Summer Classes 2013

Here are descriptions and photographs of the classes I will be teaching at Papers! in Nob Hill in June and July.  All materials are provided in the registration fee.  Call 254-1434 to register.

 PAPER DOLL PLAY - "THE GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER DRESSES" - Sunday, June 9, 1-4pm, $45

Set aside a Sunday afternoon for pure play! For this class, I have received special permission for us to use figures designed by paper doll designer Alina Kolluri. Start with a simple dress template and modify it to create many new designs, which will be carried out using beautiful papers from the store.   I will also teach a torn paper strip collage technique to create a glorious full-skirted dress (center figure). Use assorted papers, ribbons and embellishments to adorn your lovely paper doll figures. Let your imagination run wild, as you allow your interior fashion designer to emerge! If you have them, please bring with you your favorite pair of detail scissors, and if you use them, don't forget your reading glasses!

Visit The Paper Doll Shoppe  http://stores.ebay.com/The-Paper-Doll-Shoppe?_trksid=p2047675.l2563 on eBay to see all of Alina's paper doll designs.

"ART GODDESS" CIGAR BOX SHADOWBOX SHRINE - Sunday, June 23, 1-4pm, $50

In this class you will create a folk art cigar box shrine featuring the goddess(es) of your choice -- Minerva (Roman), Athena (Greek), Sarasvati (Hindu), St. Catherine of Bologna (Catholic saint), or a modern-day "generic" Art Goddess. You will work with beautiful assorted papers to cover and line your box. Feature whichever goddess(es) you so choose in the box interior, using color and/or embossed images. Then embellish to your heart's content! Everything will be provided, but please bring something to incorporate into your shrine that speaks to your particular art or craft form (or that of the person for whom you are making the shrine).

COLLAGE ON CANVAS - "MERMAID GROTTO" - Sunday, July 7, 1-4pm, $45  I have a truly summer-appropriate collage on canvas project prepared for you! Head to the bottom of the ocean, and create a secluded mermaid's grotto filled with sea creatures and ocean-bottom plants. We will be using decorative ribbons, Thai unryu paper, Nepalese lokta paper and Japanese yuzen paper. And I have some wonderful new rubber stamps you will use to create embossed sea plants to incorporate into your grotto. Take home a ready-to-hang work of art on 14"x11" stretched canvas, no frame necessary! If you have them, please bring with you your favorite pair of detail scissors, and if you use them, don't forget your reading glasses!

JAPANESE YUZEN PAPER JEWELRY -- PILLOW BEAD NECKLACE AND EARRINGS, Sunday, July 23, 1-4pm, $50 

For those of you who like to get an early start on your holiday gift-making, learn to fold the intriguing three-dimensional pillow bead from beautiful Japanese yuzen paper. The beads can be used to make necklaces, bracelets and earrings. In this class, we will create an eye-catching necklace and matching earrings. Project appears intricate, but is suitable for beginners with a bent for precision!
　

Sweet Potato Party Skirt

Here's OFFCenter's Call For Art for its most recent show:

“Re-Style/Free-Style"
Upcycled Wearable & Functional Art Forum
Clothing • Jewelry • Purses • Accessories & More
Exhibit and Sale displaying creative, upcycled wearable forms of art
Artists are invited to submit unique hair ornaments, aprons, purses, dresses, spring frocks, jewelry, accessories, clothing, spring fashions recreated from our free box or your favorite thrift store, yarn craft from yarn scraps, hand painted shoes, embroidered old jeans, let your upcycled imagination go wild.
Exhibit/Sale up through April 26th

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In my bag of tricks I had stashed seven sweet potato bags from Trader Joe's - knowing that some day I would use them in an art project -- but had no idea for what they would be used.  Great color.  Great texture.

When OFFCenter announced the Re-Style/Free-Style show, immediately my sweet potato bags came to mind.  So, I went to work:

On each bag I removed the bottom seam, then opened up each bag to create a rectangle by gently tearing one side of the mesh out from behind the label, sewed all seven bags side to side to create one giant circle, pleated the waistline, created a tie-back waistband from very wide leftover satin holiday ribbon, and at the hemline of the skirt added about 7 yards of yet more leftover holliday ribbon about 1" wide gathered into a decorative ruffle.

Here's the finished product -- it really brings a smile to my face -- I kind of hoped it wouldn't sell and I could retrieve it at the end of the show, but it indeed did sell.  So, I'm back to eating yet more sweet potatoes from Trader Joe's and collecting enough bags so I can create a Sweet Potato Party Skirt of my own!

Here's the skirt spread full circle.

And here's Houdini, checking out the skirt -- he immediately needs to investigate anything new.

And here's the skirt on a hanger ready to deliver to OffCenter.