Resting

I love how the birds in my neighborhood hang out together at the top of trees and watch the sunset every night. It's like they sit around chit-chatting about their day while watching the gorgeous Florida sun set in all its glorious colors. When I mentioned it to my kids, they said paint it!  One of the people attending my mixed media class had used birds as a theme for one of her own pieces and I thought, why not? A new motif.

So I'm sending out a big thank you to Jane and my mixed media class for inspiring the teacher!

Resting

Next round of workshops and classes

3 Day Workshop at Mount Dora Center for the Arts
Painting and Drawing with Mixed Media Collage

October 18-20, 2012
Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (One hour lunch)

Mount Dora Center for the Arts’ featured artist in August-Sept 2012 will share the joys of combining mixed media collage, drawing and painting.  Students are encouraged to incorporate some of their own prior art work into new pieces. The materials used will be the choice of each student.  The workshop will address working with collage with papers, fabrics, found objects, and that past art work, pencil and charcoal drawing, and acrylic painting.  The objective of the work shop is to explore new mixed media techniques, entertain the idea of 
re-purposing prior work and excavate each student’s authentic voice in their art.

Contact the art center or Christine for a list of recommended supplies.

Members $195                        Non-members $225


Mixed Media Collage at Mount Dora Center for the Arts

6 Tuesday Classes
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Session IV: 10.23.2012 - 12.4.2012

Mount Dora Center for the Arts’ featured artist in August-Sept 2012 will share the joys of mixed media collage. Students are encouraged to incorporate some of their own prior art work into new pieces. The materials used will be the choice of each student.  The workshop will address working with collage with papers, fabrics, found objects, and that past art work.  The objective of the work shop is to explore new mixed media techniques, entertain the idea of repurposing prior work and excavate each student’s authentic voice in their art.

Contact the art center or Christine for a list of recommended supplies.

Members $195                        Non-members $225

christinepeloquin.com

Story Seen in the Picture

Another new face. I'm on a roll!  Settling into the kids being in school full time is definitely helping my creative spirit. All these pieces of myself, my reflective side, my superstitious side, my joyous side, are all making it into the art. Good. That is the way it's supposed to be.

In this piece, I used Ikea fabric, retro pillow case pieces, Chinese papers, floral tea towels and paper napkins. I love how dark and shadowy her face came out. This piece is titled from a lesson plan on a children's text book page in the collage on another painting! I had to use the words. Love them! Enjoy.

Story Seen in the Picture

Superstitions

One of the ideas I address in my mixed media class, is the idea of re-purposing older art work into a new work. In this piece, I used a wood block print made in my printing class in college 23 years ago. I liked it but it was never quite right. Now I love it. 

I also gave my students information on how to print on fabric. The square to the right of the wood block print is a linen handkerchief printed with some antique text about "Superstitions in Common Use." The list states important pieces of information such as "looking into a window brings bad luck, while entering a church with the right foot brings good." Classic! Listening to your critics in college, bad luck. Holding onto an idea until its ready to be reborn, good. 

Superstitions.

Come Early and See

This painting started as a demo in my Mixed Media class at Mount Dora Center for the Arts. The collage has old school book lessons, play money, a card of Sputnik and a Reduced Price Circus Ticket from which its title comes from. Its got quotes about energy creating energy, nothing being too small and the definition of naught. Another artist asked me if it has a theme since the ticket was the only reference to the circus. I said simply, "Come Early and See."

What You See Depends On What You’re Looking For

I’ve been told again recently that in essence ‘real’ art work should not need words. Even though I don’t believe that for a second, I do believe that’s a thought worth exploring. Why would someone say that? What preconceived ideas about art have created this definition in their mind? What is this person looking for?

With a true rebellious spirit, I decided that day that I must paint a quote. I found this quote and immediately loved the truth that rang through it. I googled it to give tribute to the brilliant author’s insight and I discovered that is credited to anonymous. So thank you anonymous!

