Monday, June 15, 2009

Special Event: Chroma Paint Party

As a result of seeing our table and display at Art of the Carolinas last November, an Atelier Paint representative contacted us about offering a paint party to our members, and of course, we agreed. So, on Saturday, June 14, CMMAG members got the chance to spend the afternoon at Artful Endeavors, Liz Miller's lovely studio, playing with paint!

Kim Maselli of Chroma presented the Atelier Interactive Artists' Acrylic line, along with the various fixes and media which make it possible to work more slowly or more quickly, depending upon your technique and desired final effect. After showing us what the paint could do with a demonstration sheet, she let us loose to experiment, play and just "mess around" with everything she'd brought. We were amazed by the Unlocking Formula, which reactivates dried paint (unheard of with "regular" acrylics!), impressed by the Slow Medium, which increases the open time and makes color blending easier, and wowed by the Binder Medium which acts like glue, but is much thinner and easier to manage with collage applications.


We had a great time, as you'll see in these photos of members and their work. To see even more, visit our Yahoo Group and our Carolina Mixed Media Facebook fan page photo album.


Special Event: Indie Business Breakfast


On Saturday, June 6, the Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild sponsored the first Indie Business Breakfast in Raleigh. The assembled CMMAG members and guests were treated to a delicious breakfast catered by 9 Lyvz, at the John P. "Top" Green Neighborhood Center, and had time to meet and greet each other before the program began. Several CMMAG members displayed recent work, including jewelry, paintings, collages, sculpture, prints, masks, textiles, shadow boxes and mosaics.

The Indie Business Breakfast was hosted by Donna Maria Coles Johnson, who is the founder and president of the Indie Beauty Network and Indie Business Media. Known as the Chief Executive Indie and the Original Lifestyle CEO, Donna Maria is passionate about empowering people to maximize their potential through small business ownership. From the first moments of her presentation, Donna's passion about the subject of "How to Use Social Media to Leverage Your Brand and Attract More Paying Customers For Your Business" was evident: she swept everyone up in her enthusiasm for social networking media, and helped us to understand the sometimes confusing world of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr, and blogging. As the attendees introduced themselves, it became evident there was a great deal of talent, creativity, drive and curiosity in the room, and we were all anxious to hear the guest speaker: our own Lisa Stewart, the Creative Goddess of ECStewartDesigns.

Lisa led us through the various forms of social media, highlighting those of particular importance to creative entrepreneurs. She let us in on the secrets of blogging, tweeting, and becoming linked in, and told us stories from her own experience in marketing her work. Copious notes were taken, many hands were raised, and there were lots of questions, especially from people who wanted to know how to start from scratch. Lisa's advice: begin with a Flickr account, get your creations "out there," then create a blog.

We all came away with new ideas, new terms, a free Calligraphy Pets print courtesy of Lisa, and a clearer understanding of what's possible in the new world of social media.
Thanks to Donna Maria and Lisa; it was a great event!


And, thanks to Lucy Shupe for these fantastic photos.

Monday, June 8, 2009

June Member Interview: Toni Jarvis

Toni Jarvis


1. What inspires you to create?
Everything! I see ideas in everything around me - in nature: flowers, trees, birds; in the patterns on peoples' clothing, on wallpaper. Everywhere I look, I see an idea. Once, I was in a scrapbooking store in Hillsborough when a woman came in wearing a beautifully embroidered sweater. I blurted out, "Oh, I'd love to quill that." Looking around. she asked me what I wanted to quill, and I replied that I wanted to quill her sweater. She went into the restroom, and a minute later her hand appeared with her sweater! Laughing, the shop owner took it and scanned it for me! It’s true!

2. When did you decide to pursue art or did art pursue you?
I really didn’t think I was creative. I started quilling because my son was getting ready to graduate from high school, and I decided that I needed a "hobby". After following a couple of the patterns, I started creating my own designs. When I look back, I realize that I've always done some sort of art - I just didn't realize I was doing it. I was always making something, or drawing, when I was a kid. As a teen, I learned to crochet and embroider. My first "paid" art jobs were embroidering bell-bottom jeans for friends in college!

3. If you weren't an artist, what would you be?
I've always wanted to be a writer, and I hope to take a creative writing class one day. Then, who knows...

4. What other jobs have you had which have aided you on your artistic path?
I worked as a respiratory therapist for 22 years - I was a clinical instructor, department director, convention planner, and most importantly, a clinician. I left the hospital to become a project manager for a medical computer company. These jobs taught me how to be self-motivated, self-directed, and organized - important when one is working for herself. My clinical skills taught me to be aware of everything around me, which I think is what helps me to see everything as potential art. I loved teaching and learning new things, and I'm still eager to learn new skills and to pass on anything I can. One area in which my background has hampered me is that it has made me somewhat rigid, and it has been difficult for me to "color outside the lines." But recently I've started venturing outside of my box!
5. At the art supply store, which section do you gravitate to first?
If you had asked me this a few months ago, I would have answered, "paper" or "beads". But the answer now is clay tools. I am so in love with PMC (Precious Metal Clay), that I'm constantly looking for new toys for working with it. I once swore that I would not get into rubber stamps, but they make such nice textures in the PMC, that I'm now buying them like crazy!

6. What new technique or art form would you like to learn? Do you have plans to do so?
I'd love to learn to quilt, but to be honest it scares me to death! The only bad grade I ever made was in Home Ec because I couldn't get that damn zipper in my skirt!! I've been scared to sew ever since! I'd also love to learn more about resin and alcohol inks. Oh! and I want to make books! Like my studio isn’t filled with enough stuff already! Can I really get into all these other areas? But, of course! We can never have too much stuff!!

7. If you could do anything, and knew you could not fail, what would you choose to do?
As I said in #3, I want to write. I've written poetry all my life and I've been journaling since I was a teen. But my greatest desire is to write a book. If I thought I could not fail, I would sit right down and start that book today!
And we'd love to read it, Toni! Thanks for doing the interview.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

More M4 Marvels....

Here are the final two M4 creations from our wildly artistic Guild:


Vivianne Voyles's M4 creation made use of an old Barbie horse in a very ingenious way! Click on the image for a closer view of how she's incorporated the kit's elements for the hooves, rider's hat and on the horse's body.

And Ophelia's work on canvas reminiscent of her exuberant, colorfully layered journal pages. As others have done, she's used the word 'create,' but adds the words 'your own destiny,' and 'permission granted' to present a message of encouragement to all who view her M4 creation.
We hope you've enjoyed viewing all of the 2009 M4 Kit Challenge works. We look forward to the possibility of participating in future challenges as a Guild, so stay tuned!