On The Road :: Michigan - Part Two

Calendar Cover with Sharon Harkness-Dobler

Hi guys! I’m back with another design team project. This time I’m going to be creating a calendar cover using recycled cardboard.

Water Color Bookmarks with Leah

Hello everyone! I have two projects to show you today for OOAK Artisan Showcase! I have created two water colored bookmarks using some fun rubber stamps from Whipper Snapper Designs, Inc and my Prima Watercolor Pencils and paper.

Fun Image Transfer with Roberta Laliberte

Hello everyone! Roberta here with my next project. I decided to use a print of one of my paintings to create a rustic little sign for you. I really wanted to try the freezer paper method for image transfers. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be lol.

Find Joy Mixed Media with Jenn Engle

Hey everyone, Jenn Engle here with you today to share an art journal page.

On the Road :: Michigan - Part One

Recently I travelled to Holland, Michigan to visit with my best friend from high school, Ellen. Wherever I go I am always on the lookout for art and this trip was no exception. As usual I took a zillion photos! I decided I'd shared my visit with you. This is Part One.

Monster While visiting a new friend I noticed these really cool iron sculptures in her garden. I asked her husband about them and he told me they were created by their son, Foster.

Abstract Bees

So I said, "Is he here? Do you think he'd let me interview him?"

Foster is 18 but he created these pieces when he was about 12! He told me his dad was teaching him how to weld and he noticed a pile of 'junk'. The artist in him said "Hey, I can make something with that!"  (LOVE that!) While sharing his sculptures I found out his current passion is virtual reality. I wish I could explain to you everything he told me but I have to admit it was WAY over my head! Something about assets and model creations?!!

He did convince me to give it a try in "The Dive", a den where he entertains other VR enthusiasts, for a fee! I won't bore you with my whole experience but here's just a clip of my experience in creating dimensional art.

Foster just graduated from high school and is off to Kalamazoo to attend college in the fall. He will major in Computer Science. But, like I told his parents, I don't think he will finish college - he will be a self-made millionaire before then!

I really enjoyed my visit with Foster and I am looking forward to watching where his path will lead him. He is truly an amazing young man. I'm leaving you with some of his thoughts....

Part Two is coming, stay tuned!

~ Shelley

Mixed Media Paint Brush Holder with Jean Stambaugh Peter

"Wow!! Time for a new project for the OOAK design team. I am loving the challenges! I used a lot of the same products as last months project, Since I am trying to use the same supplies in as many ways as possible!! This "tool" is a paint brush roll up case but we all know a lot of possibility's for it!

My newest product to use is the NEOPAQUE flowable extender and it works amazing!! helps with the layering of colors, and seems to deepen some of the colors, I used the dyna flow fabric paint and the fantastix pens to paint the outside of the case in splotches using the neopaque on some to give a little gradation of the colors.

I added strips of cardboard in each of the slots to keep the paints from bleeding through to the other side. The inside was painted each slot a different color. NEOPAQUE flowable extender was used it to paint the circles, which allowed me to paint another color over and not change the colors!!

I used a bit of black dyna flow to dry brush the edges of colors to help the colors look blended. Several stamps, stencils,and doodling in black tied it all together!!" ~Jean

WOW! Jean's project is fantastic! I would love to have one of these in my art box for sure!  Don't forget you can visit Jean's blog at jeanpdesigns.blogspot.ca       ~Leah

Design Team Member Feature: Jenn Engle

Hello everyone!  We have another Design Team Member Feature for you today!  Today we feature the art of talented Jenn Engle, otherwise known as Mixed Media Jenn!

Jenn's eye for color and composition are fantastic, and she creates using all kinds of different mediums.

You can watch videos of Jenn work her magic on Youtube, here.

You can view her art on her blog here :)

Or you can see her works of art on Instagram!

Jenn has started creating for the OOAK design team, and I know you will love her work!  Come back soon to see more very soon :) I have included a video of Jenn creating a cover for the new ICAD challenge for you to enjoy :)