Upside Down

this is my submission to Stretching Art. It is a lot of surface design. the picture isn't very good.

More stamps with their fabric

Here are two more I did yesterday. The carved stamps on on the left and the stamped fabric is on the right. I really am enjoying them. These blocks are so much easier to carve than a lino block. It is almost like cutting through butter. I did two more a fern and a lotus flower. I will get those up later! I am actually sick again today. I am feeling a little better, but didn't sleep because of the coughing and stuffiness, so I actually took the day off work.

What to do when you aren't feeling well...

I was sick yesterday. It is my usual day off and Tuesdays are my play days so that was a really sad for me, but I just can't lay in bed all day, so I carved stamps. This one I call my swirly one. Great and imaginative name, right? What can I say my head hurts! This one is carved using the crumply ereaser material from Speedball. They have two different types of carving blocks, this one which isn' t the best, and another, which is great (it is pink). I will come back later and give the actual names for reference.

Stewart Gill Deep Etched Stamps

I have been playing with Stewart Gill paints since Christmas and love them. They also sell a "deeply etched" rubber stamp and I really wanted to try it. When stamping on fabric, it is hard to get a really detailed stamp to work on fabric, and they claimed that this one would. Well, being me, I wanted to see for myself, and I am so pleased with the results. It passed with flying colors. For those in the States who would like to check into this line of paints, try http://artistcellar.com/. Liz is very nice. I recommend the Byzantine line, metallica, and Pearlized ( get their whites - they are awesome). They are by far my favorite. Although there Colourize line is very nice, I have a large inventory of Golden Acrylics and don't see why I should buy two lines! I just ordered their embossing powders and flakes. This is painted and stamped directly onto timtex.

Plexiglass Etched Cat

Here is a cat that I etched. I do like it and would like to add different colors to it. My only problem is that I think it looks like the lady who does that cat fabric. I think her name was Lauren Burch. I will have to google her and see.

Etching on Plexiglass

I am taking another printmaking class. This was etched with a sharp object into plexiglass then printed. I didn't work from a sketch but just started doodling. My life drawing teacher would probably cringe at the out of proportion features - maybe it gives it character.

Vessel panel two

This is another side of the vessel.

Fiberella Workshop Vessel

This past Friday was my birthday. I gave myself a two day workshop with "Fiberella". It was wonderful. Here is one side. I wasn't too happy with the look but I do like the idea. I ended up using some Stewart Gill paints on it also. That was another birthday present. What great paints! I bought them from Liz at the Art Cellar.

Urchin Bead

I just spent the last three days at Beadazzles a bead store here in Atlanta taking classes with Marcia DeCoster. This is one of the components for the Urchin lariet. It was great fun. I also took her free-form bracelet. Marcia is an incredibly creative bead designer. Her designs are unique and her teaching inspiring! She is coming back next year and I can't wait! Take a look at her website www.marciadecoster.com.

Also in the class was one of my favorite people, Annie Hess. I met Annie a few years ago when I took her doll class, Twisted Sister. The great news is that Alice at Beadazzles is having her back to teach a mixed media necklace in October of this year. I will try to get a picture posted soon. I STRONGLY recommend this class, it will be wonderful!

Experiments with Golden Acrylic Gels and Mediums

Following are some experiments I am working through on combining acrylic collage techniques and fiber/art quilts. I have to run now, but will return this afternoon and put in "descriptions" of techniques. If you have ever tried anything similar, please email me. I would love to hear other people's experiences and do's/don'ts.

Thanks, Sharon

Experiment with Golden's metallic flake mediums

Experiment with gels and tissue paper collage

Using Fiber paste and then stitched

Using Embossing Powders

I Love To Sew at Atlanta Sewing Center

Next Saturday, January 12th, I am demonstrating fiber bowls at the Atlanta Sewing Center on Barrett Pkwy for their "I Love To Sew" program. The demo starts at 10 am. These are two of the samples that I made. It should be a lot of fun. They are super easy!

New Lino Block to Carve

In some cultures, there are deities that are kept around for protection. They are fierce looking beings to scare off bad things and "evil". I am creating my very own "Protector" for 2008. He is based on an Indian (as in India) deity. I haven't finished designing the rest of the background and as soon as I do, I will carve the lino block. When he is finished, I will have to find a name for him!

Finished print

I finished carving my block and pulled a few prints! It turned out much better than I thought it would. I have already started drawing on my next! Unfortunately, I do back to work tomorrow (oh, no) and will not have the time that I have had in the past two weeks to work. The good news is Utreck Art Supply is very close to my office and I can run out at lunch and get more printmaking paper as well as more Golden's Gel medium!

A second smaller acrylic painting

I started this much smaller canvas (5 x 5) at the same time as the larger one. I really like what is happening on it.

Same painting, Phase two

Okay, this is the same painting as in the last entry, but I have added a few more layers - maybe ten???!!! I haven't decided which end is up yet or what the focus point will be. I am thinking of adding some lutrador pieces to it as the focus, but not sure how that would work.

May Everyone have a wonderful 2008!

It is January 1st. 2007 wasn't the best year for me. I rarely go in to "life details" on my blog, but as this is the new year, I decided it was appropriate. I have been sooo sick this past year. I was diagnosed with Graves Disease two years ago and have been looking for a "natural" solution; unfortunately, I have only let it get much worse. I have zero energy and zero tolerance for B.S. I have gained almost 30 pounds (also not great for my health) and am just generally blue! I am not a blue person. At first I kept thinking it was just the universes way to bring balance. I needed to see this side of life to reach even greater happiness. Well, I am not buying that anymore. I am taking charge of my happiness again and will really spend 2008 on me! I am probably going to have my thyroid removed or "fried" permanently soon. I am going to focus on my needs and not worry about the "should's" of life. I am also going to try not to over commit my time (this is definitely the hardest for me). I am truly blessed with a wonderful husband who truly is filled with unconditional love and I am so grateful for him. I have two great boys 14 and 18; they are truly nice kids but still teenage boys and therefore a handful. Jamie just not his acceptance at University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. He hasn't applied anywhere else, but says he is still planning on it.

The picture is a canvas I am working on in acrylics. I have decided to spend more time on painting this year too (along with the printmaking). I am hoping that ideas will be able to flow more easily from the different mediums. This painting is being built up in layers. At the time this picture was taken it only has about three layers.