Just go there now.You WANT her DVD and the goodies she's offering!Tomorrow is my turn! Come back because you'll only have a day or two to leave a comment.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
ARTSPARK Giveaway Day 8!
Lyricisms: Follow Your Bliss-ters
"Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls." ~Joseph Campbell
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| Dance by Lyric Montgomery Kinard 40 x 48 |
What is your calling?
Finding your calling is a wonderful thing. Sometimes it comes to you in a blast of enlightenment, sometimes it slowly grows on you as you wander aimlessly. Either way you take the seeds of the talent you have been given and you nurture and develop it into something you can use to create a better world. Joseph Campbell said, "One way or another, we all have to find what best fosters the flowering of our humanity in this contemporary life, and dedicate ourselves to that."
Where is the bliss?
I know what my calling is.... so where's the bliss? It's the peak of summer and I'm tired. I'm keeping the children occupied, trying to keep the house from devolving into complete chaos, struggling to meet deadlines. My art-making feels much the same way. I'm barely slogging through the things that must be done. Aren't I supposed to feel bliss every time I sit down to my sewing machine or pick up a paint brush?
Follow your blisters
I recently read an article by Jefferey Thompson, a professor at the Romney Institute of Public Management. He studies things like "callings" and workplace satisfaction. Some of the most satisfied workers in their professions? Zookeepers. They are passionate about what they do. Are they always blissful? No. They are not paid well, the hours can be difficult caring for sick animals through the night, and the work can be at times - well - unsavory. Professor Thompson learned something very interesting.
"The pain and burdens and sacrifice were not threats to their sense of calling—they were part of it. The work was meaningful because of the trials and burdens. That is an important lesson. We can’t expect deep meaningfulness from our calling unless we are willing to assume its burdens as well." A number of years after Joseph Campbell coined the phrase "follow your bliss" he quipped, "What I should have said was, 'follow your BLISTERS!'"
Ah. This is the "blister" part of summertime. Motherhood, art-making, zookeeping; they all have their slogging, difficult moments. They are worthwhile callings. The children will have had a good summer. I'll have time soon to develop some of the beginnings of ideas for some new artworks. It's not all bliss but it is my calling. What is yours?
~Lyric
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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
ARTSPARK Giveaway Day 7!
Hooray! Today the fabulous ARTSPARK artist
Takes her turn in the giveaway line.
Interweave Press is sponsoring a downloadable copy of Design, Paint & Stitch and Judy's giving away a free spot in her online Color Theory class!
You can read my interview with Judy HERE or just hop right over to her blog to leave a comment for a chance to win.
Here is the whole amazing ARTSPARK HOT! HOT! HOT! giveaway schedule. Remember that you can head back to the previous giveaways, find the right post to comment on, and check back on the 19th to see if you've won.
Wed August 10 Carla Sonhiem http://carlasonheim.wordpress.com/Sat August 13 Tracie Lyn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/Mon August 15 Jill Berry http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/Tues August 16 Judy Coates Perez http://judyperez.blogspot.comThurs August 18 Lyric Kinard http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/Fri August 19 Melanie Testa http://www.melanietesta.com/mtype/(It's almost my turn! I'm SOOOO excited!)
Monday, August 15, 2011
Tutorial: Citra-Solv Photocopy Transfer
The work I do as a mother involves a lot of delayed gratification. When I escape to the studio and put on my artist's hat it can be nice to see some instant results. Solvent photocopy transfer is one of my favorites. You need only a photocopy, fabric, Citra-Solve®, and a few seconds of elbow grease - and VIOLA!
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| Citra-Solv transfer by Lyric Montgomery Kinard |
The good people who produce this environmentally friendly cleaning product have included an ARTISTS' PAGE on their website. I'm honored to have been included among other textile artists I admire such as Jane Davila and Jane Dunnewold.I encourage you to take a peek over there - lots of interesting things being done. It makes me think that I have some experimenting to do. Dissolving pages from National Geographic magazine? Hmmm. Wonder how I can do that on fabric.
Want to join me in a little playtime? Here are the instructions for moving the ink from a photocopy onto paper or fabric. Wear gloves and work in a well ventilated area. The stuff is much more pleasant than the paint stripper I used to use but it IS still a solvent.
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| dragonfly transfered onto rice paper adhered to book cover with gel medium |
Materials:
- Citra-Solve® (find where to buy it here)
- Cotton ball
- Metal spoon
- Non-porous smooth surface
- Masking tape
- Fabric or paper of your choice
- Photocopy
Directions:
1. Find a copyright free black and white image. I love to use vintage family photos.
2. Make a photocopy of the photo, sizing it no larger than 5" x 7".
3. Cut away the background if it detracts from or competes with your image. (You can alter the image digitally too - see the Tutorial link above for PSE help.)
