Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Making Your Weakness a Strength


In February 2013, I set myself a goal of becoming comfortable with adding faces to my artwork.  I joined Ayala Art's Face a Day challenge, and set about educating myself through YouTube videos.  I took in-person classes with Jodi Ohl, Pam Carriker, and Cindy Wunsch.  I practiced and practiced, often posting my process on my YouTube channel.


Practicing my weakness turned it into a strength!  At the start of 2016, Mindy Lacefield started an Instagram challenge called #365faces.  While I haven't been able to create #afaceaday - like some of the participants, I have been creating a lot of faces!   Here are some of them.


To see more, look under the hashtag #365faces on Instagram.  You'll see amazing work!  

Are you interested in learning more about creating faces?  I've decided to share what I've learned in an online class!
My class, Facing Faces, debuts on April 4.  I will have a special pre-sign up for newsletter subscribers with a discounted price - so make sure you're a subscriber!


If you haven't already - please connect with me here:
  
  
Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

21 Secrets Special Announcement



21 SECRETS Spring 2016 Is Here! 
You know that there is no right or wrong way to art journal.  But art journaling in the company of other artists is an adventure all of its own and that’s what 21 SECRETS is about! It's an opportunity to art journal side-by-side with 21 talented, passionate, and incredibly generous artists without ever leaving home.

I am thrilled to be a part of this, and will be teaching a course about creating tissue paper transparencies that will be a beautiful versatile tool in your art journaling.  


You can read all about my class and the twenty other classes here!

Here's what you get: a 150+ page downloadable eBook filled with 25+ hours of videos, full colored photos, templates, and clear instruction that will inspire and deepen the way you approach art journaling.
Here's when you get it:  All the content - all at once - on March 28!  

Here's how long you have to use it:  FOREVER!  21 SECRETS is designed to fit into your busy life and schedule without having to rush through and worry about meeting another deadline.

Here's who's teaching you:  The other amazing teachers are Amy Maricle, Annie Hamman, Ardith Goodwin, Catherine Cote, Connie Solera, Cynthia Morris, Dina Wakley, France Papillon, Galia Alena, Ivy Newport, Jodi Ohl, Lisa Cheney, Marieke Blokland, marla Baguette, Meghan Genge, Robin Laws, Sandra Duran Wilson, Susie Lafond, Tori Weyers and Victoria Clark.  Wow - what a line up!

Here's how much it costs:  $98 - a great price for so much content.  BUT... if you sign up between today and February 19, you get $10 off!  So take advantage of the early bird special by using coupon code "spring secret" and receive 21 different art journaling classes for $88!



Please note: Each teacher is given an affiliate code for registration.  If you purchase the class through my page, I will get a percentage of the enrollment fee as part of my compensation.  So of course I would appreciate it if you use this link to register for the class.  Thank you in advance xo.

I hope to see you in the classroom!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

How Journaling My Anxiety Put ME in Control


I have talked before about my sporadic bouts of anxiety and depression.  Many of you experience that too, and have left me the kindest words.  

Since the start of 2016, I have felt overwhelmed by the many obligations I have - and the ones I put on myself.  

The other night, I had lists of my many "to dos" swirling in my head. I had the image of myself slumping down the wall in a long hallway with doors.  Behind each door was an area of my life calling to me.  My inability to prioritize, to eliminate, to say no, threatened to engulf me under the weight of letting people down, not fulfilling expectations.  I quickly sketched it out, writing down, on each of the doors, a list of the things that were "calling" for me.   After I did this, I was able to fall asleep.

When I woke up, I immediately took to painting my page.  The first thing I did was CLOSE THOSE DOORS!  I even stenciled hands on them to hold them shut, and one to stroke my head.  When I was nearly done, I gave the hallway stenciled windows to the outside, to light, sky and fresh air.  I can prioritize, say no, pause and take some deep breaths.  I am in control!


Here's a fast forward video of me painting this page, from start to finish.



You can also watch "Journaling My Anxiety" on YouTube here.

Creating this page helped me regain control of my feelings and thoughts.

Do you have a journaling or other practice that helps you with your inner demons?  Please share!

And please check back TOMORROW for a special announcement!  I'm so excited to share it, but tomorrow's the day! 

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:
Thank you!

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

How I Was Shaken Up by Anselm Kiefer

This is my final Creative Jumpstart Post, and I can't thank Nathalie Kalbach enough for the inspirational ride.  For the month of January, she and the other "Jumpstarters" had me inspired, stimulated and making non-stop art.  What more could I ask from an online class?




The final Master Artist was Anselm Kiefer.  His work deeply moved and troubled me in its unblinking look at trauma, struggle and the Holocaust.   Here is how I translated all of the lessons into my own work.













Inspired by Natalya Aikens stitching project, I layered ripped book, atlas, music and gelli print pages.  I scraped crackle paste by Deco Art through a stencil designed by MaryBeth Shaw to represent a landscape and forest.



Inspired by MaryBeth, I used my fingers to rub in paint.  Inspired by Joe Rotella's lesson involving the fragility of everyday things and new beginnings, I began to doodle buds and other flora with black paint and a thin brush, using my non-dominant hand.  



As I painted those shapes, they began to look like eyes to me.  



I rotated my canvas and began to work on it vertically.  I used a mask of a girl's dress to echo Joe Rotella's gorgeous project. 


Nathalie Kalbach's lesson involved explorations in texture.  In it, she completely painted over a prior canvas and scraped layers away.  I decided to be bold and painted over and scraped away parts of my canvas, and stenciled a window and a door. 


Inspired by Wilna Furstenberg's beautiful layout, I added brush strokes meant to look like stacks of books or twigs.  Inspired by the idea of ephemera like books and pieces of cloth, I scraped fiber medium on deli paper and stained it with orange and gold colors, and used strips of that paper to build a path and stairs through my canvas.  I also stamped a Hamsa to represent hope and blessings. 


Again, I rotated the canvas, added more marks and more white for hope and light.  I used a handmade paper cast embellishment to represent the homes we leave, and the homes we find.  To anchor the peace spiritually, I added a Star of David.  


Again - THANK YOU to Nathalie Kalbach and all the wonderful artists who made Creative Jumpstart 2016 so wonderful.

What do you think of all the twists and turns this canvas took on the way to completion?  I'd love to know!

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Easy Distress Ink Stenciled and Stamped Valentine Tags

Last year, I took a wonderful online class given by Marjie Kemper called "Inventive Inks."  I had accumulated lots of beautiful tags as I practiced her inking techniques.  


If you have some pretty backgrounds laying around, here's a quick project to make unusual Valentines.  (Somehow, my Valentines are always quirky, as you can see here.)  

First, over-stencil your backgrounds using a deeper version of the color you have underneath.  I did this with more distress inks, or you can use paint.  (I used my Hearts, Flowers and More stencil but you can use something in your stash.) 



Then, create some embellishments by stenciling or stamping using black ink or paint on music, book or ledger paper.  (I used motifs from my Coffee, Mugs and Love, and Teacups and Teapots stencils on old music paper.) If your paper is fragile, as mine was, first give it a coat of clear gesso or matte medium to strengthen it.



These motifs are from the Build a Villa collection at Rubbermoon.  I painted them with Peerless watercolors.  

Then, let your muse take over as you cut out your motifs, assemble, embellish, doodle and add words.  

You should end up with a stack of funky, quirky Valentines!


Have you made Valentines this year?  I'd love to see them so please leave a link in your comment! 


Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!