Enchanting Details, Often Overlooked…
Details in Art, Writing, and Life Do you ever notice details in something you’ve seen many times, but one day you notice something… different? The details seem fresh, new…. enchanting, really. And you wonder: How did I miss them until now? As a writer, I’m pretty tuned in to details. I find I notice things many do not. Fellow writers know what I’m talking about. I’ve learned in my recent journey into art that details are integral, too. Now, those details may appear differently from each artist… some are loud and in your face, while others are quiet and subtle, but all are necessary. An important part of my art-making & journaling process…
A Mixed-Media Face in 18 Ingredients
I was asked recently during a Mixed-Media Faces How-to virtual workshop, “Okay, so we made a basic face with our pencil, but how do we make it ‘mixed media’?” Great question! Answer: Add everything you want and then a bit more… Really! And so we did. From floral repurposed paper napkins and scrap paper with mathematical calculations that inspired tissue paper with bold, graphic numbers to pink markers and pink paint for cheeks, a little show & tell about eyelashes, and all the possible supplies we could use – our group gabbed, shared notes and shared projects. With a few minutes left in our session, we shared what we created and Oh, the…
Bit by Bit: Creative Elements and Life
It’s been a while since I cobbled words into a blog post. Nine months give or take. Where does the time go? To be sure, I’ve been writing plenty since then – filling writing notebooks before sunrise, building words into my art, and making notes in the margins as I read books that fill me with answers and more questions about the reading/writing/creating process. Business ownership also became a central theme as I committed to moving in the direction I’ve intended the past four years. Less than 48 hours ago – after a month of planning, I enjoyed a Friday night Sip and Make Mixed-Media Art Workshop with friends – new and old.…
Art, Visual, or Creative Journaling?
Ready to do some artful journaling? Wait. What? You can’t because you’re not a trained artist? Well, that’s okay. Me neither. 😉 Commonly called Art Journaling, putting colors and words on a page to express what’s on our minds is a way to creatively say what we need to say – even when we don’t realize we need to say it. Our ideas need a place to ‘be’ – especially in this noisy world that constantly pokes at us. I’d like to share something with you that I learned recently: “Artful” journaling isn’t just for trained artists who are working out project ideas or practicing new techniques. Turns out, journaling artfully can be…
Drawing Them Out: Faces Reveal Artist’s Growth
As 2018 unfolds, I’ve been reflecting on my creative journey. What began as art discovery (a form of therapy, if you will) during a difficult time in my life – personally and professionally – has developed into a way of living that is as necessary to me as breathing and eating. My head often feels like it will burst to let the ideas out! When everything in art was brand new to me three years ago, I was taking it all in and sampling techniques, tools, and materials – but not choosing anything specific. Window shopping. I suppose that’s how I discovered ‘mixed media’ – I tinkered in a little bit of everything. Now,…
Ten Tips: Keeping Art Brushes, Sponges, and Stamps Usable
One of the things I learned from our first Creative by Discovery Mixed-Media Art Party was that sharing tips I’ve learned about the process in the past three years is a “how-to” I can gladly contribute. Here are a few things learned along the way…. Ten tips for keeping brushes, sponges, and stamps usable… (because it gets expensive replacing them!): Do not leave brushes/sponge brushes in water for long periods of time. Do not let paint, ink, or adhesives dry on brushes, sponges, or stamps. Let them rest in a brush tub, to keep them moist. Use the scrubber in the bottom to gently loosen paint. Change water often when painting, especially with watercolors. Use…
Our First Art Party is in the Books: Feedback + Lessons Learned
Sunday, February 25, 2018, RobinLK Studios hosted our first-ever Creative by Discovery Mixed-Media Art Party. Our project: Mail Art Our party experience: Wow, it was a LOT of fun! My party experience: Wow, it was a LOT of fun and a LOT of work before and after, but very much worth it(!). Like any good party, details matter. This event was no different. Three weeks of intense planning and preparation led to wonderful feedback from guests. Here’s what they shared with me in text messages, Facebook comments, and before leaving that day: “It was sooooooo much fun!” “…a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends” “…such an enjoyable time… making stuff…
Of Stories and Strangers…..
A few months ago, a fellow IG creative reached out to me and said she’d like to share some of the many vintage postage stamps she has. I was elated! Of course, thank you. But why me? On most accounts, one would say we’re strangers. Over the next week, as we were dealing with Hurricane Irma here in Florida, Dee and I corresponded back and forth. A short time later, when the weather was clear, I found a package waiting for me at the post office. Opening the package and spilling out those beautiful stamps was like opening a time capsule filled with incredible art work and history. Dear Robin, “I’m so excited to contribute to your collection of…
Build it. Write it. Paint it. They will Come.
Remember that movie, Field of Dreams, and the oft-quoted line: If you build it, he (they) will come? How many times have you used that sentiment in your own life? Yep. Me, too. So here goes…. To make the Tax Lady happy last year about this time (or, at the very least, to keep her from scowling at me), I promised to increase my small business income by 20% – working toward a respectable number, thank-you-very-much… one that would be moving north while my expenses move south. You get the picture. Fast-forward a year. I’m ready to see the Tax Lady. I suppose when you start with nothing, the only way to go is up, right? I seem…
Bloom!….. {Monday Motivation}
Spring is here…. Time to bloom! What’s on your bookshelf {or should be}, just waiting to be read {or reread??}? Hope it’s been a wonderful Monday! 🙂 Art + Writing = Creative by Discovery What’s happening in the studios these days? Latest pictures and projects on Facebook and Instagram @RobinLK Studios
