Creatively Inspired.. a summer art challenge

 

This summer I knew I would have a lot of down time.. but  I REALLY wanted to do something to keep my creativity going!  I wanted do try something unique and different so  I thought a challenge for myself would be a great way to keep me going from week to week. Plus I thought it would be fun incorporate techniques and ideas I don't normally play with.

I was talking to my daughter about how I am always in AWE of ideas or pieces of art I see on the internet.. not just in mixed media art, but photography, sewing, en-caustic, jewelry, papercrafting.. the list goes on. So many talented women and men out there with some serious creative mojo.  And then it hit me! Why not do a challenge where each week I find someone.. a friend, a fellow blogger, an etsy store owner and hi-light a piece of THEIR art and then create a piece inspired by it! I loved the idea.. and mainly because I have so many awesome and talented artists I amdire..  who are creative in TOTALLY different mediums than I am. I wanted to expand my own creativity just a bit by using them as a mentor for my creative play. so I am excited to bring you a new summer series..

Creatively Inspired.. a summer art challenge

my first challenge is inspired one VERY brilliant gal..  Junelle Jacobsen.. and she is ONE amazing artist. She is a photographer at heart (which by the way.. she is coming here in September to take our family photos.. CAN NOT WAIT).., but she is also extremely  talented when it comes to mixed media, canvas and paint. I don't think she knows how talented she really is.. but I describe her as "Brilliant"

how I met Junelle was through the two workshops I currently offer.  She was a student in both.. and one afternoon I was enjoying some time just looking through the FLICKR gallery where students post their work from the class.  I kept seeing this AMAZING work and just seriously blown away by not just by the design, but the thought and technique put into it. I didn't realize it at first.. but all of the  pictures I kept commenting on.. were the same person's art.. Junelle's art.  So I immediately went to her profile and found her info.. then headed over to her blog and soon found out she was not only an awesome mixed media artist.. but a brilliant photographer as well!  (I have also recently hired her to start doing the kit photos for the Scarlet Lime website.. can't wait! lol) 

 Well one of the projects she posted.. that I fell crazy in love with..  it was an art journal piece she made for my 3 Hearts workshop..  this piece right here..

 
 

I WAS IN LOVE...

 

I love how she had taken book paper or any kind of paper for that matter and rolled it randomly into tubes and used it as a background AND an emebellishment on her art journal page. I could see incorporating this technique onto so many other things! (Like fabric and canvas! )

 

I love how she painted over the top of it.. just as if it was part of the background to her page.. I call it Paper Art. (not sure what she calls it..) but whatever it is.. it's brilliant.

 

After spending some time.. wiping the drool of my chin.... I emailed her and first asked her, if she would be a part of my summer art challenge and  if I could use this piece as inspiration for my own art piece. THEN  I asked her if she would be my friend and come take my family photos and play with my in my art garage and be my email buddy..  I think she thought I was a bit psycho! lol.. hopefully she doesn't. :)

After she replied back yes.. I knew I wanted her to be the first piece in my new summer series. I didn't want to do an art journal piece.. I wanted to create something that I could hang on a wall, so I created my piece on canvas. But this could SO easily be done with fabric on a dress, or wall quilt, or a pillow, or a piece of wood, inside a frame.. the possibilities are endless.  I didn't ask her how she did the technique.. because that is where the inspired part comes in. I wanted to look at her art and being inspired by what I saw.. and create my own piece inspired by it.  Here is what I came up with..  

 

I used a 10x10 canvas as my base..  I loved her color scheme so much.. I used that as inspiration as well.

 

I also liked her heart theme  so I used it too, though I  did end up making another piece that was in the shape of a flower.. turned out so cool as well (it's in the video below).

 

Once I painted over the paper rolls  I  added texture onto them like paint, stamps, rubons, and even my doodle pen.. I added another layer of dimension with the corrugated heart (which I made in the 3 hearts workshop)

 

 I made sure to alternate different sizes of the rolled paper, as well as use a mixture of patterns like dictionary paper, text paper and music paper.

 

I had SO much fun trying this technique out.. It truly WAS super cool.
I am going to for sure try this technique on other mediums. I can see a really cool pillow being made with this technique and rolled fabric.. I have the perfect fabric for it too. Might post that later.. :)

This was only one of Junelle's awesome pieces I was inspired by... she had so many more I loved.. but this Paper Art Technique was really cool.

AND..

I made a little video for you to show you how I interpreted this technique and created this canvas piece. But before I leave you with that.. I wanted to encourage YOU to also join me in this adventure! Find a way to stay creatively inspired this summer.. whether it's be doing your own challenge.. or taking a class, or getting together with friend to just create art. Have fun with it! You deserve it! Speaking of classes.. I know I mentioned today I would be annoucing  some new "Mini" workshops coming this summer.. but I am going to wait and announce them next monday.. so watch for those two workshops.. info coming soon!
AND THANK YOU to Junelle.. what a great way to kick of my summer.. being creatively inspired by her.. she is truly brilliant. Love that chicka!

