More mysteries in the wall this Sunday!

Greetings Everyone!

Just a quick reminder that Sunday I will be teaching the collage portion of " In the Wall"  one more time this month. I still have a couple of spots left so sign up now before they are taken.  Here are the details:

Sunday March 4^th

Class: In the Wall-Part 1 Collage

Description:

You are replacing the very old, very stained wallpaper in a room in your newly purchased 200 year old home.  As you peel off layer after layer of old wallpaper you are surprised to find something else….

In this class we will be creating a multilayered collage using embossed papers, old wallpapers, and corrugated cardboard and collage images.  We will then apply texture mediums and paint to give the piece a weathered aged look.

Items to bring: 3 to 5 collage related collage images, paintbrushes and scissors.  You may also bring any found objects you might want to include on your piece.Time: 10:00 to 4:00

Fee: $60.00
Max 4 students

If you would like to sign up for this class please email me at connie@isbjorn.com.

What's in the wall

Greetings Everyone,

Look at what was found in the wall this weekend!  This beautiful piece was found by Maureen after peeling back layer after layer of old wallpaper and plaster and lathe  It  reads:"You cannot conceal love".  Frankly it doesn't look like this mermaid woman conceals anything much does it!  But someone did.  Maureen found that this sentiment and accompanying image was very important to someone. So much so that  it was lovingly sourrounded with pearls, beads,jewels and even a few shells. Beautiful isn't it?

Wondering what you might find in the wall?

If so you can join me on Sunday March 4th.  I still have a couple of spots left in class so hurry and sign up before they are all gone!

 

Sunday March 4^th

Class: In the Wall-Part 1 Collage

Description: You are replacing the very old, very stained wallpaper in a room in your newly purchased 200 year old home.  As you peel off layer after layer of old wallpaper you are surprised to find something else….

In this class we will be creating a multilayered collage using embossed papers, old wallpapers, and corrugated cardboard and collage images.  We will then apply texture mediums and paint to give the piece a weathered aged look.

Items to bring: 3 to 5 collage related collage images, paintbrushes and scissors.  You may also bring any found objects you might want to include on your piece.

Time: 10:00 to 4:00

Fee: $60.00

Max 5 students

C.Andrews studio is located at 103-1 Harvard st., Princeton by the Sea. If you have any questions about the upcoming classes please email me at connie@isbjorn.com.

"In the Wall" at the studio

Greetings Everyone,
I am pleased to announce that this Saturday (the 25th) I will be teaching my first new class of 2012.
The title of my new class is In The Wall.  So what's it all about?  Well imagine peeling back layer after layer of wallpaper only to find an picture hidden and covered  for a hundred years.  What image is hidden and why, is something only you can determine.  Come and learn how to make your collage look aged and crusted,  how to make corrugated cardboard look like plaster and lathe, and how to create a multilevel collage and still keep you focal point.  And if that doesn’t sound like fun what about attending class to get a chance to play with some yummy vintage wallpaper! I still have two spots open in Saturdays class so come and find out what awaits you “In The Wall”.

 

If you would like to sign up for class please email me at connie@isbjorn.com. C.Andrews studio is located at 103-1 Harvard st. in Princeton-by-the Sea.

See you at the studio!

Finally a schedule for C.Andrews studio

 

Greetings Everyone!

For those of you that thought I would never get this out, here is my teaching schedule up to the beginning of June. I am offering three totally new classes in this first half of the year and I am really excited about these classses. They are titled In The Wall-part one (collage), In the Wall part two(assemblage) and A whole New World. You will note that all of the classes on my list for the first half of the year will have one thing in common.  They all deal with collage/assemblage combined with texture and paint. You can see one sample from In The Wall part one above. You can view another sample below.  Please note that I am still working on samples for In The Wall part two and A Whole New World.  So stay tuned!

C.Andrews Studios

Saturday Feb 11^th

Class: Personal Collage Icons
Description: Icon: 1. An Image: representation, a simile or symbol.
In this intermediate collage class we will be creating our own personal icons on a 10 x10 canvas.  What images have deep meaning for you?  Is it a person? A place? Or maybe an Object?  Even the ordinary can become sacred or symbolic of some deeper personal meaning.  To accomplish this we will be creating our icons by making small boxes out of embossed and corrugated papers and then placing our precious collage images and found object into those boxes. To help create a unified piece we will then apply paint washes and finally a glossy topcoat. 
Items to bring:  A variety of paintbrushes, scissors, 5 of your favorite acrylic paint colors and 3 to 5 related images. Please make sure that one of the images is large enough to become your focal point.  The images must be color copied or printed on a permanent ink jet printer.
Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm
Fee: $50.00
Class limit: 3

