life as a five ring circus

HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY!

2012-02-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

(copyright free image for you.)

CREATE CLASSES and a TA-DA moment

2012-02-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

I finally found some time to post my classes samples. I will be teaching these at the CREATE retreat in Irvine in May - June 2012.
My 6 hour class will include several mixed media techniques with a final project of one or two artist books that will include photos that students took.
My 3 hour class will include a quick printmaking technique plus some mixed media techniques with a final project of a bound mini journal.

Below are the mini journals and photos of journals that have been filled with collaged/printed images.

While taking these pictures I had an urge to photograph a bunch of my journals together which created a "TA-DA" moment for me. Michelle Ward had posted a challenge on her blog that called for a "TA-DA" list. Unfortunately I only have time for one item right now..and these are my journals.

While at it, I also photographed some of my ROD journals (from an on-line class by MarryAnn Moss) that I have completed last year. These fabric covers journals are really cozy and feel like stuffed animals in a way. You just want to hug them!

numbers as art

2012-01-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

Having fun playing with numbers (and fonts).
To see this week's calendar as art go here:
http://www.createmixedmedia.com/

The Altered Page

2012-01-14T22:29:00.000-08:00

Seth Apter from "The Altered Page" blog has done it again. Seth posts articles and surveys of mixed media art and artists. Each post is very informative and inspiring at the same time. Go check it out and see for yourself.
I have participated in some of his surveys including this one about who inspires me.

Holiday Reflections

2011-12-27T12:38:00.000-08:00

I am back from a short visit in LA over Christmas Day. I couldn't resist taking pictures of the lights and reflections in all the beautiful holiday themed windows all over town. What I like about taking pictures of reflections is the layered effect, somewhat confusing and definitely intriguing images.
Happy Holidays through my camera's viewfinder.

Prints and doodles

2011-12-22T17:29:00.000-08:00

Art and architecture from Israel

2011-11-22T07:07:00.001-08:00

Just came back from a family visit in Israel. Obviously a trip like that would include some site and art seeing.
I had a chance to visit a couple of artists' "colonies" - one is EIN HOD, a village on Mount Carmel,where they actually live and create, and the other is a neighborhood in Tel Aviv, called NEVE ZEDEK. Here is a sample of what I have seen and liked the most

Lots of colorful doors in Neve Zedek

Artist: Dina Merchav

Evidence


A corner in my mom's colorful home. See where I get it from?	)

Blue studio door in Neve Zedek

Haifa view. (twin city of San Francisco)

Artist: Orna Ben Shoshan

Another studio door in Neve Zedek

Tel Aviv architecture

Artist: Lea Majaro Mintz

the beautiful home of artist Ruthi Segal in Haifa

Artist: Benjamin Levy, Ein Hod

Artist: Leon Brornstein

Artist: Victor Lipkin

Artist: Lilach Librich Ben Yaacov

Published

2011-11-20T18:23:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note: My artwork has been published in a few places recently:
The Cloth Paper Scissors Book by Barbara Delaney has an abundance of articles that have been published in their magazines in the past. A huge resource and inspiration.

In the new PAGES magazine you'll find a couple of my artist books. This magazine is the newest and I believe the only magazine for book arts lovers.

And last but not least - Seth's blog The Altered Page is a wonderful resource for all mixed media lovers.
In Seth's latest post "The Pulse" he lists artists' favorite tools. Guess what mine is? Check the link for the answer!

A day in the countryside (in Israel)

2011-11-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

Recently I had a chance to visit family and friends in a beautiful place in the countryside, a place called "Kerem Maharal". It was a wonderful warm autumn day, with great food, lots of human and animal friends and peaceful views. The photos below will tell the story.
Thank you sis and Y for an amazing day.

See you there!

2011-10-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

New books and the 10th annual Book Arts Jam

2011-10-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some new books I have created in the recent weeks:
The first one is titled "Beaches" and it contains photos I took along the Northern California and Southern Oregon shores on a recent road trip.

The other two books were created as a collaboration with My book arts group (Bay Area Book Artists) and they are related to the alphabet: One is made out of abstract prints that I made using the collagraph technique.

The second is a flag book with Book Arts related terms.

Next Saturday is the 10th annual Book Arts Jam in which I will be one of the exhibiting artists.

If you are in the area please come and join us! This is a huge event with about 40 artists showing (and some selling) their artist books and hand made prints.

For more info visit our website: http://bayareabookartists.org/.

piles of fabric and stacks of paper

2011-09-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

Check out Seth's blog tomorrow (Wednesday) for some delicious photos of piles and stacks of goodies from many artists' studios.

My own pile is of fabrics and textiles I have dyed recently in order to use them in my mixed media art such as this book:

By the way: This book is in the current exhibition at the Textile and Quilt Museum of San Jose.
(If you need some of these fabrics they are available in my Etsy shop.)

Chicago, CREATE! etc.

2011-08-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

What a great week we had teaching classes, taking class and being a tourist!
As you can see below, my students were fantastic and so talented! The classes I took were awesome, and visiting Chicago for the first time was also great. This city is full of art everywhere you look.
Thank you to all the organizers and attendees of Create - it was a wonderful experience!

My favorite spot:

The welcome I got when arriving home...

2011-07-29T00:17:00.000-07:00

It's time to play again: Michelle Ward's monthly challenge was to come up with new colors and naming them.
I happened to be busy with dying some lace, trims and fabrics for my art projects (and for my Etsy store) and when looking at them carefully I realized they are all things that I like in about summer. To name each one of these would be pretty easy: So from left to right: morning sky, mango delight, fresh mint, strawberry smoothie. Hope this is going to be a looong summer!

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have a wonderful celebration this holiday! I do, and I'll share pictures in a few days. In the mean time, you are encouraged to visit Seth's blog "The Altered Page" were he has some great art, both his own and of other artists including yours truly..
Happy 4th of July!

Father's Day

2011-06-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

It has been almost 10 years since my father has passed away and as time goes by I keep missing him more and more.As you can see in the photo, we admired each other from day one.
I attribute my being an artist to my father and mother equally. My father taught me the love of finding and seeing beauty through the camera lens while from my mother I have absorbed the sense of color, pattern and design.
I feel blessed for having them both in my life, even though my father is with me only in spirit.
Happy Father's day to you.

Color in my art

2011-06-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Michelle Ward is asking if we, the artists, notice a change in the colors of our art when the seasons change.
The only difference I notice is in the amount of art that I create. My artwork is always very colorful, and my palette is always bright. The longer days of summer allow me to create more than what I do during the winter months. I prefer working in natural light so I produce much less during that dark time.. But I "flourish" when spring comes, and no matter what the season, I always use my happy colors.

Is it June in sunny California?

2011-06-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

What an unusual wintery day in June! Serious rain and gray skies. Here is a look through my window. You can see the corner of my studio in the back of my yard. On the other hand, my work table is happy and colorful.

Amazing student art from CREATE

2011-05-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

Just back from the CREATE Costa Mesa retreat. It was so much fun meeting old and new friends and artists, working on creative projects and socializing with everyone including the lovely crew of the event. Thank you to my talented students and thanks to the very helpful team who supported us all the way. Here are some photos from the LAYERED PRINT class. These are gigantic poster size multi layered prints. Aren't they gorgeous?

The connection between my dogs and my art plus the giveaway winner

2011-05-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

Walking my dogs gives me the time I need to plan and visualize my art projects, and it also gives me the opportunity to collect leaves. Leaves are great art material, especially when it comes to printmaking.
Here is a "before" and "after" shots.

As for the winners of the mixed media art box - here they are:
Nicole Austin
Cathleen Regan
I'll be in touch with you ladies.

Celebrations and a GIVEAWAY!

2011-05-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

I have so many reasons to celebrate today:

First – the beautiful days of spring and the roses that are blooming in my garden.

Second – I have an article in the Cloth Paper Scissors magazine May June ‘11 issue. This time it is not about my own art but about an amazing show that my talented sister (yes, it runs in the family) Tami Sinar has put up. Over 100 female artists altered bigger-than-life size mannequins to represent “being a woman” with all of its aspects. That was quite a spectacle and you can read all about it in the magazine. There is also a catalog of the show which is a beautiful heavy book full of all 100 + photos of all the mannequins.

Lastly I am a guest blogger in the Luminarte Creative Imaginations blog which is all about their wonderful water based paint products. Starting tomorrow there will be weekly posts by myself and other artists so check it out!

All that celebration means A GIVEAWAY!! I am going to send a box from my studio full of mixed media goodies to TWO lucky winners! To participate you'll need to become a follower, then leave a comment with your email address (or if you don’t want it published email your address to me at dorit_elisha@yahoo.com).Two winner will be picked randomly by Monday night (5.16.11).

I hope to see some of you at the CREATE retreat next week. If you go please come and say hello! (You can still sign up for classes if you feel a need for creativity).

Print play time

2011-04-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I had time to play. Yesterday while working on an artist book I also was playing with ABC and 123 collagraph printmaking.

More layers

2011-04-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with my layered prints lately (these are samples for the class I'll be teaching at CREATE Costa Mesa and Chicago) so more layers keep showing up. I just can't stop!
Additional samples are in a previous post.

I can't wait for the excitement! Hope to see some of you there.

Paper flower play

2011-03-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

While planing a class and playing with my textured papers, I was inspired by Pam Garrison's and Mary Ann Moss (who were inspired by Thomas Campbell) and decided to create my own version of paper flowers. Since I have finished these I can't stop and new ideas are getting in my had all the time..

I am not Irish, but...

2011-03-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

Green is one of my all time favorite colors. It is soothing, it's fresh, youthful, and represents renewal and growth.

I have a collection of Greenware a-la- Martha Stewart. I also LOVE cacti because they have such a large variety of shades of green!

CREATE !!

