What a Cool Way to Start the Year!!!

Put on your dancing shoes for the new year...because the coolest project for 2011 is "the Sketchbook Challenge !!! (Not to be confused with the Sketchbook Project!) I was planning on starting a new art journal this year, but when I heard about this awesome project, I want to jump on board and encourage any fellow sketchers to come along!

 Each month, a theme will be chosen. Then some of the most well-known art journalers and instructors will share their processes and journal pages with us. Talk about an inspiring 2011!!! You can post your entries, as well as be awed by what Sketch Challenge artists and fellow artists from around the world have created!

Check out the December 6th entry on this blog: The Sketchbook Challenge: Welcome to the Sketchbook Challenge! to find out all the details. You can also meet the Sketchbook Challenge artists on The Sketchbook Challenge blog and hear about their favorite materials, processes, and philosophies. There are give-aways and prizes involved as well.
What a win-win way to bring artists together and keep us excited about sticking to our art journals in the upcoming year!

A New Place to Explore Creativity

Though Columbus Circle looked tempting to visit on Black Friday, I spent a sparky day browsing the inspiring sketch book entries of "The Sketchbook Project" at the brand new Art Library in Williamsburg Brooklyn!!! It just opened November 20th.

It's located here at 103A N.3rd St.

When you walk in, you see all kinds of new and retro blank journals and books for sale. There are also shelves, as you see on the left, of the sketch book journals entered from past and current "Sketch book Projects." (See Sept. 24th blog entry for annual project details.)

There are also friendly librarians to help you in the back of the library.

There are many journals to browse through. How exciting it is to see how each entry has such a unique perspective to it. Some found unusual ways to make the covers and pages their own, some were 3D, some 2D, some plain on the outside---yet loaded on the inside, some even did as much sketching as they felt like and left the rest blank.

But, you can see...there are many more shelves just waiting for YOUR sketch book entry!

You can sit at a table and leaf through as many journals as you wish for as long as you'd like...or just come in and check out the cool retro journals and books from other countries and eras on display that are for sale.

The journals I saw were from all levels and age group of artist. Some were filled with how-to's of collage and fiber art techniques, some were filled with current teenage interests and heartthrobs, some had very touching illustrated stories in them, some were funny, some blatent, some sad, some included breath-taking artwork and photographs...the sketch books were as diverse as the people who created them.

I am so thrilled there is a library where we can explore how creatives express themselves and that the Art House Co-op has created so many opportunities for people to be a part of.

Bookmark this site if you want to become a part of the cool projects Art House Co-op offers Projects Open For Participation » Art House Co-op | We build art projects and communities

If you can't make it to this library and would still enjoy a creativity fix, check out the sketch books posted online. There are some brilliant creatives in our world and I'm so thrilled Art House Co-op has given everyone the opportunity to express their creative voice.

Submissions » Art House Co-op | We build art projects and communities

Meeting Your Hugest Art Influence

In my May 10th 2009 blog entry, I mentioned the book that forever influenced my art life. I neglected to mention the author of that book. How could I do such a thing?!!! Probably because she deserves her own separate blog entry.

Meet Julie Schafler Dale. She has a beautiful gallery on the East side of Manhattan where she sells the most gorgeous wearable art out there today. Some of the wearable artists in her book, Art to Wear  Amazon.com: Art to Wear (9780896596641): Julie Schafler Dale, Otto Stupakoff: Books (which came out in 1986), are still at it and it's fascinating to see their artistic evolution over the decades. Even the machine knit jacket Julie is wearing shows the evolution of Linda Mendelson's work. Julie Artisans' - Linda Mendelson

I just love when someone has such passion for art that they live it through creating a gallery, a book and a lifestyle...and they are kind enough to allow you to live one of your dreams by allowing a snapshot taken of you with the person who most influenced your art life.

From reading the reviews of Julie's book on Amazon, I know I'm not the only one Julie has ignited with a wearable art spark! Not only has Julie Shafler Dale influenced our art by sharing her passion...but she is proof that when we share our passion...it sparks a flame in the hearts of many who we may or may never meet.

Empty Nest UFO Completion Syndrome

I have to admit, finishing this Bodacious Bead Book project feels like letting go of a friend who I spent quality time with daily. This dear friend is now complete without me and we will go our separate ways. Ever feel that way about a good book you were reading? But, now you are better for having spent the time together.

I chose to put a martini on the front cover and coffee on the back because I've been striving to BE a person (inside and out) who felt somewhere in between what drinking an alcholic beverage and a stimulating cup of coffee feels like. And the fringe on the binding represents all the chaos and repetitious bits of life in-between our dreams and goals that may get in the way of how we strive to BE.  I love the quiet clinking sound the fringe makes when brushing my fingers through it.  It's good to make friends with the chaos and find its attractiveness. 

I guess I can clean my house now or finish another of the deluge of UFOs waiting for attention. And now I can view my bead book friend from afar and every time I see it, it'll remind me how I strive to BE in the daily chaos that makes us forget.

A Beaddiction I Never Want to Recover From

This is my back cover of the "Bodacious Beading Class" sample book project taught online by Beading Instructor and Artiste Extrodinaire, Liz Kettle, last July. (To explore her site and blog click on the "Liz Kettle" link in my sidebar under "Links for the Texture/Color Hungry.")

What an inspiring, thorough, and supportive teacher she is! I know she gives other online classes as well as retreat classes, so check out her site if you want to become a beading addict online or in person. (Liz is famous for causing bead addiction in unsuspecting students.)

I am patiently coming to the finish line for completing this cool, squishy, sample book project Liz dreamed up, so I will post the competed project very soon!

Way Cool Project!!!!

My sweety daughter and her wonderful boyfriend turned me on to this project. (Be patient with the ad before the video clip.) Check it out....The Sketchbook Project: 2011 » Art House Co-op | We build art projects and communities

Show, Don't Tell

I had to share what blessed the parking lot at the Stitches convention this year. This van is far cooler than the Partridge Family bus! No secret about what this knit shop is passionate about!