limit is 12"X12". I was happy to see the many mixed media pieces that were submitted this year, including a few by students of our workshops! If you are around Laguna and have some time, go to City Hall and enjoy a 'little' art!

This is my entry--Oh, Pears...---mixed media still life.

Beginnings

Mixed Media Playtime-Workshop at Play

We like beginnings.  Cherril and Suzette have been talking about doing things like blogs and books for a while with no result.  Well, we have taken the first step now with both of these things and look forward to them enhancing both our art and our workshops.  Watch for lots more.  Middles aren't so bad either. :)