Going to See the Elephant

Claudine and Creative Catalyst Productions on Decor8!

Holly over at Decor8 - one of my favorite blogs- wrote about Claudine Hellmuth. She includes an interview she did with Claudine and mentions CCP and Claudine's DVDs. Very neat all around!

Cupcake Cards

I love making birthday cards. I've got a whole plan for my grandmother's 85th birthday and these two are for a castmate and my director (I'm in a local play) who both had birthdays over the three day weekend. Envelopes will be made of polka dot wrapping paper.

Quick update: Nicholas Simmons made it home safe and sound. His painting turned out AMAZING!!! I didn't get to watch the filming so I can't WAIT to start editing!

Nicholas Simmons Day 1

Jim just left for the airport for Nicholas Simmons' 3:30 flight. We've been working all day getting the studio set up and there are a lot of variables for this shoot. Nicholas is painting on a 40 x 40 board so we're having to rearrange our usual set. Filming prep has everyone doing random projects in preparation. Zach and I were painting the backdrop before I did a grocery store run for Lynn. (Company lunches always have the best food when artists are here!)

Filming starts tomorrow. I finally looked at the outline he sent us on what he wants to demonstrate. I think it's going to be really great!

Friday!

The birds are so loud outside our office window! I can tell it's sort of annoying our sound editing guy, Zach. He's not anti-bird but it's hard to focus on audio while there is a shouting match of chirps not 5 feet away. Me? I find both very amusing.


I'm on my second pass through Virginia Cobb's DVD. She says such great things. Here's a quote I found today,

"Be real alert to what's going on with you and everything around you when you paint because everything is part of the painting and you are responding not just to the paint, although that's the the big thing, but also the sounds. So one day in my studio I hear birds out my window and another day the rain is pounding on my roof. Do I paint the same on those two days? If I do I'm not paying attention." -V.Cobb

After I found the quote I read it to Zach and he said that everything we do at Creative Catalyst Productions should look and feel like birds chirping. Ha!

(Images are from Virginia's video). See more of Virginia's work here!

Summer Activities

I love planning. I love preparing. The actual doing is fun but I have to say there is a thrill I get sitting down with a clean sheet of paper, a favorite pen and creating a list. My list-in-progress is my "Summer Projects" list for July 2 when I finish the community theater production I'm in. So many plans! There is baking and apartment decorating and sewing!

I told myself I wouldn't start anything new until I had my evenings free again but I caved. I couldn't pass up these two opportunities and I'm really excited about partaking. The first is a weekly crochet lesson done by the very cool women over at Craft Daisies. They polled their readers about whether they'd rather learn knitting or crocheting. I'm happy to learn either! Every Tuesday Heather will post a lesson and we'll have a week to master (ha!) the technique.

The second is another weekly workshop put on by a yahoo group I'm learning to love. I'm a member of a couple of yahoo groups but lurk more than participate. Artists of the Round Table is putting on an Artist Trading Card workshop based on Bernie Berlin's book, "Artist Trading Card Workshop." The book's author will be running the class and I'm very excited for a good introduction into what I think will be a cool chance to work on techniques I can translate into collages. (I suppose ATCs are really just mini collages you give away :)

So, perhaps my summer doesn't begin until July 2 but maybe by then I can add crocheting and ATCs to the summer fun! Either way it's always good to try new things.

Contest!!

Creative Catalyst (where I work and practically live...good thing I adore my co-workers!) has art shows about 4 times a year. Not only is it a great place to show your art and see others' work as well, but there are some fun prizes. (Can't beat fun prizes!)

This summer's theme: Telling Stories with Art. Their (our?) website says:

"The Summer Art Exhibition is about story telling. Summer is a great time to be part of stories from your travels, family outings, neighborhood get togethers. Have fun, tell a story with your art and share it in the Summer Art Show. All media are welcome."

Entries are accepted until August 30th.

I think this is sort of cool. Often Creative Catalyst contests are more media specific (watercolor for example) so I'm excited to see more mixed media in this Summer's.

The juror will be the very cool and talented collage artist Ann Baldwin. We were lucky enough to be able to meet and film Ann during one of her workshops at Art and Soul Retreats, Asilomar California.

