Artist Spotlight: Carol Sloan

I'd like you to meet mixed media artist, Carol Sloan. I have truly enjoyed getting to know her through the Sketchbook Challenge. When I was reading her biography I was drawn to her lists. I like lists. I'm going to share her list with you.

In 2008 I started a blog, began teaching and submitted artwork for publication in two books.

I was on my way to achieving some of my lifelong goals and dreams: 

Be an artist. Be an author. Teach others to celebrate their creative spirit.

I have artwork in four books, with a project coming out this fall (I hope) in an e-book with Lark. I teach nationally and plan on teaching internationally soon. 

I want to write a book about mixed media book making. 

I love to teach. 

I love to see the spark in my students eyes that they can create beautiful art. 

I love to hear other people say that I helped them to look at the world in a different manner.

If I'm not knee deep in water, kayaking with my husband, then I am elbow deep in paint, paper and fiber, creating art that tells a great story.

(Do you love her list as much as I do?)

Carol has also reviewed Bead It Like You Mean It

Leave a comment on her BLOG 
if you'd like the chance to win it.

http://carolbsloan.blogspot.com/

Here is a little recap of the reviews so far - and the upcoming giveaways

Larkin VanHorn http://blog.larkinart.com/?p=174

 Susan Sorell http://www.creativechick.com/blog/ 

Kelli Nina Perkins http://ephemeralalchemy.blogspot.com/ 

Sharon Chapman http://wildflowerhouse.blogspot.com/ 

Leslie Jennison http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com/ 

Carla Sonheim http://carlasonheim.wordpress.com/ 
Laura Wasilowski http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/ 

Gloria Hansen http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog/?p=6424 

Oct 3  Carol Sloan http://carolbsloan.blogspot.com/ 

Oct 5 Sue Bleiweiss http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog/ 

Oct 7  Jill Berry http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/ 

Oct 10 Jane LaFazio http://janeville.blogspot.com/ 

Oct 12 Tracie Lynn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/

Artist Spotlight: Laura Wasilowski

Laura Walisowski has long been one of my favorite quilters and one of my favorite people. Her work and her personality are both full of whimsy and humor. In fact, she should come with a warning: do not try to drink when she is talking as sudden spraying through the nose is likely to occur.

Waffle Irons
32" x 37"

Laura is the revered and feared Dean of Corrections at the Chicago School of Fusing, (yes, I AM a proud graduate of that school.) I highly recommend a quick tour, especially a glance at the Rowenta Sports Arena, Home of the Iron Maidens, my favorite team.

She teaches all over the place and will also be vending her absolutely delicious - as in I have an extensive collection - ARTFABRIK embroidery threads and dyed fabric in Houston at the International Quilt Festival.

Blue Book on Blue Chairs
46" x 57"

Her new book, Fanciful Stitches, Colorful Quilts is a delight to read and if you've wanted to add embroidery to your quilts I highly recommend it. I reviewed it here in case you are curious... and you know you are!

Today she has a review of Bead It Like You Mean It up on her blog

http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/

Today only - leave a comment over there for a chance to win

Student Spotlight: Playing With Paint

I'd love to share with you some of the wonderful work done by students in my class

Playing With Paint

Stamped by Sarah Stephens

These were from our online session earlier this year at

www.QuiltUniversity.com

Dry brush by Madalene Murphy

Monoprint by Sally Stites

Tiger Eyes by Kathy Edwards

http://kathyeplace.blogspot.com/

wet wash, stamp, shiva oil sticks  by Anne Fornicola

Monoprint by Cheryl Hansen

Artist Spotlight: Gloria Hansen

I've been wanting to introduce you to Gloria Hansen for a very long time now and am so happy to finally get the chance to do so. She is one of the kindest, most generous people I know. She is also an incredibly talented artist.

Blushing Triangles 5
12x12

http://www.gloriahansen.com/

Gloria is considered a pioneer in uniting the quilt maker with the computer, and in 1996 she co-authored The Quilter’s Computer Companion, a ground-breaking book published by No Starch Press. She also wrote or 

co-wrote 13 titles in the Free Stuff on the Internet series publishing by C&T Publishing. 

Her latest book Digital Essentials, the Quilt Maker’s Must Have Guide to Images, Files, and More, published by Electric Quilt Company, was a USA Book News “Best Books 2009” finalist.  Her works has appeared in nearly 200 magazine articles, within nearly 30 books, on several magazine covers, and a college text book cover.  She has been a technology columnist since 1996; was selected as the NJ featured Artist of the month, August 2007, by the NJ State Council on the Arts/Art Pride NJ; and was a featured guest on the HGTV show Simply Quilts and on the cable TV show Exit 8. 

