karen michel : mixed media art adventures...

i've moved!

2010-10-16T12:10:00.000-04:00

well folks, after living over here at blogger since 2005 (!!!) i've moved!

you can now find me here:

www.karenmichel.com/blog

come visit!

heading home...

2010-10-11T22:34:00.002-04:00

had a fun time teaching & vending in portland! i'm sitting around the pdx waiting to take the red eye....

i had a great group of students and got to see lots of old friends.....

susan & I paid a visit to jesse reno's studio which if you ever get the chance to see it's pretty amazing. he's created more paintings than any artist i have ever seen!!!

i'll be posting some new pieces to etsy this week... stay tuned!!

:)

2010-10-07T14:29:00.002-04:00

heading to portland, *see* you next week!!

Haiti, 9 months later

2010-10-06T10:12:00.000-04:00

Carlo just returned from Haiti with a ton of photos and videos.....

there is still SO MUCH to do.... let's not forget about Haiti.

you can view more images and videos from his trip here.

still in progress...

2010-09-30T14:25:00.002-04:00

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autumn blooms

2010-09-28T13:56:00.002-04:00

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rainy day list making...

2010-09-27T20:54:00.002-04:00

1. carlo left for Haiti today! he's doing some legwork for a vocational school he's looking to build this coming year. he says things are still looking pretty terrible but that the communities are resiliently pushing forward....

2. preparing a bunch of new work to bring to Art & Soul Portland with me next week. I still have a couple of spaces left in my workshops if you want to jump in!

3. we're loving the beach this time of year... a fraction of the people and SO Much cleaner! just us & the gulls :)

4. shorter days mean more time indoors... we're having lots of fun with photobooth!

5. it's also our favorite time of year for nature walks... we made some make shift reed flutes and they actually worked!

6. and seriously? i am smitten with the Mr. Moustache book over at Studio Violet. we definitely need one for our little library :)

7. & how amazing is mark ryden????

. ~ : * : happy autumn : * : ~ .

shhhh...... egret watching :)

2010-09-23T20:17:00.001-04:00

collecting...

2010-09-22T23:10:00.001-04:00

2010-09-21T10:33:00.001-04:00

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weekend adventures.....

2010-09-20T08:47:00.001-04:00

if i were to plan an escape....

2010-09-17T21:39:00.002-04:00

it would be on this ♥

magic wands

2010-09-17T14:40:00.001-04:00

fabric covered paintbrushes ♥

2010-09-16T21:59:00.001-04:00

2010-09-16T13:35:00.001-04:00

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in the gallery

2010-09-15T14:31:00.002-04:00

old paintbrushes are perfect for hanging necklaces!

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a few book recommendations for the fall...

2010-09-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

The Craftsman's Handbook by Cennino d'Andrea Cennini
Back when I was doing research for Green Guide , this book completely enchanted me. It is an intimate look at what life was like for (male) artists in 15th century Florence. From preparing your paints and canvases to the way an artist should dress and behave! It is a must have for those of you interested in the making and history of artist materials.

Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress: The Fashion of Frida Kahlo By Carlos Phillips Olmedo, Denise Rosenzweig, Magdalena Rosenzweig, Teresa del Conde, Marta Turok
Attention Frida fanatics- this book is a detailed glimpse at her entire wardrobe, need I say more???

Etcetera: Creating Beautiful Interiors with the Things You Love By Sibella Court
Think life size collages, living inside a sketchbook.... this book is serious eye candy & it will definitely inspire you to pull out your collections! I picked mine up at Anthropologie.

Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness By Lyanda Lynn Haupt
For all you urban naturalists out there, this is a wonderful book that connects those of us who aren't necessarily "in" nature to learn how to observe it around us regardless of where we live.... still reading it so I will give a full report when I'm done :)

well, i hope to have inspired some fresh autumn reading!

sparkly shiny wearables!

2010-09-13T11:29:00.000-04:00

Whew! I just finished uploading a whole bunch of wearable to my shop! here's a peek:

take a look : more to come soon!!!!

happy monday :)

new work...

2010-09-12T10:53:00.000-04:00

i've been busy busy making lots of goodies to bring to Art & Soul Portland next month.... i've been making some necklaces using susan's ice resin in these beautiful wood bezels i found on etsy... i'm hooked!

i've also been working on these house totems.... traci turned me onto those spray fabric paints that i've been using on wood, SO much fun!!

we are having an open studio for kids today at our art center, so i am thinking that i will start adding some of these goodies to my etsy shop tonight. once everything is posted i'll announce it here...

enjoy your sunday!

. : * : . : * : . : * : . : * : .

a mix....