Want more information about the show and how to enter? Go here!

Sherri Haab on Craftcast

Sherri Haab is both a talented artist and writer. She visited us last summer and did a whole lot of very very cool projects. Her first DVD came out this last spring on precious metal clay. Expect her resin DVD sometime next year.

The fine people over at Craftcast have an interview with Sherri. Check it out here: Craftcast!

Printmaking!

For more information on "Painterly Printmaking," go here.

Virginia Cobb

The May Craft Cat hit in boxes today so it's back to editing for me.


Virginia Cobb was a ton of fun when she was here and is just as much fun to watch again on camera. It's fascinating to watch her work. I feel at times you can really see which side of the brain she's working from. I'm also starting a collection of quotes. I'll share them as I go. Here Virginia discusses the importance of thinking about your work. She says, "The thinking time is every bit as important as the time you spend putting paint on paper."

Good point~

Paper Scraps!

After a paper project I find that I have a bunch of scraps left over. These pieces are too small to use in a project but I hate to throw such beautiful scraps away. Now a solution: put them through a paper shredder and use them as confetti! It works as a little surprise in an envelope or even as pretty packing material for shipping small jewelry and crafts to friends, family or ETSY customers.

Try This at Home Challenge- Traci Bautista

Why have I not been around? I'm in the middle of play rehearsals and am having time management issues!

But. Here's what I came up with for the latest TTHC for May's Craft Cat. (Hits in boxes middle of next week!) I got to explore all the fun that is Traci Bautista. What a creative woman! We filmed Traci live down at Art and Soul in Asilomar, California. She shows how to create your own papers and fabrics and then how to make a journal complete with cover and colorful inside pages. I used the paper and fabric techniques in a slightly different manner. This will be a Mother's Day table decoration or become a GIANT card!

A Wonderful Way to Start the Week:

At our small company every comment we get has a major impact. Early in the process, when it was just Lynn and Jim doing everything, someone emailed them a list of all the spelling and grammar errors they had made in a DVD and yes, clearly we should NOT be putting out DVDs with *spelling* errors but it's easy to forget that people (us in this case) actually make these DVDs. We make them just like someone knits a sweater or paints a painting. In our case, each of us here has a part of it we do, and unfortunately, a few of us are weak links when it comes to spelling. But because of that one letter, we now *painstakingly* look at every text block at each step of the process to make sure we've got "it's" instead of "its" and (my weak point) "palette" instead of "pallete".

This morning about 30 minutes into the day, Jim one of the co-founders, comes bounding upstairs with a huge smile and says, "Kelly, Zach, I'm going to interrupt your important work b/c this is just too cool." He hands me a 8" diameter circular piece of paper with a note written in a spiral. "Read it out loud," he says. So I do.

A customer writes that she loves our DVDs (yay!) and has actually taken one of our catalogues and used it to make the very paper I'm holding (it's really cool paper). She thanks us for the work we do. I don't think she could know how happy that made everyone in the office. What started out as a rainy dark day just turned into an amazing day. We turn back to our computers with more enthusiasm. Just like when you make something and then wrap it with a pretty bow and hand it over to someone else, you hold your breath to see how they react when it's opened. It makes all the difference when they say, "Thank you, I love it."

Great Artists: Giotto

When looking for the roots of the Renaissance, there is no better place to begin than Giotto. Historians know he was born near Florence in 1267 but his journey to becoming a great artist is somewhat murky. Legend has it that he was painting a lamb on a rock one day when Cimabue happened by and saw much potential.

Giotto spent his life as both a painter and an architect. He landed a prized commission for the Vatican by free handing a circle and sending it in as his sole entry. He worked in Rome for a decade. After he returned to Rome in 1320, he worked on frescos and then became chief architect of the Florence Cathedral.


Giotto's art developed a unique style and he furthered Naturalism through his seemingly three dimensional forms and strong expressions in both his subjects faces and bodies.

