Artistgirl's Muse

Let's Hear it for the Boys!

2011-12-23T15:21:00.006-05:00

She absolutely loves the artwork of Brian Van Liew II and Mark Elepaño. They are talented, original & super creative. When she gets a chance to brainstorm about art with them she swears she can see the sparks of genius fly through the air. Honestly, these ornament are great but their 'serious' artwork is head spinningly spectacular. Check out their Ranger supply lists at the Ranger Blog! Kudos to the talented gentlemen at Ranger!

Don't Even Think About It!

2011-12-12T18:56:00.012-05:00

Creating on demand. It can frighten the most creative souls. As a muse I can tell you the best way to deal with it... DON'T THINK! Turn off the chatter in your head. Just go for it! Follow your whims, wander in what ever way tickles your fancy. Experiment and trust in yourself!
Click on over and check out the Tim Holtz 12 Tags inspired goodness on Ranger's Blog.
Then, if you feel so inclined, put on some music, listen to an audio book or podcast to distract your brain and create!

Yay, Artistgirl got a Craft Gossip link to her Archival Video with Tim Holtz!

Thinking Around the Box...

2011-12-07T20:18:00.009-05:00

More inspiration from Tim Holtz! His 7th tag has a great video on his Kraft Glassine! Take a look and ideas will start multiplying! Don't forget to take a peek at the Ranger Blog, where creativity is in a festive mood!

12 Tags of Christmas Inspiration.....

2011-12-05T20:18:00.006-05:00

Tim Holtz is inspiring many with his 12 Tags of Christmas and the crew at Ranger is putting their own spin on his techniques on the Ranger Blog! Come along & join the fun!

Is it December Already?

2011-12-02T20:35:00.008-05:00

Check out Ranger's Blog and see all the 'inspired' craftiness! Also, click over to Ranger's Site to learn how to make Artistgirl's Reindeer Ornament!

Happy Halloween! Join in the Fun!

2011-10-31T18:04:00.008-04:00

Party time! Even if you don't dress up you can join in the fun! Vote for your favorite costume on the Ranger Blog! Happy Halloween!

Super Star Saturday at the Ice Resin Blog!

2011-10-30T15:56:00.002-04:00

For the past few weeks she's been experimenting with resin. It's been exhilarating. My muse self has been whispering in her ear almost constantly! Her creative juices are flowing and there's so much more for her to try! Susan Lenart Kazmer's Ice Resin is awesome! So easy to use and the results are magnificent! She's thrilled to be featured on the Ice Resin Blog on Super Star Saturday! Click over to the Ice Resin site and look around there's eye candy and lot's of great info! Enjoy!

Tag, You're It!

2011-10-14T18:21:00.005-04:00

October... the leaves, the cool weather and Halloween! Artistgirl is loving the Picket Fence Distress Stain! Click your way over to the Ranger Blog to see how she made this tag. There's also a Halloween ornament and tag from the talented Ms. Terry Horvath! Tag, you're it!

Video...Yummy New Archival Ink Colors!

2011-08-06T14:27:00.003-04:00

Wow! The video is up on the Ranger website! Artistgirl chats with Tim Holtz and shows the variety of surfaces Archival ink will look great on!

Video Outtakes...

2011-06-23T22:19:00.009-04:00

She had some fun, flubbing her lines...
with the outrageously creative and funny Tim Holtz! That's the fabulous Patti Behan wielding the video camera and thanks to the transcendent Bonnie Egenton for taking these photos! Stay tuned for an Archival Ink Video featuring the new yummy colors!

You're a Friend of Mine...

2011-06-20T19:29:00.006-04:00

Her wonderful friends, Bonnie Egenton, Patti Behan & Artistgirl collaborated on a keepsake box. (She did very little, but it was so much fun for her to play with these creative women.) They made it for Father's Day but I think it it would be a great gift for anyone, on any day! Check out the Ranger Blog Post and the Instructions. (The title of this post is in memory of the late, great Clarence Clemons.)

In the Present Time...

2011-05-09T19:09:00.008-04:00

She seems to have a lot of family & friends born in the month of May! She's been having a lot of fun making cards and wrapping paper. To Make Bonnie's paper, first she carved a solid letter B, and then carved another for the outlines. She stamped the solid B in various New Archival Ink colors. Then she stamped over the the colorful stampings with the ever faithful Jet Black Archival Ink. Another present wrapped up! Happy birthday to all the May babies out there!

