Art and Soul Blogroll!

So this is my first blogroll. Hope I do it “right”.  We are all teachers teaching at this falls Art and Soul in Portland, OR Sept 30th- Oct 6th. Visit each persons blog for more info, fun inspiration, and chances to win prizes.

August 19 Serena Barton http://serenabartonsblog.blogspot.com.

August 20 Clarissa Callesen http://Clarissacallesen.blogspot.com

August 21 Liz Kettle  http://www.textileevolution.com

August 22 Jen Crossley http://amarkintime.blogspot.com/

Worth Rainey http://fireflypress.blogspot.com/

August  23 Jill Berry Blog: http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/

Make sure to visit Jill’s blog and signup for her giveaway!

Speaking of RIGHT, one of my philosophy in making and teaching art is that there is NO ONE RIGHT WAY. There are an infinite number of paths to creating.  Sometimes the path that seems like a train wreck is the path that creates a new amazing technique. My class motto is cherish the mistakes and embrace the grunge!
One of my most popular classes at Art and Soul in Virginia Beach was DELIGHTFUL DISTRESSING. Many of the techniques in this class came from accidents and whimsical explorations.  I provide all the materials to learn how to change new and shiny boring objects into old and cool vintage looking treasure.  This is a fast paced class that you will leave with a ton of techniques from.
 
Students working hard distressing everything from cloth and paper to plastic and wood.

I am also teaching a very different class called Gut Instincts. This is a perfect class for the student that feels like they have seen and done it all. I will be teaching you how to make strong translucent panels out of sausage casings, that can be sewn, painted, and stamped. We also will be working with the translucent nature of the material by embedding  found objects, transparencies, string, wire, and fabric. I created mine as a hanging but the panels could just as easily become a book.

The heart is such a universal and significant symbol in our lives. I have been draw to the image of the sacred heart in all its forms and incarnations for years. I invite you to come and explore what your Sacred Heart might look like? This is an assemblage class where we explore different ways to alter and attach objects together to make a unified piece of art.

Students working away making Sacred Heart at my home studio

Altered Art Dolls are one of my biggest passions and a retreat would not be complete without teaching “a crazy doll class”.   We are going to be exploring our bohemian nature in creating this lovely bohemian Gypsy Doll.   A ton of fun and a ton of techniques…

 

Students from past “Crazy Doll Classes”

Hope to see you in October at Art and Soul Portland!!!

August 19 Serena Barton http://serenabartonsblog.blogspot.com.

August 20 Clarissa Callesen http://Clarissacallesen.blogspot.com

August 21 Liz Kettle  http://www.textileevolution.com

August 22 Jen Crossley http://amarkintime.blogspot.com/Barbara

Worth Rainey http://fireflypress.blogspot.com/

August  23 Jill Berry Blog: http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/

Make sure to visit Jill’s blog and signup for her giveaway!

The Finished Pieces: Eostre

I want to share the good “official” photos of the big pieces I built this spring for the “Odd Birds” show.   I usually refer to this piece as “The Giant Bunny”.  However a lot of people at the latest art festival I attended called her the scary bunny or the creepy rabbit.   Her official name is “Eostre is Watching” after the pagan goddess with her hare companions thought to be associated with the origins of the word Easter.

Eostre aka Giant Bunny started her life as just that a dirty white giant stuffed bunny sitting in the corner at a small thrift store. I actually paid her no mind, looking right past her former self. But my partner was totally taken with her and KNEW I needed to take home that ratty 3ft stuffed bunny for something.   Well my partner was right!  Giant Bunny was one of the most enjoyable large pieces I made this spring.  She became a giant Wild Thing using basically the same techniques I use on my small Wild Things.

Eostre’s face started out as a hair dressing mannequin a friend found in a free pile. She wears amulets or talismans on her shoulders  that include shotgun casings, rusty washers, springs, locknuts, chains, and bones.

One of the on going themes of my artwork is the juxtaposition of different religious icons.  So adding the classic catholic sacred heart to the pagan bunny seemed like a perfect compliment to each other. I also enjoy playing with the dichotomy of sweet and soft and dark or gruesome.  I would love to hear what other readers see in Eostre.  My goal as an artist is not to tell the whole story but to set the scene for the viewer to create their own story.    

Details on the paws were stitched out of vintage sari material. The all seeing hand was a dollar store find that was originally painted with blue and white classic Dutch designs. The vintage moving eyeball was actually removed from “Junk in Her Trunk” and is one of my favorite details.

 

A couple pictures of Eostre in the progress.

Bricologe Preview

 

This is a brand new class this year and it’s debut will be at Art Unraveled

Bricologe : construction (as of a sculpture or a structure of ideas) achieved by using whatever comes to hand.

What do mixed media artists have at hand usually in excess on or around our work tables?

Fabulous scraps and bits of amazing stuff!

 

 

 

Some of the potential yummy materials for your Bricologe  

We will be exploring all kind of fun techniques to create texture, Texture,TEXTURE! 

        

I will cover many different ways to create a distressed or aged finish on new materials.

 

My style of making art and teaching is to HAVE FUN and embrace the GRUNGE.

          

Cherish those beautiful little scraps that need special recognition!

   

Explore composition in a very hands on immediate way and leave class with a work of art and a sampler of new techniques.

The Finished Pieces

I want to share the good “official” photos of the big pieces I built this spring for the “Odd Birds” show.   This piece is affectionately called

Junk in her Trunk

 

Junk was created from an underwear mannequin that I bought at a junk sale in a dark funky barn along side the road.  I probably paid too much for it $15 but I just knew it had good potential.  The doll came from the Goodwill Outlet bins which deserve a post all to themselves. Her horns are made from a broken candelabra accessorized with fabric, wire, and pieces of a shattered chair.  Her hat was the top of our porch light that blew off in a wind storm 5yrs ago. Her junk is just that all kinds of small bits and pieces that have been collected over the years. I wanted to create a tapestry of sorts for her lower body.  A tapestry of toys, game pieces, junk, and precious jewels. A cloth constructed of things to symbolize the objects and experiences that we carry with us in life, both the precious and the painful. All of those things make her beautiful and interesting just like our scars, wrinkles, and stories make us beautiful.  She is held together and unified as one with lots of paint, plaster, and magic.

  

Her humble beginnings   aka “Before”

     

To her regal “After”

This piece is still available for purchase just contact me at clarissacallesen@gmail.com

Art Doll Quarterly

 

Somewhere in the craziness of the last month of traveling to VA and setting up a gallery show and window, I received this is the mail.

One of my Steampunk Dolls was featured in the bride challenge of ADQ May/June/July 2013.

What a pleasant surprise!  Here are some clearer shots of Chloe.   Chloe is currently on exhibit at Tasty gallery with lots of my other babies. If you interested in purchasing here contact Sheri at Tasty 206-706-3020.