(Paintings from Wikimedia Commons. Click on paintings for more information)

More Polymer Ideas

I love the idea of fun simple projects that people can use with their children or to add cute touches to holidays. I watched Dayle Doroshow's 2 "International Inspiration" polymer clay DVDs with this in mind and here's what I came up with. All of the projects are really simple and just meant to be fun and cute.

Easter Bulletin board pins:


Just use a cookie cutter to make a butterfly. Press in a pattern before polymer goes into oven. Paint. Hot glue a flat pin on the back and wallah!

Flower Pipe Cleaner Rings:


Wrap pipe cleaner around your finger to fit. Twist so that it closes and won't pop open. Use the rest of pipe cleaner to make a flat nest to glue the flower to and a leaf. Hot glue a cookie cut polymer flower to the flat nest.


Easter Tree Ornaments:
Take cookie cut flower and put a hole in the top before baking. After cools and painted, add a loop and ribbon and hang from a tree inside or out.

Faux Stained Glass

Ingredients:
-Polymer Clay (translucent)
-Clear plastic sheet (folder, overhead project sheet)
-Tissue paper of your choosing
-Gel medium
-Craft knife
-Acrylic paint

Recipe:
Frame-
-Roll out polymer into a sheet (7 on pasta maker).
-Cut two "frames" with identical measurements.
(I cut 2 index cards to represent the outside and then inside of the frame as a guide.)
-Make small hole at top of each frame (they should meet when brought together)
-Bake as the polymer instructions indicate.
-Allow to cool.
-Paint frame with acrylic paint.
-After dry sand lightly with sandpaper and remove sections of paint.

"Glass":
-Cut two pieces a bit larger than the "window" of your frame of plastic and tissue paper.
-Spread a watered down gel medium over plastic. Attach right side of tissue paper to glue. -Carefully smooth out eliminating any bubbles.
-Repeat with other tissue/plastic. Allow to dry.
-Spread a thin layer of gel medium on the back of one of the tissue papers. Attach to second. -Plastic side out.

All Together:
-Sandwich everything together so that it goes window, plastic/tissue paper, window.
-Make sure the hole as the top meet.
-I used a little tape to make sure my "glass wouldn't move around too much inside the frame and then I gel mediumed all the edges. Wipe off gel medium that seeps out the edges or use it to fill the gaps.

Put in a hook, hang with ribbon or chain and hang in a window.

Easter Fun

After so many holidays using one color set it was really a treat to use a different palette for spring. (SPRING!)

Here are some of what I'm working on.

Idea 1:

Instead of Easter Baskets why not give someone a cute Easter cup?! Imagine finding one of these on your office desk or night stand!


Ingredients:
-coffee mugs in a Spring color- check your local Goodwill or thrift store. This cup was .99
-green napkins (Target is a great source)
-four different colors card stock
-pipe cleaner
-and of course CHOCOLATE!

Recipe:
I used cookie cutters to outline the flowers.
-Cut four flowers each a slightly different size.


-Poke a small hole in the center of the cut flower. (A push pin would work)
-Slide flowers onto a short green pipe cleaner.
-Cut napkin as indicated below and unfold.

-Stuff into cute mug and fill with chocolate.


-Plant flowers in. You could even tie a little tag and note with paper and ribbon to the mug handle.

More to come!

Try This at Home- Traci Bautista!

Each month Craft Cat has a Try This at Home Challenge. We pick one of our craft arts artists and have a hand at their DVD workshop. We then share some of what we came up with in the next issue.

We'd love to see what you're doing with Traci Bautista's Retro Rags Workshop: Funky Fabric Books. Send images or links to your blog to me at kelly@ccpvideos.com

Enjoy!

Rocks for Collage?

Where does Carrie Burns Brown find the rocks she adheres to her collages. And what does she use to glue them on?
-Cindy B.

Cindy,

Carrie says that she finds her agates all over at gem shops. She found a particularly nice selection at the Denver airport, proving that it's worth looking anywhere and everywhere for good craft supplies. If you're not connecting through Denver anytime soon, gem shops or online vendors might be your best bet.

Carrie calls her gems “agates” in her video, but there is a precise term for the type she uses: Brazilian agate slabs. They're readily available on eBay; search for "Brazilian agate slab" or "agate slab." Be sure to check the depth – Carrie uses thin ones.

