L is for: Look in Box: Philadelphia Public Art Project, Part Vl

Art Box Front View: Club Creative Studio Art — Art Box Front View: Club Creative Studio

Art Box arrives and I begin to work on it on my patio.

Close up on grout day. I cut every single piece of glass and plates by hand.

The Philadelphia Art Box Project has finally come to an end and it’s time to look at the box in this part VI post. Although I was unable to make the deadline for the Art Box initial display, due to being out of state at the time of the gathering, I am making sure that the Art Box has a good home.

Strides are being made in gaining suggestions for a display site for this hand-painted and mosaic Art Box created by Club Creative Studio. I wonder where it will end up? I hope it is local.

The art box is also a decorative storage spot. The front door opens and can be used to keep materials dry, just as it would for newspapers (the original intention of the box). The box will remain unlocked. If it is displayed indoors, there is an opportunity to use this Art Box as a storage spot.

Here are the final photos of my Art Box. Let me know what you think. In the final post about this subject, I will include photos of the rest of the submissions for this community art project. There were twenty four other Art Box creations.

Back View of Club Creative Studio's Art Box — Back View of Club Creative Studio’s Art Box. Mirror and blue glass plate shards, ceramic and metal elements.

Close-Up Side View of Club Creative Studio Art Box.

Side View Art Box, blue glass shards, ceramic tile elements.

The Time To Be Awesome Is Now

Please like & share:

Philadelphia Public Art Project Part V

Welcome to yet another post about the progress made on the Philadelphia Public Art project. This is part five of the creative journey.

For this grout and mosaic piece, I chose the sand-based and color Raven grout. I hope it was not too bold of an idea but, I love the contrast of dark and light and I wanted to use pops of color from adding beads so that was the reason behind this tint of colored grout.

The start of grouting and working out some areas of mosaic.

I started using gloves and then discovered for most parts, the best tool to use were bare hands. Art can be messy…why not?

Sometimes, the best tool to use is what you have on hand!

I still have some cleaning up to do. Mosaics is an art with many steps. I hope that you are also pleased with the progress at this point. I can’t wait to start side two of my ArtBox.

Here is a select portion of my mosaic progress so far.

Full length view of side one of my ArtBox.

Stay tuned. Please visit this blog again to see how the other sides of this Artbox develop. I am happy that you are interested in this progress and I appreciate your comments shared below.

Please like & share:

Philadelphia Public Art Project Part lV

My pile of blue glass shards is started.

Another smashing day…literally. Today’s progress on my Philadelphia Public Art Project resulted from the rough draft sketches I did as well as filling a large box lid of smashed and cut blue glass.

Once again, I used my gloves and goggles, nippers and a hammer to start my pile of glass shards from my blue kitchen plates. I had these in use for about three years and for a year and a half they sat in a box. My intention was to give them away at some point, they were still good except for scratched surfaces. However, with this project, I wanted to use blue for a sky area in my mosaic so they came in handy for me to recycle and reuse this way.

Recycle material so you don't have to buy new. — Recycle material so you don’t have to buy new.

Today was also productive because I put a few visions down on paper. The following rough draft drawings may change as the process evolves however, the plan is to have a few of these ideas stick to these original plans. It might be interesting for you to understand my creative thought process. Ideas that are fresh can sometimes be developed if the vision is right in front of you. Enjoy the sketches. It will be interesting to see if any of these thoughts come to fruition.

This is one version of how I'd like to mosaic a section on my Artbox. — This is one version of how I’d like to mosaic a section on my Artbox.

My mirror mosaic disk. I'd like this as the center of a large focal flower. — My mirror mosaic disk. I’d like this as the center of a large focal flower.

I'd like to place a variety of beads in the center of a large flower made with cut tile segments. — I’d like to place a variety of beads in the center of a large flower made with cut tile segments.

For the swirl vine areas I plan to use green coated wire.

I had a few thoughts for one of the sides of the ArtBox.

Thank you again for stopping by the blog and following the creativity. I welcome you back to view the progress in this Artbox challenge.

