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A couple years ago I attended a three day master class at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, “the nation’s first school and museum of the fine arts.” I loved the class, not so much the commute from central, NJ. A couple weeks ago I returned for a 5 day “intensive” on botanical drawing and painting,  but I stayed at a nearby Marriott. What a difference not having to make that commute made!

I selected a Calla Lily Zantedeschia to use as my model.  I worked with it several days, including doing sketches of it, a toned drawing, and eventually a watercolor painting of it.  I later learned this is called called a Picasso Calla Lily!

In addition to my class, I used every break and lunch hour to wonder around the school.  I visited every floor.  Some hallways were near empty, something I learned only happens during the summer months.  Others were flowing with artwork, and some rooms had other “intensive” classes going on.

Since I have a lot of printmaking experience, I was thrilled that the instructor of this printmaking class allowed me in to wander around the huge classroom. It was filled with all types of interesting prints, and I was so tempted to join right in!

Also fun was heading to the 11th floor where there is a student lounge and going onto the roof where there are a few tables and chairs along with great views. I took all types of photos while up there.

Then there were all of the exhibits going on at both the museum housed within the new school building and the exhibits going on in the museum of the original building. Every day there was something new to see and explore.

When I saw my reflection in the artwork, along with the building behind me, I had to snap some photos!   

Each morning I woke to the sun rising over the Delaware and flooding my room with light.  I took along my favorite large teacup, made tea, and wrote in my journal.  These photos scratch the surface of the many I took at the school and around downtown Philadelphia.  I look forward to returning again!

I’ve been getting emails asking where I’ve been. I’ve been here! I took a break from blogging for what I thought would be a couple weeks and that magically turned into a couple months.

In any event, I thought I’d share information on a couple online classes that I took last year through Coursera. If you’re not heard of it, Coursera offers a huge selection of MOCCs — or massive open online courses.  It’s an incredible opportunity to take classes from over 80 top universities and organizations.

The first class I took was through The Pennsylvania State University (what I refer to as Penn State) called Introduction to Art: Concepts & Techniques. Although it was designed for individuals without any artistic background, I found it very interesting and believe anyone with any interest at all in art will enjoy. The seven week class covered art elements and techniques, fantasy, correspondence with memory (yes, mail art), stories through the lens (black and white portraiture), inside the space (installation and 3D art), personal collections, and the artist critique. Anna Divinsky taught the class, and she was excellent.  Each class contained reading material and a series of online videos.  Also, there’s a Coursera app which makes viewing the videos on an iPad great.

The second class which I finished in November was also through Penn State.  The 8 week class, Creativity, Innovation, and Change, was taught by three instructors: Jack V. Matson, Darrell Velegol, and Kathryn W. Jablokow. The class was so very eye-opening. One of the most fun concepts taught was something called “intelligent fast failure” and dealt with embracing failures because they eventually result in success. The success of one exercise was based on the number of failures, which was liberating!  Because the goal was to try over and over to come up with a large number of failures before you decided when to stop, I tried all types of things just to get my number higher.  But then I got into it, with me thinking, “but what if I try this, and that, and this, and so on.”  As a result, I came up with something that was much better than I suspect I would have had I not been required to come up with a number of failures!

Another aha moment for me was understanding the different approaches to creative problem solving and where one falls on the creative diversity scale.  After taking some tests, I learned I’m more methodical than shotgun in my approach.  No one approach or place on the scale is the correct one.  Rather, understanding how you work and recognizing how others work allows one to adjust how tasks are done to bring out the best of each in the creative team.  I’ve already been able to apply this in my professional life.
Topics included idea generation, idea evaluation, creative collaboration, research, metrics, experimentation, and synthesis of creativity, innovation, and change.

Here is one of the two certifications I earned.

