greenpepperpressblog

Michelle Ward/GreenPepperPress Blog

  • day five: polymer clay

    I first started working with polymer clay back in the nineties.  A friend of mine, artist Julie Pearson, was making incredible jewelry with it (scroll down to see).  I instantly fell in love with the possibilities it affords, especially when combined with stamping.  Julie is much more than a clay artist, but taught me the magical things that can be done with the inexpensive and easily manipulated medium.  I have used clay in some of my work, and also employ it for making molds for paper casting (which I will show you soon).  Later I discovered Laurie Mika and her amazing Icons built with gorgeous patterns and rampant colors.  I resonated to Laurie's work immediately, and upon further inspection was thrilled to discover she was using some of my stamps in the clay!  How cool is that?  We collaborated on an Exemplar for Somerset Studio (Nov/Dec 2005) and eventually sold the piece in an auction to raise money for Katrina Relief.

     

    MWILOVEARTpolymerclay

    MWILOVEARTpolymerclayfigures
    MWILOVEARTpolymerclaycollaboration

    MWILOVEARTpolymerclayJuliePearson

    MWILOVEARTpolymerclayLaurieMika

     

    Julie Pearson does not have a website but you can find her current work of mixed media assemblage at Gallery 50 in Traverse City, Michigan, click HERE. 

    Laurie Mika's website is HERE.  She teaches workshops around the globe, visit her site for details, and take a look at her really cool book, Mixed Media Mosaics, click HERE.  And good news!  She just launched (finally!) a blog, HERE.

  • day five: polymer clay

    I first started working with polymer clay back in the nineties.  A friend of mine, artist Julie Pearson, was making incredible jewelry with it (scroll down to see).  I instantly fell in love with the possibilities it affords, especially when combined with stamping.  Julie is much more than a clay artist, but taught me the magical things that can be done with the inexpensive and easily manipulated medium.  I have used clay in some of my work, and also employ it for making molds for paper casting (which I will show you soon).  Later I discovered Laurie Mika and her amazing Icons built with gorgeous patterns and rampant colors.  I resonated to Laurie's work immediately, and upon further inspection was thrilled to discover she was using some of my stamps in the clay!  How cool is that?  We collaborated on an Exemplar for Somerset Studio (Nov/Dec 2005) and eventually sold the piece in an auction to raise money for Katrina Relief.

     

    MWILOVEARTpolymerclay

    MWILOVEARTpolymerclayfigures
    MWILOVEARTpolymerclaycollaboration

    MWILOVEARTpolymerclayJuliePearson

    MWILOVEARTpolymerclayLaurieMika

     

    Julie Pearson does not have a website but you can find her current work of mixed media assemblage at Gallery 50 in Traverse City, Michigan, click HERE. 

    Laurie Mika's website is HERE.  She teaches workshops around the globe, visit her site for details, and take a look at her really cool book, Mixed Media Mosaics, click HERE.  And good news!  She just launched (finally!) a blog, HERE.

  • day four: messy hands

    MWILOVEARTmessyhands

    When I'm in the midst of a project I take over every flat surface within a 20 foot radius.  The floor is cluttered with debris, piles of materials are stacked everywhere, and my hands are filthy.  I have been seen at the local pizza place, picking up dinner with paint covered fingers.  There is paint on my shoes, the phone, the carpet.  Evidence that I'm a slob….but I'm working.  Nothing beats digging in and doing it. 

  • day four: messy hands

    MWILOVEARTmessyhands

    When I'm in the midst of a project I take over every flat surface within a 20 foot radius.  The floor is cluttered with debris, piles of materials are stacked everywhere, and my hands are filthy.  I have been seen at the local pizza place, picking up dinner with paint covered fingers.  There is paint on my shoes, the phone, the carpet.  Evidence that I'm a slob….but I'm working.  Nothing beats digging in and doing it. 

