Love of Lettering

It's that time of year again! Fall classes at the best shop in Boulder (Two Hands Paperie) have begun! On November 7, from 10:30 - 4:30 I will be teaching Love of Lettering. Hand lettering is a great joy of mine, and gets incorporated into my drawings, paintings, and mixed media journals. In this class we will create a sampler of the many different lettering styles I use, as well as a chalkboard inspired page that is beyond fun. Join me as I share my tips & tricks, favorite quotes, and passion for lettering. This class will infuse your work in a variety of new ways!

My Valentine

This is what my sweet husband works on most days. The building of wooden surfboards, skateboards and stand up paddle boards. Because not only is Chad a skilled craftsman, but also an artist, he decided to hand draw the designs on these two boards with paint markers. It's crazy and detailed and beautiful. Just his style.

Because Chad is crafty and creative and will pretty much do whatever I ask, he agreed to help me by being a guinea pig for my Silhouette Stories class. We spent the afternoon journaling the main assignment and this is what he came up with. I love journaling with others, but it's extra fun seeing how your spouse takes instruction and in what wildly personal way it gets interpreted. To return the favor I was a good sport with feedback on what was/wasn't working, where we needed more time, etc. All in all a good time was had by all.

First stage of the process. Journal writing, paint, collage, mono printing and mark making.

The Silhouette gets defined.

Filling in and around the silhouettes, and adding line work and lettering. Full disclosure: Chad wants to work his page some more, but as both student and teacher's helper, he did a great job. There is a story in his piece as well as an intensity and intimacy between the figures. I'll keep you updated as it evolves!

Silhouette Stories class

What a great class! On Jan 31 I taught Silhouette Stories at Two Hands Paperie. We spent the day working in our journals, crafting silhouettes from textured backgrounds and finishing up by adding details such as line work and lettering. Class was fun and busy and everyone really worked hard. By the end of class everyone was working fearlessly and headed in very personal directions. It was a joy to work with this group and see what everyone created using the same steps.

Creating backgrounds in our journals.

By the end of the day, each piece becomes so personal.

The finishing details.

One week until classes begin!

Silhouette Stories begins soon! I am looking forward to teaching this class at Two Hands Paperie, a favorite local shop. In this class we will be working with the foundations of Visual Journaling, combining text with imagery, utilizing vibrant painted backgrounds and collage techniques that will become the base for our hand crafted silhouette imagery. I will demonstrate lettering techniques as well as how to add finishing details to your pages.This is a wonderful shop and we will have a great time creating here together, surrounded by inspiration! For more details about Silhouette Stories (Jan 31, 10:30–4:30) and to sign up, head on over to the Two Hands Paperie site. 

At first glance silhouettes evoke history, family and memory. We are reminded of simpler times when images were crafted by hand. Often we struggle with focal imagery in our work. We crave drawn or painted images on our journal pages but don’t know where to begin. Luckily for us, silhouettes represent the simplest way to view a figure, often as an easily recognizable outline, a black form on a white background. In this class we have the luxury to deviate from the traditional silhouette. Building on top of layered backgrounds we can create rich self-portraits, capture our loved ones, and represent our own personal icons and symbols. Taking something beautifully simple, rooted in history and tradition we will make it new again. Modern heirlooms are made personal by using family photographs that can be either realistic or stylized and whimsical.

Time for classes!

Happy New Year! I am thrilled to announce that I am teaching at Two Hands Paperie this year in January and February! So give yourself or someone you love the gift of creativity and begin your own visual journal. Classes will be intimate in size and will be held at my favorite shop in Boulder, CO. Silhouette Stories (Jan 31, 10:30–4:30) will be a more image based class, where we will create energetic backgrounds and use silhouettes to create focal imagery and with which to tell our own stories. 

Love of Lettering (Feb 21, 10:30–4:30) will focus on text as image and the many playful and expressive ways to explore lettering. This will not be calligraphy class, but rather a way to explore your own hand and the marks it can create as well as with drawing type in different styles! I am beyond excited to share my passion of visual journaling with you and to create together. I look forward to seeing you in class soon!