School of Creative Business - Creative Entrepreneurship

Wanted to try something new

This is what I have been obsessed with today. I finally finished it. I am sorta happy in the direction it is going. But I think I still need to work on technique and color combination.

Let me know what you think?

Things that Make Me Happy -Summer 2009

Avocados
This month I have been totally obsessed with avocados.I have been eating them on sandwiches, salads and I have learned to make guacamole. A few friends at work gave me a quick and great recipe, but the Food network also has a great recipe for Chunky Guacamole made by Tyler Florence on How to Boil Water.

Andy Warhol
I've wanted to try out screen printing for so long, I even purchased the kit. But I haven't done a thing with it. I've taken a class and read books but no action on my part. I continue to look through books with Andy Warhol's work. I read about his techniques, his inspiration, his life style. My hopes are to gleam something to get me started. I have a ideal for a few screen print series. But I first have to start. I will very soon, I promise.

I have ordered a small screen from craft chi. I've played around with the screen and have used it in Artwork "1600"

Ruffles
I girl has to love her ruffles. I think ruffles bring out the sweet, romantic side of any woman. In when it comes in a bright, creative color like orange it is even better. This ruffle orange beauty can be purchased at  Anthropologie- Terasina Dress. Take a look around and see what else you can find that is sweet & romantic.

Organized Work spaces                                                                                         I can only think when I have a clean and organized workspace. I have been revamping my studio for some years. I am always deciding on what works best for me at a particular time. I was in my studio with my boyfriend a few days ago. He was on the computer and I was just standing around, wishing I could sit down and work on the laptop. I have a waist high work surface, but I am at the surface when I am working on a project. I needed something that I could sit and be comfortable. So I went to to IKEA and purchased a $35 table. It is just the right size for a laptop, a chair, and a few art supplies.                                                                                      

Personalized Artwork
Personalized artwork is a special touch to gift giving. There are many weddings happening around this time and artwork is a great gift. Of course, if I was getting married I would prefer artwork instead of a pot or pan any day. Michelle Caplan offers great custom artwork. Remenber a gift like this, is a gift that keeps giving.

Michael Jackson- An Amazing Artist

I just can not believe it! Michael Jackson is died. I was just singing PYT in the car and dancing to Thriller. I collect images, listen and watched anything Michael Jackson.

Well at least I can say that I witness a great artist.   I challenge any new music artist to do what he as done.

Rest In Peace, Finally - Michael Jackson.

A Wedding Gift- "The Chesters"

^{11x14 Mixed Medium Collage on Watercolor paper}

This was a wedding gift I created for a very close friend of mine. I was suppose to have sent a while ago, but better late than never. Actually I sent it just before their 1st year anniversary, which is in August. 

Collage created in Memory of My Daddy & I's Great Relationship

 
         _{"My First Love"  5x9, printed on vintage paper}

This collage was created in memory of my dad and I close relationship. I felt it tied into today's celebration- Father's Day! This piece of me and my dad was created sometime ago, but I thought it would be a good time to share it with you guys and how it was created.

This is the original picture of me and my daddy. I scanned the photo into a image editing software - Adobe Photoshop . I cropped the image and  then turned the image into black/white photo. Once I changed the photo, I then went to the filters. I placed a stamped filter on the image. And then saved it as a jpeg.

I tore a page from one of my vintage books. I sprayed Easy-Tack repositionable adhesive to back of the page and then centered the vintage page onto a 8.5x11 white paper. I then ran the paper through my printer. I peeled the vintage paper from white paper. (The repositionable spray allows for easy removal) I allowed the ink to dry before covered the page with gel medium. Once the gel medium dried, I used water colored pencils to add color.

Named Business of the Week by Sweethorn Marketing

Check this out guys. SweeThorn Marketing named me Business of the Week.

"SweeThorn Marketing is considered  “Non-Traditional” by mainstream legal marketing companies and some attorneys.  We are definitely emerging as an effective tool in reaching qualified clients. Some mainstream legal marketing companies and law firms don’t really understand how we do it and are slow to recognize or acknowledge its real power. Our non-traditional relationship marketing strategies have proven power. SweeThorn Marketing : We Effectively Market a Way of Life."

It is truly a honor to be recognized at living your creative dream.

To read the post- AleaseMichelle (Mixed Media Collage Artist) - Business of the Week

Thanks Lisa Henry of SweeThorn Marketing!

8 items crossed off my To-Do list. But 3 new items added.

Below is my To Do list, that I posted July 10, 2009. Now look below to see what I have crossed out. I have added a few things, but only because I completed the 1 stage of the process.

1. Put together a media kit.- write press release- design letterhead, business card with new logo

2. Make a list of media sources (magazines, blogs) to send media kit

3. Promote for workshop in July

4. Create an eblast for the workshop

5. Post new images of artwork to blog and social networks.

6. Link my Etsy site to facebook and to my blog

7. Post to my blog - (this item will be crossed out for now, but will be added later) Create an editorial calendar on when and what to post.

