michelle ward

remember this?

It must have been like 2nd grade that I first was exposed to sunprints, also known as cyanotypes.  Do you remember doing these?  Lay a handful of objects on the magic paper, leave in sunlight a few minutes, then rinse?  The shadows appear in negative for a really cool print.  Fallon is currently in a photogrpahy class and they are making photograms, a similar process, and it reminded me that I had a pack of the paper from SunArt.  Notice the 6+ in the corner. Ha!

 

 

I've been gathering supplies for the upcoming Synchronicity workshop next month, so this was a perfect opportunity to make some fun papers to share.  Some of my stamp designs were converted into borders and printed onto transparency then placed over the specially treated paper.  You can see I tried both positive and negative versions.  The mostly dark blue strips were made from the film on the left, and the lighter blue ones were generated under the one on the right.  Love the blueprint effect, don't you?  The process is so old school....as in, I did this about 40 years ago in elementary school!

 

 

SunArt paper should be available at your local craft store.  Try the kid section, and the printmaking section.  You can also score some at Amazon, HERE.  The days are getting shorter....make use of that solar energy when you can!  It only takes a few minutes. 

Wait!  You can also make cyanotype prints on get sun-sensitive fabric!  If I didn't dislike blue so much I might be tempted to try making a silk scarf or something.  Google "cyanotype fabric" if you're interested.

planning, prepping, packing

I love September!  Even though I miss having the kids around and would like the summer to be a little longer, I love that 3/4 of the way through the year we have an opportunity to start over.  Just like the students who are breaking in new books and adjusting to a change in routine, we can reinvent our habits, start new practices, and move forward with a revised vision for the rest of the year.  And as a bonus, the evenings and mornings are cooler...and that energizes me!

I have been enjoying the new spray paints I told you about and I will show you some of that soon.  I did learn that Liquitex headquarters is in my town.  Really?  Right here?  How's that for being a small world?  I wish they had a storefront...I'd be showing up often for refills.  So I had to set aside spraying for a bit because I wanted to get a jumpstart on prepping for my next event, Synchronicity.  I loved making the handout - I tried a new format and it was a blast!  In fact, I want to drop everything and make handouts for my 2013 workshops!  In less than a month I will be at Valley Ridge.  I will dearly miss my annual visits where I had amazing experiences, met treasured friends, and witnessed rampant creativity.  I'm grateful to be part of the final cast, especially on the final weekend.  I'm already blinking away tears. 

 

In addition to taking care of business and trying to stay on top of assignments and deadlines, I'm happily planning for a very big trip.  I am going to England and Italy in November!  Can you stand it?? 

 

It was five years ago this weekend that I posted the photos below for Crusade No. 12 - Crush On You.  I confessed to crushing on gothic architecture.  And because of that crush I've fallen in love with buildings, and with cities.  For many years It's been a dream of mine to get to Venice.  And now I'm going!!  VENICE!!  I am thrilled to be going back to England, where Fallon and I will visit family, and see London...then we are off to Venice and Verona.  I'm reading and researching and taking notes and getting thoroughly giddy.  A dream come true.  Pinch me!

I'm booking the hotel this week.  I think I am settled on which one....if you have any recommendations based on your own experience for places to visit in Venice I am all ears. 

When is canning season?

Ha!  Canning season, I wouldn't know.  I don't can.  I don't garden....except for roses.  But I have been collecting cans for other purposes.  See below....Liquitex has a new spray paint.  I read about it today and just had to go get some and try it out (because I'm impulsive, and I was lonely at home without kids).  A fine array of colors.  A very nice matte finish.  Low odor.  Nice nozzle and round spray radius.  Clever packaging with color indicator dome.  Super easy clean-up because it's WATER BASED.  They claim you can paint acrylic right over it.  I will try that tomorrow.  Might have to go back for more colors.  Michael's has a special:  buy two get one free.  They are pricey so it's a nice deal.  Consider me the lab monkey.  I approve.

LINKS:  Spray paint, available at Michaels, by Liquitex.  Stencils, available at GreenPepperPress.com or StencilGirlProducts.com 

 

On the subject of cans.....these new Warhol commemoratives, found (by accident) at Target!  Had to get one of each.  Tore off the label (actually, surgically removed with great care) and will put in my journal.  I think my pages may curl up from fright, having never hosted so much color.  I will be sporting my soup shoes later this month at the Met for a new show:  Regarding Warhol:  Sixty Artists, Fifty Years.

Note:  the shoes are by Icon and are no longer in their collection.  Maybe you'll get lucky and find a pair on ebay like I did.  Bag and figures were gifts, no resource available.