An Ode to 2015: Journal Prompts

Here are some fun journaling prompts and below are pages to do before you say good-bye to 2015. Journal pages done by Kathy Cano-Murillo the Crafty Chica.

What was a game changing moment for you?

What is something new that you tried, that you initially didn't want?

What was your hardest ugly cry, and why?

What was the turning point to give you hope again?

What was something that made you bust up laughing, even right now thinking about it, you want to laugh?

What was something nice and unexpected that someone did for you this year?

What was an act of kindness that you are proud you did?

What is a situation where you can admit you could have handled things a bit better?

Look at your resolution list from January 2015, what things did you accomplish, what things are you letting go to free your spirit? What things did you not complete, but are determined to do so, no matter what year!?

What is a new restaurant of food you discovered?

Every year we age, we pick up more wisdom. What is something you learned this year, either about yourself or about life in general?

What is one moment you wish you could relive?

Click here to download the PDF of the zine 

Click here to download the above journal page

To download the above journal page: lessons2015 

5 ways to Combine Quotes in Art

Love Yourself  “Love yourself first and everything else falls into place.” ~ Lucille Ball. At first glance, the quote appears to be white lace on the dress neckline. It fell into perfect place in the composition.

Quotes hold meaning and magic for so many of us. When you add a visual element to a quote, the words have even more power to inspire and motivate. I wanted to explore what made a successful illustrated quote and in turn, help others successfully combine their art with their best loved quotes. 

So how do you successfully illustrate a quote? 
1. Treat the words of the quote as another element of the overall composition, not an afterthought or add-on. 

2. The quote should not be the focal point--that would be a quote illustration vs. an illustrated quote. Everything on the canvas/page should relate to and enhance the message of the quote. 

	Woods vs Books

“You will find something more in woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters.” ~Saint Bernard. An image of a woman walking in the woods, book pages, a transferred tree, mica mined from stone, and the overall colors work to convey the message of the quote. The metal stamping technique, size, shape and placement of the quote is balanced with the overall composition.

3. Integrate the quote into the work. It doesn’t always have to be set apart or easily readable. 

4. Make it personal. What story, emotion, or feeling does the quote elicit in you? If you connect and convey that raw emotion, others will respond and connect to your art too. 

Untitled by Katie Kendrick.  “I am in the mood to dissolve into the sky.” ~ Virginia Woolf. Katie has integrated the quote into the artwork so well that you are quite drawn into the work to find it. It truly dissolves into the art.

5. Don’t be afraid to use your own handwriting! Lettering is a beautiful art form in and of itself but it's not a necessity. Your handwriting is your mark making. The way you form your letters is a mark of your style, a personal imprint, and an impression that only you can add. The emphasis should always be to express your unique self.

Lesley Riley, author of the popular mixed-media art books, Creative Lettering Workshop and Inspirational Quotes Illustrated. Click here to learn about her featured Creative Lettering Monoprinting mini-kit!

5 Symptoms of an Unhealthy Prayer Life

by Matt Erickson

Author, actor and speaker Priscilla Shirer opens up about her personal prayer life, obstacles to healthy communication with God and ways to overcome them.

Many of us have a hard time maintaining a vibrant prayer life.

Even when we manage to set aside time to pray, we can still feel like we're not doing it right:

• Our minds drift, distracted by worries and a never-ending To-Do list.
• Our time with God doesn't always feel relational.
• We get the sense we're doing a lot of talking, but not much listening.
• We might even feel a vague sense of unworthiness, knowing there are areas of our lives where we're coming up short and imagining God will want us to focus on those very areas.

Obstacles to a Healthy Prayer Life

Priscilla Shirer understands the challenges of prayer, but believes it is the only way we can experience lasting victory in the Christian life.

"The fact is this: Unless prayer is a vital and thriving part of your life, you will never achieve spiritual victory," she said.

Here are five signs of an unhealthy prayer life.

1. You are too busy for prayer.

From the moment we wake, we are bombarded with tasks that have to happen: everyday burdens that steal away our attention and effort from things that truly matter.

"It's hurried and our prayers are vague," Priscilla said. "I've begun the discipline of writing down my prayers and posting them. Not only so that I won't forget to pray, but also because it helps me to be more specific, targeted and strategic in my prayers."

Try carving out a time in your day where you can relax from the necessities of life and focus on opening your heart to God in prayer. Before you entire this time with God, write down your thoughts in detail and share them with Him.

