29 June 2015

More on Elizabeth Barton's Master Class

Janis has been at it again, writing another excellent post on the class here

25 June 2015

My work in E.B's Mater Class

There were many "good parts" about Elizabeth's workshop. One was that we could do whatever we wanted with our time. One past participant came and just knitted all week. I loved sketching designs of which some were painted in monochromatic values and others valued in cross hatching. 
Some of these"designs' Elizabeth liked and most not.








I made these two in fabric and when I find them, I'll post them







She liked this one (above)






I think she liked above












Fabric from IKEA above (smile). Can we all say surface design?






She liked above




Upper left was the large piece I started on in class. The one on right was E's fave.

24 June 2015

My Distraction from Art

I have not done very many creative things lately outside of the Elizabeth Barton Master Class because my mind and time has been centered around having found my birth family.

I was adopted in Chicago and taken to the District of Columbia at 3 days old. To make a VERY long story a bit shorter, I sued the District to have my adoption records opened about 25 years ago. The District is one of the few places that are still refusing to give people the basic dignity of knowing who they are. Don't get me started. I won my case and a social worker specializing in adoption research was appointed. She said my father was dead and his family wanted nothing to do with me and my mother said it wasn't her but someone using her health insurance. This was in 1948. I didn't even know they had health insurance back then. Now we have surmised the fictitious mother either made up a "father's name" or it was the husband of the woman whose insurance card was used. A double dead end.

Now at 66, I have had my DNA done three times. The first just did mitrochondrial DNA and through that met a lovely woman who shares the same "Eve" with me. We have been emailing for a while now. I wanted to know my ethnicity so I had a total panel of all 23 genes done by two companies and low and behold, I got an email from a woman telling me I was a 2nd cousin to her and her dad and a first cousin to her aunt. She sent a photo of her aunt and we could be twins - no kidding. I'd show you but I think that is overstepping others rights. You''ll have to take my word.

So now I have found much more than my ethnicity (English, Scottish, Irish and 6% Norwegian). I have found a whole family. Of course most are dead - even the aunt I look like just died in February. So I am a bit distracted, making plans to visit them and just generally happy and excited.

I think there is no way anyone can relate without being there!! But you can join in my joy of being found!!

22 June 2015

Elizabeth Barton's Master Class

In the spirit of not reinventing the wheel, I am linking you to Janis Doucette's fabulous blog post about the week. She has an awesome slide show and since I didn't take my camera out once (hanging my head in mortification), I am relying on Janis's recreation of our work. If she has additional posts, I'll link to them as well.
I just found 4 picture that I took but Janis has them on her slide show. Well, at least I tried to take pictures. 

The workshop was so fabulous and I spent my time tagging behind Elizabeth and listening to her critiques of folks work. I learned the most this was. Basically her workshop was about the structure of abstract art. Once you take this master class, you can much more easily understand how to create a design. Of course I am a baby but I learned so much about structure. I KNOW the elements of design but you need a structure in which to put the elements - THAT'S what we learned. Everyone in the workshop did wonderful designs.

Elizabeth happened to mention (ahem) that Maine is the only contiguous state that she has yet to teach in. I am sending out feelers for anyone interested in taking this 5 day workshop next summer in Maine. There are worse places to be and less interesting things to do so please let me know what you think about coming to Maine for Elizabeth's workshop.

19 June 2015

Tales from the Cape

The biggest concern Judith and I had is that after living and "working" together for a week, we would no longer be friends. That didn't happen. As a matter of fact, we had a great time, got along swimmingly, and even made each other laugh. After one of the classes, we were making plans to either get ice cream then go the the Stop and Shop and boardwalk or go to the Stop and Shop and then get ice cream and then the boardwalk. As we approached the area Judith suddenly said, "I have to get a hair cut RIGHT NOW". Mind you, this was about 4:45. We hit two that were closing before we found one that was open. She is such a stitch!! Here are the before and "happy" after pictures.




We never did make it to the boardwalk that evening (priorities - ice cream) but we did the next evening. Please notice this boardwalk is VERY narrow, maybe four feet without railings.







YES. it IS leaning precariously to the right.




These ramps go nowhere because a storm took away the stairs down to the beach as well as 20 feet of beach. They just finished replanting dune plants to stop erosion. Also note they DID put up railings to protect the dunes from people. Very interesting.

Oh, I forgot to mention the day after Judith's hair cut, she stuck her head out the car window (like a dog). When I started laughing at her she said the wind felt good in her hair!

Needless to say, we had a great time.

17 June 2015

Elizabeth Barton Master Class

I never took one photo of the class BUT if you are quick, you can go to Elizabeth Barton's blog and read all about it. 

Elizabeth does allude to her possibly doing this master class again in the future. That would be here in Maine, the only contiguous state she has not taught in yet. 

I will be sending out feelers for those interested in her workshop here on the coast of Maine summer 2016. Much more about this later.......


15 June 2015

Summer Workshops


June 27    9am -4 pm   Creating Stamps  $55.

Back again this year - learn to use all sort of materials to make your own stamps from easy to carve material, to foam board and everything in between. We will also make a stamp from a photograph you bring with you. You will go home with hand fulls of stamps including at least one from your photograph, your own set of carving tools and the know how to make as many stamps as your imagination can create.



July 11  9 am - 4 pm    “The Human Mark”   $50

An exploration of the mark – an exciting workshop which will open your mind to new ways of using and even thinking about mark making in any medium including paper, cloth, paint, ink and stitch. Using traditional and unusual "tools" we will let our imaginations roam finding new ways to make marks on a wide variety of substrates. For those who want to entice their imagination into play...






July 18th and 19th   2 Day Silk Screen Construction and Use Workshop  $95.00   9 am - 4 pm

This two day course starts with the construction of your own silk screen and a portable printing table which you will take home with you. within hours you will be learning many silk screening techniques including tape, wax, glue and paper resists, using stencils and more. You will also finish your second day with a squeegee to take home as well as a book covering all the techniques in the workshop not to mention all the fabulous fabric you have created.



deconstructed silk screen

July 25  9-4pm    Creating cutting edge fabrics with thickened dyes   $55. 

Create one of a kind fabrics using all new methods of dyeing with thickened dyes. Drizzle dyeing, blot and scrape techniques and monprinting like you've never seen it before will be some of the techniques covered. Create yardage or whole cloth pieces but bring lots of white fabric for dyeing. All of materials are provided







Aug 1
  Sketchbooks   $50.00   9 am - 4 pm




Please joint us as we learn how to make books. We will learn coptic and long stitch spines, making our own covers and accordion fold books as well. You will leave the workshop with at least 3 books as well all the information you need to create wonderful books for yourself and to give as gifts. Includes all materials
   

Aug 8 Creatively filling our art journals 
$65.  9 am - 4 pm







We will be learning how to incorporate art into our journals using media you never would have considerate before. We will be using monoprints, collage, inks and watercolors to just name a few techniques. These art journals can document your days as well as your art and become a family heirloom.



August 15th       9 am- 4 pm 
Indigo Vat Dyeing  $55

Join us for a day of indigo dyeing and participate in one of the oldest natural dyeing techniques. If it will fit in the vat, we will dye it. Let your imagination run wild as we use various forms of resists or none at all in indigo dyeing plant fiber cloth, silk, wool (woven or spun) or wood. Watch as the oxygen i the air combines with the green indigo and turns it the rich blue we all know and love so well.