Sunday Feb 12^th

Open Studio/Altered Book Workshop
11:00 to 4:00
$10.00

 Wednesday Feb. 15th

Altered Books Club or ABC
Time: 6:00 to 9:00pm
Fee: $10.00

Saturday Feb 18^th

Class: In the Wall-Part 1 Collage
Description: You are replacing the very old, very stained wallpaper in a room in your newly purchased 200 year old home.  As you peel off layer after layer of old wallpaper you are surprised to find something else….
In this class we will be creating a multilayered collage using embossed papers, old wallpapers, and corrugated cardboard and collage images.  We will then apply texture mediums and paint to give the piece a weathered aged look.
Items to bring: 3 to 5 collage related collage images, paintbrushes and scissors.  You may also bring any found objects you might want to include on your piece
Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm
Fee: $60.00
Class limit: 4

Saturday Feb 25^th

Class: In the Wall
Description: see above
Time: 10:00 to 4:00pm (we will break at 12:30 to 1:00 for lunch)
Fee: $60.00
Class limit: 4

Sunday Feb 26^th

Class: Marvelous Molding Paste Part One: Golden’s regular Molding Paste
Description: In this technique class on Textural Effects we will experiment with Golden’s Regular Molding Paste.  Regular Molding paste creates a smooth porcelain like surface that holds peaks and lines.  It can be stamped into or stenciled onto your surface. It can then be combined with collage images to produce a unique work of Art that is all your own.
Items to bring: Scissors and paintbrushes
Time: 10:00 to 2:00pm
fee: $40.00
Max 4 students
This class is a prerequisite for “Texture in a Big Way”

Saturday March 3^rd

Class: Marvelous Molding Paste Part Two-Light Molding Paste
Description: In this next class in my texture and collage series we will be contrasting Light Molding Paste to Regular Molding Paste.  Light Molding Paste is formulated to be 50% lighter than Regular Molding Paste. It’s like spreading Marshmallow cream! The interesting thing about Light Molding paste is that it dries with a matte papery consistency that takes acrylic paints and spreads them like watercolors. It can instantly make any surface seem like an ancient relic.
Items to Bring: Please bring scissors and paintbrushes. All other materials will be supplied.
Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm
Fee: $40.00
Max 4 students

Sunday March 4^th

Class: In the Wall-Part 1 Collage

Description: see above

Time: 10:00 to 4:00

Fee: $50.00

Max 4 students

Saturday March 10^th/ Sunday March 11th

Class: Texture in a Big Way

Description: In this advanced class we will have two objectives:

      To combine at least two textures.

To combine texture and collage on a surface no smaller than 11 x 14.

Note this is a 2 day workshop.  If you choose to combine more than two textures or to use crackle paste a third day may be needed. This can be scheduled separately at a time of your choosing.

This workshop is only for advance collage artists that have had experience using texture mediums.

Items to bring:  Please bring a stretched canvas, canvas board or other rigid substrate that is 11 x 14 or larger, scissors, paintbrushes and a large image of your choice. I will bring all other supplies. Please note that if you intend to use crackle paste you must bring either canvas board or other rigid surface.

Time: 11:00 to 4:00 both days

Fee: $120.00

Max 3 students

Sunday March 18^th

Open Studio/Altered Books workshop

11:00 to 4:00pm

$10.00

Wednesday March 21^st

Altered Book Club

6:00pm to 9:00pm

$ 10.00

Saturday March 31^st/ Sunday April 1^st

Class: In the Wall part 2 –Assemblage

Description:  You are replacing the very old, very stained wallpaper in a room in your newly purchased 200 you old home.  As you peel off layer after layer of old wallpaper you are surprised to find a deep hole in the wall.  As you peer through the hole you are surprised to find…

In this cigar box assemblage class we will apply the techniques from In the Wall part one to create a one of a kind 3-D assemblage.  What will you find in the wall?

Items to bring: scissors, paintbrushes, a special found object(s), item(s) or image to place in your wall.

Time: 10:00 to 4:00pm both days. Please bring a lunch if you want as there will be a lunch break at about 1:00.

Fee: $120.00 both days

Max 4 students

Saturday April 14^th

Class: Pumice Gels

Description: In this class we will experiment with fine and coarse Pumice Gels. What’s the difference?  Fine Pumice dries translucent-a sandpaper version of Gel medium.  Coarse Pumice? think stone in a jar.  I always think of Ancient ruins and Egyptian Pyramids.  So come and join the class and find out what treasures you can unearth using Pumice Gel.