2. You are distracted. 

Your smartphone buzzes. Probably a new email. You hear a crash in the kitchen—it sounds like broken glass. Then ...

We are distracted now more than ever. And these seemingly innocent diversions have a negative effect on our communication with God.

Just as writing down our prayers can help us stay more focused, writing down our distracting thoughts can actually help us get them out of our minds, so we can return to praying.

"When something comes to your mind that threatens to take you off course—stop and write it down, or type into your smartphone," Priscilla said. "This way you can feel confident that you won't forget about it. Then, get back to the task at hand—prayer. Your list will be there, waiting for you when you are finished."

3. Your prayers are comfortable.

We live in a culture of comfort where spiritual complacency is a hindrance to prayer, godly living and the advance of the Kingdom. Because of this culture, we have to continually assess where we are. Ask yourself these questions:

• Where am I spiritually?
• How does my prayer life reflect my relationship with God?
• What is the focus of my prayer life?

First Peter 5:8 is a wake-up call: "Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour."

"The enemy celebrates lethargic Christian living," Priscilla said. "When we're yielding to our appetites without putting up much, if any, resistance, he can basically go unchecked, wreaking havoc in the lives of God's children. Ultimately, he can hamstring the church from achieving the purposes of God."

4. You are easily discouraged by God's answers.

"Sometimes waiting on God can be some of the hardest times in our lives," Priscilla said. "If we will continue to press in, we will find that the journey, that season of stillness and silence, allows us to have more communion and fellowship with God then we would have, had God given us an answer quickly. He is working behind the scenes, not only in our circumstances, but also in our own hearts."

Waiting is hard. If God answers your prayers with silence, a "No" or a "Not now," remember that He is always working on your behalf.

5. Your prayer life doesn't match your public life.

We need to be living with integrity, though not perfection, if we're to have a vibrant, effective prayer life.

"A key to a successful prayer life is to make sure that we are actually living a life that is in alignment with our prayers," Priscilla said. "God is not a genie in a bottle who answers whatever our requests are, no matter how we're living. The prayers of a righteous person are the ones that are powerful and effective." 

"Prayer is not just for fighting spiritual battles," she said. "Prayer is for knowing God and relating to Him in all of life."

Article courtesy of HomeLife magazine.

Inspiration: A New Way of Seeing the Beauty of Japanese Art

Enter Alena Hennessy's Intuitive Painting Workshop: Techniques, Prompts, and Inspiration for a Year of Painting. Complete with step-by-step mixed-media art lessons, the book guides you through the year with new ideas to keep your gears turning. The regular practice will help keep you primed to create.

In the following excerpt from Intuitive Painting Workshop, you'll tap into the beauty of Japan to create a beautiful piece of art for the month of November.

Art by Alena Hennessy  

An Art Project for November by Alena Hennessy

This month we travel east to Japan and other worldly places to paint (even if it's just in our imagination). Here the symbolic, quirky, flat, and dreamy illustrative style of Japanese art will inspire and motivate new ways of seeing and creating. When we learn to see how other parts of the world take in their surroundings and express them through paint, we learn so much not only as artists but also as humans.

Do a Web search on Japanese artists or Japanese art and look through images until you find some that speak to you. Print several of them out to use as references. Take your time with this and choose some that you will be inspired to paint from!

1. Make a simple yet elegant background with just a few colors. I wet the Aquabord and then applied a light green ink. I blotted up the excess water or air bubbles with a paper towel, and then applied black ink into the center for a contrasting effect. Using a paper towel, I rubbed paint off down the center, leaving darker lines on the outsides.

2. I drybrushed any remaining black ink over the green parts to create an implied texture, almost like a wood grain. I did this simply by using a dry thick brush and dragging it into the semi-dry black ink. I then added a little more bright green ink over it to give the background another layer--for more depth.  

3. Japanese paintings are pretty flat or surface based, and they have a whimsical illustrated quality to them. Begin to sketch in your subject matter with a pencil or paint pen. Look to your inspirational pieces but do not copy them outright.

Because I'm creating a female figure, I used a beige (or flesh tone) water-based paint pen, and used a fine tip for her features (eyes, lips, nose) instead of a medium tip. I did use a medium tip for the rest of her, including her rosy cheeks.

4. When the paint pen is dry, add more details to your subject and refine the edges and lines by using your fine-point paint pens. I have found Japanese art to tell a story of some sort, along the lines of innocence and purity of being. What would you like yours to convey?

