Stampington & Co Freebie

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How fun to open my email and see a project of mine on Stampington & Company’s Postscript newsletter. As I do these kinds of articles, I mark them on my big office calendar, do the work, turn them in and usually forget about them until I happen to open a magazine or an email and there I am. It’s always kind of cool to see the process come together. I really do love working with all the Stampington editors because they know their stuff when it comes to layout and typography. Johanna Love, Stampington’s Director of Photography, has such a gift for taking pictures that I do believe every piece of art sent to her looks better after she’s styled and shot it.

For this Guest Artist piece, I created a little house triptych with lots of surface layers of paint, rubber stamps and color. I had a blast playing with Dina Wakely’s stamps. I know Dina and she’s an awesome artist. Her new stamps are perfectly in line with my own aesthetic; a little  edgy with an urban vibe. I used her circles and random number stamps for this.

Believe it or not, I struggle when it comes to giving my work titles. I have no idea why considering I like to think of myself as a wordsmith. However, as soon as I finished this triptych and looked at the images, the storyline “Ma, Pa and the Cousins visit the Big City” immediately popped into my head. The family is dressed up for a night in the city and the tickets represent an invitation to attend a swanky gallery gala, given to them by a worldly artist they met when he came through their hometown in search of a rural landscape for his paintings.

I had so much fun using these altered vintage photographs that are in Spellbinders® Media Mixage ™ with Susan Lenart Kazmer™ line (Available in the paper crafting section of Joann Fabric and Crafts stores). I’m not sure how many of you know this, but ICE Resin’s Art Director is Karen Michel, an amazing mixed-media artist, author and instructor. As a matter of fact, Susan and Karen became friends 13 years ago when they first started teaching the national mixed-media art retreat events together. Karen is the person who’s responsible for all of our new packaging, our website design, our company blog design, etc. She’s also the artist who created the collage ephemera papers for Susan’s licensed line with Spellbinders® Media Mixage ™ .  Her eye is impeccable! The other reason I like the ephemera packs so much is because it contains so many old papers — all over 100 years old — that we’ve collected on our trips to France’s flea markets. We’re talking the real deal.

All said, I really do like this art piece. It makes me smile. It’s colors are happy and uplifting and there’s just something kind of giddy about it.

Anyway, enough of the “behind the scenes” talk for this piece. Pop on over to Stampington’s website and take a look at my project here. The best part is it’s a freebie!

Calling all Art Journalers…

Oh yeah, there’s a new eMag in town from the fine folks at Cloth, Paper, Scissors. Art Journaling Exposed was such a hit that über editor Jenn Mason followed up a second edition filled with more great inspiration and education for people like myself who love art journaling.

Now, I have to admit, that I’m not nearly as prolific in this art genre as I would like to be. I have so many mixed-media jewelry ideas in my sketchbook that when I get creative time I tend to spend it at my bench working with metal and/or resin. Luckily, almost every Saturday morning is playful art time in my studio with my 3-year-old daughter where we get out the paints, paper and pens for a couple of hours of special mother/daughter time. Once I get her paint palette all set up at the big round table in my studio, I’m free to grab a journal of my own to work on. Sometimes she wants to dig into my collection of rubber stamps and other times we grab my big box of recycled objects for mark making.

When I read Art Journaling Exposed 2 last night, I was so inspired that I immediately wished for Saturday morning. My friends and fellow artists/instructors in the publication got my creative wheels turning with their responses to the creative prompts Jenn and her team sought from us. Heck yes, you can bet I’m trying out Indian Yellow, Leaf Green and Magenta as my next color combination, as suggested by the fabulously talented Jenny Cochran Lee. I also adored the video of my dear friend Kari McKnight Holbrook’s technique of raindrops on backgrounds. Seriously fun stuff. I also couldn’t help having my face split into a big happy grin to see one of my BFFs Kristen Robinson show how to make an awesomely up cycled journal from plastic cereal bags. Trash art where there’s nothing trashy about it.

