Golden Raintree PodsThrough My Eyes

From time to time, I will start posting a little visual inspiration. I enjoy taking pictures, and I already take them for my own inspiration, so I thought I would start sharing some things that were inspiring through my eyes (hence the title). All pictures were taken by me and will show something that I thought was inspiring (disclaimer: I am not a photographer, so bear with me). Sometimes I will include comments, explanations for the pictures and why they were inspiring to me, and sometimes I will just include the pics and hopefully the inspiration will speak for itself.. This week I didn't have to go far for some inspiration. We have a golden raintree (thanks for the name knitsteel and luvmypups) and all year long we have pods everywhere. They are very entertaining for the kids who love to pop them and throw the seeds. They are also quite lovely to look at. They have a great shape and look cool hanging from the tree in bunches (couldn't get a good shot of that because it was too windy). They start out a


very soft green that turns to a bright green that turns yellowish and eventually turns a golden brown. They also have a great texture. Very smooth when they are new and if you look closely they have a web of veins which create some very inspiring patterns. So here is a little visual inspiration through my eyes for those of you who don't have a golden raintree near you! Enjoy and of course let me know if you create anything that is inspired from the photos. I will give you a feature and send you a little surprise in the mail!

Inspired by "Trash"

Have you ever been taking out the trash when inspiration hit? Ever thought that the bottle or box in the dumpster could be come something more? Well trash is exactly what brought inspiration to Lee Gainer and it led to some amazing art pieces that you can really feel great owning. One because they are gorgeous. I mean, hello, circles, colors texture (I think I'm in love) and two they are environmentally friendly, what more could you ask for? Here is Lee's piece, Magnolia, it's description and the interview about what inspired it.


Original and unique design on 48" x 48" cradled maple board. This piece is from a series of very large collages I created with each being named for a flower. The title is an expression of the "opposition" or things organic and natural, which this artwork is the opposite of. It is organic in it's appearance (like a field of flowers) but created from completely man-made materials. Each took just over a month to build. This piece contains a variety of recycled (upcycled) materials; fabric, paper, felt, foil, caps, carpet, metal, plastic, styrafoam, dried paint, beads, padding and cardboard, that have been hand-rolled into circles and swirls and placed perfectly and securely using Golden Soft Gel. Featuring a rainbow of colors and textures, this piece is unusual and gets noticed by every viewer.
What inspired this piece?
I used to live in a normal townhouse burb that threw out an amazing amount of "trash" each week. I am talking about entire living rooms sets, working light fixtures that just needed a new bulb, $150 of blown glass Xmas ornaments (with the tags still attached), perfectly good stuff! I knew there was something I could do with all these things so I began creating my rolled work in larger forms, using found materials. I had to find a a way to keep some of this good stuff out of a landfill.

Can you detail how you translated your inspiration into your work of art?
I was already working with various materials (dried paint, felt, papers, etc.) by rolling them up into "swirls". I wanted to use those "trash" materials and decided to work bigger. I contacted Al Souza and inquired about the boards he glued his puzzle pieces to. He gave me some pointers, nice guy! I taught myself to use a table saw, went to my local lumber yard and started making my own huge cradled boards. This allowed me to use the heavier, larger "trash" materials.

Where do you tend to find inspiration for your art pieces?
All over. How a shadow falls, the shape it makes. Trash, other artists, lights at night, images from books, bird's nests (they use all sorts of things!), video game screen shots, childhood memories (water slides, girls in parades, ice cream trucks), just about anything.

Any advice for someone feeling uninspired?
It's so frustrating when you get "that block". I will go read a book, do some chores, anything to get my mind completely away from art. After a while, I get an idea or the "spirit" again and hit the ground running. I think that your mind needs to rest its creative side sometimes. In physical exercise, you push a muscle just past it's strength. The fibers tear. You rest. The fibers heal and grow stronger. I think it's the same with creativity.