Finish off the painting by adding more details with the paint pens (it's always good to step away for a while and then revisit it with fresh eyes). Seal the painting with a clear spray varnish once it's complete. ~Alena

Visit ClothPaperScissors.com to view the images that accompany this step-by-step art demonstration, and get your copy of Intuitive Painting Workshop today. When you also add the Paint Mojo eBook to your cart, you'll receive that Paint Mojo eBook for free! These two amazing resources will have you inspired and prepared to create mixed-media art all year long.

brought to you by ClothPaperScissors.Com 

Embellish A Scarf in 7Easy Steps

This was in the Summer issue, but this will be an amazing project for your Fall Break or Christmas trips. Enjoy!
The May/June issue of Cloth Paper Scissors is all about creating mixed-media wearable art that fits your style. According to Editorial Director Jeannine Stein, mixed-media wearables are "something artists don't always think about when they're knee-deep in art journals, painstakingly piecing together an assemblage, or strategizing a collage design." She goes on to say, "But why shouldn't we create art to wear? Why limit our creativity to canvases and watercolor paper?" As you'll see in this issue, there's nothing to stop you from adding your flavor to aprons, purses, scarves, and more, for yourself, to give, or to sell.
 
Take, for example, the infinity scarf project that Lesley Riley shares in this issue (shown above). In this article, Lesley explains two ways to create a resist on fabric to add a favorite quote for a subtle punch of meaning. Get the May/June issue of Cloth Paper Scissors here for the full feature article and the rest of the techniques, plus plenty of other mixed-media projects and tons of inspiration.

Embellish a Scarf in 7 Easy Steps by Lesley Riley

	Figure 1

1. Iron the portion of the scarf where your quote will appear to a piece of freezer paper. Iron the scrap fabric onto freezer paper, too. The freezer paper holds the fabric in place and keeps it smooth.

2. Iron some resist shapes to the scarf. (Figure 1) These shapes will take the dye differently and appear darker when ironed later. I added paintbrush and pencil shapes that I cut from Transfer Artist Paper (TAP).

3. Twist a glue bottle top open about halfway and write some test words on some scrap fabric with the glue. You want the glue to flow smoothly, but not too fast or thick.

4. When you're pleased with your test samples, write the quote across your scarf fabric with the glue, writing just as you would on paper. (Figure 1) Lay down enough glue that your writing saturates the fabric and is visible on the back of the fabric. The glue seals the fabric, creating a resist for dyeing or painting. Leave the scarf on the freezer paper to dry.

	Figure 2. Pin this project on your mixed-media Pinterest board!

5. Peel the dry scarf from the freezer paper. Prepare your fabric dye according to the manufacturer's directions. Apply paint or dye to the fabric as desired, or submerge the scarf in the dye bath to achieve the desired color. Remember that the color will be lighter when the scarf is rinsed and dried, particularly if you used paint.

6. Rinse the dyed scarf as directed and wash it in hot water to remove the glue and excess dye. Massage the glue writing in water that's as hot as you can stand it in order to remove the glue. Do not iron the scarf until all of the glue is removed. If you used paint instead of dye, heat set it now.

7. Iron the scarf, attribute the quote with a permanent pen, and embellish as desired. I stitched "paint" on the tips of the paintbrushes. (Figure 2) ~Lesley

When you try this project, post it online and share your picture in the comments of the blog. It's a great way to network with other artists. Find the complete instructions in Cloth Paper Scissors, complete with a materials list and extra tips from Lesley, not to mention many more resources on wearable art projects.

Never limit yourself,
                                                                  Cherie Haas 
Online Editor
ClothPaperScissors.com

9 practical tips for sketching in your Art Journal

Jane LaFazio's Tips for Sketching in Your Art Journal

• Plan on spending less than an hour to sketch and then paint your drawing.

• Select something with a simple shape.

• Draw what you like, not what you think others will like. (Tweet this!)

• Draw in pencil first, you can always erase.

• Draw from real life (not photos). Your drawings will be so much richer.

• Choose just one thing: One flower, one leaf, one cup.

• When you're just starting out, it's easier to depict something about the same size as your page. Then you won't have to think about enlarging or reducing it as you draw.

• Remember, it's only a page in your journal; not every page will be a masterpiece.

