TOAF: The Abstracts

I am working in series for many of the pieces I am presenting for this first time at The Other Art Fair opening 11/8 in Brooklyn. In an earlier post, I highlighted my collage work created in series on sheet film holders from vintage cameras. Like most of my work, it includes many, many layers of both paper, thread, and metal (and other) embellishments.

But I also like to paint - and leave it at that. So for the fair I created a series of seven, small,  abstract pieces on 5" x 5" x 1.5" wood panels. The series is called Tangled up in Blue. 

I will admit that when completed, I was drawn to add marks, collage and perhaps even found objects. But I love the simplicity and elegance of these pieces as is and find new details in them every time I look.

SOULS IN MY MIND -sold

ECLIPSED

IN THE DISTANCE

RUNNING WATER

CLIOUDY MORNINGS

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

MAIDEN VOYAGE - sold

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The fair, presented by Saatchi Art, runs from 11/8 to 11/11 at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint. 130 juried artists are included in the show and I will be there in Booth 20 for the entire exhibition. 

TOAF opens Thursday night 11/8 from 6pm to 10pm with a private view party. The exhibition continues on Friday 11/9 from 3pm to 10pm, Saturday 11/10 from 12pm to 9pm, and Sunday 11/11 from 11am to 6pm. If you would like to attend the VIP opening on Thursday night, please email me at shap97@gmail.com for complimentary tickets. If you would like complimentary tickets to attend the fair Friday through Sunday, click here and use code ARTIST.

PaperArtsy Paint Week

Last month, the PaperArtsy blog featured a series of projects made by 9 artists using one of my two, newly released sets of paint colors. 

Set 3: the summer palette

Set 4: the winter palette

The paint is Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics and the dry quickly to the most beautiful, matte surface imaginable. And it is also perfect for you journal as the pages never stick together and every pen works over the surface. You can see all my custom paint colors here.

Love the wide variety of creativity seen in the following projects. Click on each link for more pics, process shots, and details.

Corrie Herman

Keren Baker

Helen Chilton

Carol Fox

Alison Hall

Sue Carrington

Miriam Grazier

Nikki Acton

Ruth Mescall

NEW PaperArtsy Acrylic Paint

The palette grows. I am so happy to announce the release of my newest custom colors of paint from PaperArtsy. This paint is Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic and is among the 100+ colors in the line. It has a matte finish, dries lightening fast, and - perhaps best of all - will not destroy any pen/marker you use to mark it up. The paints in the line range in opacity, from translucent to semi-opaque to opaque.

Today's release includes 2 all new sets of 4 unique paint colors each. Coming up with the names was (almost) as fun as coming up with the colors. These colors are available now in my online shop. You can see the announcement on the PaperArtsy blog here.

The Four Seasons

Winter Palette

Venice Blue (opaque): the space between purple and blue

Glacier Ice (opaque): a soft, pale blue with a hint of purple

Spanish Mulberry (opaque): a pinky plum (or is that a plumy pink?)

Steel Grey (opaque): a cool shade of grey that works well with the blues

Summer Palette

Blue Lagoon (semi-opaque): a deep, tropical blue-green

Butter (opaque): a light, soft yellow with a crisp finish

Magic Moss (opaque): a cool and bright grassy green. mix with blues for turquoise

Double Denim (opaque): the color of your favorite pair of jeans

These new colors fit right in the pocket with my 2 sets from last year.

Autumn Palette

Buff (opaque): an off white neutral, perfect for paint mixing

Midnight (opaque): the darkest of blues with a green tone added

Terracotta (translucent): a translucent, rusty orange

Mahogany (semi-opaque): a cool, dark red-brown

Spring Palette

Smoked Paprika (translucent): a warm, translucent, spicy orange

Green Patina (semi-opaque): the color of aged copper

Key Lime (semi-opaque): a light yellow with lime green tones

Mud Splat (opaque): a cool brown. no more need to worry about making mud when you paint 

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Rust and Patina Set

I have also created a new paint bundle using 5 paints from my first two releases to create the perfect set for rust and patina effects: Mud Splat, Terracotta, Mahogany, Smoked Paprika, and Green Patina.