Playing Around

2011-03-08T20:20:00.004-05:00

She's starting to come out of her CHA overwork induced coma. The greatest prescription for Artistgirl is... Play Time! She thinks Wendy Vecchi's Clearly For Art Blackout is fascinating! Cut, die cut, punch. Paint, ink, sand, stamp, endless possibilities. Heat it, shape it, re-heat to flatten, re-heat re-shape! There's also Clearly for Art (Clear) and Clearly for Art Whiteout. This will keep Artistgirl happily playing for quite some time. Thanks Wendy!

New Video for the New Year!

2011-01-06T20:27:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year! A new Ranger video with the Adirondack Fillable Pen!

Snowbound...

2010-12-28T14:46:00.003-05:00

What can an artist do? Have a little fun of course!

Her Version of the Partridge Family...

2010-12-06T19:19:00.006-05:00

Forget the pear tree and stamp out these cute little partridges. Instructions on Ranger's blog!

December....Already!

2010-12-01T17:57:00.007-05:00

Wow, where did November go? Time to start making presents!
She's loving every minute of it!

An Invitiation to Gratitude...

2010-11-01T19:13:00.006-04:00

An Inbox invitation piqued her curiosity. It was from the wonderful, crafty Lisa Clarke. She accepted and posted a photo to the Flickr group 'A Month of Gratitude'. Keeping in the spirit of Lisa's "I’ll focus more on the little things for this", Artistgirl's chose clouds.
Come and join in the fun! Share & celebrate what you're grateful for! Details are on Lisa's Blog!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T01:49:00.004-04:00

She had a 'Wonderful' time at the Ranger Halloween Party! Visit the Ranger Blog to see more photos! Party on & have a Happy Halloween!

Ranger Blog Happiness...

2010-10-27T19:13:00.007-04:00

She's on Ranger's Blog again! If you want to add another technique to you repertoire check out the video! Have fun!

Painting with Perfect Pearls Mists....

2010-10-07T00:04:00.005-04:00

On Artist Trading Cards! Featured on Ranger's Blog with a link to the instructions!

Her New Video Format Debut

2010-10-01T22:36:00.010-04:00

Painting with Adirondack Pigment Inks is Ranger's feature video for the month of October! She found the new format, with Tim Holtz as host, both exciting and terrifying. No script? Oh no! She took the plunge, head first, as is her style, and had a great time. Her thanks go to Tim for being encouraging, patient & a whole lot of FUN! She also thanks Patti Behan for the great camera work, and just for being her amazing self!

Bring Your Wagon...

2010-09-21T19:21:00.005-04:00

...and stock up.

Ranger's 2010 Warehouse Sale!

Saturday October 2nd, 9am-3pm

A selection of discontinued and slightly imperfect
Arts & Crafts/Scrapbooking Supplies.

Stamp Pads * Glitter Glue * Embossing Powders
* Embellishments & More!*

Many Items priced 50-70% off wholesale!

15 Park Road, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
(Across from Applebee's Restaurant - off Hope Road)

Please note: Checks/Cash only. Credit Cards not accepted.

Store Owners: Please ask about bulk discounts.
732.389.3535 x35 for more info.

Continuous Growth

2010-09-19T20:17:00.004-04:00

Learning, practice, stretching, experimentation, FUN!!!

Strange Things Afoot...ahem!....Apaw...

2010-09-12T16:48:00.008-04:00

Something went awry. I was sending her some inspiration.

Alas, an upsetting and curious thing happened.

I think I'll start over tomorrow...

Ranger Video Party!!!

2010-08-09T19:45:00.006-04:00

She's back from summer CHA in Chicago. She's all rested and spent a little time shooting a video with the fun and fabulous Tim Holtz. Tim liked her sample card and asked her if she would show the technique she used on the card in a video...it even made it on his blog today! The Amazing Suze Weinberg dropped by and joined in on the video making party. (Thanks Miss Patti for the wonderful camera work. Can't wait to see how all the videos turned out, especially yours!) I know I've been very neglectful of the blog. I'll be posting Artistgirl's adventures in Chicago soon! (Photo by Mario J Rossi king of tweets!)

