22 December 2017 Journal Page

This is one of my favorite pages from this journal. I enjoyed the simple paint palette of limiting myself to using no more than three colors. It's a hard journal for me to look back at when I start reading it but I do love how I played with color in it. It's what I needed to do at the time.

Home Again, Home Again...

I'm home from a 6,000+ mile trek to Florida and New Mexico and back. Mom and I had a great time. I loved every minute of teaching (absolutely love Everything Scrapbook and Stamps and Guadalupe's Fun Rubber Stamps!) Thank you again to everyone who came to the workshops, cheered me on from a far or passed the word online... THANK YOU!

I'm home now and playing catch up.

A Few Quick Bits of Housekeeping

Teaching this weekend, one of my favorite new workshops,
Beyond the Brush: Painting with Palette Knives and more in both Los Angeles and San Diego. (I'll also be teaching this at The Queen's Ink in Maryland in late April.)

My samples for the Scrap Shack in Houston, Texas have arrived in the store. I am SUPER excited about teaching in Houston next month. If you can help spread the word since it's my first time in Texas, I'd greatly appreciate it!!!

 

Art and Soul Portland as well as Colorado Springs are coming up! 

Join me in France this summer?

Art Unraveled 2019 workshops are live! I'm teaching four new workshops in August! 

I have a handful of copies left of my self published book on Taos. Once it's gone, it won't be reprinted.

 

 

Last chance: Ordering collage sheets this week! 

For those of you who ordered glue sticks, I'll be shipping them out this week. If you're interested in ordering them and missed out, drop me an email at EGorey99@sbcglobal.net

The Oscars are this week! I am hoping to do a post of my favorite films of 2018 within the next week. 

Back to unpacking for me!

"Wait! I want to know everything!" Tipping my Hat to Bruno Ganz

I woke up to the news that actor Bruno Ganz had left the planet.  Bruno was the main actor in Wim Wenders' gem, Wings of Desire. Wings of Desire is a film that I saw more than twenty years ago and yet I think of it as a close friend. Every time I see a clip, a still, read a quote, or hear the music, my heart skips a beat. 

Wings of Desire is a film that stays with you and becomes a part of you. When I woke to the news that Bruno was gone, I felt like I had lost a close friend. How people that you have never met can have such a profound impact on your life. 

I will leave you with a quote from the film. If you haven't seen Wings of Desire, it's out there waiting for you to discover it... I'd love to hear your thoughts on the film and Bruno Ganz.

"When the child was a child,

It was the time for these questions:

Why am I me, and why not you?

Why am I here, and why not there?

When did time begin, and where does space end?

Is life under the sun not just a dream?

Is what I see and hear and smell not just the reflection of a world before the world?

Is there really such a thing as evil, and people who really are the Bad Guys?

How can it be that the I, who I am,

didn’t exist before I came to be,
and that, someday, the I who I am,
will no longer be who I am?" -Lied Vom Kindsein (Song of Childhood)– Peter Handke.

You may also be interested in:

My Life in Film

Just Announced: Scrap Shack Houston, Texas March 22-24th

I am OVER THE MOON to announce that I will be teaching  at the Scrap Shack outside of Houston, in Friendswood,
Texas March 22-24th 2019! I have been yearning to teach in Texas for quite some time! I will be teaching five NEW classes! I can't wait!!!

These fresh, new workshops teach a variety of NEW ideas involving collage, creative processing, self expression, composition, design, layering, painting and much, much more.

My workshops are always about inspiring creativity, generating ideas and learning how to see. The ideas can be translated into a variety of art forms. Use your art journal "as is" or for a springboard of inspiration for other art forms and living a creative life! 

Beginners to advanced are welcome in ALL of the classes.

Interested in signing up? Please contact Scrap Shack. Questions? Please email Kelly for more info! EGorey99@sbcglobal.net

The class fee includes a vast array of mediums and materials to complete  the necessary project. It is well known that I do not travel light to  any of my classes. I will be bringing such things are:

• all materials necessary to complete the project (handmade paper, decorative paper, board, glue, etc...)
• bookbinding supplies (thread, awl, needles)
• rubber stamps 
• ink pads 
• decorative tape
• stencils
• pens and markers
• gel medium
• collage ephemera and much, much more.

I do not travel light to my classes at all!

Friday, March 22nd

 

 

From Memory to Journal Pages

One of the questions that I'm often asked is do I use themes? How do I start a page? What do I create the page about? In this workshop, you will learn how to translate every day moments into unique to you art journal pages.

No experience required. Bring a short handwritten list of favorite experiences, moments and memories. You will learn how to reflect these fragments of life in the form of image, color, shapes, line and text onto your pages. Create rich and deeply personal pages that are true to your own voice while learning new techniques and ideas.

Please note that we will begin the class by making a journal from scratch. 