2011-02-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

Great news! I will be teaching two classes at the next CREATE retreat in Costa Messa, Ca. this coming May.
1. The Layered Print - this class will include a mix of printmaking techniques and other ways to create a beautiful layered mixed media art work.
2. Textured Collage - several surface techniques on paper will be taught, using found cheap tools. The worked papers will then be cut and used to create a whimsy collage artwork.
More details are here:

Nature's texture in my neighborhood

2010-12-31T19:46:00.000-08:00

My last post for 2010 is about nature's texture in my neighborhood. During my daily dog walking I am trying to look for interesting textures, to see what has changed with time, with the changing seasons and the time of day. These are some shots from the last couple of weeks: Later they will serve as inspiration for art.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

My Hang Up

2010-11-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

Well, Michelle Ward did it again! She throws a challenge after challenge and I respond occasionally, like today: The challenge: show your own art as it hangs around your home or studio. This one is EASY and here is the proof. Thank you Michelle for keeping our creative juice flowing!

Announcements

2010-10-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

First thing’s first:
The winner of the Tote Bag Giveaway is
VIKI!!
Please email me with your snail mail address so I can ship your prize to you!

Second: Please join me this Saturday at the annual BOOK ARTS JAM at Foothill College in Los Altos. I will have a table with lots of books and goodies to share and sell. This is a big gathering of book artists and there is tons to see. Details are here.
And Lastly: Sunday October 24th, I will be teaching a fabric book making class at A WORK OF HEART in Willow Glen. Here is the link for registration.

TOTE BAG GIVEAWAY!

2010-10-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

As you can see in the latest (and first) Cloth Paper Scissors' GIFTS issue that just came out, the artist Jodi Kahn has created some fabulous tote bags without sewing one stitch! The fabrics she used were created by myself as well as Alisa Burke, Beryl Taylor and Mary Beth Volpini, each one with her own style. The tote is really sturdy, even without being stitched! If you get the magazine you can also make one yourself!

Since I got two bags I am giving one away to one of my followers! So if you would like to be included all you have to do is become a follower (instructions on the right side bar) and leave a comment with your email address. The winner will be announced by October 11.

A belated Happy New (Jewish) Year

2010-10-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

If you celebrated the Jewish New Year last month you may be interested to see some vintage "Shana Tova" cards I found while visiting Israel. Before the internet age we used to send these to all our relatives and friends.

***
While walking my dogs tonight I saw this amazing sky made of sunset with some rain that didn't reach the ground. Fall always comes with great sunsets!

Colors of Israel 2010

2010-09-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

Back from Israel with some new colorful scenes. I hope you enjoy.

FLEA MARKET FRIDAY

2010-08-06T23:14:00.000-07:00

Kecia from Lemoncholy's Flight of Fancy has started "Flea Market Friday", where people blog about their fabulous finds in flea markets, garage sales and thrift stores.
Here is my contribution for this week:

These are some extra large 19th century portraits of a family. I left a pair of scissors in the picture to demonstrate the size of these beautiful photos. (They are 16"x20").. They are retouched with delicate paint and colored pencils. (When I was very young my father, who had a photography studio, used to do the same thing on photos he took of his customers, and he tried to teach me the technique as well. By the time I sort of mastered it it was no longer in use).

A buried treasure

2010-07-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

Responding to a challenge by Seth from "the altered page", I am re-posting a buried treasure: My favorite post from my own blog from past years. I am choosing the one that describes my studio since it shows everything that I love about mixed media: textures, colors, fibers, found objects and even dust...
This is the link

Enjoy!

My new addiction

2010-07-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

my favorite blogs

2010-06-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

When I need some down time I like to surf blogland. These are some of my favorites which I visit frequently:
Orly Avineri- for pure beauty in journal making and inspiring words.
Michelle Ward –for great inspiration and art challenges
Kelly kilmer - for a huge dose of color boost as well as very useful info about art tools, books and blogs.
Seth Apter – very cool assemblages and collage art..
Geninne’s art blog – beautiful illustrations
Mary Stanley – lovely fiber art
Mary Ann Moss – great photography and cool journals
Teesha Moore – no explanation needed.

busy busy two weeks

2010-06-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

Here is what I have been up to:
Teaching two workshops in San Francisco (I am so lucky to live close to this city!).
Photos show some of the great books made by the participants.
Making funky journals (in my Etsy store)
printing on and dieing fabrics (this project will be published later)
playing with Michelle Ward's challenge of making grids (these are made with silk squares, pastel crayons, thread and stitching).
and as always - cleaning, sorting, clearing the never ending piles of stuff.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

2010-06-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

I have been looking at this picture of my father and I from many years ago. This is the memory that is stuck in my had the most. The happy days when he was still here. I miss him dearly!

Destashing my studio

2010-05-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

Yay! A long weekend is here and I am going to be busy with my favorite activity (really!): organizing and de-stashing my studio. This activity always starts my creative juices to flow!
If you are looking for vintage fabrics, buttons, papers, trims, hardware, books etc - please visit my Etsy store starting tomorrow night. A lot of my unused items will be listed there.
I will also have more journals for sale - the same kind that was given away last week. I am using all kinds of found papers from the studio as well as bits of my own prints and other surprises.
Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

...and the winner is...

2010-05-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Shona Cole!!! Congratulations! You won the funky journal giveaway!
Many thanks for everyone who left a comment. It was nice to "meet" you all.
Please visit again just for fun and for future giveaways.
Have a great weekend.

