Bloom True Bootcamp Prompt 4 Get Quiet

Tangled up in Quiet

Today, it is just me, an empty house, a sleeping dog, and my songza "Daughters of Folk" playlist.  Finding the quiet today is easy.   Not everyday is so perfect for reflection with two kids who fight like cats 'n dogs, a husband who works long hours and a dog that's always underfoot, finding my inner peace can be like finding a needle in a haystack.  My inner peace or personal form of meditation if you will comes directly from my art.  When I am getting my art on, I am in my bubble, (my mini krazy's and I pronounce it BOO-ble, think Grue from Despicable Me).  My bubble is pretty serious stuff.  It was created in response to my loving and over-excitable son who would very innocently, and with much much vigor pounce on me for hugs, attention and to tattle on his sister while I was mid-draw.  Several ruined drawings later, the Boo-ble was formed.  My bubble surrounds me, it's about 5 feet wide.  There is no yelling for me if I am in my bubble, you must come to me.  There is no fighting within my bubble and if you need to enter my bubble, you must ask, you may not touch until I have "popped" the bubble which I will most assuredly do in response to almost all responses.   The bubble is always popped for hugs and the apocolypse, requests for snacks not so much.  Apples in fridge, crackers in the cupboard... GO. 

Often in my bubble I can be found practicing the art of Zentangle.  I love tangling as it allows for my to not think, to just follow the flow and go with what feels "Right".  There is no wrong way of doing things here, and is often a soothing balm for a frustrated and blocked artist such as moi. So today, in my quiet solitude, I tangled.  I thought of nothing, just went for it.   Heavenly.  And the best part... my bubble is still intact.

Stay safe and love yourself,

Blooming True Day 3

Well, I did it! 12 hours later I have my space 98% to my liking.  A couple things still to go.  I want to join the two tables together permanently and cover with an oilcloth or the like.  I'm pleased with the progress.  Sharing my studio space with my kids has been a challenge but as they get older the less the toys invade and the more the art supplies takeover.   I also teach from this space, so keeping things organized is a must.  Everything is gathered and sorted, I am indeed ready for the quiet of tomorrow!  

My Art table 

A place for printing and wet work. This spot pleases me greatly :)

You can see my inspiration board here.  It's actually a pair of wooden doors covering an electrical panel. Here is where I place things of importance to me, pictures, motivation, quotes, funny things that make me smile.  I'm excited to fill this up with great and wonderful things.    

Until next time,

Stay safe and love yourself,

HK

Blooming True

Ah September, new beginnings.  Schools in, fall approaches, winter quickly following.  A dear friend clued me into Flora Bowley's boot camp lovingly referred to as Bloom True.  A month long journey of creative prompts to inspire and motivate.  Exactly what I need this month, as I prepare to resume teaching and creating art in my studio.  Something that falls by the wayside in the summer.
So jumping into to day two's prompt of Prepare your Space!

It is quickly becoming the Great Purge of September 2014.   Like the black plaque and the Great Chicago fire when Miss O'Reilly's cow kicked the lantern over, the Great Purge is a wickedly decimating force leaving chaos and terror in it's wake.  I know not if I will survive this prompt... only time will tell.

The Calm before the Storm -pre purge studio

Stay tuned!

Head Krazy

Angry Bird Minions!!

Handbuilt Clay "Minions" 8-10 year old class

Finished Minions

Angry Bird Instructor Demos

 

Clay Pinch Pot Angry Birds -Age 8-10



Summer is here, and I am thrilled.  Typically summer is my busiest season.  Not much time for blogging, but loads of time for art.  I teach summer day camps at the local art gallery for 5 weeks.  I love art camp as it fills me with creative energy.  The above photos were from todays class of 8-10 year old students, and they NAILED it!   They made pinch pot sculptures of the ever popular Angry birds and Minions from the summer hit Despicible Me 2.  The creative vibe was flowing as the kids worked diligently for two and a half hours on this fantastic pieces.  So much fun.  After they are bisque fired we will paint them with acrylic paints. Hope to post more summer assignments as time goes by.  If not, I'll be back more frequently come fall!

