Seth Apter's Blog, page 113

It's Still Life: Chapter 4

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, and Master Class were the first three projects posted and links to all these posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The fourth project, It's Still Life, continues now...


Participants were asked to photograph a still life that you create using an array of objects.
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Sharmon Davidson

Jill Zaheer

Judy Wise

Stephanie Brouwers

Amy Duncan

Eileen Bellomo

Lottie Anderson

Loryn Spangler-Jones

Dorit Elisha

Mary Beth Shaw

Katherine Labbe AKA Miz Katie
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Next "It's Still Life" will be held on Sunday, July 1st.

Absurdity is my Friend

There is a new book in town...Absurdity is my Friend: art and stories from the desert...from the one and only Kelly Moore. Kelly is a unique talent and a generous soul. I had the pleasure of meeting him back in 2008 at The Shed on the Tesuque Reservation in New Mexico. You can read all about my visit in this earlier post.


The shed, where Kelly both creates and sells his work, would look perfect in the center of the Atrium at the Museum of Modern Art. I'm just saying.

Spending time with Kelly was a gift. Not only did I take back many memories of that day, but I also took home some of his art. And three of his best friends too.

No worries Kelly. They are loving NYC!
But I digress. Back to the business at hand. Kelly's new book is 192 pages long and filled with a creative and inspiring combination of art, photography, and stories. And nobody tells a story quite like Kelly Moore.



You can read more about the book and order copies here.
GIVEAWAYKelly has generously given me three copies to offer my readers as part of a giveaway. Just leave a comment to this post by the end of day on Wednesday, June 27th and you will be eligible to win. I will chose 3 winners at random and Kelly will send each of the winners a copy of his book. The catch? There is none. Well, except that you must leave your email address so we can contact you and you need to have a mailing address in the USA for this one. So whatcha waiting for? Leave a comment!

New: Workshop DVDs

Are you familiar with ArtistsNetwork.TV? This site provides online instructional videos from leading contemporary artists. ArtistsNetwork.TV offers many options for viewing their workshops. You can buy individual workshop DVDs or immediately access individual workshops as instant downloads. You can subscribe to any individual workshop or to all workshop videos in a given medium for a 6-month period. Better still, you can subscribe to all video workshops for periods of 6-months or a full year. You can get an art eduction while in your PJs in your own home!

I am excited to announce that I am the first mixed media artist to be represented on ArtistsNetwork.TV. This past March, I headed to North Light Books' headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio to film two workshop DVDs (more on that amazing experience in a later post).



"In Easy Mixed Media Surface Techniques Seth takes you step-by-step through a variety of mixed-media techniques using his easy mixed-media Painted Grid process. You'll learn how to incorporate text, texture, mark-making and interesting finishing touches like spatter, dry brushing and more. You'll discover several unique projects using the finished painted paper that take your work to the next level. This video includes 71 minutes of premier workshop instruction."


"Apter's second video, Easy Mixed Media Techniques for the Art Journal, takes you through a variety of unique mixed-media texture-making, distressing and layering techniques. The finished product can be used as a personal journal, artist's book or a place to explore the use of new materials. This 95 minute video will have you discovering surprising techniques for adding interest to your art, using the simplest of tools and materials."

You can head over now to this post on Create Mixed Media to see video previews of both DVDs as well as to watch an interview I did with my DVD editor, the wonderful Kristy Conlin.

These DVDs will be released later this month. I will post again just as soon as they are actually available for purchase.

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My week as Guest Curator on crescendoh.com continues today. Join me here to follow links to some of my favorite blog posts on the web.

My Week on Crescendoh

I am honored to have been asked by Jenny Doh to be a guest curator on Crescendoh. Jenny's website is all about celebrating the best of art and of being an artist. The subtitle says it all: "Creative Passion, Authentic Community, Focused Compassion."


If you have never been there before, be prepared to get comfortable and stay awhile.

My week as guest curator begins today. You can head on over now and read my "Art Saves" story and follow my links to see who and what is inspiring me these days. And don't forget to visit again because from tomorrow through Sunday you will find two new, inspiring links every single day.

Monday's LinksThe dance of light and darkThe right write
While you are there, I hope you take a moment to read Jenny's review of my book The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed.

It's Still Life: Chapter 3

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, and Master Class were the first three projects posted and links to all these posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The fourth project, It's Still Life, continues now...


Participants were asked to photograph a still life that you create using an array of objects.
------------------------------------------
Erin Perry
"This is a picture of a typical swap meet score. I love arranging my finds afterwards and getting a shot of them all together."

Jessica Walthall

Adrienne "Dree" Berry

Laura A. Pace
"Red Still Life - This is typical of the still lifes I set up in my studio from which to paint."


Darlene AkA HugGeR Wilkinson
"These are shelves filled with objects that I can make assemblages with. I know it looks like a moge poge, but it works!"

Lisa Sarsfield
"My chosen photo is a still life of leaves, twigs, and bark. I was making a 'landcastle' when I found the mossy bark which was curled like a nest. Finds like this make me very happy!"

Roxanne Evans Stout

Victoria Crowder Payne

Denise Aumick

Stephanie Hilvitz
"I have so many collections, how to decide what to share...this combines a few, Mandala's, tin bugs and roses."

Vivian Williams
"From the Asheville, NC drum circle which takes place in downtown every Friday night."
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Next "It's Still Life" will be held on Sunday, June 24th.

Mixed Media Variety Hour

I love discovering the newest and the greatest...both for myself and to share with all of you. And today I have a scoop on something that fits that description perfectly: The Julie Prichard Mixed Media Variety Hour With Your Host Julie Prichard. I have had the privilege of having full, early access to Julie's newest project. And it is winner.


