21 Secrets Conversations

 I am so excited to report that I am part of the wonderful interview series 21 Secrets Conversations by Connie Hozvicka. My interview goes live today.  Click on this link to see the interview.  It was recorded months ago. Connie has asked all the artists what their journey as an artist has been like. We had such a fun conversation I am sure you will enjoy it too.

Kate

Winner of 21 Secrets Fall Giveaway

The winner of my giveaway is .......  Number

That means you gma are my winner.  I'll contact you by email and let you know how to get into class on October 1. Thanks to everyone who entered, I wish I could have given away a spot for all of you. Don't forget you can still sign up by clicking on the link in the sidebar.


Kate

Bloom By Moon

I had the background of this page painted and waiting for whatever was to come next.  I also had a painting I thought I would cut up for collage elements.

I hadn't decided yet how to cut it up, I mean which parts I wanted to focus on so I ended up just cutting off 2 inches so the painting would fit into a cardboard sleeve I have to store papers.  I took the scrap into my studio and it blended in really well with this page. After added the collage elements a couple images appeared and the rest flowed. I'll still take apart this painting but at a later date.

I have been reading Amy Palko's Bloom by Moon ebook and exploring this new full moon.  In the Celtic tradition its the Vine Moon and in the Native American tradition its the Harvest Moon.  I really loved the phrase "What Seed Dreams will You" so I added it to my page.  I think I'll be doing some further writing on the idea.

Then I finished this page which was waiting for some words of wisdom.  Its seemed right to continue with the moon theme.

On Friday I was featured on Dirty Footprints Studio, go here to have a look. It all part of all the fun for 2 Secrets Falls coming up on October 1st.

The Winner Is

The winner of my giveaway for 21 Secrets Fall is:   Netty.  Netty I have emailed the information that you will need when the class starts.

For everyone else don't lament because I will be giving away another spot in the class later in September, so stay tuned to this spot for further announcements. Classes start October 1st.

Gate Leaf Cards

I saw these cards on Julie Fei Fan Balzer's blog.  They are made with a Scan and Cut machine which I own but have not used very much.  So I purchased the file she was selling to make these cards.  This one I made has a mistake in it. Some the green paper tore off on one of the leaves.  The idea is pretty simple and now I think I can go make my own designs.  You could really make stencils out of all the rejects. In fact its very easy to make stencils with this machine. I need to plan some time to do that very thing. That is why I wanted the machine in the first place. To make my own stencils, that are different from what you can buy. Sometimes I look at other blogs and I can identify the stencils that someone used.

I finished with all the preparations for my 21 Secrets class.  So happy that is done.  I think its going to be an amazing group of classes.  Don't forget to sign up here.  Today is last day to enter my giveaway, which is on a post here.  I'll be picking the winner today, so you have until this evening to enter. See my next post to see who the winner is.

I've seen some tea bag art lately on some sites I frequent. I usually drink tea that has round tea bags so I thought there might not be enough surface to draw anything.  Last night this bag was on my desk and decided to play with it. My pens and pencils were in my bag upstairs so I used the closest thing available. This turned out to be pitt artist brush markers, and I drew a simple woman and added her to an old book page.  I also used some distress stain to color around her. This was interesting to do.  I have some full size tea bags drying to try out next.  The surface is interesting and stained so it looks old right away. My friend Palma Rae from Rome has a whole used book full of drawings on tea bags. I think its a fun idea.

Check out the other folks at Paint party Friday.

21 Secret Fall Giveway

As many of you know I am teaching a course for 21 Secrets Fall.  As one of the teachers I get to give away a free class.  So this is your might be your lucky day.  If you click on the picture above you can go look at the course and see all the amazing classes.

So how do you enter?

1. Just leave a comment on my blog on this post and you get one entry in the drawing. If you could offer one art journaling tip, what would it be?
2. Follow me on twitter - 1 entry, if you already follow me you still get 1 extra entry.
3. Follow me on Facebook - 1 entry, if you already follow me you still get 1 extra entry.
4. If you post or tweet about the drawing - 2 entry's.
Just tell me in the comments your number of entry's and where you have posted. Also let me know how to contact you if you win.

So when will I choose a winner?

The giveaway will happen two weeks from today on  Friday August 29.  So enter and pass it on. Then check back here to see if you've won.

Now its time for some art, I am linking to Paint Party Friday, so here is some painting in my journal.

This is a 2 page spread in my journal for the Spectrum course.  The lesson was from the Desire month and focus was on the Sacred Feminine.  Each month in Spectrum we work with a different word and have several women giving classes.  Its been a wonderful course.





I started out by writing on the page my intentions, then slopping paint on top.  On the right side I focused on feminine symbols.  The noni, the chalice, moon and spiral amongst them. I chose the colors specifically for my intention. Purple for imagination, blue for trust, red for energy, passion, ambition and determination, and green for balance and growth. The dots represent the breath, that giver of life.  I've been using the oil based Sharpie for the white dots and it works pretty good.  It doesn't smell or anything like that. I know I am always looking for the perfect white pen. Often what others use just doesn't work for me. I found my gelly roll white pen worked over this paint too. I never seem to know if my pen is going to work on not. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't so its a long time before I toss them.

On the left side page was more a ghost image of the intense colors on the right. I immediately saw this Goddess figure in the background so I drew her with a scarlet-lime pen and colored in her hair with Pitt artist pens. I added more symbology with markers.

I'm Teaching in 21 Secrets this Fall

Click here to view more details

I am excited to be able to share that I am one of the teachers for 21 Secrets Fall.  If you've done any Art Journaling in the past five years you have probably heard about this wonderful course developed by Connie Hozvicka of Dirty FootPrints Studio. For each session of 21 Secrets she gathers together 21 amazing teachers who teach a variety of techniques and disciplines. Here is a list of all the teachers and links to their sites.

