 Geraldine James' Creative Walls will definitely have you digging up your old treasures, junk and art work to transform your wall space! Can you believe it, there are only 15 days left until Christmas! If you’re still searching for that special book to give as a gift to another creative soul (or yourself!) here are some inspirational and practical recommendations…
Mess: The Manual of Accidents and Mistakes:
Maybe you’re like me… for the longest time my art work had to be organized and executed just so. There was very little room in my process for spontaneity or thinking intuitively. While I was studying art I discovered incredible artists such as Jackson Pollock or Jean Michel Basquiat working in seemingly loose, carefree or expressive styles of art making… I often wondered how they achieved this child-like sense of play when it came to creating their work. It was something I felt that was beyond my reach … if only I had had Keri Smith’s book to show me the way to free my constrained spirit! Mess is an action-oriented book. If you’re courageous enough to go to town with all the crazy, messy antics Smith has you doing, I’m certain it’ll rekindle the sense of creative play and wonder many of us lost as adults. If you’re diligent in the homework she doles out and don’t give up, you’re sure to yield some amazing insights into other forms of composition and mark making that are more chaotic, emotional and expressive… beautiful qualities I know deep down inside many of us control freaks long to bring into our own art work. Special thanks to Olive Jones for pointing out this book to me.
Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity and Innovation in Your Life:
Not long ago it was believed that our right brain was solely responsible for helping us tap into our creative self. Recent research however, has shown that both our right and left brains play an important role in shaping our sense of creativity. Shelley Carson’s easy-to-read book relays her CREATES brain model which reveals the areas of the brain that we can tap into to make the most of our creative abilities. She provides the reader with fun and practical exercises one can incorporate into their daily lives to develop or strengthen their creative capacities. Carson believes no matter what path we choose, thinking creatively can further both our personal and professional lives. This is a must read for wannabe artists and professional artists alike. See Boosting Your Creative Brain Powers for my review of this book.
Creative Walls: How to Display and Enjoy Your Treasured Collections:
As well as doing collage and mixed media work, my art practice has extended into the realm of installation art. I’ve been working on and off on an oral history project about my father which I’d love to make into an installation. For a few years now I’ve been studying texts related to contemporary artists’ installations, but nothing has struck me more than some of the fabulous window display layout designs I’ve been seeing in stores lately. I’ve been wowed by window display artists use of: dinner plates, old peeling painted frames, dog-eared postcards, pages torn from old books and magazines and even crumpled up wads of paper! If only, I thought, I could work with a window display artist to garner all their secrets! So when I spied Geraldine James’ book, I snapped it up! After savouring its contents and beautiful imagery, I came to the realization that display art and collage art such kindred spirits! If you love collage and mixed media art this is a way to extend your practice from paper to a wall (maybe even a whole room!). Although this is not a how-to book, it provides page after page of visually stunning images to draw from – I highly recommend it!
The Paper Garden: Mrs. Delany Begins Her Life’s Work at 72:
Do you enjoy deriving inspiration from reading about the lives of other artists? If so, look no further than Molly Peacock’s history of real-life amateur collage artist, Mary Delany. At 72, Mrs. Delany invented a unique form of floral collage which is now part of an esteemed collection at the British Museum. Peacock’s love for fine art, crafts and writing along with her own personal history are fused with Mrs. Delany’s story in a manner any qualitative researcher of history would envy. She does a beautiful job of convincing the reader that it’s not unusual that one day all we are, even in our old age, might coalesce to transform us into extraordinary artistic inventors such as Mary Delany. A great read for 40+ somethings like me who want to believe there’s still hope left for us! See my blog entries: Molly Peacock’s Book Unearths Mary Delany’s Paper Garden and First Love Blooms in Molly Peacock’s Paper Garden for more on this subject.
Writing the Artist Statement:
This year I found out too late that a good friend had suffered alone trying to write an artist statement for an art fair she wished to enter. She wouldn’t have had to go through this excruciating exercise if she had had Ariane Goodwin’s book. In each chapter Goodwin has you doing simple writing exercises that’ll help you to reflect upon your art work from many angles… until finally you have collected so many thoughts you now have some interesting things to say about your work. I’ve been through the whole book to write mine and found by the time I got to the end of the exercises, I was so excited about weaving my most compelling thoughts together to create my artist statement – not terrified or at my wits end as I usually am. Also, I’ve accumulated so many reflections about my work that I can use the surplus ideas to build other interesting texts related to my art work for PR purposes – a real bonus! If writing an artist statement paralyzes you with fear, Goodwin’s book is a fine remedy!
Happy shopping!