8. Research on options of offer artwork as prints . Waiting on paper order to arrive.

9. Work on the 4 commissioned projects Completed 2 out of 4.

10. Fill out grant application for fall semester to take final class - Writing for Research

11. Take final exams in July - only if I enroll in last course in time.

12. Send out artist packets for June 24 & 30 - but do i send packets out with new logo?

13. Write 800 word article for Somerset Gallery December issue -due June 26

14. Draft a table of contents for a book about my creative process- Still in the Dream Stage.

15. Create a Facebook page- and a landing page for my blog

16. Decide on a hosting site for website - Flash or no flash?

17. Clean the house, pay bills, eat, feed the dog and let him out. - Must be done daily. Wash clothes.

18. Call and/or text your boyfriend - He wants to hear from you daily. Much better at this task. Able to send/ or call once a day

19. Try screen printing something- that kit has been in the closet forever

20. Grade projects- graduates grades are due Monday by 5. Waiting on a student to give me her final portfolio.

21. Set up blog for my cousin. ASAP

Artwork "1600" - Image transfers , tissue paper overlapping, & date stamping

 

 "1600" was created for a faculty show in March at the Art Institute of Charlotte. I needed to create something new, because just a month ago, The Black Male Image- Reworked series was displayed. So of course I could not show something that everyone had seen.

"1600" is the number of possible African American students who could have made it through graduation. I not sure of this number- and it could be alot higher- but what I do know is that there are many AAfrican AAmerican students who have missed out on an opportunity to be successful.  And getting an Education is the beginning of a successful journey.

The image in green is a screen print of my grandmother's graduation class. The image transfer (in black) at the bottom of the canvas is an image from myvintage photo collection. Both images are signs of the beginning of education for African Americans -the repeat of circles is to symbolized the 360 degree saying- "What goes around comes around".

The red stamped dates at the bottom represent the never ending stamping of time wasted and/or time spent of making good things happen. "I am all about making good things happen."

Below are the steps taken in creating "1600"

For this piece I recycled an old painting. I covered it with white gesso and then covered it with Mustard yellow acrylic paint.

Step 1

I wrote a few lines about being successful. I drew in the letter A to also represent the beginning- or a new start. You are still able to see the old painting, and really I was ok with that. I thought it gave it more texture.

Step 2

Sticky letter were added and then I repainted the entire board with the mustard yellow paint - about 3 coats. You still can see the under painting, but not as much.

Step 3

This is the results of the letters ,peeled off. I used the sticky letters as a stencil You can see how much of a difference the 3 coats of paint have made. I love the contrast of light and bright yellow.

Step 4

Once the paint dried, I transferred a image on the canvas. I used the gel medium transfer method. In this photo I have applied water to the surface and had started to rub away the paper. I like the gel medium transfer method because it allows for you to maintain alot of the details of the original image.

Step 5

I added a screen printed image to the board,which I ordered from Craft chi. Actually it was a test sheet I saved. I just thought the color and the subject matter worked well. The half circle is tissue paper. I cut the tissue paper into a circle and then glued the circle on the canvas. You are able to see the color of the tissue paper,but still see the writing and number.

Step 6

Finally, I wanted to add visual texture to the bottom of the page. So date stamping came to mind. I thought how fun and textural that would be to date the collage. Randomly stamping created depth and balanced the top heavy artwork.

A Quite Man - Commissioned Artwork

 

"A Quite Man"  11x14 on Water Color paper

This piece was commissioned by a son who truly thought of his dad as the Greatest Man Alive. James wrote:

" I remember about my Father as a quite man, but a strong man, a man who I never heard raised his voice much but got results. He loved to paint and I think that is what made him go in business for himself. He was very self motivated. He worked for a company as a painter, but one day he came home with one of the guy's truck and enough equipment to go into business for himself and every since then he never looked back. He painted houses for as long as I can remember. He taught me to be a man and how to provide for my family."

This is the reason why I choose to use images in my mixed media collages. These images have stories that scream to be told. And I feel honored that James allowed me to tell his dad's story.

Why I Started Blogging?

Why did you start blogging?
Submitted by Anil Dash

Well I saw other artists like me were blogging about their experiences and I thought why not me. I've kept a journal for years,so I thought blogging would be an easy transition. Matter of fact I like blogging better. I can attach photos, videos, music clips and link to other inspirational sites that I've found.

I talk about blogging alot with my coworkers and my students in the classroom. And many of them have started their own blogs. I am all about sharing the love.

Blogging has also forced me to think about my writing and how to document my artwork. Sometimes I get so mad at myself because I forgot to photograph/video the process of creating a new piece. As for writing I was told in grammar school that I was not a good writer, so this is way of stepping out of my comfort zone. What better way to learn how to write, then to allow the world to see what you have written.

So, those are my thoughts on why I started blogging.

Peace & Love, Alease