Dayna J Collins – Page 22

Studio Table

Seth Apter is back to his old tricks. He invited artists to take a photo of their studio table (untidied, of course) and share it today. After we post a photo of our studio table, we link to Seth’s blog, The Altered Page, where he lists all of the artists who have participated with links to each of their blogs. It’s a wondrous loop of art studios.

Of course, you know I can’t post just one photo. I won’t share more of my art studio, but I will share a few action shots of what I worked on this week.

Scattered By the Wind: Final Post

My Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project has come to an end. I submitted my proposal to the Salem Art Association in March and in May learned that my project had been selected for Project Space. I did my first blog post about the project on May 27th, and then offered regular updates throughout the summer. I didn’t know what to expect when I started, but it sure took on a life of its own and exceeded any expectations. When I submitted my proposal, selling the flags wasn’t even part of the plan. One thing led to another, and three months later, the project has come to a close.

THE FINAL NUMBERS . . . . . .

Flags mailed or handed out: 165

Flags distributed at Project Space: 33

Total flags distributed in one way or another: 198

Received back from those distributed: 164

Flags created at Project Space venue: 116

Flag-making sessions: 6

First Wednesday events where flags were created: 2

Special flag-making sessions: 2

Made by me: 28

TOTAL FLAGS RECEIVED AND HUNG: 308

Flags sold through Facebook and at venues for $10 each: 169

Flags sold at other venues at reduced price of $5 each: 33

Special donations made to the project: $400

TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED FOR HILLCREST YOUTH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY: $2,255.

The final piece was deciding what to do with the flags that did not sell – and there are still lots of beautiful flags. Several suggestions were made, everything from flying the flags outside to allow them to disintegrate in the wind, to tucking them away for selling in the future. I’ve decided to send them on their way to another project, a project that was inspired by this one. The flags will be going to SARC, where my daughter Amy works. Here’s information on how this project continues to be scattered by the wind.

The Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC) is a non-profit organization founded by two sexual assault survivors in 1977. SARC operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. SARC is funded through government grants, foundations, and private donations. Our mission is to promote social justice by eliminating sexual violence in our community through education, support and advocacy.

For the past five years SARC’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) program has worked diligently to meet the individual and systemic needs of sexually exploited youth in Multnomah and Washington Counties by providing a victim-centered approach through our 24-hour emergency response advocates and long-term support case managers. To date we have served over 450 unduplicated teens find safe and secure shelter, gain access to physical and mental health care services, procure clothing and hygiene supplies, re-establish educational plans, build job skills, and through the process build a community of caring and supportive individuals who help the youth move towards their dreams.

Flags are being sold for $10 each, with proceeds going to SARC’s CSEC Prevention Program, a program that works to end exploitation of children, before it begins.

Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour a Success

This past weekend was the Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour and it was a wonderful success. I blogged about my preparations for it in a post published last week, then this weekend was the event. I was ready.

Thank heavens my sister came to help both days! (So did my husband, but he was feeling camera shy.)

Then the visitors began to arrive. The first through the door were two friends from my Portland Art Collective group.

And then it was a steady stream of friends, acquaintances, and new friends. We captured a few in photos.

A huge hearty thank you to everyone who took the time to stop by, say hello, and buy some art!

To Teach or Not to Teach: I Say TEACH

To teach or not to teach. I used to teach quite a bit, then I took a year and half hiatus to focus on my art. The time away from teaching allowed me to dedicate more time to creating my own style of painting, and I’m glad I temporarily stepped away from teaching. But I’ve been feeling the urge to teach again. I’ll be teaching a plaster, oil and cold wax class later this month in Gig Harbor to a closed, private, group of artists. I’ll also be teaching my Layers of Memory plaster class next May in southern California (details on that will be shared later). And I’m ready to begin teaching regularly in Salem.

My good art friend Tory and I recently leased studio space with a group of artists at Mission Mill (Willamette Heritage Center) and there are two common areas that will be available for offering classes. I’m in. But what to teach? That’s where I’m seeking input. For those who know me or have taken classes from me in the past, what would you like to see offered? If you don’t know me and have never had a class from me, what would interest you? Here are some ideas that I’ve been thinking about.

