Exercising Different Creative Muscles

When I was at the TAG exhibition a couple of weekends ago, I got to spend some quality time with artist (and musician and teacher and designer and, and, and...) Bill Russell in his studio. I had the honor of seeing some of his recent work in which he was exploring a new direction ~ or rather, using a new motivating force from which to create. Bill usually draws upon music, specifically jazz, as inspiration but recently he's turning toward a particular emotion to guide his creativity. And that same emotion was a driving force behind a series of pieces I worked on this summer. I could relate to what he was doing and where he was going.

As I was taking in his work, he opened a sketchbook and and asked if I wanted to collaborate on a page. My immediate reaction was panic. You see, I don't do sketchbooks. I'm not a sketcher. I'm not even a mark maker. So when he asked me I thought, "Oh, boy. He's gonna think I'm a fraud artist." But when Bill admitted he doesn't collaborate and was just as uncomfortable about the idea as I was about sketching, all my inhibitions melted away and I dove in.

We had a wonderful conversation during that sketchbook time about collaboration and how it works ~ making marks on the page along the way, reacting to each other's actions, back and forth and back again. And the question Bill kept asking was, "Are we done yet, Barb?"

And that's a great question.

The next day, I was back in my own studio and instead of marbling, I got out large sheets of papers and started making marks. I grabbed paints I don't marble with (oils and hard bodies and inks) and let loose. Without a specific plan and letting the moment take over, the next thing I knew, I had a dozen really interesting pieces that made me see my own medium differently. Bill had opened up something new in me.

And that's what collaboration will do to you. Even if it's just one page in a sketchbook.

The answer to Bill's question is simple: no, we are not done yet. And hopefully, we never are.

TAG Recap

Our pieces in the TAG show: Side Conversation and Liminal #1. These were made by my co-collaborator Liz Kalloch and me during our New Ground residency this summer.

What an extraordinary time in the Bay Area a couple of weekends ago! The TAG pop-up show was such a blast and a huge success. Joyce Conlon did a fantastic job curating the exhibition and the walls were pure eye candy! I loved watching people walk the rooms and take in (and respond to!) the artwork, asking great questions along the way. It was a wonderful evening and a spectacular personal experience.

Vortex ~ Mixed Media Collage, 30"x23"
Ambient ~ Mixed Media Collage, 30"x23"

Wayward Direction ~ Acrylic, Ink, and Charcoal on Paper, 19"x24"
No...Right? ~ Acrylic, Inck, and CHarcoal on Paper, 19"x24"

Home Ec ~ Acrylic and Collage on Wood Panel, 16"x20"

Vibeful and Joybrant ~ Acrylic on Canvas, 60"x48"

Untitled I and II ~ Acrylic on Wood Panel, 8"x24"

Unremembered, Air ~ Acrylic, Collage, and Marbling on Canvas, 8"x24"

You Go Your Way I'll Go Mine 2 ~ Acrylic on Wood Panel, 20"x24"

Untitled ~ Pencile, Charcoal, Acrylic on Paper, 20"x25"

Park at the Demineralization Zone, Peach AM ~ Acrylic on Wood, 24"x36"

For me, one of the highlights of participating in a group show is developing relationships with the other artists ~ and standing side-by-side with them in the gallery (with all the trepidation, excitement, and anticipation that comes with exhibiting one's soul work) while sharing our creative stories (the good, the bad, the ugly, the ups and downs, the techniques that worked and didn't, and everything swirling about in between!). This group was no exception. Talented, funny, curious, open-hearted and open-minded ~ my 48 hours with them I will cherish.

Most of the participating artists: Kimberly Rowe, Joyce Conlon, me, Liz, and Bill Russell.

One of the questions Liz and I got asked most was, "So, how does this collaboration thing work?" And the simple answer is...it just does. Liz and I don't put a lot of effort into the structure of the collaboration. In other words, we don't have regular meetings to establish goals or rules or expectations. There is no pre-nup that outlines who gets what should our collaboration abruptly end. We didn't sign a sacred contract and we didn't do a personality test beforehand. We simply became really good friends and then decided to create something together. We didn't know exactly what that would be but we were both willing to take the journey together.

And that was how New Ground started.

