August Giveaway Winner!

Jo Grishman is the lucky winner of the August giveaway, a wonderful book made by Dayna Collins. Jo, please send your contact info to me: diane@innerstandings.com so we may arrange delivery! Dayna has a great blog which you may find here. Congrats, Jo!

Hijinks on the Willamette

The women of PAC are not only known for their artistic talent but for a sense of fun and adventure, as well. When Tory's cousin, Les, offered to take our group for a spin in a dragonboat, there was unanimous enthusiasm! So, plans were set for pirate garb and a gritty attitude. Les is an expert dragonboat coach in Portland; here she is giving final instructions to our band of pirates before leaving the dock.

Off they go...

paddling like pros in no time...

sharing jokes as they skim across the water.

Back to the dock at last, and headed for lunch on shore.

Many thanks go out to Tory, Les, and her helpers for this excellent adventure!

Fearless Faces!

I've been playing around with painting what I call Fearless Faces in one of my visual journals, and with the idea to create more of the faces for the Portland Art Collective's Open Door Show in early December. It has been so freeing to paint faces in a more abstract fashion and I'm in love with the bold vibrant color of each face. If you'd like to see more of my faces, hop on over to my blog by clicking here. Here is a sampling.

Polka Dotted Scarves

Many of the artists in the Portland Art Collective are thinking ahead to our annual art show and sale Dec 3 & 4. We are busy creating all sorts of things large and small. For me making many different items keeps the creative juices flowing and I get to play with all my toys. This past week was the sewing machine and yummy fabrics and fibers.

I wrote a polka dotted story on how the scarf started for me, if you would like to read it skip over to my blog by clicking HERE.

These scarves are made from a variety of materials including antique sari ribbons and imported batiks, each one is unique in color,length and width.

Just three more months to create, a fun three months!

New Embossed Holiday Cards By Lenall Siebenaler

Last year, I did a few embossed Holiday Cards and sold out. With that success, I decided to create several renditions for this Holiday. I have to do a holly card every year because I just love it. To see more of these, go to my blog     http://www.lenall.blogspot.com/

Question of the Month--Where do you create?

Our question this month-- Where Do You Create?

Suzanne:

While I have a dedicated workspace, which is a large room above my garage where most of my supplies are stored, I create in almost every room of my house. The den has great light for painting, and the dining room table perfect for spreading out a piece of canvas and papers. Having a number of portable projects, such as embroidery, crochet, or a sketchbook, is very important and they go where I do.

Suzie:

In my mind first. My muses visit first thing in the morning and sprinkle ideas liberally.

My studio, a 10 by 10 room in my daylight basement, feels like the cockpit of an airplane, with nearly floor to ceiling stuff all within arms reach. It’s a one-butt studio for sure. I have a big sheet of white laminate covered plywood as my desk top. Because it’s white, it makes a great pallet, and cleans up really well with Mostenbachers “Lift Off 3.”

Then I have a big work table that is in my classroom area that I have to clean up because I see clients in my studio. The 10 by 10 room can be a bomb zone since the door mostly closes.

Laurie:

Most of my creating is done in my studio, but I find ideas often come to me while I’m hanging out in my garden. I also count on my book binding friends (who often gather at The Accidental Bookmaker) to help me work through both technical and conceptual problems.

Laurie's Studio:

Lorraine:

Where do I create? I stand up at my drafting table in a corner under the stairs. I call it "the root cellar" because it is dark down there and cool. I store bottles of wine and jars of homemade jam under my drafting table and potatoes and winter squash as well because it is so cool down there (thus the "root cellar".) I use the floor and the nearby guest bed to lay out my papers, materials and my finished collages.

Dayna:

I do most of my creating in my private studio, but if I'm taking a class or going to be away for a few days, I pack my trusty red tool box and fill a colorful basket with my visual journal and as much ephemera as I can pack! If anyone is interested in seeing more of where I do my art, my studio is featured in the Fall issue of Cloth Paper Scissors STUDIOS magazine!

Dayna's Studio:

Lenall:

I create in many places. Most importantly, I am always creating in my mind. Often times ideas come to me while driving, riding the bus or doing something else. I think I multi-task pretty well. The key is to writing them down. How many good ideas fall by the wayside?

I like to create with people around the best. I may not be talking to you much, but I am following the conversation(s), interjecting here and there. Maybe I feed off your energy. It works for me. I love to have friends over to play and don't do it enough. I also enjoy creating in class atmospheres. I am not the social butterfly type in these environments, as I get very focused and into a production mode. Going away with friends on a retreat or a get-away to some place other than home is always good.

I most often create alone--at home either in my very crowded and full studio garage or in my backyard.

Wherever I might be I get focused fast and furiously.

Jennifer:

My studio is located in my garage. So...to enter my studio, you enter through the French doors, er...the garage door painted to look like French doors!

I love to create in the summer and fall especially with the garage door open to the fresh air and visits from the neighborhood cats. On one wall my tins are displayed - so I can see all of them for inspiration to create a piece. The opposite wall of shelves has become the "wall of wood" with cigar boxes, African wood animals and even the front of a violin taking pride of place.

Jennifer's tin wall:

Paula:

In my studio, I have two places where I create- my desk and work table. One is for sitting and the other for standing. I also love to sketch and paint outdoors in a garden, park or urban setting. Nature and flowers seem to be frequent themes in my artwork. My outside drawings bring me right back to the moment and place where I created them.