Of course, it wasn’t quite as easy watching myself on video in this publication showing how to make ICE Resin paper. (This was shot, but the way, when I was in Colorado last October to shoot my DVD Breaking Out of the Mold). But then again, I don’t know any one who actually enjoys watching themselves on film. My journal pages look great though when the resin is applied to it, so I’m sure there will be lots of readers out there who will want to try out a cool new technique. I’m truly thrilled for the opportunity to be part of this new eMag.

If any of this piques your interest, here is the link to Art Journaling Exposed 2 at the Interweave store. (I know the image above looks like you can click those video links, but alas they are only screen shots from the eMag). Also, if you haven’t yet joined the Cloth, Paper, Scissors online community and sign up now, you can get a free copy of the Art Journaling Exposed 1.

Here’s wishing you a truly Artful day!

Iced Enamels makes my creativity soar

My Creativity Soars with sheet metal, Iced Enamels, Susan Lenart Kazmer Media Mixage by Spellbinders bird blank and hobnail bezel and ICE Resin.

I wanted to show you a necklace I made for the Spring Belle Armoire Jewelry article where I was featured as the issue’s Designer Showcase. I turned in a lot of work to Cynthia, the editor, for the feature, but this particular piece is one of my favorites. I think it really shows my artistic voice and what I do with metal and resin and fibers and, now, our crazy amazing Iced Enamels.

I began this necklace with a sheet of 24 gauge nickel silver (didn’t bother using sterling because of the expense and because I knew I would be applying color to the metal anyways) and cut it into a crescent shape with my wonderfully sharp French Shears. I filed my edges and texturized my metal with the ball peen part of my hammer, creating hundreds of dimples in the metal. Then I put the textured crescent into my large wooden dapping block and began forming the edges to give it a three-dimensional shape. Making this crescent base is a QR code video in my book Making Metal Jewelry. Check out the link on it over at the F&W CreateMixedMedia website.

Then came even more creative fun! I applied our Enameling Medium to the metal — this medium is especially formulated to adhere the enameling powders to metal — with a paintbrush, putting on just a thin coat. I sprinkled Relique Turquoise on one side of the metal crescent and then covered the other half in our gorgeous German Silver and melted it with a craft heat gun. I added Relique Ivory onto the adorable bird blank, torn some text from an old book for the bird belly window. Then I took one of the sweet little Susan Lenart Kazmer Media Mixage hobnail squares and added the word “frisky”.  I have no idea why I chose that word, but it just struck me at the time so I tore it from the book. A little side note on this: I no longer over think my image/word choices. I go with my very first instincts and run with them. I’ve learned over the years to trust my instincts, as my art always looks better when I do.

I mixed up some ICE Resin from our handy dandy plungers and painted on a thin sealer coat over the Iced Enamels. The addition of ICE Resin, which is a glasslike surface when dry, is what makes our new Cold Enameling program. Without a sealer coat, any color you add to metal jewelry will wear off over time as your pieces are worn. Here’s another little trick: I layered all the components together while the ICE Resin was wet so they would bond together stronger than glue as they dried, causing a cold connection that’s inseparable.

After the pieces dried, I cold connected the bird to the metal crescent with an eyelet rivet for additional strength. Then I wired up the crescent with an organic knot on either side and added fibers to one of our sterling silver tassel bezels. I created a connection for the fiber bundle and made a clasp from sterling silver wire. The other side of the necklace is vintage rosary chain that I bought from a friend at last year’s Art Unraveled that I LOVE. All in all, this necklace took some work and some steps to complete, but, as I said, it really is one of my favorites.

Here’s hoping this provided a little inspiration today. Now, get into your studio and start playing — hopefully with the brand new Spellbinders Media Mixage line designed by Susan Lenart Kazmer and our brand new Iced Enamels! These components are da’bomb!

