Contemporary Artist using Gut

I am amazed at the incredibly different ways artists are using gut as a medium.

 

This installation by Martha Ross Raisanen sets my heart on fire.

I love the old bottles and the textures.  The feeling that you are uncovering some ancient treasure cocooned in mystery.

 

Martha Ross Raisanen’s Collective Secrets

 

Jill Nordfors Clark  Using gut like a weaver or basket maker

Love this delicate yet strong cocoon shape by Pat Hickman

 

I also found pieces I could hardly believe were made of the same material I have used.

Peggy Vanbianchi

WHISTLING IN THE WIND
2000
Gut, colored pencil

 

Fabulous art boots made by Carol Durham

 

Wow what an amazing medium!!

Want to come and learn more about it:

Are you Guts Enough?

Sept 8^th and 9^th    10-2     $90 (some supplies included)

Clarissa Callesen’s Studio

1920 Main St, Ferndale, WA 98248

Are You Guts Enough?

New Exciting Class  

Sept 8^th and 9^th    10-2     $90 (some supplies included)

Clarissa Callesen’s Studio

1920 Main St, Ferndale, WA 98248

EMAIL TODAY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RESERVE A SPOT

clarissacallesen@gmail.com

 

I first learned to use the strange and unusual medium of sausage casings or gut from the fabulous Melissa Manley. Who is not only wickedly talented but sweet, charming and kind. In the class we worked primarily with the translucence of the dried gut by creating wire structures and then stretching the gut over them.   A year or so later I started playing with incorporating the gut into my Art dolls, using them to construct wings and skirts but also just as an added textural surface. 

 

 

In this two day class we will be exploring the diversity of gut as a versatile art medium.

• It is flexible yet strong.
• It can be translucent or opaque.
• It can be used as a primary sculptural material or as just a textural accent.
• It can be used for dolls, jewelry, book arts and assemblage.
• It can be dyed or painted.
• It can be used for construction or attachment in assemblage
• It can be a base for pen and ink or stamping when dry

 

 

This is primarily a technique-based class but if you would like to focus on a single project that is totally fine.  There is tons of room for exploration and variation, and I really encourage everyone to go where their muse is leading them.  I will be spending lots of one on one time consulting and helping you work with this unusual medium. We will be learning lots of fun easy techniques that produce quick, dramatic results. You’ll find that these newly learned skills can be applied to many different kinds of mixed media work.  

Supply list         (no kit fee)

· A small roll of copper wire in 24 or 20 gauge

· A small roll of black annealed steel wire in 24 gauge

· An assortment of found objects ( Objects with holes or openings are interesting, metal is a great, but bring a variety of things to play with)

· Basic wire working tools ( wire cutters, needle nose pliers, flat nose or chain nose pliers)

· A small assortment of beads

· A small bag of fabric scraps include some lighter colored fabric

Optional

· A doll or sculptural item if you want to work on a project as you learn techniques

· A soldering iron or wood burner  ( I will provide two for the class to share)

· Personal favorite paints or pens

Teacher will provide

• Sausage casings
• Steel 16 gauge wire
• Craft Acrylic paints
• Liquid Nails Adhesive
• Extra tools to share
• Stamps and ink