Marsbarn Designs...

Prep time and volunteers

In August, I asked for some volunteers to do art
with me.  I had been asked to talk during a 
conference of science educators at the end of 
September, and I'd asked if I could do an art
project as well as talk.  What had at first been
a small idea, to do a 15 minute art project,
grew in my mind to be an all day affair.  

But, before I could subject 50 educators to my mad
schemes, I needed test subjects.  Enter 8 friends.

Creation should be messy, I think.  And we were messy.
This project featured 3 major steps.  There was a 
background layer, to which color, texture, and theme
could be added in a second layer.  And then.. well..
that was the interesting bit.  

I had everyone make two collages, and then, when they
got the composition just right... I asked them to cut
apart one of their works of art. Yes. I did. No one 
was particularly happy with this idea, but once it was
done, the tiles were passed about the table.  Each 
person made a new collage, which featured bits of 
everyone's work. 

The idea of this project is for each person to leave 
with two pieces of art. One is an individual work of art
and the other is a cooperative artwork.  This idea of 
individual growth coupled with group work related to 
my envisioned talk.

I knew it would be difficult for participants to cut into
their work, but one of my friends found it even harder
than I'd imagined.  I'm not sure she's forgiven me yet,
but most of the group liked their finished products.

Queen's Jubilee

 The many colors of the Queen. 

(click to make larger)

I made this collage for my sister's birthday, which coincided 
with the Jubilee, so it seemed appropriate. 

They are all original stamps, in their original colors.
I haven't done any altering to the stamps, beyond
sewing them together.  The base of this project came
from a Mystery Bag of stamps my Mom gifted me with.
Once I started the project, I was shocked to see how
many more colors I had in my existing collection. 

Not quite ready to wrap them up

The valentines are still up in our house.

I keep thinking I should get out the boxes and pack them up so the palate is clean once again, but.. well... you know how it goes.

As I procrastinate about putting the souvenirs of 
Valentine's Day away, I am starting to plan the next
round of workshops I want to host.  More collaging,
a new needle felting project, and perhaps something more.   

Of children, adults, collage, and wool

Running kid workshops are such a different beast than
their adult cousins.

Most of the time adults are more likely to need gentle
encouragement, childen know they've got the creative
goods.  Also, the kids know they're going to have fun
and feel better for the play, adult sometimes have to
be reminded. 

Adults worry more about using up supplies, or using the
Whole Sheet, the children are more aware of someone
else getting the "Good Stuff".  Everybody surprises me
with what they create. Everybody.  It's part of the joy.

Last week, at the children's workshop, one of the girls
(this is her second time creating with me), made a
lovely Valentine, and said "I made my Valentine." with
a tone of finality edged with a bit of hope.  It reminded
me a bit of "I ate my veggies, and now could I have some
dessert, please?" 

"Would you like to do another?" I asked her.
"Um, well. Sure."
"Is there something else you'd prefer to do?" I prompted.
"Well, you don't have that out." she answered very, very
softly.
"Oh... did you want to needle felt?" I say as the penny drops. 

Her eyes lit up in that way that is special to very
quiet girls. "But you don't have that out...."

"But I can.  Just give me a minute and we'll be set up."

All of those hours I spent between Christmas and New
Years organizing my art space?  An excellent investment
that paid for itself in a single moment.The right bins
were easily at hand without any time for my student to
feel awkward or to second guess herself for asking. 

It makes me wonder if an adult would have asked.
I do hope so. You should always ask.

Next time she comes, no matter what we're meant to 
be doing, I'll have the felting ready for her.  A girl 
should have access to her medium.  

Valentine Collage Workshops 2012 series

The Valentine workshops are going well.  There have 
been three days full of paper and goodies so far (two
adult, one child).  It's such a treat to see what people
make from the bits and bobs I've collected.

Isn't this lovely?  The background is a napkin that's been
modpodged to a piece of matt board.  The diagram of
the moon is from my antique Cyclopedia of Knowledge.

And this one.  This old Christening photo pairs so nicely
and the vocabulary card fits the image so well.

This one has another image from the Cyclopedia in it.
The yard arm with it's sailors upon it is such a delightful
thing, I'm glad it's out where it can be admired.

There is one more day of collage making planned 
before Valentine's Day.  Such fun.

Valentine Workshops

The supplies have been organized,
paper has been ordered, new bottles of glues are on hand,
and I have new toys to share... it's time for Valentines!

This year I'm holding at least two Valentine making
workshops, one for kids and one for adults.  
I'm so excited.  

I'm also holding a Shibori style silk scarf dyeing class.
I have three different techniques to share, and I'm
hoping to have time to make a couple more scarves
before Valentine's Day for my own Valentines. 

If you click on the flyer it will expand.

Little e turns 8

For Miss Little e's children's party, we had mini cupcakes,

and fun papers.  She asked for a collage party with 6 of her friends.

At our local art supply store, I found matt board bundles 
(it's the scrap left over when a matting frame is cut) 
which we used as a background for the collages. 
The scrap was inexpensive, and had a lovely bevel.
As an added bonus it didn't warp with the glue.

It was a good party, and one of the few kid parties
that didn't leave me feeling like I'd been in a bouncy house afterward.  

Cyclopedia: Skeleton

Here's another image from my Cyclopedia of Universal Knowledge.
(Click to enlarge)

I love how the hand appears to be reaching for something.

Phrenology in all its glory

This is a scan of the original page about phrenology from my Cyclopedia of Universal Knowledge.  I've left the image pretty large, so it could be downloaded and used.  Enjoy!

Click to enlarge.

And a sad story to round out the Collage triptych of posts

Okay, this is my sad story.  This is another collage I 
made on our Collage Day during spring break.
The background is a page from an old copy of Goethe
that uses the old fashioned script of German.
I layered half circles of rice paper and stitched over the 
curves.

The little head illustration is from the Cyclopedia.
It's a diagram of the regions of the brain used for
phrenology (the study of a person's personality using the bumps on their heads).
I scanned the original illustration into the computer,
reduced the size, and then printed it out on photo paper
in a contact sheet.  

Now, take a finished collage, add a kitten (known as
Mr Fuzzypants), and a vase of tulips. In the time that it
took me to walk ten paces and turn, he tipped the
tremendously heavy vase over and drenched the table in water.

Oh yes, there were words, and tears, and a pile of 
stuff that went into the garbage.  Utter ruination.

The good news is that the original page from the 
Cyclopedia was safely put away, and I can reuse the
scan as much as I want.