Seth Apter's Blog, page 107

Art Gallery Tour

One of the things I love the most about both teaching and taking art workshops is the creative electricity that comes from creating in person with other artists. That is always my favorite part of "live" classes. As such, I do not often take online workshops. That being said, I have joined two online workshops this past year. I began one of them a few weeks ago and am loving it (more about that later). But today I am talking about an online workshop that I started this past June: Julie Prichard's The Mixed Media Variety Hour. 

This is a sensational workshop and I have already reviewed it in depth in a previous post. I have revisited the workshop many times since signing on, as once you join one of Julie's online classes you are a member forever. Julie (along with Chris Cozen) has created an online community and network that makes her online workshop feel so much like a "live" workshop. Just one example of her community building is the "Art Gallery Tour" which begins today and runs for the next five Fridays on Julie's blog: The Land of Lost Luggage. 

In it, she is posting examples of student work from many of her online workshops. To kick it off, she is highlighting artwork made by individuals from her Mixed Media Variety Hour class, including one of my own:
'Starship'
Click here to go to the gallery! And remember to head back to see a new exhibition every Friday from now through and including December 7.[image error]

Parallax Version 2.0

From November 16th to November 18th I will be exhibiting at Parallax Art Fair in NYC.

This past August I was part of the inaugural PAF in NYC and it was such a success, they are already launching a second exhibition. To get a sense of the event, you can take a walk with me though the previous August exhibit.


Parallax opens on Friday 11/16 with a private view showing from 7-9pm. It is open to the public on Saturday 11/17 and Sunday 11/18 from 11am-5pm. It is being held at the Prince George Ballroom on 15 East 27th Street in Manhattan. 
I will be showing new pieces from my Passages series, as seen in the glimpses below...



Entrance is free but you can order tickets in advance here. Hope to see the 'locals' there![image error]

Playing Favorites: Chapter 11

Welcome to the 5th edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals. More than 130 artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented in a series of online posts which will run every Sunday.
Style File, Techniques & Tools, Master Class, and It's Still Life were the first four projects posted and links to all these posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The fifth project, Playing Favorites, continues now...


Participants were asked to: share a picture of a favorite piece of art that you have created and explain its meaning to you...
------------------------------------------
David Hayes
"Over the Rhine. I took this from the sixth floor drawing studio at the Cincinnati Art Academy one Saturday winter morning with my Diana camera. I have been taking the same life drawing studio for over ten years...it is in this studio...with the same group of people over the years...that I started to find my artistic style and voice...to stop being so 'careful'. It's during model breaks that I stand by this window and look out over this part of  that has been undergoing a lot of renewal...much like my art."

Gillian McMurray
"My favourite piece is a graphite drawing of my sister's dog, Stanley. It was the first graphite piece I executed after reading the book Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley. I learned so much about graphite from that book and even impressed myself with my drawing of Stanley."

Terry Rafferty
"Rhino II. It isn't so much that this is a 'favorite' piece of art, but that it was a new direction. Ink and watercolor force me to accept what happens in the moment. Here I'm experimenting with non-real color to capture my feelings about the subject rather than simply recording the subject."

Lesley Venable
"I created this altered tin as I was demonstrating to artists at Art is You in Stamford which already adds a specialness to it. I am drawn to the woman in the image...her expression shows a seeking or a looking  beyond what is visible to us. I wanted the viewer of the piece to have that same feeling and the transparency offers that - we see her but we see beyond her through the layers. The fact that you can also see a few of my fingerprints makes me feel even more a part of its creation and uniqueness."

Pat McNally
"I collect vintage mirrors and looking glasses. I saw an old hand mirror that had been Zentangled, and decided to give it a try. I love the way it turned out."

Paula Art
"I made that table. It is one of my favorites because it is all 'trash'. And I had no idea how to make a table. It reminds me that when things are suppose to happen they just DO!"

