the colors of summer

Whenever I tell friends or acquaintances
that I don't decorate or have style in my house
they always seem quite surprised.
The more I think about it the more I realize that
my decorating is the outside of my house - in my garden.
The feeling of more latitude of expression seems
to be first and foremost when I am in my garden.
For instance, this old plastic pot was just
a boring terra cotta color but once I added the
pop of "wine grape purple" it became a work of
art, especially with all of my plants and flowers.

I have fallen for that color "wine grapes" and have used it
in many more places around my yard including
my clothesline poles,

the garden shed door, the pump house door, the
flower box and .... probably lots more before I am done.

That's where my summer creativity has been focused
and that's where I am finding escape from the heat,
and it's where I am finding inner peace.... usually with a paint brush in my hand.

Jane LaFazio coming to Random Arts

Saturday, Sept. 25th, 2010

Mark your calendar & register right now
as the space is limited.



Just look at who she is... Aren't we the lucky ones?

LaFazio is a mixed media artist who works in paper and cloth.
She began her artist life as a watercolor painter in 1992
and watercolor continues to be her chronological first love.
Her artwork has been featured in publications
including Danny Gregory’ An Illustrated Life,
and her mixed media work have been widely published in books
such as Material Visions,
Mixed-Media Self-Portraits:Inspiration & Techniques
and Art Quilts at Play.
Jane’s work is frequently in the magazines
Cloth, Paper, Scissors and Quilting Arts
and appeared twice on Quilting Arts TV third season.

See more of Jane’s artwork at http://www.plainjanestudio.com/
or follow her creative life at http://www.janeville.blogspot.com/

Be inspired to record your life, a special trip, or your daily adventures in a loose, quick journal style format. Spend the day with artist Jane LaFazio.

Jane, known for her friendly, encouraging teaching style,
will demonstrate drawing and watercolors
using a straight-forward, intuitive approach.
You’ll choose simple objects, to draw and paint,
and then journal your thoughts impressions
on 5x7” pages. Everyone has their own drawing style,
just like handwriting, and Jane will help you to
see and then record what you see on paper.

Plenty of 5x7” watercolor paper sheets & a waterbrush provided to each student.
Materials: Bring your own small, travel style watercolors, pencil, eraser (kneaded eraser is nice) permanent waterproof black fine tip pen* (Fine point Pitt Artists Pen by Faber Castell recommended & available at Random Arts)*

Time: 9:30 - 4:30
Class Fee $105
Payable by PayPal invoice,
Check to Random Arts PO Box 3 Saluda, NC 28773
Credit Card
•••••••
Includes a full day instruction, coffee, water and
a catered lunch from the Saluda Grade Cafe

Note from Kristi Steiner...

I just have to send my complete and wildly enthusiastic recommendation for a terrific teacher you might consider having at Random Arts. Jane LaFazio taught an over full class in watercolor sketching and it was an enormous success on every level! She had the most nervous beginner as well as those more experienced painting and drawing with such ease. It was truly something to see...the results had all of us swooning. If you are interested, you can see some great photos and notes on Jane's blog.....http://janeville.blogspot.com

Fragments to Art in one day

Enthusiasm for creating this project
with Carol Sloan leading the way
was in abundance.
Above Vivian Williams works with
photos that she plans to use to complete her wall hanging.

Calligrapher, Catherine Langsdorf
goes outside the proverbial box
as she gathers and places her
well thought out collection of memories.

Joanna Shumaker, from Columbia, SC
works on vision boards and she
was quite comfortable working
on her artifact and fragment wall hanging.

Dayna Guido chose her Greek heritage
as the theme of her wall hanging
bringing in personal items from her family.

Here, some of the group get started with
"just a few items" to choose from.
Thank you Carol Sloan for such a fabulous class
and wonderful inspiration and instruction.
Carol does a very cool blog with
alot of pics of her own work including
the bluebird projects that she brought along to show us.
Check out her blog!



Last but not least, I completed a small
wall piece in Carol's class as well.
I only used one box of random items,
including Sari Ribbon, Ink jet photo transfers, vintage
measuring tape, Chenille ribbon, Cuff ribbon, and
vintage buttons & bits.
All these items were combined together in those little
blocks that we "had" to hand sew with a
needle and thread.... Carol said so.

From Saluda to Raleigh and back again...

The Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild
Event took place this past Sunday
in Raleigh where I taught the
ever famous
Woven Book Class.

17 books, 17 different women and
17 creative personalities.
Each woven book was unique with a variety of colors, fabrics, & designs.

Those girls in Raleigh really know how to
throw a party!
Not only did we have an amazing place to
hold our class, but we had
more treats and goodies than
I could ever imagine.

Not to mention the happy faces when
their Woven Books were completed.
And those smiles are real.... sincere.... and genuine.....
Thank you Toni for having
a great time and getting over Sewing Machine Phobia.

A simple button sewn on to the cover
completed this woven book.

I loved these orangy/rusty colors when
I saw the strips and the finished book
was even more awesome.

Some people started with nice straight,
even, measured strips.
Some started with torn strips in all
different sizes and lengths.
Was there a right way?
No, not at all.

Each and every book was a work of art
and besides that, we all had a good
time and everyone went home with
a completed journal.
Yeay!!!!
Thanks to the entire guild for hosting
me and creating such a welcome environment.