Pass The Brush Experience! 16th & 17th July!

Today and tomorrow the 16th and 17th July is the official start of Pass the Brush and Online Art Community Event

It is an honor to be paired with Laura Bassen - a talented cardmaker at @laurafadora on Instagram.  Over the course of the next two days I will be sharing more about me and my work on her Instagram feed.

The art community is hosting “Pass the Brush,” the artistic community’s version of “Share the Mic.” Please join us as we work to amplify black artists. The objective of this event is to show solidarity within the art community and to amplify black artists so their voices can be heard and art can be seen in a broader audience. Please follow the hashtag #PassTheBrushArt

The project was brought together by Rachel Bellamy and Dina Wakley to Unmute and to Amplify.  Tim Holtz is our Presenter over the next two days and it is going to be an amazing time of sharing within the Online Art Community

So Come and join us and get to know the artists that are taking part.

We are also having a series of Giveaways

Our Sponsors for the Giveaway

Artists Taking Part

Giveaway Guidelines

In an act of Solidarity and Community, Pass the Brush is hosting a giveaway with multiple prizes. The aim is to Amplify Black Artists, increase traffic and followers to guest artists, and improve engagement with guest artists channels to disrupt the algorithm and diversify the art community's feeds after the Pass The Brush event


TO ENTER:

1. Follow all Pass The Brush Guest Artists on their Instagram feed

I will also be sharing this link on Instagram so you can just click on their links to follow - 
@paperdivanoir @thekathrynwheel @opheliastaton @creationsbyjsheri @jannettesimmons @shemidixon @mzdanajoy @trenabrannon @iamclassygirl @reddragonflystudio @juicychristians @mystele1

@realityarts @craftsofadifferentshade @marticesmithart @rarebirds @confidentcanvas @iamsarahmatthews @letsdesigncreative @pocono.pam @tdmamm2012 @queenpreneur @kialagives @dnrenee @kreativekymona

2. Tag 3 or more friends on the main post on post to share the giveaway and encourage them to join you in showing solidarity within the art community.

3. Share this graphic in your stories and use the hashtag #passthebrushart

4. Once complete, go to [www.passthebrushcommunity.com](http://www.passthebrushcommunity.com/) and enter to win giveaway prizes from our sponsors.


Giveaway Details: Open to everyone, however, certain prizes are only available to U.S. participants due to postal limitations and costs.

I hope you can join us, stay blessed and be a blessing

Pass the Brush Giveaway closes 7/24/2020 midnight PST and all winners will be chosen from those registered by email. A list of winners will be notified by email with instructions about their prizes.

Podcast Show - Episode 87 - Meet Artist Khuumba Ama

Welcome to Arts and Wellness Wednesdays, where I speak with artist Khuumba Ama at the Caribbean Fine Art Fair.  Khuumba 

Born in Savannah, Georgia and later moved to Harlem USA, is a full-time Multi-media artist of original and one-of-a-kind creations. She is a teaching artist and mentor to assist children in self-esteem workshops and designed a creative program to help seniors living with dementia.

Check out what she had to say about the work that she does and the inspiration behind her art.

Art Journal Texture

Mixed Media Art Journal Page - Amanda Trought

There is a quote which says 'Creativity takes Courage' Henri Matisse, and I definitely think that you have to show up for yourself each and every day.  You will get those times where you don't feel like creating, and in these times especially you have to show up - not for anyone else, but for yourself.

To show up for yourself you have to first see 'You'

And not be afraid to put yourself out there, and then do it all again no matter who you think is or is not listening.

I wanted to play around with textures and brought out some embossing powders that had been sitting on my shelf for the longest time as I previously used them when making cards and didn't see other possible uses for them.

This is why it is essential to play around with your supplies and see how many other ways you can use them or what you can combine them with.

I also used a stencil made from recycled materials and applied Gesso to the page.  It is amazing the things that we have around our homes that can double for a creative tool!  Texture is important to me and helps tell the story that is waiting to be told.

It is only when you start looking at the detail on the page do you see all of the delicious textures that are evident.  I hope that you find the courage to step out in your art journal and experiment, you may like what comes up.

Altered Books - Studio Essentials

Thank you for joining me in my studio for the Art Studio Essentials Daily Series which I hope will kick start your creativity and enable you to check out some of your supplies.  Today I will be showing you my Altered Books.  These are a great way to recycle old and worn books.  Why not pay your Charity or Thrift store a visit to see what interesting books they have that you can use.

You usually find that the Children's section has a good selection of hard back books and they usually have some that have a variety of flaps that are used to tell the story that you can use for a feature in your own altered book.

Don't neglected your art supplies that are screaming to be used.

Check out the video below for more on some of the books I altered and why they are on my studio essential list.

I AM TEACHING

I am teaching on the BADASS Art Journal Course, and I will be offering a Free Bonus if you sign up using my link on the page.  Check it out here and see what Great additions that you will be getting!! 

BADASS Art Journal and Bonus sign up

Check out the bonus line-up HERE

If you are interested in learning how to alter a book check out some of the books I found on Amazon, also check out some of the art supplies listed in the video that available at a discount!

Altered Book Special Effects

The Following books I own and they have some really useful ideas for you to try.  Look out for my review

Altered Board Book on Amazon

Altered Book Collage on Amazon

Finally, sign up to my Mailing list and receive the publication 25 Ways to fit Art and Creativity into your Life!

