Archive for Collage
Creative Breakthroughs
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Have you seen a head rolling by? Mine fell off this afternoon sometime–let me know if you see it.
So many thoughts fighting for attention in there and suddenly, it couldn’t take it anymore and off it went.
All because I’ve been frantically getting the site for my studio done–you know, the local NJ/NY Metro outpost for Make Great Stuff: Jackson Street Studios.
And now, it’s finally, officiiiaaaalllllllly………………………….Done-Ish! 
What do they say–don’t let the pursuit of the perfect get in the way of the good? Right–so that’s what I’m doing. I mean, not doing….Er, one of those–the one where I’m okay with the “good”.
So as you can see from the above sentences, I’ve worked my head off and am officially fried, but I must say that I’m getting rather fond of my little site–it’s improving every day.
And I AM super excited by the class I’m teaching. Will you please take a look?
The Creative Breakthroughs Technique–A Collage Workshop
That’s what I’m calling it. Because it’s such a fabulous way to break out of a rut and ditch the self-censorship. With just enough structure to support you if it’s been a while since you made anything, but with plenty of room to express yourself.
This isn’t a class where you just copy a technique, make something nice, but secretly still doubt your own skills. It’s a way of helping you re-connect to your own creativity again. For finding your voice (again). I mean, there’s no point in your finding my voice for goodness sakes.
What was it Oscar Wilde used to say… “You might as well be yourself, everyone else is taken…”? This class is all about that.
Everyone in the February workshop marveled at how different each person’s work looked at the end, which made me ridiculously happy. Same technique, many visions. How right is that? So right.
And I must say that I have some kick-ass art tools and supplies as well as an extremely cool collection of wooden Indian fabric stamps (which everyone really loved). Plus a lot of weird bits and neat vintage paper and embellishments. Cool supplies are half the battle.
I teach a new technique each time before we get started, and last time I shared my secret stamping and embossing trick–something very, very simple that no one ever does, but makes the process soooo versatile. And almost everyone tried it. Yay!
But what’s really great about this workshop is that you don’t have to make space, own supplies or have ideas. Just show up! Yes–let’s re-ignite that creative fire!
And even better, when we’re all done and the studio looks like a truck just ran through it, you get to go home and not worry about it. No clean up required. Admit it, that’s awesome.
I’ve got all the details at Jackson Street Studios–including a 2 minute video to give you a taste of what happens at the workshop. I’ve included it here: (If you’re reading this in an email, you’re going to have to visit the site to see the video. Aw, c’mon, It’ll only take a sec.)
Neat right?
My next class is on March 26th, with a screamin’ good deal available for those who sign up by March 19th. Won’t you join me?
If you live in the NJ/NY area and could use a creative breakthrough or three, this class is the perfect thing.
If you don’t live in the NY/NJ area but need an excuse to come to New York for a long weekend, now you’ve got one. Sign up for my Friday night workshop, create and take home a beautiful matted work of art (flat–easy to fit in a suitcase), and then spend the rest of the weekend hobnobbin’ around the city. Good times.
In addition, I’m offering the workshop monthly because participating regularly can build you some great momentum and catapult your creativity forward. Take the workshop once, thrice or every month like clockwork, it’s up to you! To get you started, I have a special price for your first visit.
We had so much fun at the February workshop–everyone learned, took chances and surprised themselves. I’d love to see you there.
If you can’t come or live far away, could you do me a favor and forward this to someone who you think could benefit from participating in a workshop like this? I appreciate it!
What do you think? Are you ready for a creative breakthrough? Are you creating like mad already? Please leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!
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Image Transfer with Inkjet Transparencies
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Do you want to try Image Transfer techniques with your artwork or collages but feel kind of confused about all the varied information on the web?
I know the feeling. It’s hard to keep it all straight–when to use caulk or gel medium or just water, and then what kinds of prints to use with what transfer technique–black and white copiers vs. laser machines vs. inkjet.
A lot of information online is contradictory as well, and it seems rare that the products dedicated to image transfer actually do what they say they will.
A Good Place To Start
If you’ve never tried, or just never had any luck with image transfers, try an inkjet transparency transfer. Read More→
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In the Studio #2
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So I’ve been running around like a crazy woman this week getting ready for a show of my digital collage transfers at Bishop’s Stock Gallery on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Yesterday, I delivered my artwork and met with Ann Coates, the gallery owner. She’s so warm and easy to talk to, I immediately felt relaxed. Afterward though, I felt a little jellyfish-y in the arms–the exhausted-but-finished feeling that can come from an insanely overbooked September and the rush of meeting a deadline. Whew.
