Frugal Art Supply and Me

Here's what Jenn Mason, editor of Cloth Paper Scissors, had to say this morning. Check out the frugal art supply post here or on the magazine site archives at this page link.

What do you get when you have the opportunity to witness artists in their natural habitat? The secrets to their art! This is what I discovered today while watching the intro chapters to three of our Cloth Paper Scissors Workshop DVDs. All three artists, Linda Blinn (Make it Graphic), Susie Monday (Mixed-media Textile Art), and Julie Fei-Fan Balzer (Collage Fast & Furious) made a point of talking about using their drop cloths and cloth rags in their art.

Linda Blinn likes to make the most of her stencil overspray by using a poster board as a drop cloth on her work surface. She also uses small sections of muslin as a work rag.
Julie Fei-Fan Balzerclaims to use cloth rags instead of paper towel because they make great colored fabrics to work into her art—not just because it’s eco-friendly.
Susie Monday uses old drop cloths cut into scraps for over-printing in her silk screen prints.

CREATE Workshop this August

I'm part of the lineup for CREATE, the new Mixed Media workshop extravaganza and conference near Chicago, sponsored by Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts. Here's some of the rundown:

CREATE will be held just outside of Chicago in Rosemont, Illinois, August 25-29. It's 4½ exhilarating days of hands-on workshops in many technique themes. You can choose from 60 sessions on: Fabric Fusion, Bookmaking & Art Journaling, Surface Design, Sewing & Quilting, Printmaking & Collage, Mixed Media & Metal, and Mixed Media Jewelry. CREATE classes must be registered for in advance, and they are filling up. So, be sure to sign up for your favorites ASAP on the CREATE site. 

Mixed Media Workshops, Art Exploration and FUN for Textile Artists

Embark on an artistic journey and be a part of the first annual CREATE with Cloth Paper Scissors Mixed Media Retreat August 25-29, 2010 at the Rosemont Hotel in Rosemont, just outside of Chicago, Illinois. Learn more and register now.

Fuel your passion at CREATE, four-and-a-half exhilarating days of 60 hands-on workshops in seven workshop themes: Fabric Fusion Bookmaking & Art Journaling, Surface Design, Sewing & Quilting, Printmaking & Collage, Mixed Media & Metal and Mixed Media Jewelry.

CREATE was designed by the team behind Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors magazine—it’s built by artists for artists.

The 29 instructors at CREATE are a Who’s Who of top mixed media artists. Learn more about the instructors and explore the 60 workshops at www.clothpaperscissorsretreat.com. You can plan your personalized class roster with the help of the handy schedule-at-a-glance. Other activities include:

Shop for hard-to-find supplies and one-of-a-kind finished artworks at the Artists’ Faire
Meet the Cloth Paper Scissors team, Instructors & new friends at the first CREATE Mixed Media Mixer
Showcase your talents in a series of Artist Challenges to win special prizes
Sign up early for the full package rate (your best deal) or make your own schedule and pay per class. Be sure to enter email code: QD71. We look forward to seeing you in August!

Here's what I'll be doing:

Rainbow Printing with Water Soluable Crayons (6 hours)

Date: Thursday, August 26
Time: 9:00am-4:00pm
Technique: Printmaking & Collage
Instructor: Susie Monday
Price: $140
Kit Fee: $5

Using all manner of water soluble media--water color markers, water soluble crayons and oil pastels, chalks and pastels -- you will create original fabrics using hand painting, screen printing, and stencils. Construction methods for a small wood-framed art quilt will be demonstrated, and many examples of use of the fabrics in multimedia work will be shared, but the emphasis will be on making a variety of textiles that can be used in work back at home. These techniques use textile paints and polymer media in interesting multi-color applications, with layering, tinting and color washes used to add depth and subtlety. The improvisational prints are similar to mono-printing, but can be used for highly detailed realistic imagery, as well as for abstract color field experiments.

Tools & Supplies List: Small to medium sized screen printing frame for fabric printing (available from Dick Blick and other art supply companies), squeegee for fabric printing (rounded blade), any brand of water soluble crayons or pastels (ie, Sargent, Prang, Crayola, Caran d'Ache), 1 set of water color markers (non permanent), towel or padding for printing surface, tray large enough to hold printing frame, 2-3 yards of smooth textured light colored fabrics and/or papers, variety is good, with 20" by 24" minimum size for each piece of fabric and /or paper, foam brushes, 2-3 empty cans for water and paint, 1 small jar set, color or other colored fabric paint, to use and to share with others, plastic spoons for paint  

Cloth Paper Scissors Debut

I'm honored to be writing now for Cloth Paper Scissors, the Interweave Press mixed media magazine. My first article will be in the May/June issue and its a profile of mixed media artist Robert Maloney. I hope you'll all pick up a copy and tell me what you think, when the mag hits the stands!

And, speaking of publication, I've also just received word that my Cloth Paper Scissor DVD Workshop about Rainbow Printing will be released in Apri and that it will be featured in teh CPS newsletter of April 7.

Hi Susie,
We will be promoting your DVD in the April 7th newsletter. Can you please send me some tips or a brief how-to related to your DVD for that newsletter? We would also need an image. We will need all of this no later than April 1st.
 
Thanks Susie. Please let me know if you have any questions.
 
Have a good night.
 
Warm regards,
Barbara Delaney
Assistant Editor
CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS®

I am holding my breath til I see that hour-long me-in-front-of- big-scary-camera workshop! I learned a lot in the process, and beg those of you who have the opportunity to see it sometime to tell me how I could improve. (I'll let you know where/how to purchase when I get the word that it's on the way -- or you can go to CLP's website and sign up for their newsletter.) I KNOW I was really disorganized and rushed at the beginning (breathe, Susie) but I think I improved as the tape rolled.