Musings of an Artful Mind

This October a two year long project was brought to completion. My talented illustrator and graphic design business partner Julianna Roberts and I conceived this lofty yet realistic plan of self-publishing graphic novels and children’s books while on holiday together with our husbands in Astoria, Oregon. We imagined as entrepreneurs it would meet the need of our creative selves that were not being fully utilized in our day jobs. Even while we attended Pacific Northwest College of Art, many moons ago, we noticed that our personalities meshed well and our diverse technical talents would apply well to a working business model.  Carolina Medina-Dupaix and Julianna A.B. Roberts circa 2011. Here we are in Astoria, OR. The beginning of Visual Elements Press would later come into being over a delicious bowls of clam chowder.  Under the Hallow Moon is an illustrated full color art book about the thirty-one days leading up to  Halloween. It began as a tiny seed, a persisten...

Aloha, devoted readers, friends, and family.  Please forgive me it has been more than a year since I have blogged!! I know it is a cardinal sin to let your art page go dormant for a month let alone over year but, riding the waves of life can be intense and learning balance is a lifelong exercise.  Thank you for you patience and support. This year through the connectivity of the internet and social media a two yearlong project has bloomed. It is a graphic novel/ art book called UNDER THE HALLO MOON and produced by Visual Elements Press a new small business co-owned by Julianna A.B. Roberts and myself.   Julianna and Carolina of Visual Elements Press Graphic novel /paperback Available at lulu.com http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/under-the-hallomoon/15322664     I also participate in the monthly art jam group called New Moon and our community’s work can be seen here, newmoonart.blogspot.com  It is administered by Phoebe and Steve ,...

At last the art swap cards are here! My cards arrived and I am mighty pleased with these lovely miniature works in my hot little hands. