Let Joy (and Sandra’s Stamps) Be Your Compass:

Back in the day (circa 2000--), I was a HUGE scrapbooker who cataloged every memory, both big and small. I am a very tactile and visual person and the act of combining heartfelt words with my photographs, pretty patterns, and textures lit me up from inside. It’s a way of storytelling and memory keeping that really vibes with who I am at the core.

My style of art has morphed since then and the way I document our memories has morphed alongside of it. I also have access to a much more robust portfolio of art supplies—which means that a lot of what I create these days is off the page and many times doesn’t even involve a single word or a sheet of paper. As I reflect on it, that evolution has been both a blessing and a curse.

Sometimes, when I’m looking for inspiration to hit, or when I want to get those creative juices flowing, I have an overwhelming desire to get back to my roots. Which is exactly what I did here. I had a few specific goals in mind when I set out to create my projects for this month’s MUSE blog post:

• Work small—each assemblage should be under 5x7.

• Keep it simple and mainly 2-dimensional (paper and embellishments only).

• Use lots of layers.

• Create additional backgrounds with Sandra’s wide array of stamps!

• Make it fun and playful.

I started by pulling out my R+A and ArtFoamies stamps, marveling in the collection I have amassed in a relatively short period of time. I also gathered up some patterned papers and scraps, fun embellishments, and some washi tape. Have you ever tried to create art while simultaneously and consciously limiting yourself to certain materials? It’s a great way to challenge yourself and get the pistons in the creative centers of your brain firing on all cylinders, so give it a try if you haven’t already.

Then I made some backgrounds, primarily using Sandra’s Air, Marrakesh, and Tenango Oscura ArtFoamie. I also used Cupola, Halo, Driftwood Crown, and the Portal series. Then, I unleashed my Inner Child and let her out to play! I tore papers, gathered up some whimsical embellishments, and layered with wild abandon. The result was these beautiful (and fun) multi-dimensional assemblages. What a feast for the eyes!

Are you curious about what you might do with such creations when they are completed? Well, anything you want! But, you can gift them, add them to books or journals, turn them into cards, swap them, pin them to a mood or vision board, or have them be the focal point in a larger art journal page. They can also be the centerpiece on a canvas where you add more 3-dimensional elements like the R+A craft blanks. The possibilities are endless! I chose to adhere them to an oversized folio I have been working in—they act as benchmarks in my artistic journey and reminders that some things come full circle.

Keep creating!

Jenn Pipe

MUSE Design Team 2020

P.S. Here is where I highlighted Sandra’s stamps in each piece. I used Marrakesh and Cupola in “Let Joy Be Your Compass.” In my “Enjoy the Journey” ocean pieces, I used Air, Halo, and the tiniest little scrap of Marrakesh. In “Be Brave,” I used a Tenango Oscura background, Air, and Esoteric from the Portal series. And, in “Forever in My Heart” I used Tenango Oscura, Driftwood Crown, and some of the smaller foamies hearts from one of Sandra’s retired pieces.

Creating Change: An Homage to Mother Nature, Jennifer Pipe

I’ve had Mother Nature on the brain lately. She is so forgiving, so generous, and so regenerative, but I think she is getting fed up with our collective apathy. She is desperately trying to tell us something and I’m not convinced the majority of us are listening. 

The fires in both Australia and the Amazon. 
The unfathomable plastic pollution in the ocean. 
The earthquakes and hurricanes in Puerto Rico. 
The leveling of natural parks and historic burial sites in the US for “walls,” pipelines, and drilling. 
Seventy-degree weather in Antarctica. 
The pollution-for-profit mindset of our current political leaders.  

These are all signs that something is amiss. The warning bells are ringing loud and ringing often! It’s mind-boggling and concerning and should be top of mind for everyone. We’ve lost our way; and our short-sightedness and greed could certainly be our undoing. Humans are our planet’s worst enemy. We take and we pillage, often forgetting that our resources are finite and this is the only place we can call home.

