2022 Live Zoom Art Play Dates and Learning Sessions
2022 Live Zoom Art Play Dates and Learning Sessions
Greetings and Happy February!
The 2022 Live Zoom Art Play Dates and Learning Sessions are now available for registration.
Here's how it works.
Register for one month at a time or for an individual session. Each session costs $15 USD.
The Live Zoom Art Play Date and Learning Session will be recorded. You must give permission to be recorded on the live Zoom session.
The recordings are housed in our private Facebook Group.
Policy Note: There are no refunds if you are unable to attend a session.
There will be a Padlet page (sort of like a Pinterest board) with links to videos, artists, and inspiration related to each week's topic. So, even if you miss a live session, you still have a curated list of resources to turn to, as well as the Zoom recording.
Your registration confirmation will be emailed to you within 24-48 hours of payment.
IMPORTANT: BE SURE YOUR PAYPAL EMAIL ADDRESS IS YOUR CURRENT EMAIL, as this is how I will be communicating with you.
Through email, I will send the supply lists for each session along with the Zoom session link.
If you are subscriber to the Orange Spiral Arts newsletter, you have an email waiting for you with a discount code for FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING Friday, Dec. 10-Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021.
(Look for my photo at the bottom or sidebar of this page and the words "Subscribe to our mailing list" to get yourself subscribed).
I had a few extras, so I may list those in my OrangeSpiralArts Etsy shop soon.
On top of preparing art to sell, I have also been participating in the art challenge called CarveDecember. It's hosted by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. The idea is to carve a stamp a day for the month of December. There are prompts, but I do my own thing.
Last, but not least, I will be offering more Live Zoom Art Play Dates and Learning Sessions in 2022. This fall and winter of 2021, we've been meeting on Tuesdays at 11am CST. If you have additional times and days of the week to suggest, I am all ears! I am deep in the planning stages of 2022 right now.
Welcome! Thank you for visiting Orange Spiral Arts.
First of all, how are you doing? 2021 has already had a rough start. I am thinking of you. Give yourself a great big hug right now from me to you.
Carve December
Do you like to create or look at hand-carved stamps?
I have a video to share with you. It features the stamps I carved for the 31 days of December 2020. This is an art challenge that is hosted by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer on Instagram. The hashtag to look up on Instagram is #carvedecember or #carvedecember2020.
I have a bunch of photos of my hand-carved stamps, too. Those may end up in a different post.
For now, I have this little video I made for you. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks in advance for watching. : )
Carve December 2020 Video by Orange Spiral Arts
In the interest of time, that's all I've got for today.
I hope you found some inspiration even though this is short. I am trying to post more often, and so short and sweet it is!
May you be safe and well. I am sending good energy out to you now!
I have neglected my blog, as my focus has mostly been on family. However, I have been making some art in the spaces in between.
Above are a bunch of postcards that I mailed out for the participants of the MN Visual Journal Collective who signed up for Postcard Swap Round 4. These cards were a lot of work, yet also quite fun and rewarding to create and send off.
Speaking of the MN Visual Journal Collective, Molly (co-facilitator of the MN Visual Journal Collective) and I have planned out the 2021 schedule. If you'd like more information, visit my page all about the MN Visual Journal Collective.
I also have a couple of random photos to share with you.
First up, here are some colorful stripes I learned how to create in Tammy Garcia's online class Groovy Grunge. I am so happy I signed up for this class. I just love Tammy's ideas, use of color, and plain explanations for how to create . . . well, everything she shares.
Finally, I have been working on an art challenge this month called Carve December. It is hosted by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, and it mostly happens on Instagram with the hashtag #carvedecember or #carvedecember2020.
In early January, I will be sharing a post all about the stamps I carved. For now, if you are on Instagram, I invite you to take a look at my OrangeSpiralArts feed.
Since I have been way into hand-carved stamps this month, I decided to alphabetize and use a very special set I have been coveting.
Read the letter to understand what they are all about.
I wrote a little story on Instagram that I will share here, too.
I am so grateful to my mom for sharing her creative energy with me. She is trained as a fine artist, and I am an expressive, abstract artist. Yet, we can still share some of the same supplies, as we both love mixed media, collage, fiber, and printmaking. A while ago, my mom gave me her set of hand-carved alphabet stamps. I don’t think I used them until today. One thing the global pandemic is teaching me is to use your art supplies, and make/do things you enjoy.
