Artists Sheds and Studios Update

A popular post in my blog is about the artist studio I want to build in the backyard. (See older posts) We still have not built it, but are planning to this summer. I wanted to share with you some magazines that have come out about artist's studios, if you have not discovered them already!
The first is "Where Woman Create" by Stampington Studios. It is full of inspiring pictures and stories of artists, their work and their studio. You can see some issues here: http://www.stampington.com/html/awc_02032009_wwc.html

Another useful and inspiring magazine is "Studios" by Cloth.Scissors.Paper. It can be seen here: http://www.interweavestore.com/Mixed-Media/Magazines/Studios.html Both magazines can be ordered online or bought at JoAnns or other craft stores.

Nineteen inspiring sheds like the one pictured above can be found on the "Sunset" page: http://www.sunset.com/home/outdoor-living/great-backyard-sheds-and-cottages-00400000058405/page22.html Be sure to click on the artist shed in the group!

Here is a very interesting group of pictures of an artist shed being built - be sure to go to page 2! http://www.alexandrablythe.co.uk/shed.htm

Finally, I found a short article about considerations in building your art studio in a shed: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2034791/find_inspiration_with_a_beautiful_artists.html?cat=2 The author has written many more articles on sheds: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Florin_Ciobanu I stopped counting the shed articles at 50 - a wealth of information is here!

Please look at the shed books in my posts and my Amazon list on the right side! They are the best shed books I have found for inspiration! Have fun planning a studio!

If you have an artist's studio or shed, send me a picture and I will post it - (my email in profile) or send me a comment about your studio!

Teaching Art on a Cruise Ship!

I had the opportunity over the holidays to teach art on a cruise ship which is a dream of mine! My husband and I taught 7 destination art projects on a 14 day cruise on The Explorer of the Seas. The cruisers in the classes really enjoyed the art projects; several of them wanted to know where to get the art supplies so they could start creating themselves! I was lucky enough to teach adults and children from around the world. The cruise and ports were absolutely beautiful! I am looking forward to being assigned to another ship!

New Year - Time to Grow as an Artist

At the new year, I always study another art media so I can grow as an artist. Last year I learned all about polymer clay and created a bicycle themed Mosaic. This year I have become very interested in fabric etching, especially the process of devore. Several artists purchase scarves already etched and dye them, but I will etching my own designs.

I plan to add scarves to my booth this year in cut velvet and satin devore.

Fall Shows

Thanks to all my customers from the fall shows of Oktoberfest and Ohio Mart. They were fun shows and I enjoyed meeting all of you!

I do not have art shows scheluded for October and November this year. I broke my right arm in July and it is not healing properly. I am taking some time off to try to avoid surgery.

I have plenty of pendants and will be listing them on Etsy in the coming weeks. http://www.applecreekdesigns.etsy.com/. For those of you in Dayton, there will be a selection of pendants at the Dayton Visual Arts Center at their "Art to Buy". If you are in Canton, Ohio I should have the pendants in the Canton Museum of Art gift shop soon!

Fall Art Shows

Stan Hywet Ohio Mart

I had great art shows at Shaker Village in Kentucky and Holiday at Home in Kettering. For my next show, I will be at the Dayton Art Institute Sept. 26 and 27 for Oktoberfest. The art, food and atmosphere makes for a fun weekend! Please plan to join us in celebrating fall!

Another fantastic show I will be exhibiting in is "Ohio Mart" at Stan Hywet in Akron, Ohio. Another beautiful setting with the mansion, gardens and greenhouse! It is a four day show from Thursday October 1 to Sunday October 4th. If you have never been there, it is a beautiful setting with great artwork!

St. John's Hospital Arts Festival

I will be exhibiting my fused glass pendants and redware pottery at St. John's Hospital Arts Festival July 10 - 12 in Westlake, Ohio. (West Cleveland) I will be located in the middle of the show where the two paths meet. This is a big show and well worth attending if you are in the area!

Warren County Festival of the Arts

Carillon Park Heritage Day

My first art show of the year is at Carillon Park in Dayton on Sunday, May 24! The admission to the historical park is free, which is usually $8.00 (Parking is $2.00 onsite) There will be concerts, artists, concessions, historical talks and more. A great value and fun for the family.

Just Twittering Away Time!

I guess I am like many new Twitterers - I am spending way too much time looking at Twitter posts,searching subjects and people,and being amazed at the immediateness of it all! I also enjoy connecting to all the artists, art news and the Etsy merchants.

It is also fun to be in the middle of Pop Culture. Today, Paris was trying on hats to wear to the Kentucky Derby - she sent pictures of her with the hats on Twitter. She wanted to know which ones we liked. It is fun to read Paula Abdul's and Ryan Seacrest's posts after an American Idol Show or Paula Poundstone and Jay Leno's jokes.

Why should we care? Just the curiosity of what people are doing - especially people like me. I enjoy hearing what other Artists created today, what they are selling and the hardships of creating and being a mother at the same time.

I find that I do not have much to say on Twitter yet...I need to get my artwork on Etsy and some art shows going. I will never get the art done if I keep reading Twitter! Join me on Twitter on the right - I am "applecreek".

A Spring Twitter

Wow! I just signed up for Twitter! I enjoy reading the up to the minute posts by the celebs and news organizations. This will be another way to communicate about my artwork. I am following other artists and designers to discover what is new and current. The great thing is I can do it all from my Ipod Itouch, which I dearly love! "Tweetie" for $2.99 is a great app to use for the Itouch or Iphone! Follow me as "applecreek" or see the right side of the blog to link up.

Thanksgiving...Mom's Cooking

My best memories of Thanksgiving, as many of us, was when I was a child. The house would be full of visitors, food and love. My Grandparents often came from Kentucky for the holiday and my Mom would make all her Thanksgiving food specialties.

My Mom loved it when I was grown with my own children and we had her and dad at our house to celebrate.I did most of the cooking so she could relax.

Now that my kids are in their 20's and my husband's parents and my parents have past on, we have been invited to an Aunt Ruth's house for Thanksgiving dinner. I am just making rolls. Time to relax and enjoy....

But wouldn't you know it, my younger son called the other day very excited from work! His boss gave the employees a free turkey! So now I have a 20 pound frozen turkey and a promise to our children that we will have our own second Thanksgiving later this week at home, just the four of us.

There is nothing like Mom's cooking....

Autumn Days

Autumn is here! Enjoy the season! Here in Ohio, the trees are still colorful, due to a warm and dry fall. I am embracing warm spiced apple cider, pumpkin cookies, and fires in the fireplace.

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting
and autumn a mosaic of them all."
- Stanley Horowitz

Yellow Springs Art Fair

I am excited to be an exhibitor at the Yellow Springs Art Fair, October 11. My booth will be located near the BP Station. I will have plenty of peace sign pendants and a new small oblong pendant charm size for $10.00. I will have several hundred regular size pendants with images inside. Come join the fun of the street fair and stop by at my booth!

Art Shows

Wow! You never know about an art show! The Cleveland Westlake St. John's Hospital Festival of the Arts was fantastic! Great crowds and sales! Although there were two large downpours on Saturday, it was a record show for me. This show is crowded the whole time. I remember looking at the crowd 15 minutes before the show closing on Sunday and there were still more people walking around than the average art show on a good day! Cleveland residents sure love their arts!

A perk of a Cleveland show is to make a short trip and a walk on the beach at Lake Erie. We visit the lake once a year and can tell the improvement of the cleanliness of the water each year.

Another adventure was unfortunately getting the van stuck in the mud on Friday. From being out of town, we had no idea of how much rain they have had. My sons and husband got it unstuck with lots of muscle power, plywood and a jack. Much thanks went to the other men who helped to push. By Saturday night, there was a tow truck pulling other large vehicles from the field, since it had rained even more!

The next show is this Saturday, another Art in the Heart of Centerville from 3 - 8 pm. This time most of the show will be in Jolie's parking lot - so everyone will be closer to the music and children's activities. The only problem is that we will not be as visible from the street. If you are in town, please stop by!

Art Festival at St. John's Hospital, Westlake Ohio

Next Friday starts the Arts Festival at St. John's Hospital in Westlake, Ohio - a suburb west of Cleveland! I will be attending and selling my Fused glass pendants, earrings, and redware pottery. My booth is pretty much in the center of the show, where the wandering walking path meets itself in the middle. The show has an attendance of 25,000 and it has a variey of artists and craftspeople. I hope to see you there! More information can be found on their website: http://www.sjws.net/festival-arts/index.htm

Art with an Attitude

It is the art show season for me and the next is coming up on Friday. It is part of the Americana Festival in Centerville on the fourth. They have a juried fine art and fine crafts festival called Art with an Attitude at Benhams Grove. Stop by my booth in Benhams, I will have fused glass pendants and soldered charms that are new for me.

The Art in the Heart of Centerville show continues in July, August, and September on the last Saturday of the month in the center of Centerville and in the surrounding shops. It runs from 3 - 8 pm. Last Saturday, we were dodging bad weather, but as the sun came out, so did the people. There was great music, art, children's activities and free food samples from nearby businesses!

Art in the Heart of Centerville

I will be exhibiting in the Art in the Heart of Centerville this Saturday from 3 - 8 pm. I will in the parking lot behind Salon One in the center of town. There will also be music and kid's activities. In my booth, I will have my fused glass pendants with the designs inside. I am also making fun collages in soldered glass pendants that I hope will be done by Saturday. I do hope the weather cooperates!

The Art in the Heart runs the last Saturday of the month in June through September. Sounds like fun! Grab an ice cream cone from Graeters, look at the art and listen to the music!

Our Pond

I want to share some pictures of our front yard pond. It consists of four ponds around an evergreen tree. The sound of the fountain and falling water invites me to sit on the benches or rocking chair and relax. I have a few small fish in it and need some frogs. I only have frog statues for now.

Sidewalk Painting - Fun for Everyone!

With summer here, I was thinking about a fun, free art project that I did as a child - sidewalk painting! Our neighbor gave us a wide house painting brush and a can of water. Her grandson and I painted the sidewalk with fun designs and watched them disappear in the sunshine. A spray bottle filled with water was fun too!

For a few dollars, you can use sidewalk chalk for a longer lasting design. Crayola now has several sidewalk paints and sprayers that can be purchased, but to me, the water designs were the best!

Above is one of the remarkable 3-D sidewalk pictures of Julian Beever. Below are Chinese men painting stories and characters on the sidewalk with water.

More Artists Sheds

I was so excited when I received a comment from Debra Prinzing, the author of Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways! This is one of the inspiring shed books that I wrote about in my first artist sheds posts. (Look in the comments sections to that post below)Debra has a shed blog, http://www.shedstyle.com/, for more information on cool shed ideas! She also has a web page at http://www.debraprinzing.com/ with more information about her book. Debra was a featured guest on Martha Stewart Living Radio - here is the link to the interview. http://www.debraprinzing.com/articles.php?article_id=51.

Debra helps me to get inspired about my dream of having my own artist shed! Check out the links and imagine! Thanks Debra!

An Old Cookbook Find!

Today my Optimist Group, South Metro Optimist, started their bi-annual garage sale. As was helping and shopping, I spotted an old cookbook from 1933, "All About Home Baking". It was written by General Foods and has lots of step by step pictures of baking and some fun color pictures.

I enjoyed this picture which has the products in the cupboard with their 1930's designs.

I found a recipe that my mom always made for us when we were kids - "Old Fashioned Jelly Roll". Then by using that recipe, there are variations for a "Lemon Sponge Roll" that I would love to make.

What fun looking at all these delicious recipes!