2010-08-26T11:38:00.000-04:00

been repurposing and inspiration hunting, holding on to these last few weeks of summer...

mojo

2010-08-23T22:15:00.001-04:00

surrounded...

2010-08-23T13:52:00.002-04:00

rainy day making... listening to this on repeat...

summer continued...

2010-08-18T10:17:00.000-04:00

summer lovin...

2010-08-15T17:09:00.002-04:00

hoping it never ends...

new in ye olde shoppe

2010-08-15T09:05:00.002-04:00

updates all sorts of new (and some old) work! check it out if you like over here.

whew! that was a lot of work! i have more still to come...

shop updates in progress....

2010-08-14T21:44:00.003-04:00

today & tomorrow i'll be updating my shop with lots of new goodies :)

www.etsy.com/shop/kmichel

process...

2010-08-14T18:17:00.002-04:00

artfest 2011!!

2010-08-13T10:45:00.000-04:00

the artfest 2011 site is up & ready!! check out next year's awesome line up!!

working & playing...

2010-08-13T10:35:00.002-04:00

getting ready for a big shop update & playing with spray fabric paints (but on wood!) from traci. so much fun!

hunting the wild

2010-08-12T12:07:00.001-04:00

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art unraveled...

2010-08-08T11:13:00.001-04:00

i'm heading home from a wonderful adventure teaching out at art unraveled in phoenix, arizona and just wanted to share some imagery from the journey... (can you tell i'm enjoying all the fun camera apps for my phone???!!)

idyllwild reflections

2010-07-31T13:54:00.000-04:00

a big thank you to everyone who came to play, see you next year!

making.....

2010-07-31T13:24:00.000-04:00

prayer flag workshop @ idyllwild arts :)

2010-07-25T23:41:00.001-04:00

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

2010-07-19T10:36:00.001-04:00

brilliant!

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

stitching by the seashore...

2010-07-10T22:43:00.000-04:00

the view

2010-07-06T19:25:00.001-04:00

.july.

2010-07-04T10:37:00.000-04:00

summer sunset

2010-07-02T14:20:00.003-04:00

here's to long days & warm nights....

making.....

2010-07-01T11:02:00.000-04:00

here's a peak of a new wood collage currently on the work table. I'm finally putting some of my collection of vintage fabric bits and pieces to work....

* * * * * * *

and my current laptop bag redo, I'm converting an old messenger bag into a new laptop bag. pulled out some fabric scraps & repurposed nico's baby bumper for the cushioning! it need a bit more tlc... i'll post more as i work on it....

Crescendoh!

2010-06-28T11:46:00.000-04:00

I'm over at Crescendoh this week as guest curator with Art Saves, come visit!

makings at the beach....

2010-06-27T10:16:00.001-04:00

preparations

2010-06-21T09:00:00.001-04:00

coney island mermaid parade

2010-06-20T23:20:00.003-04:00

we had a blast! next year we will definitely be a part of the parade! look at all the fun ->

studio play

2010-06-16T19:39:00.001-04:00

kiki smith : sojourn @ the brooklyn museum

2010-06-15T15:19:00.002-04:00

if you haven't seen it yet, hop on over to the Brooklyn Museum to catch Kiki Smith's exhibition Sojourn which maps out the journey of the life of a female artist... magic! more here.

silver stallion

2010-06-12T22:34:00.001-04:00

mixing colors

2010-06-08T11:47:00.001-04:00

making

2010-06-02T11:55:00.001-04:00

sidewalk repairs

2010-05-21T14:07:00.001-04:00

neighborhood sights

2010-05-21T14:06:00.001-04:00

the painter...

2010-05-21T12:40:00.001-04:00

kitchen alchemy & little adventures

2010-05-10T10:42:00.000-04:00

. : * x o x * : .

2010-05-07T12:11:00.001-04:00

spring love

2010-05-06T11:21:00.001-04:00

inspired

2010-05-04T11:26:00.002-04:00

1. kommetjes kleurtjes, 2. Designs from India 5, 3. what do i believe..., 4. ., 5. ., 6. ., 7. Travel around a room, 8. revolution, 9. wip stitching, 10. The Radetsky's Circus!, 11. Mr. Clickatat Hughes, 12. Untitled, 13. Happy, 14. 2009, 15. Bring Me Sunshine, 16. morning light in my livingroom..., 17. woven chair seat, 18. woven chair seat, 19. 29 ans de grimaces, 20. Untitled, 21. Untitled, 22. Untitled, 23. Untitled, 24. Untitled, 25. Untitled

altered book in progress

2010-04-27T16:17:00.004-04:00

here's a peek of a commissioned book I'm working on... lots more views of it on my flickr page......

on the worktable....