Layers of Memory
Working with plaster to create texture and interest.

Oil and Cold Wax: Abstracted Play
Creating abstract pieces using oil and cold wax.

Oil and Cold Wax with a Punch of Plaster
A combination of both the plaster workshop and then the addition of oil and cold wax workshop (this is how most of my pieces of are created).

Visual Journals
Building a journal from scratch, then incorporating visual journal techniques on the pages.

Visual Journal in a Deck
A couple years ago I created a visual journal using oversized flash cards. This class would go from prep to art on the gessoed cards, incorporating a variety of techniques and prompts.

Prayer Flags
I’ve just finished a summer of creating and overseeing the creation of prayer flags through my Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project. This class would be basically a time to create a personal strand of prayer flags.

Art Dolls
Why not be a kid again. Paint and embellish a tall, skinny muslin Bendi doll.

Please let me know what class or classes you would be interested in and I’ll put together a schedule of classes. Contact me with your thoughts: dayna@daynajcollins.com/curele.

Is there something else you would like to see me teach? Let me know that, too.

Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour Returns

After a year hiatus, the Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour has returned. This is a self-guided public tour of local artist studios in Marion and Polk Counties. The tour is Saturday and Sunday, September 13-14, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. More information is available about the tour on the website. There are 19 artist studios on the tour and the cost is only $5 for both days and all the studios. Tickets can be purchased at the Art Department, Bush Barn, and from all tour artists.

I participated in this event in both 2011 and 2012, both times when I was in my previous studio. For this event, you’ll have the opportunity to see my upstairs painting studio, my basement assemblage studio, and you’ll have the opportunity to buy art. I’ll have old as well as new oil and cold wax paintings, Funky Junkyard Birds, greetings cards, prints, reproductions of Fearless Faces, and dozens of new Curious Elements.

Limited edition giclee prints of this original oil and cold wax painting, "Spotted With Crimson," will be available for the first time. — Limited edition giclee prints of this original oil and cold wax painting, “Spotted With Crimson,” will be available for the first time.

In addition to all this art goodness, there will be one final opportunity to support my Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project and purchase prayer flags at half price: only $5 each, with proceeds from the sale of the flags going to art programming at Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility.

During the studio tour, I’m also having a studio SALE. Everything will be reduced in some way, with some things being marked down as much as 50%.

16x20 canvas reproductions of Fearless Faces, regularly $80, will be on sale for half price. Only $40 each. — 16×20 canvas reproductions of Fearless Faces, regularly $80, will be on sale for half price. Only $40 each.

Oil and cold wax block sets were $45, will be on sale for half price at $22.

I hope you’ll stop by my artful home on Saturday and Sunday and experience three floors of art. My sister will be on hand to greet you, serve you a snack and cold drink, and assist you with purchases. My husband will be in the basement to show you my downstairs found object and assemblage studio (be sure and have him open cabinets and drawers for you), and I’ll be upstairs to share my oil and cold wax painting process.

Questions? Contact me via e-mail: dayna@daynajcollins.com/curele.

PS I’m hoping to have a “Square” in place to take debit and credit cards, but cash is always preferred and appreciated.

Scattered By the Wind: Not Quite the Final Post

I was going to make this my final post and update on my Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project, but flags are still flying and being sold. Last Wednesday was the final reception and it was a huge success. Over 300 flags were hanging at the Project Space venue; by the time the reception ended at 8:00 pm, we had sold a total of 50 flags, which, when added to the 107 that had previously sold, totals 157 sold flags. Generous people have also been donating cash to the project, and that money is still coming in. I’ll share the final results of the project in a couple of weeks. Finally, I’m happy to share that there are two more opportunities for people to purchase flags (details at the end of this post). For now, I want to share photos from the First Wednesday final reception at Project Space.

My excellent crew of helpers: Spencer, Debra, and Tory. Howard was also helping, probably on a ladder attaching a red dot!

Howard in his element, surrounded by women artists!

The past two days I’ve been sorting the sold flags, packaging them for personal delivery, or preparing them to mail.

