Below are photos from Lorna Nakell’s class Affirmations and Aspirations.  In this class students focused on setting goals for the future as well as the positive attributes they wish to manifest in their everyday lives.  They wrote these down, then created a “vision board” (a collage on canvas) to put up in their home in order to help visualize, in a more concrete way, the life path they wish to be on.  The class also included a basic arylic painting and collage demonstration as well as one-on-one instruction on acrylic mediums, composition and color use.  This class is available again on June 27th.

Five students working dilegently on the backgrounds for their collages.

A work in progress.  This student had chosen a color palette to use and was working on adding paint details on top of her images.

This student used a palette knife to scumble over her canvas creating a nice orange texture.  Her writing is set next to her painting as a reference for imagery.

This student cut out organic shapes and used a nice balance of bold color to create a dynamic composition which moves the eye around the canvas.

A black laser cutout of the Eiffel Tower was used as a collage element in this painting.  This student also incorporated some money she had collected while visiting other countries.  The focus of her collage, as well as many other students, was on travel.  Maybe because they were sensing the onset of summer.

DIY Lounge’s own Cathy Pitters rocked her craft skills in this year’s Chair Affair event!  Below is the sassy stool she decorated.

The Chair Affair is an annual auction/fundraiser put on by the Community Warehouse.  They are a volunteer-based nonprofit agency that collects and redistributes donated furniture and household items to local people in need, at no cost to them.  On Thursday, April 23rd the talents of over 80 local artists featuring chair-related art that includes jewelry, paintings, pottery, fabric, and of course, dozens of fabulous chairs were used to raise money for this great organization. 
 
Pitters is the owner of  BossaNovaBaby (which she runs out of her flamingo pink craft bunker) and co-organizer of  Crafty Wonderland, a monthly art & craft event at the Doug Fir Lounge.  She is also one forth of the women’s collective PDX Super Crafty, and recently wrote a how-to craft book entitled Super Crafty.  Pitters currently teaches at various  kids camps through DIY Lounge.

By Lorna Nakell

On Sunday, March 8th I took the Silk Screening 101 class at DIY Lounge at collage on Alberta.  This class was taught by Nicole Cipriano.  I have a small amount of print making experience but have always wanted to take a silk screening class to learn more techniques for printing multiple images.  This was a great class for someone like me with a small amount of experience, but also for those with no experience.  Because the class size was so small (only 4 students) we all received a good amount of assistance with the process. 

The four hour class gave me enough time to make several prints.  I used the time to experiment with a variety of papers.  I was so happy with the outcome of my printed design that after the class was over I integrated two of the prints I made into a project I was working on outside the class.  Below are photos from the class as well as a painting I made incorporating the prints as a collaged element.

Students printed on cotton fabrics as well as paper.  Nicole made fabric inks and other water-based inks available for experimentation.

Nicole built our screens for us and prepped them with photo emulsion.  This is my screen with a typewriter image all ready for inking.

One of the students is practicing putting emulsion on a screen with a rubber squeegee.

This was the setup Nicole designed for burning the photo image onto the screen.

This is the finished painting/collage I made in the weeks following the class.  It incorporates two of the silk screen typewriter images I made in the class.

Create an original design or tagline for Community Energy Project’s new reusable tote bags! Winners will receive a free bag featuring their design that’s filled with conservation materials. Your design should be square and should have enough resolution to print 9×9 clearly. The design should be family-friendly, and must be either black and white or two-color. Please email if you would like an electronic version of our logo. Community members, volunteers, and staff will vote on the designs. The winners will receive a tote filled with conservation materials with their design and tagline on it.

Please mail your submissions to: outreach@communityenergyproject.org or bring to Sherrie Smith at 422 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR 97211. Deadline: 3/31/09.

(Note: This opportunity was taken from the Regional Arts Commission web site.  collage and DIY Lounge are not responsible for any incorrect content related to this posting.)

Feast your eyes on a fascinating indie craft documentary that will be playing at the Museum of Contemporary Craft.