Sprayfest and a giveaway

2010-05-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrated "Sprayfest" with my art sisters of the Bay Area. We sprayed paper, fabric, bags and suitcases, posters, maps and canvas. So much fun and so hard to stop.. Some of the sprayed pages ended up in the journal I am giving away:

A funky canvas covered hand made journal that fits in your purse, with lots of surprises between the pages (see photos) will be given to one person. This giveaway is organized by the lovely ladies at Sew mama Sew" blog.
If you leave a comment on my blog or purchase anything from my Etsy store in the next week (until Thursday the 20th at 7 pm) you will be automatically entered into the contest. Please come back and check the results on Friday the 21st at 7:00 pm. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced on this blog. Remember to come back and check so you can email me your mailing address.

monoprint challenge and Etsy goodies

2010-04-29T19:12:00.000-07:00

Today I have been packaging cool packets for cool journals. If you are into funky journals please check my store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/goodgoods.

Next, here is my version of monoprinting, in response to Michelle Ward's cool blog challenge: My plate is made of gelatin! Yes, the kind you eat (without the color and sugar). It's one of the funnest ways to print. The options are endless!

Printmaking/mixed media class in San Francisco

2010-04-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

A series of two classes where we will play and have fun with printmaking and mixed media is coming up. Stay tuned for more info.

New Orleans on my mind and in my camera

2010-04-04T18:47:00.001-07:00

I took a few days off to visit the city of New Orleans, something I have been planing for years.
There is a lot to see in and around the city: The French Quarter (that was packed with students during their spring break), the beautiful and affluent Garden District, The Mississippi River and the only steam boat on it, the Mardi Gras factory (the recent Mardi Gras was evident with beads thrown everywhere – on the streets, on electric wires and trees..), the plantation grounds outside the city and the most unique cemeteries!
These photos are just a few out of the hundreds I took. There are also some photos out of my “Remains of the Day" (courtesy of Mary Ann Moss) travel journal.

revisiting

2010-03-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

..a favorite technique - gelatin printmaking.
Prints of these images will be in my Etsy store within a couple of days.

winter time printmaking

2010-01-23T21:50:00.000-08:00

During some recent classes that I was teaching I also had a little time to print myself, and these are the results. The colors are definitely inspired by the cold weather! This time I added a bit of writing as well.

JoUrNaLiNg

2010-01-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been participating in Mary Ann Moss' journaling class. We made these awesome shabby journals out of scraps. The harder part (for me) is to fill the journal because I am not quite a flowing/spilling kind of writer, but I am sure the images, colors and textures will take most of the space anyway..and yes, that's my work table while working on the journal!
Also, in the other set of photos you can see some journals I made out of the paper that was covering my art classroom tables while teaching printmaking. I love the randomness of the color spots on them.
And talking about journaling - I am adding to my Etsy store some tags and labels, as well as some vintage Valentine cards.

The Alameda Flea, Finally!

2009-12-07T08:00:00.001-08:00

I can't believe how long it has been since my last post. I was busy with my school work mostly as well as family hosting and teaching a couple of printmaking classes locally etc.
Yesterday I finally made it to the most fabulous flea market/antique show in NorCal. It was freezing cold but really worth it! The only thing I didn't find much of was paper memorabilia to be used for collage etc, but lots of textiles and small objects.
Can you detect me in a couple of the photos?

Announcments

2009-10-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

I have 3 exciting announcements to share:

1. I will be teaching a printmaking class on November 1st at "A WORK OF HEART", an awesome place in Willow Glen. For details please check their website. http://www.aworkofheart.com

2. The annual Book Arts Jam is here - this Saturday, October 17th, at Foothill College, Los Altos Ca. See details in the attached postcard and on their website. http://www.bayareabookartists.org

3. My friend Kara, who is a great author and book artist, is having a "blog giveaway" of a photograph print from the fantastic collection of her husband Stephen Bay! Check her travel blog and his site - you'll find an amazing collection of photos on every subject you can think of. The photos above are from Stephen Bay's collection.
http://kara-bay.com, http://bayimages.net .

My Studio - my story

2009-10-02T23:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of different corners in my studio. They tell a story of a "stuff collector", a "color lover", a "person who has an eye for texture", a "person who appreciates objects that have history", a "creative person" - that's my story. What I do is mix and match, cut and glue, tear and stitch. I put a little group of lost and found in a new environment, a new home, a new artwork.
What will I find tomorrow to play with?

Welcome to my studio

2009-10-02T15:33:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow, Saturday, Oct 3rd, will be an Open Studio day, organized by Interweave Publishing, where you can tour (virtually) many artists' studios, including mine. Come and visit tomorrow, and see where the cool fun stuff is happening!

A collection of collections...

2009-08-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

I LOVE collecting stuff. Since arriving to the US and having seen such an abundance of cultural decorative stuff everywhere, I got into the habit of visiting flea markets and garage sales whenever possible. I have accumulated an endless number of collections. Usually I just pick one item that I like, and then I happen to find another one or two, and pretty soon it becomes a new collection. Many of my collections inspire my art, and some are actually my own creations (like the bird houses).
Here are some photos of a few of my collections. There are many many more!

