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| Vol. 22, No. 1 | November 2011 |
Arts & CraftsHoliday ProjectsNow would be a great day to start some holiday crafts--yes, even before Thanksgiving because you have time to do some special things without rushing. In this issue we will discuss several different decorative items, each with the idea of home décor or perhaps to use as gifts. Most would be suitable for either. Collage is a favorite art expression for many artists, and the variety of shapes, colors and images associated with the holiday season are many. Create one-of-a-kind wall art by recycling holiday cards, gift wrap, decorative scrapbook papers, artists’ papers and the like to create holiday-themed collages for permanent holiday wall décor. Attach your collected items to canvas and top-coat with acrylic. They would be treasured in any home, be it yours or the recipient of your gift. To make neat metallic-looking punch work ornaments, use white glue or painting medium to attach metallic papers to heavy card stock or poster board. When the bonding is dry, cut out shapes such as hearts or stars. Then use a dull pointed object such as a small nail to punch designs in and through the layers of paper. The tree lights will shine through the holes and the front will be reflective. These are quite nice for such a simple ornament. Create antique ornaments by resurfacing solid-colored glass balls with contrasting, aging paint. For instance, for silver ornaments you can create the look of old mercury glass ornaments by sponging on charcoal and dusty tones to make the glass look as though the finish is aged. On green ornaments use red or rust to “age” them; on red use green; and on blue try medium and dark gray. Allow the ornaments to dry completely, and then use a top coat of clear finish to hold the “antiquing” in place. Decorative garlands are fun to make and there are myriad ways to make them. A simple way is to use some medium weight sisal or hemp cording onto which you wire items. Determine the length you need to decorate, and then cut cording with some extra length to drape it when it hangs. You might like to do an all-natural garland with pine cones, small twig bundles and small bunches of greenery (either real or artificial). Maybe even some cinnamon sticks, dried fruit slices, ginger cookies or candy canes could be included. If you use real cookies and candy, the garland will be a one-season decoration. If you use items that are not perishable, it could last for many years. You decide. Cut a length of heavy twine and make loops at each end. Very near the first loop, wire on a pine cone or other object, and then add items every 6 inches (or closer) to the end of the twine. When you hang it, you can make even loops by swooping the garland down evenly, or hang it asymmetrically. Rather than using natural items, you can hang antique or old collected ornaments from the twine, cut-outs from recycled holiday cards, photos, felt tree or star shapes…almost anything. Remember, this is your own original creation. A quick idea for mantel ornaments: Cut cone shapes of different heights from nice ornamental papers such as good quality, brightly colored pastel or drawing papers. They have the body to hold up very well through many years of use. After making the cones – perhaps in shades of green – decorate the trees with paint, markers, stickers and the like and add pizzazz with glitter or metallic puff paint. Or make shapes of colored felt and glue them on the cone shapes. Be sure to make a shiny star for the top of each tree. The list is huge when it comes to creating holiday crafts…stockings, table dressing and party favors, mantel decorations, baking and specialty personal gifts like handmade soaps and jewelry and more. ‘Tis the season to create! Consider that most handmade crafts are well received and low cost. Enjoy your craft projects, and perhaps this will become a cherished holiday family tradition. A visit to your local art supply/craft store to view all the materials available will surely inspire creativity!
The Art MarketplaceAmerican Art Clay Co. – Friendly Plastic
New Creative Collage TechniquesNew from artist and author Nita Leland is a must-have guide illustrating more than 60 exciting collage projects complete with detailed instruction, quick tips, charts and glossaries. New Creative Collage Techniques gives artists all the instruction they’ll need to create a wide range of projects as well as the courage to make their own incredible creations. Packed with diverse work from 60 featured artists, this book will inspire readers to push the potential of this limitless art form. North Light Books, 160 pages. See your retailer for this great holiday gift!