  • i love art: assemblage

    MWILOVEARTassemblage

    MWILOVEARTassemblage2

    MWILOVEARTassemblage3

    Remember back in grade school when you had to make a diorama?  Mine was a science project built in a shoebox.  Later in high school I fabricated scale models of houses that I designed in my architectural drawing classes.  One even won the first place blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair!  I love constructing and assembling art in boxes as it provides the perfect platform for collecting and presenting interesting items – some found, some altered, some invented. 

  • i love art: assemblage

    MWILOVEARTassemblage

    MWILOVEARTassemblage2

    MWILOVEARTassemblage3

    Remember back in grade school when you had to make a diorama?  Mine was a science project built in a shoebox.  Later in high school I fabricated scale models of houses that I designed in my architectural drawing classes.  One even won the first place blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair!  I love constructing and assembling art in boxes as it provides the perfect platform for collecting and presenting interesting items – some found, some altered, some invented. 

  • i love art: visual journals

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals2

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals3

     

    I love my journals.  They chronicle my art journey.  Sometimes I use them to work out ideas, with sketches and notes, and trials of techniques and a playground of discovery.  Sometimes I use them to collect evidence of a work-in-progess with paint strokes of color, collage clippings, and remnants of materials or supplies used.  There are also times I just want to focus on a theme and make a self-contained journal with a recurring motif.  I have big ones, little ones, some finished, some incomplete.  I believe keeping a visual journal is a vital part of my artistic process.

  • i love art: visual journals

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals2

    MWILOVEARTvisualjournals3

     

    I love my journals.  They chronicle my art journey.  Sometimes I use them to work out ideas, with sketches and notes, and trials of techniques and a playground of discovery.  Sometimes I use them to collect evidence of a work-in-progess with paint strokes of color, collage clippings, and remnants of materials or supplies used.  There are also times I just want to focus on a theme and make a self-contained journal with a recurring motif.  I have big ones, little ones, some finished, some incomplete.  I believe keeping a visual journal is a vital part of my artistic process.

  • art love

    As soon as the calendar page turns to February I get all excited about red, of course, but I also reflect on the people and things I love.  Valentine's Day isn't until mid-month but I feel my heart open….having survived the holidays and the lull that January can bring, this month gets me motivated about the things ahead in the coming year, and the promise of Spring.  I look around this messy studio and want to break out with new work and maybe cross some things off my to-do list of making stuff I've been wanting to make.  I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such cool supplies, I want to be using them all the time.  With the new year I tend to do some clean-up on my computer and review the completed projects from the past year.  I loved seeing the archives of all the work I've done.  It is clear that I love art and I love being an artist.  I decided to take this month and make a daily declaration about it. I will show both old and new work….to celebrate where I've been and where I'm going.

     

    MWIloveartintro

    MWILOVEARTmakingstuff

    REMINDERS:  Today the registration begins for Art Is You in Stamford, CT.  Hope to see you there! 

    Just a few spots left in the Far Away Places workshop I am co-hosting with my friend Lynne Perrella – a three day event May 10-12, click HERE for info.  It's going to be amazing!!

  • art love

    As soon as the calendar page turns to February I get all excited about red, of course, but I also reflect on the people and things I love.  Valentine's Day isn't until mid-month but I feel my heart open….having survived the holidays and the lull that January can bring, this month gets me motivated about the things ahead in the coming year, and the promise of Spring.  I look around this messy studio and want to break out with new work and maybe cross some things off my to-do list of making stuff I've been wanting to make.  I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such cool supplies, I want to be using them all the time.  With the new year I tend to do some clean-up on my computer and review the completed projects from the past year.  I loved seeing the archives of all the work I've done.  It is clear that I love art and I love being an artist.  I decided to take this month and make a daily declaration about it. I will show both old and new work….to celebrate where I've been and where I'm going.

     

    MWIloveartintro

    MWILOVEARTmakingstuff

    REMINDERS:  Today the registration begins for Art Is You in Stamford, CT.  Hope to see you there! 

    Just a few spots left in the Far Away Places workshop I am co-hosting with my friend Lynne Perrella – a three day event May 10-12, click HERE for info.  It's going to be amazing!!