Covergirl…

Belle Armoire Jewelry Cover March/April 2013

Remember when I said there were A LOT of big things in the works last year that I had to keep quiet about? Well, I finally can tell you the last of the secrets! My work is being featured in Belle Armoire Jewelry as the March/April issue Designer Showcase. The issue — with my necklace from my book Making Metal Jewelry on the cover (!!!) just arrived in subscribers’ mailboxes today and I’ve heard a resounding positive response from soooo many of my artist friends.

To say it’s an incredible honor to have my work featured is, truly, an understatement. I know there are people who will think that it was a natural fit for me because I write a business advice column for this magazine every issue, but the truth of the matter is that being a “regular” with the Stampington publications can actually make the selection process tougher. I liken it to being a mother and not wishing to play favorites to any of your children.

ICE Resin bezel by Jen Cushman in Belle Armoire Jewelry 2013

The editors go out of their way to judge every piece of art work that comes into the magazine based on some pretty high standards. That’s why I’m always impressed when I meet someone whose been published in Belle Armoire Jewelry because I’ve seen the editors at work during the selection process. It takes a considerable amount of thought and consideration on their part each month.

When Editor Cynthia Levens emailed me to say that she wished to feature me, I jumped up and down in my studio and couldn’t help but have a big smile from ear to ear. Then she told me what I had to do. Not much, just submit 25 pieces of jewelry (!) for photography and then catch up with Ricë Freeman Zachary for her to do the interview. I’ve known Ricë for a few years now, but it’s always nerve wracking to be interviewed, particularly for something as wonderfully big as a Designer Showcase profile.

Belle Armoire Jewelry Jen Cushman profile

I could not have asked for a better person to interview me. Ricë is a very accomplished mixed-media artist and independent writer/author. She’s been in the trenches teaching and selling her work. She knows when people who are being authentic with her and she can spot from a mile a way when someone is being politically correct..aka saying what they think they’re supposed to say rather than speaking their truth. I love talking to Ricë because she’s real and ensures people respond accordingly. I knew I’d have some tough questions, but that was part of the fun. The article is wonderfully written. After reading it through for the second time, my favorite part is this (page 23):

She (meaning me) turned her focus on the most salient detail of the life she wanted: learning to value her creativity and skills enough to give them the time and space to flourish, and then learning to value the concrete results of the process enough to share them with the world instead of putting them in a drawer.

I know I pulled this out of context, and I do hope you find the time to read the whole article, but every time I read this paragraph that Ricë wrote, I get chills. It’s an incredible thing to feel that someone “got me” and she really, truly understood what I was trying to say as a human being and an artist.

Thank you, Ricë and Cynthia and Christen for your faith in me and my work. This Designer Showcase is a major highlight in my life. Also, as always, my incredible appreciation to Susan Lenart Kazmer for making such gorgeous and high quality hobnail bezels and creating ICE Resin so myself and millions of other artists can explore their creativity.

A bit of news to share

The current issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine. Be sure to pick up the next issue to see Susan Lenart Kazmer’s cool resin paper lamp.

Just a little bit of news to share on my blog today. As you may know, I’ve had the sincere pleasure of teaching at the Cloth, Paper, Scissors CREATE art retreat in Southern California. In fact, I will be returning next year with some all new classes that I’m really excited about. I’ve also been working with Jenn Mason, the fabulous editor of Cloth, Paper, Scissors on and off for the past couple of years on some feature articles.

Starting with the January 2013 issue, I will have a brand new column with them called The Mixed Media Metalsmith. The column will work in tandem with my new book Making Metal Jewelry, due out this December with North Light Books, in that it will focus on beginning techniques to make your own metal jewelry. I’m really over-the-moon happy about it about both the book and the column.

But wait, that’s not all. I will be doing a DVD with Cloth, Paper, Scissors as well(!!!). While I can’t yet announce the subject, it can tell you I fly to Colorado early November to do the taping and the DVD should be released next year sometime. Whew, I’m feeling a little lightheaded.

