DVD Giveaway!

My publisher is doing something very fun - and practically giving away downloads of my DVD

Surface Design Sampler Platter

An Hour of Instruction for 10 Cents I'm not a technophobe by any means. But unlike my colleague Jenn Mason, I am not an early adopter. You won't see me camping out in front of the Apple store the night before a new iPad release or being the first on my block with a 3-D TV. I like other people to test the waters first, let the price come down a bit, and then I consider jumping in. So when I first heard that you coul download a video directly to your computer, I didn't understand why everyone was so excited. I was perfectly happy with something tangible: a DVD you can hold in your hand. It was a form I was used to. Then, at work, I was given access to a video download, so I tried it out. In just a few minutes it was on my computer. No complicated steps. No high-tech knowledge needed. The content is exactly the same as the DVD, except it's always there on my desktop, ready to view whenever want. I don't have to find it, insert it into the drive, and wait. In fact, I'm more likely to use it because it's ready to go when I am. For me, now, downloading is the way to go. If you've never downloaded a video—or if you have and loved the experience—here's a perfect opportunity to try it out with almost no investment. For a limited time we're offering one of our most popular Workshop™ videos from one of our most popular artists, “Surface Design Sampler Platter” with Lyric Kinard, for just 10 cents. You read that right: 10 cents. A dime. The little shiny disk with Franklin Roosevelt on it. Think of it: Lyric was just named 2011 Teacher of the Year by the International Association of Professional Quilters, and you can download a workshop with her for just 10 cents. In “Surface Design Sampler Platter,” Lyric, with her engaging personality, shows you how to carve a stamp from a vinyl eraser, cut a stencil from freezer paper, and print with found objects. Plus, you'll get her best tips on foiling and photo transfer techniques. She shares her knowledge of the properties of the various textile paints available, too. So, < href="http://e1.interweave.com/t?r=1893&c=2452577&l=63310&ctl=34B7083:A15BB4A720ACB5DD49127644A44F653DC684E54182BC9968&" target="_blank" title="Surface Design Sampler Platter">take my advice and try a video download. That, and a dime, will get you more than an hour of surface design instruction from one of the nation's top teachers.

Cate Prato, Online Editor Cloth Paper Scissors Today More Cloth Paper Scissors • Blogs • Forums • Galleries • Free Stuff • Join Cloth Paper Scissors • Share Your Comments

What does a dime get you? An hour with artist and instructor Lyric Kinard! It's quick. It's easy. It's inspiration at your fingertips. Are you familiar with our popular workshop downloads? Take advantage of this 10¢ video download and enjoy Surface Design Sampler Platter (Download) today! Can't choose which surface design technique you want most to learn? Try a little taste of each! Play along with Lyric Kinard as you learn to carve a stamp from a vinyl eraser, cut a stencil from freezer paper, and print with found objects. Learn some of the properties of the various textile paints available. For only 10¢ you'll also explore: Improvisational screen printing Adding some glitz and glamour with foil Quick and easy photocopy transfer Use these fun tips and techniques in your next art project and create something amazing! Download this workshop now through Tuesday for only 10¢.    This workshop is also available at regular price on DVD. This offer is good through Tuesday, April 12th at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time. Don't wait!

And the WINNER is....

of Judy Coates Perez' Quilting Arts DVD Workshop

Mixed Media Painted Fabric

is.....

!!!Judy Whitehead!!!!

Go check out her lovely work at

http://www.judywhitehead.com/

Congratulations!

Artist Spotlight part 1: Melanie Testa

I would like to introduce you to an artist whose work I greatly admire. 

Still Life

I have had the pleasure of spending time with Melanie Testa on two separate occasions; as we taught at the International Quilt Festival in Houston last year, and when we filmed our Quilting Arts DVD Workshops. She is simply delightful as a person and I find her artwork to be beautiful, layered with meaning and texture, and intriguing. She is one who thinks and cares deeply both about her art, about other people, and about the world around her. Her laughter lights up a room and lifts your spirit. Her artwork draws you in and takes you on a journey. 

I hope you will enjoy getting to know her as much as I have.

Lyric: What is your story, how did you become an artist?

Melanie: I have wanted to be an artist since I was a child. I remember watching TV and being riveted when I saw imagery of Andy Warhol walking the streets of New York. My mom used to sew her own clothing and I remember watching her pin a wool plaid skirt pattern out and knew the side seams would not match if she were to proceed, so I stopped her. Then a friend of hers asked if I would like to make a vest, it was a cute little vest and it had hand sewn ribbons bordering the inside front edge. It won a blue ribbon at the fair. I also won a blue ribbon for my Sugar Collection, but that is another story.