Back To Her Roots...

2010-06-04T20:50:00.004-04:00

She's been playing with watercolors lately. Back to a medium she absolutely adores. Getting ideas for a class to post on CraftEdu.com. Warm weather and watercolors, a perfect combination!

She Hammers In The Evening...

2010-03-24T00:17:00.010-04:00

She loves textured metal! A really fun way to impart texture is with a hammer...

Tim Holtz has a really cool Texture Hammer that comes with several screw on heads.

She wanted to simulate the feeling of tree bark, so she took a riveting hammer and added a slew of blows to the flat metal screw on head that comes with Tim's Hammer Set. Now all she has to do to get a wonderful bark-like look is to hammer her annealed metal with her custom hammer. Her mind is swimming with design ideas. Hmmmm...maybe she could get Tim to sell her the metal screw on heads in bulk???? ;-)

You spin me right 'round, baby. Right 'round...

2010-03-10T22:33:00.005-05:00

Love can be like a tornado, it can sweep you off your feet and turn you right 'round baby.

Bolt...

2010-03-07T20:05:00.005-05:00

Love is like a lightning bolt through the heart.

What She Saw...

2010-02-27T12:55:00.006-05:00

...lately she has the inclination to turn everything her creative mind sees into metal. For now she's put down her brush and picked up a hammer and jeweler's saw.

Artistgirl's In The House...

2010-02-24T20:50:00.003-05:00

...Making Metal Jewelry and Loving It!

Knitting is Her Bag....

2010-02-22T20:22:00.007-05:00

...well, one of them anyway. She knit another iPod bag in between the metal work. Her brain is overflowing with creative ideas...

Twisted...

2010-02-14T15:29:00.004-05:00

...in a good way! She's totally into metal lately. Yet she's twisting the night away!

Snow Storm = Studio Time

2010-02-11T21:17:00.007-05:00

Lately, the thought of snow makes her happy. Being snowbound means more creative time in the studio. Playing with metal is her latest passion. She cut, hammered & texturized this copper heart and attached a filed a silver wire to make a pin. Let it snow!

Snow Storm Studio Day!

2010-02-06T13:44:00.005-05:00

Making rings with silver and crystals! She's having so much fun...

she says let it snow!

Creative Cross Pollination...

2010-01-31T20:21:00.016-05:00

After a week of CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) madness in Anaheim you might think she would just veg. It was much work, but lots of fun sharing the Ranger Make-it Take it table with Claudine Hellmuth, Suze Weinberg & Tim Holtz.
She got back to her studio and the what-if monster got into her head. She liked her Make-it Take-it Tim Holtz flower pin (below) but wanted a (another) purse for her iPod.
She covered The Grunge Paper (that was covered with a dictionary page adhered with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Multi-Medium, Matte and die cut with the new Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Florals die) with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Sticky-Back Canvas. She used the Sticky-Back Canvas to make the purse, and painted it and the flower with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paint. She attached a black cord for the shoulder strap. The flower was adhered with Multi-Medium and a rose button she made with polymer clay. Just another fun Sunday in the studio.

Ranger's Melt Art Challenge...

2010-01-21T19:22:00.006-05:00

'Melt Art, The Hottest Ticket' was The Ranger Designer Challenge for CHA Winter 2010. She has spent many happy hours enthralled by the magic on the big screen with the smell of popcorn wafting through the darkened theater, so she decided her theme would be a movie ticket.

Each participant was given a 10" x 10" wooden board, a ticket shape and Ranger's Melt Art products.

She painted the board with Claudine Hellmuth Studio paint in Charcoal Black. Then drew swirls and embossed parts with Black Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE) and glued UTEE on other parts with Ranger's Glossy Accents.

She cut the ticket & painted it with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paint in Modern Red, then embossed it with UTEE in Red Poppy. She embossed the letters and outline in Black UTEE.

She made the top of the popcorn container with white oak tag and embossed it with White & Red Poppy UTEE.

The most fun, by far, was making the popcorn! She made real popcorn and made molds with Ranger's Mold-n-Pour ( a two part silicone molding compound). She colored White UTEE in Ranger's Melting Pot using To Dye For & poured the melted UTEE into the popcorn molds. After they cooled, she popped them out and adhered all the elements together with Ranger's Wonder Tape and Locktite. She added Tim Holtz's Film Strip Ribbon to accentuate the popcorn explosion.