2010-04-26T10:10:00.000-04:00

inspired by:

Agency Eureka: bibigreycat.blogspot.com/
yarn bombing
swoon
Portrait of Silvia Elena

earth paints for earth day

2010-04-22T09:57:00.001-04:00

A perfect day for playing with some of the recipes from Green Guide for Artists! Last week my buddy Traci Bautista (check out her blog- she has lots of fun online workshops!) came to visit and we played with some home made watercolors made from all earth friendly ingredients. Making your own paints may seem a bit daunting to some, but it is MUCH easier than you think, and once you experience the quality of home made paints you may never go back to commercial :)

Here is the (very forgiving) watercolor recipe I featured in Green Guide:

Ingredients :
gum arabic
glycerin
honey
a few drops of essential oil (this works as an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial agent, I like to use clove oil)
pigment

Note: most if not all of these ingredients can be found at earthpigments.com and www.sinopia.com

Binder (what holds the pigment to the paint):
1. In a jar, mix 1 part gum arabic with 2 parts hot water.
2. Add 1 part glycerin to 5 parts of the gum arabic mix.
3. Add 2 drops of essential oil and mix well.
4. Let mixture sit for a couple hours so that the gum arabic can fully dissolve. Mixing the binder in a jar allows you to store it for quite a while saving you from having to mix up your binder each time you paint. Just close the lid tightly but be sure to wipe off the jar before closing (otherwise it will be quite a challenge to get it open again!)

Paint mix:
1. Mix 1 part honey with 9 parts binder.
2. Mix 1 part of new binder mixture with 1 part pigment into a palette. When in my home studio I like to use clam shells since they VERY abundant here on our beaches and quite nice to look at :)

3. Start painting!

4. You can let the unused paints dry in your palettes, just reconstitute them with a wet brush & You can use them again & again.

hope that inspires you to try your hands at making some paints, many times you don't have to go further than the spices in your kitchen cabinet or the soil in your backyard for pigments!

and while you are at it, why not repurposed an old text book into an art journal? just paint over the pages and do your thing... here's a peak at one I have in progress right now....

I also posted some of the artwork from Green Guide for Artists into my etsy shop. Take a look if you like!

happy earth day & remember to walk gently upon the earth. ♥♥

home made watercolors

2010-04-17T16:47:00.003-04:00

Earth Day is next week- April 22nd, and in the spirit of all that is earth friendly I will be posting a selection of green art inspirations! keep an eye out on Monday for the first post and in the meanwhile, enjoy your weekend!

some favorites for friday...

2010-04-16T10:36:00.004-04:00

1. Pretty still, 2. is it spring yet?, 3. Cotton, 4. In All It's Glory, 5. Untitled, 6. Untitled, 7. Book cover, 8. number 29, 9. lou02, 10. Button necklace, 11. custom lucky paw, 12. Barred owl, 13. Vintage sewing kit., 14. :, 15. {70/365} 3 o'clock in March, 16. 20100315 The White Rabbit, 17. Hon. Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States (LOC), 18. [Abraham Lincoln, U.S. President. Seated portrait, facing front, January 8, 1864] (LOC), 19. [Irish spinner and spinning wheel. County Galway, Ireland] (LOC), 20. em Belém, 21. vampire rabbit, 22. stacks of chairs, 23. Magnolias digital collage, 24. Woodland block print set, 25. layers of lace

here are some of my current flickr favorites and since it's been a while since I have shared some links so I thought I would share my list of blogs I keep bookmarked. Prepare yourself for the longest list o' links EVER! (in alphabetical order thanks to firefox's handy dandy export tool), you may want freshen up your coffee cup before continuing....

