Seth Apter's Blog, page 91

30/30: Lynn Whipple

30 artists...30 days. Spend the month of October with me at The Altered Page to meet the 30 spotlight artists in my book  The Mixed-Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from Over 40 Amazing Artists . See them in action in their studios, read their 'quirky' bios written in their own words, see some of their art that led me to invite them to be a part of my book, and hear my story of what they each mean to me. Then click on over to their sites and see what they have to say about The Mixed-Media Artist.
------------------------------------Lynn Whipple


"I realleeeeee enjoy making stuff.


First I collect stuff. Then I collage stuff. Next I add some found stuff. And finally I draw some stuff.


Usually there is some sort of a story with my stuff. Enjoy."
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Lynn Whipple's characteristic and distinctive style has been bringing a smile to my face for many years. I have been following her online, in magazines, and in books since I discovered mixed media back in the day. With a style so very different from my own, I have always been drawn to the sense of humor and whimsey she infuses in her art, the freedom in which she uses her own handwriting, and her willingness to explore a variety of stylistic approaches in many different mediums of art.

When I reached out to Lynn inviting her to participate in several different projects of mine, including this book, she warmly, willingly and immediately signed-on to them all. It has been so gratifying for me to know that somebody who I have so long admired as an artist and all around creative person has been so willing to support my own personal adventure in art. Thank you for that Lynn!
------------------------------------ GIVEAWAY
For every comment you leave in October on one of the 30/30 posts on my blog, you will have that many chances to win a signed copy of The Mixed Media Artist. I will be giving away a total of 3 copies. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have (but only 1 per post please). Please make sure I have a way to contact you. Winners will be announced in early November. 

30/30: Dayna Collins

30 artists...30 days. Spend the month of October with me at The Altered Page to meet the 30 spotlight artists in my book  The Mixed-Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from Over 40 Amazing Artists . See them in action in their studios, read their 'quirky' bios written in their own words, see some of their art that led me to invite them to be a part of my book, and hear my story of what they each mean to me. Then click on over to their sites and see what they have to say about The Mixed-Media Artist.
------------------------------------Dayna Collins


"Dayna Collins likes to get messy when making art. She works in layers, building up surfaces and then tearing them away to reveal deeper truths, mystery beyond the obvious.



When you look at something she has created, she wants you to wonder about its previous life, inviting you on an archeological dig, getting a glimpse beneath the surface, but never the full story."

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I cannot remember the first time I found Dayna Collins online. It just seems that I have been following and admiring her work for as long as I can remember. I am a texture lover, especially in abstract art, and have always been transfixed by the textures and layers that seem to be a central part to all of Dayna's work. She is also a color magician, magically creating shades of rich and vivid colors that light up her artwork.

I have been lucky enough to spend two fantastically amazing afternoons with Dayna and her equally wonderful husband Howard - one on my turf in NYC and one in her neighborhood of Oregon. Dayna is a gift that keeps on giving. Talented, funny, generous, thoughtful, and thought-filled. My only complaint was that the time went too fast. I am so pleased that Dayna and her work can be found on the  pages of my book and I so look forward to visit number 3 -- whenever and wherever that might be!
------------------------------------ GIVEAWAY
For every comment you leave in October on one of the 30/30 posts on my blog, you will have that many chances to win a signed copy of The Mixed Media Artist. I will be giving away a total of 3 copies. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have (but only 1 per post please). Please make sure I have a way to contact you. Winners will be announced in early November. 

30/30: Elizabeth Bunsen

30 artists...30 days. Spend the month of October with me at The Altered Page to meet the 30 spotlight artists in my book  The Mixed-Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from Over 40 Amazing Artists . See them in action in their studios, read their 'quirky' bios written in their own words, see some of their art that led me to invite them to be a part of my book, and hear my story of what they each mean to me. Then click on over to their sites and see what they have to say about The Mixed-Media Artist.

------------------------------------Elizabeth Bunsen


"I am a sensualist, I love tuning into all my senses. Process, the imperfect, the impermanent and the unfinished sing to me. I am a wabi sabi wannabe.


Along with wood and stones, I stack words. The crunch and scent of fallen golden leaves underfoot makes my heart race. I see madonnas in mud puddles. At dusk, when the sky turns a raspberry cream, the crows call my name.


I wander, gather, collect, arrange and put small treasures in tiny boxes. I make lists and cross things off. I hang out the laundry and watch the light and breeze paint and play. I make gypsy tents in which to drink tea and write poems."

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When I think of Elizabeth Bunsen, I think of the name of her blog: Be... Dream... Play... It sums up her essence as a creative free spirit, an explorer of the world around her, a dreamer who makes her dreams come true, and a person who makes the most out of every moment of her life. I spent an afternoon with eb in NYC last year amongst a group of blogging friends and happily realized that her blog persona truly reflects who she is as a person.

