Rockford's Fall ArtScene

So Fall ArtScene is here as I'm typing this…  I meant to get this blog post out before the event but have been busting tail to get ready for the show!

In my opinion, one of the best events Rockford has to offer local artists has to be ArtScene. The Rockford Area Arts Council puts on ArtScene twice a year, both in the Spring and the Fall. It is a great show that gets the community together two-fold. One is to let the general population know what local businesses actually support the arts and the other is for artists to show off what they have been up to the past couple of months.

For the past two ArtScene's I have been fortunate enough to show my artwork in a great location, Bennie's Cleaners. Some other great locations include The Allegory Project, North Main Studios and State of the Art Gallery. There are 38 different locations this Fall and it was hard to mention just a few. You can pick up a map at each location or check out the Fall ArtScene website.

Last night was a great time to see old friends and network with some new folks. ArtScene is also a good time to show new artwork, kind of like a testing ground for other shows! :-) It's always awesome to chat with folks that appreciate going out in sometimes inclimate weather to check out local artwork.

Just so you know… Tonight (Oct. 4th from 4-9pm) is the last of Fall ArtScene! Maybe we will see each other! :-)

Bow Making Workshop at Messy Palette Art Studio!

That wonderful time of year is just around the corner! You know what I'm talking about… Yep! Christmas! My family loves everything about Christmas! We especially love Christmas because it is a time set aside to celebrate our Savior Jesus Christ's birth!

Matthew 1:23New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

23 “The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And he will be called Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) The name Immanuel means “God with us.”

Jesus came into this world so we could be redeemed from our sins, know God, and experience Him in our lives. He wants to have a close relationship with us and be invited into everything we do. This is why one of the names of God, Immanuel means "God with us". He wants to know us on a personal level, being intimately involved with our lives.***

Not only is Christmas the day we celebrate Jesus' birth but we get to spend time with family & friends, over eat delightful food, give each other gifts, enjoy family traditions, see Christmas lights and decorations and Oh! did I say something about the awesome food!? :-)

I could go on and on about Christmas and all the great things that go along with it, but…

This year at Messy Palette Art Studio we are going to hold our 2nd Annual Bow Making & Wrapping Paper workshop! But wait… we are going to offer the class twice this year! Mark your calendars for November 13th & 15th for a festive time to learn how to make your Christmas packages look as if a professional made them up! We are inviting our fabulous teachers Mary Horn and Debbie Evans back to teach us all the tips & tricks we will need to make our Christmas gifts shine! These two wonderful ladies will be showing you how to dress your presents or houses up with some gorgeous bows. Last year's workshop was a hit and all the ladies had a wonderful time learning about bows.

The cost of the workshop is $20 per person which includes all the materials and tools. This is a hands on workshop so whatever bows you make are yours to take home and use this Christmas season! Snacks & Sweets along with beverages will also be provided.

Here are the details ~

Thursday, November 13 ~ 6:30 - 8:30pm
Saturday, November 15 ~ 1:00 - 3:00pm

Please email or call to reserve your a spot for you or your group! Space is limited!

messypaletteartstudio@gmail.com
815-608-8082


*** If you want to know more about having a relationship with God and becoming a baptized believer, please get in contact with me. Hopefully I can answer your questions.

The Creative Process

I've been getting a good amount of questions about my art recently…
Questions like:
Why do you make art?
How do you come up your ideas?
What does your artwork mean or represent?
How do you come up with the color combinations?

Here is my favorite - I really like your artwork but I just don't get it?!?

This is my attempt to explain my CREATIVE PROCESS and to maybe get you into the MIX of making art as well! ~ Cheers!

Let me start off by expressing that I enjoy the PROCESS of making art just as much if not more than the finished piece! That being said, I think that our consumer-oriented society has squashed a lot of DREAMS not only in the fine art world but in all other areas of being creative including writing, music, drama and so on. We have all inherited the obsession of "THE PRODUCT", whatever that may be for each of us individually. So, when we see a piece of art… we are always thinking of it as a finished product and forget about the PROCESS of creating it.

What that renders down to: That thought process will squash us down before we even think about beginning a creative project. When always faced with thinking of an acceptable finished product, our project has come to an abrupt stopping point before even putting paint on the canvas.

My suggestion to you is to, "JUST DO IT!" Start! Paint! Throw down some colors and see where it takes you!

