Monday, February 23, 2015

The Artistic Journey of Linda Kay's Art ~ Chapter 552

I am delighted to be a member of the Cre8ive Klatch.  It is a wonderful place where we share our cr8ivity and inspirations. Today I want to share with you a part of my artistic journey.

Ever since I can remember, art and craft making has been a big part of me. So, I guess I have been on my artistic journey my entire life. I have a unique way of looking at all the things around me and find creative ways to use and beautify my surroundings. It is a passion of mine to find new ways to use gently used items and give them a new and beautiful purpose.

I have been building my art business over the last 8 years. Most of what I do is on the small scale, sold locally and has given me a lot of enjoyment. I have learned a lot and feel confident in what I do. Now I have the opportunity to expand and grow my business and this is where you will be joining me on my journey, part 552.

I have been working in my home "studio" which consists of a 9 foot work bench in my laundry room. As you can imagine, it gets pretty crowded in there, especially if my kids are doing their laundry while I am working. At times I have spilled over into the living room, but working at the coffee table is not that comfortable. Recently I tried using the dinning room as a place to work and teach classes. It was a nice big space, but not quite convenient should we want to all eat dinner together. I was having growing pains!


As luck would have it, an opportunity to rent studio space from my local arts council, Arts in Bartlett, materialized just at the right time. My friend Jenny and I are now new tenants in a small studio together. Jenny is a pastel artist and does wonderful bird and nature art work. I am a mixed media artist and working on refining my work. Since we both need a place to put some serious effort into our work, this seems a perfect solution for us both.

The space we are moving into was formerly a beauty spa and salon. There has been a lot of work put into changing it over for arts council needs. Cleaning, patching, painting, trim work, plumbing, and more! It is exhausting but with all the volunteers, along with our contractor, we are pulling it all together nicely.


 Our studio space is smallish, but has a nice feel to it. We only have 3 walls as one has some gentle curves in it. I think it adds charm and movement to the space. We had a sink installed after I laid some tiles down. A coat of the lightest shade of lavender paint came next, the carpet was cleaned and now we are moving in!




Jenny has a portable table to work on. She fashioned a kitchen cupboard unit into a tableau with a nice counter top on it. This repurposing warms my heart! I have a folding table that I use for art fairs as my work surface, which will get a new padded table cover. Storage for my supplies will be next. I fell in love with a trendy turquoise cart from Ikea, so I bought 2, one for home and the other will go into the studio. A couple of chairs and we are set to go!


Being part of this group and working in a gallery setting will be a new experience for us both. I am looking forward to the new opportunities it will bring us. I for one welcome having others around me more often. I tend to keep to myself a lot and have missed interacting with others.


And so my journey continues down a freshly painted new path. It's pretty exciting, don't you think? 


Linda Kay Kinnaman of Linda Kay's Art
Website ~ http://lindakaysart.com/Blog ~ http://lindakaysart.com/blog/Facebook ~ https://www.facebook.com/LindaKaysArtInstagram ~ http://instagram.com/lindakaysart/Pinterest ~ http://www.pinterest.com/lkkinnaman/



We can't wait to see all the cre8ive things you come up with!

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Gr8full Cre8ives Equal Self Love Week 3!

This week we will practice gratitude and use love in the practice of all things!




Here's how to connect your love in practice with us:

Every week on Saturday a new weekly collection of  prompts will post with each number on the graphic corresponding to the day of the month. 

Take a picture that embodies the prompt listed on each day, post the picture to your Instagram feed and tag with any or all of our tags 

#gr8fullcre8ives     #cre8iveklatch      #creativitytribe

then we can find your picture!

You can also post your feelings from love in practice to your Facebook feed using the same hashtags.

#gr8fullcre8ive     #cre8iveklatch      #creativitytribe

OR please join our group and post your love in practice prompt words or picture.


We can't wait to see all the cre8ive things you come up with!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Organization and The New Studio Space Part 1 by Kim Hyer

I have recently relocated to Oregon just a pinch south of Portland.

That being said I get to re-assemble a working studio. Join me in this journey.

I live on 4 acres with a 15 X 30 shop, a similar size garage and a huge barn. I had plans. Grand plans....

So after several weeks of debates (in which I lost) sadly I didn't get the shop or the garage. I can have the barn. The upstairs with the rats and spiders. No heat and a trek in the freezing wet weather through the mud.

So let me tell you about my space I do get.

It's cozy. It's painted peach (ugh) and my new name is Harry Potter. If you have read the first book you will understand. If not,  Go here and you'll understand. I am in the cupboard under the stairs. 

Hee Hee Hee!!!


"the cupboard under the stairs"

So, the first step was to move this junk to the barn. Tractor with a wagon and teenage boy.


So there is the junk... 

Here is the transformation...... drum roll. Please????



Much like a blank canvas. I now can start from scratch. Designing and getting my creative juices going. Trying to sort and fit only what I will need into my 6 X 6 space. 

Don't for a second get the mistake. I am over the moon to have the cupboard under the stairs. It has been 9 months without a space to paint, play and create.

Next was a trip to storage. Worse than it sounds. I got some shelving and some boxes. I attempted to be selective about tools, paints, ephemera and what not.

I moved from a custom made art room 10 x 10. Into storage then 958 miles to the cupboard under the stairs. 



I added 2 shelves. Then adjusted the table height and have unpacked some boxes. 

Maximizing the space the best I can.

I brought all my rolling carts. They are cute and I like them.



As you can see I have some more organization to go. This is the start. 
Join me for part 2.