50 of the world's best design blogs - Times Online
A Beautiful Mess
abbytryagain
Abigail Doan
About Today
allsorts
Amy Hanna
Anahata Katkin
angry chicken
anke weckmann illustration
ann wood
Anna Maria Horner
Apartment Therapy
apples for poppy anne
Art Propelled
Assemblog of Michael deMeng
astulabee
Atelier Kiki - Fibre Art
Aunty Cookie
betz white
bk kids
Black*Eiffel
BLEUBIRD VINTAGE OFFICIAL BLOG
bling on my sewing machine
Bliss
Bloesem
Bluepoppy
bread & honey : a food blog.
cakies
Camilla Engman
cat collier
Cécile Bonbon
Chronicles of Me
Contemplating the Moon
CR Blog
craft hope
Crafting a Green World - DIY for Environmentalists
craftlog
Craftster.org - Crafting community, including craft forums about knitting, crochet, sewing and more.
Crafty Synergy
Craftynest
creativityUNLEASHED by traci bautista
Creature Comforts
Curious Bird
DAILY DANNY
Daily Dolan Geiman
dawn houser
design is mine.
Design Mom
Design Squish Blog:
Design*Sponge
desire to inspire
dawndsokol.squarespace.com/
DIARY OF CLAUDINE HELLMUTH
disdressed
Doll
dottie angel
Duduá c/Rossic 6 Barcelona
e
e.soule
earth and living
Ella Pedersen - Little Red Caboose
Elle's Studio
elsie marley
elsie marley
emmas designblogg - design and style from a scandinavian perspective
Endless dreams.
Enviroblog:
ephemeratopia
Everyday is a Holiday
Famille Summerbelle
Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
Fog And Thistle
Free People Clothing Boutique Blog
frolic!
FRYD + DESIGN
Geninne's Art Blog
Give It Up
gooseflesh
Green Kitchen: Craft Blog, etc.
Green Your Decor — Your guide to stylish, eco-friendly decor!
Gryphon's Feather Studio
haeshu
Handmade Nation
HAUTE*NATURE: art
heatherross - journal
Hello Craft Lovers!
Hello!Lucky
HELLOmynameisHeather
Her Bad Mother
Hi Tree!
Hidden In France
hold in your breath
Homegrown Evolution
hop skip jump
How About Orange
hula seventy
Illustration Friday
imaginechildhood.com | Blog
inchmark - inchmark journal
Inhabitat
Inhabitots
Inside A Black Apple
Jam·bo·ree
Jane Ingram Allen Art Blog
Jane Wynn's Studio
Jenny Hart
Jill Bliss
Julie Evans
JUNK

karkovski
Kate Fletcher.com
kate sutton
Kathleen Lolley
katie did - katie did journal
katy*art
kelly rae
Kitty Genius
Knitting Iris
knockknock
kristen ferrell
kt40
L i z T r a n
Lauren Lists
LESLEY RILEY
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
Lisa Hoffman
littlebrownpen
LizzyHouse
Love, Joleen Photography Blog
Loveology
Ma petite theiere
magda trzaski
Maira Kalman - And the Pursuit of Happiness Blog - NYTimes.com
Making it Lovely
marthastewart.com

Mary Ellen Long
mati rose
maya*made
Melanie Falick Books - News
mikodesign
mishalulu.com
Misty Mawn
Mom-101
Mother Rising
My Paper Crane
N i c h o l a s - W i l t o n
ninon
nonchalantmom: parenting ideas, style for kids
not all those who wander are lost
not martha
ObjectsandElements.com
Oh Joy!
okonomide.
Ornamental
Paint in My Hair
pamgarrison
Penguin & Fish
pixiegenné
please sir
Plush-a-holic
poppytalk
Posie Gets Cozy
Post Punk Kitchen Blog: Show Us Your Mitts!
print & pattern
Prudent Baby
Ragamufyn's Theatre of Wanna-be Rockstars
ragtags: sarah's random this & that
RePlayGround - recycling with a twist!
resurrection fern
Rummage
saelee oh
seen but not heard
Sew Liberated
sfgirlbybay
Shmooed Food
siljevanilje
Simple Lovely
simplesparrow
Skunkboy Creatures
small magazine
smaller
Soir de Fête
Something's Hiding In Here
Sometimes Sweet
SouleMama
Spirit Cloth
Sprout Studio - Home
StangArt
stephanie congdon barnes
stephanie lee - Semiprecious Salvage
Stray Stiches
Studio View
Studio Violet
Summer Unschool
The Crafty Crow
The Graphics Fairy
The Green Frog Studio
The Hermitage
The Lark
The Moldy Doily
the snail and the cyclops
The Write Start
the~spirit~of~the~river
This Vintage Chica
Thompson Family-Life
Thought Cloud Factory News
ThreadBanger
Tree Fall
turkey feathers
two straight lines
U N I F O R M Studio journal
Urban Homesteader
Urban Prairie Refueled
Wee Wonderfuls
Welcome to oliver + s > blog
Which way did he go ?
Wise Craft
wish jar
WREN handmade
Yarning
you are what you love

whew! now go enjoy your friday!!! xox

updates to the shop.....

2010-04-09T11:29:00.000-04:00

I posted some new items up in the shop..... here's a peek:

more updates later too!

paper & feathers

2010-04-05T08:17:00.003-04:00

getting ready for a big etsy shop update... here are some sneak peeks:

prayer flag detail.....

& a sweet little mixed media piece, a bit of paper, paint, nails and sequins on wood.