As I was creating this project, I pondered my roles and responsibilities as a member of the 2020 MUSE Design Team. Am I here to simply create unique pieces of art? Is my main purpose to solely promote fabulous art products? Should I keep things light and fluffy? Or am I called to go deeper than that? Could I share with you my passion for Art as Activism? Can I be real, raw, and vulnerable about my feelings? Can I simultaneously create beautiful things while also being educational and thought-provoking? 

Since art often helps me process my emotions and make sense of the world around me, I think I have to be true to myself and go with the latter; knowing that not everyone will share my viewpoints or feel my sense of urgency. This piece is simultaneously a tribute to our natural world and a canary in the coalmine cry for immediate and lasting change. I hope it inspires you to create something beautiful in the days and weeks to come—I also hope, if nothing else, it results in you thinking about the importance of clean air and clean water for all. After all, the human race can’t survive without those things!

The Project:

The base of this project is a 3.5 x 3.5 inch wooden cube, which I coated in black gesso. Atop the cube sits a resin eagle from Sandra’s “Totems” collection in a nest of moss, bark, and greenery. The eagle was painted using the “iron” paint from the VerDay paint kit and I am loving the results! The eagle’s nest is anchored by one of the resin frames from the Italian Baroque set, also painted with VerDay—brass this time.

The flags sticking out of the nest are our clarion calls:

·      Stop taking things for granted,

·      Pay attention to our ecosystems,

·      Remember, we only get one chance!

On each of the four sides of the cube, I made an homage to a particular aspect of nature. Water, forests, air, and soil. 

The “forest” side has a hand sculpted tree and heart, both fashioned from Apoxie Sculpt. The text reads, “The forests that protect our wildlife.”

The “water” side has a mermaid tail which I hand sculpted using Apoxie Sculpt. It also features handmade Apoxie Sculpt bubbles. The text reads, “The water we need to survive.”

The “air” side features a night sky scene and has a mixture of items both molded from Apoxie Sculpt and found in my stash. The moon face is the focal point of this side and the text reads, “The quality of the air we breathe.”

Everything on the “soil” side was sculpted by me, using Apoxie Sculpt. The whimsical mushrooms, trio of hearts, and polka dots were all made with love. The text reads, “The soil that fortifies our food.”

I printed the words out and adhered them with Mod Podge, highlighting the area around the words with a black Posca pen. 

I used stencils and both StazOn and Distress Inks to add visual interest to the backgrounds. At the end of the process, I highlighted some of the areas on the cube with unaltered copper VerDay paint. It gives it a nice dimensional appearance and helps create a more cohesive feel between the top of the cube and the sides. 

·      Resin eagle from the Totems collection

·      Resin Italian Baroque frame

·      Apoxie Sculpt

·      Brass and Copper VerDay Paints

I am so grateful for the opportunity to share both my art and my heart with all of you! May this post inspire you to try new materials and techniques. And may it also inspire you to contemplate new ways of existing on this beautiful blue marble we call home. 

 Jenn Pipe 2/18/2020

Our Muse, Sherry Matthews' Flight Path

“It’s ok...

Use your wings

A true bird never returns to the wrong nest

Fly. Soar. Fly. Never losing your way little bird.” ~ swm

It finally happened. I’ve heard about creative block. I’ve even written of ways to overcome the barrier to inspiration. I’ve experienced short dry spells in which my mojo just didn’t flow as well as it usually had. This time, however, I hit a wall.

The more I tried to create- the more frustrated I became. The more frustrated I became- the more worthless I felt. I questioned myself constantly- I was an artist who couldn’t “art”. What a vicious cycle!

The chaos began in my home- my nest. With devastating changes in my personal life, came disruptive changes in my personal space. Both of which contributed to my loss of self. I withdrew from the people and activities that are critical to who I am as a human. My creative wings were “clipped”.

I would love to announce that this post brings my grand re-awakening. However, the truth is....still, I struggle to fly. I HAVE managed to create for the first time in months. So maybe this is my proclamation of a FLIGHT PATH. My path back to myself.

My hope is that if you are reading this, and experiencing similar frustrations, you now realize you are not alone. My muse is returning and so will yours. Maybe I can send a feather your way to tuck into your wings!

MATERIALS:

Relics & Artifacts Mini Santos

Apoxie Sculpt

Wire, acrylic paint, lace, string, feathers