Great play day and the winner of the book

2009-07-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

Had a fabulous printmaking day at Maria M's home. Thank you Maria for your hospitality and to everyone else for sharing your talents!
As for the promised copy of my book - the lucky winner is MAGGIE!! Maggie - please email me with your address so I can send you your autographed book!
Thanks again to everyone else who participated. I appreciate your comments. Please come and visit again.

More colors of Israel

2009-07-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

Some more Israeli landscape photos and some more art. The beautiful prints and painting are done by the very talented artist Tamar Messer. Her website is www.tamarsgallery.com. Her studio is fabulous and the screenprints and mixed media pieces are amazing.

printmaking play day/workshop 7.23

2009-07-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

Just a quick announcement: Next week on July 23rd I will be teaching a one day workshop that includes gelatin printmaking, collograph and thermal screen printing. All really fun techniques!
The class will be in the Fremont/Niles area ( in the South Bay).The supplies are included in the price. If you are interested please email me for more info.
Also - thank you for your lovely comments on the new book. Keep them coming! The lucky winner will be announced next Friday.

BOOK GIVEAWAY

2009-07-13T16:57:00.001-07:00

Calling all printmaking and mixed media lovers: To celebrate the publication of my second book (The first one was self published) I am giving away a signed copy of "Printmaking+Mixed Media". All you have to do is leave a message on my blog. One comment will be randomly picked by the end of next week and the book together with another surprise will be shipped to the winner! Please make sure your email address is included. Many of you have the "no reply" feature which makes me unable to contact you.

The colors of Israel - part 2

2009-07-08T10:09:00.001-07:00

While in Israel I visited artists in their studios:
one of the artist I visited is Israel Reiss. His large oil paintings speak for themselves. They are semi abstract and the colors are warm and lucious!

The colors of Israel

2009-07-05T19:28:00.001-07:00

Just came back from a visit in Israel. Awesome place if you like colors, textures, food, warm/hot weather, beautiful beaches and..shopping!.

A bit of play time

2009-06-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

A fun process (that is explained in my book) will transform this regular photo to that lovely work of art. (The art is still a work in progress..)

Printmaking + Mixed Media is out!!

2009-06-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my favorite pieces from the recent time that appears (partially) in the book and on the cover.

lots of goodies in my etsy store

2009-06-07T21:15:00.001-07:00

Many vintage items such as jewelry, dishes, children story prints as well as trims are now available in my store:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=69521. More will be posted soon, including my original prints.

It takes so much energy to clean a studio, not to mention deciding what stays and what goes..this is what I will be doing this summer vacation, plus a bit of travelling.

Happy summer!

Work in progress

2009-05-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Taking a break from printmaking and playing with some other media: A class with D.J.Pettitt, a class with Lisa Kokin, and my own ideas of recreating jewelry from vintage necklaces, beads and stuff.
The photos show uncompleted art.
Some jewelry will go to my Etsy store soon.

Published in CPS

2009-05-03T21:23:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note - if you have a chance - check the latest issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. In addition to the fact that I have an article there, it is a beautiful issue!
The next two days I am spending in a class taught by D.J. Pettitt (http://djpettitt.blogspot.com/). I love her fabric books and layered look. Can't wait to get my hands covered with paint again! The workshop is organized by Cindy O'leary of the "Artful Journey" (http://www.anartfuljourney.com).

a visit to a junk yard

2009-04-17T18:52:00.001-07:00

I had a fun day in Berkeley visiting a junk yard for photography purposes and this is the result.
My father was a professional photographer and I was pretty much living in a photo lab, but my love for photography as an art form only started in the last few years, unfortunately after my father's passing. I am sure he is smiling and saying "told you so"...

On a totally non related note, have you heard/seen Suzane Boyle's (the new discovery on a British talent show) old recording of "Cry me a River"? If there is a real nightingale - she is the one! My link doesn't work so search on You tube - Suzane Boyle "cry me a River".

TA-DA!!!!! A book is born!

2009-04-11T20:17:00.001-07:00

After a long pregnancy "Printmaking + Mixed Media" is born. I just received my first copy and I am so excited! I can see the result of a long tiring year coming to life. The book will be in stores this June.
Here is a quick peak.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T13:43:00.001-08:00

No words today, just pictures from around the house and studio.

NEW YEAR - NEW BOOK

2009-01-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

Happy and creative New Year to everyone! I know when I am creative I am happy, so I am keeping myself busy creating all the time. Well, the reason for my absence here in blogland was that all my energy was put into this new "baby" - my upcoming book "PRINTMAKING + MIXED MEDIA". This was a lot of hard work but very educational and very exciting at the same time. The official time for the release is June and I can't wait to see it!
If you would like to see a short preview click on this link and than on the white triangle: http://www.interweave.com/mixedmedia/Printmaking-Mixed-Media/preview.asp
Hope you enjoy it.

BOOK ARTS JAM THIS SATURDAY.

2008-10-12T16:24:00.001-07:00

Please join the Bay Area Book Artist in their annual book arts celebration!