Please like & share:

Philadelphia Art Project Part lll

Cut shards will make a great mosaic creation.

Today I worked a bit on my Philadelphia Art Project. This is the third post on the topic. I hope you are enjoying this creative journey along side of me.

In preparation of this Philadelphia Art Project Challenge, I had to get a few new tools to help me transform this newspaper box. Today, I blog about two of the tools that made my tile cutting much easier.

Two useful tools that came in handy for the initial start of my project challenge are the tile nipper and a dual blade glass tile nipper. I found the wheel nipper to be the best tool so far.

Notice the two wheels that are sharp to cut (break) the tile or plate.

The wheel nipper is great for removing small pieces of glass or tile and mosaic. This dual blade design is for increased precision in shaping tiles up to 1/4 inch thick.

A Learning Curve is always a factor to consider when working with a tool for the first time. I learned two things. First, pace yourself when working. I was so excited to cut my elements that I spent a few hours in non-stop mode. My hands were shaking by the time I finally stopped. I needed some recovery time from the clamp pressures my hands needed to use with the tool as well.

Secondly, if a wheel comes loose or off from the tool because of the use motion, it can be replaced and tightened easily with an Allen wrench. These directions/suggestions are not written on the packaging. So much for trial and error and the courage to self-teach.

It's easy to repair and tighten a wheel if it works loose. — It’s easy to repair and tighten a wheel if it works loose.

My vision in part for my ArtBox will include areas of mosaic. I needed the nipper tools to cut portions of plates that I wish to use to utilize their designs and incorporate those into my over-all design. Simply done, the nippers are placed on the edge of a section and the handle is grasped for a crisp cut.

Snap! A plate is "cut". — Snap! A plate is “cut”.

Cutting adds up quickly once you get a feel for the tool and the amount of tool and hand pressure needed for a cut. I picked out this pattern for the color variety and the dark background. If you hunt a local thrift shop like I did, you may run across great deals on plates, or platters with patterns that are in a range of styles and colors.

Be on the look-out for a pattern or colors that grab your attention.

Stay tuned and visit this blog again as the project continues to Part lV. I am excited for the direction my vision and efforts are heading.

Please like & share:

Philadelphia Public Art Project Part ll

Celebrating the arrival of the Art Box Challenge Project.

As a creative catalyst: I am always thinking of ways to create, promote, support and express art endeavors of self and others. What a great public art display project idea Creative MontCo in Philadelphia has chosen along with the help of many others to sponsor and help our community appreciate and celebrate what creative minds and talents need to share.

To view the Club Creative Studio blog about how this all came about for me, please read:

http://clubcreativestudio.com/blog/?p=5103

Delivered from New Jersey, the newspaper box arrives.

Special Delivery Today the special delivery came! Two men from The Daily News – The Inquirer came to deliver the newspaper box that I will have my artistic focus on for the next several weeks or so.

Delivery of the newspaper box to bee recycled and transformed into an ArtBox.

The First Challenge There will be many challenges I will face by taking part in this ArtBox Challenge. The first is to remove all of the pre-existing “art work” that is already attached to the box. Here are photos of a few of the areas that I need to address.

Step One I admire the “handiwork” with the sharpie markers others attached to this newspaper box however, it just doesn’t fit into MY VISION so…they must go. I have a special solution that removes stickers and the residue from them, this is step one.

Stay Tuned I would love for you to follow this project in its various stages on this blog, and share your comments here as well. Stay tuned for more updates as the project continues, and I share more information. And please don’t hesitate to send others to this blog post as well.

Here I am...ready to start making the transformation of this newspaper box into an ART BOX. — Here I am…ready to start making the transformation of this newspaper box into an ART BOX.

Please like & share:

Philadelphia Public Art Project Part l

Club Creative Studio recently submitted a creative vision proposal for taking part in a unique Public Art Challenge in Pennsylvania, Montgomery County. Happily, they accepted my submission! The delivery of the ArtBox will come soon!

Art Box Challenge- What can I transform this into?

