Faux-Batik

Here is a project that can be done with kids in the style of African Batik. It is so easy to do!.

Step1. Draw a picture with pencil on any cotton fabric

Step2. Go over the lines they drew with Elmer Blue Gel Blue, let dry.

Step3. Paint over the design with Watered down acrylic paint, let dry.

Step4. Soak fabric in warm water for 15 minutes and then scrub the glue out!

Voila you have a design that mimics authentic batik and is durable. They key to making it beautiful is to use dark saturated colors and to have at least one neutral color ( I used the blue gray for this)

Check out my fine art website- https://anneviggianofineart.wordpress.com/ and send me a message-   I can give you other auction project ideas!

Wicked

Out for my daily walk and…lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

 

Do Not Touch...

Here's the latest installation from my favorite gallery in town. 

Our Newest Library Branch

Creativity abounds, thank heavens

 Hi you readers, Jane sent this amazing link to me yesterday.

 This work by The Sketching BackPacker is fun and sweet and just something that came from a place of simple creativity. It has no serious message, nor does it remind you that you are a bad citizen, or that the world is seemingly morally collapsing in front of us.

Hey Rebecca, Let's start giving out homework that feeds the soul, ok?

Well Done Assignment #1:

Today we want you to make,  look at or do fun simple stuff and give your heart a rest today.

 - Cheers!
- Anne

Tree Stump Art

Halfway around Greenlake yesterday, my girlfriend and I discovered this--a floral art installation on a recently cut Big Leaf Maple stump. Her comment, "Whoever is in charge of the arts division for Seattle Parks is doing a great job." I agree. 

~ Rebecca

St. Pat's Ducks

"Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy."  William Butler Yeats

Mexican Wall Murals.

We just don't have a sense of humor here in the USA. ~ Anne

A Walk Along Wahkiakum Lane

Today I took a long, urban hike. I had no work to do and decided to walk to my dental appointment (I need a new mouthguard) and my P.T. appointment (yes, still working on the rotator cuff injury). Both of the doctor's clinics are located in the UW district, which is not that far from my home. I headed towards Urban Horticulture and then took the "back road", Wahkiakum Lane, Seattle WA, to the UW Sports Medicine facility. This part of the UW campus is one of my favorites. It is primarily used as a research field-study area, for wetland reclamation, and is really one of the few "wild" places within the city.

Someone has been busy making Andy Goldsworthy inspired art. And I want to thank them because nothing thrills me more than finding art and/or beauty where I least expect it. ~ Rebecca

Fun Phinney Ridge Sidewalk

I love these kind of home-grown projects. Somebody got creative with their left-over tile pieces and decided to create their own, custom parking strip.  Well Done. ~ Rebecca

Kids Art & Why it's important

There has been a lot of talk lately about why art for kids matters in a bigger way than just fridge decoration. The reason it has been the topic is because, yet again, budgets issues come up and art gets swept aside. Does your children's school have a mission statement about their commitment to making art? Is there a professional on-site or available to consult on this? Are classroom teachers or parents given the job of providing the arts education?

Recent studies I have read ( I will post them) have said that creativity in kids has gone down since the 90's and children are not as capable at divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the ability to come up with many solutions, ideas for a topic or item. This is such a necessary skill, in fact it is what has made America what it is, and it is slowly leaving our culture. The problem is that it is leaving quietly and no one is noticing.

This week I will be showing kids art and giving you ideas on how to encourage art making in your home. The goal is not only to have fun with your kids but to actually give them a leg up on their future ability to think outside the box in all professions. Making art makes your brain work better. period.

Check out this video..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
-Anne

5 Questions for Beth Kantrowitz, Art Dealer

Describe your perfect client:
The perfect client would be someone who walks into the gallery or visits the bkartprojects website and wants to look and talk about the work. After looking and talking they fall in love with a piece and decide they want to buy it! There's nothing like watching someone fall in love with a piece. It's so exciting for me and for the artist.

What is your passion?
Talking with and being with people!

Where are you from?
I grew up in the Catskill Mountains in New York and haved lived in Boston for almost 26 years!

What was your favorite job?
Curating and selling art. But, many years ago I was the Director of the Starlight Foundation, a non-profit that granted wishes to sick kids and I really loved that too.

Tell us something no one knows about you:
If and when I have a nightmare, I wake up and spit in the toilet 3 times to insure that the nightmare doesn't come true!!

Picasso.

I cannot believe I didn't think of the inspiration I got from going to see Picasso the other night.( when I was whining yesterday about having no inspiration) ..I stood in front of the piece above  for a while and smiled... 
A van load of me and my besties plus a few extra met up at the museum last Thursday night, saw the show and then went to Taste. I definitely went because I thought I should , not because he is my favorite artist... However, I left with much more adoration than I had going in... Purely because of his BRAVERY. I was inspired by his ability to make marks on surfaces without hesitation or worrying about what his audience would think.. This made me remember the secrets to success in all areas... just do what you love to do... do it every day, do it even if people think its dumb, do it even if you are sick of it.. do it even if it's failing.. wait one more... do it even if you think it might be a success.. and that last piece is the scariest.

Lawn Ornaments: Stained Glass Window

I think this qualifies as a found object. --R























p.s. Here is a link to a spinner store online. I received it from a well done follower this week.
http://www.ironstopwindspinners.com/

Lawn Ornaments: Day 3

Okay, WoW!  I find the greatest places on my walks in the neighborhood.This yard has it all: found objects, statuary,whirlygigs, mosaics, and I think I saw a birdbath in there too. --R

Lawn Ornaments: For the Birds

Confession, I have a "thing" for pink Flamingos. They are perhaps my favorite lawn ornament. I love how my neighbor paired ms. Flamingo with an eclectic duck family that changes its formation on a daily basis. I walk by this property on a regular basis and I am always eager to see what the birds are up to.--R

More Beauty: Watching Meredith work. Austin, TX.

Thanks again to my new, old friend Caroline Turek for turning me on to the artist Meredith Pardue. Caroline recently bought three, yes three, of Meredith Pardue's paintings. I'm not sure if she has to live on Ramen for the next month, but if so, it was worth it. This work is so lovely. What a joy to be able to look at it everyday.

Here's a clip of Meredith painting one of the pieces that Caroline just purchased. Congratulations to both of you.
Meredith Pardue at work

Tree of life. Shelley's world.

Anne and I walked into Shelley's art studio and this is what we found--her tree of life. The tree is made of personal artifacts attached to fishing line that is hung from the ceiling. Each artifact holds meaning for Shelley, which makes the piece deeply personal and moving. Anne and I were awestruck. I don't think we said a word for ten minutes, and for those of you who know us, that's a long time.--R

more thoughts on the quitting...

Here is what I learned from you, our readers, this week;
-Invest in other areas than money, for example; your garden, your community, ideas .
-Wealth does not only come in money form.
-Re-evaluate and re-invent.
-Get rid of the stuff, make space for new.
-Be a warrior not a worrier.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may

Old time is still a-flying;
And the same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
-Robert Herrick