Attention printmakers:CALL FOR ART

2008-10-09T23:17:00.000-07:00

FROM MY PUBLISHERS:

Dear Artists,

We are currently seeking fresh pieces of art to include
in the upcoming book, Mixed Media Printmaking: Create
mixed-media art with simple printmaking techniques. The
book, published by Interweave Press, is slated for a SPRING
2009 release. In regard to technique, the focus of the book
is printmaking without the use of a press. The book then
shows how to incorporate such prints into mixed-media
creations. Therefore, we are requesting pieces that show
printmaking without a press as well as mixed-media pieces
that incorporate such prints.

We are seeking art that was created with the following
press-less techniques:
• Paper Stencil Screen Printing
• Screen Printing with Drawing Fluid and Screen Filler
• Screen Printing, Photo Emulsion Technique
• Collagraph
• Monotype
• Gelatin Monotype
• Relief Printing
• Sun Printing

If you have unpublished art that illustrates the above
concepts, please contact us as soon as possible. We are
accepting submissions via email through Friday, October 17,
2008. Please see the attached idea form for more information
and submission guidelines. If your art is chosen, it will be
published (full-color) in the book. Your work will be
credited and you will also receive a complimentary copy of
the book.

Thank you very much for your time and interest. We look
forward to hearing from you.
IF YOU DECIDE TO SUBMIT AN ARTWORK PLEASE
LET ME KNOW AND I WILL SEND YOU MORE TECHNICAL
INFO YOU NEED TO KNOW.
>
> Sincerely,
> Dorit Elisha, Author
> Dorit_elisha@yahoo.com
> Darlene D’Agostino, Editor
> Word.creative@mac.com

A little blue bird

2008-09-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

Just had to share this really beautiful photo that was taken by my friend Vickie Obermaier. I love these colors of the grape vine and the bird.
Also I would like to mention the upcoming BAY AREA BOOK ARTS JAM that will happen on October 18th at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills. If you live anywhere in the Bay Area this event is definitely worth your time! There will be a book arts exhibition, book arts vendors and demos throughout the day. More info is at http://www.bayareabookartists.org

My kind of LAbor Day Weekend is...

2008-09-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

PLAY DAY!!

Alaska adventure

2008-08-31T00:27:00.000-07:00

August was very busy for me. I was away for most of the month. One of the places I went to was a cruise to Alaska! What an amazing place! From the glaciers to the fjords to the rain forest! This was an experience of a lifetime! Luckily we had a sunny weather so even climbing on a glacier wasn't too bad.
After a few days at home I went to Colorado for a photo shoot for my next book! That was a wonderful experience as well: being a part of "behind the scenes" of the publishing world.
I also had a chance to meet with a very sweet lady and fabulous artist - Lisa Hoffman who made me feel "at home away from home". Thank you Lisa!

Before and after..

2008-07-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

This "after" picture is a result of 5 minutes play with Photoshop elements.
Real fun..

A Sneak Peek

2008-07-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

I have been quiet for a while, not because I am not creating any art. I am working on a big project that consumes all my free time but I am enjoying every minute of it.
Here is a little glimpse.

That's what I call a great 4th of July

2008-07-04T21:15:00.000-07:00

Publish Post

An Irresistible technique

2008-06-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

Responding to Michelle Ward's challenge of this rubbing/resist technique I am posting some of my past collage work that was done using papers with the resist technique: The 2 pictures show collages made with different kinds of papers including some with wax resist. The butterfly was made with glue resist and stitching and the hand rubbing was made on top of more background rubbing with a different color.
The resist is one of my favorite ways to get texture on paper.

Fabulous weekend with Sabrina Ward Harrison

2008-06-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite artists is Sabrina Ward Harrison, and I just have spent a whole weekend in a workshop with her and a small group of artists. Since I saw her books full of color photos of her journals I knew I had to get to know her and hear and see more. We met at Carol Parks’ place in LA, which was an inspiring place by itself, and we spent 2 wonderful summer days being quiet and listening, looking, walking, taking pictures, thinking, painting and writing. What I took away from this weekend is the ability to “forget” for a moment about all the hustle and bustle of the everyday, and just concentrate on my inner world. Normally I don’t give myself many opportunities to take a break, concentrate on this side of myself and put thoughts and feelings into words on paper. But over these two days that’s just what we all did and it felt very liberating. I hope I’ll be able to continue with this kind of journaling in the future.

Signs of Spring

2008-05-24T19:55:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to thank all of you who have already purchased a copy of my autobiographical-artsy book, and to let you know I am working on a second book! Details will be posted soon.
Happy spring in the mean time!

My first book is here!!

2008-05-05T19:04:00.000-07:00

I am doing the happy dance! A second and a little bigger edition of my new book is here!
I love these colorful squared books and would be happy to send them away to any one who is interested. The book price is $28.00 + shipping. Inside you will find 70 pages of my colorful mixed media art: from fiber to paper, from printmaking to bookmaking and from collage to assemblage. (Wow, it even rhymes!). Please email me for a copy or more information. (dorit_elisha@yahoo.com)
These are a couple of pages from the book. (There are more photos in some of my previous posts).

Tagged...

