I've started doing Morning Pages and Visual Journaling again . . . not every day but aiming for 3 - 4 times a week. This piece was inspired by one of my new SoulCollage cards. Acrylic paint, plastic template and gel medium, gold pen. It's amazing how these SoulCollage cards activate imagination and help me paint in ways I'd never think of other wise. Another one of the gifts of SoulCollage!

Suzie
www.suziewolfer.com

With the help of Traci Huskamp at Art and Soul! Painting birds made easy. I used acrylic paints on a lovely transparent, fine muslin. The yellowy aura around this blue bird shimmers an iridescent gold . . . I could spend hours doing this.

Bead Journal Project Pages

These are two of my beaded pages from the Bead Journal Project that I decided to join this year. The Bead Journal Project blog is where we all meet. For the time being we are posting the pictures of our "pages" only on our personal blogs, so as not to influence any of the other beaders. That will change at the first of the year.

The artistry and talent is amazing and the it's fantastic how many people from many different countries are participating. Have a look and enjoy the sights.

Z'anne

I recently honed my Photoshop skills to make this postcard for Art and Soul. I learned how to do gradients . . . after a lot of trial and error . . . it was easy! I like the depth it gives.


Below are some close up shots of the completed Shrine images. I used water soluble oil pastels to color black and white photos. If you haven't used them, you gotta try them! They are so creamy and easy to blend with the original digital method . . . your index finger!



The two figures are my mother and my uncle back in the late 40s in Portland Oregon

Here's a close up of the postcard cover shot, a Philly Row House and two Philly Boys from about 1952.

Want a simple, relaxing art project? Order this kit Online. Or come to our Open Doors Show & Sale at the Multnomah Art Center on December 5 & 6th.

Felted Flower Pins

This year for our "Open Doors" Show, I'm making lots of felted flower pins that can accessorize hats, clothes and bags to add color and pizazz.

My felted handbags will also be featured. It's fun to work with the soft wool roving and yarns with vibrant color. Check out my blog that chronicles my creative journey.

Felted Pendants by Lenall Siebenaler

Look what I created last night for our show! They are done using metal bezels with mini felted floral designs attached! They should be great for gifts! I love them and hope you do do! I will be making some Crystal based ornaments using the same technique.

Lenall

Art and Soul,II by Lenall Siebenaler

I just spent 4 days and one night at Art & Soul taking 4 classes. This was my 5th Art and Soul. I missed the first one! The first one that I attended, and for that matter everyone since, acted as breakthoughs for me and for my art. Prior to my first Art and Soul, I was, for the most part, a pure watercolor painter. Now I CAN'T paint pure watercolor. They also give me renewed excitement, ambition and energy to create! That alone is worth every dollar spent! Besides the classes, I enjoy meeting and playing with all the artists. Actually, Art & Soul was the catalyst which lead me to the Portland Art Collective!!

All of my classes were great, but I got the most out of my 2 day class "Beautiful Papers" from Anne Bagby. All of the images I've uploaded were actually created in a square format. These images are not square but I stillthink you can get the jist of what they look like.
The assignment for this day was to:
1. Create a big dark shape using a monoprinting technique
2. Layer--Build up lots of surface texture
3. Add a smaller brighter shape--a focal point
4. Glaze--add colors on top of the texture to push back or pull forward.
5. Paint out the negative space

These pieces are really not totally done, although some are close. I think I will spend another "sitting" on them and take them further.
I will be selling these pieces at "Open Doors" unframed in my flat bins.

Lenall

Art and Soul,III by Lenall Siebenaler

Art and Soul, I by Lenall Siebenaler

What If? Crazy Quilt Challenge

I am having a great time experimenting with the Crazy Quilt block.  I have been participating in a "What If?" challenge hosted by the amazing fiber artist Jude Hill at Spirit Cloth.   The idea is to start with the concept of a traditional crazy quilt block but ask, "What if I changed it in some way?"  You can read more about these on my blog if you'd like more details.

In this piece, I started with my (mostly) hand painted graffiti fabrics as a traditional crazy pieced background.  I then asked, "What if my embellishments were all done with sheer fabrics?"

In this next piece I started with the same graffiti background, but this time I asked, "What If I make separate tufts of layered fabrics and attach them with handstitching for the embellishments?"

I'm now working on a series of these graffiti based pieces.  Another direction I moved in was to ask, "What if I layer each piece, tack the layers together, and run it through the wash to create lots of texture?"  I then used embroidery to anchor some pieces down and emphasize the curls and wrinkles of others.
I am finding that this very focused challenge of only changing an element or two at a time while working in a traditional form has been a great way to expand my creativity.  I'm excited about trying many more!