Art@Zen with Christina July 9, 2009
Posted by Maren in Art Classes, Art Education.1 comment so far
When I stopped by the first session of Lisa Spreaker and Paula Rey’s Art@Zen camp a few weeks ago I was honestly quite jealous. The projects they were working on all looked really interesting and a lot more fun than the meeting where I was headed. (Sigh…I wish I was a kid again, so I could spend my summers in art camp. I mean does the age limit really have to be 8 – 13?)
I just happened to know one of the campers, my cousin’s daughter Christina (pictured below with her projects), so I was able to satisfy my curiosity with a few questions.
Christina and her art
Maren: “Did you enjoy the camp?”
Christina: “Yes.”
Maren: “What was your favorite project?”
Christina: “The fish.”
Maren: “How did you make the fish?”
Christina: “We drew the outline for our fish on a big piece of paper. Then we transferred that image to a piece of wood. Lisa and Paula cut out the wood shapes at home and then brought them back to camp the next day. Then we painted them and when they were dry we decorated the fish with beach glass and mirror pieces.”
Maren: “What was your favorite part of camp”
Christina: “That I knew some of the other girls in the camp.” (It is always more fun to have a few friendly faces in the room.)
Admittedly, I couldn’t write very quickly while we were talking, so the above conversation is about what we each said on the phone yesterday.
So what’s up next for Christina’s summer? Well soccer camp starts soon, but besides that I’m sure she’s figuring out ways to torment her brother Matthew and hopefully thinking up her own art projects.
Lisa and Paula’s next art camp starts July 20th. If you are interested in registering or more info contact Michelle at 425-257-8380.
A Sunday for Hot Wax April 23, 2009
Posted by Maren in Art Classes, Local Artists.Tags: Art Classes, Binky Bergsman, Encaustic
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When I told my husband a few weeks back that I was taking an encaustic class he smiled and said, “That’s cool. What is that exactly?” I couldn’t provide a very good definition, just that it involved melted wax. Truth be told, I had no idea there was such as thing as encaustic art until I worked for the Arts Council.
So, I really didn’t know what to expect when I arrived for my encaustic class with local artist Binky Bergsman last Sunday, but she definitely was ready for us. The tables had 3-4 personal workstations, each with five 8” x 8” plywood boards and a packet of misc. paper scraps, as well as a griddle to share that had hot, little tins of melted beeswax infused with colored pigment. Binky also had a ton of additional supplies to work with from pastel crayons, stencils, dried flowers, stamps, carving tools, etc… She started us off with the basics, such as what is needed to make the medium, the importance of prepping the boards, and fusing between each layer, before letting us lose for “play time”. And should we want to attempt this art form at home she suggested some great books, websites, and tips.
I was so focused on my boards and experimenting with the different techniques that I could hardly believe it when 4 o’clock arrived and I was walking out the door with five complete (or almost complete) projects. I wouldn’t necessarily hang these first attempts on my wall, but I had a wonderful time and have a much better understanding of the art form. I just might start searching local thrift stores for a cheap griddle!
Here are two details from my projects. I’m not brave enough to show all 5 or even the whole piece, but if you want to see some real encaustic art check out Binky’s website. Or stop by the Gallery Store where her work is being exhibited for another week or two.
Being in the class environment is also a great way to get ideas and inspiration from others. Jackie and Shelley, if you’re out there I’d love to see what happened when you fused the top layer covered in Shellac.
And, if you too have the urge to play with some colored wax, look for our upcoming summer class flyer.
New in the Gallery Store: Binky Bergsman March 18, 2009
Posted by Maren in Art Classes, General, Local Artists, The Gallery Store.Tags: Binky Bergsman, Encaustic Art
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This month the Gallery Store is featuring encaustic artist Binky Bergsman. Binky has worked with charcoal, pastel, and print, but when she found encaustic, “it was like coming home. She added, “I found my voice and my vehicle. I lose myself in the smells, the colors, the depth, texture and luminosity of a painting. Because encaustic is so immediate and physical I am free to experience the sheer joy of painting. I can paint, layer and scrape to my hearts content.”
Binky is also teaching a Beginning Encaustics class through the Arts Council on April 19th. To learn about this class and other spring art classes click here.
Art Class Show & Tell – Silversmithing October 8, 2008
Posted by Maren in Art Classes.Tags: Art Jewelry Magazine, Bezel, silversmithing
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As I mentioned last week Judy, our ED, is developing her jewelry making skills through a series of classes with local artist Donna Harris. So far she has had two of eight sessions for her silversmithing class. When I asked her to explain her progress after the first session she showed me the piece in the image below.
Since I am not familiar with silversmithing, when she described making a bezel (the sterling collar around the stone) and soldering the bezel to the back plate, I wasn’t really sure what that entailed. I thought I might try to find a visual for this description and stumbled upon a five-part video series by ArtJewelry Magazine posted to You Tube. In this second part you can watch the soldering of the bezel before it is fastened to the back plate.
In Judy’s setting in progress the stone has been placed in the bezel. The white string coming off of both sides is actually dental floss. The dental floss isn’t permanent of course, but is used so the stone can be easily removed during other stages of work or if it doesn’t fit quite right in the setting. (And it makes it minty fresh!)
Art Class Show and Tell – Wire Wrapping October 2, 2008
Posted by Maren in Art Classes.Tags: art class, silversmithing, Visual Arts Education Center, wire wrapping
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Last month I wrote about my search for a creative class to take this fall, which ended up being “Beginning Sewing” (sadly I never had home economics in school), but our Executive Director Judy Tuohy is honing her jewelry making skills through several Arts Council classes with local artist, Donna Harris. Her first class was a 1-day (10am – 3pm) Wire-Wrapping course. As Judy put it she is a “beginner, no experience” with this medium, but Donna, “did a fabulous job explaining what was happening when the metal was heated and the various techniques. She was encouraging and really made it fun.”
After picking three stones, they started with the largest and flattest stone, because it would be the easiest to work with when learning the wrapping techniques. (All the supplies were included in the $20 supply fee.)
Judy's first piece
According to Judy, they first created a “basket” out of sterling silver near the bottom of the stone. This is done to make the stone more secure in the setting. The rest of the wrapping is more for decoration. The soldering and bending during the wrapping process made the silver “pretty ugly”, but after some sanding with superfine sandpaper and polishing the shine returned.
The next one...
Judy left that day with 3 beautiful pendants (although she is not as complimentary of her work), as well as a much better understanding of the equipment and tools for this art form. The latter might prove to be the most helpful as she continues to work with artists, such as Donna, to outfit the production studios in our Visual Arts Education Center.
All three together
Obviously, this is a quick and dirty summary of a 5-hour class, but hopefully it provides a small glipse into the world of wire wrapping. Up next silversmithing…