• Turn the page when you're finished with your drawing, and plan on doing another page tomorrow. ~Jane    

Cloth Paper Scissors by Cheri Haas


P.S. Have you heard? Cloth Paper Scissors is proud to announce the Zen Doodle Drawing Contest! Enter your best work, and you could win $1,000 and publication. Good luck!

Arts & Crafts Fair June 26

I will be here selling my art! 

Arts & Crafts Fair

Friday, June 26th
6pm-10pm
@ Wine & Palette Studio 201 NW 10th st, Oklahoma City, OK

Lovers of fine arts and crafts will find a showcase of works by new and emerging artists living and working locally. Our local artisans will be displaying and selling their unique creations in pottery, stained glass, jewelry, fashion, dog accessories, mixed media, fine art and photography. All original, handmade goods across a wide spectrum! Wine tasting too! The Fair is free and open to the public.

NewsOK article: The Music ENDS at Urban Roots

The Music Ends at Urban Roots

By Steve Lackmeyer | June 8, 2015

Deep Deuce lost something very special this week. I could go with the cheap and easy headline and point out that Urban Roots, the only black-owned business in the once historically black neighborhood of Deep Deuce closed its doors Saturday. But that’s too simple. What Oklahoma City has lost is a venue that really provided a wonderful “place” – the sort of place communities are craving in this era of divisions and isolation.

Let’s delve a bit into the who, what, where and when first. Chaya Fletcher opened Urban Roots, 322 NE 2, in 2010 in a space previously used as a sales office for development of The Hill housing development a block east. The building prior to that was boarded up and empty for years – but always boasted a great history.

The two-story building was built by Dr. Wyatt H. Slaughter in 1929 and was home to an Elks club until 1936. Over the next two years, the building was home to an array of juke joints, dance halls and gambling establishments, highlighted by Ruby’s Grill, opened in 1940 by Ruby Lyons and for six years a destination for food, music and dancing.

I was unable to contact Chaya upon hearing this weekend was the end for Urban Roots. I knew the restaurant and live entertainment venue was in trouble when an online fundraising effort was launched a couple of weeks ago.

Chaya posted the following on the Urban Roots Facebook page:

“Tonight we celebrate 5 years of Urban Roots and when we sign off tonight it will be the end of our run in historic Deep Deuce. This has been an amazing journey, when we opened our doors in 2010 we hoped to honor and preserve the roots of our ancestors in a sacred place. We feel we were instrumental in initiating new opportunities for culturally significant ventures and hope for those to see continued success. We strived to provide a space for culture, comfort, and creativity by using food as a medium. We’ve watched relationships and marriages form, the birth of babies and artistic freedom for many. We appreciate you OKC. You showed up and out for us and we are eternally grateful. EEDO & love…….”

So what have we lost? Quite a bit. I loved Urban Roots, went there several times and loved every moment. It was an opportunity to enjoy good food, laugh and enjoy great performances from folks like Miss Cookie Turner. The nights spent at Urban Roots were among the richest, most satisfying experiences I’ve been blessed enough to have lived in Oklahoma City. Sitting in Urban Roots, surrounded by so much life … I had only to close my eyes to imagine the next act might be old Five by Five himself – Jimmy Rushing.

Maybe. Just maybe. Maybe Urban Roots was secretly a time machine ride, allowing me to get, maybe, just maybe, a glimpse of Deep Deuce’s glory days when it was home to jazz greats like Charlie Christian and Jimmy Rushing – an era written about so vividly by Ralph Ellison:

“We were still too young to attend night dances, but yet old enough to gather beneath the corner street lamp on summer evenings, anyone might halt the conversation to exclaim “Listen, they’re raising hell down at Slaughter’s Hall,” and we’d turn our heads westward to hear Jimmy’s voice soar up the hill and down, as pure and as miraculously unhindered by distance and earthbound things as is the body in youthful dreams of flying.” (- Ralph Ellison, from “Shadow and Act,” 1964.)

Chaya Fletcher dared to celebrate a history that Oklahoma City collectively has sought to quietly erase. She also was creating a place where in an era where racial tension seems to be on the rise, our community could meet and enjoy each others’ company sharing in the joys of life – good food, good music.

But this ambitious effort was not an easy journey for Chaya. A couple of years ago she invited Robert Irvine of “Restaurant Impossible” to critique her operation and assist in a makeover. The results were impressive, but as a customer, I witnessed with how Chaya continue to struggle with balancing a restaurant and music venue. Business was either feast or famine.