All my paints are available now from my online shop.

Chunky Rust

I am a sucker for rust. Yeah...I know in the real world, rust isn't always embraced. But in my mixed world, a rusty surface makes my heart skip a beat.

While there is nothing like the real thing, I have worked hard on methods to create faux rust, artful rust, textured rust.

And now I think I have hit on the perfect recipe.

Add one part Chunky Rust Baked Texture, one of seven of my new flavors of embossing powders from Emerald Creek...

and one part of my Rust and Patina Kit of Chalk Fresco Acrylic paints from PaperArtsy.

Together they make a rough, textured rust-like surface. Without the corrosion.

Stay tuned for video tutorials on how to create this effect, as well as on how to use all 7 Baked Texture flavors to add a new direction to your artwork.

Cottonwood

It's Back...

Last month I partnered with both North Light Media and PaperArtsy to create a limited-edition Mixed-Media Technique Kit available exclusively at Artists Network.

The kit sold out but a limited number of new sets are again available for purchase. You can see how the kit inspired Jeannine Stein, Editor of Cloth Paper Scissors, here on the Cloth Paper Scissors blog.

Mixed-Media Techniques Kit

The Mixed-Media Techniques Kit with Seth Apter includes my two newest DVDs, with over 4 hours of instruction: 10 Techniques for Mixed-Media Artists and 10 Techniques for Painting Layers in Mixed Media.

This kit also includes a mix -- exclusive to this collection - of 5 of my own paint colors from PaperArtsy that when used together create a surface of rust and patina. These paints are smooth chalk acrylics that quickly dry to a matt finish.

You also get a bonus downloadable video that where I demonstrate my techniques for making rust.

Also included in the kit is a set of 4 PaperArtsy stamps from my newest release. These cling stamps are made from deeply etched, red rubber, are highly detailed, and were designed by me based on elements found within my artwork.

New: Mixed Media Kits

Excited to have partnered with both North Light Media and PaperArtsy to create two new, limited-edition Mixed-Media Technique Kits that are available exclusively at the North Light online shop. The kits are also being highlighted by Jeannine Stein, Editor of Cloth Paper Scissors, on the Cloth Paper Scissors blog.

Mixed-Media Techniques Kit

The Mixed-Media Techniques Kit with Seth Apter includes my two newest DVDs, with over 4 hours of instruction: 10 Techniques for Mixed-Media Artists and 10 Techniques for Painting Layers in Mixed Media.

This kit also includes a mix -- exclusive to this collection - of 5 of my own paint colors from PaperArtsy that when used together create a surface of rust and patina. These paints are smooth chalk acrylics that quickly dry to a matt finish.

You also get a bonus downloadable video that where I demonstrate my techniques for making rust.

Also included in the kit is a set of 4 PaperArtsy stamps from my newest release. These cling stamps are made from deeply etched, red rubber, are highly detailed, and were designed by me based on elements found within my artwork.

Mixed Media Supplies Kit

The second kit is the Mixed Media Supplies Kit and includes all the supplies you need to make rust and patina surfaces - everything from Kit #1 except the DVDs.

5 PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paints

Downloadable Video Sharing my Rust Making Techniques

One Set of 4 Red Rubber Cling Stamps from PaperArtsy

Both kits are exclusive to North Light and being sold in limited edition quantities. Given that the products are bundled, they are also being offered at special pricing. You save 30% off list price for example on the Mixed-Media Techniques Kit.

Translucent Layering

Acrylic paint has multiple properties, both within and across brands. When we're choosing which paints to use for a project, most of us typically base the decision on color. My go-to palettes are usually blues or browns. To take your mixed-media work to the next level, you can also consider the level of transparency and opacity of your paint.

Happy to have a post on the Cloth Paper Scissors blog that focuses on using transparent paint in your mixed media layering and shares a step-by-step tutorial with images on how I add translucent paint to my work to create complex, dimensional surfaces. It is a favorite technique and one of 10 that I share on my new DVD/downloadable video workshop 10 Techniques for Creating Layers in Mixed Media.