Gloria’s work has been exhibited throughout the country and abroad for over two decades. She has won over 200 awards, including the 2007 Master of Innovative Artistry award at the International Quilting Association show in Houston, Texas and the 2008 Best Wall Quilt award at the American Quilter’s Society show in Paducah, Kentucky.  She also has a quilt in the permanent collection of the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. In 2008, Gloria’s work was displayed in a solo show at the San Jose  Museum of Quilts & Textiles where she was described by the curator as “one of the world’s foremost digital quilt designers.” 

It's About Time

I hope you are as in love with her work as I am. And I think you should buy her book, Digital Essentials. It's a must have for anyone who needs to do anything with computers and quilting. She explains so many things (resizing, digital watermarks, editing, etc) in such a clear and easily understandable fashion.

But first - go to her blog and leave a comment for a chance to win my DVD.

Artist Spotlight: Carla Sonheim

Carla Sonheim is a painter, illustrator, and creativity workshop instructor known for her fun and innovative projects and techniques designed to help adult students recover a more spontaneous, playful approach to creating. She is the author of Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists: 52 Creative Exercises to Make Drawing Fun.

One of her students writes, “Carla just shines and is so gentle and generous that you will work hard all day and come out energised and inspired. Most importantly though, [her] class was a touchstone in my artistic journey, giving me the courage to stop resisting, and open myself to my creative voice.”

Carla lives in Seattle, Washington.

(Remember… “Blowed kisses are like little ghosties. They can go through cracks in doors.” –Wes Sonheim, age 4)

Carla will be teaching at JOURNALFEST on October 26-30th in Port Townsend, Washington.

I own and adore her book, Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists and I think you should own it too!

Now go to Carla's Blog, Snowball Journals and read her review of Bead It Like You Mean It. Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the DVD.

And if you don't win there - you can try each of these other blogs.

Sept 26 Carla Sonheim http://carlasonheim.wordpress.com/ 

Sept 28 Gloria Hansen http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog/ 

Sept 30 Laura Wasilowski http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/ 

Oct 3  Carol Sloan http://carolbsloan.blogspot.com/ 

Oct 5 Sue Bleiweiss http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog/ 

Oct 7  Jill Berry http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/ 

Oct 10 Jane LaFazio http://janeville.blogspot.com/ 

Oct 12 Tracie Lynn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/

Or - you can buy it here.

On-Line Class: The Artist's Toolbox

If you are looking for an easy way to learn about art, to pick up the basics of the visual language,

I'd like to suggest my upcoming class:

The Artist's Toolbox

Reaching by Lyric Kinard

An on-line course at www. QuiltUniversity.com

based on the book

Art + Quilt: Design Principles and Creativity Exercises

Come learn the basic alphabet of the visual language, the elements and principles of good design.

I'll walk you through each element, explaining them in easy to understand language and metaphors.

We'll observe each element of the visual language in the world around us.
We'll learn to see with the eyes of an artist.

Finally we'll put what we've learned into practice through practical exercises.

The supply list couldn't be simpler.

Sketchbook and whatever drawing stuff you have

Glue Stick

Fabric of Paper Scraps

Registration is open now 

Class begins September 30

Artist Spotlight: Sharon Chapman

Today you can head over to Sharon Chapman of Wildflower House and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Bead It Like You Mean It. 

Sharon's Etsy shop

Sharon lives in the foothills of the Cascade mountains where there is mucho rain, but when the sun comes out it's gorgeous. Her real love is Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands which are close. She loves creating gardens and peaceful places. Lately her interests have been crazy quilting and landscape quilts. 

Here's the round up so far of all the blogs that are hosting a DVD giveaway.

Each of them so far has some fun reviews and projects.

Sep 15  Larkin Van Horn http://blog.larkinart.com/

Sept 16 Susan Sorell http://www.creativechick.com/blog/ 

Sept 19 Kelli Nina Perkins http://ephemeralalchemy.blogspot.com/ 

Sept 21  Sharon Chapman http://wildflowerhouse.blogspot.com/ 

Sept 23 Leslie Jennison http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com/ 

Sept 26 Carla Sonheim http://carlasonheim.wordpress.com/ 

Sept 28 Gloria Hansen http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog/ 

Sept 30 Laura Wasilowski http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/ 

Oct 3  Carol Sloan http://carolbsloan.blogspot.com/ 

Oct 5 Sue Bleiweiss http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog/ 

Oct 7  Jill Berry http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/ 

Oct 10 Jane LaFazio http://janeville.blogspot.com/ 

Oct 12 Tracie Lynn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/

 you can buy it here.http://wildflowerhouse.blogspot.com/2011/09/special-giveaway.html