Here are the details and I look forward to taking photos along the way in this creative journey. The ideas and principals behind Creative MontCo , and 311 Arts are supportive of creative people and sharing art in our community environment. I am so happy to be a participant!

Please like & share:

A Royal Creation- Uncle Don’s Art

It may be all in the family- CREATIVITY that is.

My husband’s great uncle has a creative eye and artistic talent that he expresses from time to time. This time, his creation was fit for a King or Queen- it was a royal creation.

I love hearing about his latest challenges and successes with his photography, painting, welding, gourd painting, and now steel cutting. By trade, he is winding down his days as a farmer. So, he has a bit more time now to travel on his creative paths.

We recently went to Nebraska for a visit. When we went to Don’s place we were happily greeted with a platter of his home-made goodies and his company. After a tour of the farmland, photos and story swaps of days gone by, Don lead us into the living room.

He was so excited for us to sit in the chair that he recently had re-upholstered and was eager for each of us to take a turn sitting in it. In Don’s eyes, this chair must have reminded him of royal throne. The next question for you to ponder is: what is a throne without a person sitting in it with a crown on?

So…Don made a crown from some steel scraps and he added a few reflectors as the crown jewels. We all had a good time as we took our turns being a royal subject sitting in his chair. What will he make us do when we visit next time?

There is still time to grow into the crown.

The "Royal Throne" Chair — The “Royal Throne” Chair

Uncle Don created the crown that gave us all a royal attitude. — Uncle Don created the crown that gave us attitude.

Creativity can be expressed for a certain purpose or just for the fun of it. We are glad that Don’s creations expressed a sense of humor. This particular visit was a memorable one because of it.

Do you have a family member that has a creative talent or expresses their creativity in a fun way? Let us know in your comment below. We’d love to know about other’s creative creations.

Please like & share:

Save-A-Cent Tuesday: Low-Cost Wall Art

Club Creative Studio enjoys sharing the segment post called Save-A-Cent because low-cost creative ideas are wonderful. Today, the focus is on an idea to create wall art inexpensively.

My daughter is preparing to decorate the blank walls of an apartment. The thought of doing this in a low-cost manner is very appealing to her. She has been working on painting her hand-made, original art on various sizes of canvas as her first step in this creative process.

Painting on canvas can be a low-cost outlet.

Canvas prices and sizes will vary. For the most low-cost project I suggest sticking to a size no larger than 8″x10″ or a square frame because the weight will be lighter and the painting process can be quickly completed.

My daughter likes to use permanent markers as well as acrylic paint on her canvas. There are little supplies needed for the wall art she created.

Materials: canvas, markers or acrylic paint, paint brushes, cup of water, paper plate, ribbon (approximately 2″ wide), hot glue gun with glue sticks, thumb tack or small nail *Adding mixed media is optional.

What To Do: 1. Get inspired from quotes, photographs or your own sketches and pencil in your designs onto your canvas.

2. Use acrylic paint from your paper plate palate and water for quick coloration onto your canvas or with permanent or nonpermanent markers, treat your canvas as a water color painting by adding brushed water to the sections you fill in with markers.

3. Consider adding mixed media elements at any point in your creation to add variety and a touch of whimsy to your creation.

Add interest and texture to your art with mixed media.

4. Hot glue the canvas to the ribbon in a an appealing way for your display.

High temperature glue will render a strong hold quickly.

Space your art evenly for stability and balance on the ribbon.

5. Hang art from the top ribbon section from a thumb tack or small nail depending on the total weight of your added canvas.

Enjoy your creative process. My daughter has quite a collection at this point and shows no sign of slowing down in her attempts to transform her future apartment walls into a bright gallery of art.

Let us know if you have enjoyed this post and are ready to try this low-coat art project yourself.

Please bookmark this blog and share it with others for more creative ideas in the future. We love sharing inspiration and creative ideas and projects that help you Set Yourself Apart with art.

Please like & share:

Awesome Art: The Power of Art

No matter if you are artistic, have a streak of creative genius from time to time or are one that appreciates all that art offers. Art has a powerful effect on many. Art is awesome.