Art Competitions & OpportunitiesLouisiana Watercolor Society The juried exhibition of original, water-based media on paper is open to all artists 18 years or older. Paintings must be unvarnished and executed in the past three years without instructor supervision. First Prize: $2,000; Second Prize: $1,000. http://www.lwsart.org/pdfs/42nd%20prospectus%20easy%20print.pdf Call for Artists Artists interested in showing works at juried art festivals in VA, NJ, PA and MD in the spring may apply. Work must be original design and artists must be present in person to sell their work. Details at http://www.sugarloafcrafts.com/become-exhibitor/apply_now.html. Call for Artists 2012 Exhibits are hosted throughout the year at three galleries onsite and one satellite gallery in Syracuse, NY. Shows generally run 4-8 weeks. In particular, they are looking for new and innovative artwork in mixed media; installations; paintings, drawings, printmaking, 2-D; sculpture/3-D; video, sound, interactive; and other media. http://www.adirondackarts.org/eventsCALLTOARTISTS.html Contemporary Journeys Art Lab Contemporary art becomes the catalyst for community building, self-expression and appreciating the present in this program designed for individuals with early- to middle-stage Alzheimers and other dementias, their care partners, family and friends. Each lab is designed specifically for participants and uses a variety of materials and approaches to art-making. No experience is necessary! Pre-registration, at least one week in advance of the date, is required. $5/seniors and adults. Care partners and additional family and friends are free. E-mail education.resources@walkerart.org or call 612.375.7609. Internships & Fellowships —The NGA has announced two Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellowships for 2012-14, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. These two-year fellowships provide curatorial training and support scholarly research related to the collection of the NGA. Deadline: Dec. 1. See www.nga.gov/education/fellowed.htm. —Internships in the Museum Profession provide institutional training to students interested in pursuing a museum career. And Graduate Curatorial Internships provide in-depth training for advanced PhD students and recent PhD recipients interested in gaining curatorial experience in a museum setting. Deadline: Jan. 5. See www.nga.gov/education/interned.htm. —The Summer 2012 Internships provide opportunities to work on projects directed by a gallery curator or department head, and biweekly museum seminars introduce interns to the broad spectrum of museum work and to gallery staff, departments, programs and functions. Deadline: Jan. 5. www.nga.gov/education/internsumm.htm.
PrintmakingPrintmaking Techniques & MaterialsPrintmaking is an enjoyable expression and is accompanied by some terms that often seem a bit difficult to understand. So, here some of the common terms and techniques will be explained. The scope of printmaking is huge and can be enjoyed by nearly any age group. Some of the materials used are found around the home, while others must be purchased from art material dealers. No matter the level of your involvement with printmaking, it is sure to be exciting. In some techniques, duplication of results is nearly impossible, which seems a bit contradictory to the basic term: printmaking. Let’s take, for our first example, the most direct and simple of prints…monoprints. A monoprint (mono meaning one) is created by applying ink or paint to a hard flat surface (plate), pressing paper against the plate and lifting the paper from the plate. The resulting print is one-of-a-kind, since ink or paint would be nearly impossible to set in the same place time after time. Simple doesn’t mean uninteresting, and this is a great technique for any artist. Collagraph, a very simple form of printmaking, is a print created from a plate (Masonite, mat board, chip board, etc.) that has natural and/or found objects with texture glued to it. The surface of the plate is sealed and, when dry, is inked on the textured plate, excess removed and a paper placed on top. Downward pressure (using a press or hand roller) presses the paper and ink together and the images are transferred (in reverse) to the paper. Again, the simplicity of collagraph prints makes them easy for everyone to try. Many, but not unlimited, prints can be made from a master collagraph plate. Wood block (woodcut) printing advances in difficulty because the artist uses special gouges and carving tools to create a dimensional image in a wood block. The high surfaces of the wood block are inked, paper is pressed against the inked areas and the resulting image is a woodblock print. Surfaces other than wood can be used; linoleum, wax, and rubber are a few that are a bit easier to carve. Early wood block designs were used for fabric embellishment and those blocks endure as collectables. Reduction prints are created with care by print artists who desire more color and texture in their work. Each color is printed individually on the ever-decreasing wood block. Working from back to front colorwise, the artist reduces the wood block with every color, printing that part of the plate that will reflect a specific color, and then removing more mass to print the next color. When finished, the only areas that remain on the block are those representing the very last color. Drypoint etching is more involved because it starts with a metal plate. The plate is scribed (scratched) by the artist to record a subject. Ink is rubbed into the slight toothy grooves created by the scribing. Paper is then put on the plate, pressed and the resulting print is pulled away from the plate. For all but the tiniest of printed images, a printing press is invaluable in the process. Strong definition and evenness is difficult with hand pressing methods. Many prints can be made from the original plate. Etching can be taken yet another step by using acid to enlarge and remove areas of the metal surface. Intaglio prints are made from a metal base into which designs have been created. This is often done with harsh chemicals, the metal dissolving where there are scribed or etched lines that have been made through a protective covering. Because of the chemical contact (acids), this level of printmaking is considered advanced and should be done under supervision and instruction. Many prints can be made from the original plate. Ink is rubbed into the low areas, paper is pressed to the surface and a print is created.