 Leslie Ross, Vision Board, Collage, April 2011, 16 x 20 inches It’s time for another student spotlight… Leslie Ross discovered my vision board workshop in April through a mutual friend, Maggie Jordan. I had a feeling when she participated in the class that she seemed a bit shy and perhaps a little intimidated about being in a session with friends who might be a bit more creatively inclined. Soon, however, I discovered that Leslie was no shrinking violet when it came to creating a vision board by the determination in her eyes and enthusiasm in her words as she described her vision board goals. After our visioning exercise, I could see that she had carefully contemplated the type of imagery she wanted to use for her multi-themed board which focused on her dreams of getting back into good health/shape as well as travelling around the world! Here are Leslie’s thoughts about the workshop…
 Leslie Ross, Fall 2011 I’m not what you would call an artistic person, although I certainly appreciate the artistic abilities I see in others so participating in this workshop was out of the ordinary for me. Maggie was over for a visit one evening and she mentioned the vision board idea and I thought that it was something that I wanted to experience so I asked to be included.
I will be going on a trip to Portugal in the fall and I need to be physically prepared as we are planning to do a lot of walking/hiking and the vision board seemed like a good way to get myself mentally motivated.
I found the workshop to be very relaxed and Michelle was able to put us all at ease. The meditation process was enlightening and I felt like I was actually in a meadow or on a busy city street etc. When I opened my eyes I was quite surprised that I wasn’t alone in the room.
I tend to be a methodical person so I probably took a lot of time choosing pictures and actually placing them on my board but in the end it works for me. I have my board in a room that I go in many times throughout the day so I get inspired to get moving which is what I need to do in order to be ready for my trip in September. When I get home from my trip I plan to use the pictures that I have taken on my travels to make a collage of my trip to Portugal.
Thanks for your thoughts Leslie… I love the loose mosaic feel of Leslie’s piece – the way each image floats across the white space of the background. If you’ve been following my other student spotlights, you’ll notice many students with advanced collaging skills tend to make boards with up to three layers of images – these can be very tricky to assemble. As a beginner collagist, Leslie opted for a simple but no less challenging one layer compositional approach. Adding to the mix, she worked to integrate two dream goals into one board. Although I generally advise students to work on one goal at a time, I felt Leslie’s goals of getting into good health and shape so she could travel complemented each other. Visually these dreams are drawn together beautifully on her board through the image of the bridge (top centre) and the yoga practitioner (centre bottom) which lend an air of harmony and balance to the piece. I also like the variety of interesting shapes and edges (both smooth and ragged) of her pictures. When I mentioned to Leslie that words, slogans and even images need not follow the traditional left to right reading path across a board; that she could vary the placement of shapes to create dynamic eye movement all around her board, she experimented with this until she achieved a lyrical free flowing series of images and texts. Wrapping text around imagery and leading the eye in various directions by strategically tilting images of arms, legs, sneakers and curry dishes or raising the gaze upwards through the use of towering architectural structures, she really impressed me with her compositional skills. I must add here that Leslie did one of the finest gluing jobs I’ve ever seen done in my workshops – she was actually paying attention during my demo! (I love it when that happens!) 🙂
Thanks for your vision board dreams and reflections, Leslie. I know they’ll inspire many first time vision boarders. I’m glad to hear that your board continues to inspire you. I’m looking forward to seeing the collage creations you dream up now that you’ve returned from Portugal with so many photographs and souvenirs… your amazing vision board reveals you have the guts and talent to pull off any creative venture you choose!
Vision Board Quick Tip:
If you find collaging many layers onto your vision board a bit confusing, try opting for a single layer of free floating images. You can jazz up your board by playing with the direction of images and text across your board to make it more dynamic.
 "There's No Place Like Home", Mixed Media/Collage Journal Page, June 17, 2011 It Ain’t Over ‘Til…
Many people think that now that Pieces of Me III is up and the opening is over that my job at the Atrium Gallery is done. Now I can just sit back, relax and bask in the glory of it all! But this couldn’t be further from the truth! There are still a myriad of tasks that need to be done during an exhibition…
There’ve been thank you emails and notes to write to those who made it out to the gallery and opening. The opening itself has led to several lunch, dinner and other engagements this month and next (one of the great perks about re-connecting with friends and visitors during a show). I’ve also been corresponding on a daily basis with those wonderful folks who’ve been sending me their thoughts related to the show and letting me know what their favourite pieces are. The “Tree Whisperer” and “First Memory” continue to intrigue many while “Body Talk”, “Mrs. S” and “Black & White” have struck quite a chord with others. Many of these people are also curious to learn the stories behind the stories of creating these pages which I’ve been happy to relay. I’ve also been very pleased to hear peoples’ own interpretations of my pages – I learn so much from their views. There’s been a flurry of enthusiastic calls and emails from those who are interested in purchasing the works or taking my vision board and journaling workshops. One such includes a high school guidance counsellor who wants me to introduce the basic concepts of journaling to 20 or so students – I’m just thrilled to take on this challenge; I believe there’s a no more turbulent a time to journal about our pains and insecurities than when we’re in the midst of our teenage years… although this late 40-something artist knows how a mid-life crisis can also strike up the need to journal one’s anxieties away! With this latter thought in mind, to those kind souls who’ve cautioned me not to turn to alcohol to quell my troubled spirit, no worries… I assure you that making art through journaling and collaging is definitely my tried and tested true drug for dealing with the painful moments of life. But all this stuff is nothing compared to my most important job related to the Gallery … keeping it presentable!