I’m also thrilled because I will still be writing my business advice columns for Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine. I truly love love love all the Stampington publications and have ever since I first learned of mixed-media many years ago. So inspirational, always! I also plan to continue writing business advice over at CreateMixedMedia.com, even though I’ve had to take a little break because of my schedule.

I know there are lots of you who love these publications as much as I do, so I wanted to let you know about my exciting news.

Here’s wishing you a truly Artful day!

The Last Word Somerset Studio

I have the Last Word in the May/June issue of Somerset Studios. This is the first time, I’ve been featured in this part of the magazine and it’s quite an honor. Each issue, an artist gets to tell her personal story about a piece of art work they’ve made and the story behind the piece. Usually, the stories are inspirational or reflective in nature, often setting the final tone for the entire issue.

The piece is an assemblage I made for a sample earlier in the year for our ICE Resin booth at Winter CHA. I had just gotten back a bunch of resin castings that I did for a workshop in Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine on mold-making. I pulled the piece I cast from a Frozen Charlotte Doll torso and head and began to build a piece around this focal.  As I was in the creative process, it dawned on me the feeling of the piece is the joy my beautiful daughter — our miracle baby — has brought to our family.

However, like a lot of my work, the assemblage is also about a deeper story. It’s about me following my dreams to have a successful creative career and to live my life as an artist. This is the story I tell as part of my Last Word article. It was difficult for me to openly talk about something so intimate, but I feel it’s also another part in my journey. What I do when I write or teach or create is share my story with others. It’s about sharing emotion and common human experiences and finding connections that have deep roots.

If you haven’t had a chance yet to pick up this issue, please consider doing so. There are so many wonderful articles throughout. Seth Apter is the Artist Profile, and his incredible art made the cover so engaging. My dear friend Kristen Robinson is featured with some of her cast Paperclay assemblages and my business partner Susan Lenart Kazmer has an inspirational article on her unique journals. Oh, the eye candy! It’s honestly one of my favorite issues of all time.

ICE Resin Paper Tutorial

Here’s a little video tutorial I did last summer at the Stampington & Co. offices for the Shoppe at Somerset. The video is still online in their shop, but I thought it would be nice to include it on my blog as well. There’s also an entire chapter on making resin paper, with gorgeous art samples, in my book Explore, Create, Resinate; Mixed-Media Techniques using ICE Resin.

If you’re interested in all kinds of crafty techniques for free, head on over to Stampington for more great videos by some of the top mixed-media artists working in the field today. Also, be sure to check out this chic and easy Art Mechanique necklace made by Shoppe Manager Vanessa Spencer, inspired by a piece I created and gave her at Winter CHA 2012. Vanessa did a tutorial on how to make it, so be sure to check it out.

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Pinterest Testimonials from Artists

This month’s column is up on Create Mixed Media where I decided to talk about Pinterest and how it’s being embraced by artists and other creative people. Pinterest is a new social media phenom that’s growing in global membership with each passing day.

Here’s a little secret of mine. I’m lucky to have more than 1,500 Facebook friends, with the majority of them being other mixed-media artists and crafters. Considering I’ve been on Facebook since 2008, this is not a huge number of friends, but then again I rarely go looking for people to friend. Social media is not a numbers game to me. I’d rather have two people following me who really care about my work and what I to say rather than 5,000 people who will never look at my Timeline or bother to read my Tweets. I believe in quality versus quantity in life, business and even social media.

Because of this approach, I have made some über talented Internet friends whose opinions and values I trust and respect. Whenever I want to bounce an idea for one of my columns off someone, I find myself going to my Facebook page and asking questions. The responses I get are tremendously insightful. I received so much positive response to my Pinterest questions that I thought it’s a shame to keep my friend’s thoughts to myself. I wanted to share their brilliance with you, too.

