Alison Vernon is a Palette Knife Painter from New Hampshire. She is amazingly talented. This 4 minute videos give instruction as well as entertainment. Give it a try. Press play. You know you want to.

Today is my 39th Birthday. Not a mile stone birthday but one to give celebration to none-the-less. I started my day off a bit differently today. Instead of waking and sipping my coffee and going straight to the computer I went for a walk with my Dogs. The morning air is chilled, the birds are singing joys for new day and my Dogs are floppy eared bounce running down the path. This may become my new routine. It was great. After my walk I did go to the computer to check my e-mail to find my letter from Robert Genn which I subscribe to. His words always seem to provide food for my creative soul, today especially. Perhaps it was the walk, maybe the birthday. In this letter was an extra gift, videos of him plein-air painting. Plein air simply means in open air or outside. I did enjoy the videos and think you may too. I am such a visual person, as most artists are, watching a process is so much more rewarding and informative than reading about it. I hope you enjoy my Birthday Gifts as I pass them along to you.

Kiln update: The electrician is installing the 220 outlet for my kiln as I type this. My partner found a book for me at Barnes and Noble . The Complete Potter by Steve Mattison. The complete reference to tools, materials, and techniques for all potters and ceramicists.

Make a Junky Birdhouse or better yet an entire White Trash Park for the Birds!

THE HOME: Think of all those holiday tins collecting dust. Put them to good use. Any thin metal container will work for your birds home.

MAKING YOUR HOLE: You can start the hole for your birdhouse with an ice pick or large nail and a hammer or a drill with a metal drill bit. The trick here is to get a some support on the inside so your house doesn’t collapse while your starting the hole. Use a piece of wood that’s close in size to the interior diameter of your house. Make small starter holes larger by inserting a large screwdriver and or chisel. Manipulate it against the sides and strike it with a hammer until you get the shape and size you want for your entry. Keep the sides as smooth as you can so little tweeters don’t get cut.

PERCHES: Bird perches are easy to make using eating utensils. They are easily bent to shape and inserted directly into the hole. A not so easy perch was had by using the business end of a coke bottle. I had to carefully brake off pieces of glass to fit the shape of the wood at the base of this Coca Cola house. It was tapped into the wood somewhat then secured with hot glue.

SECURITY: Give your home weight to withstand winds and secure utensil perches in place by pouring one inch of Quick Crete inside your container.

ROOFS: I found used 4″ x 4″ fence post caps at a garage sale for a dollar piece. They already had that weathered patina I was looking for. You can buy them new if you need to for a few dollars each. Paint with a light coat of Latex then sand off the high spots for an aged look. Protect with Polyurethane Sealer for longevity. The Saltine Tin was the perfect fit for my roof. The Roof slides on and off like a lid. For the Coke Tin I used hinges.

CHIMNEYS: A Reeses Peanut Butter Spreader slides into a slender hole I made by drilling multiple holes side by side. The Pop Bottle Chimney was made the same way the Perch was (described above).

ACCESSORIES: Dots of melted solder were glued to the front of the tins for decoration. I recommend using Super Glue.

Okay this was your starting point. The rest is up to you. Have fun and let me know how it turns out.

May 22-June
Lansing Art Gallery Downtown

June 6 - June 28
1208 & 1210 Turner Street Old Town Lansing

Overview statement

Do we need art to survive? Given concerns with the bottom line and the globalization of businesses and business practices, art seems to have become trivial and insignificant. It is simply something to match our new furniture. It no longer matters if that piece over the new leather couch is an original piece of art or a print, and no one seems to be worried about the difference between Manet and Monet.

The question becomes, what would happen if all of the world’s artists, art galleries, and art museums to decided to close shop? If you had one last chance to see original art, would you want it to say something? The Lansing Art Gallery near the Capital Building, and the Banyan Gallery and Studio 1210 in Lansing’s Old Town, are providing just that opportunity. A World Without Art will offer some of Michigan’s finest artists taking on some of the most pressing and important social issues facing Michigan, the US, and the world. This show will include photography, paintings, sculpture, poetry, and essays from all around Michigan. This is a great opportunity to see how the Michigan art community sees Michigan’s past, present, and future. Do not let this be the last time you will see art in Michigan.

visit  http://www.worldwithoutart.com/

A Message from Earth 911

You may end up with leftover paint after a given task. Find a paint recycling program using Earth 911’s recycling locator. They take your leftover paint and give it new life.

Reuse Options

If you have leftover, unwanted paint in good condition, consider donating the paint for reuse to:

• A local charity
• A high school drama department
• Your church
• A Habitat for Humanity chapter
• Keep America Beautiful affiliates

Some communities even offer “Swap Shops” (product exchanges) as part of a local household hazardous waste program, facility or local charity.

Recycling Options

Recycling paint can create a whole new product (recycled-content paint) through reprocessing and reblending.

1. Reprocessed paint is mixed with virgin materials, tested and then packaged for distribution or sale.
2. Reblended paint is remixed, screened and packaged for distribution or sale.

Typically reblended paint comes in only a handful of basic neutral colors. It has a much higher percentage of recycled content paint then reprocessed paint, which may influence its overall quality. Reblended paint can be used for interior/exterior painting, graffiti abatement, and local improvement projects.