The building sold a couple of months ago, and I was told by friends of Chaya she was facing a steep increase in her rent. I briefly considered dropping in a couple of weeks ago, but time, always quick and elusive, cheated me of one last evening with the spirits of Deep Deuce.

9 Ways to Relieve Bug Bites

I just had to post this, my aunt sent me this great article for bug bites, and I know I have been suffering from them, so maybe you too. Hope this helps someone. 

Women's Health Magazine 

Essential Oils Tea tree, lavender, and coconut oils all have properties that can alleviate itching, pain, and swelling, says Neal Schultz, M.D. In particular, tea tree oil is also antibacterial, which can help prevent infection from incessant scratching. Oils from different brands may be more acidic than others, so make sure you ask the store owner or a dermatologist about an oil’s concentration before you apply it directly to your skin. If the oil is too strong, you can dilute it with water, says Schultz.

Honey
If you don’t mind a bit of stickiness, honey is an anti-inflammatory and can make the itching a little less tempting, says board-certified dermatologistWhitney Bowe, M.D.

Milk and Water
This is Schultz’s favorite technique. Mix equal parts skim milk and water, dip a thin cloth (like handkerchief or an old T-shirt) into the concoction, and dab your skin.

Lemon or Lime Juice
These fruit powerhouses provide itch relief and are antibacterial, says Schultz. If you go this route, make sure you’re inside—these juices can burn your skin if you’re out in the sun, says Schultz. 

Toothpaste
“Most toothpastes have a mint or peppermint flavor, and the menthol ingredient creates a cooling sensation on your skin,” says Schultz. Your brain picks up on this feeling much quicker than the itching sensation. Plus, the intrinsic astringency of toothpaste helps reduce swelling.

Basil
This spice isn’t just limited to the kitchen. Basil leaves contain chemicals such as camphor, which creates a cool feeling, similar to menthol in toothpaste, says Schultz. Crush a few leaves and apply the bits directly to your bumps.

Ice
A single ice cube can constrict the blood vessels and decrease the body’s natural histamine release, says Bowe. Translation: less itching.

Tea Bags
It’s true! Cool tea bags draw fluid out of a bite to reduce itching and swelling, says Schultz.

Vinegar
This is a great home remedy to block itching because of its small acidic levels, says Schultz. Dab it onto individual spots or, if your body’s been a buffet for bugs, you can add two to three cups to warm water and soak in a tub. Apple cider vinegar may work even better, says Schultz.

Here is some extra info:
The Critter: Mosquito The Sting: A red, itchy welt that can swell to the size of a quarter The Fix: You can’t instantly erase a skeeter bite. But you can minimize swelling and scarring by swallowing an OTC antihistamine and rubbing calamine lotion over the site a few times a day. Calamine's ingredients—zinc oxide and ferric oxide—signal your skin to quit itching. 

The Critter: Deer tick The Sting: A raised, round bite that can develop into a rash shaped like a bull's‑eyeThe Fix: Though tick bites rarely cause itching or aches, they can lead to bacterial infections, including Lyme disease. Give yourself a once‑over after walking through grassy, wooded areas. If you spot a tick, a bite, or a growing rash, see your doc (ASAP, if you feel dizzy). 

The Critter: Bee, wasp, or hornet The Sting: A half‑inch reddish bump that stings—badly The Fix: Use a cotton swab to apply a basic meat tenderizer (available at any grocery store); enzymes in it can break down bug venom and reduce pain and swelling. Covering the site with hydrocortisone cream can also curb puffiness.

8 of the Biggest Mistakes Artists Make in their Art Careers

 By Alyson Stanfield on 05.07.15

You might be making mistakes in your art business that are holding you back from big growth.

Mistakes aren’t bad, and I don’t want you to feel like you have to be perfect in everything you do because seeking perfection is a sure way to be paralyzed by fear. We have to make mistakes in order to learn and to grow.

Mistakes are only detrimental if you keep repeating them without learning and correcting your ways.

Are you making any of these mistakes?

Not knowing where you want to go with your career.

I’m not talking about the need to have a specific plan, but I’ve noticed how few artists, especially when they’re just starting out, don’t “get” that running a business is serious stuff. You’re no longer making art for pure pleasure.

Everything changes when you start asking for money in return for your talents. For some artists, it changes for the better and you’re fired up to get your art out there. Other artists can’t stomach the pressure and lose all interest in making art. They can’t seem to get into the studio.

