Long and Amazing Weekend!

So I am back from a LONG weekend of teaching and demoing at the IQF-LB and it was SOOOOOOOO much  fun!!!! I got a bit nervous at the last minute that maybe my stuff wouldn’t translate or it would be too funky or wearing motorcycle boots to a quilt show was the wrong shoe choice...but I was so encouraged by the wonderful feedback and positive reaction that I got from everyone!! SO many wonderful and creative people in my classes who were very open new ideas and VERY open to making a mess- just what I like!

Just a few highlights-

Getting to spend time with Ruth Rae and her daughter
FINALLY getting to chat with Traci Bautista
Meeting the Artgirlz!!
Having Barbara Delaney help me set up, cleanup and just be all around wonderful person
Brainstorming with Pokey
Getting to spend the early morning before everything started browsing through the AMAZING quilt gallery

****Meeting so many talented and amazing women!

My brain is so full of people and places and opportunities that I will continue to share in the next couple of days- 

After I got home Sunday night I somehow mustered up the energy (drank a lot of coffee on the drive home!) and went over to hang with my in laws- me and my sis in law ALWAYS have a great time together- so much FUN!!! I can't believe I actually made it through dinner without falling asleep- AMAZING!  But it was back to work today and now I have to switch gears...there are still lots of creative stuff to work on- proposals, artwork, articles and a project for my appearance on Quilting Arts T.V!!! 

Day Four

So it is day four of my new job and for the first time in my ENTRE LIFE it actually feels like a job that fits (at least a job for someone else cause I don't think I will ever find someone to pay me to paint 10 hours a day for good money...but yah never know!!) and in hard times with the economy the way it is I feel so thankful to get to go to work and contribute my creativity and get paid for it! Aside from starting fresh in the job department I have been working overtime to prepare for the Long Beach Quilt Festival this weekend and the 2 classes that I am teaching and doing demos in Open Studios. I have a HUGE problem with over preparation in fact I think I have OCD about covering all of my bases (why couldn't I have experienced this problem in college?). Anyway, I am 2 more hours away from being completely prepared and I can't wait!! It should be a fun time! As usual everything in the world has come down to happening this week and weekend- and to top it off I have in laws coming into town which typically also brings MAJOR drama so now I gotta over prepare myself mentally for that!!!!!! I keep telling myself that I just need to get through this week- 

oh well... juggling is what I do BEST!

Canvas painting that I will be destroying by RIPPING up for one of my classes- I'm gonna try and shake up the quilt show a bit!!!!!

Class kit

Quick and Easy Painting

I made little video of quick and easy painting techniques to create a messy background on canvas- it is one thing to read about this stuff in a book but seeing it in action is completely different!  This is my life painting on the floor, slopping paint all over the place.ahhh.. I love painting!  I usually prime my canvas this way and then proceed to paint another 3-4 layers on top of it!

Anyone can use these simple (and FUN) techniques to create a canvas full of texture color and visual interest.

Supplies-

House paint- any thing will work (I like using extra paint from old home reno projects) 

1 tube of paint- your color choice

Watered down paint to splatter with

Can of spray paint

Paint brushes

you are ready to create

Some More Wallets for Etsy

I added a couple more wallets to my esty shop!

Who Cares!

Ok..so I am over that stupid bad review...who cares anyway? Besides I had too many lovely, nice, wonderful things happen today that I would rather think about and to top it off it was the last day of my job and Monday is the first day of my new job and thankfully I have tomorrow off which will give me a three day weekend to finish all of my tasks for the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach.  

I sold out of all my graffiti bangles on etsy but I am happy to say I have posted more in my shop :)

Bad Review- I Knew This Day Would Come!

So my book is officially out there-on Amazon, in stores, in homes....yikes!! And in this whole process the thing I have been dreading is people "not getting it" and bad reviews. Well is it official...I got my first bad review on Amazon and to my horror they even returned their book (who returns books??!?!) And though I have promised myself not be bothered and in all honesty I am not shattered-as a long time painter I am TOTALLY used to criticism (oh the stories I could tell!!!)... I know not everyone is going to get it but I feel that I have to put it out there for the record...for anyone wondering...Canvas Remix IS an introduction for those who have never worked with canvas and paint- it is also is meant to jump start the imagination, to think outside of the box and start thinking of a canvas painting (or any materials for that matter) being more than just something to hang on the wall....the concept to tear up and deconstruct paintings and turn them into something new is completely unique and I challenge crafters to find inspiration in simple materials and start thinking outside the box and beyond the projects and techniques they find in books.

Paint of Course!

What does a painter do when there are tons of things to finish, creative tasks to accomplish, and work to be done? Paint of course! Life is just like high school and college sometimes and it doesn't matter if the "tasks" are ones that you enjoy doing- they are still tasks and my strange way of working is when there is work to be done I all of a sudden get all kinds of creative ideas that seem to take over and the next thing you know I am working on three large paintings at the same time! Oh well....tommorrow is another day and there is nothing like some last minute pressure to motivate me to get things done!!

So Shiny

I am a Mac user- actually by default- I was sort of forced to be one since my hubby is a HUGE fan of any and everything Apple but thankfully I ended up loving my macbook. He has owned an iphone for a while now and I have been fighting the inevitable fact that I would most likely end up with one too (we own lots of "matching" gadgets in our household)... I have been dragging my feet and complaining about nobody actually needing a phone that advanced, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah. Well, it finally happened and today I have an iphone of my very own and interestingly my poor attitude vanished immediately when I held it in my hands- so shiny, so fresh, so advanced....yes I have now given into the iphone and I think I am loving every minute of it!

(for any of you out there who have my phone number...it has changed...feel free to email me if you need to contact me on my new iphone!)