& a bit of another prayer flag detail.....

I am hoping to get the updates up tonight, i'll announce it here & on my twitter when i do. happy monday!

prayer flags

2010-04-03T16:31:00.002-04:00

put the finishing touches on some of the flags I demo-ed on in my workshop at artfest last week....

artfest!

2010-03-31T11:34:00.000-04:00

well another Artfest has flown by in a flurry and after 11 years I think i finally have this travel thing down :)

getting there for me requires just about every mode of transport- trains, planes, automobiles and sailing vessels....

but the journey was sweetened by traveling along with these lovely ladies, Linda Larsen & Susan Lenart Kazmer, the Objects and Elements gals.

Day 1 was my Prayer Flags class and I had a fabulous group of women who came to create amongst each other in a safe and sharing environment.

The folks at EcoGlue were kind enough to send a whole bunch a glue bottle for use to use in the workshops. If you have never tried it it's great stuff, earth friendly, low voc and non toxic. You can find it at Joannes, Ace Hardware, Walmart & lots of other places as well. I use it instead of gel mediums these days because it doesn't off-gas.

We all created 5 flags in true prayer flag tradition, with intentions, hopes and prayers....

lots of wonderful things were happening throughout the classroom...

and then we hung them from the rooms balcony wso our blessings could blow through out artfest to start things off right!

Much of Artfest is spent buzzzing about setting up and breaking down my classrooms and preparing for vendor night but I did manage to have a nice quiet dinner to two dear friends Lynne and Nina. Check out their sites as Lynne has a juicy retreat planned in upstate NY and Nina has a delicious jewelry collection as seen in her etsy shop.

Day 2 was wood collage and spent a a fun filled day painting, collaging and hammering away.....

some serious magic happened in this class!

we closed off Day 3 with Home Sweet Home where we created aour own mini utopian village of homes created with love...

I did manage to do a little bit of exploring through Port Townsend (which I adore), saw Jesse Reno's amazing painting at the Undertown, had dinners out and about and did a bit of shopping- toys & vinyl :)

and just like that I was on my way home.... & looking forward to next year, i hope to see you there!

Distribution of Goods in Haiti a SUCCESS!

2010-03-18T10:32:00.003-04:00

Our distribution of relief goods was a HUGE success this past weekend, reaching approx 3,000 people! Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible with your donations and time- more containers are on the way! You can view the Haiti distribution gallery here: www.haitirelieffund.org

2010 mixed media art workshops

2010-03-11T11:49:00.002-05:00

I just updated my list of 2010 mixed media art workshops & i thought i'd share them with you!

ARTFEST March 24-28 2010 - Port Townsend, WA
Workshops: ★ PRAYER FLAGS ★ HOME SWEET HOME ★ GRIDLOCK WOOD COLLAGE

Idyllwild Arts Mixed Media Potions, Recipes & Incantations July 23-25 2010 Idylwild, CA
Workshops: ★ Prayer Flags ★ Altered Photos Explored ★ Gridlock Wood Collage

Art Unraveled August 5-7 2010 - Phoenix, AZ
Workshops: ★ Altered Photos Explored ★ Gridlock Wood Collage

ART & SOUL OCTOBER 11-12 2010 - Portland OR
Workshops: ★ Altered Photos Explored ★ Gridlock Wood Collage

come join me for a fun filled days of creating with paints, photography, fabrics and paper... and a little bit of magic too ;)

coming back out to nature

2010-03-10T08:49:00.001-05:00

asa

2010-03-07T10:24:00.003-05:00

have you heard asa yet? she is wonderful!!

this one is great too :) heading out to the sunshine....

on the worktable....

2010-03-06T11:41:00.000-05:00

new prayer flag set in progress...

loveliness

2010-03-04T13:13:00.002-05:00

1. Bali02, 2. Oh, Hello Friend, 3. running out of space, 4. A Child's Alphabet, 5. booth.7, 6. still walking the road up in the air, 7. Untitled, 8. Untitled, 9. featured white, 10. at home*, 11. bed & bedside, 12. #534 黃鴝碎彩 (Colorful Background), 13. Me & You Show Sign, 14. Untitled, 15. Birds 2, 16. today's forecast: cloudy, 17. Untitled, 18. Untitled, 19. Country Living, 20. Country Living, 21. sail away with me, honey, 22. isabella baudelaire..., 23. Untitled, 24. sneak peek, 25. Cafe Pillows, 26. el galpon de rocamora, 27. In my kitchen..., 28. Jan Eleni, 29. My antique doll, 30. Toy Sewing machine side, 31. covered stool with hezlein, 32. red+brown, 33. Bench Monday #6, 34. Untitled, 35. entre días nublados, 36. sew what

studio

2010-03-01T18:24:00.001-05:00

winter beach

2010-02-27T13:02:00.001-05:00

life in a nutshell...