Is it more important that your work is in a museum, or that you earn $50,000 a year? The two aren’t mutually exclusive, but you will make different decisions if one is more important than the other. Only you can decide what is best for you.

Set goals and plan a path (or at least make some decisions) to get you there.

Not following up with people who express interest in your work.

Wow! Someone said they liked one of your pieces and talked with you about it for 25 minutes! And you just let them go???? Were you hoping that they’d magically find you, call you up, and ask to buy the work?

Some thoughts:

1. Ask such people if they’d like to be on your mailing list. If you can get one of their business cards, even better because you can send a personal “nice to meet you” note in the mail.

If they say No to the mailing list or if you forget to ask, track them down and find an email or address and send a quick note their way.

2. Tell them about a show or event you have coming up and ask if they’d like to receive an invitation.

3. Invite them for a studio visit.

Staying insulated.

Too many artists find a safe place and stay there for decades. You hang out with only watercolorists or potters and enter the same shows year after year.

Is that not you? Maybe your protective shield is the Internet. You stay in your studio and live your life online.

In both instances, you’re avoiding challenges and, therefore, avoiding growth.

Great art is informed by what we encounter on our journey in the world. Get out! [Tweet this.]

Ignoring your finances.

You can’t expand a business if you don’t know what your profit margin is or you don’t pay taxes and bills on time.

Ignoring your finances doesn’t make the problems go away. On the contrary, it compounds the problems.

My clients who start paying closer attention to the money trail find the experience enlightening. Either the situation isn’t as bad as they had imagined, or they are able to identify what must be done in order to improve their bottom lines.

Trying to do it all yourself.

There comes a point when you have to stop wearing all of the hats in your business.

Investing in help for your art business means that you are then free to work on the most important tasks that bring in income and recognition. These include making art and being the face of your marketing.

You will wear yourself out if you continue doing everything yourself. Not only that, but your best work will suffer and everything else will be substandard.

In my experience, you should hire help while it still stings your pocketbook a little. You’ll never wake up suddenly with an extra wad of cash to spend on personnel.

Waiting on someone else to sell the work.

Nobody cares about your success more than you do and very few people – gallerists, curators, agents – are going to be interested in buying/selling/showing your work until you demonstrate your interest in the same.

Artists who are just starting out are especially fond of focusing on gallery representation or in finding the mythical agent that will do all of the work for them. The gallerist might come in time, but you have to pay your dues.

You have to create a market for your art from the ground up. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You must be dedicated and ready for the long road ahead.

Presenting yourself in an unprofessional manner.

Examples of unprofessional presentations include:

• Talking smack about festival organizers within earshot of visitors.
• Self-designed (especially over-designed) marketing material that has no coherent message.
• Missing important deadlines.
• Showing up late to appointments.
• Not returning phone calls or emails promptly.
• Using crappy photos of your art.

You only get one chance to make a first impression. Again, the goal isn’t to be perfect, but to show the world you care about how you and your art are perceived.

And, without a doubt, the biggest mistake you can make in your art business is . . .

Neglecting your mailing list.

The people on your mailing list are your collectors, fans, and supporters. They have asked to be part of your career.

Nobody else has the same list.

When you ignore the people on your list, you are saying that you don’t care enough to stay in touch.

When you promise a monthly email and fail to send it for many months, you are saying that your art career is unimportant.

When you contact your list only when you want something from them (e.g. sales, attendance, signups), you are saying that you value the relationship because of what you can get from them rather than what you can share with them.

Don’t you see how much easier it is to enjoy nurturing relationships in an authentic way rather than contacting people only when you want something?

Use your list! It’s your #1 asset.

www.ArtBizCoach.com 

Amena's Upcoming Exhibit at Urban Roots May 2015

Amena Butler -2015

A Mixed Media Artist based in Oklahoma City. She grew up in Far-East Asia and that is where her art education began. As a military child, education in the arts through an exchange program was Amena’s introduction to Traditional Japanese Printmaking and Calligraphy along with other Asian arts & crafts.

 “It was an absolute blessing that I grew up in Asia immersed in a different culture. I was allowed to try many different art mediums and was encouraged by my teachers to continue my studies. I was never treated like an outsider, which made me always excited to learn new techniques. That continues for me today, I enjoy working with different mediums and techniques to capture a feeling, a visual language, in my art work”.

Amena graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Museum Studies degree. “Art tells the history of a people, the story of a civilization, and is essential to improving the quality of life. Art also communicates the personal emotions of an individual artist”. 