brayer - a hard rubber roller on a handle used to transfer ink to the plate. plate – a surface on which an image is formed, usually metal. baren - a circular padded tool used to rub against the back of paper to obtain an image from a master. hard ground -an acid-resistant material applied to an etching plate through which you scribe to create a design. mordant - an acid or other corrosive substance used to “bite” into a metal plate to create an image on that plate. gouge – a V- or U-shaped tool for cutting a wood or linoleum block. See your retailer and visit www.graphicchemical.com for a full line of printmaking equipment, tools and materials.
Exhibitions: —Kiki Smith: Rituals showcases the recent acquisition of a significant collection of 56 prints from collector Stephen Dull. It features many of the artist’s best known prints and represents all aspects of the extraordinary range of techniques and imagery in her graphic work. High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA, through Jan. 22. —Print by Print: Series from Dürer to Lichtenstein features works that span 500 years of printmaking, with more than 350 prints by Canaletto, Picasso, Ruscha and other artists who created series covering a wide range of topics. Also represented are two voices for a new generation of printmakers, Daniel Heyman and Andrew Raftery. Baltimore Museum of Art, MD, through March 25. —Will Barnet: Relationships, Intimate and Abstract, 1935-1965 includes nearly 50 works that explore the momentous evolution of Barnet's art from realism to abstraction during the middle decades of the twentieth century. This exhibition marks the 100th birthday of this pioneering printmaker, painter and educator. Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, TX, through Dec. 31.
Art EventsPlease confirm events in advance. 18th Annual SOFA Chicago & The Intuit Show of Folk & Outsider Art – Navy Pier Festival Hall, Chicago, IL, Nov. 4-6. Featured at SOFA in addition to more than 60 international art galleries and dealers presenting museum-quality art and design for sale will be special exhibits by renowned museums, universities and arts organizations, as well as an extensive lecture series. One ticket admits patrons to both fairs and related lecture series, special exhibits and events. http://www.sofaexpo.com/chicago/2011/index.htm. 35th Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show – PA Convention Center, Nov. 10-13. This premier show and sale of contemporary crafts includes 195 of the finest and most dynamic craft artists in the U.S., selected from more than 1,400 applicants. Artists from Scotland will be featured, and all work is for sale. A Preview Party will be held on Nov. 9, with the Connect & Collect Corporate Reception on Nov. 10. www.pmacraftshow.org. Boston 15th International Fine Art Show – The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts, MA, Nov. 17-20. At New England’s premier show and sale of contemporary and traditional fine art you’ll find paintings, works on paper, sculpture, photography, fine prints and mixed media. Special programs are free with show admission. Tickets available at the door or online in advance. www.fineartboston.com/ Thanksgiving Weekend Luminary Walk – Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas City Sculpture Park, MO. Nov. 25. Join the 7th Annual Luminary Walk from 5-9 p.m. Docents will be available from 5-7 p.m. to answer questions about sculptures featured along the walk. https://peo.nelson-atkins.org/show.asp. FREE. Thanksgiving Art Show – Markt Platz, Fredericksburg, TX, Nov. 25. The 7th Annual Thanksgiving Fine Art Show sponsored by the Texas Arts & Crafts Educational Foundation features the work of Texas’ best artisans. Admission is free and you can shop from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. 20th Annual Wreathing of the Lions –The Art Institute of Chicago, IL, Nov. 25. Celebrate the start of the holiday season of this Chicago family favorite from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. as the lions are adorned with traditional evergreen wreaths. Enjoy choral performances outside and inside the museum immediately following. Families can stop by the Ryan Education Center to create wreaths inspired by the many treasures in the museum’s collection and meet Artie the Lion. Registration is not required.