I have always been mesmerized by the way eb approaches her creations. She seems to carry with her a never ending curiosity and sense of wonder. So many of us "grow out of" the freedom we typically feel as children making art for the pure pleasure of it. Somehow, eb seems to have held on to this and the resulting art that she creates is infused with color, spirit, and a feeling of joy. I think we would all do well taking a page out of her book.
------------------------------------ GIVEAWAY
For every comment you leave in October on one of the 30/30 posts on my blog, you will have that many chances to win a signed copy of The Mixed Media Artist. I will be giving away a total of 3 copies. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have (but only 1 per post please). Please make sure I have a way to contact you. Winners will be announced in early November. 

30/30: Jason Twiggy Lott

30 artists...30 days. Spend the month of October with me at The Altered Page to meet the 30 spotlight artists in my book The Mixed-Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from Over 40 Amazing Artists . See them in action in their studios, read their 'quirky' bios written in their own words, see some of their art that led me to invite them to be a part of my book, and hear my story of what they each mean to me. Then click on over to their sites and see what they have to say about The Mixed-Media Artist.

------------------------------------
Jason Twiggy Lott


"I don't intend to enlighten, increase spiritual awareness, or incite peace on earth with my work. My work just is. As I am. My work exists because I do. I create very much for myself. If anything, my work could be said to be a process of self-study and examination.


My art is simply about me as much as it is about people, characters, and objects that make it up. I have my stories and reasons behind each piece, but the ideas, ideals, biases, and perspectives the viewer brings to the work are the real lifeblood.


Whether it's a conscious attempt or not, I don't typically confine any given piece I create to a specific concept or story line. If my work is open-ended enough that anyone can bring their own interpretation to it, I'm happy."


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I first became aware of Jason's work quite a few years ago when he contacted me via email to let me know he was planning on attending the annual Mississippi Central Park Picnic. In this event, native Mississippians come to NYC to celebrate their culture by sharing their art, food, music, and the like with New Yorkers. I was glad he reached out to me, not only because he is a great guy, but also because I found his art so compelling and unique.

Jason's artwork has an intensely personal and meaningful aura. There is history and a bit of mystery in every piece that pulls you in and makes you want to know more. His unique style blends figurative painting in oils with mixed media, where he often uses scraps of wood, metal and other found objects. It is a very distinctive approach that reflects his personal beliefs and gives the viewer the sense that when you see one of his pieces, you are seeing a bit of Jason himself.
------------------------------------ GIVEAWAY
For every comment you leave in October on one of the 30/30 posts on my blog, you will have that many chances to win a signed copy of The Mixed Media Artist. I will be giving away a total of 3 copies. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have (but only 1 per post please). Please make sure I have a way to contact you. Winners will be announced in early November. 

30/30: Dorothy Simpson Krause

30 artists...30 days. Spend the month of October with me at The Altered Page to meet the 30 spotlight artists in my book  The Mixed-Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from Over 40 Amazing Artists . See them in action in their studios, read their 'quirky' bios written in their own words, see some of their art that led me to invite them to be a part of my book, and hear my story of what they each mean to me. Then click on over to their sites and see what they have to say about The Mixed-Media Artist.
------------------------------------Dorothy Simpson Krause


"My work includes large scale mixed media pieces, artist book and book-like objects that bridge between these two forms.


It embeds archetypal symbols and fragments of image and text in multiple layers of texture and meaning. It combines the humblest of materials, plaster, tar, wax and pigment, with the latest in technology to evoke the past and herald the future.


My art-making is an integral mode of inquiry that links concept and media in an ongoing dialogue - a visible means of exploring meaning."

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I have been a huge fan of Dorothy Simpson Krause since 2009 following the release of her book Book + Art: Handcrafting Artists' Books. Not only was I drawn to her style, color palette, and approach to binding, but I was truly impacted by her focus on combining book binding with art. I would happily thumb through her books and examine the intracies of her artwork for hours if I had the chance.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Dot twice. Both times were on the occasion of her solo exhibitions in 2011 and 2012 at 571 Projects in NYC.  She was warm and welcoming to me, and very down to earth. We spent a good deal of time (especially considering the fact that these were her openings) talking about art, blogging, books, and the so-many-areas of creativity that we have in common. I connected with her immediately and have enjoyed maintaining that connection online since then. Hoping there is another exhibition in NYC soon!
------------------------------------ GIVEAWAY
For every comment you leave in October on one of the 30/30 posts on my blog, you will have that many chances to win a signed copy of The Mixed Media Artist. I will be giving away a total of 3 copies. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have (but only 1 per post please). Please make sure I have a way to contact you. Winners will be announced in early November. 

30/30: The Reveal

30 artists...30 days. Spend the month of October with me at The Altered Page to meet the 30 spotlight artists in my book  The Mixed-Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from Over 40 Amazing Artists . See them in action in their studios, read their 'quirky' bios written in their own words, see some of their art that led me to invite them to be a part of my book, and hear my story of what they each mean to me. Then click on over to their sites and see what they have to say about The Mixed-Media Artist.

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Welcome to 30/30. 
The Mixed-Media Artist is filled with the works and words of 44 all-star contributors: 30 spotlight artists and 14 gallery artists. You will get to meet and know the gallery artists next month. Today is reveal day of the 30 spotlight artists - myself and the 29 below - each of which will have their own dedicated blog post on The Altered Page in October.



