Workshop at Dinnerware Artspace in Downtown Tucson

Introduction to Art Cloth

Adults

Dates: May 7 and 14, 2011

Time: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM with 1 hour for lunch

Workshop Fee: $160

Supply fee: $17 and includes all the paints used in class and an extensive student booklet (approximately 50 pages)

Supply list:  Available upon registration

 

For this workshop, Susan has assembled all her favorite techniques for creating exciting layers of colors and textures using fabric paints on cloth. Included in her repertoire are dribbling, splattering, flicking, spraying, sponging, squirting, scraping with credit cards, jell-o printing, printing with cardboard wrapped with rubber bands, Styrofoam stamps, bubble wrap, leaves, vegetables and textured brayers, and more. Students will produce beautiful pieces of cloth to hang by themselves (art cloth) or that can be used in mixed media collages. This workshop also provides information on color; design; and techniques for creating vibrant hues, mixing rich colors, developing color gradations, and producing exciting mingling of various color combinations.

Free Fabric Printing Workshop at Dinnerware Artspace in Tucson

Adults

March 19, 2011

10: 00 AM – 12:00 PM

Dinnerware Workshops are based on exploration and experimentation. I’ll bet you never thought of using Jell-O to make an art print. On March 19th, 2011 join me and try it out for yourself. I will lead a demonstration of printing on fabric using gelatin, yes, Jell-O, to make monoprints. I will also show you how to print on fabric using found objects and kitchen utensils. If you think this sounds crazy, come join me and be crazy too. 

It’s great fun for those who want to explore new mediums, test the waters, and bridge the gap. Bring a friend and make it a friend-art-date. Be sure to wear old clothes or an apron. Dinnerware will provide all the fabric paints and several pieces of fabric. Bring extra fabric of all kinds to broaden your adventure. 

Orange Fabric was Printed on Jell-o!

Art Cloth Network Call for Members!

Art Cloth Network is open for a few new members. If you'd like information about
the group, see our website at http://www.artclothnetwork.com.

Those of us who are members find that the opportunities for community,
conversation, sharing of techniques, inspiration and resources benefit our art
and creativity. We have recently increased our membership limits to 30 members
in good standing, including those on formal leave. When the number falls below
30, we accept new member applications. We currently have openings for up to six
new members.

While some of us also make art quilts or mixed media work, the group is focused
on art cloth and its specific surface design techniques and approaches. This
includes making lengths of cloth, rather than small samples or fat quarters.
Please read the information about art cloth on our website and look at examples,
to make sure that you are interested in this field. Only those artists who
submit examples of art cloth that meet this description will be considered for
membership.

We meet as a group every 9 to 10 months in different regions of the United
States, usually between August and October. Since these meetings are critical to
our growth and vitality, we require attendance at 2 out of 5 consecutive
meetings. Membership begins with the first meeting attended. Members bring and
discuss their work at these meetings, and we share other professional concerns
and opportunities. Previous meetings have been in Texas, Minnesota, Illinois,
Florida, California, Georgia, Arizona, and New Jersey. The 2011 meeting will be
in Florida.

We also produce a new exhibit annually, with a call for entries each year. Since
opportunities for showing art cloth are limited, this is an important membership
benefit. Members are required to enter two of five calls for entry in order to
maintain their membership status.

Only applicants who can and will attend the next meeting will be accepted into
the Art Cloth Network during this membership call period. That meeting will be
in or around St. Petersburg, Florida on either October 13-16 or November 10-13,
2011. Full details about the conference and this financial commitment will be
mailed to those extended a membership invitation.

The current deadline for membership applications is March 15, 2011, and you can
send in your application materials at any time prior to the deadline. You will
be notified by April 15, 2011 whether your application has been approved.

Send a request to susiemonday@... in order to receive the POSTEROUS
application site address.

On-line Class with Tamara Laporte (AKA Tam)

I found Tamara Laporte's web-site, Willowing and Friends, from a posting on Facebook. Tam is a mixed media artist with lots of personality and a BIG Heart. This site and its sister site Willowing.org are filled with a variety of groups (such as, a support group, a critique group, an art challenge group, an art journal group, etc.), interviews, classes she offers, links to other mixed media artists, and more. You can find pictures of her student's work there and free videos.

I signed up for her free Art, Heart, and Healing course. Over 1200 have enrolled in this course. It was first offered in October of 2010. However, it is still available. I started in December. Each of the four classes consists of two 1-hour videos and two pdf files with written instructions. The videos primarily consist of watching Tam create the project for the week. The camera is pointed at what she is doing and not at her. You can either watch the videos on-line or download them to your computer.

I downloaded lesson 1's videos, so I could watch her, stopped (hit the pause button) the video, and performed the step she just demonstrated. When I was done I had drawn and shaded in a face. This is about the third face I have ever drawn and the first I shaded. She uses watercolor crayons and pencils. I was amazed. It was easily and I had fun doing it.

After doing the face, we worked on the background. In addition to the art lesson, a healing exercise was incorporated into the artwork. I am always too serious; consequently, the message I created for myself was "It is okay to be playful!"

I know, I know, I need to work on a happier look! I have already started.

To continue my goal of being more playful, I have enrolled in her Magical Mystical Makings course where we will create goddess, angels, fairies, mermaids, and unicorns. This course begins on January 17, 2011. Go to her site, click on the class, and view a video advertising it. In her courses, you can upload your work for her to suggest ways for improvement. She uses Photoshop to show you what you can do to improve your work. If you want to give yourself a creativity present, may I suggest you consider enrolling in this course.