Living With Art.

Are you familiar with the Altered Page?  The Altered Page is all about mixed media. Seth Apter, the genius behind this blog, is a mixed media artist, author and designer based in NYC. I had the pleasure of collaborating on a mixed media altered book collaboration with Seth (and four other very talented mixed media artists) a few years ago.

'Living With Art' begins this Thursday on the Altered Page. Seth is showcasing how people live with art and display art in real life settings. I sent my photo to Seth a couple of weeks ago and thought I'd elaborate a little more here.

As a professional working artist that lives and works in the same space, living with art is the norm. I have my paintings hanging on every wall and switch them up often. I finish the paintings, they go up on the wall, they go out to a gallery, the new ones take their spot and the cycle begins again.

It's important to me that the arrangements are pleasing so I try to hang them in a curated manner. I like to hang them in groupings of odd numbers, and I will often perch the smallest ones on a bookshelf. 

Go With the Flow.

When I need a break from painting but still want to keep my creative flow going I turn to journal pages. Many artists keep sketchbooks to jot down ideas, keep scraps of ephemera, tear sheets from magazines (old school Pinterest) to doodle or scrap book.  

I've started different journals and sketchbooks over the years but have found that I prefer to work on loose sheets. Sometimes I'll bind them into a book when I have a nice collection, or just keep them as is, or frame them and give them away as gifts.

It's a great way to experiment, play with mixed media and try new techniques. It's also quick as the pages aren't too large. I can work on many at one time and can usually finish quite a few in a day. Instant gratification. I find it to be quite meditative while working on these pages as I'm working intuitively and the ideas are flowing. Art journalling is something anyone can do even those that swear that 'they don't have an artistic bone in their bodies'. There are no mistakes and those 'happy accidents' can be very beautiful. 

The images shown are from pages I created for 'Inner Works' an altered book collaboration I worked on way back in 2010. You can read about it here.

My Studio Table Uncensored and Unedited.

Today's blog post is part of a collaborative pop-up on Seth Apter's blog 'The Altered Page'. Seth has asked all participating artists to share their studio tables uncensored and unedited. After reading my post you can head over to the Altered Page and find links to all the other participating artists. Join the party!!

My studio table was purchased at Ikea about 10 years ago. I wanted to get one with a glass top so I could get messy on it and any acrylic paint or mediums could just be scraped away with a paint scraper. Quick and easy clean-up. I fell in love with this one at the store and the fact that it's the color of beach glass was a bonus. It was table love at first site.

When we moved 4 years ago my trusty studio table now had to double as a dining room table. Not a problem except that I'm not really big on tidying it up at the end of the day so we are usually eating dinner 'Big Bang Theory' style, on the couch holding plates in our laps.

As I am a fine artist and use my easel for large canvases, my studio table is usually piled high with art supplies that I'm using, inspiration sketches, tear sheets from magazines, and just about everything that I might need while working. And of course much needed mugs of coffee or green tea.

When I'm working on small paintings or mixed media work, I can pull up a chair and work right at my studio table. It's large enough to hold supplies with room enough for a nice work area too.

And when we have dinner guests invited my studio table gets the full treatment and gets used for dining. Cheers.

Fine Art Studio Sale This Friday and Saturday

Artists Studio Clearance sale

3 artists

Friday Nov 15  11-7

and

Saturday Nov 16  11-5

401 Richmond Street West, Toronto

#216

Most of the past week has been spent organizing for our 3 artists studio sale. This is my first studio sale and it's not even taking place in my studio. I'm very grateful to Lynn and Beth for letting me join them. Our fine art studio clearance sale equals great deals for you.

I've got everything packed and ready to go for our set up tomorrow. I will have 59 (I counted!) original paintings in acrylic on stretched canvas in an assortment of sizes. 41 pieces of art, matted and ready for framing, paintings on panel, and an assortment of small framed work and 'oddments' , all priced to sell. And that's just what I'll have. Lynn and Beth have lots available as well.

You didn't think I'd show you everything that will be for sale did you?? You'll just have to attend and find some treasures for yourself. Hope to see you there.

Artists Studio Clearance Sale This Friday and Saturday.

Artists Studio Clearance sale

3 artists

Friday Nov 15  11-7

and

Saturday Nov 16  11-5

401 Richmond Street West, Toronto

#216

All art is original.

paintings in acrylic and oils

watercolours

silkscreens
etchings
monoprints

pastels

mixed media

some works are framed

With the holiday season quickly approaching, this is an excellent time to stock up on original art for gift giving. Or get a gift for yourself. Get a few!

All the art is priced to move. 

Please feel free to tell your friends and share this post.

We hope to see you there.