31 Studio Essentials - Art Journals

Art Journals

Art Journals are one of my studio essentials, and over the years I have made quite a few.  I recently did a mini tour of 31 Art Journals which you can check out HERE

The great thing about art journals when your stuck is that you can always revisit them and finish off pages that may have been left.  I usually don't finish an art journal in one go, preferring to dip in when the desire takes me.

In those moments of feeling stuck you can choose to do some work on a page, or you can create a background, there is no hard and fast rule, you make your own!

Or you might just want to look over an art journals page to see what you were doing at the time of creating it.  The main thing is that you use your tools to suit your needs, and if you just want to make marks on a page then do that.

Check out the video to see what I get up to on 3 pages and how you can use the supplies you have to take yourself on a mini adventure.  

Until tomorrow, stay blessed and be a blessing.

Resources

You might find some of these resources useful click on the image to find out more

Have fun, stay blessed and be a blessing!

Mixed Media Art Painting Giveaway - We all need someone to lean on

Art Giveaway - We all need a friend to lean on

 Ok I am part of the #1min1take Video Challenge and I have decided to do an Art giveaway.  My target for the challenge is to complete at least 60 videos of 1 minute to encourage you, inspire you and hopefully bless you in the process with different conversations.  

#1min1take video challenge

Some of the videos call you to answer some tough questions, others to think about your creativity and life.  In a few of the videos I will be sharing what I am doing either in the studio or on my travels in Barbados.

I created this piece of art recently and it was so much fun.  I thought I would share the process with you below.

It began its life as a piece of cardboard I had recycled and added collage and layers of paint.  It has some great texture on it with modelling paste and stencils.

Once I had decided on the base image I start filling in with gesso

And then adding some of the colors to give me a general ideas of the overall color of the painting.

I start to add some background and continue to work on the images,  You can see some of the modelling paste highlighted by gold on the painting.

A bird friend comes along and makes home with our two ladies.  Up until this point our main character is day dreaming lost in her own world.

And then she opens her eyes to the birdsong with a knowing look in her eye.

Mixed Media Art on Card 6 x 8 inches  - We all need a shoulder to lean on - 

Do you want to win this painting? then hop over to my YouTube Channel and leave a comment on the video above. 

Check out some of the other videos in the #1min1take challenge as I will be doing additional Art giveaways, and showing you art techniques and tutorials, why not subscribe while your there and click notifications so that you will know when a new video comes out.

Creating on a Budget - Figure Vase

Well here we are for another week of working with vases.  Here is the video of this weeks vase and what it looks like physically.

 This is the third vase that I had found at a thrift store, and it had a floral pattern on, I wish I had taken a photograph of it before I had altered it.

 I find that once I get a creative idea I get so caught up in it I just have to go all out, until I have no choice but to stop.  These vases have turned out far better than I had hoped, and you can see the other vases that I altered HERE and HERE

The idea behind creating them is to show you how you can create a tight budget, and with a little bit of imagination you can still produce some beautiful pieces, if not for yourself you can give them as gifts or even sell them! 

So armed with my paper clay I covered this vase and then formed a figure around the sides.  Paper clay was great to work with, and it gives you additional texture that for me works well with this piece.

I hope to work on some larger pieces, whether it is my own vase or bowl that I make from start to finish or alter something else.

I painted this one with black paint then buffed it over with Rub 'n Buff which gives you a gold finish (they come in a variety of finishes) and a little goes a long way.  You can also use gold or silver paint, by dry brushing.

I will at some point be doing a tutorial of the process, and keep a look out for my paper clay tutorial.

So this is the finished piece.  I could have also scraped some details into the clay before it dried, and you can do this with a variety of materials that you find around the home, that you can incorporate into your studio supplies.

I really like how they turned out and will definitely be doing some more.  Here is a link to the two posts for you to see how they turned out Here and Here

Stay blessed and be a blessing

Creating on a Budget - Fabric Vase

So sorry that I haven't been around here on my blog.  I have lots to share over the coming weeks about things that I have been getting involved with.  It is great to be able to share some of the opportunities that have come about and as they bless me I hope to be able to bless you as well.

I have been playing around with different materials in the studio, looking at ways in which you can create art especially when your on a budget.  I have a range of projects on my blog that where I have used recycled materials that can be transformed into a work of art and so thought I create a series of a few more things that you can make.  I will rearranging my blog to make some of the projects more accessible, and there will be step by step projects, so please do come back.  Also sign up for my newsletter - the first issue will be out in July, and there will be lots of hints and tips to help you on your creative journey

Fabric Coated Vase

I found some mini vases at my local dollar store.  It can be a great place to find things that you can transform and utilize in your studio, and I have loads of cool projects coming up. 

The original surface of the vase was a lightly engraved but nothing to write home about, so I decided to change them.

I created a face from a mold out of clay and attached using paper clay (another thing I will show you how to make), I then tore up strips of fabric and armed with my powertex (one of my favorite supplies at the moment), coated the fabric and then applied to the vase.

 As the fabric dried I also wrapped it with string to give it additional texture.  Once it all dried I highlighted areas with gold and bronze paint.  I have a video of the vase coming up on my YouTube channel so check there to see it up and personal lol!

I love it, and think it looks quite cool.  I have two more that I will be altering and sharing with you over the coming weeks. 

Fabric Coated Vase - Amanda Trought

Stay blessed and be a blessing!

While your at it check out Craftsy online courses, there are some free ones