Cath Sheard Art

Tag: art journaling

  • Music of my life

    I have music on most of the time – at home, in my car, in my office… music keeps my brain busy so that I can concentrate on whatever I’m doing. I know that sounds odd – but it’s common with addicts, including food addicts like myself.

    I listen to a wide range of music from opera to rock and hip hop. Favourites include HIM, Queen, P!nk, Meatloaf, Kiss and Nickelback. I often record the lyrics in my art journals. Why? Because my journals are about the things in my life and in my head – and music is a big part of that.

    Dylusions – Paint: After midnight, Calypso teal, Mushy peas. Stencils: Diamonds in the rough, Shutters, Squares. Stamps: Dy’s alphabet. Other – Pitt big brush pen, Ranger collage medium, Distress black soot ink, black Archival ink, white gel pen.

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  • Art classes in Greymouth went well

    I taught an art journal class on Thursday night and a gelli print class on Saturday in Greymouth, through Left Bank Art Gallery. The classes were held at CoRe, a fantastic community facility run by Cassandra Struve, one of those people who has so much passion for community development and can see the possibilities then act on them.

    Some of the people who attended didn’t want to be photographed, which is fine, so these photos are entirely representative. People seemed to get a lot out of it and enjoy the processes. I had brunch with Penny Kirk yesterday and spotted a women who had attended the gelli class. I said hi and she told me she’s already turning her gelli prints into cards and will be buying her own gelli plate.

    I’m already talking with Cassandra about running more classes in the new year, taking people to the next level with art journals and printing. As I said to Tony this morning, it’s funny that when you travel away you quite often get more support than at home. Perhaps when you’re local people assume you don’t have much to offer, or figure they can catch you any time?

    Here’s a few photos of the classes and what people created. Enjoy!

  • For the love of HIM

    Some songs & bands are my ‘go to’ when I’m in my office working, or at home creating. HIM is one of those; I love Ville Valo’s gravely voice and the band’s dark lyrics speak to me. Sadly, they went their separate ways a couple of years ago.

    I enjoy recording the music I love in my art journals and, for anyone that cares enough to read it, the lyrics tell you a lot about me and what goes in on my head.

    As an aside, Ville has joined with Finnish band The Agents and they released a single late last year. I just tracked it down and I’m horrified; it’s in Finnish so I can’t understand the words but it sounds like Abba! I was hoping for more dark music that would speak to me, but no…

    Dylusions — small journal. Paint: Mushy peas, Laidback lilac, Rose quartz. Stencils: Squares, Star struck, Spring flowers. Stamps: Dy’s alphabet. Other – Stamps: Tim Holtz Tall Text, Distress ink, white gel pen, Pitt Big Brush Marker, Distress collage medium.

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  • Add to your toolbox

    Every week I do a couple of challenges. This week’s was to use watercolours and dashes, in combination with a Mother Theresa quote. As I usually do, I showed Tony the finished page and asked what he thought. “Hmm, it’s not really you.” 

    Yes! The challenge was a success because it got me using a medium I don’t normally – watercolor – and some mark making that felt unfamiliar. I have a set of marks that are “mine” and dashes are not part of my normal repertoire.

    I like see the hand of the artist in my work, and have my own style even when influenced by amazing artists such as Tim Holtz and Dyan Reaveley. But that doesn’t mean I can’t learn new skills, try new things, and add to my toolbox.  I’m grateful to artists like Theresa Miers who give their time and talent to inspire and encourage other artists.

     This week I used Pebeo watercolours, Dylusions black paint, Nuvo Mousse in copper, Tim Holtz dashes stencil, Dylusions heart mask and Distress ink to edge the quote.

     

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  • Signs

    Sometimes my journal pages are obviously about a particular thing, other times I’m not sure where the words have come from – maybe a song, a conversation I overheard, part of a dream. I am not sure where this came from; possibly a conversation I had tonight with my best friend of forever (ok, 50 mumble years) in which my late Dad was mentioned.

    Large Dylusions journal. Sprays: Squeezed orange, Crushed grape, Tangerine dream, Bubblegum pink. Paint: White linen, Funky fuchsia. Stencils: Diamonds in the rough (lg & small), Shutters. Stamps: Dy’s alphabet. Other. Stamps: Tim Holtz – Tall text, Visible Image – Dare to be different, Tim Holtz – Entomology. Pitt Big Brush pen, Archival ink, Distress collage medium, white gel pen.

    looking for signs 20190811