Artist Cottage/ Studio/ Shed

I think all artists and creative people would love their own place to work away from the disturbances and interruptions of the household. I have been looking into building a backyard shed to serve as a creative oasis for my art. There's something special about a small place that you can retreat to, be alone, and create.I got inspired a long time ago when visiting Williamsburg and wandering through the gardens and outbuildings. I remember an outbuilding bakery with delicious molasses cookies, warm out of the oven. There were walkways, gardens, picket fences and gates with a cannon ball weight to close them.I have found two very inspiring books about backyard cottages or sheds. One is Ideas for Great Backyard Cottages. It is filled with pictures of sheds, studios, pool houses, cottages and cabins. There is information about planning and building your structure. The other is Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways: Big Ideas for Small Backyard Destinations. This book goes more in depth about 28 structures and includes several artist studios.

These books are the inspirational ones - there are many more basic books with plans, building specifics and materials. I am the dreamer - my sons and husband are the practical ones.

There are even blogs that I found on sheds of all types: http://www.shedworking.co.uk/ and http://www.shedblog.co.uk/.

I will keep you updated on my shed - hopefully it will be a dream that comes true for this artist!

June Gardening - Lavender, Sunflowers, & Italian Heather

I spent the afternoon today planting the garden, annuals and herbs. I found some lavender at Home Depot - when I rub the leaves it smells divine. It will bloom later this summer.
We transplanted Mammoth Sunflowers that my son had grown from seed. They are already over a foot tall and growing every day. The next gardening job is the pond cleanup and planting more annuals in the beds. It is so hot, so early here in Ohio...but it was nice to just be outside!
My Italian Heather which was doing so very well a few weeks ago is starting to yellow and die. I don't know if it got too much heat or sun - perhaps it got too dry. I noticed many readers are reading my post about the heather - let me know if you have found an answer. How is your heather doing?

Gocco Printing Videos

There are some videos I found that show artists printing with Gocco. Just click on the picture in the video section on the right hand side. Besides seeing the gocco image made, flashed and printed you will pick up several tips while viewing. Enjoy!

More Student Artist Trading Cards

While wondering through Etsy searches, I found a book full of ATC, both Artists and Students!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10290400

What a great book to inspire children with artwork from their peers and artists creating exactly what they are - ATC. This book was written by a teacher. The profits from the book are used to buy the book for students!

Artists Trading Cards (ATC) for Kids!

I am an elementary art teacher and I am always looking for projects that the kids love to do! My students have been excited by creating artists trading cards. What is an ATC?

These cards are always 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 " in size. They are small pieces are art that are made to be traded with others. The cards can be made on any paper or material in any medium.

Many of the children love to work in editions of their favorite creatures or inventions. Some children do not like to trade all of their work, so they make some for themselves and also for trade. The excitement is to have a collection of these small artworks.

I get scraps of mat board from a recycle and reuse center. The mat board can be cut on a paper cutter to the 2.5 x 3.5 " size. You could ask at any framing center for their leftover pieces.

My students like to use either markers or crayola watercolor pencils. With the watercolor pencils, they can draw their pictures, add a little water to the pictures with a brush to easily

make a painting with no mess! They can also use pictures from magazines, pencil, stamps, tempera paint or any thing your child feels comfortable creating with.

Organize a neighborhood ATC exchange among the kids this summer! It will keep them busy and creating art!

The Artist Trading Cards included are from students from Union City Schools, PA.

Sad News for Gocco Users

In a news release, Riso Kagaku said that they will discontinue shipments of the Print Gocco due to a sharp decrease in demand. Luckily for us gocco users, they will continue sales of supplies, such as ink for the Gocco for the time being. See the full article here:


http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=18414

I have a beautiful Gocco machine that I have not used yet - This makes me worry about how long the supplies will be available....I feel that I should stock up on ink, screens and flashbulbs! Any comments?

Sun Impatiens

Now that I am on the subject of flowers, here is another one of my favorites - Viva Sunpatiens! They are impatiens that can be placed in the FULL SUN. I have had them in my planter for the last two years and they are so vibrant in color and growth! They are sold at Home Depot.