Lee is also a talented painter and I don't think it will take you very long to see what inspired her paintings! My personal favorite is her M&M paintings. My boys collect the little M&M guys that come out at every holiday, and they would look perfect on the wall over top of their collection! And the Necco wafer one really brings back memories! So fun!

You can find more of Lee's incredible work in her Etsy shop, her website, www.leegainer.com and her blog .
Wouldn't it be great if we all followed Lee's lead and started upcycling trash into amazing art. We could probably reduce global warming by at least a third! Al Gore would be so proud! But, seriously finding inspiration in your trash is a great way to add something new (or old) to your artwork! The next time you head to the dumpster, the recycling bin or trash can, take a closer look and you may be surprised by what you find, and no I don't mean the leftovers from last week (or maybe I do). Look at the shapes of containers, the colors of junk mail and even the strange, alien shapes of the mold that starts to grow after awhile. Remember, keep your eyes and mind open (I did find inspiration in spillt milk after all) and your nose closed, because while there is tons of visual inspiration in trash, the smell is still not so inspiring.

Also remember, supporting artists who use recycled materials is good for the environment!!
To see more cool upcycled art, jewelry, clothing and home decor items, search "upcycle" or "trashion" on Etsy.com, visit the Trashion Street Team page and it's member shops, check out the article, Upcycling for a Greener Living in the Storque and if getting close to trash is not your thing, check out check out these Flickr Groups: Trashion Nation , Trashionista, Free Market (the bargain bin), and The Reuse Project.

The trash photo was found on Flickr and was taken by hammerf.

Inspired By Leaves

I don't know about you, but the first thing I think of when I think of fall is leaves. All the amazing fall colors are so inspiring, so I thought I would take this week to pay homage to leaves. Plus leaves are a favorite subject of mine and I love to recreate them in my work. Hopefully you can find the same inspiration this week. There are so many shapes, textures and colors of leaves , that the possibilities are vast. The life cycle of a leaf is incredible to watch and offers so many different inspirations; from the first glimpse of a sprouting leaf to the soft, smooth, bright green baby leaf, to the mature leaf in all its dark green splendor and distinct shape, to the dying leaf as it changes color to reveal something completely different. Even a dead, dried up leaf or the "skeleton" of a leaf can provide interesting textures, shapes and patterns which can be translated into some form of art. Of course you can also use the actual leaf in your work, or as the subject of a photo. Here are some leaf items I found on Etsy. It was very hard to choose just a few, there were so many gorgeous leaves (I told you they were inspiring). To see more work by the artist or purchase one of the items, just click on the photo to be linked to their Etsy shop! The skeleton leaf photo above was found on Flickr, and is titled "Delicate" and was taken by Kit, the 2nd is a photo, titled "Fallen" was found on Etsy and was taken by annwidner.etsy.com .




















So take a little time over the next couple weeks to study leaves, especially as they begin to change into their fall colors. I love to see the leaves that are just beginning to turn or are halfway there. You might find vivid bright greens next to bright yellow or red with a little brown. They truly look like watercolor paintings at that point. Look carefully at the structure of the leaf, it's shape and it's veins and pay careful attention to how they connect, and the patterns they create . Look at how the leaves are arranged on the tree and











it's branches. For example think of the fern and how it is leaves are very symmetrical and made up of many tiny leaves. Pay careful attention to texture as well, like the texture of my favorite, the ginkgo leaf, or the texture of a dried leaf and how it contrasts with the smoothness of a new leaf. The best way to study leaves is to get out in nature and observe them in their natural habitat. Take a walk in the woods, or just look at the leaves in and around your neighborhood or yard. I make it a practice to collect interesting leaves whenever I take a walk. I dry them and save them for later when I need a reference or a little inspiration. If you can't get out to see some leaves in person, then get a reference book from the library or check out the amazing photos in these Flickr groups: One Leaf, Leaves, Leafs and the Like, or Leaves.

