Creative Journey Studios

Meta Strick...what a doll!

2012-02-06T23:06:00.002-05:00

Meta Strick is as unique as her art dolls. We are so fortunate to have a nice selection of her wonderful dolls in the gallery. Meta paints, sketches, cuts, carves, sews and assembles these mixed media treats. Sometimes she makes a miniature book for the doll to hold, or finds an antique handkerchief to serve as a skirt, or adds an old thimble to fill the basket the doll holds. She often uses her calligraphy to add just the right word to complete her doll.

Meta uses acrylic paint and 16 x 20 canvases to create her ethereal female images. Meta also loves to work in her sketch book, never wasting a drop of paint. Brushes are emptied on random pages to
become an inspiration later. She participated in last year's sketchbook project. Some of her beautiful faces adorn note cards we have for you at CJS. You can see the digitized sketch book at
http://www.arthousecoop.com/library?utf8=✓&display_name=Meta+strick&theme_id=&commit=Search&country=&city=&province=&state=

Art has always been a part of Meta's life. From her earliest days, she claims to have had an aversion to coloring within the lines, even choosing to fill the white spaces outside the lines with her own drawings. She trained formally at Carnegie Mellon and has been sharing her wisdom ever since. A leader of the Vermont hand crafters, she makes her art and teaches workshops. The students at the Community College of Vermont are fortunate to be inspired by this art dynamo. And we are fortunate to count Meta as a friend, and love that we can share her art with you.

You can see more of Meta's art by visiting her website at www.metastrick.com. As you peruse her site, you'll see why we're so impressed with Meta. Then come in and visit the gallery, and add one of Meta's dolls to your collection. It will put a permanent smile on your face!

Carol Blackburn--From the other side of the pond!

2012-01-20T06:00:00.005-05:00

I dare say....Carol Blackburn is "brill". If you made it through ninth grade geometry, you have a leg up on understanding Carol's colorful jewelry. Impeccably made designs use strips of skinner blend fashioned to imply a möbius strip design. According to Wolfram MathWorld, the Möbius strip, also called the twisted cylinder, is a one-sided nonorientable surface obtained by cutting a closed band into a single strip, giving one of the two ends thus produced a half twist, and then reattaching the two ends. That was totally greek to me, but oh well! I don't have to understand it to wear it!

Her necklaces and earrings are quite different, and people unfamiliar with polymer are always at a loss what material they are made out of. Carol has published a book, "Making Polymer Clay Beads" that should be in everyone's library. The book gives you insight into many techniques and a plethora of bead shapes. She was one of the founder's of the London Polymer Clay Guild and is an active member of the IPCA.

If you surf to Carol's website (www.carolblackburn.co.uk), you'll see that color is an important part of why Carol works with polymer. In addition to earrings and necklaces, Carol fashions little bowls, pens, and drapery tassels. She also tackles many different styles of bangle bracelets. She will be in Santa Fe in February teaching a weekend workshop. If you're in the area, you should take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

We have a nice selection of Carol's earrings and a couple of her fabulous cone bead necklaces. Her work is beautifully executed...something we should all aspire to.

"Lovely"---in my best British accent!

Our Friend Ron Lehocky

2012-01-17T11:40:00.003-05:00

We love Dr. Ron....Ron Lehocky, a Louisville pediatrician and polymer artist extraordinaire. We first got to know Ron at a polymer retreat, and we look forward to crossing paths with Ron at Arrowmont, Mammoth Cave, Synergy...whenever polymer and fun are happening. A lot of you know of Ron through his amazing fundraising activity...making heart pins to raise money for The Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies. He sells his creations for $10, all of which goes to this worthy charity. What started as an attempt to make a thousand hearts, has now surpassed 18,013. It's always fun to see the timely hearts for different holidays. Halloween, with its glow in the dark mummy and ghost hearts, is fun to celebrate with a Ron heart. Thanksgiving brings turkey hearts, and Christmas, hearts with Santa hats. We have prevailed upon him to let us sell his wonderful hearts at our gallery and we send the ten dollars without commission as our small bid to help the cause. http://www.kidscenterky.org/HowToHelp/TheHeartPinProject/tabid/1455/Default.aspx

We are all set for Valentine's Day. I know you need a heart pin....we can even put a converter on it so it can be worn as a pendant. You can also check out the other styles of jewelry made by Ron in the gallery. We knew he made other things and also knew there was a limit to what his wonderful wife needed to wear, so we made him part with some of his other treasures. His craftmanship is amazing, and sometimes you can see a gifted scrap cane reappearing in his work. It is definitely upcycling!