Here’s what other artists are saying about Pinterest:

“It is a phenomenal tool, for both creative inspiration and for social networking. Just as one needs to be pinning responsibly, people also need to be responsible for content of what are pinning. Make sure before you click “pin it” that the photo is something that you want all of your followers to see. Pinterest is like any other social media, we are often judged by what we present to the world – good or bad!” — Suzann Sladick Wilson  of Beadphoria (my artist friend who originally invited me to join Pinterest a year ago).

“My advice is to brand your photo with your url and bless people who pin your work!!” — Kathy Cano Murillo, aka The Crafty Chica

“Pinterest has become a huge source of traffic to my blog. Pin away!” — Theresa Momber

“I need a Pintervention! I love using it for color inspiration, and finding quotes to use in my artwork. I’m fine with my work being pinned as long as some kind of link or credit is given so I can be found as the artist.” — Jen Osborn (no, not the person in my CMM article whose family did a real Pintervention. She remains anonymous).

“By using Pinterest, I can better bookmark, organize and categorize all the things that keep me inspired as an artist and photographer.” Niki Miners

“I like it. It’s another way to get my work out to a wider audience. And what a source for inspiration for the works of others and fabulous color combinations. It’s an easy way to help define what you are drawn to.” — Doris Arndt

“Now that Pinterest has changed their TOS and rules, it is more welcoming to artists. When artists raised concerns about the rules, Pinterest was very proactive, listened, and made changes quickly. I’m impressed with them as a company. I’m back on Pinterest and do brand each photo like Kathy. Every photo on my blog or those that I pin, have my copyright and website url. I thank those who repin any of my work. The CHA Design Section does have a Pinterest board on which we pinned items we saw or had displayed at the show.” Carol Heppner

“I love pinterest – it’s a wonderful source of inspiration and a way to connect with a larger audience. ” — Heather Powers

“I LOVE Pinterest and use it almost daily! It is a great source of inspiration and provides insight into trends because people are USUALLY pinning the best of the best images and things that interest them RIGHT NOW. It’s free trend research! As far as having my own work pinned, I encourage it. I watermark all of my images with my logo and web address so that if my image is pinned and that info is not provided by the original “pinner”, people still know the source of the image and can find me. It is the best kind of advertisement money can’t buy — not only is your image potentially exposed to millions of people who may or may not be involved in crafting, but it is a huge compliment that people choose YOUR image to pin. Who doesn’t want their work to be cataloged along with the best of the best? I sure do!” — Jennifer Priest

“I’ve been on pinterest forever! I don’t brand each and every photo on my blog – only the finished project shots & I’m thoughtful about what I put on my blog because of pinterest. ” — Vicki O’Dell

“I am a new and huge fan of Pinterest…..just ask my hubby who doesn’t see me at night until the wee hours!!! I love to just go look at all the stuff I pinned for inspiration…it’s everything I love in one place! How does one go about branding their images…..that might be something I might look into since many times my work is repinned but there is no name attached to it…..???” Laurie Mika

“I LOVE Pinterest. As an artist, I would LOVE to have my work being repinned, it is a fabulous place to find things without having to specifically knowing what you are looking for, like you would through a search engine. I have found the most awesome ideas for decorating, places to shop and things that inspire me. ♥ I don’t think that they should be making a big deal out of legalities and such. I have heard some negative concerns. If it is on the web, why wouldn’t someone want to reach as many folks as possible~ that is what privacy settings are for.” — Tracy Dove

“I love Pinterest and I’ll tell you why…. because it’s free advertising for your art. I don’t sell my art but I have bought art by going to the link in the original post. I have pinned Jane LaFazio’s art because it’s amazing. I also like that I can find information about supplies, artist techniques and tips.. It’s more detail than Facebook and not as tedious as trying to find something on an artist’s website.” — Sharon Newby