Italian Heather - Ventricosa

I just love this plant. I received it as a mother's day present - it was bought at Lowe's in the greenhouse section. I don't know much about it except that it does not like the frost. I have mine in the shade/sun and it has not dropped a single bloom!

Enjoying Spring Flowers

I just love spring! The beauty, smells and all the flowers. My son and I were taking a bike ride yesterday on a wooded path. Many of the trees were in bloom and we could smell them as we rode. I went to a garden center a few days ago and could not help from smiling as I walked through the greenhouse, looking at all the flowers. Tomorrow I will plant some annuals. I am going with peach, orange and pink this year. Seeing all these flowers makes me want to paint them!

Check out my Slide Show!

These designs are available on http://applecreekdesigns.etsy.com/

PG Arts Large Gocco Printer

I just received an email that the PG Arts Large Pg6 is now available for $395 at Paper Source in the US. This is the printer that I have and that is pictured in this blog. When I put one in my cart, it said that it qualifies for free shipping! That makes it quite a savings from buying it from Japan. Click here: http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/450682?cm_mmc=papersource-_-stock-_-blank-_-NA

Happy Easter and Spring! Inspiration is Everywhere!

I want to wish a happy spring season to everyone! This is a season of renewal - it is important to grab this opportunity to look at yourself, your life, your artwork and think how you can change things for the better. Get outside in the warmth, energize yourself and others around you! Start creating something beautiful in your artwork to share with others.

Many times students will ask me where I get inspiration for my art? I always say to open your eyes and just look around! I look carefully at nature, books, magazines, fabric and fashion. There is also such great Folk Art, the beautiful artwork done by everyday people in many cultures. I often use this art as an inspiration for my clay, glass, or gocco printing.

When I was in Corning, New York last spring attending "Hot Glass Horizons", I took a walk into town to window shop. In one window was a display of Ukrainian Easter Eggs, or pysanky, by a folk artist who had passed on. I want to share them with you. I do not know the woman's name, I did take a picture of her that was on display.

These eggs are so beautiful and intricate! For inspiration in my own work, I would look at the colors, designs and patterns of these eggs. A small part of a pattern could be repeated for border for a gocco print on a notecard or drawn on my fused glass.

So open your eyes this spring and see what you can find to inspire YOU!

I Have Been Honored with a Teaching Award!

I had the nicest surprise from my Principal at school today. A staff member nominated me for the Excellence in Education award and a group of my peers accepted my nomination! Each school in the district has a winner and they are recognized at a dinner in April. Wow! I am surprised and honored! I love teaching elementary art and my students are an inspiration to me!

What Should I Gocco First?

Well, the beautiful new Gocco - see the post below - is still sitting in the box in the living room. I have blogged about it, shown it to my fellow art teachers, read the "New Gocco Guide" and the instructions - and put it all back in the box.

What is this phenomenon that I as an artist go through so many times? I get so excited about a medium, whether it is Precious Metal Clay, Fused Glass, or Gocco. I spend countless hours researching the medium on the web, buy books on the subject and admire other artist's work.

I finally order the supplies, anxiously await their arrival, examine it all - then I always procrastinate making the first piece of art. With me it is always the fear of failure, the question of will it sell and then wondering if I will continue with it.

Perhaps I am over thinking and I should just plow ahead for arts sake, forgetting about the failure, salability, or if it will be a part of my life. I need to JUST DO IT!

So what shall I Gocco first? I have bought cardstock for cards, journals to print on, and paper for prints. I should just keep it simple - I always tend to go overboard with anything I do. My first silkscreen (below) in college was 20 colors!

What did YOU Gocco first? Leave a comment and share!

How To Break the “Rules” in Art and Get Away with It!!

Many of us have taken art classes in schools, colleges, and at art centers with instructors who are set in their ways. We have followed their “rules” of art and are scared to deviate from them. I am saying it is time to step out of the box and experiment with your media!

There are always certain rules that must be followed in each medium so the artwork is sound and will not break or deteriorate. I have been making fused glass and I need to stay with the known firing schedule for the glass so it does not crack. But I have been able to experiment with the inclusions between the glasses and have created great results.

