Pulled toward Leather

As much as I love painting, there are times I need to work on three dimensional projects. A few times, I have combined a painted canvas with some assemblage attached. Other times, I like to play with assemblage, bookbinding, themed art journals, shrines, painting glass and ceramics, and such.

Since last year, I’ve taken baby steps learning about leather, making little leather purses for gift cards using using random leather scraps. Online, I found instructions for simple things like setting a snap. Here is the practice one I kept:


The next ones, I measured with a ruler and an awl to get evenly spaced holes for the lacing.

Leather art caught my eye at my very first Renaissance fair many years ago. One vendor had leather journals, checkbook wallets, belts, mostly in a Celtic theme. I was overwhelmed by the choices and finally settled on a refillable Celtic journal in turquoise. The intricacy and details of Oberon Design reminds me of that craftsmanship.

When I saw these unique wallet and handbags in a GaelSong catalog recently, I was very intrigued.

Thanks to the wonderful Internet, I discovered C. L. Whiting. Since I love using leaves in my own work, I am drawn to these designs. This artist’s works are amazing, exquisite, and fabulous!

Curiosity about this tough, flexible material intensified after discovering it could be used as both the support and cover for handmade books. Having made a few books now, I am fascinated with color combinations, detailing of spine stitches, and closure styles (buttons, leather strips, buckles, latches, etc.).

From the little I’ve researched, you can stamp emboss, carve, paint, dye, and even brand leather. I have one of those multi-function heat tool that can burn leather but haven’t tried it yet. You could really get creative and use your own designs on untreated leather ovals, squares, rectangles, and bookmarks.

It’s odd that leather isn’t more prominent in mixed-media books and magazines, isn’t it? Does it still have connotations of being a craft that only the boy scouts or summer camp kids use? Are there any leather crafters out there? Tell us about your experiences.

Sunday Evening Summation

More Not More
By Bruce Cockburn

I don't mean to cling to you my friends

It's just I hate the day to have to end

Never enough time to spend

I haven't done enough for this to be the end

As the sun sinks behind Madame Oak, another Sunday evening approaches with Monday’s workweek around the corner. I often think of this song quoted above and wish I worked for two days and had five days to play!

Today, I did something I had been afraid to do—put a finishing varnish on a canvas. It was a test for the one I want to exhibit. There’s a juried exhibit in two weeks with my local watercolor group and I’m feeling a little panic. Today I discovered some framing items I’ve ordered will now be delayed. I’ve also made a last-minute decision to include a work that will need matting and framing (which I’ve taught myself). So, I’ve scurried around the house seeing what I have on hand and making a list for the only art supply store that carries quality supplies. Since I like planning ahead, I feel like I was floundering this afternoon.

Speaking of long range plans, I’ve been pondering future painting efforts and wondering:

• What substrate do I want to work on that is easy to finish, frame, hang, sell, and ship—canvas? paper?, board?
• What sizes should I get to buy in bulk?
• How will those decisions affect the way I work?
  

If I can build up a supply of good work that is easy to prepare, I will offer my works on Etsy. At this point, I’m thinking smaller works will be easier to ship. And perhaps create larger works for local exhibits. For you more experienced and full-time artists, how did you decide such things?

On a different and happy note, I had a wonderful visit Saturday from fellow artist Mary, who now lives in the Land of Enchantment. My forever friend first introduced me to art many years ago and encourages me to this day. Presently, her camera is her creative canvas of expression; she takes wonderful vistas of mesas and mountains, fauna and flora.

So now I realize it was a fulfilling weekend, after all.

Some experiments last week with light modeling paste:

Diffusion
8" x 7"

Impact
9" x 12"

Paper Making Class

About a week and a half ago, I attended a short paper-making class with my friend Nancy. It was held at the Southwest Center of Arts and Crafts and we had access to all their big equipment.