She painted the crevices of the popcorn with a mixture of Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paints to complete the illusion.

Movies & Melt Art, wonderful together!

Charmed

2010-01-11T21:52:00.007-05:00

She painted on Type Charms by Tim Holtz Idea-ology with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paints and sealed it with Glossy Accents by Ranger and put it together with Tim Holtz Idea-ology chain & toggle closure. She added some teardrop beads and wrapped it to give as a gift.

DIY Wreath...

2009-11-22T23:50:00.006-05:00

A Sunday afternoon, pine branches, wire circle, ribbon, floral wire, wire cutter, holiday stems, battery powered lights & a wreath hook.

Hi Bud...

2009-11-09T00:20:00.004-05:00

Beautiful weather in NJ today... warm enough for short sleeves! It made her think of spring, so, she made a polymer clay bud necklace for a dear friend.

She's Been Framed....

2009-11-02T19:24:00.009-05:00

Actually she's been doing the framing, with Inkssentials Memory Frames. She's happy to be Ranger's Featured Video for the month of November showing her Memory Frames Makeover with Adirondack Pigment Ink !

Only on Halloween...

2009-10-30T18:37:00.005-04:00

A Gypsy ironing a Witch's hair! Artistgirl Irons the lovely Ms. Patti Behan's hair. Bonnie Egenton is behind the camera!

Work it Out...

2009-10-26T21:46:00.004-04:00

She decided she's going to up her game. Shake it up a bit with a kettlebell and have some fun.

New York State of Mind...

2009-10-15T23:43:00.008-04:00

What do you do when you're stuck in traffic in New York,
when drivers seem to flaunt their terrible road manners?
Enjoy the view...
& savor the beauty.

Out, Damned Spot! Out, I Say!

2009-10-11T18:37:00.008-04:00

Sometimes a spot or a stain can ruin a shirt. Sharpie to the rescue! They're available in a slew of luscious colors. Just draw some flowers, vines and leaves over the stains are and, voila, a one-of-a-kind t-shirt!!!

Artistgirl's Museletter & Extra

2009-10-01T17:42:00.010-04:00

The very first Artistgirl's Museletter went out yesterday, with a link (that needed to be fixed, sorry about that) to a site with an alcohol ink resist technique. If you want the Museletter you can still get it by signing up in the orange box on the upper right hand side of this blog. I'll be posting more in a few days in the Facebook group Artistgirl's Muse - Creative Studio. Come join us!

The Glorious Web...

2009-09-18T23:47:00.025-04:00

We love the web. The information highway is abundant with inspiration. Learn to Make Money From Your Art. Google a word, phrase or question. Get an (many actually) answer. Send an Instant Gift. Talk to friends from all over the world on Facebook. In a creative funk? Browse some blogs, play with Google Images, view some YouTube videos, look at some Flickr photos. The list is endless! Yes, we love the web!

Purrrrrrrr...fect! 'Artistgirl's Cats' Calendar is here!

2009-09-12T00:34:00.006-04:00

New Technique for the Museletter!

2009-09-09T18:03:00.005-04:00

Artistgirl has been logging lots of studio time & coming up with new techniques. She calls this one 'Can You Resist It?'. She'll be posting a link in Artistgirl's Museletter to a site with photo step outs . The very first Artistgirl's Museletter will be going out later this month. Both Artistgirl & moi (Ms. Muse) are excited beyond words! Take a minute and sign up. (The big orange box on the right ----->)

iCrackle...

2009-09-02T20:55:00.005-04:00

She Crackles...Yes, she painted her (fabric) iPod case. It was looking a little (well actually very) shabby. First she painted (the front panel) with a coat of Gesso. Next came a coat of Claudine Hellmuth studio Paint in Landscape Green. then came a coat of Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint in Pine Needles. When it was dry and cracked she coated the top with Golden Gel Medium, Heavy Gel (Matte).

There is Beauty All Around...

2009-08-31T22:47:00.005-04:00

Sometimes all you have to do is look up.

In the Middle of the Night...

2009-08-28T00:39:00.006-04:00

She creates blogs! She loves sharing her passions. She absolutely adores reading! She chooses books over classes almost all the time. Her newest blog is Artistgirl's Bookshelf.