Denise Aumick
"I knew when I purchased an antique cigar mold that I wanted to fill it with test tubes and create a sense of new from the old, the circle of life. Renaissance of Wonder was further inspired by words from a Lawrence Ferlinghetti poem... "and I am awaiting perpetually and forever a renaissance of wonder".

Julie Prichard
"I get a lot of compliments on this series when people come to the house. I am very proud that it was featured on the cover of Somerset Studio...and I am also super proud that it was a collaboration with Seth Apter and Lynne Hoppe."

Kesha Bruce
"One of my favorite pieces I've made is a one of a kind handmade book about my grandmother Myrtle. For the project I created a series of books based on the lives if my maternal grandmother and her sisters, who lives in houses on the same street in Des Moines, Iowa for over forty years. Each sister is represented by a house. The interior of each house uses a combination of text and images to present narrative about each of their lives."

Rhomany
"My favorite piece is aways the last one I made. I'm not sure why. Perhaps because I'm so closely invested in it at that moment in time. But also, I feel that with each piece I learn something new or improve on something, which makes it 'better' in terms of technique. Rapunzel is part of a set that I was working on when this question was asked. I wanted to make use of decorative borders and I am really pleased with how they've come out."


Billie's Craft Room  "Grunge board book Christmas design. This is my favourite as it is where my different artistic skills came together in a single project for the first time: rubber stamping, bookbinding and painting."
Roseann Cazares "My piece best illustrates how I feel about life and my artwork. I create art for me because I have to; creating art is something I do - like breathe."[image error]

Fundamentally Female

In May I was approached to share some of my artwork in a book that was in the process of being written. Reading through the invitation, I saw that the book was to be titled Fundamentally Female and was described as being "by, for, and about women." I replied back that I was very appreciative about the opportunity but that I was "fundamentally male". Luckily, they understood my humor and replied that they knew that I was male but that didn't mean that I could not still celebrate women and contribute to the book. I was very pleased about that and am now even more pleased that Fundamentally Female has just been released.

Here is the description of the book from the website (with my own addition within the parentheses):
"Fundamentally Female is a global collaboration - by, for, and about women (and art by at least one man) - that identifies the universal substance of a woman: the friendship she honors, the vulnerability she exposes, the impact she makes, the intimacy she covets, the secrets she keeps. Rich in wit, wisdom, and honesty, this collection of candid and diverse voices speaks to generations of females in search of confirmation, inspiration, and joy as it peels away the layers to expose the very soul of womanhood. Master storyteller Reneé Rongen amasses a feast of quips and quotes, provocative vignettes, and tender stories that spans the gamut of the female experience, then wraps it in delicious, eclectic artwork created by artists around the world". 
I am happy to say that I have four pieces of art published in the book and am thrilled to see that one piece, Daze, is on the cover in the upper right hand corner.


It is the type of book that you will find yourself picking up over and over for quick shots of inspiration. The brief stories, poems, and quotes are sometimes funny, sometimes moving, and always compelling. And all of the text is paired with both a word (such as fragmented, indulgent, prepared, and proud - to name a few) and either an artwork or a photograph. This book truly is a celebration and I am very proud to be a part of the party.

You can see all the artwork and meet the artists here. The book is available for purchase online here.[image error]

Pulse Points Continued...

In 2010 a series of survey questions were posted on my blog as a means of ‘taking the pulse’ of the online art community. More than 40 questions were posed and the results of the survey was presented as sidebars in my book The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed. The survey tapped into a range of issues, both practical and psychological, related to being an artist today.

In Pulse Points, my new series continuing today on Create Mixed Media, select survey questions from the book were presented to several different groups of artists working in mixed media and beyond. 
Today's rockstar panel includes: Kecia Deveney, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, Amy Duncan, Kari McKnight-Holbrook, and Jane Davila.

