Catching Up on News

Instead of a thoughtful, long post on a deeply meaningful topic, I’m catching up with news. I’ve done two thoughtful articles in two days, and I couldn’t make it three for three.

 

Sycamore bark, gel medium and ink on Monsoon Papers.

The newsletter: It’s going to happen–soon!  I’m going to use Mail Chimp, which will allow you to subscribe and unsubscribe without my having to do the administrative work. And it will look like a designed newsletter, not like every other email you receive. But yes, it will be email. I’ll announce it on the blog with a link to my website, where the sign-up page will live. If everything works well, it will happen in the next 10 days.

The poetry class: Will start in early August. I know a lot of people go on vacation in August, but that may be the best time to start a poetry class. It will be six weeks long. We will not focus on traditional poetry forms (sonnets, epic poems, elegy, renga) except as definitions. We will explore shorter forms, like haiku, quatrains and quintains. We will practice imagery, metaphor, personification, allusion, rhyme schemes, line length, and punctuation. We’ll write poems and pieces of poems. Like collage, pieces of poems are scraps that can be combined to form surprising word images.

Registration will open on my website on July 1, with payment though PayPal or check. There will be a notice on the blog.

Using Yahoo Groups. The poetry class will be run on a Yahoo Group. After looking at many ways to do it, the Yahoo Group is a place that is private, has no ads, allows for each person to post, comment, and participate at the level they want. It makes sense for a writing class.

Paying it Forward: I haven’t taught an online class in a long time, but always  donate part of the price of the class to a charity. This time, the donation will be to Heat Relief, a group of City employes who use donations to supply the homeless with fresh drinking water in our broiling summer. The city has turned off most of the public drinking fountains, and many homeless adults and children die of heat stroke and lack of water. This is a grass-roots organization, so I will use the money to buy the water and deliver it to one of the locations. (Yes, it will be plastic bottles, and yes, the bottles are picked up by other volunteers for recycling.)

Madeline Island Class: I’m doing some give-aways to people who attend the class in Madeline Island, Wisconsin on July 22-26. I know it is expensive, so there will be four prizes, drawn throughout the week:

1. A month of free creativity coaching. Once you experience it in class (each person will experience at least one session that week), you will fall in love with the process that helps you free yourself from your sticky story and live the live you want. (A $324 value)

2. Two $50 gift cards; one each to Dick Blick and Daniel Smith.   That should help you continue working on what you started at the retreat.

3. Three packs of Strathmore Ready-Cut paper, the kind we will use in class. There are 25 sheets in a pack, so three people will be able to create a lot of inner hero pages when they get back home.

The combined value is just over the price of the class, and while i could not afford to give a scholarship, I think this will be a nice way to thank people for coming. You can read about the class here. You can register here.

Upcoming in-Person Classes: I’ll be teaching these three classes at Arizona Art Supply in Phoenix. It’s at the Southeast corner of Indian School and 16th Street. Each class is divided into two sections. The morning section explores the technique, the afternoon is spent making projects with the technique. Register for both morning and afternoon and get a discount.

Saturday, July 13: Monsoon Papers  10:00 am – 4:30 pm.  Make colorful  Monsoon Papers in the morning. Use them for art journaling, folders, photo mats, or envelopes. Then make two accordion folders with your paper in the afternoon.  Read about details or register. Class size is limited to 12 people.

Saturday, August 10: Paste Papers 10:00 am – 4:30 pm.  Learn an easy and beautiful surface-decoration technique using colorful art paste. Then collage postcards with your paper. Registration will be available on my website after July 15.

Saturday, September 7: Loose-Leaf Journaling 10:00 am – 4:30 pm. Create your personal 3-ring binder, then fill it with art journal pages, using different kinds and sizes of paper. I’m very excited about this class–loose-leaf journaling is an exciting new approach. And of course you can keep your poetry in this journal. Registration will be available after August 10.