Our House, in the Middle of....

2009-08-23T19:40:00.008-04:00

Somerset Studio! She's absolutely ecstatic her Haunted House is on page 56 of the September/October 2009 issue. She's in stellar company with Bernie Berlin, Claudine Hellmuth, Tim Holtz, Amy Powers, Carla Sonheim, Jane Wynn and the Fabulous Wendy Vecchi.
Ranger issued a challenge and gave each artist Claudine Hellmuth Products, a paper mache rectangle and an piece of cardboard. The results were displayed in the Ranger booth at the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) Winter 2009 Trade Show. What is featured in Somerset is but a taste of all the wondrous houses submitted. Each house showcases the unique talents of each artist. She tips her hat (& brush) to all the marvelous artists who participated in the challenge. Bravo! Bellissima!

A Sunny Summer Day...

2009-08-20T00:04:00.007-04:00

Have you ever watched the sunlight dance over a plant?

Bright Things Ahead...

2009-08-18T19:27:00.003-04:00

The best is yet to come...

A Catty Blog...

2009-08-17T23:19:00.006-04:00

She takes so many photos of cats she figured she might as well create a catty blog. So Artistgirl Gets Catty is born!

Me & My Shadow...

2009-08-17T01:02:00.002-04:00

Do we accept our dark side, or refuse to acknowledge it. Do we stuff it down till it rears up and bites us?

Ch-Ch-Changes....

2009-08-13T22:40:00.006-04:00

We could not stand still even if we wanted to. The earth we stand on is revolving. Growth involves change. It can be scary, it can be exciting, it can be both. To be alive is to change. Embrace evolution...and smile!

Facebook Friends!!!

2009-08-11T23:17:00.004-04:00

She's thrilled to see old friends and make new friends on Facebbook. Artistic friends were hard to for her to stay in touch with ( everyone cloistered in their respective studios). Facebook makes it easy to inspire and support from afar. She's so happy to be connecting with old and new creative friends! This makes my job as a muse so much easier! This muse L-O-V-E-S Facebook!

Meow! She's in Paper Crafts Magazine!

2009-08-07T18:37:00.005-04:00

Her 'Meow at the Moon' card is on page 46 of the September/October 2009 Issue of Paper Crafts and she's purring with pleasure! She used Adirondack Alcohol Inks, Ink Applicator, Alcohol Ink Fillable Pen and Pitch Black Pigment Ink to make this spooky Halloween card. Stamping in conjunction with doodling is fun, fast and looks great! Try it and see!

Lightning Bugs at Dusk...

2009-08-06T20:54:00.007-04:00

She watches, mesmerized as the twinkling lights of the fireflies usher in night.

Leave It To Cleaver...

2009-08-04T23:00:00.006-04:00

A hot, humid day, a cleaver, a cutting board and some young coconuts.........Yummmmmm!

Picture This....

2009-07-21T23:01:00.009-04:00

She loves technology. Her new cordless phones...just plug in the wall! Her new cell phone, she can text and take photos and video! (That she can download to her computer and post on her blog...like the photo above.) Technology that captures images, sounds & words. Little bits, pieces and whole slices of life that can be shared. She's thrilled.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun...

2009-07-15T23:01:00.002-04:00

We ALL need to play!

What's going on out there?

2009-07-10T21:55:00.005-04:00

Curiosity killed the cat. Who in the world said that? Curiosity and creativity go hand in hand. Curiosity often leads to new discoveries. As a muse I'm all about the 'what if'. Anyway, as the saying goes ....satisfaction brought him back.

What is Real?

2009-07-08T22:56:00.004-04:00

What is real and what is reflection? Why do witnesses to the same event perceive it differently? Isn't that the real beauty of human existence? Unique viewpoints and how those viewpoints are expressed.

Beet Leaf

2009-07-08T00:07:00.006-04:00

She's working on a colored pencil drawing of a beet leaf. I say it looks a little like a human heart. Maybe she should call it beat leaf...

Underneath...

2009-07-06T22:44:00.006-04:00

Sometimes something interesting lies beneath the surface.

I Just Wanna Fly...

2009-07-06T00:44:00.004-04:00

Those little sparkling wings are beautiful!

Yay! She's Ranger's First Video Web Feature...