Gallery Ghosts & Controversies…
My sometimes most frustrating job is my twice weekly visits to the gallery to make sure everything’s in order*… the pieces are intact; the spotlights are working; the biz card, workshop brochures and show information sheets are replenished; ensuring the information binders are still there and making sure that the pen and comment book (which are chained down!) are still attached to their holders. Now I may seem a little paranoid about this to you, but after someone stole my comment book from my last show, I’ve become much more diligent about this task. So far one English information binder and five pens have disappeared … it appears someone out there’s making a little stationary supply of their own with supplies from my information desk! … spotlights have gone out and been replaced and several items from my display case have been toppled over by a mysterious mover. When I get troubled by such goings on, I realize this is the reality of showing in a pubic space; it comes with its ups and downs. For instance when my good friend Olive Jones remarked I must be getting such wonderful comments in my book, I had to enlighten her! Although most of the comments have been overwhelmingly positive (even glowing!), there are a few people, who have “not been impressed” by the show; some have not found beauty in my sorrows; some have asked for happier pages next time and one person said they’d hide all their favourite magazines if they ever invited me to their home! One person even noted that a kindergartner could have done a better job than me at collaging– Holy Moses! After I read that I had to laugh (hysterically, I might add)…. but I see it as all great fodder for more journal pages and further contemplation. As I nurse my slightly bruised ego, I acknowledge these people are entitled to their opinions; I view all comments as a challenge to make the next show even better and more inclusive. Plus Olive reminded me, being compared to a kindergartener means that my work is in the same league as artist Barnett Newman who was chided for the expensive price tag his painting “Voice of Fire” commanded at the National Gallery of Canada in 1990 – with some remarking that a child could have done that painting! Fortunately the positive elements of the show have far outweighed the negative ones. It’s been fun and games minding the gallery so far… I’m going to miss all the excitement when it’s over this Wednesday (November 30, 2011). Let me leave you with an anonymous comment that really made my day…
Dear Michelle
You seem like a very strong and beautiful woman. I would like you to know that your pieces of art have inspired me to explore the secrets within myself I have hidden away for so long.
A High School Girl
I wish you the best in your journey High School Girl, please feel free to let me know how it goes.
* Many thanks to Gallery Coordinator Penelope Kokkinos, the Atrium Gallery building maintenance and security guard staff for assisting me with these gallery tasks as well. They do such a great job!
 My youngest guest, Sam, leaving a thoughtful message with the help of his Mom. Like many aspiring artists, for more than a decade, I’ve nurtured the dream of holding a show of my own in a really wonderful exhibition space where I display a body of work I’m immensely proud of, surrounded by a supportive network of friends and family. It was only a year or so ago, I remember visiting an exhibition of some friends at the Shenkman Centre’s Trinity Art Gallery and wondering if I’d ever get to the level of showing in such an impressive space. Doubting it would happen for quite some time, I’ve been content to hold shows in some great alternative public spaces such as the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) (Main Branch) as well as the Studio of Conceptual Design (my hairdresser’s hair salon/art gallery).
Putting together these two solo exhibitions last year gave me the much needed confidence to believe in my abilities to produce and coordinate a show of my own. By the end of my Public Library stint, I worried where I would show next. To my disappointment, plum spots like the Starbucks in the Glebe, were already booked for the next two years! So upon the urging of my framer, Luis and an OPL security guard Luc, who noted I could be showing in very respectable spaces, I decided to submit an application to the City of Ottawa galleries. I knew my chances of getting a show in one of these amazing spaces was slim, but decided to apply anyway because I felt it wouldn’t hurt to get into the practice of selling my ideas for a show in a public space. You can imagine my surprise when I received news that I’d been selected to show in the Atrium Gallery at the Ben Franklin Place this year – there sure was a lot of celebrating that went on as I realized my dream was now a plausible reality.
From December 2010 to my November 2011 opening, my days and nights have been filled with creating, financing, planning, marketing, and executing various projects related to the show. You know constructing an exhibition is more than just doing the work, sticking labels underneath it and saying there you go! As I prepared for it, a whole slew of friends, the people I refer to quite fondly as my “team” stepped in to give me a hand whenever I needed it. I was so touched by this outpouring of support. There are very few times in my life, I’ve experienced such generosity from friends, many of whom are working artists and professionals who gave many precious hours or days of their time to help out. As coordinator of the Pieces of Me III “gala” (LOL Maggie!), it was quite a feat to orchestrate so many people working together. There were many days and weeks when my head was just spinning knowing the hundreds of tasks that needed to be done before the October deadline of getting the show up and running in the gallery. When it was finally accomplished, I could only step back in awe of how it all came together!
 Nearly a 100 visitors stopped by the opening... it was a great time. As I share these first few images I’ve composed from the photos of my photographer and friend Carmin Davidson (there’ll many more next month!), I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my “team”, other friends, relatives as well as members of the public who’ve come out to support me or sent email messages and left gallery comments regarding the show. My opening was as beautiful as I imagined it to be – with nearly 100 visitors in attendance! It was a truly memorable experience.
