Last weekend was one of those special holiday/long weekend times with hubby and and artsy friend, Jen Judd! When you add Jen to the mix, you always get art, craft, AND monkey business!!! My cheeks still hurt! And my back!
Meet our new art toy: Gelli Arts gel printing plate for monoprinting without a press! I got so curious about this product thru my friendship (and Facebook posts) with Patti Tolley Parrish. She's been posting about her love affair with the Gelli plate and I knew that this would be a wonderful tool (toy) for Jen and I to play with when she visited. We had so much fun and had so many good results that we printed for HOURS of fun each of the three days she was here!
(Thanks, Patti, for sharing!)
(Thanks, Patti, for sharing!)
Jen was fast on the draw. The beginning of day one with this fabulous new art toy (tool)!
Standing up seemed the best way to play but after 4 - 5 hours of "play" we were both reaching for the Ibuprophen. Oh, my aching back! Grinning!!! But that was just the beginning of three days of printing. That evening we sat in front of YouTube Gelli videos.
The next afternoon, Bette Brody joined us and brought her own arsenal of paints, rollers, wipe away tools, stencils, ETC. All this paper art is very new to me! I've had one other play date with these two paper artists and have taken one fun 2 day creative paper paint/texture multimedia class with Cathy Taylor. (That's when I got to know Jen better - we shared a table. We had already met in Painting With Fire classes with Barbara Lewis)
This new tool (Gelli plate) made creating cool patterns and textures very easy and so much fun.
This new tool (Gelli plate) made creating cool patterns and textures very easy and so much fun.
Bette and Jen
A fan of some of my own favorite prints. . .not bad for a paper novice!
My favorites from Crafter's Warehouse's "cubist" stencil.
Some of Jen's masterpieces.
The group photos - Eyes closed, frowns, I'm glad Steve took three! . . .and then there's Jen!!! I love that gal! She has more energy and spirit than the law allows!
My new, pristine, and very tent-like smock
managed to go thru 3 days of paint with only a spot on the right sleeve. I need another play date with the plate and print on the smock! DING! As much as I need to get the enameling back up, I can't wait to Gelli print my smock!
A view from under the table on Saturday. Mine (left), Bette's (top right), Jen's (bottom right).
Hmmmmmm. . . . wonder how I can use paper in jewelry. . .paper beads? resin? Hmmmmmmm. . .
Some of you might wonder how hubby fit into this mix. As a fellow artist (he works with wood when he doesn't have his architect hat on), he understands the need to create. He got to spend all the time he wanted in his basement studio turning bowls and wine bottle stoppers. He also took Jen and I out to eat at Brewer's Alley and enjoyed our company each evening as we relaxed between art. Lots of laughs!
The last art day of printing was a little shorter because Jen had to head home early afternoon and she helped with the clean-up. We were also weary and back-sore from so many hours at the Gelli plate! Notice that 1/2 the table is still under "craft." I ordered some stencils of my own (mostly made by Crafter's Warehouse) and am waiting to do one more session on my own. Our home is very small and any work outside our small studio spaces really takes up vital living space (dining room table). Hurry up, stencils! I've got other arty fish to fry! And two tiny studios that need to be reclaimed!
Note: the stack of papers in front of Jen. . .over 100 colorful prints (to my 50+) to use in making paper beads and art collages, journal pages, etc., etc.
One amazing realization: We were so QUIET while we created. Hours of silence. Happy silence!
Bette also makes gorgeous art books and is a designer of beautiful art papers. This was only her second time printing art papers using the Gelli plate. She's a multi media artist, works in metal clay, is an accomplished metal worker and makes gorgeous jewelry. She teaches her book and paper art from her home and from local business studios (Polymer Clay Express at Artway Studio). She and I have messed up her kitchen twice dyeing silk scarves. AND she makes the best chocolate dipped pretzels!
Jen is very multifaceted, multi-talented, too. Art, paper, jewelry, journaling, photography, fabric dyeing, crocheting, laughing! Did you notice my new and improved blog page? Thank you, Jen!!! Last (but certainly not least) Jen also serves our country as a Lt Col in the United States Air Force. Thank you, dear friend, for your service and your sweet friendship! God speed!
Next time we will create in Bette's HUGE basement studio and call in more of our quiet (HA!) artists to join us. Love my artsy friends! Hope to see all again soon! Art and Soul in VA Beach is not far away!
Carol (and Jen) it was a fun time not to mention how fast 4 hours flew by! Yup - my house for the next mess we decide to make. Thanks for including me. Gosh, your post is written so eloquently - makes me want to update mine which is months out-of-date. And, Jen is great at helping out with the blog looks - I know since she helped my with mine over Skype.