2009-07-01T18:18:00.010-04:00

She's excited to be Ranger's Web feature for the month of July and to share her Embossed Alcohol Ink Technique!

After July you can find it here... Embossed Alcohol Ink on Inkssentials™ Frosted Memory Glass™

The Slate Path...

2009-06-30T23:03:00.004-04:00

Wash the slate clean. Walk a new path...

He's a Star...

2009-06-29T20:14:00.004-04:00

She had a wonderful time decorating a gift...she used textile markers...for a fabulous little boy!

Rainbow & Lightning

2009-06-27T01:15:00.004-04:00

It's been raining like crazy here in New Jersey. The storm yesterday was especially fierce. Downed branches and trees everywhere. To top it off a full rainbow with lightning! Mother nature sure knows how to put on a show!

Sweet Baby James.....

2009-06-22T23:33:00.006-04:00

Her Heart Belongs to Daddy...

2009-06-21T21:11:00.005-04:00

Much thanks and love to the first man to love her unconditionally. He made, and still makes her feel loved and appreciated for who she is. His belief in her gave her the confidence to follow her dream, to make a living doing what she loves. Here's to the man who has always made her feel she can do anything she sets her mind (and heart) to. Happy Father's Day!

On the Small Screen...

2009-06-19T00:55:00.008-04:00

She had such a fantastic time with her friends screen printing. She had experience...but that was a lifetime ago. Her teacher Molly was fantastic! A good time & wonderful results were had by all. I particularly like her choice of subject matter... Moi!

Let's Have Fun....NOW!!!

2009-06-17T22:40:00.003-04:00

Have you heard people say, "I'll be happy when I _____". Fill in the blank... make more money, lose 5 pounds, go on vacation, retire, or whatever. I say there's no better time then the present! Back away from the computer, silence those cell phones, take a break from the texts. Experience the person in front of you. Smile, laugh, have fun....right NOW!

Big Shoes to Fill...

2009-06-16T00:01:00.006-04:00

Why do we sometimes feel we must live up to others standards? Mom or Dad? Significant other or potential customers? The only shoes we need to be concerned about are our own. Let's be comfortable in our own shoes.

Who's There?

2009-06-14T21:32:00.004-04:00

Does your style carry over into any medium you use? Does your artistic voice make it through the medium? Or does technique take center stage? Techniques are tools. You have the power of expression. Let your unique vantage point shine.

She's so Catty...

2009-06-12T22:34:00.005-04:00

She loves cats. She's owned them (more accurately, they've owned her) all of her life. Photographing felines is one of her passions. Just call her Catwoman.

Dress Me Up!

2009-06-11T22:28:00.004-04:00

Designing and sketching out a dress is restful to her...maybe she'll make it sometime!

With a Cherry on Top!

2009-06-10T23:48:00.013-04:00

Cherries are not really her thing. As a girl, she and her best friend ate an over abundant amount of luscious cherries from a tree in said friend's backyard. Later that day ensued a scene that, in her mind, rivals the infamous cherry scene in 'The Witches of Eastwick'. Nuff said. Oddly enough she will eat an occasional cherry or two just to test her courage. Bonnie Egenton brought some Royal Ranier Cherries in to work and graciously shared them... and what a surprise...she loves them! You never know what the next day will bring....hmmm, I wonder if there's a type of watermelon that she'll love?

Unfinished, Unapologetic...

2009-06-09T20:00:00.006-04:00

It hangs on the wall in her studio, and yes, it's unfinished. It does tie into her Commitment Issues but it goes a little further. It's a expectation rebellion thing... 'Who says I have to finish everything I start?....Who says I can't love it just the way it is?"....not me... I'm only the Muse around here.

Play Time...

2009-06-09T01:31:00.004-04:00

Time for Artistgirl to play. Watercolor and The Original Series Star Trek DVD Set ... she's in heaven..... or maybe she's in space.

Sunny Sunday = Farmer's Market!

2009-06-07T15:27:00.003-04:00

Beautiful weather in Red Bank, NJ! Time to enjoy simple pleasures. Fresh fruit, vegetables, wonderful plants and unique gifts!

Simplicity & Detail

2009-06-05T00:00:00.005-04:00

How do you fill your space? Your canvas as communication. What mood are you trying to convey? Peaceful and static, precarious and energetic? This is your world. You are in control. Isn't it exciting?

