WHY, WHY,WHY?????





We both subscribe to an on-line daily newsletter from a popular craft magazine.  Today's premier article is about stenciling.  While Suzette and Cherril have been using stenciling in their workshops for quite a while, it seems it is "making a comeback."  But most of the recent articles tout spray paint as the way to do it.  Why?  Expedient, perhaps, but both wasteful and environmentally unsound.  So, again, we ask, Why?  Using dry brush methods with acrylics works great.  So...Why?

NO spray paint!

To play with this and other methods, join us in our mixed media Sunday Studio Workshops!

TRAVELS WITH...



What bits can you see hidden here?


Many of us do not have time for travel or just don't travel far from home.  Sometimes, though, it is fun to add a bit of the exotic to our mixed media work.  Cherril's daughter's mother-in-law (who she just loves, btw) just returned from three weeks visiting artists and artisans in Japan.  Before she left she was asked to bring back any dropped pieces of paper or other "bits" that she might encounter in her travels.  Boy, did she!  Cherril can hardly wait to include some of these pieces in her work.  Do you have anyone traveling to far-off places?  Or are you?  Possibilities abound!!  Bring your bits to one of our Sunday Studio Workshops and play with us.

WHAT A DAY!



Matilijas are in full bloom right now

 Who would ever have thought this day would be so fantastic?  Awakening to dark gray that soon turned to rain, I never dreamed that the skies would turn to such a clear blue with visual all the way to the white cliffs of Catalina.  But turn it did and just in time for our Sunday Studio Workshop of Mixed Media Playtime.  A full house of students, about half of whom were new, came to play with the many fun techniques.  Suzette and I had fun as always and think our students did too.  Now we wait for our Postal Art to arrive after secretly picking the names of the one to whom we would send our own special gift.  Life is good.

Playing with Images

Suzette here. A few weeks ago my daughter and I went to the Long Beach Outdoor Antique and Collectible Market. I 'shopped' with my camera, taking photos of items I thought would make interesting image transfers. I have recently found a technique for transfering ink jet images onto mixed media backgrounds that works for me. We have been teaching it in our Sunday Studio Workshops. Below is the original photo which I tweeked abit in Photoshop, printed, and transfered onto a mixed media background. This is so much fun! And full of surprises--although the technique works, it's not always what you expected.

AIN'T WE GOT FUN!

My spirit sure did love the play!

Yesterday's Sunday Studio Workshop could not have been on a more wonderful day.  Running out to Trader Joe's to get some food in the house before it started, I was met by the glorious sight of white cliffs on Catalina across a deep blue line of shimmering sea.  And the day just kept getting better.  It was a little smaller group than usual, but rich with playful creating.  One student emailed this morning, "These workshops should be renamed RETREATS!! they are so good for our soul."  I couldn't agree more.