ReplyDeleteI miss you both already! So quiet here, but not the artsy quiet. . .more like wash day quiet. Can't wait for NEXT TIME!
DeleteFirst of all - your blog is looking A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! Nice job! It looks like you all had a camaraderie-filled weekend -the best in my opinion! I cannot imagine you all in the same room creating...and quiet! :) The papers are beautiful - can't wait to see what you create with them!
ReplyDeleteI know I replied to your sweet post. . .but where? Or where is it or where did it go? Thanks for your encouragement! We had such a good time (don't you know!) and I'm looking forward to seeing what I do with them, too!
DeleteYour post was great - I found myself laughing thinking of you all and the fun you were having. I had never heard of a Gelli plate before but it and you all sure make some great designs. I have toyed with the idea of an art journal and papers but am reluctant to take on another thing right now!!! That said, I just might have to check out Bette's teaching - after all Richmond isn't that far away! I don't know what Jen did but your blog looks and reads great. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSusan Marling
Thanks for your encouragement, Susan! You'd love making messes with Bette (or me, for that matter!!!)! Come see me sometime! We can make our own mess! Frederick isn't that far away. . .
DeleteOh man...wish I lived closer...looks like you all has an intensive, creative time together...loved the photos!!
ReplyDeleteDo you still live in TN? I may have to come see YOU sometime (when I travel to Memphis).
DeleteThanks for reading about our fun! You'd have had fun and a few laughs with us!
I am now in North Carolina...but you guys can come down here anytime! We are looking to buy a house and I want a big ol' southern style guest room for people to spend the night!! :)
DeleteFriend, Jen, will be heading down that way this summer. You may just get what you asked for!!! Woo Hoo!
DeleteCarol, Those gel plates are so cool! OMG! Looks like you girls had a lot of fun. Patti was in one of my early Maryland Hall workshops. I love the 2D work she's doing these days! Hope you are well, my friend!
ReplyDeleteI know I can depend on your encouragement! Bette, Jen, and I had such a good time. I told Steve that I was longing to go south (to Fla.). He reminds me that we have a house to sell in Salisbury. You know what I mean! Miss you!
DeleteCarol, the blog is looking great as are the 3 of you! I miss you all so much! Last year at A&S, Bette talked me into buying one of those gelli plates but I had no idea what to do with it so it is still in it's package! Can't wait to see you all again! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteWe will be heading back to Salisbury Feb. 15 for a week or so to clean out whatever we want to keep and let the auctioneers come in . . . I don't suppose you'll be round the bay then? Too cold for you snow birds? Love the picture of your brown legs! Hugs!
DeleteI've just found you through a creative blogging search, via 'Creative Every Day', and I've just been reading about Gelli printing on another site - I really want to have a go at this. I think I'd love it! I also think I'd forget to cook anything or shower, or walk the dogs etc.
ReplyDeleteI love your first attempts - they're great! I think I need one of these 'toys' plus a few stencils to play with - and to heck with the cooking!
Thanks for stopping by, Jay! We had such a creative time and shared so much joy/laughter/color, etc. I haven't gone at it alone, yet. I'm still waiting on the stencils I ordered. ;) Keep me posted!
DeleteI love cats and am allergic to dogs! :-D
Update: Stencils finally arrived yesterday. I bet I know what I'll be doing the next few days - AND during the SUPERBOWL!
DeleteHa - I love both, but am now allergice to CATS!
DeleteI will need some stencils too! But I saw a video today where the guy was cutting his own. I need to look into that.
Carol, what a great update! I can just hear the 3 of you laughing it up - you've met your match with Jen! Your art play date looks like so much fun. I've never heard of those geli plates either - I can see how you spent hours with it - I'm sure the time flew by making your papers. Have fun with your stencils this weekend during the Superbowl. Art would win out over football any day for me!
ReplyDeleteSo good that you stopped by. . .almost as good as a chat! I'm gooping and gomming with the Gelli plate this morning. . .I'd better get dressed! Time seems to sneak up on me here in the zone! Got to get as much painting/messing done thru Superbowl Sunday. Then the clean up begins and efforts will be redirected to enamels again!
DeleteLove the new page, and loved seeing and hearing of your new adventures...you know I always get jealous when I see you having fun without me ;) Looks like it was a blast!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to play WITH you, too! Loved the new hoop earrings! Gorgeous!
DeleteThanks for stopping by. ;)
Hugs!
No, I can't - I promise I won't - I should but just can not take on another project - but if I lived closer to you I would be in deep trouble - that is a fact :O)
ReplyDelete