Wish me luck.



 Where to find me:
My BlogInstagramEtsy ShopTumblrTwitterFacebook


Join our group and tell us your moving stories!


We can't wait to see all the cre8ive things you come up with!


Tuesday, February 17, 2015

My Healing HeART by Linda Kay


I have been on a journey of love the last 2+ years. A journey of self care, learning to let go of past hurt and re-start my life filled with love, trust and happiness.

I found a way to take the bad, horrible times and learn from them.

I've learned a lot! I've learned that I am much stronger than I ever thought I was.

I learned that I can see through the darkest parts and still find that wonderful, light-hearted part of myself still shining brightly.

I have found that there truly are gifts from the struggles.

I have learned to let go and love again.

This painting is the results of a process of letting go that I developed recently. It represents the darkness and pain I traveled through to get to the bright and shining heart that I am able to have today. The warmth that comes from my heart is the results of the lessons I learned by going through the difficulties.

I wouldn't want to live it all over again, but I wouldn't ever want to change my past. It brought me to where I am now. It brought me to this place where I can stand tall and proud.

I made it through!

This process is going to become a class I will teach. First it will be available through the art center I am a part of. Then I want to bring it's healing qualities to many more here on-line, travel teaching and sharing where I can.

It is a powerful process that sets you heart free in so many ways.

It is a way I can help others heal and find their own happiness and love again.

A very special gift ~ from me to you!

Linda Kay

www.lindakaysart.com

Cre8ive Klatch our FB group.
Come over and chat!


Saturday, February 14, 2015

Gr8full Cre8ives Equal Self Love Week 2!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Time to confess your self love thoughts!



Here's how to connect your self love with us:

Every week on Saturday a new weekly collection of  prompts will post with each number on the graphic corresponding to the day of the month. 

Take a picture that embodies the prompt listed on each day, post the picture to your Instagram feed and tag with any or all of our tags 

#gr8fullcre8ive     #cre8iveklatch      #creativitytribe

then we can find your picture!

You can also post your feelings from the heART to your Facebook feed using the same hashtags.

#gr8fullcre8ives     #cre8iveklatch      #creativitytribe

OR please join our group and post your self love prompt words or picture.


We can't wait to see all the cre8ive things you come up with!

Friday, February 13, 2015

Getting To Know The Cre8ive Crew: Welcome New Member Karen Thomas


Please join me in welcoming Karen Thomas, artist and creator at Purpleberry Design

I live in a small Edwardian house in the leafy suburb of Mitcham (Melbourne, Australia) with my husband and twin boys.




What kind of art is your passion?

I am passionate about drawing and painting faces, and making cards and mini-books. I usually work in watercolour and coloured pencil am still learning about mixed media and have just discovered Copic markers!



How often do you create?

If I’m not creating everyday, I think about what I’m going to create.

How does it make you feel when you’re creating something?

When I’m in the zone and creating I feel that nothing can touch me and that there is nothing else in the world except the art that I am creating at that moment.



Describe your personality in three words.

Funny, quirky, dichotomy

What is your normal (bad word, none of us are normal) day like?

As the mother of twin boys my normal day can best be described as chaotic and busy but rarely dull!

What’s your superpower?

Sketching, I believe that I can sketch anything.



If you could hang out with any artist dead or alive who would it be and why?

Rudolf von Larisch, who was a Viennese lettering artist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I’ve just finished my Master of Arts thesis (38,000 words), which analysed his theories and discussed his under acknowledged contribution to modern graphic design theory. It would be nice to see if I was on the money.

What was your worst job?

Packing dried fruit into little bags, nearly sent me insane!

Which side of the bed do you sleep on? Can you sleep if forced to change sides?

Right and yes.

What’s your least favourite food? … most favourite?

brussel sprouts…asparagus.

Are you an introvert or extrovert? How do you feel about that?

I like to think of myself as a walking dichotomy. My Myer-Briggs profile is strongly extroverted (ENFP), but sometimes I want to crawl in a hole and not talk to anyone. I’m okay with that but it can confuse some people.



If we all came to your house for dinner what would you make for us?

Spaghetti with bacon, cherry tomato and asparagus topped with black pepper and grated Parmesan.

Find Karen at her blog, Pinterest and Etsy shop.

Give Karen a welcoming hello on our Facebook page:

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

String of Love: Simple Valentine's Decor by Kim Hyer

Every year February sneaks up and kisses me. I am unsuspecting...

I seem to always come back to this easy 1 hour project.

What you'll need:

A sewing machine
Heart shapes ( I use CM punches)
a old magazine
pink & red card stock

Here we go.....


Punch a few dozen shapes from a magazine. Do not worry about content or color. 

Just punch. Make a few from card stock for your exteriors and 
centers.


Take your pieces and stack them. Card stock on the front, back and center. You should have magazine pages (2 or 3) in between.


Line them up with the needle at the top point of the heart.


Stitch. I leave a machine top width between each heart. It is an easy measurement of about 6 inches.


I put 10 sets on a sting. I keep stitching between hearts because I like the twisted thread look.

  

Now fold the exterior pieces together against the thread.


One by one keep folding the magazine pages together. I do not fold the center card stock.


It will be a heart ball when you're done.
  

Do all ten pieces.
 

Then hang.


Now you have a festive little string of love.

I have used different shapes and sizes of this same approach for parties and other holidays.

Enjoy!

Kim 

Where to find me:






Make your String of Love then come over and post your pictures!!

Our Facebook Group Cre8ive Klatch