getting ready art

So excited!!!  I'm getting ready to fly out to Denver this week to tape a DVD for Cloth Paper Scissors Workshop.  I've been in a flurry creating art and samples for my taping.  Artwork and supplies are all over my studio, because as you know, my best masterpieces are made in pure and total creative chaos!  I will fill  you in on the DVD details when it's released in a few months.  But for now, enjoy these Peerless watercolored and Crafters Workshop stenciled demo journals i put together with some tape and lettering.  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Turkey Day!

Wishing you a blessed NOT stressed Thanksgiving!  I am so thankful for the many blessings i have….my sweet family, fabulous friends and my art to share……and for YOU!  

Thanks for your support and friendship.  

This "sophisticated" image is from my days of designing decorative outdoor flags for Lowes stores.  Enjoy!  

a little peek…..

These past few months have been crazy with projects and travel!  The kind of busy that your head will explode if you don't remember to savor the moments of each day, rather than always anticipating what's next!  I'm off to "One of a Kind" Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook show in Madison, Wisconsin this weekend to demo and teach Peerless Watercolors.  Can't wait!

I have been working on my 2012 stamp designs for Art Gone Wild.  I have a new direction and idea for the stamp artwork, and i'd like to run this by you…..

What do you think of a 4" x 6" stamp with this type of art to color?  This design?  I'm seeing beautiful friendship cards made from this image, journal pages, trading cards etc.  I'm really excited about it!  Leave a comment and let me know what you think. (the red © won't be on the final stamp)

This really is just about my favorite piece and i want to share it in a new way…….

"just be" ©joanne sharpe

...a lot of painted wood scraps!

For the past few weeks i've had the honor to do volunteer art work at the School of the Holy Childhood, here in Rochester.  It's a not for profit agency with a school and work programs serving children and adults with special needs and disabilities for over 60 years.

Holy Childhood has a very special place in my heart.  When i was a junior in high school, i was a classroom volunteer working with school age kids there!  My dad was on their Board of Directors for years.  In 1984 when the school grew out of their space, he, along with the director, Sister Seraphine, found empty school building for sale.  It's now their current location.

It's such a magical place, with vibrant energy and the kind of joy in the air that you can feel deep in your bones.

 I wanted to go back and volunteer to do something artful and unique.  They have a huge annual craft show and it was a perfect venue to "make stuff".  For the past few weeks i spent several days in the art room coordinating this painting project.  We used all the recycled SCRAP wood from the schools Woodworking program and magically created this product!  The students, their art teacher and volunteers base painted and decorated the wood, and I then hand lettered each one.  

The students shop at this sale the day before it opens seeking gifts and treasures for their families and friends.  Every item was just a few dollars so they could afford something really special, inspirational with  heartfelt messages.  Here are a ton of fun photos, i couldn't pick!

 …at the sale...

 Each one, truly a masterpiece painted with love.

  I was so proud of the success of this project and how well it was received.  It was such a hit!  We raised several hundred dollars for the school with beautiful recycled SCRAP WOOD!!!   There are still some available if you're local.  We sent the leftovers to the agency's volunteer retail shop The Generosity Store.  Check out the website, their mission is an incredible story of giving back.

We have plans to expand this project concept to benefit the School of the Holy Childhood, so stay tuned!

One Minute Journal Page Video

While i was at Create Retreat in Costa Mesa, CA this past May, Jenn Mason filmed this for the "Mixed Media in Minutes" series at Cloth Paper Scissors.  Jenn is doing some greound breaking projects over at CPS, this being one of them FREE technique videos!

My instruction was to make a journal page in one minute, yes, 60 seconds!!  Have you ever had a conversation with me?  Am i capable of talking for only ONE minute??  Daunting, i know, but i was up for the challenge.  I decided to color up a page spread with some Crafter's Workshop stencils and my spray inks.  Many of you know this technique your sleep, but it's a great for newbies.  It's basic, effective, colorful and doable in a New York minute!  

 CHECK OUT THE VIDEO HERE:  

One Minute Journal Page for Cloth Paper Scissors

 This is one of my favorite journal pages and i have posted it before.  These backgrounds were spritzed in minutes.  I then had a beautiful surface to fill with journaling with my Signo white pen.  Simple, simple, but so lovely.  There you have your Mixed Media in Minutes, enjoy!

you get it in writing

a letter better lesson

Here's a little "Artful Lettering" picture tutorial on drawing your letters, as shown in my composition play book.  I like this cheap paper to practice hand drawn letters, try new pens, make notes and develop ideas.  

Erase all the lines and marker color into the page.  I use this play journal instead of scratch paper, it's a $1 book of scratch doodles and letter practice.  After practicing, i'm confident to go into one of the "big girl journals", LOL!! 

Be on the lookout for my "Artful Letter Play" workshops in 2012.  I've got some secrets that i can't wait to share and there are lots of new things coming….

a little thank you note….

Dear you,

Thanks so much for your comments on my "whole journal" post!  Thank you for taking the time to share your kind words.  Here's my thank you note, your name is written in my comp book journal , each and every one of you who left a comment.  Your encouragement inspires me to have more discipline to blog, post and share more often.

 ….Just know that you matter and you are appreciated!!...

...sending huggs! joanne