Aqua Lab Project

 I've been quite remiss about blog posts lately but wanted to get some information up here on a project I've been working on and an upcoming gallery exhibit.

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I'll be having a solo art exhibit at Minnow Arts in Santa Cruz, CA entitled: Aqua Lab: in Search of the Third Thing.

The exhibit runs from May 3rd - June 9th, 2024. There will be an opening reception from 5:00-8:30 on First Friday, May 3rd, as well as a closing reception on First Friday, June 7th. I will also give an informal talk from 3-4:00 on Sunday, June 9th. Minnow Arts location: 204 Locust Street, Santa Cruz, CA. Regular hours are Saturday and Sunday, 2:00-6:00.

Since First Friday is often crowded and it’s sometimes hard to talk and see the work, I will be in the gallery from 2-4:00 on the Saturdays and Sundays following the opening and closing receptions: May 4th and 5th, and June 8th and 9th.

DH Lawrence wrote: 

Water is H2O, hydrogen two parts, oxygen one,

but there is also a third thing, that makes it water

and nobody knows what that is…

Aqua Lab is an attempt to define that “third thing” through open water swimming and the collection of data including: swim dates, water and air temperature, latitude, longitude and elevation of swims, the collection of earth pigment from the shoreline of lakes, recording swim routes, and photographing the color of the water. All of these elements will come together in the gallery with a watery and swimmerly installation. I hope you’ll float by…

And, just a reminder if you are interested in workshops - I'm good about updating my workshop page here on my blog. Also, online workshops are available 24/7 on Creativebug!

Fall 2015 Workshops in Wishi Washi Studio

Wishi Washi Studio's Fall 2015 Workshop schedule is up!

We have a fun and varied selection of classes coming up.

I'm kicking off the season with my Boro Books workshop that has been popular, and true to form it filled lightening fast. But, let me know if you want to get on the waitlist as I may be adding a second date.

Boro Books workshop

Next up are my guest instructors extraordinaire, Macy Chadwick and Courtney Cerruti.

Macy will be teaching a Pochoir Sampler Book workshop for the first time at Wishi Washi Studio. I'm personally very excited about this class since I've been mark making on paper and fabric with carved blocks, transfers and stencils and I hope to learn some new tricks from Macy (yes, I always play along with the class when we have a guest instructor!).

Macy Chadwick's Pochoir Sampler Book

In November Courtney Cerruti returns to Wishi Washi Studio to teach her Image Transfer class. But, this time we added a twist: students will also be creating a hardcover accordion book into which they will transfer their newly learned techniques. The end product will be a transfer based artist's book that will also be a great reference for future projects.

Student work from a past Image Transfer class with Courtney Cerruti

Every year I make myself a date book using the Crossed Structure Binding so I thought this would be a great time of the year to teach that binding to students who might want to do the same. Or, make a journal or sketchbook for the new year. Or, create a really, really nice present for a special someone for the upcoming holidays.

Two of my Crossed Structure datebooks

Speaking of the holidays, in December I will be teaching two fun techniques that could easily serve as last minute gift ideas: the Iris Fold Technique and the Exploding Picture Box. These are both historical crafting techniques, the Iris Fold originating in Holland and the Exploding Picture Box in Victorian England. Take both classes and combine the techniques into one project.

Iris Fold Technique

Exploding Picture Box

I realize that many of you are not in the Wishi Washi Studio area so I want to remind you of my online classes with Creativebug, including the Iris Fold Technique. And, Courtney Cerruti also has a wide array of classes with Creativebug, too.

  

Hope to see you in the studio and if you make something via Creativebug please share on Instagram or Facebook and tag me - I always love to see what you make!

Playing with Image Transfers

Courtney Cerruti wrote a book! And, she came to Wishi Washi Studio to teach this past weekend, too.

Her book is called Playing with Image Transfers, published by Quarry Books, and it just came out on November 1st.

 

This past Saturday, Courtney came to Wishi Washi Studio again (she was here back in May, too) to teach two back-to-back workshops on the subject of her book: Image Transfers. It was a long day but when playing with a process as addictive as Image Transfers - time just flies by.

Courtney brought samples that she's made exhibiting the techniques taught in her book and in her classes:

She demonstrated many processes including these dreamy images out of color copies,

Students dove right in and created sticker transfers made using packing tape,

 and experimented on surfaces like graph paper,

 

made black and white images on cloth,

dreamy color images on cloth,

 and a dog on a paint chip! Love this one.

We are so lucky to have talented teachers like Courtney come to Wishi Washi Studio. All of my students learned so much and had a great day!

Courtney's book is available on Amazon. And, Manda Townsend is having a little give-a-way on her blog so pop on over there for a chance to win a copy of Courtney's book.

Transfer That!

I enjoy bringing guest instructors to Wishi Washi Studio.  It is a way to bring talent from out of the area to Santa Cruz, offer something different to my students and mix it up a bit.  But, best of all is that, in addition to being hostess and helper, I get to be a student and play along.

Images of Scissors were my obsession of the day

This Saturday the wonderful and talented Courtney Cerruti came to Wishi Washi Studio to teach Image Transfers.  Courtney and I have traveled in the same teaching and art making circles for a while now but had never met until we both started filming online classes for Creativebug last year. Courtney is a maker extraordinaire and has a book coming out in November 2013 called Playing with Image Tranfers from Quarry Books.

Courtney was ready with tons of supplies and inspirational samples

Back in January I put the workshop schedule up and the class filled so quickly that we decided to add a second class in the afternoon. It was a long day but so much fun!  We transferred color and black & white images on paper, cloth, and wood using a number of techniques including packing tape transfers, gel medium transfers and solvent transfers.  This is some of the play that happened that day:

Bottom right is Courtney's sample and the others are student work

 

Student thoughtfully choosing images

Of course, Courtney had some washi tape for student use...

Some students kept notebooks and recorded what kind of image worked with each transfer technique

One student stuck her packing tape transfers on her water bottle. Love it!

If you missed out this Saturday keep your eye on my workshop schedule - I hope to have Courtney come back and teach again in the Fall!