3 Artists Studio Clearance Sale.

3 Artist's Studio Clearance Sale

401 Richmond St West

#216

Friday November 15

11am-7pm

Saturday November 16

11am-5pm

All art is original.

paintings in acrylic and oils

watercolours

silkscreens
etchings
monoprints

pastels

mixed media

some works are framed

With the holiday season quickly approaching, this is an excellent time to stock up on original art for gift giving. Or get a gift for yourself. Get a few! All the art is priced to move. Please feel free to tell your friends and share this post.

We look forward to seeing you

In Progress.

In progress. There are so many paintings and projects in progress at the moment. Three large canvases are started, the backgrounds almost complete. Four larger brand new canvases sit all bright and white awaiting their turn in the spare room. Finished paintings have been taken to get photographed. I've purchased paints for another DIY and I've been selecting pieces for my art wall in the making.

I have a special collaboration in the works but its much too soon for any real details yet. This is going to be BIG and I'm over the moon when I think about it. It's something that has been on my mind for a few years now, and a few months ago I decided to get off the fence and just go for it. Special things do happen when you step out of your comfort zone. So grateful for all the new and exciting opportunities lately.

It's Treasure Time over on Seth Apter's blog the Altered Page next week and I've signed on to participate.  I agree with Seth in that "there are so many blogs and so little time". So next Wednesday, June 12th, artists will re post one or more of their best blog posts and Seth will have links to each artist on his blog. You can get full details on Buried Treasure here.

Winter's Song

Winter's Song

Altered Book, part of Inner Works 

Mixed Media 2009

Things are getting back to normal here today. I need my studio space back. I need to start painting. As I pack away the decorations and wrapping and take down the tiny tree, I anticipate the year ahead. The next few days will be spent cleaning out the studio, getting supplies ready, making plans and setting goals. 

Do you make resolutions for the year ahead? 

Inspiration Overflow.

Last week I dug out my inspiration board from our downstairs storage locker. It's been over two years since we moved and it's been sitting down there ever since. My inspiration board is a purchased cork bulletin board that I framed in a some what ornate frame.

I pulled from my many files of torn magazine pages and paper bits that I've saved over many years. After setting up a pleasing display of pictures, images, and colors that are inspiring me at the moment I set them with clear pins.

These pages come from my mountains of magazines, a nice combination of art, design, home, decor, craft, food, travel etc. etc. The 'Warhol' is a mixed media piece I created just for myself. You can see my process here.

Inspiration comes from everywhere lately. It seems my mind is racing overtime with creativity. If I wake up in the middle of the night I find it hard to get back to sleep because almost immediately I'm thinking of what to do in the studio the next day and what to paint. A nice problem to have.

Inspired by color, the season, changing and falling leaves, the sky, magazines, walking around my neighborhood, nightlife, bright lights, great music, learning new things, love, an occasional Ghirardelli square, blogs, books, inspiring people, life.

And of course my studio cats Iggy and Nami. They are the perfect companions to long quiet days alone in the studio.

I'd love to hear what your inspiration is.

Painting Away.

I am still in high painting mode these days. I actually took a count and I've finished 36 paintings of various sizes in the past month. 12 have been shipped off to an upcoming show and the others are for a special project that I'm unable to share here yet.

Some examples of texture that I've been working on in between cityscapes and neon/restaurant sign paintings. I like to alternate between painting details with some pure abstract. It's good to mix things up a bit, keeps my perspective fresh and I get to 'play' with different materials and mixed media. That's it for now-back to painting.

Color and Paint.

Last weeks finished DIY is still hanging in the master bedroom and I couldn't be happier. The colors are so soothing and 'beachy'. Thank you to everyone that commented, tweeted and sent emails. I still have a carpet (floor cloth) to paint but I think I'll be using darker colors. Maybe jewel tones as they would be more suited to the long fall and winter months.

They say diamonds are a girls best friend? Not so at least for this girl. A Benjamin Moore fan deck would do very nicely thank you.

The week so far has been a mad house. I've been enjoying long days of painting in my tiny little corner space that is my studio. I'm working on a few projects that I can't share until I get the final word from my publisher, but I can tell you that they are fun, fresh and full of color.

Note to self-when painting with a breyer and red paint, be sure to use a drop cloth and have a wet rag handy. Otherwise the place starts to look like a crime scene very fast. Ciao for now. :-)

Inspired by...

What's inspiring me these days? Texture, type, abstract, free, loose, scrappy, grungy, torn, well worn, easy, did I say texture? distressed, used, vintage looking images. 

I know this is easy to do digitally, but I've been working on getting the same look on canvas and paper the old school way. With a brayer, paint, oil pastels, stencils, stamps, and a large assortment of makeshift tools from my kitchen and the dollar store. It's a great way to relieve stress and most of the time the results are great too.

All images are from ZGallerie