I am sending good energy and love out to you all. Thanks for reading a piece of my art story.
I wanted to let you know that I am having an art sale over on my OrangeSpiralArts Instagram feed right now.
I invite you to come take a look and see if anything speaks to you!
If you see something you'd like to purchase, send me a DM via Instagram, or an email with your PayPal email address. I will then send you an invoice. Once you've paid in full, I will ship your item to you with love and care!
In January of 2020, I had my first art show. I spent hours upon hours preparing for it in 2019. I had my art opening, but unfortunately, COVID-19 prevented me from offering a workshop, and from having an art show closing. I have a lot of art left over that could use good homes.
I know these are tough times. Art is something that can uplift and brighten one's day. May something speak to your soul and help you feel a teeny bit better each time you look at it.
It's Watercolor Wednesday here on Orange Spiral Arts.
I thought I might just do one video a week, but as it turns out, I have been making several more.
Today is the fourth video, and it's called Abstract Watercolor 4.
I hope you enjoy a minute of silence and colorful art inspiration.
The watercolor you see in my palette is a mix of Prima Marketing watercolors, Jane Davenport watercolors, and handmade watercolors. The handmade watercolors are by the following people on Etsy: Rusee, RivervaleWatercolor, and JazperStardust.
Thank you for supporting independent artists and small businesses!
Thank you so much for visiting Orange Spiral Arts, the place for Creativity + Inspiration + Personal Expression.
With 2020 being how it's been, I have neglected my blog. I would like to change that, so I am making an effort in that direction!
I would like to offer content that inspires you to create imperfectly and expressively. I love to play with mixed media art supplies, and perhaps you do, too?
Please let me know in the comments below if you have a preference for YouTube or Vimeo.
The first art video I am releasing is for Watercolor Wednesday, which is a feature I have here on my Orange Spiral Arts blog. (You can search Watercolor Wednesday in the sidebar).
This first video is imperfect, as I cut off the bottom of my workspace, however, I think you may still get something good from it. I am using Golden QoR watercolors, which are vibrant and wonderful to use! My go to watercolor paper is often the Canson XL 140 lb. cold press 9 x 12 pad.
Okay, here's the big platform test-Vimeo or YouTube. Thank you in advance for your feedback in the comments of this blog post (comments are disabled on the videos themselves).
Watercolor Wednesday 1 on Vimeo
Watercolor Wednesday 1 on YouTube
My videography will improve next time! Thank you for watching my imperfect video! I was using some new equipment, and obviously need to still make a few adjustments.
In Closing,
I am sending good energy out to you all, and prayers for your health and safety.
Please remember to let me know in the comments if you prefer YouTube or Vimeo. That will be helpful for me as I move forward with more art video content.
3 Class set includes: Ink and Oil Pastel, Magazine Mixed Media Collages, and Abstract Watercolor Patterns (save $10 if you bundle each $20 class as a set)
The March 16, 2020 MN Visual Journal Collective meeting was not in person this month, due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, Molly Anthony of The Found Art Walk and Briana of Orange Spiral Arts, showed up to Wet Paint to record a Facebook Live. This was a first for us. We got some help from Chris at Wet Paint, too. Thank you, Chris!
The video is saved in the MN Visual Journal Collective Facebook group for members to watch, in case you missed the Live session, or if you want to watch it again for ideas and inspiration.
Molly did such a fantastic job preparing for the meeting. She is an amazing writer and human, who is going through a family crisis at the moment, and still showed up to present and share her incredible journals. Art is a balm for the soul. Molly knows this first hand, as I am sure many of you do, as well.
If you are not a member of the MN Visual Journal Collective, or if you'd like to read about our meeting, this blog post is for you. It's a summary of what Molly shared on the topic of stitching in your journal.
I tried my best to take notes, while also moderating comments on the Facebook Live video stream.
First let me share some photos of Molly's art and some book resources with you.
Artwork and journals by Molly Anthony (above)
Stitching resource book suggestions by Molly Anthony
Next, I would like to share some of the main points from Molly's talk about stitching.