A great way to share a little inspiration with your little one is to do leaf rubbings. Gather some leaves and place them under a piece of paper and rub crayon over the leaves to see the impression. This never ceases to amaze kids. They think it's magic and they get to create a beautiful piece of art.

So get out there and jump into a leaf pile for a little inspiration. You may never look at raking the leaves the same again. It may seem more like a treasure hunt than a chore!

Inspiration from a Story - Featured Artist Beadkeepers.etsy.com

I featured a piece by Karen McGovern of Beadkeeper.etsy.com earlier in this week's "Be Inspired" feature and after reading some of her descriptions, I asked her to do a feature. She has an interesting series of "Story Book" Necklaces, like the one pictured below that evolve from a story that she writes about her inspiration. I think this is an amazing way to bring your inspiration to a final piece. A story is a great way to bring further meaning to your piece and it's inspiration. Here is what Karen had to say about the inspiration for her Vela Liya Polymer/Mixed Media Necklace:











"The inspiration for the piece came from a lovely moth wing I had. I have a line of necklaces that I call "Story Book" necklaces. I write short stories and build the necklace around that. Vela Liya began with a myth/story I wrote about a special flowering vine that is pollinated by owl moths in the dead of night. The vine is known as the "Climbing Woman" vine--part mythology and part imagination. I incorporated the moth wing in the necklace using an optic glass/sterling silver locket. The rest of the necklace represents different aspects of the story--including handmade polymer pendants and beads. Most of the designs have a spiritual inspiration based on my love of nature. I believe art and nature are one and the same--all my designs reflect my deep respect for wildlife and our natural world. I donate most of my proceeds to the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, www.rarespecies.org. My goal is to draw attention to the link between art and nature, and to raise funds for wildlife conservaion.

My advice for anyone feeling uninspired is to simply step outside. Find a quiet place in nature. Visit a local park, beach, garden, or museum. The play of light reflected on water, the colors of a garden of wildflowers, the textures in driftwood--these are the things that bring inspiration to me, and also clear my mind of all the day to day distractions that can stifle creativity."

To see more of Karen's inspirational work, check out her etsy shop, her direct website, www.beadkeepers.com, and her page on IndiePublic, www.indiepublic.com/profile/rarespec. And please check out the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, www.rarespecies.org, for more information about wildlife conservation and how you can get involved.


















With the addition of a story, Karen's jewelry becomes more than just adornment. It takes on incredible meaning and can really connect the buyer/recipient with the artist, their inspiration and their creative process. Karen includes the story along with each "Story Book" necklace which makes them perfect for gift giving, plus proceeds go towards animal conservation! Take a little time to create a story of your own and you may be surprised by how it inspires your art. You don't have to be a great writer or scholar to create a story. You don't even have to write it down, but being creative in your story creation will help you to be creative in your work. A story can help you further explore your original inspiration, as it did for Karen, and help you bring more "layers" and meaning to your finished art piece. She could have stopped with the moth wing component, but to properly tell the story through her art, Karen added the other elements as well to create a final piece that is as beautiful to the mind as it is to the eye!

Tag I'm It!

OK, it was bound to happen. You yell Goal!! enough times on your blog and you get tagged. I was tagged (Random 8Meme) by Lapella Art yesterday and mtjoyschool today , so now I am going to do my duty and give you the facts and tag some other bloggers.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

8 Random Block Party Press Facts:

1. I have an older brother who is 40, a younger sister who is 13 and a younger brother who is 10 and a nephew who's 16. (this makes for interesting discussions with my kiddos, age 4 & 7)
2. I have a BA and a Master's degree in Social Work (all because I thought I couldn't make any money as an artist. Nobody told me that social worker's don't make any money either and I have since learned that in the grand scheme of things money isn't that important.)
3. My kids and I have an extensive bug collection (don't worry, no bugs were harmed, they are only captured in picture form!) We had a ball when all the 17 year cicadas came out a couple of years ago.
4. I was an Estee Lauder counter girl for 2 years and I still have the blue smock to prove it.
5. I rode horses competitively (English style, show jumping) from age 5 to age 16 when I traded the horses in for boys. (Still not so sure that was the best decision)
6. The boys and I attend the Baltimore International Car Show every year (we even took the little one when he was just 3 months old) and we get in and try out just about every car there and of course I take lots of pics.
7. I whistle a lot.
8. I hate, hate, hate to fold laundry and do the dishes!