2008-05-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

I just realized I have been tagged by Pamela who took my class at Artfest. Thank you Pamela! (I mean it!).(http://www.itspamelasworld.blogspot.com/).
I have to think hard and come up with 7 interesting facts about myself. So here they are:
1. I love to dance – folk dance and recently Salsa! The music is a big part of my enthusiasm.
2. I have an enormous number of collections, from Japanese Kokeshi dolls to green pottery, and from ethnic fabrics to ethnic masks.
3. My favorite place to spend a Saturday morning is in the flea market.
4. I am a total ignorant when it comes to computers.
5. I am first generation living in the US.
6. I lost my wallet in a taxi cab in Manhattan and got it back (minus the cash) from the driver.
7. I grew up in the same apartment where my father had his photo processing lab/store. I learned a lot from this experience.

Now I have to tag 7 people so here goes: (most of these great artists I have met except for two Lisa and Michelle whom I only "met" on line, but would love to meet "for real" some day).
Kelly (http://www.kellykilmer.blogspot.com/)
Andrew (http://urbanpaperarts.blogspot.com /),
Kathy (http://joyouslybecoming.typepad.com/)
Lisa (http://www.lisahoffman.typepad.com/)
Michelle (http://www.michelleward.typepad.com/)
Judy (http://judywise.blogspot.com/) and
Melissa (http://thegardenofpinkshadows.typepad.com/).

The "Tortilla Curtain" collaboration

2008-04-26T10:56:00.001-07:00

Over the last few months I have been participating in a collaboration of artists working on prints based on the book “The Totilla Curtain” by T.C. Boyle. I love collaborating in general, and this specific project was a perfect way to showcase our different styles and takes on the theme. We have used many printmaking techniques and other mixed media as well. All of these 82 prints are now on display in different locations on the Foothill College Campus. The catalog and info are at this site:
http://www.foothill.edu/print_arts/TCP/printmakers.html

So proud of my students/Artfest report

2008-04-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

My fabulous yearly treat of a retreat is over. As always it was full of new discoveries - both artistically and socially. The day I taught brought so much satisfaction (see photos of my talented students) and the days I took workshops myself were amazing as well! Just being in this environment for 5 days is a great way to recharge for the whole coming year. Many thanks to the Moore family and their crew for their hard work!
Oh, one more thing: My books were very quickly all sold out but I am working on printing another edition. Please email me if you are interested in a copy! Thanks!

NEW LOOK FOR MY BOOK

2008-03-23T18:59:00.001-07:00

Exciting news: My first book is done and I love it! What a talented sister I have! We decided on a new cover for the front which makes it much more cheerful! The book is square shaped (my favorite shape for books) and feels so nice in my hands! Inside the book is most of my art from the last twenty years, presented in the most artistic way! In about a couple of weeks I will put it on my ETSY shop for everyone who is interested in getting a copy. I might have a few copies at Artfest.

Fiber fun (part 2)

2008-03-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here is my "return mail" for the fiber postcard swap. It was hard to stop working on fabric again - I haven't done it for a long while so the result was 4 postcards instead of just one.
Artfest is in about 10 days! Preparations and packing take all my free time! There will be a long post right after I come back!
ps: It has been a year since I started my blog. I wish I had time to post more often but I will keep trying.

Cyber fun

2008-02-27T20:42:00.000-08:00

If you like fiber art and swapping, you should check out this website. Susan Lentz, a fiber artist is organizing a big postcards swap and an on-line exhibition. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. The photo is of the postcard I received. I will work on my trade soon and will post a photo.

February means Valentines

2008-02-02T20:25:00.000-08:00

I took some time out of my long term commitments to create some not-so-quick valentines. I think they turned out nice. You can see the steps of the work in the photos. There are also some small surprises inside those pockets. I hope the recipients will be happy.
The rest of my art time is dedicated to several printmaking projects and a bit of journaling.
Happy Valentine's Day!

First New Year resolution fulfilled!

2008-01-01T22:46:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's resolutions was to learn how to manipulate photos with "Photoshop Elements". With the help of my daughter I managed to create a small photo collage of colorful patterns I shot during a recent visit to downtown San Diego.
The other 2 pictures of my cute baby were too hard to resist. When our dog smells that we are getting ready to go (packing our bags and suitcases), he makes sure to tell us that he is not staying behind!

Holiday Book Exchange

2007-12-21T19:17:00.000-08:00

Last night we had our annual holiday meeting of the Bay Area Book Artists group. We started a tradition a couple of years ago where each artist brings a book and we exchange those with a "lucky dip". The photos show the book I made - a flag book that says "Happy Holidays!", and a display of most of the other books.
Happy Holidays!

Where in the World?

2007-12-19T15:30:00.001-08:00

Wow, it's been a while since I last posted! I blame only myself and I have plenty of excuses but the end result won't change.. so..here I am.
I am responding to Michelle Ward's challenge on her blog (http://michelleward.typepad.com/how_cool_is_that/), on the subject of "where in the world" we are. I have two responding pages in my art journal in the following pictures.
My "real" current address is in Northern California, but I live in a neighborhood where all the streets have bird names, and we nicknamed the area "Birdland". That's just perfect for me. I love birds and have been using bird images in my artwork a lot!
I love challenges like this one, and I hope to play in more of those in the coming year. That's one of my New Year's resolutions.

