Online Classes

Artist Rae Smith sent this link. He has been taking the classes and really enjoying it!

This is a reminder to you that you have registered for WetCanvas Live! With
Johannes for Saturday February 5, from 3 to 5 PM Eastern Standard Time (New
York Time). Check your local time zone with any world time converter that
you can google online. We still have seats left so please invite your art
friends and people you know from art organizations you attend, etc. It would
be good that they also become part of this unique opportunity to take online
art classes for free with an award winning professional artist. Attached is
the handout for this weekend. All the points will be thoroughly discussed
during the class.
The class is called, "Paint Stunning Landscapes from Photos"
You can forward this registration link to people you know that may be
interested in taking these classes as well:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/616569648
If you are already registered, just click on the link below to enter the
class. The web classroom will be open 30 minutes before starting time.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/join/616569648/106545002

I will see you all tomorrow,
Johannes Vloothuis
Endorsed by F&W Media the world's largest art books publishing company
who also brought you The Artist's Magazine and Southwest Art.

TED lecture by Sir Ken Robinson

Thanks to all who came out for the lantern workshops! It was great to have a chance to be creative with people of all ages. I'm looking foward to later in the year when we'll pick a night to decorate the trees in the field beside Swoon with lanterns.

Yesterday Brandt, Rae Smith and I were chatting at Swoon about all sorts of things, and I remembered this interesting TED lecture I saw about creativity. Here it is!

-posted by Susan Paczek

New From Brandt Eisner

I just finished "Male Gaze". It is great to be creating again. I have started work for my solo show in July but in the meantime it has been fun working on some male figurative pieces.

Red Spruce featured in Interior Design Magazine

Thanks to Interior Design Magazine for the wonderful full page product feature in the February 2011 Issue. Red Spruce's handwork rugs and carpets from Nova Scotia, as well as our collaboration with Stephanie Odegard's eponymous and venerable Odegard are explored. Featured carpets include "flock" and "Canadiana" by Anna Stowe, "Montreal" and "Bodega" by Andrew Quon, "Handkerchief" by Keith W. Bentley, "Ishihara" by Michael A.C. Christie, and "Hallo Metok" and "Ainu" by Stephanie Odegard.

Lantern Making Workshops!

A MENTAL HEALTH PLAN

Life will work for me when I realize...

the only walls, locked doors and prisons in my life

are the ones that I have built.

Let today be the day that you develop a plan to clear your mind of clutter, congestion and conflict. It is called a mental health plan. Free your mind of unproductive, nonessential, potentially hazardous thoughts about yourself, others and your life. This is called mental health refinement. Clear out all grudges, lay down all burdens, heal all wounds and settle all debts. This is called mental health freedom. You can use this day to abandon the anger, defy the defeat, forgo the fear, get rid of the guilt, shatter the shame that may be clogging your mind. This is called mental health development.

Once the channels are cleared you may find that you have more energy to celebrate your creativity, declare your divinity, embrace excellence, validate your own value and become aware of all of your blessings. A clear mind will help you make required changes in your life. A clear mind will change how you see things and people. A clear mind is more valuable than a map. It is a fine-tuned instrument that leads you to exactly what you are looking for.

You must have a plan to develop and fine-tune your mental health. This plan will help you choose to whom and what you give your life's energy. You must take the time to think about what you are thinking about. You must filter through the layers of your mind on a daily basis just to make sure that you are not lost in the fog of yesterday. A mental health plan will keep you from getting stuck. A plan gives you direction.

Until today, you may not have had a mental health plan; a plan for the freedom, development and refinement of your mental faculties. Just for today, be devoted to planning how you will open, free and fine-tune your mind to bigger and better things.

From - Until Today! by Iyanla Vanzant

Posted by Brandt Eisner

Lighthouse ATC

here is my new ATC for the Lighthouse swap

ATC swap

I found this really cool ATC swap site. I am trading cards like crazy now. its so much fun!http://www.atcsforall.com/index.php
her is some of my new cards I am trading there.
http://www.atcsforall.com/forum/gallery/index.php?u=8503

