June 2019 Meeting - Photo Three Ways Challenge Results

Upcoming Events
Sketching in Wake Forest has been moved to Sunday, June 23rd at 10:00 AM. Bring your sketchbook, writing implements of choice and an open mind. Meet at the Artist Loft.

August 10th is the Watercolor Pouring Class with Ryan Fox. Class is full, but there is a waitlist in case of any cancellations. 

Art of the Carolinas is November 14-17th.  Classes will be announced July 1st if you are interested. It is a highlight of our year!!!

Chavis Art Camp is August 19-23rd with classes 19-22 and the 23rd there will be an Art Show of the camper's work. Guild members will be assisting with art projects and acting as instructors for a class or two. 

Member Challenge #2: A Photo Three Ways
The meeting program was the presentation and sharing of our Photo Five/Three Ways Challenge. It was AWESOME. Eight members participated, and they did such a wide range of photo interpretations it was fascinating. Lightboxes, tracing paper and windows were used to trace the lines of the photos. Watercolor, rolled magazine paper, layers of cardstock, in-depth exploration of watercolor pencil, astounding pencil work, fabric/embroidery interpretation, carved stamps and prints, raster prints and weaving combined, and so much more!  WOW! 

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

CanvaSynergy II

 

Stan assembling and gluing canvases to the frame he built.

In 2011, we had a question:  What would happen if 25 artists collaborated upon a single piece of art?  The answer became a Guild challenge known as "CanvaSynergy," and you can read all about it and see the result in this post from the "Creativity Rocks!" archives. 
Last year, we decided to do it again, since many of our current members weren't with us for the first one.  The rules were the same:  use only the colors provided, the pencil lines on each canvas must show up in the finished work, and anything goes in terms of media (we ARE mixed media artists after all!).

Past President Penny Arrowood penciled in the design (hers was chosen from among those suggested by other members of the Board), canvases and four colors of paint were distributed to each participating member, and the fun began!  Once they were all completed, the task of joining them into one, large piece was given to Stan, Michelle's husband (who'd done the first one, so had experience), and you'll see some of the process in the images at left. 

CanvaSynergy II made its grand debut at the 2016 Art of the Carolinas, held at the North Raleigh Hilton hotel in November.  As you'll see from the photos, it the 5'x 5' piece is vibrant, fun, and surprisingly cohesive! Congratulations and thanks to all 25 member artists who contributed their unique style and creativity. 

Our plan is to donate CanvaSynergy II to the Visual Art Exchange's "For the Love of Art" gala in February.  We did the same in 2011, and it was bid upon and ultimately won by Nancy McFarlane, the mayor of Raleigh!  We hope this year's piece will do as well, and we are happy to do our part to contribute to the viability of art in Raleigh and beyond.


Display at Art of the Carolinas

CanvaSynergy II(enlarge to view details)

Call for Art | Orange: An International Mail Challenge

The Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild (CMMAG) has launched an international mail art challenge!  Inspired by the "Turquoise" online challenge of 2014 (details here), we've chosen the color Orange as our theme. 

Call for Art:  We invite people of all ages from all over the world to join us in creating 4"x6" postcards on this theme, and mailing them to:  CMMAG   4704 Marathon Lane   Raleigh, North Carolina  27616.  The deadline for submissions is December 1, 2015.

The postcards will be displayed online on our Orange Mail Art blog, and there'll be orange inspiration and comments on our Orange Mail Art Facebook page. We're also planning an exhibit of them in Raleigh, NC in the late fall...details on this as they become available.

We encourage members to share this call for art with everyone they know (artists and non-artists alike), and we can't wait to see what you'll create! Each postcard should be sent through the mail (no envelopes, please), so be sure to affix correct postage to reach the US, and avoid attachments to the cards, since they may be lost or damaged in handling.  And, remember to include your name, city, state and country, so we can include this information in the online display. 

Here's a peek at a few of the submissions we've already received, but we need MORE! 



We've Gone International!

Several of our members responded to a Facebook call for mail art, and we are now part of an international community of artists! 

The challenge was entitled "Turquoise," and the rules were simple:  create a postcard with a turquoise theme, and mail it to Monika Mori, the Austrian artist who created the challenge. 

Below, are some of ours:  

Top left to right:  Cathy Mitchell, Shannon Binkowski, Michelle Davis Petelinz
Bottom left to right: Penny Arrowood, Iris Musselwhite, Jeanne Maher 

 

You can view all of  the entries on Monika's blog, here. 

And on the Turquoise Mail Art Facebook page, here.

Enjoy! 



2012 Challenge: "What's on Your Palette?"

Our challenge for this year will be our take on the Capital One slogan ("What's in Your Wallet?").  No Vikings, no Alec Baldwin, no goats...well, unless that's what you're into. 

At the August 9th Guild meeting, all members will be given a 12" x 12" canvas (a gift from the Guild), and a template with the outline of an artist's palette.  The challenge will be to show the world what's on your personal palette. 

Anything goes!  If it can fit onto the palette, and be permanently attached to the canvas, it'll work.  The only requirements are that the outline of the palette must be visible, and a solid color background (which continues around all four edges) must surround it.  Finished work is due at the October 11 meeting (no exceptions!).  As we did last year, the completed canvases will be displayed at Art of the Carolinas (November 8--11). But unlike CanvaSynergy, these will not be attached, or in a frame. Instead, we'll forgo the table we normally have in the hallway leading to the trade show at AoC, and display them on a grid wall.  After that, who knows?  Maybe the Mayor has some more empty wall space...

Intrigued?  Got plans whirling in your head?  Great!  The fun begins August 9th.

More From "Take 25" Challenge

Our header contains images of the creative work of our members, responding to the "Take 25" challenge posed by member and Artist Alley gallery owner Jean Skipper.  In case you missed the explanation of the challenge, you can read all about it here. 