So when I was 19, I took a traditional quilt making course at the local Handcraft Center. I fell head over heels for fabric, really I fell in love with conversational prints and vowed to go to art school to become a Textile Designer. It took about 8 years for me to settle down and focus enough to make that a reality. I was accepted into the Fashion Institute of Technology as a 27 year old adult student. I was married and lived two hours outside the city, but we worked together and made it work. My husband has always been quite supportive of me and my creative efforts.

Once I was out of college and had some creative tools under my belt, I took some workshops by well known surface design artists like Jane Dunnewold and Ann Johnston. Making what I had learned into an expression all my own is, of course the adventure of a lifetime.

L:  Was it something you wanted to do from a young age or did you take a more circuitous path? Do you have any training in basic design?

M: I was able to afford two years of schooling at F.I.T and do have an associates degree in Textile/Surface Design. The education I got from F.I.T was more of a technical schooling. I was taught to put things in repeat, to paint flower and to weave. My real education came as a result of being a Vintage Poster Restoration Artist. I restore posters by Talouse-Lautrec, Alphonse Mucha, and interestingly enough, Andy Warhol. I took this as an opportunity to evaluate drawing and painting styles and I learned to mix paint to exact specification. 

Still Life In Time

L:  Do you consciously think about the elements of art as you create?

M:  No, I do not. I work intuitively. I think the basic tenets of art making are well and deeply ingrained at this point that I am not really aware of what I am doing at all. I can slow myself down to describe it when asked.

L:  What are your fears as an artist and how do you face/overcome/talk yourself out of them?

M:  My fears. 

That my art isn't good enough. Isn't this everyone's fear? And I don't think this is a bad thing. If my art isn't good enough, if I didn't hit the 'right' note, then I still have room to grow, to dig deeply into what I am trying to get at. It is sort of zen, when you think of it this way, as though the very thing you strive to do sits, as if a seed, within what you are doing right now. Being an artist is really about fostering that seed, prompting new growth.

Next week I'll introduce you to the lovely book that Melanie has written. It has been an inspiration to me over the past several months. And here is something special. During the month of March Melanie and I will collaborate on a small work of art - a textile postcard. At the end of the moth it will be given away to a lucky reader, chosen from the comments on each of the four posts that feature Melanie and her work. You may post each week  and have an even better chance of winning this postcard. Perhaps next week I'll give you a little peek at what we are starting.

Guest Post - Beth Berman

After seeing the work she did using techniques learned from my Surface Design Sampler Platter DVD workshop, I couldn't wait to introduce you to Beth Berman. She has very kindly written up some wonderful information on new products and the process she used to make this beautiful piece.

BETH:

You may already know about this product but it is new to me. I received a sample of the AVERY NOTE TABS and realized the sturdy stiff repositionable plastic note tabs would make perfect stencil material. I cut this spiral stencil and applied it to this quilt with silver paint. You can wash it and reuse it and it doesn't lose its tacky back. I store them by sticking them to the side of my bookshelf. This one has been used many times and just washed.

The quilt page (9x11) is a solvent transfer of the crow , a la Lyric's Surface Design DVD, then darkened with fabric paint, covered with a dryer sheet printed with a scan of three feathers. I hand carved stamps, thanks you Lyric- from Speedy Carve and used pearl paint. The dryer sheet idea came from Natalya Aiken's DVD, Texture Transformation: Stitch, Alter, Recycle. I LOVE the look of these printed dryer sheets. A tip from me: Buy the precut FLAT freezer sheets she recommends and avoid the printer jam headache.

These are 5 new crow stamps I made after watching Lyric Kinards DVD. One of the topics on "Surface Design Sampler Platter" was carving rubber stamps. She suggested Speedy Carve which is a soft, easy to carve material. I bought large sheets, carved, then cut each stamp out, yes, with scissors, and glued it to a wooden block which I polyed after stamping an image of the stamp onto the top of the wooden block. I now have a shoe box full of custom made stamps. I also tried linoleum blocks. Although much cheaper, they are harder to carve and slipping with the bladed carving tool was a problem for me. As a matter of fact, I've got a huge puncture right now. I'll spend the extra and use speedy carve exclusively.

(A note from Lyric - if you'd like a little extra fun, information, and interaction - my Playing With Paint class begins on February 19th through QuiltUniversity.com. It includes stamp carving as well as a number of other fun things to do with paint, includes four lessons and you have access to me for about 6 weeks. $36 isn't bad for all that!)

