Mixed Media Collage

Here's the second piece using polymer clay, a digital photograph on silk and found objects. I cut into the canvas to add a lower section so there's lots of extra dimension. This one is 5x7". The next piece will be a garden themed so I can get back to some wilder colours! If there's such a thing, I think I'll invest in some fabric pens too...

Photo and Polymer Clay on Canvas

Here's the first piece combining digital photography (as shown in the previous post) and polymer clay on canvas... the photo was printed on silk and attached to the canvas with Kato Sauce.

Galiano Island Rockscapes

Galiano and many of the southern Gulf islands that lie between Vancouver Island and the west coast of British Columbia have fascinating rock formations. I spent many hours strolling the beach taking photographs. here's a sample. I've begun a 4X4 experimental mixed media piece with the image- it's the first step towards honing an approach to the very elaborate piece I have "in my head"... . more tomorrow.

Home From Galiano Island...It's Not What You're Looking For- It's What You Find

Galiano was simply wonderful... I'll be blogging about some of the galleries and artists in upcoming days.

I went with a plan to re-read "The Forgetting Room" as a spring board to explorations in collage...I loved the book as much or more on the second reading. As I joined the central character in his journey through a process of creative discovery it led me in a direction I wasn't expecting- my camera! I have a huge project in mind- not big in size- likely 20x20 or so. It will combine clay, canvas, found objects and digital photography... here's the working sketch.

BC Artists' Protest Against Massive Cuts to Arts Funding... join in!

An important message to BC Artists-

Dear Artists,

As many of you are aware, CARFAC BC has been part of a campaign since the announcement in March, to get the provincial government to rescind the proposed cuts to the BC Arts Council, over the next three years. We believe the cuts will be devastating to the entire community. The on-going letter writing campaign and press releases launched from all art disciples have been intelligent, informed and often elegant, but does not have quite the creative flair expected from the cultural sector and seems to have been largely ignored by the Liberals. As visual artists, we can actually show the province what a 40% cut to art looks like by cropping that percentage from our made in BC original art and pasting the remaining part, along with
name, title and location of artist onto the attached file. (Example above)
If you are interested in being part of this creative protest, please send me julie.mcintyre@shaw.ca a 72 dpi JPEG of one of your art pieces along with the title and your current town and we will cut, paste and return your virtual postcard to you with information and addresses suggesting where you can send it. If you have the capabilities to complete the postcard yourself, please ask us for a zip file and we'll also provide the addresses with it.

For maximum impact, we need as many visual artists as possible to lead this charge in the next few weeks, (the new budget is rumoured to be presented September 1), so please contribute your 60% and pass on this request to other BC art friends!

Sincerely,
Julie McIntyre, President
CARFAC BC

Summertime Retreat To Galiano Island...

The blog will be quiet for a few days- I'm heading to Galiano Island for a summer break. I'll read a few novels including The Forgetting Room, do some sketching, photography, cycling and beachcombing while dodging hummingbirds!

Tina Holden- A Woman of the Stone Shore -A New Polymer Clay Faux Beach Pebble Tutorial!

My very dear friend Tina Holden lives on the most westerly shore of Vancouver Island in Tofino BC. She and I share a passionate addiction for filling our pockets with beachstones when we stroll the shores of our beautiful island... when we're not collecting real stones from the shore, we enjoy using polymer clay to make our own! Tina has put together an extensive tutorial complete with detailed instructions and outstanding photos. She has it for sale on her Artfire Site.

If you love beach stones and want to learn how to make your own or how to improve your technique, I highly recommend this tutorial- she's a master!

A Challenge to Myself

When I was working solely with paper arts in 1998, I was given Nick Bantock's Forgetting Room as a gift. I had loved the Griffin and Sabine Books and was in love with his approach . The book is completely about an artist's journey of self discovery as well as an examination of the creative process. One of the Books on the shelves in my Among Friends piece is this very book.

So.

I'm going to re-read The Forgetting Room to begin the process towards developing a composition on canvas including ephemera, paint and polymer clay.... I might even summon my courage and enroll in a Bantock workshop at his gallery/studio/workspace on Saltspring island-his space is called The Forgetting Room. The last time I went to Saltspring my daughter picked up a copy of the Spring Edition of Beautiful British Columbia Magazine and asked me to buy it because she liked a picture on the cover- I tossed it into the shopping cart without much thought. When we got to the house l leafed through the magazine and there was a description of Bantock Workshops on Saltspring Island! It gave me chills, especially after the reconnection with paper arts through one World One Heart. We went to the gallery the next day but it was closed- I felt a sense of disconnection as if the fates weren't working. Today I was given an invitation to consider connecting polymer clay with another approach and in an instant I thought of the Forgetting Room.

Maybe things happen for a reason.... this will be an ongoing process.

Oak Bay Community Artists Society Bowker Creek Brush Up 2009

If you are in the Victoria area on Sunday August 9th head to Oak Bay for the Oak Bay Community Artists Society's Bowker Creek Brush Up! I'm so sorry to be missing it this year but sometimes scheduling just can't work out. It's set in a wonderful location and features a breathtaking gathering of artists from this very creative community. Best wishes to all of my fellow Oak Bay Artists for another fantastic event!

*Double Click the images for a larger image.

Polymer Clay BeachStone Demo at The Sooke Fine Arts Show- August 3rd

I'm going to be doing a BeachStone demo at the Sooke Fine Arts Show on Monday August 3rd from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. I have BeachStone Bracelets available for sale at the Gift Shop- they're presented in a nice little box for $27.