Jill Badonsky: Muse to the Muses

I love learning new techniques for creating books and jewelry.  But I am even more intrigued by the creative process itself.  Over the years I've become certified in specialized coaching for creative types called Kaizen-Muse Coaching.  KMC helps to skirt creative blocks and overcome feelings of overwhelm.

I've also certified as a facilitator for Muse Groups.  These wonderful 'parlors' include a series of practical workshops to explore various facets of your creative process.

"And who is the genius behind all this wisdom?", you may ask.  Her name is Jill Badonsky.

Jill is the author of The Nine Modern-Day Muses (and a Bodyguard) and The Awe-manac.   Each of these books is filled with actionable ideas to help you express and enjoy your goddess-given creativity.  And, now, Jill has released her newest book, The Muse is In: An Owner's Manual to Your Creativity.

 
To celebrate, I invited Jill to an interview at my site, Third Thought.

We had a swell interview and I encourage you to visit and read her enlightening responses.  Plus, if you leave a comment at blog interview, you'll automatically be entered into our contest to win a free copy of Jill's new book!

Moon Garden

I've been working on a series of fiber pieces and finished piece #1.  It's titled "Moon Garden"and is 9"x34".

Besides a few handpainted bits, it's made entirely out of scraps I scrounged--old sari fabrics and scraps left behind at a quilting store.  Nothing makes me happier than making something for nothing!

I began this piece in a workshop with Sue Benner.  She is a fabulous teacher and artist, and I was inspired to try her technique of working with fusible web to create the spontaneous, painterly look I was after.  I ran into some challenges by trying to incorporate soft, frayed edges and handstitching along with the fusibles, but I like the effect, so will continue to experiment along those lines.

Warning: Assembly Required

An excerpt from the article in Salem Weekly by Helen Nute Wiens

I doubt that Aristotle had assemblage art in mind when he stated, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”  However, the adage couldn’t better describe the art of up-cycled and found objects.
Looking at individual pieces, the found objects from treasure hunts – a wing nut, a jar of railroad nails, an old thermometer – are interesting no doubt, but rather meaningless on their own.  Mixing, matching, and moving the pieces until it feels right.  The objects become unified – meaningful.

Five accomplished northwest assemblage artists have come together in an exhibit entitled, “Sacred Scraps.”  Tory Brokenshire, Stephanie Brockway, Shelly Caldwell, Jennifer Campbell, and Dayna Collins have created more than a gallery showing of their work, but an exhibit that will take the viewer through the process of creating assemblage art.  You will find jars displaying raw materials, clay, metal, tools they use, books that inspire them, and unique finished pieces of art – all incorporated into the display.  Artwork will not be for sale through this exhibit, rather it is about the process of how assemblage art is created.  The goal of this show, says Dayna Collins, is to “share the love of creating and showing people how what some consider junk can become beautiful pieces of art.”

The exhibit runs February 1-28, with an opening reception on Friday, February 1, 4:30-6:30pm in the Hatfield Library on the Willamette University campus. For more information check out
www.sacred-scraps.com

If you would like to read Helen’s article please follow this link http://www.willamettelive.com/2013/arts-entertainment/sacred-scraps-art-highlights-for-11013-12313/

Please join us Friday for the reception- you will enjoy demos, participate in several drawings for art and assemblage materials, light hors d’oeuvres and plenty of conversations with the five artists- we would love to see you!

 

 

 

 

 

FOBA workshop schedule posted

The 2013 Focus on Book Arts conference will be held at Pacific University in Forest Grove from June 25 to June 30, 2013. 

Please check our website at www.focusonbookarts.org for workshop, instructor, financial, and associated activity information. 

We hope to see you there.

Collages up at Starbucks

Eight of my pieces are on display at:

Starbucks

12700 SW North Dakota

Tigard, Oregon 97223

This location is on Scholls Ferry Rd at North Dakota and 125th in Tigard

New Pieces by Lenall

Prayer Flag for the Newtown, Conn Families

Artist, Lieghanna Light has put out a Call to Artists this past week for Prayer Flags to be made in honor of the Newtown Familes who lost their children.  Here is my version.  The crazy quilt motif seems to be a good metaphor for me.  I believe that our lives sometimes are held together by mere threads.  It's the people who love us that help keep us together over all.  Life is crazy some times.  It might seem that there is no rhyme or reason to what happens around us.  Life is one big jigsaw puzzle to be but back together pices by piece.  Here is one pice of love to help put them back together.

My good friend, Ross from Hawaii wrote me this:
Aloha!
I've been back to Facebook to look at your flag several times now. I'm captivated by the buttons and the symbolism they represent. My thought is that they represent the great forces in our lives where we find support-such as family, friends or other things we turn to in times of need (writing, creating art, or cooking, for example). So even as the stitching becomes loose and our lives start to fray, the button is there and can be hung onto to help prevent everything from unraveling completely.

Anyway, I really love your contribution, which should come as no surprise to you because I really love you too!

Merry Christmas !

To all my creative and passionately artful friends at PAC.

Winter Comes To The Mountains

With the warmer than usual weather this Autumn, I had thought that we were going to be in a warm winter kind of flow.  Well....as always, I was proven WRONG, again.  We have about 3" of snow today, so far.

Here is your Winter Wonderland for the week of Solstice.

The Woodshed and surrounding trees.

The Vine Maples and Mountain Ash tree

The little Glass Mushrooms standing guard

over the Mondo Grass

 

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happiest of New Year.

The Cobbler's Bench

It's a fine looking group ..all 64 of them. I fell in love with the old wood handles and shapes of the tools, the different patinas, some splattered with paint, some had carved initials, all had wear from a previous life....

Some of the tools went to Guardino Gallery in Portland and some went to Mary Lou ZEEK Galley in Salem. The rest will be at the LCAC show at Multnmomah Art Center This Friday Dec 7th from 10am - 9 pm and Sat. Dec. 8th from 9am - 4 pm. There are 8 new birds on vintage wheels, a new Boat for boatman &.........

The tools all carved and waiting to be painted and enhanced

Blocks were cut, so they standup like little soldiers

They started off rough, finding just the right features for each one

Jason Cohoon, the photographer extraordinaire finding just the right angle

My daughter Nicole assists in the madness

The beer was near

Meanwhile..... all around the cobbler's bench.....I made feet, hands.   Auditioning just the right arms and legs.

The New girls  Trixie  (36 ") in the middle and Lulu (42") on the right.  Decided to sit with Scarlett (58") who's home after her world tour

 Boatman has a shinny new boat with red wheels

I will be at the Artist Repertory Theater this Sat. from 5-10, There's a special show. But the very swanky lobby is open to the public 
Or get info
On my Blog HERE