The Art Dept

    Yes it’s true. Fifty shades barely scratches the surface of gray.  Mix black and white paint and you get gray. Big deal, ho hum, boring. Here’s another thought: mix any two complementary colors to white and get gray, which makes the actual number of grays infinite. That, to me, is exciting. No, more than that. It’s inspiring!    My husband and I  thought we were being totally original when we decided to go with a gray and white palette for our guest room. Once we started on that project, however,  it seemed like everyone I met was going with gray and white in their home decor projects. News flash: it’s a trend!        The great thing we discovered about gray and white in a bedroom is that the overall effect is calming. I can go in that room any time of the day and feel peaceful, because the mood is softly undemanding. When on those rare occasions I luxuriate into an afternoon nap, the gray and white room is ...

What : In this fun and inspiring workshop we will use a variety of collage materials to create a one of a kind art jewelry piece. Materials include printed words and phrases, acrylic paint films, bits of canvas, strips of leather, various handmade papers, and beads made from paper. I will demonstrate ways to combine words and pictures to tell a story both personal and wearable, then put it all together with various beads and findings. No previous jewelry making experience is required All materials are supplied Snacks, coffee and drinks are available  Where : The workshop will take place in my inspiring and peaceful country art studio When : Saturday, Feb 24, from 10 - 12AM To register for Wearable Words and Pictures  go here  

     If you were to come to one of my shows, you may hear me refer to the jewelry pieces as collages of "all kinds of stuff from my studio.” And that is an accurate statement. After all, they are called Parts of Art, and they originated from the stuff in my studio.  Here is one of my favorite Parts parts, and the story behind it.       I occasionally make cards and frameable art pieces that involve hand stamped verbiage. The process is wonderful and fun, because the letter stamps have a uniqueness to them that adds to the one of a kind nature of my work. When I am stamping, I keep a piece of paper on hand to practice the stamp before applying it to the art. This paper becomes a story in itself, full of letters that spell nothing but look pleasing and random.     Because our art studio is out in the country, and because we had not yet plugged all the holes left from the years before we moved back here, sometimes unwanted visitors ...

        Recently we went to Shipshewana for a getaway weekend. That is Amish country in northern Indiana. I walked into a fabric store and within a few minutes was mesmerized. It wasn't the type of fabrics that was a big deal, because all they had was cotton and cotton blends. Quilt making is huge in this part of the country; hence, there are bolts and bolts of cotton fabric.       What got me intrigued, awakened my imagination, won me over and made me not want to leave,  was the great variety of patterns in black and white. In my mind I designed an entire room done in black and white, complete with upholstered furniture, pillows, cushions, framed art, draperies and accessories all in black and white. Okay, maybe with just a touch of blue or red.  This is the aisle that got me:   Okay so let's be straight on this: I am not a quilter. I have no desire to quilt (sorry, I know it's a beautiful art form, but just not for me). F...