A Host of Workshops: Retrospective

Marilyn's "Between Kisses" AB Spread (Collage Cafe 1.21.12)

Here are photos and links to more photos (click on the captions) to Express Yourself! Workshops and Collage Cafes that I've held over the past few months. An assortment of women and men from the Bay Area keep proving to me how rejuvenating it is for the average human being to create something artful! Making art is a way one can be brave and take risks in expressing oneself without having to think too much about it. This is especially true I find with altering books: accomplished artists can renew and expand their creative spirit, and so-called "non-artists" can easily discover their creative side with the added benefit of the pleasure of seeing something that only they could have created. Marilyn (above) came to a collage Cafe and had this to say about it:

"Thank you so much for the collage cafe and more! t was so nice meeting you and your wonderful studio, jewelry, journals and inspiration! I did 3 more pages when I got home! I lovelovelove them... I can see the growth already. Again, thanks for all the fun and inspiration!"

Janet's Back Pocket AB Spread (Express Yourself! 2.3.12)

Janet's work was a great example of an artist trained in a specific area (mono print) who desires to experiment in another medium. Her use of color and choice of images is bold and experimental. Janet said this about the workshop:

"I had a wonderful time at Virginia's Introductory class. What fun to play with all those art materials and to start to transform a regular book into something so rich and original. I've wanted to learn to do "altered books" for some time and when I first met Virginia and saw one of her books, I knew she was the one I wanted to learn from. And I loved working in her studio. Everything you need is there. I look forward to going to her "Cafe's' and learning and playing some more in my book! Thanks Virginia!"

Express Yourself! at Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA (1.28.12)

My Book Passage Express Yourself! workshop in January was a lot of fun for me and the participants. Attendees ranged from "I've never done any art" to people who had attended art school. A fun note were two women friends who each brought a teenage granddaughter. Here's what Leslie (she created the above spread) said about the experience:

"I attended your Altered Books Workshop in Corte Madera, along with my granddaughter, sister-in-law and her granddaughter. We all had a wonderful experience and hope to continue altering books (and maybe our lives). Thanks again for sharing your talent with all of us. Each of us came away inspired to explore and develop our own artistic abilities."

The Collage Cafe: Money, Christmas Cards, and Color!

Barry's "Nuministic Magnetism" Altered Book Spread

The Collage Cafe I held Saturday, January 14th was humming bed of altered book activity. Barry worked on his "Money and Success" altered book, using rubbings of collectible coins he brought with him, images cut out from a "numismatist" magazine (for coin collectors). I love the colors he chose and how he used a rubber stamp I had (which has four sides and features Roman and Greek coins) to make a frame around the image of Gable (now what stronger male image could one use to attract wealth, may I ask you?)

Judy's Christmas Greeting Card Altered Book

Judy wanted a way to save and present the Christmas cards she received this year, so I showed her how she could tie them or glue them into an altered book. She went to town with that idea, and used tissue paper and matt medium to make the cover. I love how all of the cards are tied in with recycled sari ribbons and form a colorful embellishment on the spine of the book.

Ingrid's "Garden of Eden" AB Spread

Ingrid continued on with an AB she passes to and from her mum in England. I showed her the credit card/acrylic technique of spreading paint on your pages, and she went to town and created an explosive, garden-of-Eden like spread, embellished with recycled banana fiber yarn and gold butterfly stickers.

And here's what they said about their experience:

"Being at Virginia's workshop is like being a kid again and developing your creative side, just playing around with crayons, colors, pencils and lots of glitter.  It is like being in kindergarten for grownups!!  It is a no-pressure, relaxing, fun experience!" -- Barry

"There is something so wonderful, nurturing, soothing, creative and healing going to Virginia's Collage Cafe at her studio in Hamilton Art Center in Novato.  Virginia is an excellent teacher, as she guides you and introduces some amazing ideas.  It is a chance to use a different part of yourself, that you can then access other times in your life.  I am learning to more and more trust my creative instincts that are awakened in the class.  I always come away with a beautiful outcome, lots of things happen unexpectedly, and it is a total joy to spend time with Virginia at her beautiful studio." -- Judy

For more information or to register for an Express Yourself! workshop or Collage Cafe gathering -- go to my website Kentucky Girl Designs. More photos of what people do in my workshops here.
 

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The Collage Cafe -- October's Photos and November Date

Daniel Doing Some Serious Stamping

The Next Collage Cafe is Saturday, November 19th, 2-5pm!

I've had two Collage Cafes this month, and really, I have so much fun at them that in the New Year I am going to offer them 3 times a month! I am there in the studio most Saturdays anyway -- so I can't really think of a more pleasurable time than to spend it in the creative company of others! At the Collage Cafes, people bring projects they are working on or want to get started on, and I supply the tools, supplies, and gentle guidance.

Ingrid's Gift Box for Doree

Daniel and Ingrid have come to several of my Collage Cafes and Express Yourself! workshops. Ingrid is a certified Pilates Master Instructor and Daniel is a gaming designer. Both seem to enjoy exploring the mysteries of creative self-expression and literally throw themselves into the process. Daniel is like this whirling dervish -- give him a prompt and he's totally off in a different direction that I can only call WILD-ly CREATIVE -- it is thrilling to watch. Ingrid has gone past her initial doubt of her ability to create beautiful pages and objects filled with feeling.

