Cities I Love: London Oriel Pendants

 Here's a group of Itsy Bitsy Oriel Pendants that I made as a custom. I enjoyed doing them so much that I plan to do a foreign city/country series. London is so cosmopolitan -- where else other than NYC can you here 12-20 different languages being spoken on the street? It is a curious mix of history, mod-sixties, hip youth, and pop idols.

These are all icons of London -- I'd say my it's my favorite city in the world (English as the primary language). These tiny snapshots (1"-square) will fondly remind me of another place, another time, distant memories....they can also serve as a visualization of a place where I want to go back to visit!

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

Express Yourself! Workshop October 23rd

Once Around Craft Store

I am excited to announce that I will be holding my Express Yourself! collage and altered book workshop at Once Around in Mill Valley (CA). A friend told me to check out this new craft store, which I did (always looking for new supplies) -- and I was delighted with its colorful interior and the substance and quality of the art and craft supplies it offers. Moreover, the owner was looking for instructors and jumped on the idea of a collage and altered book workshop. So I will be teaching my beginner's level Express Yourself! workshop on Saturday, October 23rd, 12:30-2:30pm!

Class Description:
“If you've been itching to create something beautiful, or looking for the magic to achieve that, here's the perfect opportunity to explore your creative self. Through the magical medium of altered books and journals, you will learn how through collage and simple art techniques (I mean simple: cut, tear, paste, color!) to transform a used book into your own work of art. Prepare to be surprised at what will emerge! Materials fee covers your own book to alter, and all art materials. If you would like to make your book even more personal, bring any personal ephemera may have lying around your home (you know, the paper stuff we collect everyday -- mementos, old photos, greeting cards, magazine images). Artist, dancer, teacher Virginia Simpson-Magruder will guide us through the creative process with her own special brand of magic. $30 plus $5 materials fee.

Once Around's Classroom

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.