Finally!!

Finally a productive weekend! Not that I havn't been productive but I have been DISTRACTED by a new home, new cable channels (I must stop watching bravo!), a husband that is kinda high maintance (at least he is cute) getting ready for a new job, traveling....and the list goes on and on. But this weekend was spent locked in the studio creating- jumping from one project to another and there are lots of projects- preparing for my classes at the Quilt Festival, creating projects for articles, working on samples for other fun opportunities and making stuff for etsy. My to do list is quite long but at least I have gotten a handful of things done and now I am ready to head into the week!!

Another Wallet

Another wallet for etsy!

Plexi Here I Come!

I was so excited to receive the plexi id bracelet in the mail that I purchased from Toni's etsy shop and even more excited to also receive her new book Plexi Class!! Not only was Tonia Davenport one of the editors for my book but she is also an author and artist and SO CREATIVE. I am not finished going through the whole book yet but so far I totally love it- the book is beautiful to look at and the projects are so unique. I can't wait to spend more time reading through everything and then try some of the projects- plexi here I come!!

Creative Influence

Have I ever mentioned that I come from a long line of creative entrepreneurs?? Yep it is true. My dad is a potter and my mom is a ceramic artist and while all my friends had parents with "normal" jobs I had parents who ALWAYS worked for themselves with clay! I never thought too much about it growing up...having a ceramic studio on our property seemed normal to me, helping my dad load the kiln was what all kids did right? Knowing the difference between earthenware and porcelain clay is important knowledge for all young adults...isn't it? Well I am not sure why I did not end up a potter but it really is no surprise that I grew up to be an artist- life growing up was always creative, full of creative experimentation, drawing, making things with clay....ahhh those were the days! And before the internet and etsy there were craft shows and even a kid I got to participate with my own handmade wares! It is no wonder that my life now is all about striving for creative employment and freedom...it is all I know and love! Well, these days my parents run a successful wholesale business with their pottery and for months I have been encouraging my mom to list some of her extra creations on etsy- I am so excited to share her beautiful clay earrings with everyone.... so take a moment and go check out one my biggest creative influences.....

burkedesignstudio.etsy.com

M.I.A

So I have been MIA for a bit- I ran away to my hometown on the Oregon coast and it was SO needed. After months of working, transitioning out of mentoring college students, renovating, moving, and making art it was time to escape to the place that is my center- with my family.  The last couple weeks have been insane (but what else is new?) I got a new day job at my workplace (the University of San Diego) as the Assistant Director of Print and Brand Marketing which I am so excited about- as long as I have to work a day job I  really want it to be something that lines up with my strengths, my interests and my background!  But not to fear- my creative life, my book, my teaching and all kinds of fun and interesting opportunities will still continue on and thankfully instead of working 3 jobs I now will only be working one job and my art- thank goodness!!!  Now I am back home- rested, rejuvenated and ready to move into the next chapter!!!!!!!!!

More Goodies

More goodies for Etsy!

Another Wallet For Etsy!

Another wallet for etsy!

Canvas Remix is Now Available!

YaHOoOOOOOOOooooOOO!!!!

mY BOoK iS AVaiLaBLe!!

to ORder

go to

AmAZon.com!

Back in the Swing of Things

I am finally back into the swing of things- In fact I spent a great deal of my afternoon and evening was spent working (in my new studio space yipeeee!!)on some fun new things for my Etsy store-first being a canvas wallet (update-sold). For the last couple of years I have carried around a wallet that I made from canvas and everywhere I go I get all kinds of comments so I have finally gotten around to creating some to sell. The first is this chunky black and white graffiti wallet big enough to carry as a clutch, full of mixed media accents and layers of colorful canvas. It and some other goodies will be available in my etsy shop by the end of today!!

Don't Mind Me...

Don't mind me...I am finally kicking back in our new living room taking time to actually READ MY OWN BOOK- never thought I would get to say that! I am counting down the days in the next 2 weeks until Canvas Remix is in stores and I can hardly wait. The anticipation is crazy but thankfully I have lots of stuff to keep me busy so hopefully time will fly! We are finally starting to get settled into our new house and though there is still lots to do I finally feel like I can take a deep breath and begin to enjoy the things to come.

At Last!

At last I have my studio space close to set up and there is nothing like organizing painting supplies to get me inspired (and distracted) to paint- so I started my first painting in my new studio! Now it is back to unpacking!!!

A Space of My Own!

The last couple of months, I feel like I have been holding it all together- managing the balancing act that has been my life for so long- jumping from one project to the next- one responsibility to another- switching gears at a moments notice. Though I know things will be winding down once we get past this renovation and move, it still feels never ending and today I physically feel it all catching up with me…my body aches, and I am exhausted! But I have to say that this last weekend though full of moving, lifting, packing and unpacking was one of the happiest days of my LIFE- because we moved all of my art studio (which was a tiny extra bedroom) into our new garage. Now I have real space to stretch out, paint big without destroying anything, lounge on the couch that we relocated, sew at my sewing table and them move over to the floor to paint, make a mess and let creativity take over!! As I began to put stuff away and organize, I found myself filled with absolute JOY and disbelief, in fact I even shed a few grateful tears!! One of my dreams since college was to have my own painting studio- not just a room but a real big creative space like those I remember seeing in books and art history classes. While everyone else was busy memorizing slides, I was busy studying the few photos of the great painter’s studio spaces- looking at all the details of the space, admiring the unintentional messy details that exist when you are in the midst of creativity- Your space as an artist says so much about yout creative process and I have been facinated by all of my favorite artists and their space! Now, I have a place that I have dreamed of and as soon as I get it all organized I will take some photos- perhaps I will take them in black and white as a tribute to my inspiration pics!!