Time in the studio has been limited due to my whirlwind schedule of travel for teaching, Art Quilt Tahoe and most recently Houston Quilt Festival. While I was in Houston, I met up with Lyric Kinard to learn about her new Start Your Art deck of cards. Lyric showed me the deck of cards to try out the various activities designed to help jumpstart your art! Be sure to read to the end for a FUN give away sponsored by Lyric Kinard!!
The next day, I left Houston to go teach and lecture in Southern California, so I was sure to pack my Start Your Art cards in my carry-on bag to try out during travels. What I love about Lyric's Start Your Art cards is they are compact, quick and easy, and super FUN!
Compact!!
While en route from Dallas to Burbank, I pulled out the "Make a Mix" card, along with a notebook and pen, and started to play. I sketched 6 boxes onto the page and filled each box with a different composition using two circles and a rectangle.
My creative juices really started to flow, so I started a second page of compositions, followed by a third and fourth page (for a total of 24 compositions)! All this creativity and play with less than 32" of personal space!
Quick & Easy!!
My next opportunity to play with Start Your Art came the next evening while I dined out after teaching an all day workshop. I was fairly exhausted, but once I placed my order, I pulled out my cards, notebook and pen, and chose the "Listen to the Music" card. I simply listened to each song that played in the background, found the melody/rhythm, and drew lines to match. This exercise reminded me of the joy I experienced free-motion quilting to Louis Armstrong music. This time around, I filled up 3 pages of musical transcriptions. Please note that this is not a reflection on how long it took for my meal to arrive. My meal arrived rather quickly, but I was having so much fun and couldn't resist doodling whenever a new song played overhead!
Super FUN!!
The next evening, I had some downtime before my evening lecture, so I pulled out one last card: The No Hands Rule. Each page of these doodles were completed by holding the pen in my elbow. It took a little time to adjust to this new way of drawing, so I kept my first doodle simple. Once I started to warm up, I doodled some of my favorite free-motion filler designs. This exercise really engaged my brain and body. My upper arm and shoulder got a fabulous workout as I engaged all new muscles to hold the pen in place and create the various designs!
On my return flight to San Jose, I received inspiration from my beverage napkin that read "Real art comes from the heart."
The next day, I left Houston to go teach and lecture in Southern California, so I was sure to pack my Start Your Art cards in my carry-on bag to try out during travels. What I love about Lyric's Start Your Art cards is they are compact, quick and easy, and super FUN!
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| Start Your Art on the Fly! |
Compact!!
While en route from Dallas to Burbank, I pulled out the "Make a Mix" card, along with a notebook and pen, and started to play. I sketched 6 boxes onto the page and filled each box with a different composition using two circles and a rectangle.
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| Creativity Takes Flight |
My creative juices really started to flow, so I started a second page of compositions, followed by a third and fourth page (for a total of 24 compositions)! All this creativity and play with less than 32" of personal space!
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| In Flight Fun |
Quick & Easy!!
My next opportunity to play with Start Your Art came the next evening while I dined out after teaching an all day workshop. I was fairly exhausted, but once I placed my order, I pulled out my cards, notebook and pen, and chose the "Listen to the Music" card. I simply listened to each song that played in the background, found the melody/rhythm, and drew lines to match. This exercise reminded me of the joy I experienced free-motion quilting to Louis Armstrong music. This time around, I filled up 3 pages of musical transcriptions. Please note that this is not a reflection on how long it took for my meal to arrive. My meal arrived rather quickly, but I was having so much fun and couldn't resist doodling whenever a new song played overhead!
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| Dinnertime Doodles |
Super FUN!!
The next evening, I had some downtime before my evening lecture, so I pulled out one last card: The No Hands Rule. Each page of these doodles were completed by holding the pen in my elbow. It took a little time to adjust to this new way of drawing, so I kept my first doodle simple. Once I started to warm up, I doodled some of my favorite free-motion filler designs. This exercise really engaged my brain and body. My upper arm and shoulder got a fabulous workout as I engaged all new muscles to hold the pen in place and create the various designs!
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| Look! No Hands! |
On my return flight to San Jose, I received inspiration from my beverage napkin that read "Real art comes from the heart."
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| More In-Flight Inspiration |
I pulled out two crayons from the restaurant and doodled some more.
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| Inner Child Fun |
Giveaway!!
Creating these crayon doodles reminded me of the joy and wonder of Art Classes in both Elementary and Secondary School. I am forever thankful to all the amazing Art and Quilt teachers who have been part of my own creative journey as they inspired me to play and create.
Lyric Kinard is offering a deck of Start Your Art Cards as a giveaway--to be given to your favorite Art teacher. To be entered to win a set on behalf of your favorite teacher, leave a comment below sharing memories of your favorite art teacher.
One winner will be randomly drawn on November 21st and Lyric will work with you to ship the cards directly to your teacher or to you to give to the teacher as a gift! --Giveaway is now closed!
Start Your Art
I encourage you to try out some of these exercises. And if you have as much fun as I did, you will want to order your own set of Start Your Art cards (also available as a downloadable version too) via Lyric's website. Imagine all the fun you will have as you play through all 48 exercises!!
That looks like a lot of fun! Mrs. Unwin was the art teacher at my elementary school. I always enjoyed her class.
ReplyDeleteI learned a lot from each of the exercises, and just enjoyed the process of creating! I bet Mrs. Unwin would love to know how your Art education has evolved into quilting!!
DeleteThanks for sharing this, I ordered a set of cards for my daughter who loves art.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous gift Suzanne! I bet your daughter will have a blast playing with the various exercises!!
DeleteMurph. Mr. Murphy taught commercial art in highschool, and was the closest thing to a 'cool teacher' (not the same as a good teacher, but he was that, too) I ever had.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting. I am in awe that your high school had such a robust art program to include Commercial Art. Very cool!!
DeleteI found my favorite art teacher as an adult! She not only taught me a myriad of hand beading techniques, she has been my loudest cheerleader! Linda Myers!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fabulous teacher--3 cheers for Linda Myers!!
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DeleteI wish I had taken art class after elementary school, so I don't remember any of my art teachers. I have learned more about art from quilt teachers like Gail Garber, Betty Busby and Katie Pasquini Masopust than any official art teacher.
ReplyDeleteThose are three fabulous teachers!! I met Gail last summer and learned a lot about her work with Hawks Aloft organization, I will be taking a class with Betty Busby next November, and KPM is a pretty amazing artist and teacher!!
DeleteI love this! I purchased deck but then learned about a 5th grade student at my school named Lyric, who started a lunch time art club! I had no choice, I had to hand her my deck as soon as I got it. It's hers now and I couldn't be happier. I would love to give a deck to the two teachers that run a more official art club for the younger students at my elementary school - Gretchen Nagely and Christine Tewinkle.
ReplyDeleteHow fitting that a Lyric received your first deck of Start Your Art cards--created by a fellow Lyric! What a special gift of creativity you have given her!!
DeleteYou have the most fun, Mel. My fourth grade teacher remains my favorite. I have one of her pen and ink drawings framed at home. Love it.
ReplyDeleteLots more of fun to catch up via blog posts! What a lovely keepsake you have from your 4th grade teacher!!
DeleteCongratulations Ann--your comment was drawn to win a copy of the Start Your Art cards. I will email you with more information!!
DeleteThose look like great FUN!!! My favorite 'art' teacher was my MOM. She sewed, could draw and paint, did embroidery (all forms) and quilted. I didn't get much from school 'art' because it was so painfully confined.
ReplyDeleteWhat luck to have such an artistic mother to instill a creative life!! And yes, the cards are super fun!!
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