handmade brochures

i spent the day making brochures.  my dear friend johnine designed them for me.  she sent me the PDF images of the design, and i print them out at home.  the booklet is 10 pages in length, and has a cover over the pages.  they take a while to put together, but i think look really cool when they are finished.  the front cover is created from a collage i made, and the interior has a total of 16 artworks.  there are two pages of prints, two of collage, two of assemblage, and two of paintings.

the first step is to print out the pages using really nice paper and cover stock.  then i score and fold each page, making a nice crease with a bone folder.  then the pages are assembled together in order, and sewn together at the crease.  since the interior pages are one-sided, there is a tab left over.  i sew this down with a zig zag stitch that shows on the front of the booklet.  next, i cut the brochure down to size with a ruler and rotary cutter.  finally, i put a coat of matte medium over the stitching to keep it from raveling.

these little booklets now get placed in a translucent envelope, and are closed with a custom sticker with an image of one of my art pieces.  they can be addressed and sent as-is, or can be placed in my artist packet with my resume, etc.

johnine is a genius!!

it takes me over 3 hours to make 8 booklets, but somehow it is relaxing to me.  i am getting faster now that i know the process a bit better than i did when i started making them.

this particular batch was made to take to pagosa for the upcoming show at shy rabbit.  they are to be given to buyers of my work.  we will see how it goes.  hopefully their creation will bring some good karma my way.

moab, utah

 moab.

it's almost too awesome and huge to capture with any success in photos.

i'm posting a couple for looking, but know that you can't even understand the vastness and the color changes without seeing it in person.

i spent the last four days plein air painting in moab.  i have been thinking about the experience since leaving utah.  for me, the weekend was about seeing if i still had the passion to paint outdoors.  in my twenties, i painted from life or outside for 3 continuous years.  and i loved the experience because it really improved my skills and made me focus on learning about light, color, perspective, immediacy, and about a million other things.  it also calmed some of my post teen angst.

the days i spent in moab were great.  the landscape was enormous, awe inspiring, and almost incomprehensible.  but it really didn't turn me on as far as painting goes.  i went through the motions, but never felt that i could capture all that awesomeness in my work.  it was a huge struggle for me.  honestly, the beauty was overwhelming, but i didn't have fun trying to put it on canvas.

don't get me wrong, the trip was way worth it.  i saw amazing things, i painted with really nice people, and i had a lot of fun with my friend kelly.  and i love mark nelson, our teacher.  he is a great, talented, wonderful, laid back, and knowledgeable guy.  his paintings are beautiful.  i wish i could say that the place and the teaching gave me a newfound energy to pack up my easel and go outdoors once a week.  but it didn't.

what i did learn is that i am content to say that plein air painting of the landscape is not on my list of things i am currently passionate about.  and that i do still have a passion for making prints, creating collages, and making assemblages.  i do still want to paint.  just not outdoors, and not of landscapes.

i am happy that i have come to this conclusion.  i don't think i have crossed landscapes off the list forever.  only for a while.  maybe one day i will feel the love again!!

anyway, here are two studies from the weekend.

one last note, if you ever read this, thank you kelly for listening to my banter for all of those days and nights.  i am forever grateful to you for letting me vent about my artistic struggles.
thank you, thank you!!

INK invitational at shy rabbit

here it is!  the announcement for the show at shy rabbit!  

click here  shyrabbit.com

or here  http://www.shyrabbit.com/Exhibits.html

i will have 25 pieces in the show, and will be happily attending!  yay!

big deep breath

i've been in florida for the last 6 days.  i went down to see my dad and his wife in pensacola, and then moved a couple of hours east to watercolor.  watercolor is a planned community on the gulf coast.  it has gorgeous beaches, and fantastic views (see above).  just the rest and relaxation i needed!   i met leslie and my friend debbie for our annual girl's weekend, and we stayed at leslie's house down there.  we have known each other since middle school!  what a great few days.  

thursday i leave for a painting workshop in moab, utah.  what a change in scenery!  i will post some shots when i get back!!

birthday prezzies!!

happy birthday, to me!  my sweet and thoughtful husband john gave me some wonderful gifts this morning.  he is a man after my own heart!  this is one of the vintage games he gave me.  the other one is called "hickety pickety" and involves hens and eggs.  they are a dang riot!  i love those old graphics, and i love the funny stuff on the box.  "a snappy game" ha!!

i also got some other neat ephemera, including a book on penmanship exercises, and two report cards that belonged to alfred olsen in the 1920's.  alfred did make it on to 4th grade after this report, but i don't think his mom and dad were very happy with him on the ride! (click image for a closer look!)

how do i know that john is the man of my dreams?  well, because he got everything for under $20, and was happy to tell me!  now there is the perfect man for me!

akua inks

i was at the studio today, and decided to try out my new akua intaglio inks.  they are a product that substitutes for oil-based inks, and can be cleaned up with soap and water.  i didn't try and get too crazy with my first attempt, so i settled on a quick stripy pattern, then overprinted with white ink.  

i kinda like the ink, but it is going to take some getting used to.  the consistency is a bit thinner, and they are more transparent than inks i am familiar with.  they are nice in that they don't have a strong smell like the oil-based inks, and you can clean them up easily with mostly paper towels.  i need a bit more practice, but i think they might work really well for me.