Julie has created a huge community on The Land of Lost Luggage Network. She now offers 13 online workshops, many of which she has co-created with Chris Cozen. Her approach has always been unique and very user friendly. She is always available to communicate with and her workshops never expire. Never. And now her newest workshop takes this one step further. 

The Variety Hour consists of 7 episodes of video tutorials that add up to more than 4 hours of workshop time. The program is accompanied by a detailed PDF that serves as a companion to the video. In both watching and reading this past week, I have been impressed with Julie's ability to explain and illustrate complex approaches to art in such an understandable way. The tutorials focus on many, many different aspects of art. You can go here to read the specifics and see what you will learn.


So what makes this so good and stand out among the many online workshops out there? Is it not only the packed content but all the extras. This is a Variety Hour after all. Julie and the videos go everywhere. Of course she is in the studio, demonstrating, but she is often on the go, on the street, in the park, and in real life. Each of these segments were really refreshing for me.

Julie incorporates many helpful and educational tips throughout the videos but in every episode she also includes a "Tip Segment" that offers something very special.


But most importantly, Julie is coming from a place that truly resonates with all of us. She talks about art (and life) not being perfect. About having artist block. About getting sucked into the computer. About feeling isolated. About not being able to live up to the artificial standard that is so often presented on the Internet. And she invites you to not only share your artwork but to share your thoughts. The ones that we all have as artists. This is a workshop that taps into both the hands and the heart of every one of us.

Registration is now open. The class is being offered at a $79 introductory price through 7/5. Register before 7/7 and you will automatically be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one $60 USD Dick Blick Gift Certificate. And speaking of giveaways, Julie will be offering a giveaway every month over the summer to subscribers to her newsletter. Check out Julie's site for more information on all of this. And don't forget to say hi to me when we run into each other in The Land of Lost Luggage!

Statistically Speaking

Statistics can be fun! Really. At least when these statistics are art related. My book The Pulse of Mixed Media includes the results of a series of survey questions that had been posted on my blog and that YOU might have answered. During my promotional tour, these stats were among the most favorite part of my talks.



You can find these statistics and more than 40 others in the book:
52% of respondents say they have problems handling the business side of art.
63% see art as a compulsion or addiction.

69% have been jealous of another artists' skills.

82% have not yet found their place in art.
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And this week, you can find 7 more right now at Create Mixed Media - where statistics from the survey are serving as This Week as Art.


Just look for the numbers in color!

It's Still Life: Chapter 2

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, and Master Class were the first three projects posted and links to all these posts can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The fourth project, It's Still Life, continues now...


Participants were asked to photograph a still life that you create using an array of objects.
---------------------------------------------------
Dayna J. Collins
"Old Tools"

David Hayes
"I took this shot using the app Hipstamatic (Jimmy lens, KodotXGrizzeld film, flash off). I cheated a little by using Aperture to tweak it a bit."

Dorothy Simpson Krause
"Each year I make a piece for a benefit called Alters + Icons that is essentially a still life/box. This one is called "Oz"."

Lani Gerity
"Here's a puppet, stone egg, and fossil. A little dark and a little Pollyanna (lol)."

Marsha Jorgensen

Rachel Whetzel

Luthien Thye
"A mother should gently assist her child to stand on her own..."

Paula Bogdan

Shirley Ende-Saxe

Diana Trout
"Unsuspecting: A Still Life with Critters."

Shayla Perreault Newcomb
"Still life of contents of my medicine cabinet."
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Next "It's Still Life" will be held on Sunday, June 17th.

Artists Caught on Tape!

Fran Meneley, Lisa Hoffman, Sarah Fishburn, Marie Danti, Seth Apter
One of my most favorite parts of celebrating the release of my first book The Pulse of Mixed Media was being able to travel and host a number of artist events that included many of the contributing artists from the book.

Seth Apter, Leslie Marsh, Karen Cole
At every event I found myself wishing that each and every one of you could be there to hear first hand the inspiration that these artists offered.

Lelainia Lloyd, Patricia Larsen, Seth Apter, Leslie Avon Miller
Since most of you could not come to them, I have decided to bring them to you! The following video includes highlights from the 3/31/12 artist panel sponsored by The Ink Pad in NYC and featuring Karen Cole, Jill Zaheer, Roxanne Evans Stout, Julie Prichard, Michelle Ward, and Danny Gregory.

The seven of us spent 2 hours talking about art for an audience of about 50 people. We spoke about community. About inspiration. We shared our process and answered questions. We displayed our art, for everybody to see and to touch. We confessed and revealed. We even got a little feisty, in response to some challenging questions. And we defintely bonded.

Now it is your turn. Sit back, relax, and take the next 6 minutes and 33 seconds to be inspired!

 

One of Karen Cole's groupies (okay, her husband Bob) managed to capture a bootleg video of Karen's talk during the panel.



Happily, Bob also captured Roxanne Evans Stout on video. Did you know that she had been a biological illustrator? Neither did I!



And while we are on the subject of videos, sending out thanks to Rice Freeman-Zachery for her video review of my book!

Time to Tap

Tap-In

Photographer, artist, and author Susan Tuttle has begun a new series on her blog called Tap-In. In Susan's words, this project will "present unique, inspiring interviews with creative types from various areas of the arts like painting, photography, sculpture/assemblage, mixed media, collage, fiber arts, writing, floral design, music cooking, and more."

First up in the series was Madelyn Mulvaney. And today I join in the fun. You can read what I have to say about creativity and life, and see my new photographic series Angels and Icons, by clicking here.