The good news is there are two more opportunities to purchase flags. The first is this coming Sunday, September 7, 12-4 pm in downtown Salem. The Salem Art Association will have a booth at the Salem Sunday Streets event and the remaining Scattered By the Wind flags will be available there.

The other opportunity will be the weekend of September 13-14th, from 10-4, when my studio will be on the Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour. I’ll be posting details about that in my next post.

Salem Art Group Annual Retreat

The Salem Art Group: Nancy Eng, Celia Stapleton, Dayna Collins, Katy Vigland, Kathy Shen, Radish the Amazing Circus Dog, and Tory Brokenshire.

Once a year my Salem Art Group heads east over the Cascades to stay in a cabin along the Metolius River. We just returned from five days of art-making under the trees.Here I am waiting for Tory to pick me up.

Because she was taking her RV, I didn’t have to censor how much stuff I took.

Even the drive over the mountains was beautiful.

Once we arrived, I got my table set up under the trees.

This was the view from my upstairs bedroom window:

And this was the view from the deck of the cabin:

Over the course of five days, there was lots and lots of art-making. Here’s my space, all set up and ready for the new day.

Every day we would mosey out to begin again.

I worked on several pieces simultaneously, all in oil and cold wax, and as a result I returned home with several completed pieces and several with some great beginning layers.

And before we knew it, it was time to return home.

A few of the pieces in various stages of layerment. Hey, I like that made up word.

Scattered By the Wind: Coming to a Close

My Scattered By the Wind project is coming to a close. It started in June and the final reception will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 5-8 pm. I have tracked the progression of the project through several blog posts, which can be seen by working backwards beginning with my July 17th post. I have also posted photos of all the flags received and created on my Facebook page: Scattered By the Wind. Flags are due by next Tuesday and then on Wednesday night, we celebrate!

As to today, here are the numbers:

198 flags have been sent or given out

131 flags have been returned

116 flags have been created at Project Space venue

28 flags created by me

Total flags flying: 275!

104 flags have been sold

$1,295 has been raised through the sale of flags and through donations made to the project

The final reception and celebration will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 5-8 pm, at the Project Space venue located in downtown Salem on the second floor of Liberty Plaza at 285 Liberty Street NE. Flags will be available for viewing and purchase ($10 each). All flags purchased will be released at 8:00 pm. Flags will also be available for pick up on Thursday, September 4th, from 11-1.

Blog Hop

My artist friend Ruth Armitage invited me to participate in a blog hop. I’ve never done one before so I decided it would be fun to accept. I met Ruth many years ago and our paths just keep crossing. Ruth has an amazing, active, colorful blog, a beautiful website, and writes an energetic newsletter. She is a master of keeping connected using technology. Ruth is truly the epitome of a working artist; she is always creating new work and is not afraid to experiment and push the envelope with color and new materials.

So, as I understand how this works, Ruth has written a post answering three questions and she has tagged three artists who, in turn, will write a post answering the same three questions, and then they tag three artists, and on it goes with the idea that we all get to meet new artists and create a new networks of artists. Here goes.

HOW DOES MY CREATING PROCESS WORK

I always have several projects in process and because I work in different mediums, it depends on which medium I’m working. I don’t jump back and forth too much; if I’m in a painting phase, I concentrate on painting. If I’m working on found object assemblages, I immerse myself in the process of laying out and auditioning vintage materials. So maybe a quick peek at the two areas would be fun.

PAINTING

When I’m painting, I first prep multiple boards. It is amazing how meditative the prep work can be. And there is something invigorating about the repetitive motions of not having to think “too” much during this initial phase: paint/plaster/sand/stain

After I have a nice stack of prepared boards, I’m ready to paint. I usually work in a series and on multiple boards at once. Last year I did a series about the loss of memory, so my focus was on building up surfaces, then tearing them away revealing portions of previous layers. Since I work in oil and cold wax, I have to allow for drying time, which is another reason I work on multiple pieces at once.

When I’m in my painting studio, I always have music playing. My friends tease me because I’m usually listening to the Flo Rida station on Pandora.