Emphasis on a Colour Environment

“Color is the language of the listening eye”. Paul Gauguin

The chosen pieces for this show, are all about enhancing ones mood in a chosen walled environment. Color can change everything. Color can increase or decrease someones appetite, increase endorphin levels, decrease depression, color in your environment can transport you to a place of serenity.  Color has an impact on our sense of well-being, which is instantly recognized by our subconscious.

Do you remember your crayons, do you recall the colors, and didn't the colors just make you happy!

Stress Test

Generally, how are your sleeping habits?

1. I do not sleep well.
2. I am sleeping okay.
3. I sleep very well.

How do you feel when you wake up?

1. I am usually still tired.
2. l feel okay.
3. I wake up energized.

Are you experiencing weight gains or fluctuations?

1. I am gaining weight, especially around my belly.
2. My weight is consistent, though higher than I’d like.
3. I am at, or steadily working toward, a healthy weight.

How often do you get sick? 

1. All the time!
2. I fall ill a few times a year.
3. I am rarely sick.

Do you experience food cravings?

1. I often give in to cravings for junk foods.
2. My cravings for unhealthy foods are balanced.
3. I satisfy my body’s cravings with healthy foods.

How often do you experience backaches and headaches?

1. I often suffer from them.
2. I get an occasional headache or backache.
3. I rarely have a headache or backache.

How is your sex drive?

1. It is very low or nonexistent.
2. It is okay, but could be better.
3. I am satisfied with my sex drive.


How often does your gut act up?

1. My gut often troubles me.
2. I sometimes experience digestive upsets.
3. I have a healthy digestive system that doesn’t act up.


How are your levels of anxiety?

1. I often feel anxious.
2. I occasionally feel anxious.
3. I am content and rarely anxious.


How would you describe your general moods?

1. I feel blue pretty often.
2. I am doing okay.
3. I generally feel happy.

Each answer is worth the number of points to its left. Tally up your points, and gauge your stress level on the following scale:
26–30 points: You are doing pretty well and experience low levels of stress.
20–25 points: You are dealing with a moderate amount of stress.
10–19 points: You are suffering from a high buildup of stress.

How to Make a Scarf Souvenir

article by Quilting Daily

Fabric Painting on the Go!

When I look at on Instagram, I can tell at a glance the photos posted by fiber artists: they almost always convey texture or pattern. Not just photos of fabric or fibers, but fences, grates, cracks in the sidewalk, and so on. When a fiber artist goes to Paris, she's just as likely to take a picture of an unusual subway tile pattern as the Eiffel Tower.

'Paint' on fabric with Paintstik rubbings to create a memorable travel scarf like this one by Lois Jarvis.

Photos and sketchbooks can help you keep track of textures and patterns when you travel. But you can also collect these souvenirs in a more tactile way--by painting on fabric.

You might think fabric painting and traveling don't mix. But if you use an oil paint stick, it can work. Oil sticks, such as Shiva Paintstiks, are solid paint in stick form. A seal forms over the exposed part of the stick when not in use; you have to remove this skin before painting or writing on fabric. The paint is set and washable after 24 hours.

Paint sticks pick up relief patterns well. You can easily make rubbings by placing fabric over a texture and running the stick over the top.

Lois Jarvis showed how she created a silk travel scarf with paint stick rubbings, in a past issue of Quilting Arts Gifts. The scarf became an artful memento of her excursion.

Here are some of Lois's tips for making successful rubbings:

• Raised letters and textures work better than carved ones.
• Leaves, especially exotic native ones, make good rubbings.
• Keep scale and rhythm in mind while designing your scarf on the go.
• Start on the ends; when you wear the scarf no one will see what is gathered up behind your 
• neck.
• Concrete makes an interesting fill-in texture.
• Keep all the rubbings on one side of the scarf.
What a conversation piece you can make!

You can make this scarf or any of eight others with our Make Your Own Fashionable Fiber Art Scarves Collection. Each kit includes two habotai silk scarves, a set of Paintstiks, a set of Dyn-a-flow paints, and our eBook Fiber Art Scarves with tutorials on making scarves with fabric painting ideas, fabric dyeing techniques, patchwork, beading, and more.

Scarves of all shapes and styles are hot right now, so be sure to get your Fashionable Fiber Art Scarves Collection and start making your own artful scarves.

Editor, Quilting Daily