Lindly Haunani, Show Stopper!

2012-01-16T09:57:00.003-05:00

Everyone who comes to our gallery does a double take when they first catch a glimpse of Lindly Haunani's display. Her fantastic floral lei necklaces definitely say "Aloha" (in the "hello" sense) to our new guests, as they wander around with dropped jaws. It is always fun to welcome someone new to polymer into our gallery. Perhaps, at times, there is sensory overload. Always there is a gasp and an "oh my, look how the colors almost glow" when they first admire Lindly's work. I have to explain that Lindly is of Hawaiian descent, and when they glimpse her asparagus bracelet in the exhibit, that she is a 'foodie'. I next explain that she has written the definitive book on color, and that we love to have Lindly come to Creative Journey Studios to teach. I show her class samples and they are hooked, and they didn't know they even liked polymer before today. (Watch the calendar page for information about her next class, which is in mid-September.)

We've known Lindly for four years now and have taken every class she has offered....at least once. Now we have the pleasure of bringing her here to teach. She is knowledgeable, energetic and just plain fun. Come visit and I'll bet you'll decide you need a pair of her earrings for spring.

Calendar Page

2012-01-12T17:41:00.006-05:00

Be sure to check the calendar page of our blog to get the full story. If you use your iPhone to check our blog, it is not obvious that there are multiple pages to see. Besides the home page, there is a calendar, a page about RAM, and an about us page.

The calendar is getting a lot of updates as we plan for the year's classes and we don't want you to miss out. We had a nice mention on Cynthia Tinapple's blog - www.polymerclaydaily.com - this morning (my day doesn't start until I've read her blog, and there is a wealth of information to root through when you have a dull moment.) We hope our blog will tempt you to come visit Creative Journey Studios if you are in the Atlanta area. There is so much to see!

Exploring Silk Screening on Polymer Clay

2012-01-07T18:05:00.012-05:00

Creative Journey Studios is delighted to bring Karen Woods to Buford to provide an introduction to silk screening. Perhaps this will be a completely different jumping off place for you when you wish to impart texture to the surface of your polymer clay piece. In this 2 day workshop students will learn to create individualized graphic designs; make inexpensive light activated silk screens; and silkscreen patterns and overlays onto polymer clay to create surface designs. These polymer patterns can then be combined to create collaged jewelry pieces, wall art, and other forms of expression. Karen is known for her collaged vestment pins and pendants.

I first met Karen at Synergy I in Baltimore, where she was enthusiastically talking about the use of polymer with basketry. As a hand weaver and basket maker, she has some very interesting takes on polymer. I know it will be a lively class and you will go home with your head spinning with the possibilities.

A lot of people wear t-shirts with pictures of their heroes on the front. I guess I will have to make one with the following picture of Song Taizu, the founder of the Song Dynasty.

My Hero

Silly? Yes, but it got your attention, didn't it? I went to Wikipedia and found out that screen printing was first seen in China during the Song Dynasty. This type of printing was adopted by other Asian countries and was advanced as a craft with the use of block printing and hand applied paints.

As silk became more readily available in Europe, screen printing became a viable method of transferring an image to surfaces. It was used a lot in early wallpaper creation. Many methods and substrates have come and gone, but people continue to be interested in this technique and create easier and easier ways to accomplish screenprinting. Here's a link to a great article for further reading -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing. Polymer clay seems to work really well with acrylic paint, and screen printing is a great way to add design elements to your art.

"Terra Nova" has arrived!

2012-01-06T17:51:00.003-05:00

We're very excited (and feeling very special) as we have been allowed to offer "Terra Nova - Polymer at the Crossroads", the book published to celebrate the exhibition by the same name at the Racine Art Museum, for sale at Creative Journey Studios. A history to date of polymer clay, this tome presents an erudite discussion of the "boundary breakers" featured in the amazing collection now on view in Racine. Rachel Carren, Lena Vigna and Bruce Pepich illuminate the collection and its path to existence. Elise Winters' polymer collection project is celebrated, as it should be. We had the good fortune to attend the opening of the exhibit and the accompanying symposium held at Wingspread and the Johnson Foundation Headquarters. How incredible it was to be privy to the debates and opinions of many of today's respected polymer artists. A happy weekend was spent listening to the history, as well as the projected future of polymer clay as a respected art medium.

