Wine, Chocolate and Discussion - "Why We Make Art" at the Eclipse Chocolat Cafe

Here is another community event to sink your teeth into. See the information below from San Diego Women's Caucus for Art member Steffanie Dotson:

Why We Make Art
-A discussion hosted by the Women's Caucus for Art, San Diego Chapter

When: Friday, August 21, 2009 from 6pm - 8pm

Where: Eclipse Chocolat Cafe
2121 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92104
(at El Cajon & Alabama near Washington)

Why: The discussion is intended to get us all thinking and ACTING and inspired to make more art, and to find what our roles are in the community and in our careers as women artists.

10% of all proceeds made during the discussion will go to the WCA San Diego. So come thirsty and hungry for chocolates. Eclipse offers coffee, tea, wine and other delicious dessert beverages such as drinking chocolates. They also have an impressive array of handmade chocolate truffles, candy bars, cupcakes, and other yummy treats.

More about the Topic of discussion:
The question that at one time or another has perplexed us all as artists: Why do I make art?

Our discussion will pose this question and we hope to hear from each of you. Of course, we can't hope to answer or even have a fruitful discussion about this without posing other questions.

• What does it take to be a successful artist?
• And we pose this question as a very personal inquiry... what makes you feel accomplished, validated?
• When you really shave away all the layers of making, whether it be performance art, painting, sculpture, textiles, small metals, wood or clay... what is the essence of what you do?
• What is your goal? Is it intertwined with a social obligation?
• Who do you make art for?
• What's the response you hope to get from your viewer?
• What/who are you inspired by?

Over the next week, we hope you'll ponder this topic and possibly make a few notes about ideas that you'd like to share. Bring a friend or two. Forward this invitation to any women you think may be interested. ...and don't forget to scrounge up that couch change. Check your jacket pockets and the junk drawer. We hope everyone will at least buy a drink and a truffle.

Thanks to Steffanie for writing up these questions for discussion. And wine and chocolates to boot! Should be fun.

I am going to try to make this event. I have a very simple answer to the question of "Why I make art" which is to be a creator. I love to make new things come into being. In a world of mass production and "sameness," the unique calls to me. I need to make objects that lift you out of the mundane and live in a world of their own that you want to touch and be a part of.

Your turn:
If you cannot make this event, whether you are busy or in another part of the country, I would love to hear what you think about this topic. It is a question that each artist has to answer for themselves, and no two answers will be alike. Share your answers in the comments here!

Happy Art Making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Women's Caucus for Art, San Diego Annual Retreat

IT’S TIME TO REGISTER for the 12th ANNUAL Women's Caucus for Art/San Diego (WCA/SD) RETREAT for 2009!

Here is all the information from the WCA/SD Retreat Coordinator Jen Bottoms:

The retreat offers a special time to make art, make new friends and reconnect with old friends.

WORKSHOPS INCLUDE:

THE FAMILY FIELD AND CONSTELLATIONS, group healing session with Ellen Benfatti
PORTRAIT PAINTING with Judith Burnett
ENCAUSTIC TECHNIQUE with Jaime Lyerly
(More details about the workshops below)

When: November 13, 14, 15, 2009

Where: Camp Stevens in Julian
1108 Highway 78
Julian, CA 92036
Phone: (760)765-0028
We will be staying in the new Wolterstorff Lodge.

Fee: A $135 (member), $155 (non-member) or $180 (retreat plus basic membership) fee covers registration, 2 nights and 5 meals (organically grown and prepared by Camp Stevens), and all workshop fees. Note: There might be a small materials fee.

Directions:
From San Diego: Take highway 67 to Ramona, then Highway 78 east to Julian. Camp Stevens is located 2 miles east of Julian on State Highway 78.
There is a “Camp Stevens” entrance sign on the left side of the highway exactly 2 miles from Julian.

REGISTER EARLY!
A deposit of $35 (refundable before November 6, 2009) is required to secure your reservation, and the full amount of $135, $155 or $180, is due no later than Sept.13, 2009.

Registered participants will receive a detail map, a packing list, schedule, and other details via mail. Please let us know if you require a special diet, or have physical restrictions.

Note: There is no cell phone service.

Workshop Descriptions:
(A WCA/SD membership is NOT required to participate in the retreat)

The family field and constellations; group healing session with Ellen Benfatti
There is a “life force” that flows through families, generation after generation. This force is one, which relates family member’s to each other. This is part of the family field of consciousness. We call it the Family Soul. Ellen will be facilitating a healing session which works with the energetic patterns held within the family. Come ready to heal and restore balance to your body, mind, and soul. The time spent together during this workshop will most likely change your view of yourself, humanity, and your family in a way that fosters more love, compassion, health, and vitality.

Portrait Painting in oils with Judith Burnett
You will learn a basic portrait painting technique. You will learn how to pose your model in order to get a good likeness and a satisfying painting; what materials and colors you will need, and how to mix and apply your paint.

Encaustic painting with Jaime Lyerly
Encaustic is beeswax, damar resin and pigment applied to a surface hot and fused using heat. You will be learning the basic techniques of encaustic painting is this workshop. We will cover history, materials, substrates, tools and safety. We will explore layering, collage, incising, embedding, and transfers. There will be plenty of time for hands-on experimentation. Bring your own collage elements and get ready to try this “hot” way of painting. (see more of my encaustic work)

About Camp Stevens and WCA/SD retreat
We will stay in the new Wolterstorff Lodge, which is built from the ashes of the Bishop’s Lodge; destroyed in the “Angel Fire” in September 15, 2007. The lodge has 24 beds; 4 six person rooms with shared bath, and a meeting room with a fireplace. Outdoor Facilities include a tree house, outdoor chapel and other outdoor meeting and gathering spaces. Visitors can also enjoy a swim in the pool (seasonal), a stroll in the botanical garden, games on the lawns, basketball and volleyball, or an evening campfire.

For more information, or to register for the Retreat, contact Jen Bottoms at (619) 892-3429 or via email.

If you missed my encaustic workshop in Escondido, you can join me for this one! Hope to see you there.

Happy Art making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

First 4 Steps towards Selling your Art - from the Art Biz Coach

For those of you who not my Twitter follower or Facebook friend or fan, you may have missed all my posts about these steps. So, I present to you the Art Biz Coach Alyson Stanfield's "First 4 steps toward selling your art." They are wonderful and a great reminder that it takes more than just work in the studio to make it as an artist.

It is because of the Art Biz Coach's book "I'd rather be in the studio" and newsletter that I even started my blog and all this social networking. Knowing the steps and learning how to follow through with them is a must for artists at all stages of the game.

Here are the steps:

Step #1 is Devote yourself completely to a studio practice

Step #2 is Create your mailing list

Step #3 is Connect with other artists

Step #4 is Start writing about your art (and never stop)

I have steps #3 and #4 down. I love to write, blog, tweet, and connect with other artists. I write for my own blog, Art Making is a Journey and the Women's Caucus for Art Blog. It is even more fun to write about other artists than my own work. Over the past year, I have written about other artists such as Lisa Bebi, David Fobes, May-Ling Martinez, and events such as the workshops at the Escondido Municipal Gallery, the Women's History Museum's "Herstory" show, and Dance, Vocal and Drum Workshop led by Kat Fulton and Draza Jansky. Granted, most of these events I was somehow involved in, but what better way to write about something than to experience it firsthand?

Step #1 is simple, yet hard to manage. Devoted studio time. Do I have that? I spend lots of time making art, but I recently have been making art in hours of creative energy. When my college classes start again at the end of the month, I will be back on a normal routine of making art almost everyday. Then I will be back to devoted studio time.

Step #2 is the most difficult for me. I am just starting my mailing list, but am not sure which is the best service to use. I signed up for a free trial of Constant Contact email marketing service. I also have downloaded a free trial of Flick! which is a program to manage my art and my contacts in the same place (more information about software programs for artists on the Art Biz Coach Blog). I want to be able to send out art newsletters to announce my art and pass along the great information that I find on the web. If you want to be on my email list, please fill in the box on the right of blog post. Yet, I am still confused on which comes first. Do you have any tips?

So check out these first steps, and let me know what you think. If you have any tips on software programs, email programs or keeping up with studio practice, I would love to hear about it. Put it in the comments here to share with everyone.

Until then, Happy Art-Making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Artist Trading Card (ATC) Workshop Photos

Artist Trading Cards at the Escondido Municipal Gallery, Before the Workshop swap

photo © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

We had so much fun at the free Artist Trading Card (ATC) Workshop led by Renee Richetts and Lisa Bebi last Saturday, August 8, 2009 at the Escondido Municipal Gallery! It was great, and I have plenty of pictures to share. Plus, I finally met some of the wonderful artists that I have been connecting with on Facebook. It was an inspirational day!

Artist Trading Card (ATC) Workshop, Renee Richetts and Lisa Bebi standing

photo © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Most of the workshop time was spent creating the cards using whatever materials wanted. All materials were provided, and we could use anything or everything there. The only criteria to be an Artist Trading Card or ATC is that the card has to be 2.5 inch by 3.5 inch. So stay in that size and let the creativity flow!

Artist Trading Card (ATC) Workshop, Participates working
photo © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

My son, Xen, immediately started cutting and gluing cards together. My friend, Starry, took out tiny pieces of tissue and glued them onto a card. Her daughter, Pan, drew anime with pencils. Without much thought, I ripped up some book pages and started gluing them down to the pre-cut card. Grabbing some Golden fluid acrylic paints and brushes, I started to put color down on the cards. I had not worked in acrylics for at least a year, ever since I fell in love with hot encaustic wax. It was wonderful to be able to lay down color and not have to fuse every layer! I forgot how easy and intuitive it is to work in acrylics.

Here are some photographs of some of the cards we did at this workshop.

Artist Trading Cards by Jaime Lyerly, © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Artist Trading Card by Xen, © photo 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Artist Trading Card by Pan, © photo 2009 Pan

Artist Trading Card by Pan, © photo 2009 Pan

Artist Trading Card by Starry Wizdom, © photo 2009 Starry Wizdom

Artist Trading Card by Starry Wizdom, © photo 2009 Starry Wizdom

After we created the cards, and they dried, it was time to swap them out with the other ATC's available on the wall in the back of the gallery.

Xen and Starry checking out the ATC's available for swap,
© photo 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Starry laying out her ATC's,
© photo 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Starry and Pan deciding which ATC's to swap,
© photo 2009 Jaime Lyerly

When we made out choices of what which card we wanted from the board above, we switched it out with one of our own. Here are some of the cards we made in their new homes (for the moment!)

Artist Trading Cards by Starry Wizdom in their trading cubby holes,
© photo 2009 Starry Wizdom

Artist Trading Card by Xen in its trading cubby hole,
© photo 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Artist Trading Card by Jaime Lyerly in its trading cubby hole,
© photo 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Finally, here is a photograph of the ATC's in their cubby holes after the workshop. Most of the original cards had been replaced by ones made by the artists at the workshop. The swap will continue for the duration of the ATC exhibit will be on display until September 3, 2009. If you are in the area, feel free to stop by Escondido Municipal Gallery and trade one!

Artist Trading Cards at the Escondido Municipal Gallery, After the Workshop swap
photo © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

The workshop did more for me than just a few hours of fun. I was so inspired by working in acrylics, that later on that same day, I did more painting. I painted for five hours straight and started 28 paintings in acrylic on 6x6 inch board. Yes, I know 28 paintings are a lot; but when I'm on fire, I go with it! I will have some pictures of those coming up this week.

Until then, Happy Art Making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Free - Artist Trading Card (ATC) Workshop w/Renee Richetts and Lisa Bebi tomorrow

Artist Trading Cards, © 2009 Renee Richetts, Escondido Municipal Gallery

Want to know what I will be doing tomorrow? Taking a FREE Art Workshop with my son, some friends and a whole bunch of artists!

Artists Renee Richetts and Lisa Bebi (WCA member) will be co-teaching a free workshop on Artist Trading Cards (ATC) at the Escondido Municipal Gallery in Escondido, California during the Escondido Saturday Artwalk, this Saturday, August 8, 2009 from 2-4 pm.

Artist Trading Cards (ATC) are little works of art with the only criteria that they need to be 2.5 in X 3.5 inch in size. They are lots of fun to make, and you can trade them with other artists to have original art works in a pocket-sized format. I haven't made an ATC in years, so I am looking forward to this workshop.

Here is more information about the event:

All Ages event
Cost: Free
Materials: Provided
Time: 2 - 4 pm
Place: Escondido Municipal Gallery
262 E. Grand Ave., Escondido, CA
ph. 760-480-4101

After the workshop, check out the opening exhibit of ATC's. Want to participate? Take part in the ATC trade: no money involved, just leave one to take one. What could be better than that?

If you are on Facebook, come RSVP to this event at this link: ATC Workshop Facebook event page.

Hopefully, I will see you tomorrow! Happy Art making! ~ Jaime Lyerly