I love Halloween. And I love collecting vintage Halloween objects year round. When I was asked to come up with a vintage Halloween theme for a workshop I am teaching this fall, I was thrilled to experiment with shadow boxes, which always catch my eye. Here you have 2 examples of what can be done with an unfinished wooden shadow box and a few simple elements. Each student will come up with a different look as I will have choices galore of paper, embellishements, stamps, ephemera, etc. Any feedback always welcome!

A Huge Thank-You

I know I keep saying this, but I keep on meeting people through a group of talented, warm, witty, caring and amazing artists, and one of them recently asked me for an interview to put at our group blog (http://www.melangeonetsy.blogspot.com/). I never cease to be amazed at how supportive this group of people can be and when Jodi Ohl of http://www.sweetrepeats.blogspot.com/ , approached me, I was pleasantly surprised. Thank you Jodi, and to all of the amazing people at our Melange Team who have helped each other learn and be inspired by one another.

Nancy Lefko, the "CollageArtGirl"

One of my favorite artists I have met through Etsy, is Nancy Lefko, or "collageartgirl". I not only love her form of art, but I enjoy her as a person, as she is always so positive and interested in what others are accomplishing. We are fellow members of our new Etsy Steet Team, Melange. Please check out our link to the right of here to be taken to a world of enchanting art by fascinating artists! Here is an interview Nancy allowed me to write, and I thank her for her time!

When did you discover Etsy as an avenue for selling? Where did you sell your items before you discovered Etsy?
When I first became interested in collage, I read the books by Claudine Hellmuth; that led me to her website, which led me to her Etsy shop. It was some time later that I actually starting selling my work there. Before Etsy, I sold at "the other E-place" and for awhile that worked out well for me. But soon I saw the sales fall off and the continual re-listing grew old.

What is the technique you are most proud of accomplishing?
I cannot claim ownership of any of my "techniques" but I am pleased that I manage to create backgrounds for my collages that have interest in and of themselves. As so many of my pieces utilize vintage photographic images as the focal point, I am always amused when I receive a positive comment about the image itself; almost as if I deserve credit for it. I know full well that I do not. However, comments that praise my backgrounds or the composition of the piece are those that mean the most to me.

What do you feel your biggest weekness as an artist is?
I am somewhat hesitant to try new techniques. Oftentimes, a technique that interests me seems daunting and I tend to stay in a safe zone. I wish I were a little bolder and tried new things without fear of failure.

What has been your most rewarding accomplishment as an artist?
Offering my first online workshop at Creative Workshops has opened up a new venue for me, and as a former teacher, I find the fit quite nice. I love reaching out to other artists and sharing in their journey. I enjoy the camaraderie in the workshop and the sharing of a common interest.

What goals do you have set for yourself, but feel you are struggling to accomplish them?
I know that I am not that proactive in marketing my work. I realize there are opportunities for marketing that I am not taking advantage of, either because I am not driven enough or I have doubts that I'll succeed in that venue. It is an area that I really have to push myself in and my goal is to at least find one new venue this year. Even if that is as small as offering prints of my originals or as bold as participation in an art show/sale.

What goals do you have set for yourself, and feel it is right around the corner?
Having been published once in Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine, I continue to pursue publication. I have had a few rejections, but luckily I do not take them personally and feel optimistic about future success in that arena. So, right around the corner? Sure !

What would you like to see accomplished for our Melange Team?
I think that if we at Melange could start a weekly challenge at our blog someday, similar what was offered at Arty Girlz, that would be a wonderful accomplishment.

Please visit Nancy's Etsy shop to view more of her original work! www.collageartgirl.etsy.com

~~Come Fly With Me~~

I have never entered my items into Mixed Media Monday's Challenge, but when I discovered that this weeks theme was anything with wings, I knew it was one I had to try. Mixed Media Monday is a group of Mixed Media artists who take turns hosting challenges, and display their work at this site... http://www.mixedmediamonday.wordpress.com/ so please take a trip over there and see what everyone has accomplished.

This weeks theme was flying, and includes anything with wings so I decided my favorite bird would be encorporated into this vintage looking piece. The collage is gathered on a 5 x 5 stretched canvas, which was "rusted" using a real rusting agent. The watchful crow is placed on a vintage map which has been distressed and aged. The words "As the Crow Flies" is laid out in various fonts. A rusted up tag holds the dictionary meaning for the word "flying". I hope this stands up to the talented artists who will also be included in this challenge! Thanks for looking.

New Melange Team Member Spotlight

I have gotten to know so many outstanding artists and friends at our new team, and I would like to feature them one by one here at my blog. Please look for more wonderfully talented artists in months to come. The first I would like to spotlight is Kathy of http://www.vintagesnapsandscrap.etsy.com/ . Kathy has been a wonderful person to get to know, always helpful, always willing to lend a hand or an ear. She has been so easy for me to get to know and I thank her for all of her inspirations and words of advice through the months since I have met her. Here is what Kathy and I talked about for this "interview":

When did you first start making art to sell on Etsy? Sept. 2007

What has been your biggest surprise with selling and working on Etsy, either good or bad? How addicted I would get! How much time is spent on Etsy. How much time I spend in the forums…lol.

What has been the most rewarding thing you have accomplished, with your art work? (compliments, goals achieved, creations, anything goes!) Rewarding, easily my customers. I have received such heart felt notes and convos, it always touches me so much. My hope in creating a piece is that it will touch someone, or make them smile, just speak to them in some way…and when people tell me that is has, it is so rewarding.

What art technique have you learned in your endeavors, and are most proud of? I recently took an art journaling class online, thanks Pam. And I love the fact that I am using those techniques in my collage work. I felt I was getting a bit set in my ways in my style and I am so glad I decided to incorporate new techniques.

What techniques would you like to learn more about in the future? I would love to learn more about fabric collage, I bought the sewing machine and so far I have only played… I want to use more fabric in collage.

What are your strengths / weaknesses? Strengths- treating my customers well, getting packages out quickly, very organized in doing that, the feedback, all of it. Weakness- Promoting my work. I would love to submit my art more often and try to get my art in local shops/galleries. This is very hard for me to do!

What would you like to see accomplished with the new Melange team? This team was born from a forum thread of mixed media artists. We have had this amazing group for so long, and have new people coming in which is great. It is never negative; we all get along so well and truly enjoy each other. I KNOW this team will be just like that thread. I want Melange to be a strong, positive team.

Please visit Kathy's Etsy shop at http://www.vintagesnapsandscrap.etsy.com/ and also be sure to search "Melange Team" at Etsy for many more talented Mixed media and collage artists!

NEW ETSY TEAM

I have had the privilege of meeting some wonderful and talented artists who have enspired me, helped me, and befriended me at Etsy and we have joined up to make a team we call "Melange". It is a group of mixed media and collage artists all promoting each others work and helping each other along the way. I urge you to take a look at their shops at Etsy. The list of shops is to your right, here at my blog, under Artists I admire. or please search under "melange team" at Etsy to find some of their extraordinary work. Go Melange!

Mind Wide Open Challenge

My first ever Mind Wide Open challenge ... I have always admired the work that people put in to participate in the challenges over at Mind Wide Open ( http://www.mind-wideopen.blogspot.com/ ) and this month I decided to join in the fun! it will be great seeing what everyone has created either similar to, or unlike my own project. This mixed media collage was made on an 8x8 stretched canvas, 1 1/2 inches deep. Layers of gesso, paints , a ripped and torn image, stained muslin and a vintage skeleton key, and wire encorporated with quotes about JOURNEY complete this collage.