Sneak Peek -- Graffiti Reef

Hey!

While out walking the dog yesterday and enjoying the 70-degree weather, I was thinking that maybe the groundhog was right, and that spring would be coming early after all. On the way back, I noticed a daffodil beginning to break through the ground. Now they're forecasting snow showers and highs of 33 degrees for Tuesday. We'll take what we can get until then.

I've been working on several projects for the upcoming Art Carnage at The Soundry on February 26. A trip to the Bahamas last summer inspired me to create a new line of paintings called Graffiti Reef. I've always loved sea life, and wanted to do a fun new twist on it, incorporating graffiti fusion.

In the Chillout Lounge, the first in the Graffiti Reef series, available at craftychicdesigns.etsy.com. I've also incorporated elements from this design into my pendants, bottlecaps, and magnets. My signature is the graffiti fish, which I often work into my original art headband designs as well.

For this work in progress, I upcycled a cardboard panel that had been part of the packaging for a closet drawer. (I'm in the process of reorganizing my studio.) It was my first time painting on cardboard, and was actually a lot of fun, look for more of these panels in the future.

               
Next, I added accents with marker to the coral on the bottom and used heavy-bodied acrylic and rubber shelf liner to make the kelp. It's far from done, but off to a good start.

For this painting, I decided to add a three-dimensional feel to the coral, using modeling paste and old paintbrush handles.

When the paste had hardened, I painted it with acrylics. Still not sure what other sea life I'll be using for this one.

A postcard from The Bahamas inspired this next design.

With this painting, I recycled a previously painted old canvas that I'd abandoned several months back, unsure how to proceed next with the colors. This time, I experimented with an orange wash on top of the original sea green wash. On the bottom, I mixed up an earthy color and painted over the original lavender, then used chopsticks to carve into the paint. Some of the original color shows through, and I like the effect.


And, of course, I HAD to do something in purple!

I also made new graffiti-inspired backgrounds from the ton of old scrapbook paper lying around the studio. Scrapbook paper is great -- I often simply paint over it, add layers, and then rip/cut up the new background to collage into my paintings, or to make other projects.

For this last background, I was playing around with dimensional paint to make a seahorse.

I've got lots more to do on these paintings, so stay tuned!

Music in the studio this week:

-- Ibiza Chill Out, Vol. 2 (various artists)
-- The Suburbs, Arcade Fire
-- How to Operate With a Blown Mind, Lo Fidelity Allstars
-- Gothic Rock, Vol. 1 (various artists)
-- The Distance to Here, Live

Back to The Reef!

Current Exhibits at ArtSpace

Recently I stopped by ArtSpace of Herndon to view the gallery's two current exhibits. From the Woods features the natural sculptures of Diane Black. Four contemporary artists -- Sherill Anne Gross, Sean Hennessy, Sean Lundgren, and Alexandra Zealand -- are showcased in Elements. In the latter exhibit, the four elements (water, earth, fire, and air) are used as part of the artists' mediums, rather than as the subject of their works. Interesting stuff! Both exhibits run through February 27.

Some snapshots from the exhibits:

Visit ArtSpace of Herndon at:

750 Center Street

Herndon, VA 20170

A Tentacled Trend

Thanks to all who stopped by to support Art Carnage at The Soundry last Saturday...what an awesome night of shopping and entertainment! It was great to see some familiar faces, and a lot of new ones, too!

Despite the bitter cold and ice, The Soundry was packed! Yes, those parking spots were worth the wait.

Nadine from Simple Girl Designs had her booth across from mine. I like how she paired tags bearing words like "kindness" and "amore" with her vintage-inspired jewelry, influenced by 1940s-1960s fashion.

Soundry studio member Lisa Wagner weaving at her loom, where she creates woven yarn pendants.


A number of vendors were discussing a current craft trend, for sale on several tables at the event -- octopi. "It's this year's owl," said Cara Salvatore of Dopo, referencing last year's popular item.

Dopo's handcut paper modern art includes an octopus design.

Assorted octopi hanging out at Ika Ink and atomic cate's table.

Sweet Chloroform sporting felt octopi -- and owls, too!


We're already gearing up for the next Art Carnage, to be held the evening of February 26th. That day, Melissa Lew will be holding a series of seminars for the career-focused artist/crafter. Check out The Soundry web site for further details.

Love is Eternal

Dear Mom,

You were taken from us six years ago today. It's hard to believe I haven't heard your voice in so long. Harder to believe that I'll never be able to hear it again.

Creative expression has always been a part of my life, but it became even more of an outlet after your death. I embraced art as a catharsis for grief. As a kid, I remember you throwing yourself wholeheartedly into daily challenges by putting a creative spin on things. You went all out. You faced fear with humor. I remember how once, while going through chemo, you'd mentioned to the doctor that you'd broken out in hives. He examined you, only to find you'd covered yourself in happy face stickers.

No fear, I recall, while working the palette knife across the canvas. Bright colors combine, change. New ones emerge. Make a statement. While spray painting through a stencil, I chuckle at the memory of when a woman had taken offense at your license plate holder, which read, "Dull women have immaculate houses." She'd waited by our car for you to get out my elementary school, where you taught. "I have an immaculate house, and I'm not dull," she said. You'd waited a moment, then got in her face and told her to "Get a [expletive] life."