I’m one of those people who enjoy getting some kind of proof of completion when I finish a class, and I’m glad that both offered a certification (not all classes do).  Such incentive tends to motivate me and keep me on track, which is especially important considering it’s a free online class. Each class had over 100,000 students — yes, that many — from all over the world.  Grading is done through weekly tests and, depending on whether you’re trying for an “Explorer” or “Adventurer” Certificate, can include participation in peer forums.  It was often enlightening to read the forums, both in how people from different areas of the world approach solving problems and interact.  For example, in one instance, a student created a beautiful final solution to an assignment that required one sheet of paper.  Looking at it, it was clear she used many sheets.  Even so, being it was a creativity class, I (and some others) gave her credit for creating something that was very good.  Others weren’t as kind, some slamming her for using more materials than stated in the instructions and saying things like she “cheated.”  She apologized, stating the country she is from, that English isn’t her first language, and that she interpreted the meaning of the assignment incorrectly.  She was so ashamed and suggested she drop out.  Even more then came to her defense.  It seemed such a slice of life!

As with any class, you only get out what you put in.  I did start a public speaking class that was excellent. However, there was so much work involved, and the videos were very long.  After several weeks, and knowing there was no certificate award upon completion, I goofed off and didn’t yet complete the class. Luckily, once you enroll, you have access to the class and can complete it whenever you’d like (although you don’t earn a certification for it; that is, unless you un-enroll, re-enroll, and start from the beginning).  You also have access to any class you completed so that you can revisit lessons.  It’s a win, win.

If you’re looking to study something new this year, I wholeheartedly recommend visiting Coursera and checking out their mind-boggling class offering (iTunes is another excellent resource of MOCCs). I’m scheduled for two more classes this year.  Anyone else?

I love TED talks.  I find them inspiring and excellent food for thought. In this talk, David Kelley talks about creative confidence and how flip comments from others can often plant the seeds to kill creative confidence in adult life. He tells the story of a school friend who was in the middle of making something when another blurted out “that’s terrible.”  His friend was quickly embarrassed and trashed his project.  I’m sure everyone has such a story.  I certainly do, and more than one or two of them.   Mr. Kelley then goes on to talk about “guided mastery” and encourages everyone to “let ideas fly” and to “touch the snake.”  Wondering about the latter?  Watch the video! It’s only 11+ minutes and totally worth it.

And, if you’re looking for another good TED talk, I recommend Elizabeth Gildbert’s talk called Nurturing Creativity. I wrote about it in 2009, I still periodically watch it (as it’s filled with good lessons that I need refreshers on), and you can find the link to it here.

I took this shot one afternoon, on route to the train station. From it, I created a bunch of variations using several different iPad/iPhone apps. (Yes, I know I’m missing a “w” from my signature brush!)

The first is a sketch I did using an app called Pen & Ink (which is a basic drawing program, no layers — if you need recommendations on other programs with layers, I can give them) on an iPad along with a “Jot” stylus. I drew it from a fashion magazine ad photo. After it was finished, I took it into other apps to try some different effects on the image. I use Photosync to go from my iPad to the computer, as I can’t help but to also use Photoshop, and then use Photosync to take the image back to my iPad.  The one with the black background looks like it would translate well on black fabric with white perle cotton thread and heavy stitches.  I also like the bottom image and am thinking of making it in fabric. At the very least, it’s fun experimenting!

While at Macworld, I took some ipad/iphone sessions relating to artwork and photography, and I met some people doing very cool work.  That was fun.  Plus I came away feeling better about my own work, and that’s always a plus.   The buzz-phrase was “app-stacking,” which is just a catchy way to describe using multiple apps to get a final look.  The process of using more than one application (an app is simply a program) toward your final work is nothing new.  Some of us even giggled at the term as we noted anyone working in digital media has been doing it for years.

I did like some of the new pressure sensitive styluses.  Jot makes a new one that sells for $89.  It requires blue tooth and a charge (which they say will last up to a month).  I suspect if it was available at the show, I would have been swept up in the moment and bought it.  But now that I’m home and giving it more thought, I’m on the fence.  I like that you can rest your hand on the iPad and it doesn’t pick up any lines from it; the only lines are made from the stylus.  However, I like using a combination of fingers and stylus, so I’m vacillating on whether to get it (yes, you can toggle it on and off).   Another is called Hex3 from JaJa, which I tried during some sketching demonstrations.  That felt very good.  I’m on the fence about treating myself to one as I’ve gotten use to working in lower a lower opacity to build up color, but I suspect one is in my future.

It’s been a bit of a difficult summer for me, mainly because of ongoing back problems and health issues with my mother-in-law. As a result, I’ve not produced much artwork, nor have I taken on new clients or done much by the way of “work.” However, I am trying to keep myself focused by doing small things for myself, such as photography, short trips, and a recent Blurb book project that I’ll write about in another post.

Yesterday was a perfect weather day, and I thought a good time to go to Princeton. I live close by, yet I hardly take advantage of it. My mom came over, and I took her with me. The hour plus we spent at the museum, even with the bat that was flying around (and not part of any exhibits!) was a lovely diversion.

This a small sampling of photographs is from an exhibit called Bernice Abbott: Changing New York. The photos were taken during the Great Depression and “became a chronicle of New York city during this period of architectural and cultural metamorphosis.”

Another view, mainly to show the many pieces of this collection on display.

The exhibit called Encounters Conflict, Dialogue, Discovery is on view through September 23rd. It’s a collection of work in which every piece “embodies an encounter.” The 18th century marble statues in the front are attributed to the Flemish Jan Claudius De Cock.

The works above are by Yinka Shonibare, a British born artist, and the pieces are called The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters.

The piece above is by Liu Guosong, a Chinese born artist, and called Full Moon. It’s made up of five hanging scrolls of ink and color on paper.

The piece on the left is by Claes Oldenburg, American, born in Sweden, and called B Tree (For Alfred Barr). It’s graphite with blue pencil and white gouache on white wove paper. The photographs on the right by American born Lee Friedlander and called Lake Park, Milwaukee, Tarrytown, NY, Middlesex Falls, MA, and Central Park, NYC.

These are works from part of the Museum’s modern art collection. The white plaster figure is called Woman on White Wicker Rocker by American artist George Segal. The collection of work on the wall is by American artist Jim Dine and is called The Art of Painting, No. 2. Yes, those are various tool suspended from the paintings.

Another view in the same room. The work on the back right wall  is by Joseph Albers.

This is from the Japanese, Edo Period, 1600-1868, and the piece is titled Tigers and Bamboo. It’s a six-fold screen with ink and gold on paper.

For Derry, who is a big Roy Lichtenstein fan.

This oil and enamel painting is by American artist (born in the Netherlands) Willem De Kooning and is called Black Friday.

A close up of Lee Friedlander’s work.

A close up of a sculpture attributed to Jan Claudius de Cock.

I love the pose and expression of this Chinese piece from the Southern Song dynasty, 1127-1279, called Guanyin Seated in Royal-ease Pose. It’s part of the Museum’s collection of Asian art.

Mom smiling!!

This Telsa wasn’t in the Museum, but parked nearby. It immediately caught my eye.  Pretty!

I’m a member of 8 That Create, the brain child of artist Sue Bleiweiss.  Part of our mission is to encourage our individual artist journeys.  Our first joint journey is the creation of a piece under the theme, “Empty Spaces.” Because of my darn back woes, I haven’t contributed as much as I should have. However, I have finally finished the digital end of my piece which I am calling “Faith.”

"Faith," ©2012 Gloria Hansen

This is the piece prior to being stitched. You can read about the process of how I went from a very basic idea to this finished digital collage.  The post is called, “The evolution of “Faith” – my empty spaces piece, and you can find it here.

Filmaker David Shiyang Liu created this typography-flowing piece from a video entitled Ira Glass on Storytelling Part 3.  Be it storytelling or quilt making or artwork or music, the message is the same … to be creative, you must do the work. Let’s get busy!

The new issue of Just Paint is out!  The free 16 page color newsletter is published by Golden Artist Colors, Inc. and available on the JustPaint.org website.  The site is described as a “technical resource for painters about the capabilities and possibilities of materials, and (sometimes) their limitations.” You can also sign up for a free subscription or download the PDF directly from the site.  If you’re not heard of it, you’re in for a treat as all 25 past issues are archived on the site.  Have fun!

from Sue's class

My online friend Sue Bleiweiss is offering a new online class called Watercolor Explorations for the Fiber Artist.  It starts tomorrow – June 10th!  I meant to post information about this sooner, but I was on vacation.  Even though my notice is short, go check out what she is offering.  I’ve seen the class, and it’s a good one!

I finished my collages to donate to One Cause: One Wednesday: One Hundred Collages, an online fundraiser that Virginia Spiegel has organized for the American Cancer Society.   The event happens February 16, 2011.  Each collage is 5×7 and will be mounted on 140 lb watercolor paper.  Here is my small contribution:

Solitude

Hand painted Japanese papers and a print of an altered photo collaged onto cotton duck.  The image is then painted again.

Three Birds

The base for this piece is a stack of papers sewn together and painted. The next layer is a digital image inkjet printed onto thin Lutrador that I then heat distressed.  The next layer are various papers collaged on fabric and over painted.  The next is from a photograph I took outside the History Museum in London.  I recolored and printed the bird three times onto fabric and then stitched them into place.

Light Decay

The bottom layer is a stack of papers sewn together and painted.  The next layer has hand painted papers, fabric, and a digital design printed on thin strips of metal.  The next image has the same design printed on thin Lutrador which is heat distressed.  The top layer is another piece of inkjet printed metal.

Lost

This piece began as some photos that I printed and collaged onto hand painted fabric.  I then photographed that image and digitally changed the colors.  I printed it that new image onto fabric and printed it again onto paper.  Both are collaged and stitched together with sheers.  I then added more paint and sealed the edges with black gesso.  I like how the original collage is nearly totally obscured.   This is a small version of a larger series of work.

I also did another set of collages that are not part of the fundraiser.  However, I thought I’d also share them.

Yearning

Time

Contemplation

Each of these collages are based on photographs that I’ve taken.   At some point I may use one as part of a journal cover or as a starting point for something larger.  Or not.

The Little Guide To Beating Procrastination, Perfectionism and Blocks

While I know many people are very successful using a productivity coach, I am not one of them.  Rather, I’m a list maker, journal keeper, and goal setter.  Except sometimes, like lately, I find myself unable to focus on my personal artwork.  I get behind.  I’m in a slump.  I am trying to find the gas pedal yet stuck in neutral.  Generally when this happens, I start trolling the web hoping to stumble on something that might help me to regain my focus and kick myself into gear.

You know how it goes – you get to one site, that site has a link that you go off to, then another and another.  It’s a fine line between me wasting too much time bouncing from one site to another and finding just what I’m looking for. And find it I did.

A few days ago I made my way to a site by Hillary Rettig, a productivity coach.  Normally I’d immediately click right off such a site; however one of her free ebooks caught my eye:  “The Little Guide to Beating Procrastination, Perfectionism, and Blocks.” While I half expected it to be of little use (oh ye of little faith), I downloaded the 87-page ebook anyway.  I started buzzing down the pages, one after the next of examples of various things that knock one of their path. Immediately I thought, boring. Not for me. Then a line caught my attention: “The Opposite of Negativity is NOT Delusional Positiveness.” I slowed down. Maybe there could be something useful.

As I went through the pages, another thing caught my eye.  Something I absolutely believed in ever since I watched my business partner when we first started out business some 9 years ago — that is, showing up and doing the work.  Even though we had only a couple clients, he’d show up early morning to the small office he had and sit there working until the end of the day. He would work on writing a new program or script, read something related to work, or come up with ways to attract business.  He did it every day (still does), and it was what convinced me that our little venture may actually work.

So there it was, that very ethic in the ebook, the habits of productive work …

1. Showing up to work exactly when you are supposed to.
2. Instantly starting the work you are supposed to be doing.
3. Staying focused on the work for twenty minutes or more.

Then I read, “Most people … can train themselves to work in a focused manner for at least twenty minutes before having to get up and take a
break.”  Another reminder.

In 2008 (time flies) I wrote about using an egg timer to start work that I was very reluctant to do.  You can find that post here.  I now use the timer on my iphone rather than the widgets I wrote  about and instead of 45 minutes I often set it to 20.  Twenty allows me to set two small goals in one hour and use the other 20 minutes for making tea, stretching, letting Buddy in and out, and not making myself too crazy. Yet lately I find myself getting away from that habit and making excuses as to why I don’t have much time for my personal artwork (although to anyone saying that to me I’d reply, “That’s crap, make the time.”)

So there it was in black and white, the splash of cold water reminder:  show up, set the timer, focus, work.

While I’m still not into the idea of a productivity coach, I certainly appreciated this one. If you find yourself needing a bit of a kick, give it a read; and if you are a person who is interested in a productivity coach, I suspect she may be a good one.