The Road To Recovery

Marwencol is a documentary about the fantasy world of Mark Hogancamp.
After being beaten into a brain-damaging coma by five men outside a bar,
Mark builds a 1/6th scale World War II-era town in his backyard. Mark
populates the town he dubs "Marwencol" with dolls; he photographs the
town's many relationships and dramas.  Playing in the town and
photographing the action helps Mark to recover hand-eye coordination and
deal with his psychic wounds.  When Mark and his photographs are
discovered, Mark's homemade therapy is deemed "art"

http://www.marwencol.com/articles/
http://www.marwencol.com/gallery/
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110124/NEWS/101240326/-1/NEWS11

Posted by Helen Opie

Advice from artist Gregory Amenoff

" Mostly, I believe in the fraternity and sorority of artists supporting each other and creating opportunities for each other. I think that [relationship] is time-tested and continues to happen despite the heavy mercantile art world. I think that's really what it's about. I think you should hang out with other artists, support each other. Create opportunities for each other. Form collectives. Rent spaces. Have shows. Don't wait around for the dealers and the curators to come to you. Create opportunity that brings them to you. Stay away from art fairs. Hang out at museums and look at old art. Keep your studio separate from the art business - what happens outside the studio is the art business, what happens in the studio is your work - the art business is a business, so it's good to keep that distinct."

"Understand that whatever success you have, or whatever lack of success you have, all things will change if you stay at it. A body of work that may have a lot of success may lead to a body of work that wont. Continue with your artwork distinct from that and find a way to survive."

Gregory Amenoff
From - Inside the Painter's Studio by Joe Fig

Posted by Brandt Eisner

Antique Valentines

Antique and vintage Valentine's are not only super collectable but they make wonderful gifts for that special day. Hallmark just can not compete with the charming romance of these early tokens of affection!

                                                             Posted by Brandt Eisner

Valentine Pulp Creatures

These unfortunate creatures (made by artist Susan Paczek) have been shot in the heart by Cupid's arrow. Dont leave them longing, grab them for your Valentine this year! Only $35 each!

Posted by Brandt Eisner

Found For Swoon

For anyone who has been to Swoon they are familiar with the FOUND FOR SWOON clothing label. Found For Swoon is a fun and affordable collection of clothing and assessories comprised of previously loved and vintage finds.

Recently we have started doing fashion photo shoots using pieces available in the Found For Swoon line. When available these images will be available for viewing on the Swoon website in the Fashion section. It is my hope that these images will inspire you to re-think how one can re-style something old to make it new.

In the meantime here is a teaser!

Dress - Found For Swoon, $30
Braclette - Found For Swoon (Antique Necklace), $65
Photographer - Bruce Bottomley
Model - Kim C
Make Up - Priscilla Love 
Styling - Brandt Eisner

Lantern Workshops at Swoon - part II

I made a few more lanterns since my last posting, and Brandt kindly took a few pics of them. 

Here are a bunch in daylight:

...my first shot at making a lantern with red maples leaves on it (a tribute to the Canada Games!) didn't go so well with the red tissue running so badly, but I quite like the "Swoon" pink version I made instead!

Here are some pics of the lanterns at night:

We think the workshop will be fun for people of all ages and it's a treat to see what designs people come up with.  If you're an educator or a crafty person, lantern making is a great skill to learn.  We're planning on a public lantern event at Swoon, probably in the fall, so it'd be great to get lots of people interested in making them.

Please pass along this link to anyone you think might be interested in the workshops!  All are welcome!  The workshops will be from 12pm - 6pm, Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursdays, Feb 15, 16, 17, and Feb 22, 23, 24th, on a drop in basis as we have plenty of space and lantern making supplies.  The cost is $15/lantern, and they take approximately one hour to make. 

The workshops are now listed on our website here.

There is also a fantastic show of paintings by Carol Morrison up during this time, as well as a household of other art, antiques and fashion to check out of course.

Hope to see you Swoon!

-posted by Susan Paczek

Let's Make Lanterns!

That artist trading card thing looks fun!  I went to it when I lived in Regina, it's a really nice event.  I didn't realize people sent in art cards from other places.  Thanks, Evgenia!

I'm in the middle of making some lanterns to use as examples because I just decided today that I'll be giving lantern making workshops at Swoon while kids are out of school the next 2 weeks for the Canada Games.  The workshops will be: Tues/Wed/Thurs from 12 - 6pm, Feb 15/16/17, and Feb 22/23/24. 

All ages are welcome, small children need parental supervision.  I'll be showing you how to make lanterns using balloons for molds, decorated with tissue paper. It's super fun.  The cost will be $15/lantern.