“Hey Jen, I love Pinterest and I agree with Sharon, it’s a great way to get your work exposed and direct them to your blog or business website. I don’t worry about images being stolen and used for commercial use by others because the images are 72 dpi and because they are so small they can’t be used for much.” — Melissa Harnett Ustik

“Love it, and am happy to be pinned if they credit the source. I don’t have much free time either, but I budget the time into my Social Networking slot each day. I pin my own work, if people don’t like that so be it. It’s only a small part of my page. Besides, with the Pinterest terms, they really send out a mixed message on that front.” — Margot Potter

Inspiritment; A Free Ebook

I mentioned last month that my friend Melissa Bolton had a wonderful idea where she asked a group of women to contribute to “Inspiritment; A Collection of Affirmations from the Web’s Most Inspiring Virtuosos.” She sent all the contributors a link today to the free ebook she’s compiled for women just starting out in business.

I love, love, love this idea and am proud of Melissa for giving so generously of her time and talents to help women entrepreneurs. As I was reading through the book today, pleased to know almost every single contributor, I found myself being inspired by the words of 15 successful business women. Their encouraging words are truly spot on, and it’s once again, a reminder to me that I’m following my path and passion and doing exactly what I’m supposed to do with my life. It’s not always easy, and there are days when I get overwhelmed, particularly balancing work and motherhood. But then there are days that are just over-the-moon, where I get excited to check my email in the mornings because wonderful opportunities keep finding their way into my in-box.

That is how you know you are doing what you’re supposed to. You dream a dream, set your intentions and then work hard to put your authentic voice into the world so others can hear it and feel it. The Universe will ensure that not only is your voice heard, but that others will come into your life so things can happen to mutually benefit each other’s businesses. I believe in being about the love and keeping a positive attitude. A positive attitude and hard work, along with being grateful for what I create and receive are the tenets of my business.

Go check out Melissa’s wonderful ebook. You can get it at her business, Designer Brands. On a side note, I really like her design aesthetic. Her website is gorgeous!

Found Objects and Mold Making

I have a Workshop in the January issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine on making molds of found objects and then casting the molds with both ICE Resin and resin clay. This was such a fun article to write because I was able to spend the better part of a week in October using up more than 2 big containers of my Art Mechanique molding putty on all kinds of bits and pieces I have lying around my studio and almost as much resin and resin clay.

Oh I do love to make molds and cast objects. It really is addicting once you get into it. The little baby above is a frozen Charlotte doll body and face that I made a mold of and then cast in resin clay. I then painted her up to look exactly like the real thing. Her sculptural skirt is 18-gauge bronze wire that I hand formed into a cage and drew a bead on either end for her feet. The rest is a little bit of resin paper, some paint, vintage lace scraps, ribbon and 7Gypsies tissue paper and bookbinding tape from my stash.

The article shows you very clearly how to do this mixed-media art technique step-by-step. My friend, Carol LaValley did the step-out photos (she’s also the person who did it for my book) so they are nice and close on the hands. I’ll be teaching mold making of found objects and resin clay this summer at the CREATE Art Retreat hosted by Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine.

The issue also features photos of the dresses made for Craft Couture at Summer CHA. Mine and Claudine Hellmuth’s dress is in there, along with the other winners.

I’ve had people ask me why I don’t also show the step out photos in my blog as a free tutorial. The reason is because once you agree to write an article for a magazine, they own the copyright to the work for usually the first 90 days after the publication hits the newsstands. Even though it’s my art work and writing, if I put the information on my blog now, I would technically be competing with the publisher. I can show you sneak peeks and also a scan of one page or so, but not show it in its entirety. I only mention this because there are often a lot of questions regarding publishing and, particularly with the availability of free information on the Internet these days, folks are often surprised to learn there are some definite professional rules.

If you are a fan of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine, you’ve probably already seen the workshop. If you only purchase it occasionally, head on over to your local bookseller when you get a chance. I’d be most appreciative!

Here’s wishing you a truly Artful day.