Tory:

Where do I create? The obvious answer is where I make my art like the desk. I thought of where I like to put together art and had a list of three spots. But where does the creation of my art start? My favorite and most desired spot is on my pillow. It is something that just started in my subconscious a long time ago, but over the years I have been able to refine it and use it at will (most of the time). I think it would be called lucid dreaming, it works best about 2 hours before I need to be fully awake. I start to think of a project, see all the parts in a room then one combination after another comes together. At times it is very clear and I can wake up go to my desk and make it, other times it’s vague and needs a lot of time and work or a few more dreams.

Tory's Dream Journal:

Sue:

A year ago, I remodeled my house to add a garage. It's extra large and includes an area there where I can do the hot, dirty, smelly work. I also remodeled the old family room that was the garage and made it into a new art studio/family room. That's where I do my other creating.

Fran:

I actually get a lot of ideas when I'm driving to work. It's 20 minutes each way and gives me a lot of time to think. I have taken to carrying a very small sketch book in my purse so when I think of something I want to try I can sketch it out. I have a larger book at home where I add color to what I've sketched. My "studio" is actually our second bedroom which my husband very kindly remodeled for me. As you can see, I have drawer units, cabinets and lots of shelves with bins of art supplies. But even with all this storage, my collection of glass has spilled over into our living room. And, as you can see, I love having artwork from my art sisters surrounding me. When I go into that space, I can let all my stresses go and focus on creating so it is a very special room for me.

Fran's Studio:

Robin:

One of the selling features of our house was a space in the daylight basement that could serve as a studio. I do all my painting and machine stitching there. It's functional, not beautiful, and always a mess--if it's ever clean it means I'm not working.

I always have a large ziplock baggie full of fabric scraps and a small sewing kit that I take everywhere with me and use in front of the TV for handstitching.

But the most important spot for creating is my red armchair in the living room. First thing every morning I sit there with a cup of coffee and write morning pages (several pages of quick freewriting from Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way.) I allow my mind to drift and am always doodling ideas in the margins, jotting down notes, and adding to my ongoing lists at the back of my notebook for future projects.

Cynthia:

I have two dedicated art spaces, including my sweet little "hidden nest"studio behind my garage in the garden. This is often in disarray and chaos, but it is the coziest place to work. My son Jacob designed and built this studio out of recycled materials.

Usually though, I work in the middle of things, on my dining room table, which is where I do my bookmaking as I can spread out.

My family is very patient with my art messes, which I am grateful for. And it is good that we have Sunday family dinners, so I clean up my space once a week.

Cynthia's Nest as it appeared in Cloth, Paper, Scissors Studio, Fall/Winter 2008:

August Giveaway by Dayna Collins

The August Giveaway is a Paper Remnant Journal created and donated by Dayna Collins of Alley Art Studio. Dayna created this journal using found papers and ephemera. You can read more about the creation of these journals by clicking here. The journals hold a whopping 50 pages and are designed so you can write on the pages, glue in photographs, add more pages, or insert your own ephemera into the pockets and envelopes.This is the journal being given away:




In case you would like a better idea of how this journal can be used, here are a few photos of what I did with mine during a three-week stay at the Portland Waterfront (that's the front of my completed journal at the top of this post).




Dayna is a lover of bright, vibrant colors, especially orange, red, and turquoise. She loves texture, whimsy, and making a mess. She is a self-taught artist who delights in taking art classes throughout the Northwest. She is willing to try almost anything, but her favorite mediums are mixed media and assemblage and her favorite tool is using her hands. Dayna facilitates expressive arts workshops in Salem and Portland and for the past few years has successfully guided women through 12-week creative recovery sessions using The Artist’s Way. When not making art, she is a certified drug and alcohol counselor and presents workshops on wellness and communication.

Portland Art Collective members are not eligible for this giveaway, but everyone else who leaves a comment on this post is eligible to win this journal. The lucky winner will be chosen around September 1st. Please be sure and leave your contact information with your comment so we can get in touch with you. Good luck!

PAC Visual Journal: Hold On

The Portland Art Collective has a visual journal that has been passed around among members since 2004. It was my turn and I completed my two-page spread using molding paste, acrylic paints, and found objects. To read a bit more, you can visit my blog, but here are some photos of what I created. The first photo is of the PAC journal . . .

Calling all Cat Lovers! by Lenall Siebenaler

I know you are out there.  Most of us admit it!  I'll go first--I Love Cats.  A boyfriend once accused me of loving all cats.  He was always afraid I'd come home with another one.  What can I say maybe he was right?  Honestly, I really had to hold back to not do it...

Creating cat art is one way of showing resolve not to add more REAL cats to my home...

Here are a few of the the new cats at my house.  See more on my blog at:  http://www.lenall.blogspot.com/

Santos Sculptures by Tory Brokenshire

This is Amelia, with her wings I think she could be the patron saint of aviators.

She wears a striped scarf gently around her neck, antique text covers her arms and she stands on croquet stakes.

Her body is made out of an antique shoe stretcher with a beautiful patina as well as her wings being a bit darker.

I love her profile and cute little curves. The box she stands on is a old crank telephone box.

Close up of her hand and scarf.

Her title is " Trying to Fly" she is made from shoe stretchers and shoe forms. She leans forward a little bit as if just ready to take off. I personally think she will never get off the ground with those feet.

And finally this handsome and thoughtful fellow "Contemplating Realism".Set on the weaving shuttle are antique letter press pieces spelling out his title.

Click on the photos for a larger view.

I'm happy to say that these three Santos are for sale at Mary Lou Zeek Gallery in down town Salem, Oregon.