Show Times: Friday, April 3, at 7:30 pm and Saturday, April 4, at 12 noon at the museum. Get your tickets now before they sell out.  Purchase tickets

Friday: Join director Faythe Levine for the Northwest premiere of Handmade Nation, the documentary companion to the book Handmade Nation. Tickets to the Northwest premiere include a Handmade Nation tote bag filled with crafty goodness. A brief Q&A with Levine will follow the screening. Doors open at 7 pm. Please enter at 720 NW Davis Street, 2nd Floor. ($25)

Saturday: Join director Faythe Levine for a screening of Handmade Nation. Doors open at 11:30 am. A free panel discussion with director Faythe Levine, Susan Beal, Jill Bliss, Kate Bingaman-Burt, and Garth Johnson will follow at 2 pm. Participate in a Crochet-a-thon with artist Mandy Greer from 4 to 6 pm. ($10)

Also, Sunday April 5th is Crafty Wonderland’s third birthday and the director of Handmade Nation, Faythe Levine, will be there signing copies of her book.  We hope to see you there!

Most DIY Lounge teachers work on a variety of projects throughout the year along with teaching their scheduled classes.  Addie Boswell is no exception.  Here are just a couple of the projects she has been working on.

This vibrant mural was designed by Boswell but most of the work was done by a small group of kids.  Patients in Portland’s Legacy Emmanuel Children’s Hospital collaged “The Animals Arrive” for the family waiting room. (magazine paper, 2×3 feet).  The Garden mural graces Luscher Farms Gardens in West Linn, OR and was painted by Junior Gardeners (house paint, 4×16 feet).  All these materials were donated and/or recycled.  Hooray for Creative ReUse!

Boswell recently had her children’s book The Rain Stomper published.  You can buy an autographed copy of this book on Boswell’s web site for $20.

Addie Boswell teaches several classes at DIY Lounge including Celebrating Art - Buchman Camp (for ages 5-11) and Write a Business Plan PAINLESSLY.

Lisa Kagan has been teaching some inspirational exploratory art classes that focus on people’s personal journeys and histories.  Below are two autobiographical paintings done by Kagan.  They are examples of the work students can create in her Family Heirloom Art class at DIY Lounge.

Great Grandma and Boat.

Ruth’s Family Tree.

Lisa Kagan has two upcoming classes: Adventures in Drawing, Painting & Collage and Painting & Drawing Exploration, Stories of Self

Some of you may know Ivy Ross as a teacher of DIY Sweater People here at DIY Lounge at collage.  But like many artisans she has a cache of talents.  For example: she is a musician, and as such, a great addition to Porland’s country/folk music scene.  She will not only be adding a musical component to the upcoming No School Art School on November 24th, 25th and 26th but will also be perfoming with her band The Doorway Dwellers this Sunday.  On November 9th from 9-11 pm you can see Ms. Ross perform at Mississippi Pizza (3552 North Mississippi Ave Portland, Oregon).  Here’s the line-up:
Dusty Heroism
The Doorway Dwellers
& Bellingham’s most renowned soul band: Lucky Brown.

November is here! As part of the DIY Lounge community, we want to include you in some exciting upcoming events that will be chock full of creative wonders for you and the whole family!  What is great about both of these locally handmade shopping events is that they are also fundraisers for really fantastic causes.

Lewis Holiday Bazaar

Saturday November 8th 10 am - 3 pm
4401 SE Evergreen St
This free event will feature many of our DIY Lounge Teachers & behind the scenes folks including:

* Amy Stoner
* Jen Neitzel
* Cathy Pitters
* Amanda Horton
* Megan Klepp
* Alisa Timmerman

Shop for unique handmade gifts created by local artists, craftspeople and the children of Lewis Elementary School!  There will even be a free kids’ crafting zone for the youngsters while parents shop! When you support this sale you support Lewis Elementary School, handmade art & the local economy.
For more information click here.
Secret Society Sale

Sunday November 30th, 10 am - 6 pm
116 NE Russell
(next to the Wonder Ballroom)
local - handmade - art

Join us for this unique artist-run sale where local artists and crafters will be presenting their extraordinary handmade wares & fine art.  Then kick back at the all-new Secret Society Lounge, which will be open for drinks from 4-6 pm AND rest well knowing that 10% of all sales will benefit the Oregon Food Bank, because no one should go hungry.
Free Admission **non-perishable food donations are greatly encouraged.
Shopping AND a charitable cause, what could be better?
For more information, please visit here.