Written on November 23, 2010 at 2:30 am, by Helen
My watercolor painting, Bluebirds Love Sumac, was painted in celebration of the fall sumac and the restoration of bluebird habitat. I’m delighted the painting was chosen for the cover of the 2011 Dane County Cultural Commission Calendar.
Categories: Fablous Artists, Fabulous Artists, Fiber arts. Fabric design, Fundraising, Spoonflower, This and That, Uncategorized, Watercolor
Written on November 14, 2010 at 5:41 am, by Helen
I have been asked several times lately to direct people toward the tutorial I created earlier in the year to show how I use digital images of my watercolor paintings to create fabric designs that can be printed using the online print-on-demand site Spoonflower.com. I decided to share it here again this week to make it easy to find.
Categories: Spoonflower, This and That
Written on October 24, 2010 at 5:53 pm, by Helen
I spent a rousing evening with the Arts Matters folks discussing the difference between using social media for ‘marketing’ your art and using it to build creative community (I’m an advocate for the latter).
Categories: Artist Resources, Biographical, Career Development, Promotional Materials, Teaching Art and Creativity, This and That, Uncategorized, Women Artists
Written on October 10, 2010 at 5:43 pm, by Helen
The only way to properly mourn a person like Rae Atira-Soncea is to organize opportunities to recognize her creative work and to bring people together to figure out how to put their creative thinking into action. There were many ways people knew Rae personally and professionally, and all of them reflected an acknowledgment of her fierce commitment to positive social change through community building and creative actions that acknowledge the integrity and potential of all individuals.
Categories: Activist Art, Diversity, Fabulous Artists, Feminist art, Inspiration, Teaching Art and Creativity, This and That, Women Artists
Written on September 8, 2010 at 4:19 am, by Helen
Listed are artist residencies in Wisconsin, the US, and abroad, as well as some key major grants, exchange programs and exhibition opportunities for artists. This post also includes a discussion of moving through the paralysis of inaction toward our goals as artists.
Categories: Art Residencies, Artist Resources, Career Development, This and That, Uncategorized
Written on August 24, 2010 at 3:04 am, by Helen
The Feminist Art Movement profoundly influenced contemporary art practices. It introduced feminist content and gender issues; nonhierarchical uses of materials and techniques; and the idea of a multiple-voiced, fluid subject. The women’s art movement has championed the idea that gender is socially and not naturally constructed; validated non-“high art” forms such as craft, video and performance art; questioned the cult of “genius” and “greatness;” and placed an emphasis on pluralist variety rather than concepts of totalizing universalism.
Categories: Artist Resources, Diversity, Feminist art, This and That, Uncategorized, Women Artists
Written on August 16, 2010 at 9:47 pm, by Helen
I’m a firm believer in using several kinds of art cards as visual reminders of my artwork with my contact information attached to get my art out in the world. Sometimes it takes a while for people to be in a position to purchase a piece and I want to make it easy to find me when the time comes. I’ll talk about the many kinds of art cards and their uses.
Categories: Artist Resources, Biographical, Career Development, Charity, Fundraising, Promotional Materials, This and That, Uncategorized
Written on August 10, 2010 at 10:35 am, by Helen
Its wonderful to see students new to art learn that “creating art makes you more aware” of all there is to see and to come to understand that one of the major jobs an artist does is to notice and document this amazing world so others can see it too.
Categories: Artist Resources, Biographical, Career Development, Inspiration, Teaching Art and Creativity, This and That, Workshops and Classes
Written on July 25, 2010 at 4:16 am, by Helen
We are focusing on art making as a way to think and draw upon what we already know about what we need to survive and prosper as artists and as balanced human beings.
Categories: Artist Resources, Biographical, Career Development, Inspiration, Teaching Art and Creativity, This and That, Uncategorized, Workshops and Classes
Written on July 9, 2010 at 2:17 am, by Helen
You might think its talent or education that is required to make art, and while both are foundational repeatedly you will hear artists talking about acquiring three things, 1) adequate time, 2) adequate space, and 3) adequate money.
Categories: Artist Resources, Biographical, Career Development, Inspiration, Teaching Art and Creativity, This and That, Uncategorized