2010-02-26T16:27:00.000-05:00

it's been a while... let's start of with some sweet lil' tangerines & some good tunes to escape these long gray winter days shall we?

meanwhile, our days have certainly changed since the earthquake in Haiti. Doing whatever we can, our art center has served as a warehouse for donations, we are working towards shipping container #4 filled with all sorts of donations of food, clothing, medical supplies, and we have partnered up with so many wonderful people doing beautiful things for Haiti.

People like Carlo's childhood friend Bobby Duval who runs the organization L’Athletique d’Haiti which is a youth development program that uses sports, education and nutrition to serve the disenfranchised youth of the Cité Soleil and Bel Air slums of Port-au-Prince and save them from a life without hope. His organization serves 1,500 children, boys and girls, they play sports, mainly soccer, for two hours each afternoon and they receive a nutritious meal at the end of the day. Post Earthquake, the soccer field has become a refugee camp.

Carlo's brother is down there right now, getting donations ready to distribute and I will definitely post some photos when he sends them. i guess you never can be quite sure where live can take you... but here we are! We are getting things in order to do some repairs to a warehouse carlo's family has which will be the main headquarters for Haiti Relief so there will likely be a bit of time spent down there as well. we'll see...

So needless to say my days are fuller than ever & "normalcy" has flown out the window. My little guy is a great sport though, dealing well with the longer hours @ the studio, this little item helps a bit!

its been quite on the making side of things... i did manage to crochet this hat, critical "de-stressing" evening moments, though not totally perfect, but perfect enough & added a couple of handmade felt flowers. My favorite part is that the felt is made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic bottles! I picked it up @ Michaels, it's made by Kunin, they call it ecofi and there are doing some real neat stuff with the material. I've pretty much pulled the brakes on new art supplies (i am determined to move towards complete sustainability in my personal art making) but couldnt resist this stuff :)

my wood collage that was in the Jan/Feb issue of Somerset arrived home safe & sound.
the crocheted bottom was cropped out of the article so i wanted to share it with you here :)

we've had yet another snow day here in New York.... thank god taking the train is a very conveinient option as seen through my bedroom window...

stay warm & let's give thanks for all we are blessed with.

xox

making....

2010-02-16T09:14:00.000-05:00

we were couch bound for a WEEK with a terrible flu that completely knocked us out... i managed to keep my hands a little busy, resisting the cabin fever madness that was setting in while my modem was on the outs....

we are venturing back out into the world today.... wish us luck!

& take a listen to what is quite possibly my favorite cover song of all time....

happy tuesday :)

snow.day

2010-02-11T07:36:00.001-05:00

little big hearts

2010-02-01T13:39:00.002-05:00

we received these today to add to our shipping container for Haiti- a 3rd grade class from Georgia sent these hand made cards. <3 i think they have the right idea :)
haitirelieffund.org

haiti relief

2010-01-30T20:43:00.002-05:00

filling up our first container to head out on monday! filled with all sorts of wonderful donated items like food, medical supplies, clothing, shoes, soft toys, etc... to haiti with love <3

a little escape...

2010-01-29T09:28:00.001-05:00

working hard...

2010-01-25T19:11:00.000-05:00

my little guy was a great sport spending the weekend @ the studio. We had a great team come down to the studio to help us sort all the donated goods we've received for Haiti Relief www.haitirelieffund.org
thank you!!!

and here's a peek at a commissioned piece i just finished :)
more later....xo

wow!

2010-01-22T17:26:00.000-05:00

This is only a drop in the bucket! Our gallery is filled with tons of goods donations for Haiti which we are planning on sorting this weekend (come by if you are in the area!) thanks to the good hearts of so many people in the community. i'll keep you posted on our progress :)
xo

Haiti

2010-01-14T22:04:00.006-05:00

Those of you who know me personally know that my husband Carlo is from Haiti. This tragedy has affected our family personally, his family is from the Port Au Prince area and some have lost their home. The images of this disaster are too much to fully take in, the countless number of lost lives of people young and old, rich and poor, and what is basically the complete destruction of a very fragile country.

Back in 2004 when hurricane Jeanne hit Gonaives Carlo created Haiti Relief Fund and we worked locally to send 2 40 foot containers of goods to Haiti. We are currently organizing to do the same for the current tragedy. If you live in the NYC metro area and would like to help we are accepting donations of the following:

Medical supplies such as band aids, alcohol, peroxide, etc.
Water and non-perishable food items.
Diapers, baby clothes, wipes and bottles.
Cots and tents.
Generators and Industrial supplies for building.
Clean, gently used clothing & shoes.