Fine Art Photography Woes
My goal making my digital collage transfers is to make each piece glow in the right lighting–which they pretty much do. Of course, the downside is that when a novice photographer (that means me) tries to take an accurate photo of a glowing thing, that glowing suddenly becomes a glaring. Alas.
Did I give up? Almost Heck no. I put on my big girl panties and kept snapping until I had fairly decent reproductions minus the glowing (mostly). But they still look better in person. Ah well, whaddya gonna do?
Share and Share Alike
All caveats aside however, and because I’m mostly braindead, busy choosing my outfit, still getting ready for the show, I thought I’d share a few images of my new work as well as provide a few links if you want to see more. Here are three: Read More→
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Art Collaborations/Conversations
Posted by: | CommentsThis past Spring I started collaborating on some art collages with an artist I didn’t really know—His name is Rob Robinson and he’s a painter on the west coast.
I had written an open invitation to collaborate on some art work to fellow members of an online community that I had joined (started by Seth Godin about groups, leadership and connection) and Rob was the first one who was game to give it a try.
We finished our first collaboration and it was fun and we both kind of liked the end result, so I thought I’d post it here and talk about the process.
Structure
Since the two of us had never met or worked together, we thought some structure might help us get started. So I suggested we start with color parameters–Black, White, Grey, Yellow and Red. He liked that and offered to start. Yay! Initiative!
First Steps
Rob's Initial Collaboration "Start"
He created several “starts” on heavy 5″ x 7″ watercolor paper, took some pics, and asked me to pick one. I said, “Aw, just send ‘em all” because sometimes it’s better for me to work on several things at once–I fuss less.
That said, the image on the left is the one that snowballed as I began working on it, so I kept going. And that’s how it looked when it arrived.
The first thing I did was take one of my collage scraps–a long narrow piece–and glue it to the right side–the addition of which made the collage seem vertical and I began treating it like that.
(Maybe because I chose the color parameters, I already had scraps from other collages that fit the color scheme.)
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Spring Bouquet
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Postcard Exchange
A friend from art school started a Postcard Exchange group on Facebook and each month she draws a name for each member to send a postcard to. Everyone in the group has attended the same school (so far), but we all don’t know each other.
Spring Bouquet
I like to do 20 minute “blind” drawings in the evenings and this postcard is one of those that I scanned, scaled down, printed, and then finished with oil pastels. I sewed it to a little blue postcard (because I love stitches, they’re so emotional) and scanned it once again to document for myself and share with you. I’m always in a great mood when I make this kind of thing–like a mini creative high or something.
I love this kind of art-sharing and thought I’d share my postcards here with you as well. At some point I plan to create a Make Great Stuff handmade postcard exchange or art collaboration project. Let me know if this idea interests you (whenever it is you find yourself reading this post and thinking yeah, this idea interests me…).
Art Collaboration Round Robin
I have tried this remote art collaboration concept a few times and have learned that the hardest thing about doing it is keeping the momentum going. The Postcard Exchange works fairly well because we all have to get them in by the end of the month, but every month almost everyone is scrambling a bit to get them out on time. Busy lives.
So I think it could be fun to collaborate on pieces that are passed along much more quickly than monthly or when you’re somehow “done” with your contribution–once a week, for instance. Everyone in the “Round Robin” would start a piece and pass it along to the next person.And every Monday we’d all mail off the art-in-progress that’s in our possession to the next person, whether we managed to add any new mark(s) or not.
So even though it could seem harder to get something out the door more often, it’s the “or not” part that I think would help–it’s Monday, so you mail it. It’s okay whether you added anything to the piece or not. You looked at it, and you’re part of the group. Maybe that looking will impact the marks you make on the next thing you receive. This way, the sharing matters as much of the marking. I like that.
I also think it might loosen folks up and let them just make a mark to get it out (meet that deadline!) which might create some good spontaneity and energy in the collaborations, as well as take the pressure off of making something really good that the next person can admire, or at least not judge. “I know, I know,” we can say–”I just made a crazy mark and got it out!” And that could also have a positive impact on one’s creating in general–remembering that making something matters more than trying to make a masterpiece.
And it’s still true that the other hard thing is getting your butt to the Post Office to mail it off. But as I write those words, I realize that of course it’s also possible to pass the project on digitally, or to just allow either kind of sharing–mail it or upload it, it’s part of the process.
What do you think? Have you ever done this kind of thing? Would you like to?
My name is Sarah Bush and this is my blog dedicated to helping busy artistic people like you weave creativity back into your life again.
