ARTSPARK Giveaway Day 2!

Head over to Diana Trout's blog today for a chance to win a copy of her fabulous DVD workshop

PLAYFUL PAPER BACKGROUNDS

http://dianatrout.typepad.com/blog/

Way back when I posted an Artists Spotlight on Diana

You can read it here

Congratulations to the Winner!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Jamie, who has a sweet blog called Remnants, is the winner of Diana Trout's book.

I really want to thank all of you for commenting and telling us what it is you think you are needlessly afraid of. Diana has enjoyed reading the comments as well and I know from experience how wonderful the interaction between author and readers can be. 

Diana is doing something special and wonderful on her blog - in her own words:

Creative Revolution 

I'm not completely sure what kind of path this will take yet. For the moment, once a month, on or about the 15th, I will set out an idea. It could be anything: a simple journal entry, a recipe prompt, a nudge to be more creative when you get dressed in the morning. These nudges will be simple, 5-minute (or more, if you'd like). They will be something that can very easily be incorporated into your day.

I LOVE what she is doing. We are on the same crusade, Diana and I! Nothing makes us happier than watching people recognize and nurture their creativity. I think I'll join her and invite you to do the same. Head over there right now and see what the current prompt is. It's one I highly recommend.

Artist Spotlight part 3: Diana Trout book review

In her book

Journal Spilling

North Light Books

Diana Trout

writes:

"I wrote, "Admit that I am scared and do it anyway." "It" was something that I began to look at more carefully and ask myself what would happen if I did "it" and failed? As it turned out, failure didn't seem to be earth-shattering. So attempting "it" became exiting. I began to truly understand the truth behind courage - being scared and doing it anyway.

If you've read my writings you will understand why I'm drawn to Diana's work and to this book. My soapbox is all about overcoming your fears and just doing the work. I love that she says it right there in black and white. What is so earth shattering about failure? Not much. Most of the time it is just one step that you need to make on the road to success.

In working through this book you will take a journey through the world of the soul, the space where your wishes and dreams are freed from shadows and let out into the light of day. Diana gives prompts, asks questions, and gently guides you along the path of creative self exploration. My favorite part? She keeps it real. Nothing too schmarmy - just real life experiences and down to earth words that tell it like it is.

Along the way you will learn many different techniques - most of which I hadn't tried before as they are all about the paper arts. Suminagashi is the one I'm most attracted to. It's a japanese form of marbling and she makes it look effortless. Diana also covers using resists of all kinds, different ways to use different paints, a few bookbinding techniques, and several image transfer methods. This is a book that I wish I had time to very slowly, step by step, work my way through.

So. Anyone care to come along for the ride? 

Leave a comment and tell me what "IT" might be for you. 

What are you afraid of? What keeps you from trying? Is there really anything earth shattering that might happen if you fail? One lucky commenter will with a copy of Diana's book. I'll compile the comments from this post as well as  this one and this one. Check back here Friday to see if you are the lucky one!

Artist Spotlight part 2: Diana Trout - upcoming teaching events

When I introduce you to an artist who is also a great teacher I love to get out the word about where she is teaching next. Diana Trout, who I introduced recently, teaches some wonderfully fun classes that I want to jump right in and take.

I asked Diana the big question - WHY she teaches.

Diana: I started teaching kids in my studio when my kids were young. My neighbors and friends were after me to set it up so I did and discovered that I love it. A lot of what I was doing with the kids was to foster creative problem solving along with good foundations in art and confidence in art making. After a bit, it seemed to me that adults would benefit from my teaching style. 

Teaching feels like a mission. I had no guidance as a child or adult and had to find the path to art without any encouragement. It feels like a privilege to be able to help guide and encourage adults and children and foster their love of art making.

Anything coming up you'd like me to promote?

My DVD, Playful Paper Backgrounds, from Cloth Paper Scissors is now available. It is loaded with techniques on watercolors, paste paper, inks and a section on designing and carving your own rubber stamps (emphasis on design). 

I’ll be teaching at 

Art Is ... Wickedly Good, Danbury, CT

October 7-12, 2010. This is a relatively new art retreat that I’m very excited about. I’ll be teaching 

Rescue Book Journal, ColorWheel Journal Quilt, 

Acrylic Glazes & Collage, Journal Spilling Watercolor, 

Journal Spilling Layers 

and Port Townsend, here I come! 

JournalFest, Port Townsend, WA

October 27-31, 2010

Journal Spilling Watercolor, Rescue Book Journal, ColorWheel Paper Quilt

There are still spaces available at both of these retreats. If you are in the area go check them out! And..... I'll be giving away a copy of Diana Trout's book, "Journal Spilling" to one lucky reader next week right after I review it for you. Leave comments on this post, on the upcoming review, or on the first spotlight I did of her.

Artist Spotlight part 1: Diana Trout

I'd like to introduce you to another artist whom I admire, the lovely and talented Diana Trout.

Lyric - Have you always known you wanted to be an artist? How did you come to where you are now in your artistic development.

Diana - Oh boy, this will be a long answer. 

In a word, no. Apparently, I loved art as a child but my parents were pretty busy since there were five of us kids and my mom was sick. I remember being given a paint by number set. I loved the paint and hated the numbers. I wound up doing my own thing which led my mother to believe I wasn’t much of an artist. I spent a lot of time in our small town craft shop and used to spend all of my allowance there.

We didn’t have any art in school (mid to late 60’s, catholic school) but we did have plenty of music - all that choir practice! I love music, so decided that was my calling; all through high school and collage, I played guitar and sang in coffee houses. It was a good part-time job! 

D - And so it went. I went to several different commuter colleges, bouncing from one major to another and paying for it myself. Eventually, something snapped in my head and I went to art school and took a few classes. After building a portfolio, I applied to Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Everything I did there was magical and I immersed myself completely in painting and drawing the figure. That was it: 35 years later, I’m still sticking with it.

L - I agree - PLAY takes practice. It’s good to think through your work but it is so helpful to take the time to be free. 

L - We have so much in common! Large family, started out and paid our own way through college as musicians. You were lucky to find art early… it took me a while. It's never too late right?

L - Stranded on a Desert Island - what's in your art shoebox?

D - My watercolors, definitely and embroidery/sewing kit. I could make my own paper and find fibers there to stitch on. There would probably be berries for ink and sticks to draw with and I could make charcoal sticks easily enough. Better have some matches to start that fire, though. How long would I be there, exactly?

L - Hey we should hang out there together. I could teach you how to make a flint and steel fire and set a game trap for food. Let’s keep it easy though and just spend a few wonderfully isolated days with our art and plenty of food before the yacht comes to pick us up.

L - Your journals have an intriguing balance of rawness and beauty. I have trouble getting too tight in my work. Any hints for staying loose?

D - Oh yes, that is difficult! Practice is the solution, though. It’s a funny thing that adults need to practice re-learning how to play but we really do! Thank you for noticing the “raw/elegance” aesthetic, Lyric. It really is something that I’ve consciously nurtured for a long time.

I hope you've enjoyed meeting Diana as much as I've enjoyed getting to know her. Diana's blog is titled Hububbery. Go visit her there and say hello. 

You've got to love a woman who uses the word Hububbery.