Supply List: a short list (see above), an apron, scissors, a small selection of favorite collage ephemera (think about reading this when choosing your images and papers), bone folder, cork back metal ruler, a full roll of paper towels OR old  rags, any favorite mark making tools (I will have some to share) a container for your paint water,  your favorite brushes to paint and glue with, a small container to clean your brushes (an old jar, etc...), a few of your favorite glue sticks (trust me when I say that large glue sticks will last you longer), roll of waxed paper OR an old catalog or magazine to glue on (if you don't want to use all of your waxed paper for this.)

Friday evening workshop

March 22nd

 

In the Studio: Developing an Art Practice

I've been teaching art for more than 20 years and making art all of my life. Some have told me that I live what David Lynch has called, "the Art Life." I'll share with you how I approach art making and how I view art and life. We'll brainstorm where ideas come from and how to keep them flowing. 

The goal in this class is to work through a series of creative exercises that will get your creativity flowing. Learn how to start (and finish) pages. Learn how to work through creative block. I truly believe that inspiration is everywhere and I've used this mentality to keep my creativity flowing. There is no secret other than to do the work. But how do you work when you feel stuck? How do you create pages that are unique to you? How do you glean ideas from the world around you and make them your own? Be prepared to get messy, be inspired and explore your own creativity on your pages.

Please note that the ideas we are exploring also translate to other art mediums and fields.

Supply List: your journal, an apron, scissors, a small selection of favorite collage ephemera (think about reading this when choosing your images and papers), bone folder, cork back metal ruler, a full roll of paper towels OR old rags, any favorite mark making tools (I will have some to share) a container for your paint water,  your favorite brushes to paint and glue with, a small container to clean your brushes (an old jar, etc...), a few of your favorite glue sticks (trust me when I say that large glue sticks will last you longer), roll of waxed paper OR an old catalog or magazine to glue on (if you don't want to use all of your waxed paper for this.)

Saturday, March 23rd

 

 

 

The Odyssey Journal 

Who said that you could only make a book using expensive supplies? This is the ultimate class in recycling and creativity! We'll turn trash into a new journal with fun fold out pages.

After we've assembled our book, we'll journey through a plethora of new techniques in painting, collage and art journaling. Think you've seen it all? Eager to get messy and learn something new?

Let's spend all day on our own unique voyage through the world of paint, paper and creative exploration. 

Supply list: catalogs with thick pages and anything with thick/heavy paper that you would want to use as a journal (think old mailers, college brochures, nice catalogs and more.  Some folks like to bring their own stash to use up. If you don't have anything, please don't worry as I will have things for you to use.

apron, scissors, a small selection of favorite collage ephemera (think about reading this when choosing your images and papers), bone folder, cork back metal ruler, a full roll of paper towels OR old rags, any favorite mark making tools (I will have some to share) a container for your paint water,  your favorite brushes to paint and glue with, a small container to clean your brushes (an old jar, etc...), a few of your favorite glue sticks (trust me when I say that large glue sticks will last you longer), roll of waxed paper OR an old catalog or magazine to glue on (if you don't want to use all of your waxed paper for this.)

Saturday evening workshop

March 23rd 

Warm-Up For Your Journal Pages 

Crack open your journal and let's get your hands moving and grooving across the pages. I'm often asked the question, how do you get started? How do you get past creative blocks? How do you keep your work fresh? How do you generate ideas?
  
If you've asked yourself any of these questions, then this is the workshop for you! 

The main goal of this workshop is to engage creative play. Explore new techniques in collage, paint, layering, mark making, journaling and more. We'll combine these techniques to create an original, one of a kind art journal pages.

Supply list: your journal, an apron, scissors, a small selection of favorite collage ephemera (think about reading this when choosing your images and papers), cork back metal ruler, a full roll of paper towels OR old rags, a container for your paint water, your favorite paint brushes,  a few of your favorite glue sticks (please trust me when I say that large glue sticks will last you longer. I always have two or three 40 gram glue sticks in my journal bag and that's more than enough for a long weekend. You WILL go through the smaller glue sticks in MINUTES), roll of waxed paper OR an old catalog or magazine to glue on (if you don't want to use all of your waxed paper for this.)

SUNDAY 

March 24th

Renewal and Reconnection: A Portfolio Journal

In this special workshop, you will create a unique and personal journal portfolio. Learn new techniques in: layering, collage, painting, mark making and more. Create rich pages along with a colorful portfolio (additional  ideas for bookbinding and more will be discussed and available if you would rather turn your portfolio into a bound journal.)

This class has been months in the making and I am very eager to share it with you.

Supply list: brayer (if you have one) and/or credit card or something to scrape and spread paint, an apron, scissors, a small selection of favorite collage ephemera (think about reading this when choosing your images and papers), cork back metal ruler, a full roll of paper towels OR old rags, a container for your paint water, your favorite paint brushes,  a few of your favorite glue sticks (please trust me when I say that large glue sticks will last you longer. I always have two or three 40 gram glue sticks in my journal bag and that's more than enough for a long weekend. You WILL go through the smaller glue sticks in MINUTES), roll of waxed paper OR an old catalog or magazine to glue on (if you don't want to use all of your waxed paper for this.)

I hope to see YOU there!