I find it so interesting how the human mind bounces between the glass half full and half empty. Of course Lennon was brilliant in telling us that there’s “nothing you can see that isn’t shown”, that all is there for us to truly understand if we pay attention long enough. But when you practice awareness, you also realize that what you believe really dictates what your reality is. If you believe there is abundance, you are right. If you believe there is scarcity, you are also right.  So why not question that belief? Byron Katie says that if you have a stressful thought, then that is your cue to question it.

So I paint this as a reminder, watch your thoughts. And you will see amazing things happen.

What You See

Mount Dora Center for the Arts Opening

Last night was my opening for show Deliberately Uncertain at the Mount Dora Center for the Arts. I wanted to thank all my friends for coming. Your love and support means the world to me! I met many new people and I'm really looking forward to having some of you in my classes at MDCA. We're going to have fun! 

The Nate, Nick and friends also had fun last night...coloring away. I just love the idea of showing children that they can create their way into an adult life that they love...whether its in the arts or not. Trust in the power of doing what's in your heart and the Universe will honor that. Even in bad economic times. I swear it.

Workshops and Classes

For years I've been asked, "When are you going to do some classes!" I can finally answer that!! If you live in the Central Florida area and would like to take a class or would like to visit the area to do a 3 day workshop, I've got both going on at the Mount Dora Center for the Arts. The information is hot off the presses and will be on their web site soon. In the meantime, here are the juicy details:


Mixed Media Collage at Mount Dora Center for the Arts


Tuesdays


Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm


Offered twice;
Session III: 9.4.2012 - 10.9.2012
Session IV: 10.23.2012 - 12.4.2012


Mount Dora Center for the Arts’ featured artist in August-Sept 2012 will share the joys of mixed media collage. Students are encouraged to incorporate some of their own prior art work into new pieces. The materials used will be the choice of each student.  The workshop will address working with collage with papers, fabrics, found objects, and that past art work.  The objective of the work shop is to explore new mixed media techniques, entertain the idea of repurposing prior work and excavate each student’s authentic voice in their art.


Contact the art center or Christine for a list of recommended supplies.


Members $195                        Non-members $225





3 Day Workshop at Mount Dora Center for the Arts
Painting and Drawing with Mixed Media Collage


October 18-20, 2012


Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (One hour lunch)


Mount Dora Center for the Arts’ featured artist in August-Sept 2012 will share the joys of combining mixed media collage, drawing and painting.  Students are encouraged to incorporate some of their own prior art work into new pieces. The materials used will be the choice of each student.  The workshop will address working with collage with papers, fabrics, found objects, and that past art work, pencil and charcoal drawing, and acrylic painting.  The objective of the work shop is to explore new mixed media techniques, entertain the idea of 
re-purposing prior work and excavate each student’s authentic voice in their art.


Contact the art center or Christine for a list of recommended supplies.


Members $195                        Non-members $225


christinepeloquin.com

The Old Work

Inspired by Cori Dantini's blog post The Old Me and a clean out session involving old art work photos, I thought I would comment about my 20 plus years as an artist. 

I graduated from Rollins College painting thick textured oil paintings....

...and did many commercial paintings and murals....

I got a job at Universal Studios Orlando as a scenic artist...

 ...and then started my own company painting large scale murals.

(this one was 10' x 20')

I fell in love with  acrylic painting on strange textures like burlap...

..and started drawing and putting figures back into my work (like in college).

From there I discovered the joys of working on fabric and paper collage and got closer to my subjects...

...and starting dividing the pieces into many panels.

It's amazing how fast 20 years can progress when you love what your doing.

Duncan McClellan Gallery

Saturday night, May 12th, I left my family camping at Disney to trek down the I-4 corridor to attend the opening Cast of Characters at the Duncan McClellan Gallery in St Pete. I am really grateful to be invited to show at this amazing space. Duncan has turned a warehouse into an awesome studio/gallery/home complete with glass fixtures abound, fruit tree gardens that could rival Eden, and two cool cats that know how to find loving at an opening. I want a place like this for myself! In the meantime, I so enjoyed the scene at the Warehouse Arts District of St Petersburg and I applaud St Pete and Duncan for creating such a successful venue for the arts.