The exhibit will be on view until Feb. 5th, so it's not too late for a visit, and it is truly not to be missed. If you can't make the trip, the next best thing will be to purchase the book (only $35) and all proceeds will go to RAM.

New Digs for Filigree & More

2012-01-02T18:16:00.008-05:00

We have been in the process of moving our mortar and bricks version of Filigree & More into a different portion of our space. What a job! I think all the work will be worth the effort. We are expanding what we carry ... we just added Tim Holtz' Distress Powders. We're adding new Nunn Design pieces. We have lots of interesting new beads (as soon as I get them restrung to sell) -- who needs sleep! We have acquired some wonderful displays from our friend Donna Stephens, who sadly has closed "On the Rocks". Donna plans to continue her business at the local bead shows and to teach here at Creative Journey in the future. Hopefully the new displays will make it easier for you to see what we carry in filigree and stampings.

The other big job we are working on is moving the "Polymer ... From the Beginning" exhibit to a spot in the front room as you walk in. Amazing all the little details you don't think about when you embark on a project like this ... new name tags with the new logo, cleaning all the new glass shelves (ugh!), more IKEA to put together, reorganizing the collection. Whew!

Of course, all the websites are in transition. We are planning the year's classes ... lots of phone calls and lots of typing. All good ... we wouldn't do it if we didn't love it! Who knows ... maybe one of these day we'll get to do some polymer! I'm behind in my sanding!

"Pollage" a la DiBona

2011-12-12T18:13:00.002-05:00

If you happened to come to the gallery on Saturday to do a little Christmas shopping, you probably felt the excitement in the air from the class in painting and collaging (what Patricia calls "pollage) going on in the secondary classroom. We love Patricia -- we wrote about her in our old blog at www.womancreativeartcenter.blogspot.com -- and we never cease to be amazed by her ability to guide her students to a happy result.

The students learned how to create a background with gesso and water color on a canvas, and then plan out a picture while learning some basic design principles. Patricia has lots of ephemera that she has collected through the years that students can use to collage their image. It's fun to witness the interactions between the students and Patricia, as they debate ideas as they proceed to a finished piece of art that they had no idea they could create. The end results always amaze me and always seem to please the new "artistes".

If you have a small group of friends that you think would enjoy this experience, give us a call and let us arrange a class for you. It could be a great holiday present (we can give you a gift certificate for this or any class). We also have artwork by Patricia for sale in the gallery. You can watch her working on her jewelry or painting most days ... she can even create a custom piece of unique jewelry for you.

Jana "Skywalker" Benzon was here . . .

2011-12-12T15:31:00.006-05:00

No, Jana wasn't really wielding her lightsaber but she did teach a happy group of eager artists her laser cut technique. We had a fun weekend workshop with Jana Roberts Benzon, in from Salt Lake City. The new classroom setup seemed to work out well. We've added lights, especially to the teacher's table, so it's easier to see technique details.

We have Jana's work for sale in the gallery, so it was wonderful to see the "master" at work. Understanding the technique makes you appreciate the end result even more. The class also had the opportunity to see Jana's collection of all her styles of work. What a treat! We plan to have Jana back next year to teach another of her techniques, so watch the calendar on the website for the opportunity to sign up. (www.creativejourneystudios.com)

The classroom setup lends itself to group observation as well as individual attention. We really liked Jana's style of teaching.....giving a demo and then allowing the students to work on the step.

Kay and Anita get their questions answered.

On Saturday, we walked down the block for a dutch lunch at Aqua Terra, one of our favorite local restaurants. It was nice for the group to socialize and have a great lunch (I love the chicken, spinach and corn pasta dish!). Historic Buford has some cute shops and several first class restaurants. On Sunday we had chicken salad, pimento cheese for sandwiches, cookies and other goodies to snack on in between steps.