 My visitor comments book is filled with funny, heart-felt and honest reflections of the show. My Pieces of Me III Exhibition Team:
Editors (Writing: Constructive Criticism, Inspiration):
Elaine Coombs
Teresa Serrao
Olive Jones
Jean Griffin
Kevin Casey
Gary Reny
Gates Cooney
Editors (Visual):
Teresa Serrao (Gallery Layout/Selection)
Jean Griffin (Gallery Layout/Selection)
Kevin Casey (Gallery Layout/Selection)
Luis Salazar (Gallery Layout)
Wendy Southin (Display Case Layout)
Patricia Velte (Invitation Layout)
Dan Proulx (Marketing Advice)
Margos Zacharian (Marketing Advice)
French Translators:
Angelica Zaynullina
Céline Amdur
Kevin Casey
Digital Scanning & Printing:
Peter Farris-Manning
Mario Lamoureux
Denis Legault
Ashley White
Norm Prest
Photographic Services:
Carmin Davidson
Peter Farris-Manning
Website Design Services:
Patricia Velte
Framing Services:
Luis Salazar (Art World One)
Gallery Set Up Team:
Maggie Jordan (Gallery)
Kevin Casey (Gallery)
Wendy Southin (Display Case, Gallery)
Christian Southin (Display Case, Gallery)
Penelope Kokkinos (Atrium Gallery Coordinator)
Atrium Gallery Building Maintenance Personnel
Opening Team:
Penelope Kokkinos (Atrium Gallery Coordinator)
Maya Hum (Opening Assistant, Atrium Gallery)
Maggie Jordan (Information/Purchasing Agent)
Olive Jones (Information Agent)
Sheila Cain-Sample (Fine Art Card Sales)
Wendy Southin (Food Table)
Mark Davies (Wine Table)
Dean Kingston (Wine Table)
Kevin Casey (Audio Visual Technician)
Atrium Gallery Building Maintenance Personnel
Carla Richichi (Makeup Artist)
In addition, I want to thank Susan Ashbrook, Lynne Cohen and Andrew Lugg whose loyal support and professional advice throughout the years gave me the courage to fill out my first public gallery submission… although they could not be present I held their spirits in my heart… and Ariane Goodwin and Jennifer Lee – through their courses I’m beginning to truly learn what it means to be a successful professional working artist.
Finally I’d like to thank Misa Kobayashi and Melissa Peters (editor and contributing editor/writer, respectively) of Where Ottawa magazine for putting my exhibition on their Hot Art spots to visit for the month!
More news and pics to come next month!
 "Memory of a Photo of My Parents", Mixed Media/Collage Journal Page, February 24 2010 I’m still in the process of writing up the proceedings for the fabulous opening of my “Pieces of Me III” exhibition this past week. Today I thought I’d share some thoughts with you about the infamous journal page that graces my postcard cover for the show… I don’t think many of you may know the story behind its creation…
“A Memory of a Photo of My Parents”, was one of the first journal pages I made using only magazine fragments… and let me tell you it was a pretty scary thing to do. It shouldn’t have been because for years now I’ve been collaging out of mainly magazine fragments, but this time I wanted more than a beautiful, seductive image. I wanted to transform those commercial fragments into something extraordinary and emotionally charged.
Although I have the actual photo of my parents’ engagement, I decided not to use it in the piece. Instead I challenged myself to come up with an image that would reflect the life span of my parents’ relationship since that photo was taken. Although I never planned it, the imagery that eventually found its home on the page ended up speaking of their relationship architecturally. It reveals the awesome heights their early relationship soared to as well as the depths of despair it sank to as they realized their love for each other had died.
I love using elements of Persian architecture in my work… especially for this piece because it alludes to one of the greatest Indian love stories of all … the construction of that wonder of a palace: the Taj Mahal. This genre of architecture with its breath-taking ornately decorated walls, columns and doorways reminds me of the one built by Shah Jahan for his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan’s love for his wife, made me think of the lengths my father went to to please my mother in the early years of their courtship and marriage. Theirs was a love that defied all — both married against the wishes of their respective families. I remember being so proud of how much dad loved mom and that he cared for nothing more than to give her the very best that he could afford. Ah, but those were the early days… the days before leaving Pakistan for a life in Canada that changed their lives in so many ways. Over time, my parents strayed from the path of love; each pursued different dreams and values… their love became estranged. The image on the lower right of the page of a broken down home reflects this moment in time. I like the frail porch fragment that looks like it could fall apart at any moment… much like my parent’s marriage decades later when they found themselves in personal and financial ruin. When I ran across the woman in red, the page’s central character, I felt she belonged there overlooking the alter-like field in the centre … in her mind worshipping the image of her once happy parents now emblazoned in her memory… balancing within a landscape created by fragments filled with awe and sorrow. It was difficult to write my story on her back, I wondered if it would meld with or ruin the entire page. In the end I felt like the text really felt right there; that it was the best place for so many reasons… one being the tremendous emotional weight this story has had on my being.
