Blenders and Blunders and Blotters. Oh My!

       I'm riding on the crest of survival. My "Possibilities in Paper" workshop has come and gone and I didn't fall through a crack in the universe. It wasn't a complete embarrassment. Not one of my "students" walked away believing me a complete idiot. Instead there was real interest and enjoyment.

 Hands on time with deckles and moulds and brilliant red pulp.

      
       The first thing of which I am certain is that I learned as much from the experience as all of the attendees put together. My first crack at hosting a workshop was not with out it's cowardices. Many of the group were near and dear friends and family who would forgive me anything. The group was small, so my timid foray into teaching was nearly fool proof. Nearly. I was over-prepared, over-equipped and over-anxious, but these are the things you learn from experience.

 Display boards sourcing various papers which can be recycled into fun!!

   
      The second thing of which I am certain is that hindsight is so clear it has super vision!! Foresight did not save me from issuing two notices advertising two different start times. Foresight did not save me from realizing that when one is booking a venue, one should assure LOTS of time between its last occupants and the time one wishes to occupy that space.  ( My various tools and resources were still in boxes at what I believed was my start time.) Foresight did not imbue me with the knowledge of how long ones presentation will take in real time. ( Most especially when one starts three times because one has  advertised the time incorrectly. ) Foresight didn't save me from countless inevitable watery explosions when blender blade and soggy paper met new eager crafters.
      Add to this the notion that while teaching a class where recycling is a key factor, I most hypocritically used acres of paper towels to both clean up our myriad messes and primarily as a "couching" or blotting material for the newly created sheets. I swore to blender them up and use them for the "mash" medium for the upcoming sculpture workshop. It was trial, error and no small amount of mayhem but we had fun!!!

      When, during the initial demo, I pulled the first deckle and mould out of the pan, the "ooohs and ahs" that followed just thrilled me to the core! What a gratifying surprise to share what was obviously some thing new and exciting to the group.

       I wish I could share photos of every scrap that was created. The individuals in the group very quickly began experimenting with colors and techniques, utiliizing add-ins like dry flowers, fibers, confettis, glittery bits. I had prepared for a finale session where the participants could spend time creating art pieces from the recycled papers...but I couldn't get them away from their deckles and moulds. We made paper til every available surface was covered in  damp, rainbow hued, new paper! 

       The third thing of which I am certain is that I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Research, props and preparation from this maiden voyage are all ready for next time, along with all the knowledge gained. I especially learned that I "flow" much more efficiently when the materials and tools are in my hands, that the "doing" is the best teacher. 

Very excited at her first new piece.

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      Now, I will need to improve my kit and develop a teaching model to use in future endeavors. Paper making down, Next, plan for the papier mache sculpture workshop! Step one: throw the blender on the counter and process that mountain of used paper towels! 

To Russia; With Love

      While wandering around "googlespace" for the last few days, I fell in love with Russia all over again.

      In the eleventh grade I had a young history teacher. Bearing the  unassuming name of Nathan Fudge, he was a gangly, sweet, soft spoken Newfoundlander with a shock of "way out there" red hair and a passion for the visceral vibrant sagas that make up Russian history.

      In the great Maritime storytelling tradition, he breathed life into figures like Ivan the Terrible, Catherine the Great, Rasputin, Nicholas and Alexander. Not just chronology, coronation and coupes but indelible characters and living color. While growing up in the era of the cold war and the looming red Russian bear, I loved every detail of their history. The interest has remained through the years. Although life and motherhood have taken precedence, my ears always perk when the news stories feature Mother Russia and I've enduringly had an eye for their art.

        In my wanderings of late, I've stumbled upon Roman Zaslonov, a Russian born painter whose work is filled with the color, theatricality and romanticism that were so much a part of Mr. Fudge's interpretation of this artist's native land. There is so much detail and whimsy and playfulness that I could lose myself for hours in the adventure of wandering around each canvas. Imagine finding yourself in a gallery filled with this treasure! 
     

        With this as inspiration, perhaps I will lend some time and creativity to something. A tribute, a collage "in the style of" this new-to-me master. I can't help but want to try. Stay tuned!