Drop-off location:

Creative Art Space for Kids - Haiti Relief Fund
48-D Alantic Avenue
Lynbrook NY 11563

We are also accepting monetary donations which 100% will help in the costs of sending the goods. Carlo's brother will personally be attending to the distribution of the goods in Haiti and will be documenting the journey.

I also encourage you to start your own local goods drives, contact your local congressman/woman and tell them that you want to help in the relief efforts.

Please keep Haiti & it's people in your hearts and prayers. This is an opportunity for the world to come together and help rebuild a country that needed our help long before the earthquake.

Haiti

2010-01-13T10:29:00.000-05:00

My heart & prayers go out to the victims of the earthquake and their families.

Let's join together by donating (even if it's just $5) to the following one of the following organizations:

• CARE We worked with CARE in the past during the Hurricane Jeanne disaster and they have a great record in Haiti.
• International Medical Corps
• Direct Relief International
• World Vision
• International Relief Teams
• Yéle Haiti
• American Red Cross
• Operation USA
• Catholic Relief Services
• World Food Programme
• World Concern
• Save the Children
• UNICEF USA
• Mercy Corps
• Operation Blessing International
• Shelterbox
• Americares
• Operation USA
• Doctors Without Borders
• Medical Teams International
• The International Committee of the Red Cross
• The Salvation Army
• More ways to help victims of NATURAL DISASTERS

wood collages & the moon.....

2010-01-11T14:26:00.003-05:00

my internet access has been up & down & I am trying to post this quickly before i lose it again!

I'm just shouting from the rooftops that I have a new wood collage article in the Jan/Feb issue of Somerset Studio MAgazine, here's a preview:

and have you seen Jenny Doh's new project CrescenDOH? it's definitely worth a visit :)

I posted some more Green Guides in to my shop along with some more wood collage blocks so you can make your own wood collages :)

I am also reading that tonight is the Balsamic Moon, which is said to relate to one's commitment to destiny, so whenever the Moon is placed in this position it is at a very crucial point, and attention should be made to the earthly events that occur during such an astrological configuration. The balsamic moon also is said to relate to healing and rest, since it is the last phase before the New Moon. You can read more about it here. So it sounds like a perfect evening to stay in & work on inspiring winter projects (i've been crocheting, which i've discovered is a perfect de-stressor! have you seen these? *love*!)

..enjoy..

thanks re-nest!

2010-01-05T14:23:00.000-05:00

http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/hot-posts/december-most-popular-posts-best-of-2009-104903

happy new year!

2009-12-31T17:46:00.001-05:00

Call for Artists!

2009-12-30T13:35:00.000-05:00

We're planning our 2010 exhibition schedule and looking for Artists for upcoming group shows. If you are interested in showing please send your resume and a link to your website/portfolio to info@caskfoundation.org with 2010 Artists in the subject field.

we're creating a new site which is currently very much under construction: www.caskgallery.com

2009 by hand

2009-12-28T12:53:00.001-05:00

re-entering the world...

2009-12-28T12:27:00.000-05:00

re-membering our very handmade christmas...

with a bit of beatles thrown into the mix :)

amongst the crowds....

2009-12-15T14:22:00.001-05:00

nyc holidays.....

home grown greetings

2009-12-13T09:08:00.001-05:00

goodies list.....

2009-12-11T10:58:00.001-05:00

Here is a list of some things I think you'll like:

1. Kiki Smith: Squatting the Palace
Ok, so many of you already know I have a total artist crush on kiki & I love everything she does. This documentury is a FANTASTIC look at her creating a site specificeight-room installation at the Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice, Italy. instant inspiration.

2. Needle Magazine
A new online magazine with a focus on embroidery. Lots of wonderful photography.

3. Selvedge Magazine
Where have I been? I am in love & you can download 2 free issues here. (the 1st includes a wonderful feature on paper mache queen Julie Arkell)

4. Small Magazine
the winter issue is out & full of fun stuff for little ones.

5. LMNOP Magazine
has their new issue out too. Now why is it that I have to learn about the wonderful Moomah which is right here in my own stomping grounds in an Australian magagine? I need to get out of the studio more :)

6. Capacity by Theo Ellsworth
I love all of theo's books, I picked up a whole bunch of these to give as xmas gifts, a sure thing!

7. my mantle so far....
loving the season this year, even though it's already freeeezing!!!!