(with special thanks to rachel whetzel for setting up this matrix)

GIVEAWAY

For every comment you leave in October - starting today - on one of the 30/30 posts on my blog, you will have that many chances to win a signed copy of The Mixed Media Artist. I will be giving away a total of 3 copies. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have (but only 1 per post please). Please make sure I have a way to contact you. Winners will be announced in early November. 

The Mixed-Media Artist: kick off

Join me as I celebrate the upcoming release of my new book The Mixed-Media Artist, currently available for pre-order on Amazon. The online celebration begins today and continues throughout the month with 30 Artists/30 Days. 
30/30
Visit to find a post every single day in October that will introduce you to each of the 30 spotlight artists in my book. See them in action in their studios, read their 'quirky' bios written in their own words, see some of their art that led me to invite them to be a part of my book, and hear my story of what each artist means to me. Then click on over to their sites and see what they have to say about The Mixed-Media Artist. I am very excited about this blog tour...and it is only the first of many online events that will unfold. 
GIVEAWAY
What is a blog tour without a giveaway! Starting tomorrow, anytime during the month of October that you leave a comment on a 30/30 post on my blog, you will have one chance to win. I will be giving away three signed copies of the book. 
TWITTER LAUNCH
For all you Tweeters - save the date. There will be a Twitter launch party for my book on Wednesday, 10/16/13 from 9-10pm EST. You will have an opportunity to talk live with me and some of the contributing artists. More info on that soon. To stay current and not miss a tweet, be sure to follow #mmartist - the hashtag that will be attached to every one of my book-related tweets.
UPDATES
I will soon be announcing new book-release events, including book signings, podcasts, blog hops, and more giveaways. You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter or sign up for my monthly(ish) eNewsletter to be certain to receive these announcements as they go live.

The Odyssey

The Odyssey is a nod to the journey that every artist takes as he/she creates a new piece.  

This started with a handmade book that I made several years ago and that was just sitting on a shelf, perhaps waiting for its turn to be embellished.

Part of my journey this past year has been my new role on the blog team at Spellbinders and I wanted that reflected in this book. Using a die from their A2 Curved Matting Basics B set and decorative paper, I cut out a shape just smaller than my book cover.

Loving texture as I do, I used the letter side of Spellbinders Numbers and Letters M-Bossabilities Folder to deeply emboss the paper.

I next rubbed the surface of the paper with metallic gold pigment ink to add more contrast and to make the depth of the embossed letters stand out.

I tore some found paper and adhered it to the embossed letters.

My art is rarely without metal and I dug through my stash, first to add this piece that I got in Vancouver over 10 years ago...

...and then to add three small pieces of stacked metal for more dimension.

For added interest and texture I then added to the edges of the paper some frayed fabric...

....some inked vintage paper...

...and finally a bit of (very) rusty, found metal.

I headed back to my Spellbinders collection and cut a piece of hand painted paper using a die from their A2 Distressed Edges set. I added some ink for dimension and adhered some ancient text from a very old book that I got at a flea market in NYC.

One last element from Spellbinders. I used the same hand painted paper and a die from their Creative Page Tabs set to create a tab, to which I added some ink and a rub on.

And then I went to mixed media heaven, adding found rusty metal objects, a vintage key, altered paper, and other embellishments. I continued until I felt my journey was complete. My souvenir from my travels in art was The Odyssey...










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Supply List
Spellbinders Paper Art Supplies:
GC-001 SpellbindersTM Grand Calibur® MachineEL-027 SpellbindersTM Numbers and Letters M-BossabilitiesTM FolderS5-172 SpellbindersTM Nestabilities® A2 Curved Matting Basics BS5-052 SpellbindersTM Shapeabilities® Creative Page TabsS5-174 SpellbindersTM Nestabilities® A2 Distressed Edges
Preferred Promotional Partners: Tsukineko®  StazOn Ink Pad, Tsukineko®  Delicata Ink Pad, Imagine®  Crafts Inkblushers Sponge
Cross Promotional Partners: 7 Gypsies® Curiosities Rubbings
Other: handmade book, paper, metal embellishments metal snips, fabric bits, ink, adhesive,

From Here to There...

Artist Darlene K Campbell recently put up a series of posts on her blog showing step-by-step how she created an artwork that started like this...

became this...

and ended up like this...

I always love to see the artist's process but I was especially stoked by this transformation because Darlene created this by following along on my workshop DVD Easy Mixed Media Surface Techniques .

If you would like to follow Darlene step-by-step, you can work backwards through her blog. Or you can click through the following numbered links to see the postings from start to finish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
I love how she put her own twist on the method and was able to use what she already had on hand by creatively substituting some tools and supplies. Thanks so much Darlene -- this is the first time I have gotten to see how another artist applied this process.

Look Inside "The Mixed-Media Artist"

Happy to share the news that the 'Look Inside' feature on Amazon has just gone live for my soon-to-be-released book The Mixed-Media Artist. Click here to see a small sample of what is on its pages...
(Click to enlarge and grab your glasses to read)