Prepping, and Painting, and Projects, Oh My!

Penny and I have been working steadily on preparations for our Seaside Sessions 2023 mixed media retreat coming up in March (in 54 days, to be exact!). In this post, I will show you some of what I’ll be presenting during my Studio Session on Thursday, March 23.
During this retreat, I will share what I’ve learned over the years about how to create painted, textured, and patterned papers which can be used in many types of projects. Reaching into my own creative archive, I’m revisiting techniques I’ve used as far back as 19 years ago!
Paste Papers
In 2004, I used paste papers in collage and to embellish unfinished wood boxes and small pieces of furniture. Creating paste paper involves adding a thickener to acrylic paint, which makes the paint receptive to layering, texturing and patterning. During my Studio Session, we’ll mix our own paste paper colors, then experiment with them on different colors and weights of paper, and we’ll explore how stencils and various texturing tools work. Below, you’ll see some of the paste papers Penny and I created during one of our days in my studio earlier this month.

Beginning to work with our paste papers.

An Italian book with marbled endpapers

Marbled Paper
As you probably know, marbled papers have been used for centuries, especially in bookbinding (which always makes me think of illuminated capitals and marbled endpapers of antique books). Paper marbling involves using another type of thickening agent, but this time, it’s added to water. Paint colors are floated on top of the water, then texture tools are used to create intricate patterns. It is a a magical, mesmerizing, and very satisfying process. In our Studio Session, we’ll create an array of dazzling marbled papers (it’s also quite addicting—you won’t be able to make just one!).

Custom Stamps
And because no mixed media session with me would be complete without it, I’ll show how to design custom foam stamps. My tips and techniques will help you create your own iconography and personalized mark-making with simple tools and supplies. Below are some of my stamps, made with “fun foam” and acrylic blocks.

In my next post, I’ll share some of the ways we’ll use these techniques.

Are you intrigued? Would you like to join us?
We now have room, due to cancellations for health reasons.
If you would like to be a part of what promises to be an amazing seaside creative adventure, simply email us here.
We look forward to hearing from, and creating with YOU.

Until next time,

Michelle


 

It's Been a Minute!

Hey, hi, and hello!

We look back with complete amazement at the fact that the world changed immediately after our inaugural Seaside Sessions event in 2020!? Our attendees heard news from home about folks clearing the shelves in the grocery stores, but it was hard to comprehend all that awaited us upon our return home. Thus ensued 2.5 years of distancing, isolation, and uncertainty.

Like most of you, our routines were no longer routine. Big changes were happening, and it was easy to feel lost and disconnected. We have treasured our online connections during this time of upheaval, and we revel in being able to share some very exciting news for the coming year.

Seaside Sessions is BACK! …bigger, better, and more breathtaking than before! As always, our events are first available to our Kaleidoscope Circle and Newsletter subscribers. If you are not currently one of these, it’s an easy fix to become one. Click the banner link, above, to subscribe to our (embarrassingly) low-volume Newsletter - so you’ll be in the know on all things Your Creative Connection related. To join our Kaleidoscope Circle, visit the Our Events tab and grab your spot today! Make plans now to join us in beautiful Surf City, NC March 22-26, 2023. It promises to be amazing, and we would love to welcome you to our haven by the sea. Note that space is limited; as of today, just 6 spots remain.

It feels GREAT to have something fun to look forward to, doesn’t it? We are happy to oblige. We look forward to more of that moving forward, and having YOU with us to join in the fun.

Until next time,
- Penny & Michelle

A Look at Seaside Sessions-Spring 2020 (pt. 3 of 3)

On our final day together, we created with a fury: there were massive numbers of prints made, stamps employed, beads created, stencils used, and a quite impressive round of books sewn. We did not waste a moment, and yet found the time for our Creative Explorers to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather (70 degrees, bright and sunny in March!?), and get in some beach time by slightly rearranging the day’s schedule.

We opened the day with Michelle sharing the wonders of gelatin printing with modern tools (GELLI and GelPress plates). She highlighted many ways to create unique and expressive prints with a variety of materials, including stamps from Art Foamies, texture plates, and stencils from ARTplorations. We pulled prints on an assortment of different papers. The ladies were encouraged to use the stamps they created the day before to further personalize their prints and the outcome made for all sorts of happy noises throughout the work area.

After all of that, we had worked up a good appetite! The ladies enjoyed a leisurely lunch and then had some free time to take in the local sights. Some visited the beach, some took a little time to recharge for the afternoon’s activities, and one had a little surprise up her sleeve.

Upon returning from their beach-y explorations, they settled in to an afternoon of book art with Penny. Once again, they employed stencils and Marabu Art Sprays to customize the papers that would become the covers for their wrap-around journal. While the covers dried, we turned our attention to the configuration of the inner pages. Working with Stonehenge paper from Legion Paper Company, we crafted signatures that included foldouts for two of the three, and an abbreviated inner page to add visual interest to the third. We finished them up by bringing all the components together with a button hole stitch. The ladies were elated with their creations, and Penny was giddy with their successes!