:)

i'm taking over...

2009-12-07T08:04:00.004-05:00

the kitchen that is. but that's apartment living right? my lovely husband built me these shelves and it has allowed me to spread out and sort my materials a bit better. i have rediscovered so much that I had tucked away and cant wait to put it to use! just like xmas morning :) i have a pretty stellar collection of vintage trims from when we moved into our current location for our art center, it had been a fabric store years before & I found heart swooning goodies that I'll document her & there & share :) i have great space to work at the art center, but let's face it, with a 3 year old I am getting the majority of work done @ home these days.... & now for some show & tell....
and speaking of my little 3 year old... here's what he was doing while I was sorting and setting up...
yes, he is quite entertaining! happy monday :)

mosaic monday

2009-12-07T07:59:00.001-05:00

1. ooh la la, 2. Love-worn, 3. Pretty Stack, 4. Untitled, 5. Untitled, 6. Untitled, 7. Vintage Mercury Beads in Jars, 8. poinsetta ornament, 9. Vanessa Valencia City house 29, 10. @home vintage general, 11. nut fortunes, 12. Welcome to Christmas, 13. Christmas Vignette, 14. Paint Brushes, 15. Blessed..., 16. Henna Crone, 17. Dance, 18. Hodge Podge Journal, 19. rue Labrouste - rue St Amand, 20. lovely cover, 21. painting, 22. Art school2, 23. November, 24. Crafty Chica's Guide to Artful Sewing, 25. Handmade Felt Advent Calendar, 26. Bottle Brush Forest, 27. Some Vintage Finds, 28. Holiday Garland v.09, 29. Green Pincushion, 30. Firki, 31. Assorted nuts, 32. red stripes, 33. cabinet, 34. A Bonne Maman Jar for Ribbons/Trims, 35. Vintage Notions, 36. Untitled

it's in the air....

2009-12-03T10:46:00.003-05:00

shelves are being rearranged...
fresh new pillows being sewn...
festive adornments are being hung...
holiday boxes being sorted...

happy.december

thanksgiving revisted

2009-12-01T11:59:00.002-05:00

thanksgiving came and went in a flash this year, and like last year's it was the start of new traditions. So, after lotf great food (and a bit of drink!) some artmaking took place.
it was the perfect & memorable ending to a very lovely day. i highly suggest it!

project from my book Green Guide for Artists- Wood Collage

Ice Resin

2009-12-01T09:33:00.003-05:00

Susan Lenart Kazmer & Linda Larsen have launched their new Ice Resin Site which is full of inspring images, tutorials & projects for using their resin. What I think is great is that it is a non toxic resin that yeilds beautiful results. I have a bunch here that I am planning on playing with. I'll keep you posted with the results!!!

you can find ice resin in their store Objects & Elements.

www.iceresin.com

paint making & recycling

2009-11-25T12:52:00.007-05:00

been making some white paint pigment with egg shells I have been saving. egg shells are made of calcium carbonate and make for a really nice block out white. You'll need to clean the shells and set them to dry.

then crunch them into a mortar & pestle.

and grind grind grind. This batch isnt finished yet. I'll post some pics when I get it to a finer powder & mix it into some binder.

i'm also recycling some of last years prints into some fun spontaneous collages inside some simple ikea frames for a holiday sale next week. making room for the new!

happy thanksgiving! We'll be hitting the road soon to spend the holiday with family. Here is a lovely Iroquois Thanksgiving prayer, Ohenton Kariwahtekwen. I hope you are spending these coming days celebrating with loved ones!

our city dreams

2009-11-21T09:20:00.006-05:00

I rented Our City Dreams on netflix a few weeks ago and LOVED it, even watched it several times! It's an intimate & inspiring look at some VERY talented contemporary female artists living & working in nyc: Nancy Spero, Marina Abramovic, Kiki Smith (i'm a total groupie of her work!), Ghada Amer, Swoon. They talk about their stories & process and shows them @ work in their studios. and it was was directed by Chiara Clemente, daughter of Francesco Clemente, another wonderful artist. I love this quote she give in statement: "Some of the most significant artists working in New York today are women. It is time that we discover some of these brilliant artists not only through their work, but through an intimate glimpse into their worlds."

here is a great article on swoon invading the venice biennial on a junk raft!!!

some of Ghada Amer's incredible stitch work....

some of kiki smith's work, i love her story telling...

pretty fantastic huh???

i added it to my xmas wish list :)

10 simple things....

2009-11-19T21:02:00.003-05:00

check out my guest blogger post @ Everyday Artist Studio : 10 Simple Things- Going Green in the Art Studio!

thanks jenn!