Believe or not, revealing the heartbreaking story of my parents’ marriage was cathartic (healing). It released some of my pain. I love making beautiful things out of tragic situations… in some strange way it brings acceptance, insight and understanding into difficult personal matters. It helps me to deal with a past I cannot change but must also learn to live with in a dignified way…. now as I say all this to you, I realize that these are my reflections about the page. I know when viewers interact with it, it has the possibility of maybe confirming my intentions as well as becoming something entirely different as each viewer reads their own life story into my art. I would be intrigued to hear your comments about this page. Also, if you’d like further information regarding the image sources for it, please let me know.
I look forward to sharing exciting details and marvelous photos of the opening “gala”of “Pieces of Me III” very soon!
 Charlotte, Vision Board, Collage, 16 x 20 inches, April 2011 It’s time for another student spotlight. This April, I had the pleasure of having Charlotte, a yoga instructor, in my vision board workshop. It was so insightful to hear her thoughts regarding constructing a vision board from both her career and personal perspective. I’ll let her take it from here…
 Charlotte, Yoga Instructor, 2011 Charlotte, what’s your background?
My background is one where I have worked in a financial corporate setting for 25 years. With a university degree in psychology I have always been interested in personalities and what makes people behave the way they do. Over the years I noticed how as the office changed to a very fast paced environment the levels of stress in people also increased. To work on my own stress levels I started taking Yoga classes. After a car accident and many orthopaedic injures I saw how Yoga was a great benefit to my recovery and decided to certify to teach. I think I was always meant to be a teacher. So at this point in my life I’m coming off doing fast paced corporate work to more activities that are true to my authentic self.
What made you feel you needed to take this workshop?
I always admired and loved other people’s collages and what they represented. I was telling a friend (Maggie) over lunch that I wanted to create my own but did not know where to begin and how to get the inspiration. The stars must have been in alignment that day as she told me about the workshop she was about to do with you. After she did her first one with you she contacted me and said I have to do it.
Did you have a particular vision/dream in mind before the workshop? If so, what was it?
Yes, I had just completed a weekend retreat where I practiced YIN Yoga for the weekend. This kind of yoga is all about letting go and holding poses for longer periods of time. As you hold the pose you notice how the mind can become very cluttered with thoughts and the only way to work through it is to let these thoughts go and focus on your breath. With time, by doing this practice, the mind opens up with more space to allow creativity. I wanted to reflect a vision of searching for this stillness and peacefulness. Resolving to be still. The sky and water in my board is a metaphor for “true nature”. We rarely see who and what we are because there is so much drama in our lives. So many thoughts and distractions prevent us from seeing who we really are and what is really there for us. The vision of our true nature is possible only when the clouds of thoughts have drifted away and the result is stillness of the mind for clarity.
As a professional in the area of yoga and meditation, what do you feel are the benefits of using the visioning process to fully engage in your dreams?
Benefits of the visioning process: “Pictures say a thousand words.” The process is meditative. The feeling of being creative even when one does not feel they are artistic. The great feeling one gets with hanging out with a like-minded community. The whole visioning process compliments a yoga practise.
Did the process of collaging reveal any new insights about you or your vision?
Yes I did gain new insights about myself. Not to fear proceeding with my creative side and accept every part of the process without judgement. Creativity is FUN.
Where is your vision board now? Is it working for you? If so, how?
I have my own room in the house where I practise yoga. In this room I have artefacts and art work that have meaning to me. My vision board has gone into this room. I see my board on a daily basis and it always inspires me.
Charlotte’s board immediately evoked a sense of peace within me. Her thoughtful selection of imagery has much to do with this. Everywhere the eye wanders across her board, characters, objects, scenes and icons (the lotus, Buddha and canoe) lead one on the path to reflection. I particularly love the images of the child looking out at the lake (top right) and the flute player in the river (lower left)… activities one can lose themselves in… activities done in the heart of nature where one can escape from their everyday lives. The auditory qualities of Charlotte’s board are also noteworthy. The repetition of water-based imagery, not only adds soothing cool tones to her board, it also invokes the sound of calm rippling of waves traveling across the water’s surface. I could even imagine the tune being played on the young boy’s flute! By paying attention to elements that relate to both sight and sound, she makes meditating on her board an even richer experience. Thanks for sharing your wonderful insights, Charlotte. It was a great privilege to have someone with your expertise in my class; I learned much from you. I’m glad you gathered enough courage from within to discover that creativity can be fun and useful too! If you’re searching for quietness and stillness in your life, as well as calling upon it through a vision board, you might like to try complementing it with some sessions with Charlotte at the Yoga Station.
Vision Board Tip:
Use one, two, three or more senses (ie. sight, sound, taste, smell, touch) to invoke your dream/vision when selecting imagery for your vision board. It’ll make meditating upon your board a rich multi-sensory experience.
Away for A Bit:
For the next week or so I’ll be taking a break from blogging to prepare for my upcoming show and opening. If you’re in Ottawa, please stop by and check out the exhibition; I’d love to have your comments. Stay tuned for news and photos of my “Pieces of Me III” exhibition!