Not very exciting and not very inspiring, but they are facts and they are random!
The people I am tagging are: marciapalmer, jodielovescupcakes, ramblingsofanoutsideartist, Sparksfly, Papernclay, ScottGarrette, mtjoyschool (we simultaneously tagged each other) and pollyhyper. Your it!

Due to the lack of inspiration in this post, I have decided to post this photo from our bug collection for your inspirational pleasure:

GOAL!!GOAL!!GOAL!!

Have you ever watched a soccer match and heard the guy calling play by play holler goal when a goal was made? Well that's what I yelled today as I made my two goals with 8 days to spare before my Etsyversary! I passed 500 sales on Friday, and this morning I finally hit 2000 Hearts!! GOAL!!! GOAL!! GOAL!!

For today only (September 4, 2007), receive 25% off your purchase at blockpartypress.etsy.com. Just type GOAL!!GOAL!!GOAL!! in the message to seller at checkout. Don't pay, as I will send you a revised invoice that includes the discount to the e-mail listed on the receipt! Convo me on Etsy if you have any questions!

And if my day wasn't already going great, my moth treasury is now on the Etsy Homepage. I hope it brings inspiration to a whole lot of artists!

Inspired by Moths

I didn't choose this week's inspiration as much as it chose me this time. It seems for some reason moths keep popping up all around me. I sold one of my Moth to a Flame Pendants last week, and as I was packing it up decided that it would look great in a palette of browns and creams, so of course I had to make one right away. I love how it turned out. I think it celebrates the more subtle coloring of moths. Unlike butterflies, moth's don't always shout their existence to the world. They are more content to blend in with their surroundings. I think that may be one of the reasons they fascinate me.

Well after making the pendant, I jumped on Etsy and went to the treasury to see what was poppin and low and behold the little magic box was there. I was so unprepared, but the moth was fresh in my mind so I went with it. I started thinking about moth's and their deadly attraction to light and so Fatal Attraction was the perfect title. I had at first intended to include lamps/lightbulbs and moths, but after I found my first Entry, JohnWGolden.etsy.com's print, The Enamored Moths, I knew I wanted just one light bulb with the moth items surrounding it. here is the list for a little inspiration:


After making the treasury list, the boys and I went to the park for a little outdoor fun, and we found this amazing hummingbird moth sipping nectar from a thistle and I was able to snap a pic.

So since the universe was telling me to take a closer look at moths, I thought I would do the same for you. Tonight after dark, turn on one of your outside lights and see what it attracts (beware of the lurking mosquitoes). Take a look at the subtle colors, shading, patterns and camouflage of the moth. Make note of their fuzzy bodies, ever moving antennae and the shape of their wings when open and closed. Check out this "How to Start Mothing" PDF from mothscount.org for information about attracting moth's to your yard, or here to learn which flowers attract moths. If you can't find any moth's of your own, check out a Moth reference book or field guide from your library or purchase one from your local book store and explore Here's one to share with your kids, A Luna Moth's Life by John Himmelman. You can even incorporate moths and their wings as art. Like these works by some Etsy artists (click the photo to see more work by the artist):













Remember, if you are inspired to create something from one of the Be Inspired features, please send a picture and description to my e-mail, blockpartypress@yahoo.com and I may feature you on my blog. The piece must be inspired by the Be Inspired post and cannot be an item created prior to the posting. If your Be Inspired piece is featured, I will send you a free pendant from my Etsy shop (I will choose the pendant and it will be a surprise).

I will leave you with this inspirational photo I found on Flickr by theinfonaut .