JiRaF Studio, LLC: The Blog

Friday, April 26, 2013

Quick Note From the SAQA Conference

I am having so much fun and am learning so much! Already have ideas to publish a book and do better with blogging, etc. Sitting outside in the sunshine waiting for luncheon to start. Sun-warmed pine needles...best scent ever. Later, taking attendees to Capitol Rotunda Gallery to see New Mexico: Unfolded show. Told Jean Wells that her work was my inspiration.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

ATCs and Baby Thighs

The fabulous Dina Wakley has a theory about art (and other things): If you don't like it, you might like it smaller.

I needed to make at least 25 artist trading cards (ATCs) in a hurry for the Studio Art Quilt Associates' annual conference, which starts this week. (Not that I'm excited or anything.) I took an 18" by 18" piece of heavyweight interfacing, fused a bunch of fabric pieces to it (many of them left over from a class with the fabulous Laura Wasilowski), then cut them 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. Then I stamped my website's URL on the back with StazOn ink. Voila!

Here's how it looked before:

And a sampling of the ATCs:

See? Hot mess to adorable. Works every time.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

My Google Reader Replacement

Google has announced that as of July 1, 2013, Google Reader will go away.

I read a lot of blogs. Admittedly, most of them are artists' blogs, so they're often photo-heavy and text-light. Google Reader has made it simple to keep up with them.

So I have to find a replacement, right? First I tried Feedly. It was interesting, but its structure was so different from Google Reader that I couldn't get used to it.

Finally I settled on netvibes: http://www.netvibes.com I like the structure. My list of blogs disappeared at one point, but if you hover on the left margin of your screen, you'll see an arrow >. Click on that, and the list comes back.

Whew! One less thing to worry about. (A little thing, but still.)

New Page: Visiting Santa Fe

I've added a new page (above, right) called "Visiting Santa Fe." Next week the Studio Art Quilt Associates annual conference will be here, and I thought I'd create a resource for visitors.

Please click and enjoy!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Your Perspective is Your Reality

Last night I was on the phone with Verizon asking for help. All of a sudden the clock on my new-ish cell phone was using military time--i.e., 20:23 instead of 8:23 p.m. I hadn't asked it to. I told the nice woman at Verizon that I hadn't changed it, but I had gone through three time zones last week.

She helped me to reset my phone, and in the process I realized I HAD changed it: I'd seen a menu that read:
Digital 12
Large Digital 12
Digital 24
Large Digital 24

...and I chose Large Digital 24 because I wanted the time to be displayed in 24-POINT TYPE. Of course, it really meant 24 HOURS.

Hey, I'm a graphic designer. I see everything (well, almost) through the lens of design.

Sometimes I have to stop and think: What does this REALLY mean?

(I've been doing that a lot lately. And--trust me--not one moment too soon.)

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Art Journaling 101 Workshop Photos

On February 24 I had eight fabulous artists at my house for a workshop, Art Journaling 101. The experience ranged from never having worked in an art journal to having made many for several years. What a great group! I was so inspired just watching them.

The calm before the storm: Tables set up and ready for action.

Each person received a Strathmore Visual Journal (Mixed-Media type). I also laid out supplies at each place so they could hit the ground running.

The rubber stamp station.

Artists in action!

Spreading paint with a stiff card (credit card, key card, gift card, etc.).

Photo: Mary Ann Stoddard

Journaling with a gel pen.

Blowing paint with a straw to create splatters.

You can make stamps with bits of sticky fun foam on a wood block.
The print won't be perfect, but it will be interesting.

Photo: Mary Ann Stoddard

Some of the attendees brought their own papers, like this suminigashi.

Gail adds washi tape to a page with acrylic paint and Staz-On stamping.

Lonnie, Linda, Gail, and Margaret

Helen, Joan, Roberta, and Mary Ann

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Art Journaling 101

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Alive in the World

On Tuesday night I had the great good fortune to attend Jackson Browne's performance in Albuquerque with a new friend. There were two songs I hoped he'd sing: "Sky Blue and Black" (which he did--great arrangement) and "Alive in the World" (which he did not, alas; but he and his band performed a lot of other great stuff).

Because this is Valentine's Day, and I am feeling hopeful and happy, here are the lyrics to "Alive in the World."

CJB, about ages 16 and 64.

I want to live in the world
Not inside my head
I want to live in the world
I want to stand and be counted

With the hopeful and the willing
With the open and the strong
With the voices in the darkness
Fashioning daylight out of song
And the millions of lovers
Alive in the world

I want to live in the world
Not behind some wall
I want to live in the world
Where I will hear if another voice should call

To the prisoner inside me
To the captor of my doubt
Who among his fantasies
Harbors the dream of breaking out
And taking his chances
Alive in the world

To open my eyes
And wake up alive in the world
To open my eyes
And finally arrive in the world

With its beauty and its cruelty
With its heartbreak and its joy
With it constantly giving birth to life
And to forces that destroy
And the infinite power of change
Alive in the world

To open my eyes
And wake up alive in the world
To open my eyes
And finally arrive in the world
To open my eyes
And wake up alive in the world
To open my eyes
And finally arrive in the world

Friday, February 1, 2013

Save the Date: New Mexico: Unfolding Artists' Reception

“Adobe Shadow Dance” by Michelle Jackson of Albuquerque is one of the fiber art pieces in “New Mexico: Unfolding,” an exhibit at the Capitol Rotunda Gallery from April 12 through August 16.

“New Mexico: Unfolding,” an exhibit of contemporary mixed-media fiber art, will be at the New Mexico Capitol Rotunda Gallery in Santa Fe from Friday, April 12, through Friday, August 16, 2013. All of the artists are members of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA), an international, nonprofit organization. The fiber artists used a wide range of materials and techniques (including unusual fabric, paint, and beads) to express their relationship to the state they call “home.” The art quilts feature landscapes, plants, architecture, animals (living and extinct), insects, and birds. Some are abstract, while othrs deal with historical, cultural, and familial themes.

The exhibit will open with a public reception on Friday, April 12, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm; everyone is welcome to attend. Thereafter the gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Attendance is free for both the reception and the exhibit.

New Mexico’s State Capitol building is at the northwest corner of Paseo de Peralta and Old Santa Fe Trail. For more information call (505) 986-4589, or visit www.nmcapitolart.org/default.aspx. Studio Art Quilt Associates’ mission is to promote the art quilt through education, exhibitions, professional development, documentation, and publications. For more information visit www.saqa.com.

Yet Another Olde Curiosity Shoppe Album

I had some paper left over from the previous project using Graphic 45's Olde Curiosity Shoppe paper collection, so I created another book (mini-album). It's 6 inches wide by 8 inches high and is bound with brass-colored wire-O. It has stiff cardboard covers, 13 sheets of double-sided cardstock, and 12 sheets of cream-colored paper for jouraling. Four pockets contain 4x6 inch photo mats, and there are 13 additional tags and frames.

Front Cover

First Four Spreads, Including Inside Front Cover

Second Four Spreads

Third Four Spreads

Fourth Four Spreads

Fifth Four Spreads

Sixth Four Spreads

Last Two Spreads, Including Inside Back Cover

Back Cover

Separate Tags and Frames, Ready to be Put Into Album

I'll put this in my Etsy Shop.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Olde Curiosity Shoppe Book: Part 2

(Click here to see Part 1.)

I figure that the ladies--in addition to bathing, exercising, and being subjected to who-knows-what potions--would have a bit of time for pursuits like watercolor painting. On the left is a view of the river that they'd paint. In the pocket on the right are a two tags and a Gandhi quote about learning:

The tags include an artistic lady and a pan of watercolors:

The back of the tags (with a vintage dictionary page):

Now our ladies might go boating on the river and see butterflies. I fussy-cut the pocket on the right around the butterflies, and the pocket holds three tags:

Flora and fauna the ladies might see from their boat or on shore:

Perhaps they'd go out for a bicycle ride across the bridge. Tim Holtz stickers on the right. Oh, and the gold photo corners? Those cover up a mistake!

Another Gandhi quote.

Back of tag.

The last spread features the beautiful underside of the bridge. On the right is a "belly band" and stopper with a tag inside.

One side of the tag is a vintage playing card (I think--another TH item):

And on the other side is a photo of my grandmother. I think the location she's in could be construed as part of our fictional health spa.

Here's the back. I didn't know where to put the colophon, so I stamped a pair of eyeglasses and put my info in the lenses.

So that's it! Thanks to Clare Charvill for all the inspiration!

Pages

Friday, April 26, 2013

Quick Note From the SAQA Conference

Sunday, April 21, 2013

ATCs and Baby Thighs

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

My Google Reader Replacement

New Page: Visiting Santa Fe

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Your Perspective is Your Reality

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Art Journaling 101 Workshop Photos

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Art Journaling 101

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Alive in the World

Friday, February 1, 2013

Save the Date: New Mexico: Unfolding Artists' Reception

Yet Another Olde Curiosity Shoppe Album

Friday, January 25, 2013

Olde Curiosity Shoppe Book: Part 2

Julie R. Filatoff

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Friday, April 26, 2013

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Friday, February 1, 2013

Friday, January 25, 2013

Julie R. Filatoff

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