Remember the tree bark? I pressed it and used it in a collage made with ink, gel medium and Monsoon Papers. That’s the illustration for today. The bark worked particularly well. I have also pressed eucalyptus tree bark, and it presses well, also.

—Quinn McDonald is a creativity coach and teacher. She loves doing both.

 

Loose-Leaf Journal Pages Holder

The idea of what constitutes a book has always fascinated me. Now that I’m doing loose-leaf journal pages, the ease of work has made me think of books in a new way. For a long time, I had trouble thinking of wire-bound journals as real books. Then I realized that wire-bound books allowed for more freedom than bound books, and did both.

Earth-rise from Mars. Poured acrylic on Arches Cover and watercolor pencils on watercolor paper

Working on loose-leaf pages allows you to work on several at once, without having to put wax paper between bound pages. You can also turn the page to keep the angle right, without working on a pile of other pages. And the binding becomes a metaphor for the attachment you have to the pages and how much you use them. You bind the books with attention.

Yes, loose-leaf pages could go out of order, but that’s why you put dates on them. And then you can put them in any order–all your red pages, all the collages, in date order, just happy pages, just serious ones. It’s a wonderful freedom.

So this weekend, I indulged in two of my favorite studio pursuits: poured acrylics and making covers for journal page collections. I’d already made the Monsoon Papers last week, conveniently enough. You’d almost think I planned these things.

Poured acrylic and paper mosaic. © Quinn McDonald, 2013. All rights reserved.

Poured acrylics are simple. Or complicated if you want. I push mine a little harder. First I put down some PVA glue  (on deli or freezer paper) that dries clear, then instead of acrlyics, I use inks and acrylic glaze, stir them with the back of a paintbrush (or Starbucks stirrer, being careful not to lick the stirrer, again), and let it dry. Here in Phoenix that takes a day or so. Your results may well take a week. Once dry, you peel them off and put them on journal pages.

I like the effect of a paper mosaic with its rigid edges softened by a poured acrylic in the same colors.

Then, the folder to keep them in. Monsoon Papers, again, because it can look like leather or vintage metal. I’ve been pleased with the new technique that gives really deep, rich colors.

Here’s the folder front. I decided to sew this one and use variegated thread.

Monsoon papers, machine sewing. Folder, © Quinn McDonald

Here’s the folder open:

Folder, open showing loose-leaf journal pages.

The folder holds about a dozen loose-leaf pages sewn this way. It can easily be made to hold more by adding a gusset.

And finally, the back:

Back of folder

I made another one with hand-stitching, and a slightly different closure. I love the effect of a group of them. And the fact that I can use them to carry the pages around without bending the corners.

--Quinn McDonald is working on upcoming workshops. She’s solving problems as she goes along.

Saturday Creative Round-Up

Cooking Man and I have started to make our own yogurt. It’s way easy, a yogurt maker is cheap, and the resulting yogurt is exactly what you want. We add vanilla, lemon or orange zest (from our own trees!) or nutmeg. There are eight cups, so we can get a variety of flavors. It’s about half the cost of store-bought yogurt, and carb-friendly and tasty. Proving once more that mixed-media can include the art of cooking and the joy of eating.

Urban Sketchers are on Spring Break, but still posting, and I love to see their page layouts and sketches.

Diane Becka takes a photo a day, and this one, about creating natural art with what you find while you are out on a walk, is both inspiring and satisfying. The post on creation and destruction both puzzled me and didn’t surprise me. But the boy’s action does make you think about what you would have done in the same circumstances–as an onlooker, as a parent.

I’m a fan of Buddhist Boot Camp, because of the incongruous name as well as the inspiration that works for me. Here’s one I liked this week: “Find something worth dying for, then live for it!” And no, I’m still not religious. So I love this quote from the site: “As the Dalai Lama says, ‘Don’t try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are.’”  When people ask me about religion, sometimes I say, “I’m Buddish”

It took me a long time to start sketching. Because, you know, I was chicken. (Image: ink on watercolor paper, inked papers. © Quinn McDonald, all rights reserved, 2012.

