Patterns part deux

By the time this posts, I should be high in the sky, winging my way to beautiful Portland for a glorious week of art and friends at Art & Soul!  It did make me think however of a question I get frequently from my students about how I feel about them 'copying' my style.  Thought it would be a good time to address this.

Over at the Sketchbook Challenge Blog, I put up a little bit about how I go about making things my own style, even when in another's workshop or class.  When I teach a workshop, I never get upset if someone makes a piece of art that looks like mine.  It's only natural that when learning a new technique it will resemble the piece that inspired it.  BUT you don't want to get stuck there, making derivative work.  The goal is to move forward!  Jump in and make it your own.  I fully expect my students to do this once they are comfortable with the techniques.  It's my DESIRE that you master the technique I teach, and take it further!  I want you to be successful and move beyond where you started when you were in my workshop!  It's not acceptable to make 50 that look just like mine, and sell them, or teach the class I worked so hard to create (Even if you change the name).  PLEASE!~  Change it up, adapt it to the way you work, and add your own special ZING to the mix.  My zing is layers and pattern overload.  I will somehow find a way to add texture and pattern and layers, no matter what medium I am enjoying.  In fact, my favorite PART of a new technique is always getting it back to the studio and playing around with it, and discovering what works with it, and what doesn't! 

A simple way to make something your own in a fast workshop situation is with pattern!  I was so fortunate to take my friend Pam Carriker's class out in CA this spring.  I so adore her style!  She is the master of her style for it is authentic Pam.  No matter how I could try to copy the style, I know it would fall short, because it would just be Kari copying Pam- not true Kari.  I have to let my freak flag fly and be authentic me.  So even though I was using an image / Thermofax she created, I could still put my own personal touch on it with my own hand.  A happy meeting of her technique, with my style and embellishment.

Jump in to the unknown, learn, enjoy and own your art!

Seth Apter

Hello my pumpkins!  The cool weather this morning brought me my first non-caloric, gluten free, organically grown cup of hot chocolate...AND Seth Apters 1st installment of his new series called Pulse Points for Create Mixed Media.  It's a very well written discussion of what's percieved to be happening in the mixed media art world right now.  Several working artists contribute their insight into each post, while Seth masterfully guides the topic into an elegant and well spoken piece.  Very articulate and well though out, I find it closely mirrors what I'm feeling deep inside as an artist. (It's nice to know I'm not alone.) Sometimes it actually gives words to what is only a mish mash of a gut feeling for me.  It's there, somewhere, but I can't express it in such coherent words.  I invite you to pop over an see if you find it as delightfully inspiring as I did.  Besides the main post at CMM, Seth has a follow up on his blog The Altered Page as well.

Patterns for Sketchbook Challenge

Wow!  Are you all enjoying Sketchbook Challenge?  I know I sure am!  I REALLY loved this months challenge, which was all about patterns!  I did a quick journal recently specifically to practice drawing faces.  Faces are a challenge for me, so I try to practice them.  However being a true ADHD mixed media artist, I get bored JUST sketching.  So enter my patterns!  I created the journal using patterns, and then sketched over the patterns because more is better in my book! 

Step 1  Text as pattern  using Pam Carrriker's Mixed Media Adhesive, I randomly glued down old text.

Step 2  1st layer of patterned printed paper.  I used my line of large 8.5 x 11 stamps and Gelli Arts Geli Printing plate and printed on deli paper with acrylic paint in various colors.

Step 3  2nd layer of patterned printed paper, using a different color and building layer interest.  The deli papers are translucent when created with Fluid Acrylics.  To carry that translucency forward I used pan pastels.  Notice the top picture's arm and face, you can see the text underneath her.

Step 4  Begin drawing.  1st with pencil, then pan pastels and colored pencils.  Outline with Sharpie Twin Tip Marker or Pitt Artist Pens.

Step 5  Lettering begins at this phase.  Heavy on the pattern!  This is just a work in progress.  When finished, probably the majority of the images will only show in glimpses.

Step 6.  Beginning to pattern and decorate the drawings.  Anything can be decorated with pattern.  And patterns can be made by repeating anything over and over.  This girls sweater cabling is made up from the word 'repetition' being written over and over and on top and over again.

Finally after working in this color story for this small sketchbook, I decided I liked it enough to begin working on a canvas.  Here is the beginning, as you can see, I work on canvas the same as I do in my sketchbooks, building layers of patterend color!

Portland OR Anyone?

I'm so excited to be getting ready for Art & Soul Portland!  Oct 1-7th there will be art and friendship and partying to no end at the Red Lion on the River!  Not only will I get to celebrate with my wonderful students, enjoy making fabulous art but I also my art BFF's who live so far, and yet we can finish each other's sentences because we "get" each other!  We only get to see each other a few times a year, but make the time count!

Some of my classes are sold out already, but I still have a few spaces left in my

Rockin' Resin Reliquaries journal class on Monday where we will make lovely resin covered journals that are perfect for any occasion.  Not only will we play with Ice resin to make the lovely covers, but also, I'll be sharing all the background techniques I use in the journals I have been working in for the Sketchbook Challenge.

On Tuesday, it's the LAST opportunity to take my Fluid Romance class, for after 3 years of wonderful classes, it will be retired after Portland.  Hurry and sign up, as there are only a few spots left ;-)

Its a great class to not only learn all about Fluid Acrylics and your mediums, but also to learn some awesome collage and painting techniques.  Everyone walks out with gorgeous pieces!

On Wednesday my Delectable Doodles class will take you to new lands of possibility with your own lettering and handwriting styles!  It's full, but will be offered again in Virginia.

On Thursday in the Stamps & Stencils Journals, we will celebrate making our own papers with Stamps, stencils and shhh!  (THERMOFAX Screens) and then cover and bind our very own unique journal.  The sturdy, yet easy to handle stitch allows for our beautiful covered background journals to lie flat when opened, so we can continue working on them.

If you've never been to an Art Retreat- NOW is the time!  C'mon, I'll keep the porch light on for ya!