What's New, What's Next

Okay, there are SO many new things going on that I think I need a bulleted list. Prepare yourselves:

• This weekend, May 23rd-24th is Vermont's Open Studio Weekend! This map (from the Vermont Crafts Council, here) shows all participating artists and the location of their amazing studios! I can't wait to visit some of my favorites, like Sweet Enemy Art (site here).
• May 23, 11am-12:30pm at The Art Store, 409 Mountain Rd., Stowe, VT. Come on in and see some Journal Jam demonstrations (more info here), and make your own pages for FREE! I'll provide all supplies including watercolor paper, OR bring your own journal! The Art Store has supplies to purchase as well, including journals!
• Stay tuned this week for a new blogging schedule and new site content, right here, including daily journal updates (via our Instagram page, @artsourcevt), time-lapse tutorials, and inspiration from local artists.
• This summer is all about nature art, in our beautiful state! We're going to fill our journals with field notes and nature finds. I promise I will try not to scream like a maniac when a beetle lands on my sleeve.
• I got approved for a grant from the Vermont Arts Council to start a summer apprenticeship with Kristin Richland of Sweet Enemy Art (her site above). I can't wait to start -- hopefully in June, and I'll document my progress for ya'll to see!

What else? Any questions about what we do/who we are? Email me at artsourcevt@gmail.com, or contact me via Facebook!

Bookbinding Class with Kristen Watson

Some women get their sisters cards for birthdays, clothing, even art supplies. I've been blessed with all those things from mine! And on top of all of that, my sister-in-law surprised me with tickets to two amazing art classes this month -- a 5-hour bookbinding class and Part 2 of the creature-drawing class that I've been dying to take, at Artists' Medium (next weekend)!

I've spent every weekend this month with one of my best friends, making art, laughing, driving in snowstorms, laughing until we cried, listening to serial killer podcasts, and dining at (sometimes fancy) restaurants (by accident). Age 32 feels a lot like 22 with this lady in my life!

The bookbinding class this weekend was phenomenal. Kristen gave us the choice of spending more time on the design and creative part (painting/illustrating covers) which would have meant making fewer books (3) versus a pretty intensive schedule focused more on binding processes but making more books (4).

As much as I love design, I wanted to get good use out of our bookbinding time. We all agreed that we wanted to create 4 books in 5 hours. Kristen said she would move us right along, and she did! I was so impressed with her time management skills. I am the type of artist (and apparently bookbinder now) who has her head stuck in the clouds, who has no concept of time when it comes to art. Kristen kindly guided us along, so that we got the most out of this incredible class.

We painted our covers and completed: a perfect-bound book, a ribbon-tied concertina book, a saddle-stitched portfolio-style book, and a Japanese-style (Asa-no-ha Toji) stitched book.

Yep! All that in 5 hours! I was so pleased with the final results. Since I've gotten home, I've gone a little crazy making the accordion, concertina books. I can't stop!

This was the second class I took with Kristen, and I highly recommend checking out any of her classes (here). She is patient and respectful of everyone's learning speeds. She skillfully offers one-on-one instruction while leading the entire class, to keep everyone on task. I can't wait to take another class with her in the future!

Local Artist - Kim J. Gifford

Yes, she's my sister-in-law, and yes, I'm absolutely partial to her work... as it often features my daughter or her beautiful pug puppies!

But I also know that she's a great artist, and I love her collages! You can check out her work in her website gallery and at different locations in and around Burlington! She has many talents, including being a wonderful writer and teacher! Check out the rest of her site for more!

This print of our niece is still my all-time favorite of hers!

Let's Get Serious!

I had a wonderful chat with Ashlee Rubenstein and Kim Gifford on Sunday about their artwork, at One Arts Collective, and I walked away with a healthy dose of inspiration to create some real pieces. Ashlee specifically related a story about slowly working through pieces, leaving them, going back to them, and I thought, "Hey! I can do that, too." Or, at least, "I can try some new projects, finish them right away, then re-work them or start over!"

I really love the idea of my recent chandelier doodle (see previous post). I like the contrast between the real objects interacting with a fantasy "world" or doodle. Now, I'm wondering if I can push it further and questioning what the watercolor lends to this style. I feel like I'm making real artist assessments and decisions, critiquing my own work. I never do that. Sure, there's something to be said for just creative doodle time, but I'd like it to eventually lead somewhere, to some finished pieces. So, these are my first attempts! I think I still have a ways to go, but the concept is there!

Other Stuff
--Stay tuned this week/weekend for separate feature-artist posts about Kim and Ashlee! They're two of my favorite local artists!
--A few of you wrote to me asking how I made this piece/the watercolor background. I'll post a video tonight, probably a quick tutorial via Instagram. Thanks for the feedback!