I’ve narrowed down my art choices so I can get better at fewer things. I’ve chosen pen and ink sketching (OK, and hand lettering, using the same pen nibs) and collage (which includes found poetry.) See how it gets out of hand quickly? But if you are a pen and ink sketcher, here’s a good site for choosing nibs for your art.

Today is the deadline  to get the download on stenciling tips from Glenda Waterworth’s site, Chocolate Baroque. The offer ends on March 17, 2013. Get the code and link to her site here.

Yesterday, I spent the day re-vamping the way I make Monsoon Papers. I’d wanted to get richer colors faster, and decided that I liked to have the front and back look different. The same color family, but different looks. I spent an entire day doing it, and of course, the Inner Critic showed up to comment and tell me how I was wasting time. But it turns out, he was wrong. I got some great results, was smart enough to take notes. Which means I can teach it. And I will be teaching it in Mid-May in Minneapolis. The link isn’t up yet, but as soon as it is, I’ll give you more details. But meanwhile, save the date for May 18-19, 2013. (There’s more to the class than Monsoon Papers, but all that information will be up in about 10 days or so.)

Having updated the technique, I’ll also be teaching the new technique at the five-day  art and writinf retreat at Madeline Island this July 22 to 26, 2013. (Wonder why I keep adding the year? Because I’ve had people try to register for classes I taught four years ago. Once you’ve got more than 1,600 blog posts, it can be hard to demand people check the dates of the post.)

That’s it for the weekend! See you on Monday!

--Quinn McDonald is a creativity coach, writer, and artist who is creating new classes combining all three and having an excellent time doing it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Totally Different Valentine’s Card

This gallery contains 3 photos.

After making a mosaic Valentine’s Day card several years ago, and a Valentine Tree card with heart-shaped leaves, I decided to go in a completely different direction this year. With chocolates being out of the picture this year, I thought … Continue reading →

Monsoon Paper Day at the Photo Shoot

Today is Monsoon Paper day. I’m not teaching it, I just get to make it so it can be photographed, step by step. I’m so excited, because Monsoon Papers have come a long way since I started making them in the thrashing summer rains in Phoenix. Now I can make them indoors, in any weather, add glitz, glitter and glaze, and even fix the occasional tears in the papers. So it’s going into the book! (And yes, that is a Monsoon Paper towel in the photo)

The photo shoot has been great so far. Lots of laughing and story telling (you already knew I was a yakker, right?)

But today, book contributor Liz Crain has a great blog on creative ideas. It’s a mash up of great tips, links, and ideas about life in your paracosm. What’s a paracosm? Liz will explain. It’s worth stopping over there and getting inspired.

I’ll be back tomorrow.

–Quinn McDonald is a writer and artist who is writing a book on your inner heroes confronting your inner critic.

Hidden Stories

Monsoon Papers hold endless fascination for me because I can’t control them. I think I am going to make a largely blue one, and then one corner, with a yellow flash, holds all the interest. I begin to think of the background of the page, and think of it like tea leaves–that the random patterns hold the story of the past and future.

The detail above looks to me like an exploding sun at the time of creation. It spins off a world into the shadowy ocean. People are born and live on that world, which is not of their choosing. Some thrive, others ache for what they don’t have on this undersea, mysterious world.

When I make them, my hands and arms are covered in ink that takes days to wear off. I don’t get tired of looking at the accidental details in the papers. In this one the sun is back and the gold shows the track of the sun as it crosses the sky in a different path through the seasons. The years behind the gold tracks layer into the colors. There is history on this page.

This looks like an ancient map, on ancient papers, with shadows hiding the parts of the past we want to forget.