ASSEMBLAGE

I create assemblages using found objects, the fancy word for junk. I’m always on the lookout for cast off rusty or interesting bits, worn out wood, or old tins. Going to estate sales, antique stores, or vintage markets is an on-going, part-time job for me. My raw materials are all organized (more or less) and arranged in my basement studio. When I’m feeling the urge to create my Curious Elements or my Funky Junkyard Birds, or if I’ve been invited to participate in a show, I clear off the work tables and begin laying out possible compositions.

It is a trial and error process, a series of auditions – this bit here, that bit there. Once I determine I have a winner, then I begin the attachment process – glue to hold the pieces in place, then always some sort of cold connection for a more finished look.

HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE

Regarding my paintings, people consistently comment on two things when they see my work: my use of color and my depth and intricacy of layers.

My assemblage pieces differ because of the variety and uniqueness of the materials I use. Some components may be similar to something other artists are using, but the way I’ve designed my pieces makes them totally original. My Curious Elements differ in that it is about a 16-step process that is unique to me.

WHAT AM I WORKING ON

I have so many projects right now (and so many deadlines) that I have a big calendar in my studio to help keep me on track. Here’s a listing, but I’ll spare you the details.

Contribution for Serena Barton’s book on oil and cold wax
Prayer Flag Project
Day of the Dead show at Guardino
Day of the Dead show at Stone Buddha
Prototypes for pitching a possible 2015 show
November show with the Salem Art Group
Studio Tour pieces for sale
December Show and Sale
Ricochet Show with Cynthia Herron

And finally . . . . .

Proposals for teaching (yes, I hope to teach in 2015!)

Hey, this list makes me hyperventilate. I better wrap this up and get to work.

Before I do that, I have the privilege of introducing you to the three artists I’ve invited to participate in this blog hop.

Stephanie Brockway is a close, personal friend. We have traveled together, we have extensively junked together. She is one of my cheerleaders and a huge supporter of me as an artist; those kinds of friends are rare. Steph is an amazing artist. She is a painter (and it was in a painting class at Oregon College of Art and Craft where we met). Steph is also a prolific carver and she has had several feature shows. She just had a show at Guardino Gallery in Portland and has a new show opening at RiverSea Gallery in Astoria. Steph’s blogging is sporadic, but her intentions are there, especially with the pressure of accepting the invite for this blog hop!

Jennifer Campbell is a fellow scavenger of interesting metal and wood bits and we always run into each other at vintage junk fairs and markets, usually grabbing for the same thing. I met Jennifer when I joined the Portland Art Collective several years ago, and was introduced to her beautiful, fascinating found object jewelry and assemblages. I remember buying a metal flaming heart necklace as she passed it around during our monthly show and tell sessions. Jennifer’s jewelry has evolved and morphed over the years and she sells all over the Northwest.

Paula McNamee is a quiet woman who dabbles in many mediums and anything she does turns to gold. She is a painter, a jewelry maker, an art journaler, a textile artist, and a thing maker. She has a beautiful sense of color and is bold in her experimentation, which always makes for lovely and often unexpected results. One year she designed keys with stamped words, put them on a long chain, and added a bit of sari ribbon. I think I bought ten of them to give as gifts. I asked Paula to participate in this blog hop because I think more people need to be exposed to Paula’s art!

Salem Art Fair and Festival: Creature Creations

The 2014 Salem Art Fair and Festival has concluded, but I was lucky enough to be invited to lead an activity in the kids area on Saturday. The activity was painting and decorating a 16″ muslin Bendi doll. I led this workshop for the Salem Art Association back in October, 2013; here’s a link to that post: I’m Nuts For Art. Both art doll sessions were sponsored and generously funded by the Bush Barn Gallery Guides.

I’ve done lots of planning over the past couple of months in preparation for yesterday, with the most important being rounding up 60 dolls!

I got all of the supplies to the Salem Art Association and then on Saturday, arrived early enough to get everything ready.

Kids purchased tickets for the various activities . . . . .

We immediately had kids ready to make a creature and for the next four hours, there was a steady stream of activity. (PS We even had some adults creating dolls, some under the guise of helping their child and others blatantly creating!)

It was a wildly fun and successful day. But boy, was I tired that night.