rock curtain
   
 

"Rock Curtain", acrylic on w/c paper, 10 X 11"  

  

 

 

Imagine With Art Newsletter

Issue No.37

 
January, 2013    
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Table of Contents:
  Art Play
  Book Club
  Workshops 
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Sebastopol, California 95472

 

707-824-8163

 




 

It feels like a very long month since my last newsletter.  I'm always preaching about the curative affects of doing art on a regular basis.  This past month I had to walk my talk as my mother lay dying and the holidays became devoted to her transition from this life.  Sometimes there was no energy for art, but whenever I could pick up a brush or some charcoal to do a bit of drawing, the act of arting would draw energy like a magnet.  

 

And by the way, many thanks to those of you who sent me your kind condolences.  My family has truly been supported during this time. 

 

Have you seen the PBS special Arts and the Mind? It presents the Arts as a magical elixir, exploring the role the arts play in human development, during youth and older age, sharing stories and cutting edge scientific research on how music, dance, painting, poetry and theater markedly improve well being at both ends of life. Bob and I watched it this month and were so inspired.  I think you would be too.  I thought - I paint and write and dance, but maybe I should get back to playing an instrument too! 

 

At any rate I hope to be sketching this Saturday, Jan. 19 at Railroad Square in Santa Rosa, CA, our local spot to participate in the international Sketch Crawl scheduled for the date. A local art teacher Donna DeLaBriandais has organized the event.  So come at 10am to A'Roma Roasters Cafe, 95 5th Street in Santa Rosa and bring your sketchbook!

Cheers,
Susan 

       

ART PLAY:  Decalco-Mania!

   

 

Dobby          

  

No, I'm not recommending that you go crazy and paste decals everywhere!  This is a technique I've used for years without the French name, which is "decalcomanie" (accent on first syllable).  It's a texturing technique using gesso, heavy body pigment, or gel, pressed between two paper surfaces, then pulled apart to create ridges which resemble patterns of coral, bird's wings or tree branches. 

I have gotten this effect by running a fluffy paint roller through gesso too, and often get the effect when I do rorshach paintings with inks and gesso.

Actual credit for the establishment of decalcomania as an art method is given to Surrealist artist Oscar Dominguez, who in 1936 used the technique to create shapes with no preconceived object in mind. Viewers were tempted to explore the works in search of hidden images, but no representational connection was intended. That's the part I love about it.  You don't know exactly what you're going to get.  

Spread out some gesso on your paper (not too thin).  The thicker the consistency of your gesso, the more dramatic and hard edged the texture will be.  Put another piece of paper on it and press the two together gently. Slowly remove the top paper to reveal the texture on both pieces.  Alternately you can try heavy body acrylic paint or gel with this technique.  Allow the pieces to dry thoroughly overnight.

Have fun floating fluid acrylic, inks, or watercolor over the dry textured surface, watching colors blend and settle into the texture in interesting ways.  And then you can impress your friends with the fancy French name for the technique.
decalcomanie

Book Club

One Drawing a Day: a 6-week Course Exploring Creativity with Illustration and Mixed Media by Veronica Lawlor is the most exciting sketchbooking book I have found since Danny Gregory's The Creative License.  The author has brought in the work of 8 professional illustrators who share various mediums and mixed media solutions for quick capture, travel sketch drawing. Of course you would have to load different media in your bag each week or day to do all the lessons, so I wouldn't recommend you take it with you on a whirlwind European tour. But for everyday learning to sketch in expressive new ways, it is thoroughly engaging.

Masters Collage:  Major Works by Leading Artists curated by Randel Plowman is a collection of contemporary collage work from 40 leading artists covering techniques from traditional cut-and-paste to digital to collage with paint or encaustic, and styles ranging from wildly playful and colorful to evocative, almost monochrome images.  This book is inspiring some new Muse Group lessons, you can be sure.


Painting Laboratories for Creative Expansion!
 
collablesson   

Learn to paint intuitively, capturing thoughts, feelings and intuitions in the playful format of art journaling.  Each session features a different mixed media painting technique which you can add to your repertoire - from textured collage to painting techniques with inks and acrylics.  Meditation and writing are added to the mix to evoke that powerful Muse energy!


Monday Afternoon Muses (meets weekly for 8 weeks) 
When: Jan 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 18, 25, Mar 4, 2013 
Time: 1:30-4:30pm 
Cost: $280 for 8 weeks, $40 for drop in session if space allows 

  

Saturday Muses (meets monthly for 6 months) 

When:  Apr 6, May 4, June 1, July 13, Aug 10, Sep 7, 2013 
Time:  10am-2:30pm 
Cost:   $50 for drop in session if space allows 

Sunday Muses (meet monthly for 6 months) 
When:  Apr 7, May 5, June 2, July 14, Aug 11, Sep 8, 2013 
Time:  10am-2:30pm 
Cost:  $50 for drop in session if space allows

To learn more and to register contact me.  
   
 
Drip Creatures:
a mixed media workshop for the Mendocino Art Assn.
dripcreature
Saturday, February 16, 10:15am-2pm
Grace Hudson Community Room
431 S. Main St., Ukiah, CA

Allow your imagination to take flight as you paint, draw, stamp, comb, spray and splash colorful inks onto paper. Watch as whimsical "drip creatures" appear! Susan will show you how to paint intuitively, capturing thoughts, feelings and intuitions in a playful format.

This unique process begins with a spontaneous combining of inks with the thicker medium of acrylic gesso onto wet watercolor paper. Participants will leave with new mixed media techniques and the inspiration to take their own painting to new heights.

Please bring watercolor paper, acrylic gesso, brushes and something to cover your table and the carpet nearby. Susan will provide the inks, so there will be a $5 materials fee for all participants.

Contact Svetlana for more information.


Remember you don't have to wait til your next newsletter for more art fun, just visit my blog where I post new art at least once or twice a week!
 

 

Cheers,

 

-Susan Cornelis

 

 

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