The three new ovens worked out well. We're working on the wiring so they can all live in the tool room. One of the joys of an old historical building is that you have to revamp the wiring to handle all the tools we like. It just gets better and better!

And so it begins . . .

2011-11-29T18:28:00.003-05:00

We inaugurated our new classroom with one of the polymer community’s premier teachers, Lindly Haunani. We explored the rainbow, got color smart and had a great time in the process. We started the day by creating our own personal color collage to enable us to zero in on a personal color palette.

Then Lindly led us to the discovery of which primaries we should use to begin our color mixing.

We had an inordinate amount of fun and got so smart it’s scary. The weekend culminated in making several simple veneers and creating a piece of jewelry.

I think Peggy found the trip from Wisconsin well worth the effort.

We finished our visit with Lindly with a trip to the Carter Library to see a fantastic exhibit of Madeline Albright’s pins. As Secretary of State, Albright often sent veiled messages to heads of state with the pin she was wearing. It was fascinating to see how important jewelry could be.

Now we are gearing up for a visit from Jana Roberts Benzon. She is coming in Dec 3^rd and 4^th to teach her lasercut technique. This is an intermediate to advanced class with limited space (I think there is still a spot or two left, so call soon if you are interested -- 404-314-5767). You can still see the description on the old website (http://www.womancreative.com/).

We are busy planning the teaching schedule for 2012. We already have some exciting classes in the works. Watch the website (www.creativejourneystudios.com) for the latest news, and continue to follow the new blog to keep track of the fun.

The new classroom

2011-11-29T09:49:00.009-05:00

Lots of work has been going on. We are updating our classroom area with new individual tables. There are lots of new lights, making for a bright workspace. We've added two dry erase boards for the teachers to draw on. We are striving to create a comfortable, inviting classroom, and I think we are well on the way. We plan to have a separate tool room for the ovens, buffer, drill press and other fun tools! Filigree & More is expanding into a new space, to hold even more products.

Ellen is busy building the class schedule for 2012. We have lots of exciting plans for the new year. We will be posting the news here as well as on the new website ... www.creativejourneystudios.com. I hope the cloning experiment works, because I think we'll need two or three of each of us to get everything done!

Our class with Lindly inaugurated the new classroom (I think she was pretty happy with it) and we had a wonderful color class. In December we have Jana Benzon coming to teach her laser-cut technique. This is an intermediate to advanced class with limited space (I think there is still a spot or two left, so call soon if you are interested -- 404-314-5767). You can still see the description on the old website (http://www.womancreative.com/).

Welcome to the new Creative Journey Studios!

2011-11-28T13:00:00.005-05:00

Everything old is new again! We (Ellen Prophater and Sue Sutherland) are moving forward as Creative Journey Studios. We are still in our wonderful facility (formerly Woman Creative) in Historic Buford, just north of Atlanta, Georgia. We are expanding our classroom area, enlarging our supply store and creating a dedicated tool room (with lots of fun 'toys'). We are setting up new individual work tables, putting up more lights and expanding the teacher's work area. We are scheduling more classes with a wider variety of teachers, even drawing on the international superstars!

We still have a fabulous gallery with work from over sixty artists, and our "historic" collection - 'Polymer ... from the Beginning', which presents significant works in polymer since the mid-80's.

We will miss Barbara McGuire, as she moves forward with new focus on writing and publishing, and hits the road again to teach (one of her first loves!) We wish her well and know that she'll be back with a face cane class when her life settles down again.

Patricia DiBona, one of our studio artists, has an exciting line-up of classes (silver soldering, book arts, collage, encaustic, painting, graphic design, and photoshop instruction.) We were fortunate to be able to call on Patricia to create our new logo.

Schedule a visit this year to immerse yourself in polymer clay art ... this place is mind boggling. Sign up for a class with Jana Roberts Benzon in December. Visit our supply store, Filigree & more, and stock up on American-made raw brass filigree, stampings and charms. Discover all the unique items we carry ... select Eurotools, Gilder's Paste, handmade Japanese paper collections, Nunn Design bezels, PYM II, Ranger inks and embossing powders, Renaissance Wax, antique keys, gold leaf, ethnic tribal beads from Afghanistan and Nepal ... all sorts of goodies to tempt you.

We're looking forward to seeing you soon. The coffee pot is on and we're ready to talk polymer!