Have you heard of artist Margo Hoff? This is her bio from the David Cook Galleries website: A prolific artist, Margo Hoff's exquisite style evolved throughout her career yet was always rooted in the events, people, and places in her life. The human experience was her sole focus, expressed through her eyes alone. Born in 1910 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Hoff began creating white, clay animals at a young age, giving them to her friends and family. At eleven she contracted typhoid fever and was bedridden for a summer. During her convalescence, she drew and made cutouts, and it was during... Continue reading

I surprised myself with how much I learned by reading and doing the exercises in Gerald Brommer's book, Collage Techniques. It felt a little bit dry and academic at first (and it is), but once I started trying out the exercises (which didn't look that interesting to me at first), I really got into it. Here's a replay of June's Book Club meeting all about this fine book: Here are a few of the things I made based on the book & shared during the Book Club meeting: I experimented with materials, adhesion methods, styles, and much more. It really... Continue reading

My Brother and his family are coming for a visit in June. I wanted to make his son and my son matching "cousin crew" t-shirts. However, when you order 100% cotton toddler tees, they come in multi-packs. So my little project became a big project and now they each get a wardrobe of brand new colorful t-shirts! (The boys are two different sizes, so they each get six t-shirts.) I ice dyed the t-shirts. (Read this post from 2020 about the process.) And I experimented with a number of different wrapping, folding, and tying techniques. Take a peek: I love... Continue reading

I've been wanting to try out an art subscription box for a while. In my scrapbooking days, I loooooved kit clubs. So, I did some research and settled on ScrawlrBox. It's a UK-based art supply box. Because it's UK-based, there are art supplies in it from brands that are less common in the USA. I purchased a 12-month subscription and figured I'd really know after a year whether it was a good or bad fit. Because I'm in the US, my May box arrived in June. Here are the contents: I go into great detail about everything in the box... Continue reading

May's "Year of Gelatin Printing" workshop was all about stenciling (using a stencil and making your own). So, I thought I'd share a quick and easy gelatin printing technique with you today (the video is about one minute long): How you print the stencil when using a gelatin plate (Gelli Plate, Gel Press Plate) makes a big difference. You may love one kind of print and hate the other. Or you may like both of them, but want to use each at different times. This stencil is called "Circle Jumble" and I'm using Liquitex Basics acrylic paint. Here's the comparison:... Continue reading

This sentiment is a cornerstone of my art practice. When I don't feel inspired (which is often), I make collage papers, do research, test out new-to-me products, scribble in my sketchbook, make Art Parts...and often inspiration hits me while I'm busy working. Inspiration feels a little bit like luck. You know the old saying? "You make your own luck." Luck is not a guarantee, just like inspiration. You have to work hard so that you're ready for it when it comes. This is how I developed my "Art Parts" theory. I make mindless parts for my art (backgrounds, embellishment clusters,... Continue reading