21 SECRETS FALL 2014 ARTISTS!

Amanda Knapp  

Bebe Butler  

Brian Kasstle  

Carolyn Dube  

Cathy Bluteau  

Dion Dior 

Donna Mulholland  

Erica Simpson 

France Papillon  

Jamie Ridler           

Jill Berry  

Karen Michel  

Kate Robertson  

Kimberly Davis  

Kristal Norton  

Latisha Guthrie  

Lauri Grimshaw-Cox  

Michelle Turbide  

Rachel Urista  

Sheri Ponzi  

Veronica Funk  

21 Secrets goes on sale today.  Woo Hoo how exciting is that. If you click on the link below it will take you to the 21 Secrets information page where you can find out more. There is early bird pricing so its a really good deal. If you plan to sign up please use this link as that is how teachers get paid, thru signup generated from their sites.

Click here to view more details

I think there are an amazing group of teachers this time around.  I'd love it if you came and played with all of us in this 21 Secrets Art Journal Workshop.  I hope you'll join us.

There Is Nothing Like A Dream To Create The Future

I made these two pages during 21 Secrets Live.  They have absolutely nothing to do with the program covered. She came out of the background, I hadn't intended to do a portrait at all.

This started out with torn book pages and layers of paint.  Then I added some acrylic inks and lifted and re added over and over. Its very yellow and orange underneath it all. Then I decide to throw images on top.  All the collage is from an old calendar.  I often like to cut up old calendars and use the parts for new pages. I liked the quote "There is nothing like a dream to create the future." If you want a certain life, start dreaming it and then make it happen.

Here is a sketch I drew on Sunday. I was speaking at church so I didn't have too much time to devote to the sketch. Normally I would have written on the dress or something but this will have to do for now.

New Books Are The Best

I got an order of books in the mail today.  That is always such fun.  I have been watching Jennifer Lee's Right Brainers in Business so I just had to get a copy of her book.  It looks like its going to be excellent.

I had taken Joanne class a few years ago and have always be enamored of her lettering style.  The book is a gem, full of examples, techniques and so inspiring.

On Wednesday in 21 Secrets Live we played with watercolors through the tutelage of Diana Trout. What fun that was.

WRITING

Today I found out that I received the scholarship to Beth Barany's Group Coaching for Novelists that I applied for a few months ago.  This gave me 50% off the price of the group and elevated me to the second tier.  A really good value. I am so excited to take the next step. To invest in myself, to make my dream come true. I believe if we really want something and don't know how to get there, we find a way.  This is a big step for me. Its going to be pretty all consuming and I know I will need to give up some things to have the time to do it.  I'm ready though, its time to take the plunge and really invest in this dream of mine.

Do you find there is something holding you back from achieving something? Maybe its time for you to step up, to take the leap, to go for it.  Reach for the sky my friends.

Getting Back to Some Art

With my focus on weaving and other projects there has been no time for art.  I have not even working in my journal for over a week I was missing it. I had an exercise to do for one of my courses but I felt uninspired so I did nothing.  So I needed a jump start to get back in the flow.  Just paper and oil pastel does that for me.

So after playing in pastel I was ready to tackle the labyrinth page I needed to do.

The background is old maps and the labyrinth was made with watercolor.  For me the labyrinth journey was all about courage and preparation for the trip I will take in a couple month.  I see the figure as having strength, the will to be prepared for anything.  This was a great exercise.



Today for 21 Secrets our guest Violette was doing faces with markers but I ended up doing my work with oil pastel and collage.  All the collage elements are from an old calendar.  She seems like a plant maiden of a sorts. She was fun to make. The face was done on cardstock and glued down.  I had many frustrating moments where I did not like what I was making, but I pushed on through. It always more satisfying to do art that way.

How often do you find that you are not happy with your art but you keep at it and find a pleasing gem at the end?

Linking to Paint Party Friday.

Being Bold

This is a page in my 21 Secrets journal.  I did it when Julie Fei Fan Balzer was the guest.  I made a stenciled background and then drew the face on with black marker.  That was hard to do.  I decided to just be bold.  Julie gave a great presentation and made it easy to just go for it.  I love that one eye is pink and the other is blue. This was fun.  I think I will try the technique more often.

In one of my other journals 3 sisters take a moonlit walk.It started with paint scraped and then the figures appeared.  I decided to put them out at night.

Linking to Paint Party Friday. Go here to see what other artists are doing today.

21 Secrets Give Away

Hali Karla, one of my fearless painter friends is having a giveaway on her blog for 21 Secrets, the great online journaling class, puto n by Dirt Footprints Studio, How can you not be inspired by 21   amazing teachers.  She gives you five chances to enter, you can enter here.

Art Journal Playground - 21 Secrets

Have you heard about this class. Its just about to start and it sounds like an Art Journalers Dream. Go here to find out more about it and to sign up of course. Its put on by Connie of Dirty Footprints Studio and she invited twenty other people to take part. 

She is giving away 2 spots in the class which is why I am posting today. I would have talked about it anyways because I always like to share the good things I find online.

I have wanted to take Connie's class BIG but it has just never fit in my schedule with my surgery and recovery time. She is one of the lovely talented ladies who will be teaching. So I would love to learn from her.  I also can't wait to see what my friends Lis Hofmann and iHanna offer in their videos. These are two other awesome ladies I have met on line and love their work. It will be great to learn more form them. But get this there are eighteen other people teaching in the class. I am sure it will perfectly awesome.  There is the well known Samantha Kira, Dawn Sokol, Sarah Whitmire and so many more artists. This class sounds so awesome, check it out here