AirbrushTips for the Airbrush ArtistKeep It Clean – Your air cap, that is. If you’ve used an airbrush you likely have seen bubbles appear in the color cup/paint reservoir. This can happen whether it’s a bottom feed, side feed or gravity feed airbrush. The bubbles are caused by dried paint on the tip and/or the needle at the front of the brush. Another indicator of this is a change in the shape of the airbrush spray from round to flat. Both of these mean that a cleaning of the airbrush tip is in order. Unscrew the air cap at the tip of the brush and inspect the needle. You will see a tiny bit of dried paint or thick pigment. Gently remove this with your finger or wash it off with a stiff paint brush and the appropriate cleaner. Then simply screw the air cap back in place, snug but not too tight, and the airbrush should then spray like new. Different Tips for Different Sprays – Many airbrushes—internal and external mix, single action and dual action—have interchangeable paint tips (head assemblies) and needles. There are usually two to three tip sizes available for a particular model airbrush. These are designated fine, medium and wide or numbered 1, 3 and 5, respectively. The needles/tips are normally not interchangeable among manufacturers and, in some cases, not interchangeable among a given manufacturer’s models. The finer the needle/tip, the finer the airbrush spray will be. When changing from one size to another, the paint tip is replaced as well as the corresponding needle. If damage to just one of these parts occurs (e.g., a bent needle), only that specific part needs to be replaced. Cautious Cutting 101 – Frisket is cut directly on the surface of your artwork; so, when cutting, do not bear down too hard with the stencil knife. Allow the weight of the knife and the sharpness of the blade to do the cutting for you so the surface of the artwork doesn’t get damaged. Be sure to exercise caution when using frisket knives because they are extremely sharp. In reality, any knife that you use to cut frisket could be called a frisket knife, but generally they are the pencil-shaped, lock-blade stencil knives that use a #11 blade. Blades can be purchased in bulk, because frisket cutting can dull the blade tip very quickly.
ArtPourri
Ancient Discovery Reported – Science magazine has reported that excavations in 2008 at Blombos Cave, South Africa, have revealed a processing workshop where a liquefied ochre-rich mixture was produced and stored in two abalone shells 100,000 years ago. Ochre, bone, charcoal, grindstones and hammerstones form a composite part of this production toolkit. Possible applications include decoration and skin protection. www.sciencemag.org. Memorial Dedicated – Thousands of people gathered recently in Washington, D.C., for the dedication of a memorial to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King—the first monument to honor an African-American in the area of the National Mall. The memorial encompasses four acres and 14 of Dr. King’s most notable quotations are engraved on a 450-foot crescent shaped granite Inscription Wall. Winners Announced – ArtPrize celebrates a diversity of ideas, voices and the work of hundreds of artists. Hundreds of thousands of people of all ages and from all backgrounds sought out their favorite works and voted online for ArtPrize 2011. Jurors, experts in their field, came from across the country to select the works they felt best represented a particular category. In all, 18 winners were awarded nearly $500,000, with the top prize of $250,000 going to Mia Tavonatti of Santa Ana, CA, for her mosaic entitled Crucifixion. Anniversary Celebrated – NOMA 100 is the culmination of a five-year acquisition project, celebrating the New Orleans Museum of Art’s 100th anniversary. Noma 100: Gifts for the Second Century features 110 newly acquired objects by Anish Kapoor, Keith Sonnier, Matthew Barney, Jasper Johns, Sol LeWitt, Kathe Kollwitz and Gabriel Münter. It reaffirms the museum’s commitment to collecting outstanding works and highlights the dedicated support of the museum’s benefactors. Opening Nov. 12 through Jan. 22.
Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 22, No. 1 — November 2011 |
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Friendly Plastic is a unique modeling material
from AMACO. Included in the line are colorful shiny plastic sticks that
soften in warm water for shaping by hand or with tools to create or accent any
home décor or jewelry project. They are available in three assortments of 40
sticks each. And the easy-to-use modeling pellets are great for sculpting or
pressing into molds. These are completely reusable by re-softening and are
perfect for children’s projects. Consider Friendly Plastic for holiday
projects. See
your retailer and visit 
Finally, following is a simple explanation
of some terms associated with printmaking:
Holiday Stamps Issued – The U.S. Postal
Service has issued stamps for the 2011 holiday season. Inspired by 1950’s-era
ornaments, the festive Holiday Baubles Forever stamps feature four
colorful ornaments sure to add to the joys of the season. These baubles also
may inspire fond memories of beloved ornaments from childhood. Art Director
William Gicker used illustrations by Linda Fountain of Hilton Head Island, SC,
to create the ornaments shown in the stamp art. And for many years the Postal
Service has issued traditional Christmas stamps featuring the Madonna and
Child. The 2011 stamp, with Richard Sheaff as art director, presents a detail
from a painting by the Italian master Raphael entitled Madonna of the
Candelabra. The circular painting dates circa 1513 and is in the Walters
Art Museum collection in Baltimore, MD.
