Backgrounds

Creating fabulous backgrounds for your altered books or mixed media applications with lots of depth and texture. An adventure in color for altered books.
This class was created out of a need to use all the supplies and paper I had bought in the past and never used. U will be taught how to maximize art supplies and your art making skills to create more with less.

Over the 3 days at the Creative Soul Retreat in Melbourne, I attended all 3 of Bernie Berlin’s classes. Over the 3 days we learnt a series of techniques, which I incorporated into an altered book. The overall theme was to create various backgrounds for altered books or mixed media or altered art, concentrating on creating depth and texture.

One of our classes titled ‘Layers’ started us oof with creating just that … texture, texture, texture, utiliting old papers and supplies that you’ve never used or would usually throw away; such as old newspapers, magazines, patterned scrapbook paper etc.

The piece below turned into my front cover and whilst you can’t see any of the underlying layers, there are torn bits of magazine print with several layers of acrylic paint, texture paste, animal images, acrylic glaze, embossing powder – all of the above creating texture and depth. This one still a work in progress, not quite sure how to complete it, but it still requires something.

Below, another ‘Layers’ piece. This one I pasted several pages together to make it stronger and tore a hold in the middle, pasted the eye image behind and adhered those pages together. Then came the layering. Thorougly enjoyable this process. Which initially I must add looks absolutely disgusting and disorganised and all wrong, but I kept thinking it’s all gonna be covered and purely there to create underlying texture, which thankfully in the end did. Not too shabby I might add …




















This one below didn’t quite turn out as initally planned, but I’m still happy with my dark and broody piece. The purpose again was to create layers as the pieces above and finish it off by covering the entire image with guaze, my initialy intention was to cover my front cover with the guaze, but in the end I just felt it would be an injustiuce to conceal my wild animals, so instead used the guaze on this piece.

Another technique called ‘Profound Secrets of the Burnt & Bound’ was a series of many, many, many layers of paper, stamping, paint, ink, glaze, alcohol inks, etc. Without giving away Bernie’s secrets and going into too much detail, again the background on my two inserted pieces on my orange page was created with a series of building up layers with various mediums, paper and stamps etc. Once done, rope attached, coloured and the image adhered over the rope sitting about 1.5 cm above the background paper, this is an incredible sample of amazing dimension and I’ve never used so much gel medium in one go.

Close ups of the 2 dimension pieces adhered to the double page above.

Below are some additional pieces created over the weekend.

The bird image insert, sadly I can't take credit for. This is the wonderful artwork created by DJ Pettitt, which I purchased at the retreat. And this was the inspiration for my orange tones.

Art retreat 2009 - spectacular

One week home from the most incredible weekend away – 4 days of sublime art, gorgeous food, incredible company and the most tranquil surroundings. I recently attended the Creative Soul Retreat 2009 in Victoria at Amberley, located 20kms from Melbourne CBD. This incredible venue is surrounded by acres of bushland, gorgeous gardens and overlooking the Yarra River.

The original residence of Amberley was constructed to the express requirements and exact conditions dictated by the owner, Mr .W. Darch during 1929 - 1930. At the time he was the General Manager of Shell Australia which included Shell’s operations in NZ.

After Mr and Mrs Darch returned to England in 1934 the house was purchased by a second family, and the area underneath the lounge excavated and incorporated a dark room, table tennis and dancing area, bar, bedroom and bathroom for his elder son. At this time there was also an orchard, vegetable garden and poultry house. Also added were stables for the children’s ponies.

In 1955 the house was purchased by the Christian Brothers to be used as a Novitiate for their Victorian and Tasmanian novices. The Christian Brothers added a chapel, sleeping quarters, along with a library, and joined these to the original building following its general character and lines as far as possible. In 2004 it was again sold and renovated and is now a conference and spiritual retreat centre. And so we were the lucky recipients to experience the suburb peace and tranquillity of Amberley. A perfect setting to encourage creativity and inspiration.

Some photos of Amberley.

The patio leading out from the dining hall overlooking the river and a stunning array of bushland. A perfect setting for our evening socialising, nibbles and champagne.

Pictured L-R: Robyn, Margaret, Kirsty, Christine, Marina

My personal experience was one of immense gratification and pure pleasure. Catching up with old friends, meeting new ones and spending quality time with current friends throughout the day and till all hours of the morning was precious. The venue again couldn’t have been more perfect, nestled among nature, not another building, busy street or shop in sight, a perfect setting to encourage inspiration, a relaxing atmosphere and a sense of peace.