A quick search brought me many gem websites. The first one is a fun learning tool for all the types of agates out there. The second website is a good example of a site ready to sell agates. I can't vouch for any of these sites from a customer standpoint, but they are good places to start your search.

http://www.greatslabs.com/
http://www.artfromgod.com/thinslabs-dealers.htm

Carrie attaches the gems with E-6000 Jewelry Glue or GOOP, both manufactured by Eclectic Products. A local jewelry or gem shop might be your best bet for purchasing jewelry glue, but you can find GOOP at the hardware store. Large craft stores like Michael's may have both glues.

Got questions about Creative Catalyst DVDs? Just ask!

Does PMC require a special oven?

I am interested in Sherri Haab's Precious Metal Clay DVD but need
to know how it is fired before I buy the DVD. Can I use my regular oven or
does it require special equipment?
-Sandra S.

Sandra,

Precious Metal Clay does require more than a regular oven, but you do have options (even an inexpensive one).

There are several types of metal clay: PMC, PMC+, and PMC3. All three can be kiln fired, but one of the clays, PMC3, can be fired with a butane torch like one used for creme brulee. Sherri demonstrates butane torch firing in her workshop. Just make sure that when you buy your clay, you get PMC3. The other varieties require much higher temperature to burn off the clay binder, and a butane torch just won't work.

You could also consider a small propane firing device like the SpeedFire Cone system, which would allow you to work with PMC+ or PMC3.

Editing Gloria Page

"Sometimes I think we can get so serious about our art we forget to play. And when I play, when I give myself the gift of playing that's really where I learn the most and do some of the things that make me the happiest." -Gloria Page



I found the above quote in the footage I'm editing of Gloria Page today. The final DVD will be *brimming* with goodies and I'm excited. (It's still a ways out yet but it will be worth the wait. Remember, I'm just step one of many :)

Above are 2 images from the DVD. Gloria carves all of her own stamps and even has a line of red rubber stamps based on her carvings. She is immensely talented and I had forgotten how many *IDEAS* she has for projects across the board. Incredibly inspiring!

Easter

So Easter is fast approaching and there's lots to be done. I'm currently plotting my Dayle Doroshow Try This at Home Challenge and I'm hoping the fun that is polymer will help me in creating a bunch of fun Easter treats (non-edibles clearly :)

I also have a ton of cards to make and send. Above is what family will be receiving in their mail boxes. The blue paper was PACKING PAPER inside a random box sent to Creative Catalyst. Susan the office manager keeps an eye out for such treasures for me and I have a TON of this stuff now. The paper on the birds I made using techniques learned while filming and then editing the Traci Bautista video. And the style of using pen lines is straight up Claudine Hellmuth...a style I now love since doing her Try This at Home Challenge last month. Little does my family know that each card comes from 4 or more people! Tweet!

Monday Rain

Oregon is having the typical finicky spring weather. Yesterday was ride-your-bike-in-shorts weather and today is bundle-yourself-in-a-sweater weather.

I'll begin working on Craft Cat tonight after the official work day is over. I moved a bunch of my art supplies out of CCP and therefor have to do some of the work at home in an apartment still filled with moving boxes.

Issue V should hit email in boxes next week Thursday-ish. I feel like I might have just cursed myself.

In the meantime however, check out the old issues.

PS- I made the above using what I learned in Claudine Hellmuth's first two DVDs as part of the Try This at Home Challenge. Check out this month's TTHC!

GA: Cimbabue

My community drawing class ended today and while I'm still debating on next term, I know that I need to start some independent studying of art history. I found a book with a somewhat fitting title (something like "The World's Greatest Artists") and I thought, why not post about it. Art History is good for the soul...I'm almost certain.

Meet: Cimbabue

Florentine artist Geiovanni Cimabue was known by several names including Bencivieni Di Pepo or Benvenuto Di Giuseppe and even the "Father of Italian Painting." That was apparently enough to get a reference in Dante's Purgatory. (Seems like it should.) He lived between 1240 - 1302 AD and Wikipedia says that he "is generally regarded as the last great painter working in the Byzantine tradition" which means that his work was flat (no perspective) and stylized. Although his images were flat, he was in the first wave of artists using naturalism. This means that he used more realistic proportions and shading on his figures.

