In ben er weer klaar voor en heb er helemaal zin in: Het workshop-seizoen is begonnen!

Ik bied de komende weken drie creatieve workshops aan en heb daarvoor een aantal data beschikbaar waarop je die workshops zou kunnen volgen. Om een beetje leuke groepen samen te stellen (er geldt een minimum van 4 en een maximum van 7 deelnemers voor deze live-workshops) heb ik een formulier op mijn website gezet, waarop je je voorkeur voor één (of meer) workshops en data op kunt geven. Aan de hand van de teruggezonden formulieren kijk ik of er genoeg belangstelling is en leg dan voor elke workshop een datum vast.

Voor alle workshops geldt:

• De workshop ruimte bevindt zich in het centrum van Middelburg, Simpelhuisstraat 7
  (± 10 minuten lopen van het NS station.)
• De workshop duurt van 10 tot 5 uur. (Inloop vanaf half 10)
• De workshop is inclusief materialen, koffie, thee, frisdrank en een uitgebreide, geheel verzorgde lunch in Cafe De Vriendschap (op loopafstand.)
• Er is plaats voor maximaal 7 mensen.

Hier alvast wat korte informatie over de diverse workshops.

Boekbinden & Lettertekenen €65.00

In deze workshop leer je een speciale, creatieve techniek om een boek in te binden. Omdat je daarbij ook de kaft op je eigen manier bewerkt en van een titel voorziet, heb je aan het eind van de dag een uniek product in handen. JOUW boek!

Art Journal technieken €65.00

Basis-achtergronden maken m.b.v. mixed media technieken (gelli-monoprinten & werken met spray inkt) en het gebruik van ‘gevonden teksten’ in een ‘found poetry’ collage. Je werkt tenminste één achtergrond-pagina uit tot een volwaardige art journal pagina.

Altered Art Journal €65.00

In deze workshop gaan we aan de slag met het ‘alteren’ van een oud, bestaand boek tot een persoonlijke art journal. (‘To alter’ = herscheppen, veranderen, vermaken.) Ik laat je zien op welke manieren je een bestaand boek helemaal ‘eigen’ kunt maken.

Meer informatie over deze workshops vind je in de shop op de website.

Zin in één (of meerdere) van deze workshops; vul dan nu het formulier in.
Je kunt je voorkeur opgeven t/m 12 februari.

Visiting such a big supply fair means that it is impractible to keep
your money in your pocket. I did not really need supplies so I’m
proud to say that I managed to keep my findings to a minimum –
but still there can be done a lot with those ‘minimums’ – take a look.

These cards arose from experimenting with my new material:
4 bottles of Dylusian spray ink, 4 templates and a few new washi tapes.

I had fun trying the ghosting technique using the templates and ink.
I worked on a large sheet of paper and used every ink colour and template.
Later, I cut the sheet to make cards. I added some pieces of washi tape to each
card and stamped white acrylic paint – using bubble wrap plastic – for texture
and contrast. The circles are stamped with Versamark ink and embossed with
black embossing powder. The black has a shine to it and I love the result!

I also used my new ‘toys’ for my weekly art journal spread.

The Chronicles of Marit 2012 – Week 44

This spread has that typical ‘Julie Balzer-look’ to it. That will not come
as a surprise when you know two of the templates I bought are designed
by Julie. To ‘get to know the stuff’ I experimented with the usual
techniques that are used with templates and ink.
The figure with the circles is inspired by a Dina Wakely stamp
I sketched the figure onto dictionary paper and cut the silhouette.
The circles are stamped and embossed like on the cards.

So, this is not a real ‘Marit Page’, but I had fun making it and getting the
feel of what is possible with this ink and templates. I hope to use the ink
in a more ‘me-way’ eventually.

Before I leave you to your own business, there’s one more thing I want
to point out to you.

As you all know, one week ago hurricane Sandy battered New York City.
Seth Apter – a friend and artist living in New York – decided to auction off
a copy of his book (signed by 30 of the artists in it) along with original art
to benefit the victims of Sandy.

100% of the proceeds will benefit The Mayors Fund to Advance
New York City. Visit The Altered Page to learn more about the auction.

..

The upcoming weeks are going to be busy so I don’t know if I will have
much time to play in my journals. The team and I are working real hard
on the next issue of FEATURING (#1 and #2 can still be purchased here)
and I can hardly keep my mouth shut about some things that will be
in there… I better go now before I spoil the surprise!
I wish you all a beautiful week.
Go spray some ink and love around!

After all the excitement about the release of FEATURING magazine
I spend the weekend with my mom at the poetry festival in Landgraaf.
It was nice to be away from the computer, talk with my mom and the
other poets (I know most of them from former meetings), take a long
walk in the Limburg hills and listen to poetry.

Being away for the weekend means that I didn’t manage to finish my
weekly page in the Chronicles (I hope to work on it this afternoon)
but I have something else to show… ’cause I’ve been working on some
small ‘ in between works’ and I haven’t showed you those pieces yet.

This is the birthday card I sent to my friend Lena a week ago
(of course I also sent her a present along with this card.)
I don’t do these kind of collages and bright-coloured pages much
lately and it was fun to just fiddle around, choose happy colours
and doodle a bit.

Materials used: scrapbooking (patterned) paper, border and image
of young birds cut out of a magazine, doodling with puffy paint
and black & white sharpies.

I also worked on another ‘Letter from the Wasteland.’
I find working on these letters is almost like meditating (not that I meditate,
but I presume it comes with the same feeling of ‘being in the moment’ with
nothing else on your mind.)

Letters from the Wasteland – 5th letter

(Size: 16 x 11 cm - 6.3 x 4.3 inch.)
Materials used: gesso, acrylic paint, 'template' sequin waste,
washi tape, left over paperscraps, strips (text) from a fairytale book.

I hope to have some more free time this week to get my hands dirty
with paint and ink in between tweeting and ‘facebooking.’ FEATURING
magazine daily presents sneak peeks on facebook of the articles in the
debut issue and we tweet about it a few times a day. We don’t think it
will make it to ‘trending topic’ – but nothing wrong with trying is there?!

While typing this blogpost, I hear the mailman coming and my
beloved’s voice from downstairs: ‘Marit, did you expect a package
coming in from Lena?’

..huh?…

Well, that is an unexpected and nice surprise!
Look at this…

My dear friend sends me this to congratulate me with the magazine!
The book has 25 gorgeous templates and I decide right here, right now
to DEFINITELY get CREATIVE today!

Sorry guys, I won’t visit your blogs this afternoon –
I’m off to spray some ink around!

THANK YOU LENA!!!
You made my day!