Thursday, May 7, 2020

Transitions & Additions, Art Memories & Faves

Hello! StencilGirl is fortunate in our art family, and if you are reading this, that extended art family includes you. 
Today, we have an especially delightful post for you.

Bur first! We'd like to cue a standing ovation for our Creative Team and Columnists. They are simply the best!

 We want to introduce, or reintroduce you (in no particular order) to our Columnists and Creative Team Members by their answers to these questions:
  1. What is your first art memory?
  2. What does the workspace in front of you look like right now?
  3. What are your 3 fave stencils to take with you on a desert island? (Watch for some clever answers and how a few get away with naming more than 3 LOL.)

Peg Robinson

 I don’t know if I remember that loooong ago but I know I was born with crayons in hand. Maybe making clover necklaces and crowns while sitting in the sun.

Stencil, hmmm…

Sunila Mahajan and Aditi Mahajan aka Dots 2 Lines

 Our first memory of making art together- back in school, when mom helped me with school art models and projects. I also remember learning how to paint a fruit bowl with oil paints from her, my very first canvas.

Stencils we can’t do without:
We just love both of these for all the mixed media layers we create; the contrast in the scales and patterns are always good to go.
Jill McDowell and Claudia Neubacher are transitioning to our Columnists with a post focusing on an area of their art expertise and passion. Jill will create Upcycled and Claudia is all over Weathered, Grungy, and Textured.


Jill McDowell

 My first memory of making art is when I was in the 5th Grade I entered a town-sponsored art contest to draw Mr. Picklepuss. My drawing of a cat with a pickle for his body won. I wonder whatever happened to that drawing...

 Unfortunately, my desk right now has become my home office. As you can see, I’m spending a lot of time on WebEx’s doodling on my blotter with my white Signo pen.



Right now I am loving:



 Claudia Neubacher 

My first memory of making art is of me, lying on the floor and drawing "Plumps" to the backsides of old desk calendars in my grandma's office at the age of three or four. Plumps were my very first conscious creation and I remember I was very proud of them (and my grandma, of course, encouraged me to be). They actually were large (not too circular) circles given loads of short legs all around - typical first children's drawings. To me back then they were signs of myself being an almighty creator. I can still remember the smell and the light in my grandma's office - and her always gentle smile down on me from her work desk.

The three stencils I couldn't do without:

New to the Creative Team and totally up for the challenge are Geri Beam and Wendy Baysa. We are welcoming Natalie May back. You'll be able to learn more about Geri, Wendy, and Nat when you read their posts later this month or you can click these links for Team and Columnist bios.

 Geri Beam

 My first memory of making art is sitting at my grandmother's knee with my two sisters learning how to embroider on pillowcases. I was about six.

This little deer kept coming onto my porch and putting its nose on my door as I was working on my first team project as if to say, are you done yet?

The stranded on a deserted island question was the hardest to answer:

Wendy Baysa 

 The youngest memory I remember was creating an eggshell Santa head ornament for Christmas which still hangs on my tree to this day.

The three stencils I would bring with me currently (this answer changes weekly) are: 
  • Soulful Scribbles because I can get whimsical or expressive with this stencil. 
  • Aug 2018 StencilClub: Playtime - Those circles for gel plate printing (which would also have to go with me on this island) are fabulous! 
  • April 2020 StencilClub: Mark Making -  I love how these stencils bring my busy background altogether.

Natalie May 

All through my early school years, I was a 'doodler'... I would draw in the margins of my schoolbooks, cover my school diary in pictures and doodle all over them, I would draw on everything. That extended into my high school years where I was a 'phone doodler' - talking on the phone with a pen in my hand and when I wasn't at school, I was hanging out with the "Graffiti kids" - you know the naughty ones who used to do those big colourful pieces on train lines ... but shhhh... don’t tell anyone!

 On my desk right now are a heap of sheets that I have sprayed with Lindys Gang Sprays and then stenciled ready to turn into Thank You notes for my customers. Each order that comes through my little shop gets a handwritten note thanking them for their support - I think not only is appreciation important, but a handwritten arty note makes all the difference.


Stranded on a desert island wouldn't be so bad ... but I'd plan it with Sue! She has chosen some great designs - plus she is one of my friends <3 But I'd take:
  • Buildings - this is my most used stencil of all time - work great with everything.
  • Everyone knows I love me a color wheel so, naturally, I would take Hue Tint Tone Shade.
  • and finally, the Unfinished Stencil - I love that this has so many awesome marks - ideal for everything.

Sue Plumb 

My first memory of making art is sitting at my grandparents' dining table on my Papa's lap with coloured pencils and markers. We used to use the back of the old paperwork he brought home from work to draw on. I used to pick an animal or object and then we would both draw it. No matter what mine looked like, he always told me it was great.

Many years later after my Papa had passed away, my Dad gave me an old photo album that was filled with many of my childhood drawings that my grandparents had saved. <3

And finally, a pic of my (new) workspace! I have been busy during the school holidays sorting out this spot in our house that I can finally call my own. No more kitchen table! 