Day of the Dead

2007-11-01T22:37:00.000-07:00

What a great way to celebrate the lives of those who
are no longer with us . A very happy "party" with
music, dance, food and altars. I visited such a
colorful carnival in Oakland this past weekend and had
so much fun!

HOW DO I KNOW IT'S OCTOBER?

2007-10-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

3 Reasons I know it’s October:
My neighbor’s black cat is looking at me suspiciously, the trees are on fire and we had our annual Book Arts Jam. The JAM is hosted by my group of the BAY AREA BOOK ARTISTS (www.bayareabookartists.org) every year in October. It was a very inspirational day to say the least! I did a demo of the gelatin printmaking technique which was very interesting for many people. I showed (and sold) some of my one of a kind mixed media prints. Many people asked about my mixed media book which I hope will be published in the next few months.
I hope the weather stays nice so I can work in my studio while there is still daylight in the afternoons.

back at work

2007-10-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

After a very busy summer that included remodeling parts of my house, traveling and teaching I am back at home and at work. It was all great but there wasn’t much time for art or blog posting.

This weekend I attended a great workshop with Laurie Mika, a wonderful artist and a great project. I will post my finished piece when I am done with it.
In the mean time check her website: http://www.mikaarts.com.
A couple of weeks ago I received the “Mixed Media Collage” book by Holly Harrison. This is a great book for any mixed media lover, and I say that not because I happen to have a couple of my art works in it. It is really great because it details techniques and at the same time it is also an eye candy.
Last but not least – here are a couple of photos of my recent finds from different sales: vintage lace and clock parts. Can it get any better than that?

WOW!!! What a surprise! Thank you sis!!

2007-07-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

How lucky am I? I have a sister who is a graphic designer who decided to surprise me with a book about my art! A real book, and what a BEAUTIFUL book! I can have as many copies as I want! This is really a one in a life time experience and I am so thankful!
Above are some photos of the covers and a few pages.

Nature printmaking (coming to Artfest)

2007-07-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

Getting my class proposal for Artfest is always a time I like, since it means I HAVE to create art with no excuse to delay. Many times other life commitments take priority in my schedule, but when it's Artfest time - everything else has to wait! I wish there will be more fun deadlines like this..
So here are some of my class samples for Arfest 2008. The website with all the classes will be up around August 1st, which is very soon. I hope to see some new faces as well as some familiar ones.

The flea market thing

2007-07-12T14:14:00.001-07:00

Yes, I admit it: I am addicted big time! To flea markets and garage sales. How can any one not like them? When I need inspiration for my art I am going to the flea market or check some garage sales or if it’s the middle of the week – thrift stores are my target. Every item I see starts a new creative process in my head. This photo is an example of an artwork (an assemblage titled "The India Box") where I used parts and pieces that I found around the area where I live. We have a very rich mixture of cultures and I love the colors and textures that they provide.

AAAAAH SUMMER

2007-07-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

This time of year was supposed to be full of resting time but it doesn't seem to be the case for me this time. It feels busier than the rest of year due to remodeling, some workshop teaching and traveling. The positive side of this is that at the end of summer I will really feel very accomplished!
Luckily I manage to fit a few moments of art time in between all that. Otherwise I would have been totally restless.
Art Unraveled (www.artunraveled.com) is the next big time fun for me and many others. I can't wait to immerse myself in great art projects both as an instructor and as an attendee, and meet again some of my art friends.

Art Unraveled in Phoenix

2007-05-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

These pictures demonstrate just a few of the endless possibilities of collage made out of textured paper. This is a workshop I will be teaching at Art Unraveled in Phoenix in August.(check the website for more info: http://www.artunraveled.com). This workshop is called "Paint, Paper, Play".
I am also teaching a printmaking/mixed media class called " Printmaking and Mixed Media Book-quet", which is a book of flowers printed and worked with mixed media. For additional samples see previous blog posts, my website and the Art Unraveled website. This is a great experience for any artist, whether a beginner or advanced.

Mixed Media Art

2007-05-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

Mixed media is what I do. This is what I like. This is what I am. I feel I am the most creative when I am not tied to one media or concept or technique. I can mix and match. Right now I am mixing: printmaking, fiber art, book making and collage. This photo is a recent example. Another important part of my art is "found objects" with emphasis on recycling. This mixed media pieces are done over old photo frames that I found in a thrift store.

open studios

2007-05-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

It is "Open Studios" weekend. I had a great visit at some of my favorite studios. I love going to open studios because it gives me a chance to see the actual studio or the work space of these artists and not only the art. The studio sometimes is as inspiring as the art. Here are some websites of the ones I saw:
www.peterfoley.com
www.ingeinfante.com
www.miko4art.com

Artfest and back

2007-04-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

After the yearly treat I gave myself (together with another 500 people or so) in the form of an art retreat aka "Artfest", it feels like there is so much more art inside me that needs to be done. I was teaching two workshops: printmaking and surface techniques for mixed media. I also took one class and wish I could take more. But whether I teach or take classes, the high energy and socializing with like minded people are something I will feed of till next year's Artfest.
The photo is of one of my mixed media prints I sold at the vendors' night event.