Liz and I have been collaborating together for over a year now and our work has taken us in several directions and on several adventures as we learned (and continue to learn!) how to work with each other and our two mediums. And it was the summer residency, which pulled together all the effort and energy we've put into the collaboration, where things really took off. If you'd like to see more of what we've been doing, head on over to www.NewGroundCollaboration.com and check things out.

Thank you to all who came to the TAG show. You're support, encouragement, and enthusiasm are received with so much gratitude. Liz and I are excited to get back into the studio together again (next month!) and continue to travel down the creative path together.

Liminal: The Series

Liminal: of or relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process.
Liminal: occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

I'm currently on a plane making my way up to San Francisco where I'll hook up with my wonderful friend, Liz Kalloch. One of our pieces from our Liminal Series, created during the two-week collaborative art residency we did last summer, is part of the pop-up abstract contemporary art exhibit TAG, opening this Saturday.

The Liminal Series focused on the idea of “pattern as language” and how patterns have been used throughout time as a practical (and critical) communication tool while at the same time rooted in aesthetic beauty and creative expression. Patterns have been used to teach, tell stories, identify, and claim identity. They have held secrets, history, and vital information. Patterns are in and of themselves their own alphabet.

Native Americans wove creation stories in baskets. The women of the Aran Islands (Ireland) knitted clan patterns into sweaters that not only kept their fishermen warm and dry but also identified them should they be lost at sea. Quilts identified safe houses and laid out routes to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

In creating this series, Liz and I took a “call and response” approach — starting with one artist’s pattern then the other artist “answering” that pattern with her own. The series plays off our mediums (painting and marbling) and reflects designs steeped in tradition but still born from our own voices.

If you'd like to see one of the Liminal Series pieces, it will be on display at Mark Drive Studios (11 Mark Drive, San Rafael, CA) this Saturday from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. with an artist reception from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Stay tuned for more news from Liz and I about our New Ground Collaboration!

TAG: A Pop-up Exhibition in San Rafael, Calif.

Liz Kalloch and I are thrilled and downright GIDDY to be participating in a curated show opening next weekend in San Rafael, Calif. with two pieces from our collaborative project New Ground.

Liminal #1 (and its sister piece) ~ both created during our residency last summer ~ will be on display in TAG: A Pop-Up Exhibition of Contemporary Abstract Painting opening Saturday, February 27.

TAG curator, artist Joyce Conlon, selected Bay Area artists who are pushing the boundaries within their work and then asked those artists to invite or "tag" another artist for inclusion. Liz and I feel honored to have been "tagged" and are excited to have our work included alongside Sydney Cohen, Joyce Conlon, Ellie Fritz, Kimberly Rowe, and Bill Russell.

The exhibition takes place Saturday, February 27 (3 p.m. - 8 p.m.) and Sunday, February 28 (noon - 4 p.m.) at Mark Drive Studios (11 Mark Drive, San Rafael, CA).

And I'll be there! Yep ~ I'll be heading up to the Bay Area to proudly stand side-by-side with my creative partner-in-crime and chat with folks who stop by to check out the show.

Hope to see you there!

Marbling on Photographs

Photograph by the talented Ann Howley.

Marbling on photographs. Yep. Love it. It's ridiculously fun.

I especially love the one above because of the vibrant, warm colors and how the traditional pattern Bouquet mirrors the shapes of the hot air balloons.

And then there is this one:

Another beautiful photograph by the talented Ann Howley.

I wanted to replicate the feel of the arctic cold, sparse landscape, and floating ice in this image so I chose to do an Italian Vein in cool colors over the top of it. I think I pulled it off since I feel a chill every time I look at it!

You can learn how to create traditional patterns such as Bouquet (and 15 other traditional patterns!) in my Clouds on Water: Introduction to Paper Marbling eCourse. And if you're up for a marbling adventure, check out my Clouds on Water: Advanced Marbling Techniques eCourse where, among many things, you'll learn about additives (used to create the Italian Vein pattern) and how to marble on photographs and other non-traditional materials.

For a short time, I am offering an incredible special on these two courses ~ buy the Introduction to Paper Marbling eCourse and get the Advanced Marbling Techniques eCourse for free!! That's a savings of $129!! Head on over to www.CloudsOnWater.com to register and use the discount code EBRULOVE. There are still four weeks of guided sessions by me on our very active private Facebook page and you'll have access to all the videos, website content, and downloadable handouts through the end of July!

Hope to see you in the classroom!

Indescribable

I've been quiet here on the blog lately and there's a very good reason for that. I'm still trying to find my way into how to share the soul-shifting experience of the two-week residency I did with my collaborator and friend Liz Kalloch. In some ways, I don't want to tell the story ~ that by doing so will weaken its power. In most ways, I simply can't. It was 14 days completely and totally committed to the creative process ~ and boy did we dive in, go deep, and not come up for air until we had to.

We put no pressure on ourselves ~ only to commit to being in the studio together ALL day (we usually got to the studio about 8:30 a.m. and didn't leave until after 7 p.m.) working on our collaboration projects we call New Ground. We had no number to meet, no agenda to complete. It really was an open-ended voyage into exploration.

Along the way, we tapped into some good, good stuff. Almost effortlessly, we produced a nearly complete series involving patterns (all on wood panel) and got a good start on a couple more directions we are excited to pursue. (But not being in the studio together to nurture those new directions together is a hard pill to swallow.) And on a personal level, I unexpectedly found my way into a couple of new creative directions I'm excited to explore more of.

It was a time of color exploration for me.

The brighter the color, the better!

Color study ~ seeing how paints behave when overmarbled on black.

Integrating creative styles.

Alumming oversized paper!

Our chill spot outside the studio (also the gathering place of several happy hours with other artists in the building)!

Busted out the oversized tank and had a blast!

Color, contrast, cracks...

Studio dog, Henri.

Works in progress...how we stratigize.

Work in progress...

Work in progress...

Peek at the finished piece!

Peek at another finished piece.

Another peek, another piece...

Work in progress...

Peek at the finished piece.

At the last minute, we decided to create smaller replicas of the original pieces.

What I learned during this time is that collaborations, when with the right person, is exhilarating. It sounds cliche but it's true: it's like a dance. You feed off each other's energy, guide each other across the dance floor of process, support each other when there's a stumble, and can't imagine dancing to that song with anyone else.

I also learned something about myself: that all my years of practice, of study, of showing up and DOING is worth it...it makes a difference. In little bits it never seems like I'm getting anywhere but when something like this happens ~ where you draw from so many areas of your skill set and talent and creative vision ~ you see the mosaic as the whole that it is.

New Ground Mini-Residency!

It's been a while since I talked about my soulful collaboration with artist Liz Kalloch called New Ground. A lot has happened with the project but mostly independently these past few months as we've tackled other projects that have prevented us from getting together in person. Since we live 400 miles apart, it's not like we can just bop on over to each other's studios and work together for a few hours. Calendars have to be cleared, plane tickets bought, supplies shipped back and forth. It's an effort. And one we love and find deeply rewarding despite the challenges. 

We decided last year that in addition to the week-long visits we carve out every two or three months to work in-studio together, we wanted to commit to being together for a longer time frame. We both felt that at the end of our week-long visits, we were just getting started when we had to part ways. We wanted to build on that momentum and see what kind of wonderfulness could happen when we really allowed ourselves time and space in which to expand more fully. We applied to a few month-long residencies that didn't work out so we decided...scew 'em, we'll create our own residency!

Photo by the lovely Stefanie Renee.

So next week I'll be heading up to San Rafael, Calif. where we've rented a lovely studio with lots of light and a great vibe. It's located in a building with other artists and because the spaces are working studios (and not live-in), when folks are there, they are there to create. And that's exactly the type of environment residencies are supposed to provide. We'll be there for at least two weeks...maybe longer if our schedules can accommodate it!

We both post a lot of photos of our progress on Instragram so if you want to keep up-to-date, hop on over there and follow us! We'd love for you to take the collaboration ride with us!

• Follow Liz on Instragram: @lizkalloch
  
• Follow me on Instragram: @barbskoog

Dreamy Green

Another background piece for the collaboration New Ground that I created last week when Liz and I were working in the studio together. I really do love the Overmarble and how effective it is in creating dimension. This is a simple Waved Vertical Gel Git on top of another Waved Vertical Gel Git. I simply LOVE that green which I will never see again as I mixed it up on the fly using leftover paints. I only have a vague idea of what's in it. Size is 13" x 20". Paper is Arches.