Items to Bring: Please bring scissors and paintbrushes.  All other materials will be supplied.

Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm

Fee: $40.00

Max 4 students

Sunday April 15^th

Open Studio/ABC workshop

11:00 to 4:00pm

$10.00

Wednesday April 18^th

Altered Book Club

6:00 to 9:00pm

$10.00

Saturday April 21^{st /} Sunday April 22nd

Class: In the Wall part two-Assemblage

Description: see above

Time: 10:00 to 4:00 both days

Fee: $120.00 both days

Max 4 students

Saturday May 5^th /Sunday May 6^th

Colony of Coastside Artists Open studios

11:00 to 4:00

More info to come

 Saturday May 12^th

Class: Glittering Glass Bead Gel

Description: Imagine your collage glittering like a precious jewel.  How do you create this? Glass bead gel of course! Glass bead gel can be applied on top of your collage. It can be  colored with transparent acrylic paints and spread around your canvas to shine like diamonds. Or add it to your collage for a water-like effect. Intrigued yet? Then check it out. Come and explore the possibilities of glass bead gel.

Items to bring: paintbrushes, scissors and gel medium.

Time: 10:00 to 2:00

Fee: 40.00

Max 4 students

Sunday May 13^th

Open studio/ABC workshop

Time: 11:00 to 4:00pm

Fee: $10.00

 Wednesday May 16^th

Altered Books Club

6:00pm to 9:00pm

$10.00

 Saturday May 19^th/Sunday May 20^th

Class: A Whole New World

Description: In this class we will be creating our own worlds or special places by piecing together different collage images and disguising the different images by using paint and special effects using Goldens texture mediums.  The result will be a totally integrated 9 x 12 collage and your unique piece of art.

Items to bring: scissors, paintbrushes, images (these should be color or black and white toner /lazer copies and not inkjet or original photos.) All other materials will be supplied.

***This is an advanced class that requires collage and textural collage experience.

Time: 10:00 to 4:00 both days

Fee: $120.00 for both days

Max 4 students

Saturday June 2^nd/Sunday June 3^rd

Class: A Whole New World

Description: see description above

Items to Bring: see above

Time 10:00 to 4:00 both days

Fee: $120.00 for both days

Max 4 students

C.Andrews studio is located at 103-1 Harvard, Princeton-by-the-Sea.  If you are interested in taking a class or have a question please email me at connie@isbjorn.com.

See you in class!

Connie

Second ABC round robin exchange #2

Greetings Everyone!

It's high time I showed the art work from our second swap.  This time around I received Lisa's book.  Her theme was Into The Trees...a fairytale of sorts.  Wow-talk about an open ended subject!  Again the problem I had was narrowing down the subject into something that would fit into a spread but still be uniquely my own. As luck would have it I had just finished the book you see above: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.  I'll admit that I am enamoured with this book and highly recommend it.  It's got to be one of the most creative books I've read in quite some while. Yes it peculiar.   It is listed as a young adult book but much like the later Harry Potter books doesn't read like one. This book is a mixed Media Artists dream.  It  is filled with amazing and very peculiar vintage photos which the story has been cleverly woven around.
Well since Miss Peregrine home is in the woods and is basically a fairytale it seemed tailor made to be my subject for the theme of Into the Trees.

Well this is my first page.  I wanted to present a simple page that looked like it was from an old book. I have tried to set up my theme by using a quote from the book.  The quote reads "I had just come to accept that my life would be ordinary when extraordinary things began to happen"  
                                                                                                       Ransom Riggs

The next page again I tried to keep simple.  The text on this page is a portion of the story in my own words.
The text reads:
All through my childhood my Grandfather would tell me incredible tales about his life in a Welsh children’s home. This was an enchanted place designed to keep very special children safe from monsters. It was located on an island where the sun shines everyday and nobody ever gets sick or ages. I believed every one of his fantastic tales until the expected adult skepticism took hold, to my parent’s relief. This new found skepticism lasted until my grandfather was murdered by something I can only describe as a monster. But I didn’t believe in monsters!  Monsters were just fairy tales like my grandfather’s stories. But when this letter and pictures were found in my grandfather’s possessions my skepticism started to waver and I knew that I needed to find the truth .

To this page I added the letter, a picture of Miss Peregrine and the little Angel. These are both my own vintage photos that I have been collecting forever. 

