Creatively Inspired.... by the talented Alisa Burke

 
This past May, I had the pleasure of attending Donna Downey's Inspired Event. I was particularly excited to meet on of the teachers there.. Ms. Alisa Burke!

 
 
(isn't she a cutie!)

I was a huge fan of her work, her fabrics, her workshops, her blog.. her stamps!! Lol.. Just a fan!  So when it came time for her class, I couldn't wait to just dive in and learn from her. She was teaching us how to create our own fabrics by layering with stamps, our own doodling, screen printing and more.

 

 It was just a really great, relaxing class. The best part was when she ended up at our table and her and I were able to actually talk and meet. It's funny because I think we spent the better last half of the 4 hour class, just talking and talking. I was even MORE in love with this girl and her art because now I know she was not only one talented artist.. but a fun, down to earth girl as well. We just clicked instantly and I knew we would be long life friends. She's one of those girls that you just know.. after spending 2 hours with.. that you can just hang out and have a good time.. and just really enjoy it each other.   We exchanged phone numbers and have stayed in touch since then! Just love that girl! Well when I started this series, I instantly thought of her and doing some sort of  canvas piece, where I would paint/layer stamps, etc..  and raw piece of canvas and then make a purse or something out of it..   

Besides being an amazing painter, fabric artst (she makes the most amazing handbags)

 
 

quilts...

 

 Jewelry..

 

 

 

out of her canvas/cloth paintings..  and stamp carver 

 (she hand carves all of her own stamps.. and they are to DIE For! so popular that everytime she comes out with them.. she sell out instantly.. and I have YET to get my hands on some of them!)..

SHE ALSO is a insanley creative doodler.

 

 

Which is something I also really enjoy doing. (last saturday during the canasta tournament, I doodled all over the paper-covered table through 5 hours of play :)) (which by the way.. ME and my partner, My SIL, Jayla.. WON!!! the entire tournament! it was the doodling.. it was GOOD LUCK! lol)

 

So this past week, when I saw THIS blog post  about this  LARGE Wall-Art canvas she has made, which is all completely doodling, I was INSTANTLY inspired .. and knew that is what I wanted to do my next creatively inspired art challenge on!

 

 

 So I texted her and told her my plan and of course as the gracious adorable person she is.. she said yes!  

 I knew I wanted to create something large scale, like hers.. but I thought to put my own spin on by it with mixing colors, using stamps to give the background some depth and texture. I also wanted to add a few more colors to it, as I thought it would be the PERFECT piece in my art studio! Well I sat down to create with the intention of videoing my process, and my friend Margie called.. I began to doodle.. and before I knew it.. our conversation was over and  I was already finished! painted and everything! (oops!) lol.. 

Sooooooo....I decided to create a second one I could video as well.. to show you the process I used. These are the two pieces I came up with..

here if my first one.. it's 3"x18" long..

 

 

I went with bright summer colors, something maybe I could put in my art studio.. or my daughter allie's room.

I  
 On this piece I went with a more monochromatic flower.. so each flower is it's own color and just used shades of the color to give the flower dimension.

 
I did include on flower in the opposite corner that incorporated all of the colors.. to tie them all in together.

 

My second pieces.. which is the one I video taped for my blog.. was this piece here!

it's 24"x36" in size..

 
I intended on creating several flowers on this one.. like the first.. but got going and before I knew it ended up with ONE Big giant flower. I still may add a small flower in the upper right corner.. to even it out.

 

 

I also was going to do monchromatic flowers.. but ended up doing a mutlicolor flower instead..
 