Hellzapoppin' Pre-workshoppin' Blues.

     
 I'm deep in the thick of it now! Buried to the neck in paper scraps, workshop notes, deckles and molds in various states of construction, little bags filled with shredded rainbow colors. I'm two weeks out on the countdown to the " Possibilities in Paper" workshop.  It's a fact that although the butterflies in my stomach have reached the "feels-like" proportion of small pterodactyls, I haven't reached panic mode, yet.

A splash of shredded paper color!

   

  I am still lacking a camera to capture the journey, still squishing samples and projects into my overloaded scanner so as to share in the projects and pieces that i hope will illustrate the practical and whimsical uses of the papers we will create. First up is a note card and envelope. ( Until my recipe is fortified with something that would imbue the product with properties suited to surviving Canada Post, these gems would be perhaps best suited to "in person" giving, )

I did say "simple". Note that the envelope is peppered with dandelion detritus. The taupe paper has bits of purple stattice.

   

  Next up is a a collage, this one, a torn paper landscape in three colors. Its only about 3"x6" on a larger piece you could add a sailboat or maybe a lighthouse and some seabirds.

I can't wait to accentuate it with a good framing.

      The third  is " something fishy" and classic illustration of trial and error. It was an error in two parts. First, I designed this rather personable piscean in perky primary and tertiary hues and then I raged on like a cat with it's tail on fire and blew it when;

a.) I tried to seal it and it darkened the whole color balance.

As well;

b.) I sealed in a little gallery label and the same sealer rendered the tag completely illegible. 

      He's still cute though, so I'll include him!  Happy trails til next time!

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A Salty Hag

      Some time ago when I was fetching and toiling for too long a stretch and for too many nestlings, I threatenened to exile myself on the banks of a rocky little lagoon about a mile out towards the sea from our home. I imagined living on goose grass and foxberries and the monstrous mollusks for which Quahog Cove was named. I would be an eccentric batty old painter with no interruption to my peace but the lapping of the waves and the squawking of seabirds.

      In the midst of absorbing this diatribe our eldest interjected; " Right Mom, the Salty Hag Studio" ( There may have been something about being the estranged, or more applicably, "strange" matriarch of pirates and scallywags. You see, my clan and their circle of friends are surfers, fly fishermen and sailors, lifeguards and Coast "guards". A heap of chowder and cinnamon buns have fuelled many a herd of salty, sandy souls.)

     I stopped short in the middle of my ravings and took an immediate liking to title I've since adopted as my own. This morning the same nestling posted my link on Twitter saying "Mom's a-blogging. To all of my pseudo-siblings; take a read."

      Well, I haven't taken exile yet, as you see the nestlings inspire and support me. I guess I have no excuses. As well, I seem to have wandered into the spotlight so I have to be committed now! I will spend a few days preparing a teaching kit for the upcoming workshop. When I have a few things to show you, I'll keep honing my blogger skills and put them up for everyone to share. Stay tuned!

If the cybergods be with me.

      I'm still mired in the mysteries of fleshing out my entries with "pictures worth a thousand words" Those who know me well can attest that simply allowing the pictures speak would take WAY less time. As I plunk away at this draft, above it there is a paragraph of computer gibberish that may represent my first posted picture. I am cringing as I ready myself to hit "preview" tab.
      I will be purchasing a camera, consulting my longsuffering tech support sweeties and undertaking the adventure of uploading the photo journalistic progress of my masterpieces-to-be so that my entries will pack more punch. As I prepare for my newest foray as an instructor, I am whipping up samples to grab the interest of those who will place their faith in me to deliver.
      The house is a clutter of lists, litter,scraps and post-its! Wading through the confetti-ed wasteland of my kitchen, my dear husband, the educator says I need to make a teaching model for reuse. Seems I'll be learning new things as well, right up to the second where i say "Good morning class." (At which point I am sure I'll be learning even more. )
      I'm going to "man up" and push that preview button now so cross your fingers! ( wait a minute, I'm a weinie aren't I? If you've read this far you already know if I've been successful, but my fingers are still crossed! )