This one is very near and dear to my heart as printmaking and collage has been my medium of choice for the past couple of years. Gelli printing being my favorite so far. So much so that I taught classes on it for a year and have made some YouTube videos on it. I love it because it calls for less fancy equipment than some other forms of printmaking.
Read MoreI talked about deciding to make some low-stakes sketchbooks using snack and cereal boxes. The goal was for these ugly sketchbooks to eventually lessen my fear of using pretty sketchbooks. The problem and blessing is, those snack and cereal box sketchbooks ended up looking pretty cool!
That personal project inspired this week’s hobby experiment,
Snack Box Sketchbook Making!
Read MoreI wanted to make sure the junk mail was a focal point in this collage. Rather than saying “I can’t believe it’s junk mail!” I want the reaction to be, “Oh wow, junk mail can look so cool!”
Read MoreNot everyone has the ability to go out into the world and spend time in their sketchbook. Whether that be because of their work and family obligations, how their anxiety is setup, visual impairment, physical limitations, being medically home-bound, financial barriers that limit their transportation options, or all the above and more. Whatever the reason, I don’t think that means they can’t be a part of the semi-exclusive club of Urban Sketchers. But maybe that’s just my personal opinion. Either way, I’m inviting you into the fold with or without the authority to do so.
Read MoreThat’s why we’re going to spend this entire month trying out different creative hobbies. And what better month than the first of a new year.
I’ve got four really fun and beginner friendly creative activities for y’all to try out and possibly take on as your new hobby.
Read MoreOur dreams used to be untouchable. There were no real-world situations that could make us give them up or doubt their possibility. Even if THEE dream didn’t come true, there was almost instantly another one ready to take its place.
Read MoreAs a people, we should be allowed to indulge in certain practices (WITHIN REASON, OF COURSE) even if other folks don’t understand it.
Read MoreAs full-time, part-time, or undercover creatives our brains are always moving and thinking about the next thing. This isn’t because we don’t care about the previous or current thing or that it’s unimportant.
Read MoreMy apparent inability to complete a sketchbook says nothing about how much work I’ve produced in my life formally or casually. It’s quite the opposite. My ideas simply cannot be contained!!!!! I have work and ideas spread across numerous sketchbooks, scraps of paper, notecards, procreate files, and an unreasonable number of sticky notes.
Read MoreMy small town still has a lot of dealings with good ol’ paper. Sorry to them trees, sincerely, but I promise I’m doing them justice and not letting them go to waste. I turn everything from my pharmacy bags to junk mail to receipts into printmaking papery. Even more than finding workable papers, I enjoy preparing them.
Read MoreAnyone can call themselves a creative if they would like to. And everyone is at least an undercover creative, whether they recognize it or not.
If you want to make being creative a permanent part of your identity, you first gotta realize that it already is.
Read MoreAt this point you’re probably thinking I’m a jack of all trades but a master of none. Or maybe you’re not thinking that and I’m just projecting… This has been a niggling thought on the outskirts of my brain for YEARS now. It’s only been very recently that I’ve reflected and realized what’s really going on.
Read MoreMy little black book of Creative Bucket List ideas is over halfway full, and I’ve checked off maybe one or two items since 2019? Lord knows I’ve had plenty of time.
Read MoreOne of the negative impacts of my transplant I’ve had to deal with over the past year has been my new and constant hand tremors. I haven’t shared this with many people because every time I think about it, I remember how I used to be able to count on these hands, my hands. And when I remember that, I start to wonder if breathing was worth it.
Read MoreObviously, due to my indefinite doctor-advised stay at home order, I can't go protest. But honestly, as my friends tell me about their experiences, I don't know if I would have the courage to go even if I weren’t quarantined.
Read MoreWhile it’s scary to be immunocompromised-therefore on high risk alert during this pandemic… I am fully loving and taking advantage of this time at home. In the past two weeks, I’ve gotten more of my own art tasks done than I did in January and February combined.
Read MoreIt's so easy to get caught up in, “If I want to make it, I got to get the followers.” Being follower focused is a lot of work considering leaning into the need for validation from others about my art does not inspire me to be creative.
Read MoreI’m A1 at planning out a productive day/week/month of tasks. But, I’m terrible at scheduling in time to take a pause and breathe.
Read MoreI usually go into the new year with a single-spaced page-long list of resolutions. A list filled with pure hopes, vivid dreams, and an abundance of unrealistic expectations.
Read MoreNow that the new lungs are a part of me, I own them. They can’t snatch them back… I’m about to ride these babies ‘til the alveoli’s fall off. BET THAT!!!
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