 
 

After it was all said and done, I came up with two finished art piece and I honestly love both of them! If you want to see more of my process.. I have posted a youtube video below at the end of this post.. keep in mind it's MY Process.. not Alisa's.. as I am SURE she is way more "artist" than me! lol

  THANK YOU ALISA for your wonderful inspiration!! If you want to learn more about Alisa and her work.. first you MUST Read her blog.. holy cow.. she just painted a "rug"  the wood floor of her hallway in her house. .. um.. seriously girl? She is just amazing! But she ALSO teaches online classes as well as has her own books published! (her newest book, Sew Wild is due out any day.. and I get to be apart of a blog hop in it's debut!!) I chomping at the bit   excited about her NEWEST online class, ( and you SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY need to do it too)..  Beneath the Surface !     It's all about her process in creating art on fabric using layer  of paints, stamps, screen printing techniques.. (how to make your OWN screen prints.. which I promise ANYONE can do!!) Registration starts MONDAY and class starts August 15th! I am So going to be there.. you should join me! .. not kidding it will change the way you look at fabric art! Your OWN art and is a perfect medium for both SHe Art Canvases AND Art Journals! You also need to check out all of her other workshops.. I think she has like 7 or 8 online workshops that you can take and join now!

 

I made a video on my process (it's a Behind the Art Video and all in fast forward mode (or it would be WAY to long..) but I thought It might be fun to share my process a bit.. Anyhow.. thank you again Ms Alisa Burke. You are one extremely brilliant and talented lady. I still want to do a purse or something out of painted fabric.. but that is for another time. Hope you enjoy the video! Happy Thursday!

 

Comments

[Lisa Ciaravino]

Love it! I really need to practice my doodleing!

[Carol Miller]

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!! My mind is already spinning with ideas. Thanks; as always for the inspiration.

[Steph]

So so so! Amazing. Beautiful work, you are such an inspiration, I've really missed your videos!

Can't wait for more

[jeanie]

love it miss Christy and so glad i came and read this and your friend Alisa's blog....we had some power outages around 2 months ago and i just doodled all over the front of my new clip board to pass time and i liked it so i asked my husband if i could sand our table alittle and just doodle all over it....dang it he said NO....since i got it hmmmm 8 years ago for $100 because it had a scatch on it and my kids and grandkids have dink it up oh yea i was the one that spelt glitter on it last fall i was sure it was the perfect makeover....i am gonna show him that floor...=0) thanks for letting me share
jeanie

[Giovanna]

Thanks again Christy. I have a biggie here that I've been scared of starting on but now you and Alisa have given me the courage.
xx

[Dira Reeves]

AHHHH! another gorgeous canvas!!! I'll have to add this to my bucket list to do...thanks for sharing :)

[Mahria Day]

love, love, love it! I stopped it to follow along, and I didn't know I could doodle! Just need to practice more. Thanks for the inspiration.

[lori jolley]

wow ! I love both your work! What a great idea to doodle large canvasses. I never would have imagined how amazing they would look - but I'm a horrible doodler - so I'll have to practice before I would ever attempt something so big!

[Linda]

Love both canvasses. Thank you so much for this inspiration - I've missed your videos so much! I can't wait to get out a canvas and see what I can do.

[Lisa Gonzalez]

So looking forward to seeing more of your videos and following your blog. You are so relatable and sweet on your video. Thanks for sharing!

[Amy lynne Smith]

Love it Christy! They are both awesome! I am soooo going to try this! Thanks for the inspiration!

[Barbara Messina]

Love, LOVE, LOVE it!!!! Love the colors, love the doodles....love everything about it!

[melanie]

LOVE it!!! :)

You & Alisa are both soo awesome!

[Karen Searle]

Love it, Love it, Love it, Love it all! Two very talented ladies, thx for sharing:)

[Amy Patterson]

Oh, I love that larger canvas just the way it is! It took my breath away, seriously. Love it. Next in my art journal I am so giving that a try. Thanks for inspiring me!!

[diana]

you are so amazing!!!!
is there anything you touch that doesn't come out beautiful!!

[sandi tygar]

Amazing, Christy!!!!! I'm in such awe of you... and thank you for sharing Alisa - she's awesome!!!