Next week I will be heading out of town for an entire week to volunteer at my church's girls camp. We will be camping, hiking, floating the river.. and of course.. creating a little art.. which I can't wait for! I am going to teach them to create the She ARt Girls as one of the art projects. It will be so fun. So depending on what I am able to get done this week.. I may or may NOT post a creatively inspired Challenge next wednesday.. but if I can get my creative butt in gear, I will get a post ready before i leave :)..

okay.. enough talk! Onto the video..

here is a Behind the Art Video.. Creatively Inspired.. Paper Art.

Happy Wednesday!

 

 

Comments

[Vanessa]

Love it!!!!!

[chantille]

Oh Christy love that technique. Thank you for sharing, so glad you discovered Junelle's art! Can't wait to give this a try, it's so effective, love all the layering.

[Sue]

Awesome!! Can't wait to try this!!

[Angie Blom]

haha.. I just love Junelle and everything she makes.. I want her to be my friend too.. she is multi talented.. and I am so glad I got to see her wonderful work because of the 3 hearts group. amazing, inspiring, creative and I love her blog too. Yippee Junelle, congrats on working with Christy.. I also love your canvas piece.. that is next on my list of things to try.. xx

[Michelle]

I bookmarked Junelle's piece from the Flicker group, I too found it inspiring. I have plans to try it myself.
Michelle

[Madzie]

I saw this in the 3 hearts flickr group Christy and I can't tell you how many times I have gone back and looked at it totally in love with it.
All of her Art is so inspiring. I love that you are doing this challenge series.
x0x0x
Madzie

[Ky Scrapacat]

This is so cool! I want to play along. Should we send suggestions for future challenges if we find something juicy on the web? Thanks for the extra nudge to journal!

[Deb]

Absolutely LOVE this Christy, both Junelle's piece and yours!

[Anna Jeffs]

Thanks for sharing all of this wonderful inspiration! You are amazing...

[Leslie]

This is truly COOL!! I want to try...never thought of this before.

Also...I spent a week with our Young Women a few weeks ago at camp...yes, I was Camp Director:) I shared my version of your girls with our group of chickies from our Branch...our them was "Your Happily Ever After". The girls LOVED them!! And they truly made them their own.

Love all your inspiration, Christy. Thanks for sharing and enjoy Girl's Camp!

[Eunice Boger]

So Amazing!!! All this creativity in you!! God has truely blessed you with his beauty!

[Karen Dodson]

Awesome!!!!!

[Kimberly Roberts]

awesome technique!! i am an art quilter at heart and cant wait to try this with fabric....thanks for sharing!! looking forward to your mini workshops :)

[karen/aichaku]

awesome awesome awesome!!! i <3 everything you both did and i'm definitely making the time to join in this adventure!

[Melinda Tate Mccall]

Loved it,I get tickled at you, how you have paint on your hands,and you just rip and shove, and it just turns into a work of art!! I really learn how to loosen up from you,everything doesn't have to be just so-so.... Thanks!

[Aimee Bishop]

Rarely do I come across a technique that so inspires me I have to do it right away! Well this was it. I ran straight upstairs to my studio and did a page in my art journal. So much fun and the results are fantastic. Wouldn't this be a spectacular card background too?! My mind is racing with ideas. Thanks for sharing Junelle with us!

[Gina Jenkins]

So cool! Going to try it out tomorrow. And i am of to YW Camp too - but in 2 weeks. I don't get to teach art though - Level leader for me!

[Joanne Freeman]

SO clever and creative. Love both pieces. Super idea for a summer challenge. Looking forward to seeing who you introduce us to.

[marci]

oh my gosh...she's the bomb.com.;D
right behind you. ;D
i love your take on her idea.
i love her blog.
just full of love tonight.:D
and smiles.

[sanna]

So cute and what a fun idea! I have to try it! :)

[Barb in CA]

What a wonderful technique Junelle came up with. I love her piece and I love your rendition on canvas. Now, I want to try my version! Thanks for the video.

[melanie]

Love it!! Love all your tutorials!! Thanks for sharing!! :)

[Shirel]

ooooooh! it's SOOOOOOOO cool !

[Dianne]

This is right up my alley... I cannot even copy my own work the same LOL so anything I TRY to copy turns out different anyway.
Now I feel great, I am just challenging myself not failing at all LOL

[Michelle Herbert]

Love your video tutorials. I can't get enough of them! Thanks for the challenge and sharing.