Farewell to 2014

It's been ten (TEN!) years here at art esprit, friends!! It's been a good run and it's time to sail on.

With this shiny new year I have created a new space called Hand to Art. It will be a gathering space for my art and others, DIY art lessons (just like my books) and possible interviews, videos and other exciting bits and pieces.

My thanks to all of you who have supported, read, contributed, bought art workkand lifted up this space in the past! I hope you will all join me at Hand to Art.

Printing with Apples from Art for All Seasons

 

It's nearing the end of apple picking season here in New Hampshire and the pies, crisps and sauces begin to appear everywhere.  It's a time I always enjoyed with my children - walking the orchards and picking the best apples we could reach!

 So today I want to share a tradition from our home and straight from my new book Art for All Seasons which will come out next month! We are going to make some apple print napkins or table runners for our harvest dinners with a few simple steps. Enjoy!

Materials:

2 apples

Fabric ink 

Brayer (affiliate link)

Old Cookie sheet

Cotton fabric or pre-made napkin 

Paper towel

Newspaper

1.  Cut your apples in half both from the stem side down and across the middle. This will create two different prints: one "heart" and one "star"
2.  Spread out your fabric over a few layers of newspaper. 
3. Roll out some water based fabric paint or ink on a cookie sheet with a brayer until smooth. Be sure not to spread it too far as it will dry to quickly.
4. Roll the smoothed ink onto your apple until covered.
5. Press the inked apple onto your fabric in a desired pattern.
6. Let dry and iron the fabric with a clean sheet of paper covering the design, to set the ink.

October brings ...

The very last of the French Marigolds. So cheery!

Dinner last night with Grace and Ryan in the backyard! Cool weather glory days!

Our new fall window - just a corner just a peek!

Our booth at Apple Harvest Day! Bella looking cute as always!

A Tiny Collaged Card

Hello hello card

Green Wood a new mixed media painting

green wood 8x10 inches

Available at my Etsy shop!

Journal Pages

channeling Art Retreat Camp (swim cover at Mayhew Island) 

I have been asking my students to keep painting in their journals and to use up left over paint to be motivated to start - (always so Yankee of a notion).  Here is my first page spread in a new composition book that I started just this week. I have the greatest of intentions to keep it rolling! What do your journal pages hold for you? Do you paint each day in them?

Art for All Seasons -- my new book!

Available for preorder now everywhere books are sold! Published by Two Little Birds Books

 I could not be more excited to share the good news with you all! My newest book is the first in a series called Kids Art by Two Little Birds Books. It is filled to the brim with ideas inspired by the four seasons and some of my absolute favorite artists on the planet! Stay tuned here this month and next for some peeks - launch dates - and give aways surrounding Art for All Seasons!

Toddler class resumes at artstream

bits and pieces

little hands

we built some flowers!

After You - an Ekphrastic Art Exhibit

 

Our latest exhibit at artstream included 3 artists (I was one of them) and 3 poets. This is our fourth exhibit here at artstream and one of the most exciting! All the work is collage based and the poems are as varied from Tanka to free verse. Worth a stop in to see and read! All of the artwork is online too! Below are two of my pieces - I was paired up with Jessica Purdy who is an incredible muse!

 

Grackles in March

 

Thin Ice

Summertime

Photo shoots for Art for All Seasons

Bumper crop of peonies!

Vermont treasures ...

Gardening squeezed in ...

So it's been awhile ... Rainer and I have been working hard on finishing my fourth book. Photo shoots, edits, styling, kids in action. All good stuff. But no time for blogging. So above and below are scenes from the last months adventures. Now on to summer! (below is a shot from our weekend in Vermont.. stopped by our friends farm Harlow Farm  in Westminster, VT