It’s time for another instalment of my textures tips. This one’s about building texture with gels and mediums you can find at the art store. Once we get into mixing papers with acrylic-based mediums and other materials, we’re entering the territory of mixed media – one that’s become more exciting by the development of acrylic mediums that mimic almost any surface… glass, wax, chalkboard and watercolour.
When it comes to acrylic mediums the most popular brands seem to be Golden and Liquitex. In Ottawa we are fortunate to have the Tri-Art company which specializes in acrylic paints and mediums; it also offers exciting workshops.
Some Basics to Keep in Mind…
It’s all in the Mix: Although it goes without saying, I’m going to say it for those newbies to this area… gels and mediums can be used on their own or coloured with acrylic paints and inks as well as all kinds of materials. Adding colour to them will help you create the illusion of many kinds of surfaces as described above.
Surface Finish: Gels come in different finishes: matte, semi-gloss or glossy. Decide which one works best for your project by researching the benefits and qualities of each ahead of time.
Opacity Levels: Mediums and gels dry differently; although most are white in the container, some dry clear and others opaque. Stores often provide charts similar to colour ones of various gels and mediums so you know what they’ll look like when they’re dry.
Surface Porosity: The surfaces of gels and mediums are often slick. You’ll find that they repel markers and don’t allow stamping ink to dry fully on them. When I first started drawing and stamping on mediumed surfaces this drove me crazy! Through taking a number of workshops I found permanent markers or pens by Sharpie, Sakura Pigma Micron or Gelly Roll pens work well on most gel medium surfaces as does Stazon stamping inks. (Thanks Kelly Kilmer!)
Toxicity: Whether they’re paints, gels or mediums, many brands tout the non-toxicity of their materials. It’s true they’ve come a long way in creating safer paints, but I still advise you to read labels carefully for materials that contain toxic elements (ie. cadmium, cobalt, magnesium, chromium). Wear gloves when necessary and work in a well ventilated area. Working with acrylic mediums and gels give me allergies and headaches (some say it’s due to the formaldehyde in them –yikes!) so I use them sparingly.
Seven Cool Gel & Medium Textures:
Gel Medium: Dries clear. It’s generally mixed with paint to extend your paint supply. When it’s wet, you can mix it with all kinds of materials (ie. sand, beads, etc.). You can also make marks in it with just about anything (ie. pencil, ink nib, stick, sponge, string, bubble wrap, etc.); then let it dry and paint or burnish colour over it to bring out marks and patterns. Squirt it out of a medical syringe dispenser or icing tube and add decorative elements to your work. The syringe gives a neat stringy effect; while the decorating tube makes your designs look so delicious you’ll want to eat them! (but I don’t recommend it!). When dry, you can scratch, sand, draw, colour with pencil crayons, markers, watercolour crayons, rubber stamp or paint on it. Golden notes its semi-gloss medium dries with a waxy surface that can be exploited to create wax-like impressions. Gel medium’s so versatile you can even make photocopy image transfers with it!
Self Leveling Gel: Dries clear. Applying a thick layer of this over your work will give it a glassy surface. You can also pour a bit out, add tiny drops of paint or acrylic ink to it and drag through it with a fine tooth comb to create wonderful marbleized effects that are similar to marble Florentine paper.
Light Molding Paste: Dries White/Opaque. I love to use this with stencils. Take a stencil (preferably a plastic one) and spread a layer of paste over it with a palette knife; let dry over night. This medium has a beautiful porous surface. If you brush on a very thinned out layer of acrylic paint onto it, it will give you a nice soft watercolour wash finish.
Tar or String Gel: Dries Clear. Add a few drops of your favourite thinned acrylic paint or acrylic ink to it, mix and dip into it with a palette knife and wind it around the surface of your work – it’s like you’re pouring on string hence the name… Jackson Pollock would have loved this!
Micaceous Iron Oxide: Is a grey chalkboard-like colour with a hint a metallic glint to it. You can paint or draw on it. Using a white permanent pen, conté, soft pastel or oil pastel will give you a marvellous chalky effect.
Nepheline Gel: Comes in fine, coarse or a very coarse mixture. This gritty texture is great for mimicking rock-like surfaces found in nature. I used it to simulate a lava flow once…
Gold Mica Flakes: A clear gel with flakes of gold in it! It beats brushing on those little flakes of gold leaf paper that get all over your hands and face!
 Some medium samples (left to right): Micaceous Iron Oxide; Glass Beads Medium mixed with iridescent gold acrylic ink; Light Molding Paste mixed with metallic rose acrylic craft paint; Gold Mica Flakes Medium on top of metallic blue sapphire acrylic craft paint. Substrate Note: When using gels or mediums, you’ll want to be sure you’re working on heavy weight papers (ie. 130 -140 lb ones – either Cold or Hot Press (CP or HP)). For mixed media work I prefer HP paper for its smoothness.