Here are the full sized photos:

"Butterfly Dreams" by Liz Miller
A textured and glazed canvas with painted vintage lady adorned with beads and bangles. She is surrounded with fluttering memories (butterflies).

"Cat Fish" by Mary Neligan

Beach Window by Lauren Koeth

Welcome to: "Creativity Rocks!"

Creativity Rocks! is the new name for the Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild (CMMAG) blog.  It expresses how we all feel about being creative in our own lives, and seeing what good our creativity can do in the wider world. 

Our new header is a peek into our next series of blog posts which highlight the creations of our members in this year's kit challenge, entitled "Take 25".

A bit of background:  Jean Skipper of Artist Alley has presented the CMMAG Kit Challenge annually for the past three years. Every year, participants receive a list of seemingly random "ingredients," and the challenge is to create a work of art including all of them.  Each participant could choose to eliminate up to two items on the list and could choose to add up to two additional items. Connection devices (glue, wire, thread, etc…) and colorants (paint, markers, pastels, etc…) were considered to be freebies, and they could be used in copious quantities.  The "twist" this year was that each participant contributed one item to the list used by all.  There were 25 participants, and 25 items, hence the "Take 25" title. 

The list of items included:
   1.  The letter "C" (the actual letter)
   2.  Photograph
   3.  Beeswax
   4.  A piece of broken jewelry
   5.  Cardboard
   6.  Fabric
   7.  Beads
   8.  Jigsaw puzzle piece
   9.  A piece of glass
 10.  Glitter
 11.  Toilet paper roll
 12.  Feather
 13.  Velcro
 14.  Shells
 15.  Fringe
 16.  Dictionary page
 17.  Mirror
 18.  Map or part of a map
 19.  Metal
 20.  Polymer clay
 21.  A lock of hair
 22.  Lace
 23.  A nut (metal or organic; artist's choice)
 24. An old paint tube
 25. Hardware (nuts, bolts, screws, hinges, etc.)


Participants were given a little over two months to complete their Take 25 submissions, and the grand unveiling took place at Artist Alley in Southern Pines, NC on Friday, March 25th.

Here are the full-sized photos of the four pieces on the top row of our new blog header, along with brief description by the artists:

 "Ode to Cornell in A Minor"  by Penny Arrowood

Employing the combination of various elements and materials to tell a visual tale, the artist evokes the spirit of Joseph Cornell in the homage to his creative aesthetic while personalizing the tale with select inclusions. 

"Neighborhood Watch"  by Carrie Hannegan

A polymer clay relief of a tree and four little birdhouses.

"The Crossing"  by Ophelia Staton

Mixed media collage 

"Grappes Des Fleurs Artistique"  by Lynn Creech

Stay tuned for more "Take 25" pieces. 

Next up:  the three images on the bottom row of the blog header. 

Mixed Media Madness Mission (M4T) 2010, part four

Since today is the final day of the M4T exhibit in Southern Pines, this too is the final post displaying the challenge pieces created by our wildly creative members. 

Work shown by:  Penny Arrowood, Roberta Morgan, Sharon DiGiulio, Toni Jarvis, Vicky McCollough, and Vivienne Voyles.  It was a great challenge, with stunningly beautiful and diverse results. Thanks again to Jean Skipper of Artist Alley, and everyone who came out to see and support the work of our members.  We can't wait to see what the next challenge will bring.  

Stay tuned!

Photographs by Lucy Shupe and Jeanne Rhea.

Mixed Media Madness Mission (M4T) 2010, part three

Even more of the work of our very creative members, in response to the M4T challenge this year.  Work shown by:  Jodi Ohl, Marilyn Feig, Nanette Zeller, Mayshanna Pandora and Patty O'Day. 

Photographs by Lucy Shupe and Jeanne Rhea.

Mixed Media Madness Mission (M4T) 2010, part two

Continuing the display of the fantastic pieces created in response to our latest challenge posed by member and Artist Alley gallery owner Jean Skipper.  Work shown created by:  Jeanne Rhea, Lynn Creech, Maggi Neufer, Lauren Koeth and Christine Candora-Hickey.

Mixed Media Madness Mission (M4) 2010

CMMAG member and Artist Alley owner Jean Skipper once again offered a challenge to the Guild.  The theme for 2010 coincided with the 1st Annual Palustris Festival in Southern Pines, where her gallery is located. Twenty five member of CMMAG took on this year's kit challenge, which wasn't exactly a kit.  This year, the 22 required items had to be collected by each participant (no more pizza boxes!).  The items were:

Pine…Pine Needles…A Pine Cone…Anything and Everything “Pine” Will Qualify

Something that Starts with The Letter *P*

Light Bulb(s)

Metal Washer(s)

Fabric

Something made of Wood

Twine, String, Fiber or Thread

Bead(s) (As many as you’d like, and as many different kinds as you’d like.)

Key(s)

Something Blue

Coin(s) or Token(s) (As many as you’d like, and as many different kinds as you’d like.)

Something Made of Glass

Treasure(s) From The Great Outdoors

Part or All of a Book

Ribbon(s)

Something from the Kitchen

Foil

Wool

Tissue Paper(s)

Thing-a-Ma-Jig (Optional)

Doo-Hickie (Optional)

Gee-Gaw (Optional)

Here are just some of the creations of our members.  As always, there were astounding pieces, and each one reflected the creativity, imagination and in some cases, the personality of the artist. 

Note:  photography by CMMAG member Lucy Shupe.  Thanks, Lucy!   Artwork shown by:  , Angela Thompson, Ashanti Walther, Autumn McCollough, Carolyn Coyle, Diana Keever, Denise Saunders, Donna Sloma and Jean Skipper.  More to come.
Stay tuned!