Mixed Media Using Gelli Plate Ghost Prints

Most of the time I cover every inch of a painting with color.  This year, I plan to play with negative space and to leave more white, open space in my artwork.  This piece started with a gelli ghost print using masks to form the vase and flowers.  Then, I drew lines and added paint keeping the white line of the print masks. I want to do a series experimenting with this process.

Woodblock Printing with Debby Neely

Sunday, I had a great day in the country learning how to make woodblock prints with Debby Neely, a Local 14 artist. She prints incredible wildlife art with her carved woodblocks.
The country drive, fields, flowers and sun uplifted my spirits
along with spending the day with friends making art
First, we drew our design and traced it onto our wood block
Once transferred, we carved the woodblock
Then printed it-
I have a whole new appreciation for woodblock prints and all of the work that goes into designing, carving and printing them. Check out some other print ideas Here at MoonTea Artwork by Kristen.

Back from ArtFest

The ArtFest theme this year was Forest Walk. I made this PhotoShop collage for my journal before the event using photos taken the end of January at Play along with the
handmade little creature in the middle that someone gave to each of us.

Anahata's Mixed Media Mandala workshop inpired me to have fun with gold foil, paint and doodling.

I collected a variety of plant leaves from Marianne's garden on Vashon and used them for gelatin prints in Dorit Elisha's workshop Nature Imprinted. At the end of the day, we made collages with our prints.
Theo Ellsworth's workshop Mystery Play Inside inspired imaginative drawing- what he calls imaginary performance art. He led us through several exercises to deal with the inner critique. The drawing below represents my secret language drawn with eyes closed and translated later with eyes open using my imaginary detective.
This drawing uses the awkward hand to explore the inner-child out on the playground. His way of delving into and exploring our imaginary world offers a deep well of creative inspiriation.ArtFest offers the chance to see old friends, make new friends, learn new techniques, feel the creative energy and the bounty of imagination in all the inspired projects from each workshop. It's creative adrenaline for my art.

Monoprint Rubbings

I wanted to change the appearance of this camouflage-like fabric.
I took a letter texture plate used for polymer clay and did a rubbing with Caran d'Ache Neocolor II watersoluble wax pastels. The effect appears very subtle. If I'd used a more contrasting color, the letters would show up more.

For this rubbing, I used Shiva Artist's Paintstiks- an oil-based fabric paint. It's very messy and harder to rub the lines on the fabric from the texture plate. I like the pastel colors. This sets with heat and becomes permanent.

Monotypes with Fabric Sun Printing Paints

The sun came out yesterday for the first time in weeks. I'm taking a Joggles monoprinting class from Susun Sorell. I rushed to paint the muslin with Setacolor Soleil sun printing fabric paint, add the elements for printing and sprinkle with salt.

Here's my printed monotype fabric after six hours of exposure in the not so bright but sunny Northwest.

I like the print made on the foam core and will experiment using this technique with different kinds of papers and fabircs. Thank goodness the sun came out or I might not have completed this lesson.

New Work and Autumn Blessings

This fall I'll be in two shows. The first is the Clackamas County Craft Fair at the Public Service Building, 2051 Kaen Road, Oregon City on Friday, November 2nd 9am to 6pm. The second is the Portland Art Collective Show at the Multnomah Arts Center on Friday and Saturday, December 7th and 8th. My monotype prints will be on display and for sale. This summer, I took classes and an open studio with Marcy Baker. Adding my drawings into the prints with chine collé really makes them sing. It's very exciting to share this body of work with all of you.

I took my summer floral sketches and monotypes and made charms out of them.

An afternoon walk at the Leach Botanical Garden made me appreciate the change of seasons. We're fortunate in the Northwest to have long autumns.

Here's another nature journaling exercise with fall leaves. On my walk one morning last week, I picked up leaves, put them in a plastic bag, came home and marveled at all their variety in shape, size and color with pen and paint.

Portland's Chinese Garden offers peace, quiet and time to reflect on its beauty with ink, watercolor and camera. Bamboo and stone form the yin and yang of this corner. The scholars' garden honors the virtues of integrity, love, health, wealth and longevity.

The sleeping water lily and the waking lotus bloom side by side.

Summer is a wonderful time to visit the garden. I highly recommend taking a tour and contemplating the view.

I printed this mermaid during a Gocco Print class taught by Shu-Ju Wang at the Focus on Book Arts Conference in Forest Grove the end of June. The Japanese orginally created the Gocco as a children's toy. Artists now use it to create books and fine prints. I'll play with it this summer and have more prints to share. Check out Shu-Ju's art at http://www.fingerstothebone.com/. I love her layered prints and paintings.