I love using dots in my creative projects- big dots, little dots, polka dots! Dots are a very fast and easy way to embellish Easter eggs. I gathered some of my favorite materials and went to work covering my eggs with all kinds of simple dots.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
all things art history
When I decided to declare painting and printmaking as my major in college, I was shocked by the amount of requirements you had to take! Being 18, totally naïve (and a little dumb), I thought my passion for making art would carry me through my studies. Boy was I wrong! All those requirements: color theory, figure drawing, design, etc, put a damper on my passion for making art. Those years filled with strict artistic requirements were tough and included more moments of failure than I sometimes care to remember (yup, I got a D in color theory). However, over time I found that all those classes brought discipline and a better understanding of art to my evolution as an artist.
About half way through my college career, I became smitten by art history classes. So much that I almost pulled a 180 and changed my major to art history! What started out as just another bone-dry requirement, slowly turned into fuel for my artistic inspiration. When I was in college, the internet was still pretty new (precious few blogs and no pinterest or instagram) and wasn’t exactly the resource for inspiration it is today. Books, museums, galleries and classes were the means of seeking inspiration and engaging with the artistic communities. Art history unlocked something important in my spirit and became the source of my interest and drive to make art.
Somewhere between The History of Western Art and The History of Flemish Painting, I fell in love with sitting in the dark classroom, gazing at slides, and mesmerized by tales of the life and times of the artists. I was captivated and enriched by the process of learning about those who came before us and changed the world with their gifts, passions and courage. Hearing their stories, investigating their visions and techniques; it was a deeply important experience of love, respect, and humility.
thats me in 1996 at the Musee d'Orsay (please ignore my striped pants and fanny pack!)
Those classes are the reason why I cried when I saw Van Gogh's Starry Night at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris when I was 21 years old. They are the reason why I get butterflies when I walk into a museum. They are the reason I stand as close as possible to view a painting when I’m at a gallery or museum (seeing the brushstrokes makes me feel a connection to the artist). Those classes are the reason that while the internet is at my finger tips for ideas, I choose to revisit history and it's stories when I am looking for inspiration.
Lately I have found myself craving the feelings I had back in those classes. I really want to nourish those old wonderful feelings and have decided that once in a while I will share some art history in this space. I will highlight an artist, an idea or a powerful moment in time that’s made an impact. My hope is to inspire you, my readers, and perhaps we can all meet some new, unexpected friends in the colorful chronicles of history. To begin, I have put together a list of my favorite books (new and old) with the hope to ignite and inspire a little interest in all things art history. Stay tuned for more!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
exploring we will go
A while back we made the promise to each other to always make time to seek adventure as a family (you can read about it here). Exploration and going outside is a big part of our daily lives and once in a while I like to share a little peek into our adventures.
We are lucky enough to have a really cool shipwreck in our neck of the woods, crazy right?!? Back in 1906 the Peter Iredale, a four masted, steel vessel ran aground on the beach near Fort Stevens.
photo from The Oregon History Project
The sea and weather has broken the ship down to its bones and over time it gets covered and uncovered by the sand. Currently a lot of the vessel is very exposed (more than I have seen over the years), especially at low tide- its truly an awesome sight to see!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
a couple more updates!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
whimsical easter eggs
A dozen eggs, acrylic paint, permanent pens and your IMAGINATION is all it takes to create colorful, creative and whimsical Easter Eggs!
I like to empty my eggs by poking a hole in the top and bottom with a needle and blowing the contents out.
Monday, March 11, 2013
the art of collaboration
My husband Andy and I are different in just about every single way but some how we manage to always come together in the best of ways. This last year- with the baby, the move and the challenges that occur when you make big changes- we've had to learn and re-learn how to be partners. Spending all day every day as stay at home parents, business partners and a married couple is hard work and it takes a lot of compromise. We are still figuring it all out and most days we drive each other CRAZY but we are slowly getting accustomed to our new normal.
The most profound change that has come from this transition is discovering how great we are at collaborating with each other. From parenting decisions to to business decisions to daily stuff, it turns out we can come together with our individual strengths and make great things happen. Lately we have taken our collaboration even farther and started making more art together and collaborating on art can be challenging! You have to give up some of the control, trust one another, give each other room for expression and somehow find common ground. But if you can pull it off- the creative process takes over, you are able to problem solve together, your differences blend together, there is laughter, peace and the calm that comes with losing yourself in the simplicity of creativity. Before you know it- you've made magic!
This painting is for our bedroom and something we have been planning for the last few months- a large piece that brings together both of our creative strengths. We reserved a couple of days, set up a camera, pushed record and captured hours of our life and the process of working together (even Lucy got in on the action)! While I have hours of footage (and the painting is still being worked and reworked) here is a small peek into our collaboration
Alisa and Andy COLLABORATION from Alisa Burke on Vimeo.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
giveaway winners!
Congrats to the winners!
Send me an email at alisaburke@gmail.com and I'll get yout prizes to you!
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