My biggest delight today is that I discovered how to make Monsoon Papers in a room with one sink. Without a hose and with rich, deep colors. That means that I have inks, will travel. I no longer need good weather and outdoor space to make Monsoon Papers. And best of all, these new ones also tell me stories about places I’ve never seen.

--Quinn McDonald is a writer and artist who works at the intersection of stories and color. She teaches what she knows.

Monsoon Papers: Learning from Class

I’ve taught in a lot of places, and I’ve had a lot of experiences. Right up there at the top of my “Wow!” list is the class I just taught at Valley Ridge in Muscoda, Wisconsin. Katherine Engen, the owner-artist of Valley Ridge has the genius gift of treating both participants and instructors as very special people. She values creativity, and she honors it. Instructors are treasured and class participants are honored for their enthusiasm, skill and adventurous spirit.

I taught a class this weekend that included Monsoon Papers. On Saturday night, Katherine invited us all into her house for dinner. We cooked together–always a wonderful experience, but the conversation that flowed through the meal was as nurturing as anything we ate. When you teach a class and you learn as much as you teach, it’s a privilege.

Some photos:

Monsoon papers and ink-as-color postcard.

No one in this class was afraid of color!

It was wonderful to see people make different papers with completely different color ways.

Shy people can turn bold with gold!

Maroon asparagus reflected in the granite kitchen counter. Looks like they are in a stream. Katherine tried this technique and I was happy to learn from her.

One of four amazing chandeliers in the great room. Even the lighting is art at Valley Ridge.

Monsoon Papers work best when the creator doesn’t try to control the result.

Monet-like colors started as an experiment and worked beautifully.

These aren’t the only photos, just ones I could put up quickly.

I don’t work on art when I teach, because then I stop being available for questions and discoveries. When I’m very fortunate, participants become explorers of their own creativity and take me on an incredible journey with them–over the landscape of their creative process. That’s what made this weekend so special.

--Quinn McDonald teaches art and writing classes and loves it best when they come together.

QuinnCreative on the Road

In a month, I’m going to launching a series of classes in completely different

Fish done in drawing class, yellow stripe and blue face is done in Sharpie glitter.

places. The purpose of the classes are many–to gather information for my next book, to launch an idea that I think is both powerful and interesting, and to invite people to step into their own creativity. Particularly those people who have been working with kits and finding them unsatisfying.

Here is where I will be. If you are close, if you are far away,  if you want an adventure, please join me.

May 5-6: Valley Ridge, Wisconsin. Postcards from the Other Side of Your Brain.
Who it’s for: For anyone, artistic or not, who struggles with a loud, obnoxious inner critic. For those who love Monsoon Papers and want to learn how to make it.
What to expect: Two days of class that will help you work out ways to listen what the inner critic has to say, take the small hard truths out as raw material, and journal about them. (In guided visualizations). Use the writing to create your own wisdom in answering the critic.

You’ll make the popular Monsoon Papers and make a holder for your free-standing journal pages. To make the free-standing journal pages, you’ll also learn collage techniques with photographs, colored papers, and words.  You’ll also learn meditative ink-and-water technique and found poetry. You’ll create your very personal way to invite your inner critic into an open conversation with your inner advocates. You’ll be surprised at the reach, deep conversation. What you learn here will be a technique you can use for the rest of your life.
How to register: Go to the Valley Ridge website and register from there. Price: $310, or under $20 an hour. There are still several places left.

Dragonfly done in drawing class.

May 18: An event in Scottsdale, AZ. I’m still working with the details, so I can’t be informative. More to come.

May 31-June 2: Great American Scrapbook Convention, Arlington, TX. (Dallas Area)
Who it’s for: Anyone who already works on scrapbooks but wants to try something that incorporates their very own creativity.
What to expect: This fast-paced class will help you learn how to fill journal pages with fresh ideas, big ideas, tiny ideas–all in great fun and color. You will walk away with your own masu-box of magic words, and a skill that you can use to add sparkle and punch to your journals for years.