After a brief introduction, we took two wooden saw horses and a piece of plywood to fit on top. Wetting down a large piece of felt (about the size of a full sheet of watercolor paper), we placed it across the opened saw horses and plywood, which acted as a desk. If we wanted to do more sheets, we could add another felt layer, up to a total of three.

There were four large tubs of already-prepared pulp (white, yellow, two reds) and three smaller ones with two greens and a blue. Stainless steel shelves held all sizes of molds and deckles. A goodie bag of textures—plastic grids, polyester lace/fabric, keys, etc., enticed experimentation. A spool of fine filament (think fishing line) was available to dip into the pulp and create fine or thick lines. And we had only an hour and a half to play.

Instead of beginning with simple individual pages, our instructor showed us a complicated folder with pockets, which took me quite a while to understand and complete. It is shown below, sideways, the outside, before I've folded it in half.

What a messy medium this is! There were two hoses, both set on full-force, one at a tub-like sink for rinsing and one hose to wet down felt. Every time you wanted to change colors, you had to wash out your mold and deckle so you wouldn’t contaminate the vat of new color. Some pulp was so thick, it stuck all over your hands and rings. You would pull your mold and deckle through the bin of water, shift it slightly like a gold prospector, and bring it dripping water all over to your felt “desk”. The cement floor had several drains and we were warned to wear waterproof shoes. They weren’t kidding--I had to roll up my jeans as well! For one born under a Pisces sign who loves beaches and water, I was surprised how much I didn’t like working in soaking-wet shoes and hands. I brought my camera to take photos but never had a chance. My hands were always wet, making or elaborating a sheet.

Once time had expired, we stacked all the felts into a sandwich with boards that went into a huge press. It squished out all the water from the papers and the felts, under great pressure. A drain caught the run-off.

Then, we had to slow-dry all the papers. We weren’t able to bring any of it home that day. Removing the sheets onto more sandwiches of corrugated boards, davey boards, and dry felts, we stacked them up next to a box fan covered in plastic blowing steadily for a week. I couldn’t figure out why the teacher said this was an “instant gratification” medium!

Just got the pages back yesterday and these scans don’t really show the intricate elegance the paper has. The irregular deckles, the translucent layers, the feel of the finished product. Okay, now I begin to see the attraction.

Art Workshops in Person or Art Workshops on DVD?

Last fall I attended my first art workshop. To make a long story short, I was greatly disappointed. In fact, I was more inspired by the setting of the workshop rather than anything the teacher imparted.

What was wrong with me? Why wasn’t I enjoying the class I’d paid quite a lot for and taken almost a week’s vacation for? After some thought, I realized I had learned more about myself than any painting technique.

Lesson One: perhaps you don’t need a teacher right now. “When the student is ready, the teacher appears,” goes the ancient saying. Maybe I wasn’t ready. Or maybe I already had learned enough techniques to develop my own style. Of course, I love to learn and plan to be a student for life. But for me, painting is a joy and a creative release and this class was making me depressed. I felt like the only participant who wasn’t understanding or enjoying the exercises.

Lesson Two: take a class only in your media. This was advertised as mixed media class, but it greatly favored those using watercolors. I’d decided not to buy tube watercolors and then have to learn how to handle them in only four days. A member of the Yahoo Experimental Acrylic Group kindly recommended fluid acrylics, but they didn’t lend themselves to the brushes or techniques the artist was teaching and I became frustrated with the differences.

Lesson Three: maybe I don’t have the best personality to take workshops. Watercolor Artist magazine ran a humorous, yet accurate, quiz listing different attendee types. (Read the whole article here: Click here ).

Although I’m not giving up ever attending a workshop, I’m being very selective. In the meantime, members of Experimental Acrylics recommended art DVDs at Creative Catalyst and I ordered two about abstract acrylic painting techniques and another about water media collage. I love the two I’ve watched so far since these very different artists each share intuitive painting techniques I gravitate toward.

So, what kind of workshop attendee are you? Tell me about your experiences.