I’m still working on improving my ability to work with gels and mediums. This summer I took a workshop with my friend, local acrylic mediums expert Susan Ashbrook, to re-acquaint myself with the joys of working with mediums. After class, my head was spinning with new ideas for projects – the sign of a great workshop! I highly recommend Susan’s acrylics mediums workshop – she always creates a comfortable atmosphere within which to play creatively.
When working with gels and mediums, remember it takes time, research and practice to master this stuff. Have fun experimenting with them. In my next texture instalment I’ll discuss finding texture tools around the house – Yay!… free tools at your fingertips!
Suggested Reading:
The New Acrylics by Rheni Tauchid (lots of drop dead gorgeous texture photos!)
New Acrylics Essential Source Book by Rheni Tauchid
Acrylic Revolution by Nancy Reyner
Celebrate Your Creative Self by Mary Todd Beam
Other Related Links:
Collage Tip #7 (Part 1): Going Gaga for Magazine Textures!
 Textured Artist Trading Card inspired by Frida Kahlo... using glass beads medium and art glitter, October 2011 I don’t think there’s been a week that’s gone by since April that I haven’t been stressed out about preparing for the Atrium Show… hoping to be inspired enough to bring to life at least 25 new journal pages; worrying if the pages will scan and print properly; finding new printing sources for my pieces, and, worst of all, paranoid that my framer Luis will call to say, he’s made a terrible mistake framing and the whole show literally falls to “pieces”!!! I’m such a worry wart it’s exhausting! And, I think, the more I worry, the more things go wrong – Luis actually did have a problem with framing! … and the more I hope for the best, the more things go right… an ever resourceful soul, Luis found a great fix for the problem. At some point this month while I was in one of my moods freaking out about something I couldn’t find at Michaels, my husband took a photo with his cell of something in the store that reminded him of “me” – and it made me laugh (after 25 years, I still don’t know how that guy’s mind works!). It was a reality check for me – I needed to laugh, relax and unwind… and the best way to do that was to make art!
So last week I took some time to make Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) for a few friends I made in Kelly Kilmer’s on-line journaling classes. We’ve admired each other’s works virtually for a while and, since we live too far away to meet, we thought it would be a great idea to exchange a little piece of ourselves through ATCs. I can’t tell you what a breath of fresh air it was! There’s something so therapeutic about sitting down to make a small piece of art; it brings me back to the days when I was kid lost in my colouring book… when nothing else in the world mattered; where time had no relevance and I felt free. I’ve been working on my textures blog part II on mediums that’ll be coming out soon so I decided it would be a wonderful idea to test out some texture mediums. Texture and sparkle would be the premise of my cards – nothing too cerebral or elaborate… just having fun, going with the flow and experimenting with some delicious mediums… two of which I already had in mind. The first I discovered in Susan Ashbrook’s Acrylic Mediums Workshop this summer. There I found I loved the effect of the glass beads medium…. an array of teeniest, tiniest transparent beads bathed in a viscous white gel (which dries clear); this texture looks stunning on a surface painted with metallic colours – the glass beads reflect the metallic colour giving off a brilliant sparkling light. The second thing, I ran across was art glitter. The other week, friend Olive Jones surprised me with a beautiful ATC card from a series she made with art glitter inspired by patterns found in the galaxy! With these two inspirational sources, I made copies of my all-time favourite image of a Frida Kahlo-like model dressed in a Reem Acra gown and went to town! The result is the above… unfortunately, my scanner couldn’t capture the brilliant effect of the glass beads, but I promise these magical mediums will add yummy textures to your art!
How My Frida Textured ATC was Made:
– Primed 130 lb HP mixed media type paper with acrylic gel medium;
– Painted background with Tri-Art Iridescent Pale Gold acrylic paint;
– Glued papers and poetry with Pebeo Studio Acrylics Bindex Gel medium;
– Applied layer of Liquatex glass beads medium with a pallet knife; let dry over night;
– Brushed Pebeo Bindex to front of dress and dragged card through Barbara Trombley’s art glitter; let dry and brushed on more gel to hold glitter in place;
– Added further texture through dots with Sakura Gelly Roll metallic coloured pens.
 "Me" at Michaels from Kev's Cell
 Erika Deruaz, Vision Board, Collage, 16 x 20 inches, June 2010 A petite energetic soul, Erika Deruaz is an accomplished artist who paints and collages among other things. A well-seasoned artist, what impresses me about her is her long-term passion for art and her continued ability to dream. Here are her vision board reflections…
 Erika Deruaz My vision board of a garden was not done as a means to reach a goal but was simply a dream. This meant that I was not hemmed in by consideration of possibilities like size of backyard and financial capabilities. I could indulge myself and let my fantasy free rein. And what a joy it was! – The search for material to create my garden; to put it together and populate it with fish, a little bug for luck and a silky cat. Later to look for comfortable furniture and to place it in a good location and finally to dream myself sitting there in the shade with a book, nibbling on fresh strawberries and sipping Champagne. If I had to do it all again, it wouldn’t be any different. I had great pleasure assembling this vision board and have since been doing more collages although no more dreams.