Art Every Day - mostly

I didn't make any art yesterday or the day before. But I might have inspired a few people to make some of their own. I think that counts don't you? I had the pleasure of teaching Surface Design to a lovely group of women from the Piedmont Quilt Guild in Greensboro, NC.

Nanette layered some really great foil, screen prints, and a photo transfer then framed it with beads.

Debbie went to town - layering bubble wrap prints, carved stamps, stencil resists and screen prints.

L'Tanya has quite the eye for design and is a beading speed demon. She's almost got that black and white face cabochon caged - just needs to lasso the stacks and circle them in.

Carolyn made a freezer paper stencil and added some bling with her foil. I love the play on warm and cool (complementary) colors!

Jocelyn layered carved and commercial stamps, photo-transfer, and foil on her funky art quilt.

Christina, who is an art teacher herself and had already done some wonderful printing on fabric, added even more leafy screen prints, both with paint and foil, and carved a great stamp.

The class was "Surface Design Sampler Platter." You can learn everything we did (except for the beading) on my Quilting Arts Workshop DVD . (The button is over there on the right.) Unfortunately - I can't give you chocolate after lunch through the screen. Wish I could.

And They're OFF!!!

The DVD's showed up last night and I stayed up lated getting them boxed, labeled and OFF!

It was worth it.

I carried a huge bag to the post office this morning and couldn't help but tell everyone how excited I was about it. Crazy lady alert.

These are all the ATC's I have left of the extras I made.

I'd love to send them out to good homes!

A Race Against UPS

The UPS tracking says that your Surface Design Sampler Platter DVD's will be delivered to me on Wednesday. I've got boxes all labeled and ready to go for you and will turn them around to you immediately.

I'm determined to get every ATC (Artist's Trading Card) ready to send out by then so there are no delays! I might get carried away and make more so that everyone who orders from this batch gets their own little piece of Lyric Art! If you are still thinking of ordering - by all means do so before this energy gets directed elsewhere!

I had a lovely note from Jeanne over at All Things Quilty and popped over for a look. She has a lovely blog and has given a review of my DVD - so you don't need to take my word for how much fun the techniques are!

Here's a little preview of the DVD for your viewing pleasure.

A GIFT FROM ME TO YOU

I've decided to do something FUN!!!

For the next several days I'll be working non-stop to create a whole bunch of funky little Artists Trading Cards - or ATC's. A little original work of art to celebrate the publication of the DVD Workshop "Surface Design sampler Platter."

The first 30 people to PRE-ORDER the DVD (see the little button on the right?) will be gifted with one of these little treasures.


The minute these DVD's are here they'll be slipped into a nice cushy envelope along with your little treasure and then we can (figuratively) sit down together for a fast and furious fun hour of painting, printing, stamping, stenciling, screening, foiling and phototransfer! Whew! That's a LOT to cover in one hour. The DVD is crammed full of lots of useful tips, tricks, and techniques - including how to construct a sweet little book cover.

I can't WAIT for this DVD to land in my hot little hands!!!

Quilting Arts DVD Workshop

!!! IT'S HERE !!!

(well, almost)

All that work and all that fun I had during February has come to fruition. I took a peek at Quilting Arts website today and there it is - my new workshop on DVD. I haven't seen the tape yet but it's available for pre-order here.

May I just take a moment to say... "WAHOOO!"

What's it all about you say? Well - let me tell you. Surface Design Sampler Platter will give you a little taste of a bunch of different surface design techniques. A little stamp carving, a little stencil cutting, a little screen printing, foiling, and photocopy transfer. Sound fun? Totally!

Salsa in the Studio

I've spent this month working furiously toward another deadline - when am I not? I'm filming next week with Pokey for Quilting Arts TV season 4 as well as a Quilting Arts DVD Workshop.

As usual, I'm not getting enough sleep but better than usual - I'm being fairly productive in the studio. Of course the little ones are enjoying the free reign through the house. A new disaster awaits every time I exit my little enclave of art.

I hate the way my brain feels when I'm tired but I think I've found a cure. Nope - no caffeine for me. Music. Duh!!! you say. Well it's been a long time since I've had music in the studio. This past year I've had to have no music while writing the book. I used to be a musician and find myself much to involved in the music when I listen so I had to have it quiet.

The upbeat music is like caffeine for my brain. Each day seems to have a theme. Classic 50's Rock-N-Roll for a day, Big-Band Swing the next. Today it's Latin. Right now it's "Salsa Celtica." Did you know your feet can dance while your hands draw? Next time I think it's be Newgrass and Folk, then Celtic.