How to register: This takes you directly to the registration page. This takes you to the home page of the Great American Scrapbook Convention.

Flowers done in drawing class, tulips done in Sharpie glitter and Twinkling H20s

June 22-23,  Great American Scrapbook Convention in Chantilly VA.
I’m going to Chantilly, Virginia, too, and teaching One Sentence Journaling there, too! So if you can’t make it to Texas, click on the link to Chantilly and join the class there!

–Quinn McDonald is excited to be teaching and meeting a whole new group of people at scrapbooking conventions! Come and say hello!

Loose-Leaf Journal Pages (Again)

The idea behind loose-leaf journal pages is simple–you can create a group of pages. If you like them, they go into the book. If not, they can be reworked without slowing down the creative process. Some other good reasons:

1. I can keep sample pages in one section. Here is a page that shows Twinkling H20 colors on one side, and some Tombow water-soluble pens on the other. I always keep samples in my journal, but now I can keep them all in one place, instead of shuffling through journals searching for that second set of Inktense samples.

2. I can remove pages that are too personal to show to a class. This means I can carry samples that are ready to show and take out pages that aren’t the right sample for the class, or ones not meant for anyone but me. The pages are easy to remove.

3. Loose-leaf pages can remind me of an idea I had and what it meant. I can group similar ideas or series that I make weeks apart. It’s a great idea for teaching and planning. This one shows a group of alchemy symbols. On the back I have notes on how creativity is like alchemy.

Loose-leaf journals don’t have to be your only journal, but they can be a very useful one if you have a lot of ideas, a lot of plans, or teach a lot.

–-Quinn McDonald is a keeper of journals and a maker of Monsoon Papers, a technique she created and will teach in Valley Ridge, Wisconsin, May 5 and 6.

Note: I’ve asked WordPress for help with the comment-leaving issue. If you can’t leave a comment, you can try to leave an anonymous comment, or even sign in through Facebook or Twitter.  Or send me an email at Quinn Creative [at] Yahoo [dot] com. Close up spaces and use symbols. Thanks.

Art, No Attachments Necessary

For slightly under an hour today, I was in the studio, having fun. I have writing assignments to finish, so I’m not spending as much time in the studio as I’d like. But when I’m there, I’m there completely. Today, I was playing with photographs. Just playing. Not making cards, not journaling, just seeing if I could . . . well, I couldn’t. But now I know what went wrong, and I think I can still manage to create the same outcome. That’s for another time.

Art Hands, photo © Rosaland Hannibal

This kind of experimentation without expectation of success or project completion is valuable. Priceless, in fact. Working without attachment. No fretting about time limits, no need to complete something, no need to have something conventionally pretty when I’m done.

Last Saturday, when two art friends and I made Monsoon Papers, we had no idea when we started what would happen at the end. Working that way is fun and easy. I avoided judging the progress of my paper and kept adding and washing off color. Was it too dark? No, it was just “trending toward dark.” I was learning which inks do what.

I noticed we laughed a lot. I noticed we shared inks and water easily. I noticed I was having a good time. Had I been attached to the outcome, I might not have noticed that, but worried that the colors were too dark, or wondering how I could use the paper, or if the pizza would be OK for everyone.

Non-attachment doesn’t mean not caring. I cared very much, just not about my

Monsoon Paper © Quinn McDonald, 2012

career as an artist, or how much I could sell this piece of paper for, or what I should do with it. I cared about what was happening in the moment. That was enough.

Non-attachment doesn’t mean not planning. I carefully chose each color as I applied it. But I was not concerned if it didn’t do what I thought. I made note of what happened, it left room for learning instead of having learning squeezed out by disappointment.

Non-attachment to a project means you allow each step to happen, and learn from it. It’s very hard to master if you are competitive (and yes, I am), but mastery will allow you to live longer. And be happy doing it.

–Quinn McDonald is working on non-attachment, as she is on many other long-term skills. She is still impatient.