I love Erika’s thoughtful use of images on her board. She came to the class fully prepared with ones she wanted to use, which included her own photos (a nice personal touch), magazine images (from gardening sources) and real feathers! With the flora, fauna and other decorative elements she gathered, she constructed her own little Eden! Collaging with the spirit of an expert landscaper, she cleverly laid out her design in a grid-like or organized patch work fashion – akin to a real garden plan. She cleverly transformed the green negative (unused) background space of her board into a path that meanders through the space. Drawing on her skills as a painter and perhaps gardener, she used a variety of greens, bold punches of reds as well as soft blues and lavenders to create spectacular views of garden beds. Her enlarged flower shots seem so close, you can almost smell them! Everywhere bits of Erika’s personality abound… her sense of whimsy captured through the use of fallen feathers; her love for classical and contemporary décor echoed in her choice of garden pots and furniture and her sense of humour evident in the grinning garden gnome (top, left). Touches like the “silky” cat, gold fish and lady bug breathe further life into her space transforming it into a plausible idyllic setting. A place of leisure, rest and relaxation, Erika’s fantasy garden is a cozy spot to curl up and read a good book in! If she was interested in making it real, this board would certainly give her the impetus to do so!
I enjoyed escaping to Erika’s hide-away so much I decided to use her board as an example for my workshop students to study throughout the year. Every session, they’re inspired by her vision! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and board with us Erika – you’re a kind and generous artist. Keep on collaging and dreaming! See more of her wonderful nature-related paintings on Erica’s website and Facebook page.
Vision Board Tip:
Varying your image sources can make all the difference in personalizing your vision board. When you can make connections to sources that are actually part of your life experiences your board can be made more meaningful and have less of a commercial edge. Besides using ones from magazines, consider adding your own photos (as Erika above did) or even recycling old greetings cards, postcards, fragments of letters, artwork, doodles on post-it notes, fabrics or even interesting shopping labels and tags… things that you feel in some way might be related to your dream’s theme.
 Sneak preview of "Mrs. S" a journal page from "Pieces of Me III" Show I enjoy making commemorative journal pages about family, friends, real life or fictive characters or even strangers who’ve transformed my life in some way. This week’s sneak preview is about, “Mrs. S”, a journal page from my upcoming Atrium Show.
I was all set to make a page about another teacher, when in my present-day life and studio, bits and pieces of my sixth grade teacher Mrs. Salazar began to manifest themselves. Her ghost followed me throughout the summer. It’s been 30 years since she taught me. From time to time we run into each other on the street and catch up on life and old classmates. I haven’t seen her in ages. Then a few months ago, I stumbled across two women who looked exactly like her… one, very well off strolling through a crowded mall and the other, a plainly dressed woman with dry, calloused hands who caught my eye on a local bus. Which one was the real Mrs. Salazar: the first or the second? Neither? I was too shy to ask. This got me thinking about her … like the telling tea leaf patterns on the bottom of a cup, certain magazine fragments on my studio table seemed to whisper her name… and so “Mrs. S” emerged…
Mrs. E. Salazar. I don’t remember what the “E” stands for. But I know she was a single mom with two teenage daughters and that she hailed from the Caribbean. She was as strict as she was humorous. Her specialty was teaching the Arts; her passions: music, poetry and drama. She took pride in featuring original inventive works by her students on our school stage. Every year she organized the annual school play. She loved cooking too and had us organize a spaghetti lunch during which my best friend Louanne threw up after pretending to choke on a pork meatball made by another classmate she didn’t want to eat! We all thought it was hilarious – Mrs. S. thought it was just plain bad manners! Her eccentric sense of discipline had us trembling as well as laughing. For example, if we chewed gum in class we didn’t simply have to throw it out…. no way… Mrs. S had more notorious methods of dealing with this classroom crime. She’d have us stand up on our desks like statues… one hand held up high, displaying our wad of gum! Needless to say being a die-hard gum chewer, I was often on exhibit! For music class, she naturally chose songs from Central America and the Islands. When I gazed at her ebony skin, it evoked not only those far-away places but also the wilds of Africa: that ancient cradle of civilization. Mrs. S was visible proof of the world outside North America. She was the only teacher of colour I had during my whole schooling – from elementary school to university! She made such an impression on me. How did she do it by herself I wondered, a single mother with no husband to support her who was proud of her heritage and able to defend her beliefs – she was a strong spirit! Like the strength I derived from the stories of Toni Morrison or the music of Janet Jackson, Mrs. Salazar was a shining example to me that women of colour could survive, thrive and shape this world.
I highly encourage making journal pages to memorialize those amazing figures in your life. I find them helpful to reflect upon when I’m down and feel like nobody in the world has ever cared for me… they perk me right up, make me smile and give me a reason to be grateful for being alive.
Blog Reader Challenge:
Make a list of ten people who’ve transformed your life. Choose one and make a journal page or some type of art that commemorates them. Share this piece with family, friends, and if you like, even me!
Other Related Links:
“Pieces of Me II” Sharing Journal Pages & Blessings
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