The page ends with a line of text that sets up the next spread. It reads:  My search for truth led me to the Welsh Island from my grandfather’s stories and into the trees…

Here are both sides of the spread.  Unfortunately the pages were too large to get a picture of the entire spread in one photo.  But in the first shot you can see Miss Peregrines Home in the back ground and some "peculiars" in the foreground.  The next page shows more "peculiars".  These pictures are a mix of my own collected photos and unusual photos that I found on the web. Please note that I have made my own peculiars and not the ones described and pictured in the book.  As for the peculiars there are: scary clown person, Siamese identical twins, Boy with the removable head, Mouse girl and her dog friend, stone face girl on roller skates with balloon baby on a string.  This spread is totally pieced together from different images. The trees, bushes and grass are all 3-D effects created with Golden's light molding paste.  The collage was then painted to pull it together and make it one piece of art.

The texts reads: The trees began to thin and I came upon a clearing filled with green grass and a house. This was it! The house from my grandfather’s stories just as he described it! Miss Peregrine’s home for Peculiar Children.

I end my submission for Lisa's theme with two more peculiars and another quote directly from the book:

"I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was. "
                                     Ransom Riggs

I thought this quote was particularly true about life.  How many times have we all ignored the small details of our lives?  If we just look closer we will find that those small "seemingly" ordinary things are extraordinary.

Over and out until my next post.

ABC round robin swap #2-first exchange

Greetings Everyone!

I'm sure that you are all waiting breathlessly to know whether or not our local Altered Books Club was really going to participate in another Round Robin Swap.  The answer is Yes! However the group is a little smaller this time around with 6 participants instead of 11 with the addition of a totally new member to the group.
Since many of you seemed to enjoy the last glimpse into our swap I thought that I might blog about this one as well.
For swap #1 I received Maureen's book, the theme of which was :Romance. EEKKK! was my reaction. One of the most difficult things about this theme for me was distilling it down into something manageable.  There's so much you could do with the theme of Romance.  To start the swap off I wanted to so something uniquely me-but unexpected.  That meant no romantic skulls-that would have been just too easy.  And quite frankly the entire group was sure that I would do that.  Instead I decided to deal with my hypocrisy. Yes I am a hypocrite.  Sounds like an AA meeting doesn't it.   Why do I say this you ask?  Because of course I would never stoop to reading bodice rippers and other such trash.  And its true that I generally don't read that type of book.  They contain just a touch too much romance for me.  But as I got to looking around at all my favorite books and movies I realized that most of them deal with the subject of romance.  In fact I have and entire book of nothing but romantic movies. Movies that my husband likes to call woman trash (even though you will very often find his butt parked on the couch watching them with me!) I won't even go into the number of times I have watched these movies or reread the books.  Suffice it to say that I practically know them all by heart!
After admitting my weakness I was ready to move on and suddenly I knew what I wanted to add in my spread or spreads as it turned out. I decided to stay with a very simple paper collage style for this one.

One common theme in all of the movies and books I mentioned is that they might as well start out: Once upon a time.  You can see my Once upon a time collage above.  I included one of my favorite Preraphelite images called The Bride.   I thought her appropriate.

Of course every Romance should end with Happily Ever After.  In this collage I made a little niche. Don't be fooled not only am I Jonesing for Happily Ever After...

What I am really waiting for in every book and movie is " The Kiss".  In the niche I have created a shrine to the kiss.  I sculpted a small iconic glass slipper and put it in there as well.

But I didn't stop there!  In my second spread I show a beautiful princess dreaming (that's of course what I wanted to be as a child until reality imposed itself on me) and on the other is another kiss (sigh) with a pocket containing two booklets listing a few of my favorite romantic movies and books.  Just in case the others have missed some of them of course!

And just in case some of the group was a little too serious or panting too heavily,  I decided to inject my own personal bit of humour.

Click on this picture to enlarge it and you will see that this woman just does not look comfortable on that horse. I believe that this is because she is dealing with an age old woman's problem. Come on guys it couldn't have been much different back then!

Connie-over and out until next time! 

A Big fat Merry Christmas

Well this was the scene out at Maverick's Beach this morning.  Glorious isn't it?

I want to take this opportunity to give thanks for every person that has taken my classes, everyone that has purchased my art and everyone that reads this blog.  Without you I would not be living my dream.  So Thank you for my dream.

I also want to say a great big fat non politically correct Merry Christmas!  And as Mister Dickens so aptly put it " God bless us everyone".