Bevlea Ross, our hostess and organiser couldn’t have selected more amazing tutors. Bernie Berlin, DJ Pettitt and Stephanie Lee were absolute angels. The most amazing personalities which clearly shows through in their artwork, a sight to behold ‘in the flesh’. I’m truly thankful to have been given the opportunity to meet and experience first hand their incredible talent – I know this is a cliché, but to be in the presence of such creativity and skill, you truly are inspired and feel you can accomplish so much with some practice and imagination.

CSR Book Challenge (Words)

My very last Book Challenge page for the retreat complete. The theme for this one was ‘Words, and the only idea that came to mind was the poem engraved on my brother’s gravestone.

A perfect example of how words can bring comfort and acceptance to everything life throws your way.

The poem is titled ‘All is Well’. Unfortunately it’s not too clear to read on the scan, so I’ve included it below.





"Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped into the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used
Put no difference in your tone,
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,
Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow in it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near,
Just around the corner.
All is well."

Little Houses for CSR Tutors

And last but not least, my 3 little houses for the tutors, Bernie Berlin, Stephanie Lee and DJ Pettitt, who I’m hoping will overload me with creative genius, well Bernie anyway as I’m doing all three of her classes. Pity the retreat wasn’t longer to accommodate you doing all three classes with each tutor.

4 more sleeps … whoo hoooo

Little Houses for CSR Delegates

So I’ve finally finished my 50 houses, plus 3 for the tutors for the Creative Soul Retreat. Initially when I started, cutting out my templates and thinking about a design, I was a blank slate for quite some time. Think it was the thought of having to make 50 little houses all the same, and being an Aquarian, I prefer variety and change, so 50 houses all the same was a no go and so opted to split them up into groups of 10. Much better.

What a sigh of relief. One more down. Whooo Hoooo. Now I can start getting my supplies together and planning my trip!

Bevlea, you’ve heard this hundreds of times no doubt, but I’ll say it again. Thank you to you and your angels for organising and hosting this retreat. I so need this break and what better way to spend it than doing something you’re obsessed with …

CSR Book Challenge (Paris)

You’ll notice my last post with images of my Book Challenge for the Creative Soul Retreat was in October last year. To say I’m behind is an understatement. Where the time goes I can’t really say, all I know is that I never have a spare moment, always so many things to do and I’m not talking about the pleasant things such as locking myself away in my craft room to paint and create and muck around, no siree, I wouldn’t be that lucky.

Nevertheless with the retreat looming literally around the corner, can’t wait !!! Our house move over and my craft room almost unpacked, my goal is to set aside time to complete my houses and book challenge with my limited supplies as half of them are still tucked away in boxes somewhere – very frustrating.

My Arch on the left is themed ‘All Things French’ or maybe it was ‘Paris’. Not really my favourite theme, but I do what I can. Now on to the next one and counting.

Creative Soul Retreat - Melbourne - March 09

My much deserved time out comes in mid March in the form of an art retreat in Melbourne. A much awaited Creative Soul Retreat organised by Bevlea Ross. My money paid up, my supplies purchased and ready to go, my flight booked and this time I decided to spoil myself and go Business Class. Whoo Hooo. Gotta love those frequent flyer points. Although truth be told, the only and most important reason for booking Business Class being the simple fact of a luggage allowance of 30kg, and I need every kilogram if my art supplies are any indication to go by. Although I think we’re all prone to that weakness. Always packing far more than we need. My downfall; I’d rather take it all, than end up wanting to apply a technique or add a particular embellishment only to realise with sad disappointment that I haven’t packed it. Hence the need for all the baggage allowance I can grab.

In preparation for the retreat, a few of the NSW delegates decided to get together on 7 Feb for a ‘meet and greet’ and to create art, of course.

My contribution: The front cover (left), starting out as a blank canvas, always scary, even after adding in my tissue paper mould. It did slowly take form. But I think possibly still a work in progress, but will have to stay like this until I know what the final finishing touches will be... Yes I know, green again. What can I say, I love green. Think I’m too scared to venture out of my comfort zone and be bold with colour. Maybe this retreat will help me do just that.

Left: the inside of the front cover. The main objective of this one was collage using papers as seen in the first image, but as usual it didn’t quite turn out like that. This one is far from finished. Only a small amount of the collage patterned paper is still visible through all the layers of paint (2nd image). But I guess with art, there is never a right or wrong way and so it evolves as my mood takes me. This one definitely a work in progress. I aim to try and have the front cover finished by the time I leave for the retreat on Friday 13 March 09. The back covers, well I’ll get to those eventually.