If I was stranded on a desert island, my top 3 stencils would be:
  • Organized Chaos - this loose, random pattern can be used on ANY project. I often use it to add an extra layer of depth using a contrasting colour, with a medium like texture paste to add texture and dimension, or I can simply use it with white to tone a project down.
  • Wildflower Bouquet - because I HAVE to have a floral stencil! This one can be used for subtle background work either in part or as a whole, and it can also be used as a focal point.
  • Crazy Quilts Calm & Frenzy - I chose this one because it provides me with lots of geometric pattern options as I can mask off small areas to get different patterns - all from the one stencil!

Anne Marie Fowler 

 I don't really remember creating art until about the fifth grade when I taught myself to crochet and made a scarf for my I-want-him-to-be-but-he's-not-my-boyfriend. I also created ceramics at the military arts and crafts shop. My next approach was sewing but I never really enjoyed art otherwise until I became an adult. At that time, I attempted to paint a red bridge in the forest. One daughter scored me at the 5th-grade level while the other thought 3rd grade was closer to the truth. I've come a long way, baby. :-)

 I've only included a snippet of "one" of my craft areas because it is a secret project.


If I were on a deserted island, I would have to take:

Kate Yetter

 My first memory of making art is when I was 5 years old and I took a hand quilting class. My favorite part was walking through all the aisles of fabric and picking out my favorites for my applique square. 

My top three stencils that I use over-and-over again are: 

Gwen Lafleur 

 My first memory of art is not so much a memory as being told by my mom that when I was around three years old, she used to come in and find me cutting paper into little tiny pieces and gluing it into abstract collages. I have memories of doing similar things throughout my childhood and then expanding into drawing classes in the back room of a framing shop by the time I was 10.

My 3 Fave stencils: 

Marsha Valk

 My first memory of making art I guess was painting in kindergarten. I don’t think I liked it very much! 

Stencils:
That way I can get off the island, have something to eat (could not find a fish net, so noodles will do ;-)) and I can use the signals for when I run into trouble.
Jennifer Armstrong 

 I vividly remember cutting up magazines and the Sears catalog in order to make collages. I spent a lot of time peeling Elmer’s Glue off my fingers. 

 I'm sorry to say I have just cleaned up my worktable, so there isn't much to look at right now. 

 As for favorite stencils, I love:

Kristin Reese Williams 

 First art memory: Those little looms with the stretchy loops making potholders, aside from coloring, of course. 



 My favorites to stitch are:


Debi Adams 

 My first memory was either Tiny Tots or Vacation Bible School and it was a sand painting. 

 Here is the one I took when first asked...

and then here is one from today. 



 Transparency at its finest.

 Hmmm, so many great stencils. For sure:


 Jennifer Gallagher 

 My first memory of making art: I was about eight years old and decided to make my mother a decorated hanky for church. I found an old scrap of cotton and needle and thread. I embroidered little flowers all around. After digging, I found some old lace and attached it all around the edges. My Mother, now 73, still has this handkerchief in her keepsakes.

My top three stencils: 

Tina Walker

 My first memory of making anything, was during summer break in LaCrosse, WI visiting my Grandma. She would take me to the ceramic shop, (almost daily) and we would paint ceramics all summer long. My parents keep many of those projects (40+ years) until they passed away. 

I didn't even clean my desk space for the picture :)

My favorite stencils are: 

Shel Cee

 My mother was an elementary school teacher, so I always had access to tempera paint, crayons, construction paper, glue, and scissors. We did not have a TV, so I spent all my time making things or reading. However, the first memory I have of being really proud of what I made was making Barbie doll outfits out of fabric scraps and yarn leftover from my Mom's projects. Those dolls were really stylin'!

Hmm..3 stencils for a desert island: 

Janet Joehlin

 Janet Joehlin My first memory of making art was at 3 years old, in bed under my covers in the middle of the night, coloring in my coloring books in the dark. My plastic bucket was by my side and digging through the crayons was making so much noise I thought my mom would hear me and make me stop.


Janet Joehlin I am hoping I never get stranded on a desert island.... but if I was, I am hoping it comes with an art studio. The 3 stencils I use most often are the Repetition Stencil M080, Fly 4 M127, and my own Curlicue Wide Borders. They are pictured in the above photo. They are the stencils I come back to time and time again.

 Linda Edkins Wyatt

 My first art memory is sitting cross-legged in our sunny backyard by myself for hours, making mud pies and decorating them with little red inedible poison berries and grains from overgrown grass. 

 On my desk right now I've been testing my newest stencil arrivals in my art journal. I haven't created anything all week because I'm back at work full time...my medical masks are hung on a clip on my desk that usually displays my latest paper dolls or small artwork.

If I were on a deserted island, I don't know if I would have any use for stencils, but presuming I had packed some paints and brushes and pencils, here are my essential stencils: 
I'd want these stencils because they are my go-to favorites and extremely versatile, so I'd be able to amuse myself endlessly with them. They also have some of my favorite symbols and using them would give me hope and calm my anxiety. I could probably use mud and berries and leaves and decorate my island living space. 

We hope this post brought a smile to your face!

 Check out the Columnist and Creative Team Bios, complete with links so you can follow them individually if you wish.

Bye-bye!



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1 comment:

  1. Wendy B.May 7, 2020 at 6:48 AM

    We better ALL be on the same dessert island because the selection of stencils are all my favorites!!! lol. So honored to be among this amazing group of talent. Looking forward to a wonderful year! xo

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