Steel Paint Can Recycling

Empty steel paint cans are recyclable; however, not every community accepts paint cans as part of the local recycling program. Check with your local recycling or HHW coordinator for more information. To recycle, steel paint cans must be empty and all paint contents dried prior to recycling (so take off the lid and let them dry out).

The Shiawassee Arts Center invites you to the 36th Annual High School Scholarship Competition & Exhibition

$2,350.00 in Scholarships and Awards.

For more information Contact

Shiawassee Arts Center
206 Curwood Castle Drive, Owosso
Open Tuesday-Saturday 12-5pm,
Sunday 1-5pm,
(989) 723.8354, sac@shiawasseearts.org
Public Welcome, No Admission

Palette knife painting has always been my passion although it took me a few decades to realize it. I had been painting with brushes for years when, during a demonstration, I applied some paint with a knife and felt a freedom and excitement about the technique I had never before realized. Although I am starting to use brushes again in my work, I have painted mostly with knives ever since that eureka moment. The knives provide a three dimensional quality to a painting which, combined with color and light, helps to create a lively result. My favorite subject matter is the natural environment: trees, fields, mountains, animals, lakes, and oceans.

The under-painting is applied in a thin sheen with the details of a piece applied with heavier texture. I generally use ten to fifteen different knives on a canvas, each knife providing a unique texture and effect. A painting must be finished the day it is started because the palette knife must be able to slide on the canvas rather than getting hung-up on partially dried paint. This technique requires using greater quantities of paint but the end result is fresh, and exciting.

Watch Alison create a painting on Blip TV

Go to Alison’s Website

Artists create 3D sculpture from Red Bull Cans. Click here to see their gallery.

Hilarious and spot on! Creature Comforts answers this question. Making people laugh is an art also as the video points out at the end. A must see. I discovered it on the ArtBizBlog. Thanks Alyson.

My studio was anything but homey in those early days. I had to do something to the century old cement walls. I decided to brick and brick some more. Faux Brick is easy. For this project mix QUIKRETE® Sand/Topping Mix to a paint-like consistency.

Using a brush or a roller apply a coat over the entire wall.

Next mark a level line along the entire length of the wall.

Now, mix QUIKRETE Liquid Cement Color into the next batch of Sand/Topping. This will be your main brick color.

Use a sponge the size of a brick to stamp brick along your level line. I found a grout float at True Value that worked well on this cement wall.

Leave about 1/2″ between each brick. For consecutive rows make sure to stagger stampings like a brick wall would be staggered.

Have a smaller sponge available to stamp on half or partial bricks when needed.

Repeat steps above with smaller amounts of different colors until desired effect is achieved. I used brick red, terracotta and black to achieve my final look.

P.S. Don’t let the “tired” dog fool you. She didn’t help a bit.
She is my buddy though. Her name is Sadie.

Here are pictures of a mosaic counter-top and half wall I created for my kitchen a few years back. And this is how you do it… Start with an inspiration piece for your design. For me it was a picture of this custom designed wrought iron gate I found on the Internet.

Collect stoneware, ceramics and tiles in the colors you are looking for. I found coffee cups and vases at the Salvation Army and Garage Sales. The local Flooring Store gave me a deal and let me rummage thru their remnant tiles and I had some tired old ceramics of my own to add to the collection. Collect more than you think you’ll need.

If you don’t already have your base - create it! I constructed a wall and counter top from 0.75-inch plywood. For a starter project you could use a small piece of wood, say 12” x 12”, put a small mirror in the center and mosaic the perimeter including the sides. Simple!

For this project I secured mesh adhesive drywall tape to the corners where the wood joins to help maintain a continuous flush surface for the tiles to lay on. Now draw a preliminary sketch of your design. Use pencil at first so you can erase mistakes. When you like what you have go back over it with a permanent marker.

Next, get a plastic bucket and a hammer (goggles, gloves, body armor, etc.) and have fun! Break into the general size you need. For large projects like this one, I recommend keeping colors separated. My bucket in this picture has only brown tiles.

I’ll select a piece with the right size and shape I’m looking for, butter the back with tile adhesive and push directly onto the design. Clean up any misplaced adhesive from the fronts of your tiles, when it cures it will be almost impossible to remove. There are many different kinds of glue to choose from depending on your particular application. Liquid Nails and contact cement are excellent all purpose choices as well.

Glue the design on first, then the outside perimeter. Lastly – you guessed it -whatever remains.

Broken coffee cups and vases gave a curved dimension to the leaves of this tree. Don’t be too picky about shapes. Becoming too “perfect” can ruin your project. Imperfections add character.

When all your pieces are glued in place, allow proper setting time before you continue. (Follow manufacturers directions for the product you are using)

Ready to grout? Mix sand grout to the consistency of a mud pie and squish into the cracks. Be careful not to overwork and scratch your pieces. Grout should rest in the cracks easily. Add more water or grout powder to achieve a consistency that is easy to work with. When it is mostly dry remove grout residue from tile surfaces with sponge or cloth. Follow up with a penetrating grout sealer for long lasting stain and moisture protection.

WhaLa! Your mosaic is complete.
Enjoy!