Today's questions and original survey results from The Pulse of Mixed Media:

Have you ever been jealous of another artist's skills?Yes…69%No…31%
Do you feel you have found your niche art-wise, or are you still searching?Still searching for my artist's voice…43%Found my niche, but just for now…39%I have totally found my place…18%
And a taste of what our panel members had to say:
Kecia Deveney: "It is very easy to compare yourself to other, but it can be very self defeating as well." 
Julie Fei-Fan Balzer: "I do think that I've developed a strong personal style over the years, but that has not been a conscious choice. Rather, I've simply held the paintbrush the way that feels good to me."
Amy Duncan: "I view my approach to art as a tattered piece of fabric...woven together yet stray threads poke out in all directions."
Kari McKnight-Holbrook: "I've seen jealousy consume people's every waking moment in the art world. They are so busy worrying about what others are doing, they have no time to do anything creative themselves."
Jane Davila: "The drawback to pushing the definition of your niche is that people aren't quite sure what to do with you."
Head on over to Create Mixed Media to hear much more of what the panel has to say about these issues. You can also read the first post in the series if you missed it. And if you would like, please share your own thoughts in the comment sections here or at CMM.
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Want to be part of the artist survey that will be included in my next book? I am currently posting 4 new questions weekly on the sidebar of my blog. Head on over now, cast your vote anonymously, and make your voice known. [image error]

The Need to Tell Stories

I have been working behind the scenes with Roxanne Evans Stout and Elizabeth Wix on a new, collaborative workshop. I am excited to be able to be working with such creative people and equally excited to bring to you:

The Need to Tell Stories

The three of us will be hosting what is sure to be a magical weekend of creativity in New York City. On March 8th and 9th, we will be opening up the Little Bird Creations Studio to 10 people, who will spend two days making their own book, creating pages of art, and writing their own story.
You will start the weekend off by creating a book from scratch that will be the structure to house your art and stories. You will then be guided through a series of unique art activities to bring out your creative spirit and add art to your pages. Next you will write your own story and tell your tale on the pages of the book. You will finish up by binding your pages and pulling the whole project together. In between there will be special, creative exercises and a lot of bonding going on.
The workshop will begin from the moment you register, as you begin to think of your theme and gather scraps, words, art materials, found objects, etc. - all of which will support your story. All three of us will be available by email to answer questions, guide you through your art gathering, and help you develop your story.
Additional details, including the supply list and workshop fee, can be found on the Little Bird site. Please note that in order to register for this workshop, you have to first join the Little Bird Meetup site and be approved for membership. At that point you can register for the workshop, which is payable through Paypal only.
Registration opens on Tuesday, October 23rd at 10am EST but you can sign up in advance to become a member of the Meetup group so that you are eligible to register. As there are only ten spots, I hope that those of you who wish to register will do so quickly.

Roxanne, Elizabeth and I are very excited to be doing this together. And I certainly hope YOU can join US too![image error]

Playing Favorites: Chapter 10

Welcome to the 5th edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals. More than 130 artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented in a series of online posts which will run every Sunday.
Style File, Techniques & Tools, Master Class, and It's Still Life were the first four projects posted and links to all these posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The fifth project, Playing Favorites, continues now...


