Continuing Education of an Aspriring Artist

my altered book, front cover

On 8 May 2013, I spent two lovely hours at the Lancaster Public Library absorbing instruction and inspiration from Mimi Shapiro, a Lancaster collage and altered book artist of world renown.  After seeing one of her exhibits last year, meeting her was one of my goals for 2013.

my altered book, interior spread no. 2

After returning home from her altered book workshop, one thought she shared stuck with me more than any other. Make art every day, because art is important. Everyone needs art.

I had started to feel that my creating was pointless,because so many other activities were demanding my time and energy. I decided now was the time to continue my art education. I finally began working from two books, Collage Lab by Bee Shay and The Collage Workbook by Randel Plowman. Both books offer small assignments to increase my knowledge of materials and challenge me to explore new techniques. Over the past month, I completed several labs and exercises in each, and I already had to step out of my creative comfort zone. Although I try to fit in an assignment a day, sometimes I miss a day or two, then do two or three in one day. These two books are helping me grow my artistic abilities like participating in Pilates and Zumba are beginning to stretch and strengthen my body.

print of a collage by Mimi Shapiro

As I complete labs and assignments and document my progress here, I will once again begin to send some Real Mail. Thank you to all who continued to send art to my mailbox while I stepped away from posting (Real and virtual) to pursue my continuing education in art,
because we all need art!

Thrift: Myrtle Tremblay Notecards

 Today was our first visit to Lancaster Creative Reuse since their expansion to two rooms. The big girls had fun and kept themselves busy creating for almost an hour. I enjoyed a bit of shopping while keeping my eye on the littlest who prefers the play kitchen over the craft table.

Creative Reuse was recently the recipient of a large lot of notecards from the estate of Lancaster County artist Myrtle Tremblay.  For five cents a card, mix and match, how could I go wrong? Four different pen-and-ink drawings and four different paintings provide a lovely selection and varied views of Lancaster. No envelopes included, but that shouldn't be a problem around here!

Thinking ahead to teacher thank-you gifts, I may go back for more of these schoolhouse cards.

I am particularly drawn to Amish Skyview as it reminds me of a Demuth. These might be the perfect winter holiday cards for this year.