The image here, "The Madonna of St. Francis" is a good representation of his work. He did a lot of frescoes and a lot with the Virgin Mary. (A popular subject matter of the time.)

He also discovered Giotto at age 10 (a local shepard boy at the time) and helped foster his artistic talent.

Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Happy Spring!

If you need a burst of color, go here: COLOR!

I have to admit I was a little mesmerized.

Virginia: Day 3

In movies they always have the artist characters covered in paint. (The current show Heroes has this for example.) This always sort of annoyed me because all the artists I know are really tidy. Artists don't want random color on their hands because those random colors might get into their palettes or onto their paintings and create mud. Who *are* these artists the movies portray? Then I met Virginia. She moves paint with everything from razors to squeegees to her own hands. (As seen in the picture). Not only is it fun to watch, it has beautiful outcomes.




Virginia left yesterday early and we were sad to see her go. Lynn is already planning on attending one of her workshops in September. How fun will that be?!?

Update: Virginia's DVD Acrylic Abstract Painting: The Evolving Image, is now available at Creative Catalyst Productions.

Viriginia Cobb: Day 2

I was out the first half of the day at drawing class but when I came back, WOW some of her paintings had really transformed! Virginia is not afraid of that paint. Unfortunately my camera is having close up problems but above is a shot of one of her three.

Update: Virginia's DVD workshop, Acrylic Abstract Painting: The Evolving Image is now available at Creative Catalyst Productions.

Virginia Cobb: Day 1

Virginia* arrived last night and we got the cameras rolling this morning. I'm sitting in on the filming and while they don't need me this afternoon, I'm learning so much I hope they let me stay!

Virginia is an acrylic non objective painter. She uses everything from her brushes to squeegees to her hands to move color and create texture. There was one point where we watched through the cameras as she squeezed out a giant gob of cadmium red light and we all sort of held out breaths in fear. But it looks amazing. She's fearless!

Below are close ups from some of the paintings she's working on this morning. She does amazing work with texture (visual and physical)

*Update: Virginia's DVD, Acrylic Abstract Painting: The Evolving Image, is now available at Creative Catalyst Productions.

Spring!

The air smelled so good this morning I couldn't believe it wasn't June. I'm currently in the middle of moving and have been spending every non-work hour working on my lower back pain. Between the Gloria Page DVD I'm currently editing to thinking about the fun projects in Claudine's new Beeswax Collage to the Dayle Doroshow Try This at Home Challenge, I'm seriously itching to play but no art projects will be started until I finish moving. (*sigh*) In the meantime, I'm dreaming up characters for future paintings and cards in Photoshop.

Try This at Home Challenge- Dayle Doroshow

During the month of March Creative Catalyst Productions is inviting polymer enthusiasts (or anyone curious) to try a hand at Dayle Doroshow's DVDs "International Inspirations." In these DVDs Dayle covers polymer basics, various methods for combining colors, how to work with a color theme and techniques galore. (I'm most exciting about the transfer methods.)

So pull out some polymer and inspiration, "International Inspirations" is the March Craft Cat challenge.

Come see what Dayle does: free previews.
Check out what Dayle is up to: Dayle's website.

Claudine's Video Preview

To order or learn more about Claudine's DVD, visit Creative Catalyst Productions.

Claudine Hellmuth's Beeswax Collage is Here!

Last night I was covering Jim's side of the office with streamers (it's his birthday today) and saw the boxes but didn't realize what they were. Claudine Hellmuth's Beeswax Collage DVDs are here! See a preview here. (scroll down toward bottom)

Why Yes Please

This weekend I attended the Creating Keepsakes convention in Portland, OR. I didn't take part in any of the classes (I have no talent when it coms to page layout) but I did explore the vendors. If you love paper, ribbon and color this is an event to attend. So much paper potential in one place!

Check out the Creating Keepsakes website for times and places.

The event travels all over the country so there is a good chance it's coming to a town near you!




PS- I'll find the names of the the above booths.