Here are some lanterns in progress, right now they are upside down and 3 of them are drying in their cardboard collars... I haven't finished the white one in front yet, and I'm still deciding how to decorate the 5th one.   I've learned that the black and red tissue runs quite a bit!

Stay tuned for pics of the finished product, tomorrow night hopefully!

When I lived in Vancouver I did quite a bit of community art with The Public Dreams Society.  They host a huge lantern festival in the summer.  The public comes to workshops and makes lanterns that they carry around Trout Lake Park, where there are various performers and lantern installations.  I think it'd be fun to host a little lantern walk out near Swoon in the summer... Here are a few pics of some giant lantern installations I've worked on, though its really the sort of thing that's better in real life:

-posted by Susan Paczek

photos of ATC

Here are ATC that I am sending away this year. Some mono types, collages and photo transfer technique that I learned yesterday. Those ones with cupcakes I transfer photos of my paintings first and then add collage, ink drawing and some paint. http://www.amazon.ca/Artist-Trading-Card-Workshop-Collect/dp/1581808488#reader_1581808488  photo transfer is from this book. really easy: print your image on color ink-jet printer on photo paper then dampen watercolor paper card (or apply some gel medium to the card)  then put your image facedown on the damp paper and use a brayer over the back of the paper (or just press with your hands :) Peel off photo paper gently. I love the results. you have to experiment  though. I used my old 8X10 photos that I don't need.

here is some cards that I got back from gallery in the past.
excuse my photos....
Posted by Evgenia Makogon

Lets Swap ATC (artist traiding cards)

Hey Swoon Artists lets create our own ATC swap. We can have sessions or triad by mail or just drop them off at Swoon if that is ok. I have participated in MacKenzie Art Gallery ATC annual show and swap for 2 years. This is my third year. Lots of fun. I will post photos of my new ATC that I am sending away this year and post photos of the once I have received in past. I love working on those little cards. It helps to experiment, find fresh ideas and see what other artists can create on same scale. I really really enjoy working on those little cards.I spend 3 hours last night trying out new techniques that I found in this awesome book
http://www.amazon.ca/Artist-Trading-Card-Workshop-Collect/dp/1581808488
Posted by Evgenia Makogon

Artist Trading Cards (ATC) call for submissions‏

Regina Artist Trading Cards Celebrate Eight Years!

Opening Reception: Sunday, April 2, 2 - 4 pm, FREE

Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are pocket-sized works of original art that are traded between artists in social settings. They can be created in almost any medium, can be two or three dimensional and are usually sized to fit 2.5” x 3.5”. ATCs are traded in person, one for one – they are never bought or sold.
In celebration of eight years of making and trading we are asking you to submit your ATCs (related to the number 8 if possible) for a special show, the Auspicious ATC Celebration Display, which will be on view in the Learning Centre of the MacKenzie from April – August, 2011. At the end of the show you’ll receive six new ATCs in the mail!

Submit six of your luckiest ATCs by February 28, 2011 to:
Lucky Rabbit c/o ATC Celebrates Eight
MacKenzie Art Gallery
3475 Albert Street
Regina, SK S4S 6X6

Please include:
1) A self-addressed and stamped, return envelope.
2) Contact information including your email and mailing address.
3) An artist statement telling us about yourself and the ATCs you’ve created.
4) Please indicate if you do not give permission for your work to be posted on the web.
Posted by Evgenia Makogon

New From Louise Baker

Louise Baker is the newest artist to join the Swoon family. "Mood Swing" just arrived and I love it!! Cant wait to see what else Louise has in store in the coming months!!

-posted by Brandt Eisner

Attention fashion photography fans!

If you are like me and love fashion photography than this is the site for you!!!

http://www.touchpuppet.com/

Thank You, Bloom!

We arrived at Swoon today happy to discover that once again someone had plowed us out after yesterday's winter storm!  Thank you, Dan of Bloom, Greenhouse & Garden Centre, for visiting us with your tractor last night!

-posted by Swoon

Hello everybody. This photo I have taken for my friend Ksenia (after her beautiful baby girl was born) was published in this (February/March) issue of Photo Life magazine (http://www.photolife.com/currentIssue.php) in Showtime contest Family Portraits. Hooray! That is my second photo published already. Thank you, Ksenia, for sharing this precious time with me!
-posted by Evgenia Makogon