Participants were asked to: share a picture of a favorite piece of art that you have created and explain its meaning to you...
------------------------------------------
Dayna Collins "The Morning Smelled of the River. This piece incorporates the many things that I love: limestone clay on a wood substrate, which allowed me to paint, scratch, add texture, sand away, and add more layers. It also has a niche, so I was able to add a 3-D element, in this case, a stack of river rocks. This piece represents a peaceful, natural setting brought indoors."
Barbara Kleinhans "Thicket was one of those paintings that I consider a happy accident. I mixed the background color using the remnants of paint from a very old tube, along with a few other colors. The wet color was shockingly bright and I decided rather quickly that I'd have to paint over it. Then it dried to a beautiful deep curry color. I keep a color journal and had documented my color recipe but have been unable to replicate it."
Dorothy Simpson Krause "This book, 9/11+5, was conceived in response to the question, 'What can an individual do about the war in Iraq?". It first existed as a drum leaf book, 5.75" x 5.5", with acrylic paste paint and collograph printed pages on Fabriano paper, ceramic covers painted with acrylic and red kangaroo spine. The pages were scanned and text added in Photoshop. It can be seen as a page turning flip book here."
Stacey Merrill "Carnivore, a Polaroid emulsion transfer, is one of the few pieces I have carried around for years. In the early 90s I took a museum sketching class, which included working from Antoine Louis-Barye's bronze Tiger Attacking an Antelope. Drawing in the museum was a great experience. I found myself really looking at the art plus got over my discomfort with onlookers. Years later I had fun reinterpreting this sketch using the emulsion transfer technique. The fluid nature of the wet film gave me room to play, tearing at the edges to add energy to the piece."
Bonnie Clark "Decay 1 is a chine colle print created using a solarplate created from a photograph taken in Chinatown of a graffiti covered wall, Akua printmaking inks, and Chinese joss paper. It reminds me that beauty and meaning often lie beneath the surface and aren't always recognizable to everyone."
Julie Shackson "This Blue Earth is a mixed media collage that portrays the micro and macrocosmic patterns repeated on different scales. It's an old work that I've never parted with because it's where I discovered what I wanted to say."
Lise Hoffman "This is a part of a piece called Jazz en Ciel, created in 2010. This is a summer night in a castle in France, during a Jazz concert. The piece was reflecting the warm atmosphere and wonderful sky on that night."
Laura J. Wellner "I want more out of life 2008. The title says it all - I always come back to this one for a benchmark. There are parts of this drawing that are in perfect pitch for me, and then there are parts that are textured meanderings that seem to go nowhere and are seeking, exploring (like the grape vines sending out its tendrils to reach out and grasp and grow) - I love the random nature of it and the depth."
Marianne Konvalinka "Dream On. The first mixed media piece I did that I really liked. Love the prussian blue, the cards, my handprints, the raven. People see this at shows and stand in front of it and talk about how they could look at it a long time and always see something new. I love that about it. Successful use of transfers, stencils and layers. Good rock n roll name."
Pat Pitingolo "The sum is greater than the parts."
Marion Bockelmann "Vintage Woodland journal page. I made this book page for a tip-in project and didn't have any idea at first what to do for a journal with this theme. Then when I began gathering material appropriate for the theme, I began to be excited about it and a whole quiet world seemed to grow before my eyes."
Terry Garrett "Keys to Contentment. I made this a few years back. It represents the special place my partner and I like to go on the north shore of Lake Superior."
Robert Stockton "Approaching Fear is a shadowbox (one of what I call my scrapboxes). The title has a double meaning, which is, to me, almost like a question and an answer: fear is approaching someone, but that 'someone' has ways of dealing with, or 'approaching' this fear as well (a negative countered by a positive!)."------------------------------------------

Next "Playing Favorites" will be posted on Sunday, October 28th and will be the last in the "Favorites" series.[image error]

reSTOCKED

Seven new items just uploaded to my Etsy shop. More to follow soon.[image error]

Transfer Student

Join me for a quick and easy transfer technique tutorial on the Cloth Paper Scissors blog.
Feet don't fail me now![image error]

Premium Palette

I am happy to be part of the October Premium Palette at the North Light Shop. 

From the website:
"Make your art journal a source of fiery inspiration to fuel your practice. Learn all the essential mixed media techniques and art journal tips you need to create exceptional art from this perfect bundle of top art journaling resources, crafted with your needs in mind. Uncover new art journaling ideas and how to make an art journal from start to finish. This carefully curated bundle of art journaling books, videos & downloads include mixed media projects for artists of all skill levels."
This bundle includes my book, The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed, and my two workshop DVDs, Easy Mixed Media Techniques for the Art Journal and Easy Mixed Media Surface Techniques. In addition, you will receive the book Alternative Art Journals by Margaret Peot, the book Sketchbook Confidential by multiple artists, the special issue magazine Cloth Paper Scissors Pages 2011, and a free, 3-month trial of the mixed media channel at Artists Network TV. 
This is a limited edition bundle and there are only 100 available for a limited time. More info can be found here. Also for a limited time, use the code GREATDAY and you will receive an additional HUGE savings!
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