 

 

 

Stay safe and Love Yourself,





 

Bleeding Tissue Background, mixed media



Hello out there!  Big welcome if you are visiting from over at Artists in Blogland where they have been crazy enough to feature me during Technique Tuesday.  Mwahahaha... If you haven't run across Artists In Blogland yet, I highly suggest you check out this amazing community of artists.  It's a great networking site with a lot to offer.  From Technique Tuesday, to Show and Tell Saturdays, and Color this Quote, there is oodles to keep you inspired and busy!  Artists in Blogland also offers places to promote your blog, etsy shop, and any classes you might offer.  How cool is that!   

 The technique I offered up for this Technique Tuesday  is one that I use quite frequently in both my art classes, and in my art journals.   It's simple, bright, colourful, and was used for the background of the page featured in this post.   Using Spectra Bleeding Art tissue paper and a little water, you can beautifully dye your paper  a rainbow of colours.   Check it out, and let me know if you use it, I would love to see your results!

Until Next time!
Stay Safe and Love Yourself,

Joie de Vivre!

W

Mixed Media Journal Page

As always, linking with Artsyville, for Glue It Tuesday, as glue was used but not harmed in the making of this page.  Better late then never i say!  It's been two weeks!  Two weeks since I've posted.  My how time flies when the weather is good, and the energy is high.  I must confess that I find it hard in the summer months to spend time at the computer, for a variety of reasons.   My computer is in the basement where my studio is located  It is dark in the basement... It's hard to be inside in the basement when it's nice out.  You know what else basements have?  Bugs... yes bugs..  I don't like bugs... in particularly centipedes, which when it's hot, love the cool darkness of my basement, and my basement in particular... I am convinced that the whole population of centipedes in my neck of the woods live and breed solely within the four walls of my basement.  So therefore, in the coming summer months, you will likely see a decline in my posting, because I will be outside in the sun.... with the cute and cuddly bugs, and not in my dark basement, with the not so cute and definately not cuddly bugs.

I have been busy though!  The beginning of June saw me host my very first art journal challenge over at Artjournaling.ning.com.  Our fearless moderator, Comfortable Shoes,  aka Leslie Herger, was brave enough to give me a shot, and for that I am thankful.  So my challenge.... to use graffiti in an art journal page.  I've been on a bit of a graffiti bender, admiring the lettering, bright colours and bold designs (not partaking, it's illegal and a no no!)   So, if you aren't already on Artjournaling.ning.com, head on over and check it out!  It's an amazing site, chock full of goodies.  If you are so inclined you can check out my video here.

Next I took some time with my art students to do some Guerilla Gardening as part of my Random Art of Kindness project.  You can read about it here.  Such a fun little project. I will definately be doing this again.

Lots more going on this month but I shall save that for another day!  Until then,

Stay Safe, and Love Yourself,

This is how I gelli roll... whoop whoop.

Mixed Media Journal Page

 

 

 

Sooooo, went out an bought a Gelli Plate.... yuppers!  So excited, I've been happily slappity slap slapping paint on the plate, and going to town with a venegence.  This page was an older unfinished one, that needed just a little "je ne sais quoi"... so I took one of my gazillions of spiffy prints, some u-hu, and biff, bam, boom, voila!   Ahhhhh. A page I am happy with.    Create Laughter in Life.  I love to laugh, don't you?  When was the last time you laughed?  Not just a tee hee, but a full on, gut-busting, hyperventilating, hiccuping knee-slapper.  You know, the kind where you laugh so hard that no sound comes out and tears stream down your face?  I love those kind of laughs... where you fan your face in a vain attempt to send oxygen to your brain, and then you settle, only to snort and start the whole process over again.  It's contagious, it's cathartic, and it's unfortunately few a far between.   I cherish those moments of brief sanctioned bouts of insanity.  So, I am determined to laugh more, more heartily, and more deeply because laughter is truly the best medicine.  

 

Stay Safe and Love Yourself,

 

 

 

As always, linking with Artsyville and Glue it Tuesday.  Go check out the new Washi Tape... Aimee is a washi tape queen... she is going to rule the world one roll of super hawt washi tape at time!