If you’re like me, you probably still haven’t finished your Christmas shopping (Yikes!). Here are some recommendations for the creative soul on your list. Thanks to my friend Olive Jones for referring #s 1, 2 & 9:
1. Jane Davies: Collage Journeys: A Practical Guide to Creating Personal Artwork A thorough book on the subject which gives terrific insight into the process of collaging. It’s so wonderful to recommend a Canadian artist/author.
2. Bee Shay: Collage Lab: Experiments, Investigations and Exploratory Projects The “mad scientist” in me loves this exciting array of collage experiments!
3. Beeswax Collage with Claudine Hellmuth This excellent DVD is a fun way to learn about the basics of collaging “retro-style” with beeswax.
4. Exploring Fabric Collage by Lesley Riley In this DVD you’ll learn how to put together a fabric collage book — best of all, you don’t even need to know how to sew!
5. Traci Bautista: Collage Unleashed A cool book which features stitching/drawing on fabric; Bautista’s graffiti/doodle drawing techniques are amazing.
6. Suzanne Simanaitis: Kaleidoscope: ideas + projects to Spark Your Creativity A cornucopia of advice, reflections and a wide variety of projects from well-known mixed media artists.
7. Telling Stories with Collage & Paint with Anne Baldwin A real “scardy” cat when it comes to integrating paint and collage, I really appreciated the tips/techniques on this DVD.
8. Karen Michel’s Green Guide for Artists: Non-Toxic Recipes, Green Art Ideas… Is filled with ideas for creating eco-friendly products (ie. glues, paints, etc.), mixed media pieces as well as a green-inspired studio.
9. Eric M. Scott; David R. Modler: The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict Great for all ages (young teens to adults). A user-friendly style with step-by-step instructions: perfect for beginners. (Olive notes this is one of the few books on the subject written by men.)
10/11. Gwen Diehn’s The Decorated Page & The Decorated Journal Give much insight into the how’s/why’s of journaling; contain beautiful photos and offer ideas for related projects: excellent references for the intermediate journaler.
12. Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity Kick-start the waning or non-existent artist spirit in you! Use a variety of simple methods to integrate creativity into your life. Worked wonders for me!
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