It wasn't easy to have you for a teacher in 5th grade. After all, you didn't even let me call you "mom" in the classroom. But I remember your enthusiasm for teaching (and learning), your ability to connect with the students, to create a dynamic learning environment, to try and make the subject matter come alive. You'd even gone so far as to dress up like Plato for a discussion on philosophy and democracy!

Thanks to you, it feels good to stand in front of 50-something first graders -- including my own daughter -- to teach a lesson in art history.  In fact, the more I do it, the more I enjoy it.

Thanks to you, I'm not afraid to take risks with my art, to speak loudly through it. I have learned so much about myself while trying to gather the pieces of healing these past six years. By remembering your strength, I've found mine. By channeling your enthusiasm, new doors have opened for me.

I still miss you terribly every day. But you're still my mother and teacher, and for that, I'm grateful.

Rest in the peace of a Montauk sunset that you'd always loved. Perhaps one day we will watch it together again.

Art Carnage Happens January 29th

Art Carnage Happens January 29th


I'll be selling my Area 718 art, headbands, and merchandise at the next Art Carnage event at The Soundry (see the link above and details below.) With about 20 art vendors and a bunch of performers, it will be a unique night of art, music, dancing, improv comedy, variety acts, and general chaos. If you're a pretentious art snob, you may want to sit this one out, pour yourself a sherry, and bemoan the deemphasis of submission slides in the gallery world. If, however, you're like the rest of us, grab a coffee in the Soundry Cafe and get ready for an interesting evening. The first 25 "Carnagees" will receive FREE Baddie Bags filled with goodies from the vendors.

Art Carnage
8 p.m. - 12 a.m.
The Soundry
316 Dominion Rd. NE
Vienna, VA 22180

Creative Revolution in the Classroom

Ever paint with chopsticks? How about a toothbrush? Did you know that you can marbleize paper with shaving cream? Or turn a pedicure toe separator into a stamp or a mask (reverse stencil)?

Last week, three classes of middle schoolers at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, VA, joined my Creative Revolution. I had the pleasure of demonstrating graffiti fusion techniques to 7th and 8th graders, showing them how to achieve textured, graffiti-inspired effects using acrylic and fabric paints and "tools" of common household items. Deb Fitzgerald, their art teacher, had set up a variety of printmaking stations for them: monotype color field, bubble print, stencils, stamping, fabric sprays, and marbleized paper. Students were also asked to come up with a list of words that either described them, or examples of good citizenship or patriotism. These words could be incorporated into their prints.

Viva La Creative Revolution!

Deb Fitzgerald of Lake Braddock Secondary School


It was great fun watching the students' expressions as they traveled among the printmaking stations and saw how their prints transformed by adding layers. Their enthusiasm was infectious! Many thanks to all the art students, the school administration, and especially Deb Fitzgerald for putting all of this together. I look forward to returning another day next semester!

Take a look at the students' works in progress:

While the students were at the printmaking stations, I continued layering my demo projects. At the end of class, I showed them the results:

Graffiti fusion on brown paper bag

Graffiti fusion using acrylics and alcohol inks on transparencies. I had a few student volunteers carve into the paint with various tools.

Graffiti fusion demos on brown paper bags

This Week in the Studio: Salt, Spray, and Sweat

Hello, friends!

While we've been shivering through our coldest winter in recent memory here (at least it seems that way every afternoon while outside waiting for the school bus to arrive), things are heating up in the studio.

Deb Fitzgerald, an art teacher at Lake Braddock Secondary School, recently asked me to visit the school to meet with her students. She occasionally invites local artists to her classes as a way for the students to discuss career ideas and explore different types of art. So, on Friday I'll be demonstrating printmaking and graffiti fusion techniques to her 7th and 8th grade classes. I'll be teaching them how to achieve textured, layered effects with some common household items. Hopefully the kids will find it interesting, and hopefully I'll be caffeinated enough to get through teaching the 1st class at 7:30!

Here's a look at the creative alchemy taking place in the studio this week, to prepare for the classes:

Basic painted backgrounds on transparency, sketch paper, and discarded cardboard packaging (l-r)

Spraying fabric paint through a stencil of die-cut scrapbook paper

Applying heavy-bodied acrylic on rubber shelf liner to a background

Graffiti with Sharpie poster paint markers over the rose stencil. In hindsight, I probably overworked this one. Will most likely cut it up for ATCs or backgrounds for handmade business cards.

Fabric spray paint over heavy-bodied acrylic

I really liked the distressed look of this background. I'd applied a very thick layer of gesso to manila folder. When dry, it felt like leather. It took a variety of textures pretty well, too.

Backgrounds made from watercolor paint treated with kosher salt (left and right), and fabric paint stencil on vellum (middle)

Music in the studio this week:

-- Original Cast Recording of American Idiot on Broadway
-- My Chemical Romance: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys
-- Christina Perri: Jar of Hearts
-- Blue Man Group: The Complex