January is gone….

Rounding out the month of January, I worked on a class on Udemy.com called Introduction to Monochrome and Color Drawing Art Media by KateAllkinds.art. In this course, I learned about all kinds of drawing mediums from pencils to ink to pastels and markers to water pencils. Every project was a coffee cup or tea cup with saucers and cookies and candies. I felt comfortable with the pencil drawings and found that I loved working with ink and brush pens. I need to practice the other mediums but I did find that drawing cups is a forgiving way to work with new mediums and a good way to gauge one’s progress. I found that I liked watercolor pencils too.

I have been working on some volunteer quilting for S.A.Q.A. S.A.Q.A. Is an international nonprofit organization that stands for Studio Art Quilt Associates. We are about 4000 strong. We promote the art quilt: “A creative visual work that is layered and stitched or references this form of a stitched layered structure.” Their vision is that art quilt is universally respected as a fine art medium.

Our chapter of S.A.Q.A. Will exhibit at the Quilt Show Reno June 15-17. Our theme will be: In the Garden. I volunteered to quilt the background for our collaborative quilt. I free-motion stitched a leaf and flower pattern. We are all also creating unique decorative garden gloves to attach to the quilt. I will show photos of my glove when I get it done.

I also started going to a free art journaling class at Nevada Fine Arts. It is on the second Monday of the month at 1301 S. Virginia St. This is for anyone at any level to come and explore their creativity through their art journal. There are some supplies to try and you can also bring your own. We all chat as we draw on whatever we are working on.

I am exploring peacocks and their feathers. I will be using my art journal to document my art journey this year. Initially, my journal was black on the outside. I stitched a fabric cover with a pocket for my new fountain pen to bring personality to it.

I liked my cover so much that I made 6 in total. I gave my friend Gretchen one and my daughter one for her birthday. The rest I kept for future projects. I may decide to add them to my inventory for future shows.

Lastly, I have just started another online class by Domestika.org on the app Procreate called Procreate for Beginners: Digital Illustration 100 by Brad Woodward. I have watched all the videos. Now, I have to do the projects. That will have to be the next blog. So stay tuned I will get the next blog out soon.
Regards,
Holly Gardner
Textile Artist