Three Elements ~ One Piece

A background piece I created last week for the New Ground collaboration. The three elements in here are a Spanish Marble (1) with an Italian Vein (2) Overmarble (3). Size is 13" x 20". Printed on Arches.

Welcome to the New Site!

Hello Blog Subscribers and visitors! Welcome to the new BarbSkoog.com ~ a fresh website design to go with my new logo! Many thanks to those of you who had to re-subscribe to my blog. I'm thrilled to have you along for the ride ~ again!

My friend, Liz, was in the studio with me last week as we continued to work on our collaboration, New Ground, and I wanted to share a few work-in-progress pictures. This session focused mostly on working with the masks we have been creating that are inspired by cultural patterns and designs. These masks are then applied to paper or fabric and marbled. The resulting white space is yet another area for us to work in.

The pieces below are all on paper (Arches or Texoprint) and measure 20" x 25."

Liz works her magic on a marbled Native American-inspired geometric pattern.

A marbled Islamic-inspired geometric pattern.

A marbled India-inspired design.

Summer Collaboration

For those of you not following me on Facebook or Instagram, here's a little update on the summer collaboration the talented painter/illustrator/designer Liz Kalloch and I are embarking upon. We've been spending time in each other's studios...or Google Chatting or texting when we can't be together...to develop this series where she's adding her flowers and "patchwork" designs to my marbled pieces. Here are some details of works in progress:

I cannot wait to reveal the full pieces to you! They are so stunning...they blow me away every time I look at them (which is all the time!).

These are on paper...but we also have another series in progress that is on wood panel! Stay tuned for more on that!

Pinch Me

I have been dying to share this news with you and am thrilled I can finally do so!

Above is the cover of a new book by esteemed poet (he's got 12 books and a ton of awards under his belt, after all), Philip Dacey. And if you haven't noticed already, that cover art...it's none other than Symphony I, a collaboration by Rebecca Tager and me for our Triptych Fusion show last fall.

A few months ago, independent press Rain Mountain contacted me expressing interest in using the piece for the cover...and was wondering if I would be willing to work with them. Ladies and gentlemen, how could I respond to this inquiry with anything other than a big, fat YES? So Rebecca and I agreed, a contract was drawn up, and next thing I know, I'm sending image files to the publisher.

But it doesn't end there.

As the editor and I emailed each other back and forth, I shared the story behind Symphony I and Triptych Fusion. She then asked if I would write an appendix for the book, explaining the art of marbling in general and the birth of Symphony I specifically. Would I? How could I pass up another opportunity "to bring marbling to the masses"? Of course I would. The editor gave me free reign on length (when does that ever happen?) and style and I ended up writing less of a technical piece and more of a personal essay about how marbling came into my life and how I engage with the art form. And I have to say, I think this is my favorite piece about marbling that I've written yet.

Which is fitting considering Church of the Adagio is a collection of Dacey's most cherished poems. In his own words:

Church of the Adagio is my first miscellaneous collection since my 1999 book, The Paramour of the Moving Air. Five books have appeared in the 15 intervening years, all with special themes or foci: Thomas Eakins, New York City, sonnets, short poems, and “fives” (a format of five five-line stanzas per poem). It’s therefore been a long while since I could choose poems for inclusion in a book solely because I had a special fondness for a poem or took a certain pride in having made it. Variety is a keynote of the book--variety of style, subject matter, form, and tone. I hope the ultimate effect is kaleidoscopic or cornucopian.

If you haven't read Dacey yet, you're in for a real treat. Wrapped up in his unwavering command of language of structure, you'll find his work to be contemporary and accessible, playful and witty, engaging and emotional without falling victim to over-romanticizing or over-dramatization. In other words, my kind of poetry.

Church of the Adagio will be released on July 1. You can pre-order at Rain Mountain or on Amazon. And if you'd like to get a sneak peak at a few of the poems, you can do so here.

New Note Card Store

I couldn't be happier with the beautiful results of my collaboration with artist Amy Sui ~ whose gorgeous script and calligraphy graces my marbled papers. Together, we've created a collection of note cards which have inspiring, engaging, thoughtful, and uplifting quotes on them.

Our first round of quotes sold out immediately. I've just updated the shop with our second round. If you're interested in purchasing, you can get them at the Peach Tree Holiday Show next weekend or you can email me (Cheers "at" BarbSkoog "dot" com).

Check Out the New Note Card Store!