I wanted to share a few thoughts about why I believe art is awesome and why I take pride in the projects that evolve from my workspace: Club Creative Studio.

Art is Powerful

1. Art is Emotional. Art has the power to express how you feel and change mood. Ask any artist and they will probably let you in on the secret that the act of creating art makes them happy.

2. Art is Profound. Stepping beyond beginning and including masters of a craft, art is an “experience”. Art stems from unique circumstances and stories. Art offers a means of communication and connection.

3. Art is for Sharing. Art can be expressed for personal and public appreciation. When art is created for artist’s eyes only, it becomes a resource for growth. When art is shared with others, it can take on a “Pay it Forward” gift. Artists that share their art with others invite understanding of the creative process. Creativity is a learning process and when artists open doors to creativeness, the spark for others can also be ignited.

4. Art is Information. The reason why the spirit of art is informational is because art can be viewed as a document of experiences. It is sometimes a learned choice to use art as a reference point for what is found around us. We can use art to deliver messages, mark history and express inner feelings.

5. Art is Healing. Art has potentials to be a personal attraction for heightening our senses and be used as physical, emotional, and spiritual developments.

For me, all of the points I write about above are calls for purpose of art for me at Club Creative Studio. Perhaps you can relate?

Art for me has always been emotional. Because I attach a connection of self to my art, it is one reason why the love of what is created is mixed right into each of my creations.

Art is a learning experience. Creativity and imagination is always a stretch for growth when I create. It is what places purpose into a project.

It makes me happy to be able to share Art That Sets You Apart and this is the main reason why I create. I enjoy helping others overcome ordinary and define their individuality by wearing and sharing unique art.

There is much to consider when we observe or create art. If we look deep into art around us, we can learn more about our world and the persons creating and sharing their points of views. Not to mention, the times when art reflects joy and radiates with others.

A healthy appreciation for art and those sharing it is just one highlight to understanding why art makes us respond. I hope that you gain an awareness for art and the awesome contributions if offers our world.

I welcome you to share the reasons why you think art is awesome as well. It is certainly a great addition to add to your agenda- being an advocate for art.

Please like & share:

Veronica’s Fun Facts- Celebrate the letter V

You can gain a tidbit of background information about me from the “About Us” page on this website. I just wanted to share a few more fun facts that are not included there. Here are a few of my favorite things:

Bead Artist Jewelry Designer Creative Specialist — Bead Artist
Jewelry Designer/Creative Specialist

1. I LOVE CHOCOLATE. I have a cute wood plaque in my kitchen that reads: “Give me chocolate and nobody will get hurt.” Yeah…that’s about how it is.

2. I’ll wear fake finger nails. If an occasion calls for me to look extra fancy and elegant, I have no shame, I’ll press on the fake fingernails. There is NO WAY that I can maintain great looking natural nails in my line of work, so I feel that I have no choice. There…secret out!

3. I run to wear the cool shoes. I can run pretty far when I put my mind to it. I’ve completed a half marathon and I run for the love of colorful shoes. I am pretty sure that is the only reason to run.

4. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN is my boyfriend. My husband surprised me with concert tickets and I could not stop sobbing for the first seven songs. I was just so overwhelmed with emotion of hearing and seeing my favorite musical talent live and in the flesh. He is adored.

5. My favorite color is black. You wouldn’t guess that by looking at all of the colorful glass and clay beads I create. Black has always been my favorite color. I guess it is because I like the contrast against white and that it combines well with any other color in a wardrobe. It’s a great accent color.

6. I’m a published illustrator. While living in Japan, I was commissioned to illustrate two children’s Japanese language books. Each book has over 200 drawings included. I have great memories from the time our family resided there, this is one of my highlighted creative accomplishments.

7. Favorite Sandwich: BLT with cheese.

8. Favorite Beverages: Sweet tea, chi tea, licorice tea, amaretto sour

9. Favorite Clay Artist: Donna Kato

10. Favorite Furry Friend: Cat.

Please visit “About Us” and “F.Y.I.” sections of this site to learn more about Club Creative Studio Art.

Please like & share: