​This morning I did my class at the Cumberland Lodge. We made rag wreaths for their Christmas Bazaar. In preparation, last night I ripped what seemed to be a hundred miles of fabric into one-inch strips and then cut the strips into 8" lengths. I didn't rip all of the fabric because I wasn't sure how much we would use. As it turned out I cut about the right amount of fabric, but they all wanted the same fabrics so several patterns went unused and others I had to rip the rest of the fabric that was in the chosen patterns! (Note to self for the future... less fabric options!)
 
I got the fabric in a serendipitous moment a couple of weeks ago, when I decided to drop into Fabricland to see what my options and prices were. As I walked in the front door there were two displays of Christmas fabrics... wait for it.. at 60% off! It was even cheaper than the plain cotton so there was no question... SOLD to the lady with the rag wreath class!!!
 
Some of the students finished their wreaths today, others want to continue to work on them on their own, so I left the wire wreath frames and fabric with Cheryl, the Program Coordinator, and she will look after supplying the residents with the materials they need to keep working. It's one of those tasks, like knitting, that one can do while watching TV or chatting with a friend.
 
By the way, the finished wreaths are beautiful! I was totally impressed.

​Painting Tip: Small Experiments and the Redo!
 
As an artistic explorer, I tend to test things out on 5" x 7" canvas boards, panels or other surfaces. This way I can get a feel for the medium, technique or style. There is not a lot of product or expense committed so if it doesn't work out it's not an issue... the panel gets thrown back in the box for future experiments. Some get left as they are and others get a coat of black gesso for their next starting point. The ones that turn out get framed and sold.
 
Before I did my 36" x 36" piece, "Sunshine River Dance", which required a large amount of silver leaf to be applied, I worked on three different 8" x 10" canvasses to determine what processes and techniques would work best for me. Those got thrown back into the pile, but will make great backgrounds for some future interesting pieces.
 
Even realistic paintings can become very effective backgrounds for mixed media paintings, rather than gessoing over the canvas and starting again. In mixed media and more contemporary styles, the more layers there are, the more interesting the painting becomes.
 
Just remember that you can't ruin a painting if it has a more impressive future life!

Painting Update: ... and More Cards!
 
I'm having a ball with these greeting cards. They are like exploring on those 5" x 7" canvas boards... let's just see what happens!
 
This week, those cards that I had applied the paper napkins to got a colour saturation reduction with a coat of white gesso thinned with some water. I wanted them to be more in the background, rather than being the card itself.

Once that was dry I mixed some Iridescent Gold paint with gloss gel medium and applied it through stencils. I like the effect, but they still need another layer of something to finish them off. Not sure, yet, what that layer will be, but it will come to me, I'm certain! 

​While waiting for those to dry I played with the black cards using Interference paints applied with my fingers, rather like cloud formations. The shimmer of the Interference paints is amazing on the black card, although, as with the "napkin" cards, there is still more to be done.

So that's it for me today, other than to say that I purchased some items for a new project that I am anxious to get started on... creating the persona of the four seasons with masks as the focal point. I'm really looking forward to this project and want to have them ready to exhibit for the NEST studio tour nestudiotour.com/ on September 17 and 18. I hope you will be able to make it!
 
Best wishes,
Susan

I consider myself an artistic explorer, which means that I try different things to see what happens. I often work on small 5” x 7” canvasses to test materials and techniques. If it turns out it gets framed and sold. If it doesn’t it gets thrown back into the pile for future experiments. The best part is that I am constantly learning and some of that goes on to become part of my larger pieces...  with confidence. Those explorations that fail completely are gessoed over and wait patiently for future experimentation and inspiration. By the way, black gesso is my favourite! The only thing I use white gesso for these days is to knock back the colour on mixed media pieces.
 
Lise Butters, a former student and respected fellow artist has a saying that I think should put it all into perspective… she says that “nothing is precious”. Everything can be changed, improved or painted over… so don’t stress out over it! 

Painting Tip: Perfection is not mandatory!
 
When I was young, I saw an image of Alex Colville’s "Hound in Field" in an encyclopedia of art. I was fascinated and studied it for hours at a time. It formed my idea of what art was... what I had to do. For many years I did create "ultra realism" and people marvelled at my work... they couldn't believe that it wasn't just a photograph. However, they didn't buy my paintings. Instead they would go to the booth next door to me at the art show and buy something more "painterly" or loose and impressionistic or group of seven-ish.
 
I came to understand that purchasers of art didn't want paintings that were reproductions of photographs. They wanted pieces of art that inspired their imagination, which can only be achieved by allowing them the ability to interpret the painting through their own filters.
 
And so, when someone asks, where is this painting of? You should ask them where it reminds them of and then talk to them about that place... help them make their connection to your painting!

Painting Update: More Cards
 
I finished last week’s fabric and paper collage cards by adding a bit of bling to create a focal point. I used plastic “rhinestones”, gluing them down with gel medium. One thing I did discover, although I should have known this before I did it… by spraying the cards with Satin varnish the bling lost its sparkle. I was able to almost fully reverse that by giving the bling a shot of gloss varnish, but in future I will spray the initial coat with gloss and then see if I need to add satin or matte to other areas of the cards.
 
The varnish is important because it creates a harder layer of protection for the acrylic paints and mediums, which tend to soften up in heat… like we have been having. In that heat an unvarnished card could become stuck to the inside of the envelope… not pretty!

​So that's it for me today. Looking forward to showing you new stuff next week!
Best wishes,
Susan

The inaugural year of a studio tour, or an art event of any scale is a lot of work. Things are being done for the first time and require lots of research, quotes, discussions and decisions. NEST (New Edinburgh Studio Tour) is no exception.
 
For NEST we needed to decide what kind of lawn signs and directional signs we wanted. The general consensus was for something that we could use year after year by just changing the posters... sandwich boards would do the trick very nicely. Then the search was on for styles, suppliers and prices. Phil found just what we were looking for in Montreal and the supplier will even print the posters for us... what did we ever do before the Internet? Anyway, that's one less thing to do next year!
 
We got quotes on printing the brochures and looked at paper samples. Then there was a matter of getting a proof before the final run of 5,000 of them. In fact, today it was my job to pick up the proof, in Orleans, and drop it off to Phil's location is New Edinburgh. Turns out everyone was pleased and the brochures are going to press. While this job will need to be done next year, we have now set the parameters for it.
 
Media advisories have been prepared, reviewed, revised and now the first round has been sent. There are still more to be sent as different media outlets have different timing for inclusion. There are weekly, monthly and multi-month deadlines on the list so timing is of utmost importance. And even before that could be done, the various media lists had to be revised and merged into one, with deadlines, for a wide range of media.... radio, TV, online news services, blogs, print in the form of quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily publications. I must say that it used to be quite simple when it was just print, radio and TV, but that's progress for you!
 
I know many of you who have participated in a variety of events completely understand the kind of work that needs to be done and will probably laugh in understanding when you read this.  None the less, even though it's a lot of work, the success of the event is what drives us and to achieve that is exhilarating!
 
If you want to take a look at the NEST website it is at: http://nestudiotour.com/ See some of NEST artist's work below.

Painting Tip: A tip from Erika Deruaz, last week's guest writer
 
Erika, like most artists, loves to learn more, and more, and more! She recently pointed out to me that Golden Paints have over 70 short (2 minute) videos about using their products. It's like overdosing on delectable canapés at a cocktail party!
 
Videos offer information on how to use their various mediums, as well as painting techniques: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLej18YhUdRM_SPFl1E7rY9-cvFLn4ccQR. Also, check out other art materials manufactures on You Tube because many of them, including Liquitex and Princeton Brushes, also put out helpful and informative videos. As I asked before... what did we ever do before the Internet?

Painting Update: More Cards
 
Last week I had some failures with cards that I thought would work. I think one of the contributing factors was the type of cards I used. With not being able to get the mixed media cards that I had been using I picked up a package of canvas cards for oils and acrylics but found the canvas paper too light weight for what I wanted to do on them. I'll find another way to use them though. I also purchased some black cards but they are for drawing media and don't stand up to what I wanted to use them for... better to use a heavier weight card and apply a coat of black gesso on the front panel. (Failures teach us better foundations!)
The watercolour paper cards have performed very well and I will buy more of those, as well as the mixed media cards.
 
This week I did collages on the watercolour cards, using fabric on some and paper on others. These will become the base for another layer, perhaps two.
 
To start I cut up bits of fabrics and also tore pieces of papers to use. Next I slipped a piece of waxed paper into the fold of the card, to protect the lower surface from spillage. Then I applied liquid medium (diluted with 25% water) to the front of the card and applied the fabric or paper, applying a generous coat of liquid medium on top of the collage. They are currently drying and waiting to find out what I'm going to do with them next!
 
When the cards are finished I will again slip in a waxed paper insert and apply a coat of satin spray varnish, to protect them with a more durable finish than just the acrylic medium provides.

That's it for this week. As always I look forward to your comments and suggestions. Have a great and creative week!

Best wishes,
​Susan