As an art teacher, I am a great believer in learning the basics of design, color and the fundamental aspects of your media. After you have had success with the nuts and bolts of your chosen media, it is time to step out of the box and make it your own!

For example, the scrapbooking and collage movements have really pushed the combination of mediums in ways that we never thought before. There are many collage artists that have experimented and have developed a look that is all their own. Art is an ever-changing process throughout the centuries. We look back to what has been done and build upon it.

For example, I started creating Redware Pottery 20 years ago. One of my majors in college was clay, so I knew the basics of the medium. I studied the 18th century techniques of sliptrailing and sgraffito for knowledge of how it was created in that time period. Then I made up my own recipes for slips to create the look I wanted.

I forged ahead and broke the “Rules” in two areas. Redware has the traditional colors of clay and beige slips. My customers started asking for more colors and I then went my own way using the techniques of traditional Redware, but in more modern colors and designs.

The other rule breaker was the firing. I wanted to see if my Redware plates and ornaments could be fired once in the kiln instead of traditional bisque and a glaze firing. The once fired pottery turned out just fine – saving me hundreds of hours involved in two firings.

I am just getting started with Gocco printing. I talked to one artist on Etsy about her printing and found out that she includes three types of printing in her art, not just the Gocco. I would have thought of that concept eventually, but I was so set in my ways learning the basics of Gocco, I had not gotten to that point yet. Mixing the printing techniques opens up the door to so many different looks!

So, it is time to step out of your comfort zone and the box! Break the rules! Experiment! Mix medias and techniques and see where it takes you! Have fun with your art and enjoy the process!

New Pg Arts Gocco Printer!

I am excited! I just received my Gocco Printer from Japan. It is a Print Gocco Arts model (PG Arts) and is much larger than the other models. It also has a table to help register multiple colors. I took pictures of it when I unpacked it. Many of the pictures are ones I have never seen online. There has been so much interest on Etsy lately that I thought you would be interested in seeing it! I was a print major in college and I am excited to be silkscreening again. I will post my first prints soon!

An Art Project to Spark Your Creativity!

I am an elementary art teacher. Recently we received some beautiful vellum paper (like thick tracing paper) for free from the recycle and reuse center. My husband, also an art teacher, created this simple symmetrical drawing project using the vellum. I started doing some drawings as examples and it really sparked my creativity. The kids loved it and all the teachers that have enjoyed seeing them hung in the windows.

Here are the directions and some pictures. The trick is to just draw....don't worry about it being a work of art - just draw, trace and color. Do it with a child...I have had kids coming in at recess to finish theirs!

You need some tracing paper, vellum or thin white paper that you can see through.

Fold the paper in the center. Make it a softer fold so it does not break the paper. Draw half of your design in pencil. It is nice to have a center element.

Draw over your design in marker. Turn the paper over, put the paper on a surface that will help you see through the paper. Trace with marker onto the other side of the

paper.

Open the paper up, and add color with markers. I actually used Crayola water markers - they worked well over the vellum. Use the side of the marker for smooth strokes. If you want to add more black lines for patterns and designs - draw on one side, fold and trace the lines to the other side.

Hang in a window and enjoy! ( you may want to use permanent marker for less fading). Remember to have fun and get your creativity going!

New Artwork in Etsy Store "Applecreek Designs"

I have opened my Etsy shop at http://applecreekdesigns.etsy.com/ I create fused glass pendants with images fired inside! They are metallic images on black glass with a clear cover or black images on white with colored glass over the image.

This is a technique that I developed myself and the pendants are very reasonably priced! The metallic images do have a shine to them and are done in gold, reddish pink and green colors.

The other colorway is a black image under transparent colored glass. Many of these look very retro with their silhouette images.

My subject matter of the images is very wide from nature, art, or retro. I have over a hundred different pendants - it will take me a while to list them on ETSY!

Please bookmark or heart my store and come back frequently for new designs.