my artful neighbors

Hmmm, some random art?  

One of the best things about teaching all over the country and sharing artwork in the creative online communities is the amazing friends you meet.  Some of my most favorite people on the planet are my "art friends".  One of those fabulous new friends is Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, artist extraordinaire and a fellow New Yorker.  We taught together at Cloth Paper Scissors Create! in California this past spring, and will be  doing the same at Create! Mixed Media Retreat in Chicago at the end of August.

You'll have to visit Julie's blog tomorrow, on Friday, July 29th and see what these little random artworks are all about….  I'm a guest blogger on Julie's blog sharing some ideas for Art Journaling Everyday.  See you over there!

"with my Zwirlz"…..

…"this is how i bring it and play like a girl!"

FROM ZWIRLZ GAME "PLAY LIKE A GIRL"

What the heck is Zwirlz??!!!  As a freelance artist, i am involved in a variety of projects for several companies.  I'm thrilled to be the artist for a brand new innovative App, a game for tween girls called "Zwirlz" available NOW in the iTunes Store!  How cool is that to see my artwork in the iTunes store!!! 

I designed the sweet animated main character named "Zoe".  It was the first time any of my art was animated.  Another huge thrill.

(you can see her dance on the website here: Zwirlz)

 DEFINITION OF ZWIRLZ: "Play the wildly fun, clapping, laughing, dancing, jumping, get-up-and-go game for you and your friends!  Zwirlz is the girl-power, real action game about everything that matters to YOU, like recess, sleepovers, being a babysitter, birthdays and changing the world!"

VIDEO: Watch Zwirlz in action!  

Isn't it adorable and fun?!!
It's only 99 cents in the iTunes Store! 

Each game consists of a lively rhyme written by my friend Jen Shanley (the company owner), designed to encourage girl power laughter, fun, movement and social interaction.  It's brilliant!  Check it out for your favorite tween girls.

 There are "girl power" coloring sheets that can be downloaded right off the Zwirlz website for free.

 What a i love about this project is that it is a very relevant game for girls in this tech age, that challenges them to get up and move and interact with other human beings!  It's not just playing a mind numbing video game, it's teaching girl power, friendship and physical movement through play and dance.  It's available for iTouch, iPad and iPhone.

Spread the word!  Even if you don't have a little tween girl, share Zwirlz with your friends, neighbors, grandkids, nieces and superstar girls everywhere!  Let me know what you think.  

And Michelle Obama, if you're listening, this is a perfect girl power game supporting your 

"Let's Move" initiative!

hanging out at Luminarte

Blogging at Luminarte today, featuring my "Color Stories".  Go on over and check it out and see what inspirations strike using a few color families and circles in your art and projects.  Have a nice weekend!

stampington art journal magazine

Have you been to Barnes and Noble, Michaels, JoAnn's  and seen the Summer 2011 issue of Art Journaling magazine???  My art journal and article are showcased page 6 through 11, woo hoo!!

 What a thrill!!!  An art dream come true.

 I remember taking the Art Journaling Winter issue with me on my Florida vacation in February 2010.  I coveted the magazine and had it perched on the coffee table of our cottage where i could get lost in it everyday.  It was inspiration.  

I looked at the cover and said out loud, "i'm going to be in this magazine someday."  

 Dreams really do come true.

 What an incredible feeling seeing my journal pages on magazine pages!!

 Every teeny detail perfectly photographed...

 Thank you Amber and Stampington for presenting my work so beautifully, and making my dreams forever present in your publication!

color stories...

Psssssssttttttttttt!!  

Go check out my "Color Stories" blog post on the Luminarte site.  Then go play with some Twinks and Radiant Rains….. making some pretty pages…. 

art every day…july 9-15, 2011

Long, awesome week, spent teaching and painting.  I had an art camp for 4 days with 9 sweet little girls age 8-14, who made some really fun art.  At night i had two art journaling classes with my "Art Ladies", a group of my favorite people who come to my studio on a regular basis to share creativity, art exploring and wine!

 

With my busy teaching schedule this week there wasn't much time for daydreaming and doodling.  My "Sweets Art" art this week was all about color, paints and pattern in this watercolor journal using spray inks, stencils, white paint, and stamps.

 Each page has a different feel, and i used two smaller sheets of paper to create an inclusion. With three sheets of paper i created a 20 page book with a sewn signature down the middle.

 I puttered around in this journal every day, lettering a little….

 ….painting the inked pages…..

 ….doodled some writing……how could i go a week without doodling!!

 …made a lettering grid on one of the inclusions that is now waiting for my profound writings...

 ….okay, a little bit of my drawing, i can't help it!...

 …some paint...

 This is the kind of book that takes me weeks, months to finish.  I over think what should go on each page, instead of just doing it!  Let that be a lesson to you, just do it!!  

 …the back page….watercolored stamping, stencils, ink...

Here's a peek into my art journaling class in my teeny studio.  

These are my soul sisters, my local "Art Ladies"…

…this is Meg...

 …Kim...

 …Kelly...

... Jeanne...

 and Kitty….

 and Linda and her beautiful journal!

 …gorgeous pages, amazing journals….

It was a artful week!  It's my hope you are inspired to go make something "artfully you"!