Daniel's Transformation of a Board Book on Love and Romance

Altered Art: Me Jane Scrabble Board

Me Jane, You Tarzen
(collage piece work-in-progress)

I never know what I'm going to create during my Collage Cafe while my students are busy working on their books. I definitely am inspired by their juice and excitement. During Sunday's Collage Cafe, I was cleaning up around one of the work stations in my art studio and grabbed one of several vintage Scrabble boards I had bought a few years ago. I had just taught the background technique of spreading acrylics with a credit card, so I used that on the board after gessoing it. Flowers printed on vellum paper, magazine images, cut out butterflies, and a Tarzan oblivious to Jane right behind him. It's still a work in progress -- I may add some text to it. Or not!

The Collage Cafe -- Downsized!

Collage Cafe "Downsized"

I only had two registrants for my January Collage Cafe. I could have been very bummed out with my desultory January workshop attendance levels -- it seemed like almost everyone contacted couldn't make the scheduled dates. I had to keep telling myself that everything has a rhythm. As it turned out I had two people who did want to come, so I asked if they would come to my home studio in Novato. They did, and it was wonderful -- we had a grand, creative time! The altered book process continues to delight me, and I am fascinated and intrigued as to what emerges from each participant. France, who has attended some of my previous Collage Cafes, worked again in her large format Edward Curtis book -- transforming it into a separate work of art concerning the Polynesian Rice Gods.

France's Rice Gods and Sioux Horses AB Spread

Brooke -- a collagist -- but new to altered books -- worked in a large format Time-Life volume (I believe from the History of Civilizations series) that she had brought with her. She was quite architectural in her cutting and slicing of the pages, creating multiple layers in multiple spreads.

The Making of Brooke's Red Bowl AB Spread

Loved it! And I enjoyed the intimacy of working closely in my home studio with fellow artists.

Collage Cafe on December 18th

Sophie's Altered Book Spread: "Get Inspired"

I held another Collage Cafe at Stage Dor yesterday. Gray skies and a wild, windy rain didn't seem to faze the four of us. My intention for these workshops is to provide a space where people can come and discover, indulge, revel in their desire to create. They can learn collage and altered book techniques, or bring projects they are working on. I provide the materials, tools, supplies, and coaching. Sophie, aka Indigo Muse, showered her color magic over her pages and the rest of the room (above) .

France V.'s AB Spread: The Rice Gods

France V. was a welcome return participant from San Francisco, and wowed us with her monochromatic pages and painterly skills.

Doree's AB Spread: Do You Believe

Doree, Dance Teacher Extraordinaire, joyfully filled her current altered book's pages with the people and animals that she loves.

A good time well spent during the holiday season! To see more photos go here.

Collage Cafe on November 13th

Barry's Show and Tell

Playing workshop catch up! The photos here are from the Collage Cafe workshop I held at Stage Dor on November 13th (my apologies for there poor quality). One of my altered book students brought her husband to participate. In spite of Barry's initial misgivings ("I'm not creative", "I'm a klutz when it comes to art"...etc.), he soon got into the swing of things and later told me he had a surprisingly fun time. After Barry completed his spread and looked it over, he realized what the images were referring to a pivotal moment in his life, and shared this with us at the session's closing show and tell.

Judy's Pocket Spread

I always find it interesting the variations on my exercises that people come up with. Such is the creative process! I showed people in this workshop a simple pocket construction. Passing by Barry's wife, Judy, I saw that she had placed a beautiful woman in an evening gown under her pocket. She hadn't glued it down yet and I said wouldn't it be great if you could bring her train around the front of the pocket. She figured out how to do this and her spread became a striking creation.

Judy's Completed Spread

The Collage Cafe October 17th Workshop

My next Collage Cafe workshop will be held Sunday, October 17th, 11:00am-1:00pm at Stage Dor in Sausalito (CA). Come explore your creativity through the medium of collage and altered books -- you'll be surprised at what comes out of you! If you are a "newbie", just bring any personal paper ephemera you have lying around the house. If you've been to one of my workshops, bring the altered book you are working on. Otherwise everything else will be supplied.

Oh, wine (mimosas?) and snacks will be served! $35.

Photos from the September Collage Cafe can be seen here.

The Collage Cafe: Surprising Developments!

Ingrid S.'s Spread

Catherine L.'s Spread

The Collage Cafe at Stage Dor

Well, I was surprised -- right from the start! I only had 4 people register for the Cafe. Then 3 more committed 2 hours before the Cafe. So in setting up the room, I allowed for a few extra. I ran out to buy some more used books for people to select from. At 2:35pm there were 11 participants! There an incredible amount of activity, excitement, and motion; a few creative freak outs and breakthroughs; and much laughter. Once again it was a joy and surprise for me to see what people ended up creating amidst the chaotic mess of paper arts. Every person's style is different and reflects their inner and outer processes -- habits, likes, dislikes, emotional states, curiosity, and joy. Photos are from the workshop and for a complete viewing go here. We had so much fun that we decided to hold a Collage Cafe every month! The next one is scheduled for Saturday, October 16!

France's Spread

Gail's Spread

Judy E's Spread

Doree C.'s Graffiti Spread

Ingrid L.'s Spread

Bonnie N.'s Spread

Sasha's Spread

For more photos from this workshop go here...

Announcing the Collage Cafe in Sausalito, CA