4. Draw in any lines that need emphasis or add in some fun scribbles. Maybe Grandma always wanted a tiara or your puppy looks great in polka dots! You can digitally manipulate the photo as well.
5. Make a final photocopy. (Note: Inkjet prints DO NOT work with this method. Laser printers might.)
6. Tightly tape a piece of fabric or paper to your glass or non-porous surface.
7. Tape the photocopy face-down on your paper or fabric. Don't let the tape cover the image.
8. Barely dampen the cotton with Citra-Solve® and squeeze it out. Rub it on the paper just until you see the ink show through. It should be barely damp - too juicy and your image will bleed and blur.
9. With the back of the metal spoon, rub, rub, rub hard and like crazy in all directions. You are moving the ink from the paper to the fabric.
10. Pick up one corner of the paper and peek. Look for spots that haven't transferred yet then put the paper back down and rub some more in that spot.
11. Toss the paper in the trash and let the solvent evaporate.
12. Feel free to play around with the image. Color it in with colored pencils, ink, paint or whatever you have on hand. Be creative! Have fun!
The only tricky part is finding a photocopier that works. If you are using Citra-Solve® (the other orange solvents I've tried have not worked) and you are rubbing and nothing is happening it is most likely the copy that is at fault. I test any copy I make right at the copy center. Dampen a cotton ball with the Citra-Solve® and stick it in a little zip-loc bag in your pocket. Make one photocopy then place it face down on another piece of paper on the counter, dampen with the Citra-Solve® then rub it a bit with the scissor handles on the counter, the back of your thumbnail, whatever you have there. If it's going to work it will work right away. If not, no amount of rubbing will work. Find another copy center. Don't leave the bag in your pocket too long. The solvent will eventually dissolve through the bag although it won't really hurt your clothes. (Ask me how I know!)
If you'd like to see it instead of just read about it I demonstrate the technique along with a lot of other fun techniques in the Quilting Arts DVD Workshop "Surface Design Sampler Platter."
Here is a link to the first of several Tutorials on how to Photoshop your images.
ARTSPARK Giveaway Day 6!
Jill Berry Is one of the most amazing artists I know! I can't wait to introduce you to her some time soon here on this blog.
In the meantime head over to her blog and leave a comment for a chance to win some beautiful stuff.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
ARTSPARK Giveaway Day 5!
Today it's Jane LaFazio's turn. Interweave Press is sponsoring a copy of Jane's absolutely wonderful DVD "From Art Journaling to Art."
And as if that wasn't enough... she's sweetening the pot with a couple of other delicious goodies.
I must admit that it's usually at about this point that I wish I could enter all the giveaways myself. I WANT THIS DVD!!! Guess I'll just have to go buy one.
If you want to get to know Jane a little better you can read this Artists Spotlight.Here is the whole amazing ARTSPARK HOT! HOT! HOT! giveaway schedule. Remember that you can head back to the previous giveaways, find the right post to comment on, and check back on the 19th to see if you've won.
Wed August 10 Carla Sonhiem http://carlasonheim.wordpress.com/Sat August 13 Tracie Lyn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/Mon August 15 Jill Berry http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/Tues August 16 Judy Coates Perez http://judyperez.blogspot.comThurs August 18 Lyric Kinard http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/Fri August 19 Melanie Testa http://www.melanietesta.com/mtype/
Saturday, August 13, 2011
ARTSPARK Giveaway Day 3&4!
Yesterday Gloria Hansen offered her amazingly wonderful book
Digital Essentials. You can leave a comment on her blogany time between now and next Friday when a winner will be drawn.If you need to work with digital images in any way - resizing, posting to a website - you NEED this book! Gloria is a quilter extraordinaire - and the most generous computer guru I know.In fact, don't wait for the drawing - just go buy it here (where you can also read a free chapter.)Tracie Lyn Huskamp takes her turn TODAY. She's giving away a copy of
Nature Inspired, one of the loveliest mixed media journaling books I have the pleasure to own.Again - leave a comment on Tracie's blog (find the specific post about her giveaway) between now and August 19th.Wed August 10 Carla Sonhiem http://carlasonheim.wordpress.com/Sat August 13 Tracie Lyn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/Mon August 15 Jill Berry http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/Tues August 16 Judy Coates Perez http://judyperez.blogspot.comThurs August 18 Lyric Kinard http://lyrickinard.blogspot.com/Fri August 19 Melanie Testa http://www.melanietesta.com/mtype/If you're just joining the blog hop it's not too late! You can head back to the previous giveaways, find the right post to comment on, and check back on the 19th to see if you've won. OH!!! Remember to leave your email so we can let you know if you win!
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