As an artist, I believe that one of my goals is to go out on a limb or to try things/techniques that I've never done before. It's how I find my way to the next expression. That's really hard to do when an audience is expecting a particular product. I believe that it is important to follow my creativeness inside and not a market. Artwork must be deep and real within to be worthwhile, first to me and then to the viewer.

Where do you find creativity? I believe that it is in the PROCESS, not the product. Creativity is an action, it is active and never complete always morphing and becoming.

It's always fun and exciting to go into the studio knowing all that is waiting for me is a blank canvas or even one that is in PROCESS but yet to be finished. The freedom to play with my artwork by building up layers and finding new textures is where it's at for me. Being spontaneous and without a preconceived path is what I live for not only in my artwork but also in life…

Now, there are times for more developed ideas especially when working on commissions where clients have set out specifics like the subject, color theme or size of the artwork. I also develop more of a plan when working on some of my digital artwork. It seems that I have more of a storyline with my digital collages than with my paintings. Having different creative outlets contributes to a really nice balance of spontaneity and more deliberate kinds of artworks.

Most folks that have taken the time to read this aren't looking to be professional artists. There are no deadlines to be had for galleries or commissions, you aren't painting to fill a gallery wall for this weekend's show. So have some fun in the freedom of just creating, embrace the PROCESS! Pick up a brush! Play with a new technique! Let your guard down and CREATE something! Get out of your head and into your heart while letting the work flow. Dive deep into the PROCESS and with no worries about a finished product.

Adult Art Parties!

A blank canvas, good friends, snacks & drinks… Your creative side unleashed!

Are you looking for a way to explore your creative side but just not sure where to start? Well, Messy Palette Art Studio offers creative and exciting one time painting classes for artists at any level. Our painting parties are a great way to find your inner creativity while being amongst friends. You are welcome to bring snacks & drinks to enjoy while having a blast creating your very own masterpiece! 

The classes are geared to all talent levels. There is no pressure to paint exactly what is being taught. If you want a different color scheme to match your furnishings at home, by all means go for it! Your instructor will walk through the process step by step going around to insure everyone is doing great. 

Messy Palette Art Studio is a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere… a great place to unleash your creative side! 

If you would like some more information, check out the Adult Art page on the website!

Kids Art Classes - Fall 2014

As many of you already know… my SWEET little studio-mate bailed on me this Fall. Yep, little Livi went to Kindergarten this year! This is her fourth day there and already, I miss her something terrible. Well I miss her sister and their Mom too but Livi was my buddy, my compadre, my partner in crime, my helper, my ROBIN, well… she was my studio-mate. I love creating art with both of my girls, but Livi just really gets into the whole process. Well any how, that time is finished, she is moving up to bigger and better things. Yesterday when I dropped her off at Kindergarten, she gave me a hug and told me, "I got this!" and turned away down the hall. This morning she just started to walk off and I had to ASK for my hug. I know she will do great things!!!

Well… all this to say, that I debated wether or not to continue with kids art classes this Fall. After some deliberation we decided to keep the kids art classes going. So, we have the calendar set-up starting September 8 until the end of November. After that, we will see just how things are.

So on the calendar, we have 3 classes set up which look like this:

Tag-Along Class for 2+3 year olds - Mondays at 9-9:45

Artistic Discovery for 4+5 year olds - Thursdays at 9-9:45

Art Masters & Techniques for 6 years and UP - Thursdays at 3:30-4:30

Please, if you are at all interested or know of some folks that would be, come out and support my little art studio. I would greatly appreciate it and I know that you and your little ones will have a blast creating masterpieces and expanding imaginations! Thanks again for all your support and look forward to another great Fall of art classes.

Starting Fresh!

Why is it that looking at a blank blog post is not near as exciting as looking at a blank canvas?? Well here I am, starting fresh with a new blog and a new website for my art studio business. I opened the Messy Palette Art Studio in the Fall of 2012 and in that time, my website has been hacked by spammers twice. I want to take this opportunity to APOLOGIZE to anyone reading this that has gotten spam from my business. I also want to THANK all of you fantastic folks that support my business and especially those who tell friends how awesome it is!!!

In the past, I have wanted to use blogging as a way to share exciting NEW things that are going on with my art and Messy Palette! :) However I have always dropped the ball in that department. Like I said previously… a blank blog page is just not as exciting as a blank canvas, at least for me! Well… that being said, I have forced my own hand by making this blog be the HOME page of my new website! Hmmmm, this could get interesting!

So the plan is to post news and events, upcoming classes/workshops and various other things right here on the new HOME page/blog! :)