Kelly Kilmer's Journal Workshops

These are journals that I created in classes that I took with art journalist/teacher extraordinaire Kelly Kilmer at the ARTbar in Santa Ana. Kelly's workshops are a lot of fun and you leave at the end of the day with a completed journal ready to use.
The larger one I took to my first Art Fest in 2007 and filled with memories of those 4 wonderful days. The smaller one became a place to store images and quotes that delighted my eye. Kelly is currently teaching an on-line "prompt a day" class that is receiving rave reviews.

For info check out her bloghttp://kellykilmer.blogspot.com/

Gotta Love It!

Yesterday morning I stopped on the way to work at a $2.00 self car wash. On the way out I noticed this wall - and, of course - I had to stop and take pictures.

Isn't it wonderfully distressed? Delightfully peeling?

What a great way to start the day - a clean Miata and a fantastic fence!

Taos Sunrise

Taos Sunrise (detail)

Another red rosin for the upcoming Open Studio Tour. Tried to capture the colours, not only of the sunrise and sky, but the ever-present turquoise and orange that permeates the Taos architecture and art.

Here's the red rosin paper with its coat of gesso and texture added.

Here's the first few passes of acrylic, drips and stencils.

And here's the finished product, more paint, drips and splatters and collage elements of New Mexican flag symbols and old correspondence.

Bamboo & Rust

Bamboo & Rust

An assemblage box for Open Studios. For the background and walls I used complicated paper that I made in Anne Bagby's class last February in Taos. The top rusty bits were picked up at the Antique Street Faire and attached with contrasting wire. A Buddha figure from World Market sits in a shrine created from a very old, very rusty Madeleine baking mold - compliments of Corey Amaro of Tongue in Cheek.

I finished off the sides with bamboo matting and blue porcelain bamboo. After I sign the back it will be ready to set aside and wait for Open Studios in October.

Dream Studio

Another one of those little spaces that I love. This one is a park model from Cavco Cabins. I love the wall of glass and the little loft under the eaves. A perfect weekend studio getaway place. Just add a bit of land by a lake with lots of big trees, a beautiful sunrise, a steaming cup of coffee and a new journal to fill - utter bliss!

5 years today!

The Happy Brides

Five years ago today, on a beautiful sunny day by the sea, Margot and I were married (and then legally last June, but we consider this first ceremony the beginning of our married life together). And it just keeps getting better and better every single day. How did I get so lucky?

Caught with our fingers in the cake! - Mmm - flourless chocolate

with 2 brides on top.

64 years later.

Piccadilly Circus - May 8, 1945

After almost six long years WWII in Europe was at an end. Indomitable Londoners poured into Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, in front of the palace to cheer and shout and weep. It would be another seven to eight years before all rationing was lifted and Britain began her journey forward into the second half of the century with young Queen Elizabeth on the throne.

New York City - May 8, 1945

In New York crowds thronged the streets and Times Square, celebrating the victory while still mourning the loss of FDR a month earlier. And then there was the rest of the war in the South Pacific to win.

With gratitude to those who served - in all the allied armed forces and at home. Thanks Dad.

Kansas City Library Parking Garage, Missouri

Have you ever wanted to settle down for an evening with a nice big book? Isn't this grand - the library parking garage in Kansas City.

The Community Bookshelf is a striking feature of Kansas City's downtown. It runs along the south wall of the Central Library's parking garage on 10th Street between Wyandotte Street and Baltimore Avenue. The book spines, which measure approximately 25 feet by 9 feet, are made of signboard mylar. The shelf showcases 22 titles reflecting a wide variety of reading interests as suggested by Kansas City readers and then selected by The Kansas City Public Library Board of Trustees. - from the Kansas City Library website (http://www.kclibrary.org/central)

Do you see your favourite book?

Ala Venezia!

Ala Venezia!

This was fun. I cut the painting in half and then put each half in a different frame. Hand-marbled paper was affixed to each edge with matte medium. The glass handled paint brush was found in a little paper shop across from the La Fenice Opera House in Venice. And one of those great finds - the bracelet with scenes of Venice (including the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark's Square) was unearthed on a crisp fall morning at the Revere Flea Market just north of Boston.

A few more treasures from the paper shops of Venice.

Red Rosin Steps 1 & 2

Step One

To get ready for the upcoming Open Studios Tour in October, I'm doing 2-3 of these big red rosin paints a month. I gesso the surface one weekend and then let it dry for a week. With our sea air here by the coast I like to give it plenty of time to get really dry. Then the next weekend I paint and collage and layer to my heart's content.

Step Two

Step one is to get out the paper, unroll some (in this case 24x36") and cut it off. Step two - gesso the heck out of it while adding bits of texture - here I used string, a cut-up onion bag, and the edge of a plastic putty knife to draw designs in the wet gesso. Then set aside and wait for it to dry. Stay tuned to this blog channel to see what transpires next weekend when the fun really begins