Art is Everywhere...Can You See It?

2009-06-03T21:58:00.006-04:00

She had just finished washing her hands. She ripped a piece of paper towel from the dispenser and was drying her hands when she looked into the garbage can. It was then that she saw him. He was peeking out at her from inside his shroud. She rushed to get her camera taking the wet paper towel with her, not wanting to disturb the man in the can. After she retrieved the camera from her purse she almost ran back to him, briefly wondering what someone would think if she was seen rushing into the ladies room with a camera. Laughing to herself she remembered artists are allowed to be eccentric. Thankfully no one had disturbed him and the photograph she took is pictured above. There is beauty in a landscape, a still life...and even in a garbage can. It all depends on your perspective.

She saw the light...

2009-06-02T22:34:00.005-04:00

What is it that draws an artist to a subject? What draws a person to a piece of art? Art is subjective. Who is to say one piece of art is 'better' than another. Was Picasso 'better' than Van Gogh, Gauguin 'better' than Renoir? A piece of art has value if it speaks to your soul, if it brings you joy each time you look at it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Inspiration & Execution

2009-06-01T23:25:00.006-04:00

The Aloe Vera plants. Their shape, color, form texture, line and energy provided the inspiration. The table was in need of refinishing. My muse self took hold of her and didn't let go until it was done. Time does not exist and all else falls away in the process of creation... Eckhart would be proud.

Getting it out on the Table....

2009-06-01T01:46:00.007-04:00

I had her thinking about painting the kitchen table for a while...then boom, I overwhelmed her with the urge. She sanded, applied 2 coats of gesso... then pained (with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paints)

in one day! She let it dry a couple of days, just to be safe. Today she applied 2 coats of sealant....tomorrow a few more.

Get Happy...

2009-05-04T19:21:00.009-04:00

You can never be too happy! Check out this wonderful blog...
The Happiness Project

Commitment Issues

2009-05-03T22:25:00.007-04:00

The blank page, a blank canvas, a lump of clay, sometimes these items strike fear into the heart's of artists. For Artistgirl it is a little different. It's not so much a fear like artist's block as it is commitment phobia. You see, once she makes a mark on the surface she narrows all of her other options. For her it's all about possibilities. She absolutely adores blank canvases, they are a screen on which she can project endless images. Once you commit to a certain vision you leave all the other choices behind....So what to do? We've figured out a solution....have several blank canvases, many sketchbooks and a lot of clay...it lessens the commitment phobia. Ahhhh choices.

It's UTEE Time!!!

2009-04-22T17:48:00.006-04:00

She made this clock by pouring melted Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel

(UTEE) from The Melting Pot

onto mat board with a hole cut in it. Then, when the UTEE cooled she assembled the clock....it hangs in Ranger's

Art Department (oohhh yes, pink walls!).
P.S. Visit the Fabulous Suze Weinberg's Blog

. She has a post about Spin Art that's too much fun!

Beauty Everywhere....

2009-04-12T16:25:00.005-04:00

A flower? No! Sliced onion in a food processor! She spent part of the afternoon making a double batch of RAWvolution's Famous Onion Bread from Matt Amsden's Book Rawvolution

. The house smells delicious and in about 24 hours (dehydration time) there will be feasting!

Flower Doodle...

2009-04-04T13:28:00.004-04:00

She loves to doodle! She used to doodle & draw all around her class notes....and now sometimes in meetings... This card is featured this month on the Ranger Website

along with the fabulous Ms. Patti Behan's

card. Artistgirl & Patti love to play with the new Alcohol Ink Fillable Pen

Craft it Forward...

2009-03-31T21:26:00.004-04:00

Bonnie

replied to Artistgirl's 'Craft it Forward' note on Facebook. This is Bonnie's polymer clay pendant. Artistgirl's got a few more participants patiently waiting...

Life is a Highway...

2009-03-29T23:53:00.002-04:00

Sometimes it's misty and we can't see the road ahead...all the better for living in the moment!

All Work and No Clay...

2009-03-27T23:50:00.004-04:00

...hey let's not even go there! Clay play is a necessity!

Clay Daze...

2009-03-26T00:26:00.002-04:00

She's in a clay phase. Polymer begs to be experimented with...she just loves to clay!