In order to fully take advantage of the final day, it was decided shortly after breakfast that we should “pot luck” for dinner — an idea that was quite happy-making for the hostesses who had over-provisioned for our gathering. One of our lovely ladies decided to upgrade this idea by taking on the role of Personal Chef for the household, and applied her creative skillset to the creation of a most memorable dinner for our last night. Returning from their beach romp with a gorgeous cut of salmon and some shrimp, Nikkea prepared an amazing repast for our farewell dinner!

Salmon marinated in lemon and white wine — alongside shrimp and mixed veggies in a lemon, white wine, honey, and butter sauce. Toasted rolls with a compound butter of garlic and seasonings. In short: SUPERB!

Salmon marinated in lemon and white wine — alongside shrimp and mixed veggies in a lemon, white wine, honey, and butter sauce. Toasted rolls with a compound butter of garlic and seasonings. In short: SUPERB!

Delightful, delicious, and de-lovely! We gathered for dinner as friends. We who, only two days before, had been (except for the trio traveling together) virtual strangers. Is that not the power of art? …the power of creating community? We feel that this represents completely what Your Creative Connection is all about: beyond an art retreat, it is an experience. More than making art, we gather to make learning and discovery a joy; we make friends and we make memories that will last long after our brief time shared.

…and then it was over. We are so grateful to all of our Creative Explorers for being fully present with us in this circle of creativity! We are already looking forward to next time. When might that be, you ask? Well, given the current state of things, we are hopeful that another event will happen this year. We want more than anything to welcome another group into our circle of creative connection before the end of the year. The best way to make sure you don’t miss out on the next one is to subscribe to our Newsletter. Subscribers receive the details of future events 7-10 days before they go live here and across our social media feeds.

Until next time, be safe and be kind and be good to one another — and never miss an opportunity to add a little beauty to your day!

~ PLA & MDP

A Look at Seaside Sessions-Spring 2020 (pt. 2 of 3)

As the day began on March 12th, our attendees were rarin’ to go. Following a lovely breakfast, we got the creativity underway. The first Creative Session was with Penny. By lunchtime, our intrepid explorers would have not one but TWO completed concertina books in hand. One with stenciled covers, and the other (with lengthened paper, due to learning how to hinge to add length) with paper wrapped boards. The excitement level was high, and the enthusiasm contagious as they got down to work.

For the stenciled covers, each Creative Explorer utilized a variety of stencils and Marabu Art Sprays to design her own unique book boards. Once again, each began with the exact same materials — the results were so splendidly their own. Everyone was quite pleased with their creations — and their instructor was over the moon! Following a lovely and lively luncheon, they returned to the work tables to resume their Creative Explorations with an afternoon of Creating Personal Iconography stamps and Tyvek beadmaking with Michelle. The results were just as spectacularly successful and unique as from the morning session.

After a day full of creativity and inspiration, we were all ready for a nice dinner. We retired to the nearby and hospitable Ocean Isle Fish Company Restaurant to rest and refuel for an evening of Open Studio time. We were well attended to by the lovey Jared, and returned to the house sated and ready for an evening of friendly relaxation as we put to use the variety of things we learned during the day.

With our final day rapidly approaching, we were excited for what it held in addition to becoming increasingly concerned for the happenings beyond our safe haven. After checking in with the folks at home, our merry band headed to bed to face Friday well-rested and ready for more artistic exploration.

We’ll be back tomorrow with a look at the final day of Seaside Sessions - Spring 2020. Until then, be safe and be kind and be inspired to make a little beauty every day.

~ PLA & MDP

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A Look at Seaside Sessions-Spring 2020 (pt. 1 of 3)

One week ago, today, we welcomed a group of enthusiastic Creative Explorers to our first event of 2020. We convened in a beautiful waterfront home on the canal in Ocean Isle Beach, NC for 3 days of creativity, community, and camaraderie. We couldn’t have been more pleased with the results!

After arriving and tending to the less creative tasks (unloading a passel of art supplies, tasty treats, and making 7 beds), we put our eyes toward adding a few personalized touches to the space that would contain our artistic adventures once our guests arrived.

…and arrive they did! By the early evening of Wednesday, March 11th, we had a house full of creative cohorts ready to dive into our time of collaborative learning and making. After taking a few moments to get better acquainted with one another, we enjoyed a meal of pizza accompanied by wine and followed with freshly baked brownies.

Not wanting to waste a moment of our time together, we had an evening of creativity at the ready for our guests. Each was provided with two plain “everyday ornaments,” a complete array of Marabu Alcohol Inks, and an assortment of tools and paint markers. Following a brief demonstration of various application and layering techniques, they personalized their ornaments in the manner of their choosing. As we departed for the night, their inked beauties were left to dry. The big reveal would take place the following morning.

Our Creative Explorers came down to breakfast to discover their creations aglow in the early morning light — suspended from silvery ribbons in the living room window. What a beautiful beginning to our event! We are always amazed at the complete individuality and variety that results from providing a group of creatives with identical materials — the outcome of our Opening Night was no exception!

Our recap of all things Seaside Sessions - Spring 2020 will continue tomorrow as we revisit our first full day of creative discovery. Until then, be safe and be kind and try to add a little beauty to your day!

~ PLA & MDP

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