Absolutely Everything: Dedicated to Creativity

So, this past weekend I was at a trade show and took a few lessons from Tim Holtz and Jennifer McGuire--they were teaching together. In the class, we used the same materials, but did it in the "tim" style-grungy..and also in the Hero Arts style--bright and colorful...using the Ranger products and the Hero Arts stamps...the photo on the bottom (or on the left, depending on how your computer shows this) is the Hero set, and on the top (right) is the Tim Holtz set...these are both 12 x 12 canvases...both of these are on display in the store now. We will be creating some great classes from these samples. Stay tuned.



Another project involved making these neat flowers from the Ultra-Thick Embossing Enamel, colored with the "To Dye For" Inks, which are especially made to withstand heat. Flowers were formed out of wire, dipped in the UTEE, gently moved in a stirring motion with your hand-no twisting...add leaves and there you have it...again...classes will appear! There is a photo of a tag made with the flower.

This week's prize is the sets of clear stamps from Hero Arts, four rub-on packs and a bit of bling.

Leave a comment related to my writing , the photos, or anything...

and I will pick a name randomly to receive the prizes. I don't think I announced the winner of last week's prize...it turns out to be Cheryl, who filed her comment as such...
"I thoroughly enjoyed your wonderful collages.Thank you for sharing the stamp making technique that Tim taught you at CHA - it will be fun to try it!" Cheryl, thanks for playing...the Hambly overlays are yours...please call us to let us know when you will be in. thanks. 978-887-6397.

Now on to the "Stomach of the Artist!" (which will include the entire digestive tract.)

To figure how out our artistic digestive system would work, we need to know the function of our real one. The stomach (and environs) takes in nourishment, allows for absorption of the necessary nutrients, and moves the rest out of the body...I think that's enough detail in that area. So, artistically, we ingest nutrients in so many forms...taking classes, reading books and magazines, purchasing art supplies...We then process all of this and we absorb what we feel will make us grow, and become strong as artists..some details we ignore, as we are not interested in them...some just don't apply to us or our interests. But there are times when we take in something that just excites us a lot. And we are delighted in the "taste" of this new "food." We want to try out the new techniques, use the new materials, and we are nourished not only by our outcomes but mostly by the whole process of trying it all out..we are very nourished...and nourishing is what the stomach allows for...the stomach is happiest when there is the right balance in the intake, because then it can absorb the nutrients in the correct proportions...so for our artistic growth, we need to have the variety that makes us thrive. If I only do one color, say, or one technique...and don't branch out, then my work could become somewhat one-dimensional. It is the variety that is ingested that allows for the fullest type of creativity to flourish.

Allowing the materials we do not need to be flushed out of the system...it is called "cleaning out the art room!" If we have too much stuff in there that we cannot find, see or use what we have...a blockage ensues...an artistic blockage, and we don't create as we want to, no need to go further into this analogy...I think you can all see where this is going. The idea here is to find the right balance of what we take in, so that we grow as artists at the optimum rate. Find your nutrients, take in what you need, and allow nature to take over...the actual creative process will be covered in another organ system...for now...just think about getting well-fed!

Next week--The Artist's Eyes.