What to Use
discarded fabric, old clothes, quilts or quilt pieces, vintage fabric, lace, flower sacks, dryer sheets, dried tea bags
(Find these at thrift stores, Art Scraps in St. Paul, MN, your own attic or family members' stash, or ask friends to collect fabrics for you)
embroidery floss, thread, cotton spools
various needles
seam ripper
fabric strips and small scraps, ribbon, lace, etc.
TRY EVERYTHING-You never know what you'll like! (Wise advice from Molly)
Next, here are some more photos of Molly's incredible journals, plus a few ideas to try.
IDEA to try: Bind a book of fabric pieces (like cotton and muslin) into an old hardcover book. Use this book as your place to practice your stitches.
Idea to try: Make paper and fabric collages on tags. Stitch and/or glue random bits to the tags, too.
Idea to try: Make your own little fabric books for fabric collage and stitching.
Molly's Mindset About Stitching
"Go at it and see what happens."
Let it be random and just play.
Do what works best for you.
Use stitching as a way to add mark making.
Add details to your page with stitches.
You don't have to fill the page with a stitch.
Draw with images; stitch an image onto your page.
Stitching is a slooooooooow process; it calms the mind in a way that collage didn't for Molly. It gives her a sense of peace.
Stitching is also different from collage because you can see where you started and where you've been by looking at the back of your stitched piece.
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There are many ways to learn how to do various stitches.
YouTube is a great resource. Here's how to stitch a French knot that Molly mentions.
Choose some fabric that feels good to you, ie feels soft.
Choose a piece of paper collage that has meaning or that you like.
Choose a piece of ribbon or a smaller piece of fabric.
Choose a word, such as "hope" that you'll stamp onto your piece.
Glue Sticks and Stitches-Finishing a Piece
You can pin things into place, or simply move them around until you are ready to add glue and stitches.
Decide on the thread you'll use. The thread can be a contrasting color or a matching color.
Layer the fabric and paper pieces you've chosen.
Do some "seed stitches".
Apply glue stick to the back of the paper you will add on top of the fabric layer.
TIP: Use a thimble when doing your stitches. Needles are sharp!
Add some stitches, perhaps some French knots (see video above) to the fabric and paper collage.
Stamp a word with StazOn ink directly onto a piece of fabric and adhere or stitch to your collage.
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Here are some stills from the Facebook Live of Molly sharing her work:
We will end this post just as Molly ended the Facebook Live by sharing a little hope with us and the rest of the world.
We are sending lots of love out to you all. May you stay safe and well during this difficult time in our world.
May you find solace in stitching or some other form of creative expression. Art, music, dance, theater, storytelling, writing, photography-we need all of it right now!
Thank you to all of the people who work in the medical field, with the elderly, with children, or anyone who does work that brightens our living experience.
PS As teaching artists, our work has been canceled or postponed right now. If you can help support Molly and Briana by purchasing some of our online offerings, we'd greatly appreciate it! Thank you in advance if you are able to help. Also, be sure to buy your books and supplies and/or gift cards from local small businesses like Wet Paint when you can! It matters for their survival! Thank you!
You and your creativity matter.-Briana of Orange Spiral Arts
A NEW online class: Self-Care and Visual Journaling Click the image above to find out more.
Calm your mind, body, and spirit while playing with beautiful and bright liquid watercolor.
Learn how to use and experiment with alcohol inks! This is a three week class (or self-paced once released). 26 videos, resources, and more! ON SALE for $50 USD for a limited time. (Regular price $75 USD)
Collage Paper Pies Online Class
Mixed Media ONLINE CLASS SET::Grab and Save $10 NOW, FOREVER ACCESS
A Monthly Meeting for Visual and Art Journal Keepers in the Twin Cities. Click button above for more information.
Vision Board the E-Course:: A Powerful Way to Gain Clarity and Manifest the Life You Want to Live -OPEN for REGISTRATION-FOREVER ONLINE ACCESS at one affordable price!!
At your core, you are a Beautiful BEing, full of love and light. This online e-course offers writing and expressive painting prompts to assist you in reconnecting to your true essence. Registration is ALWAYS OPEN. To find out more, click the image above. There is a Pay-What-You-Can option available.
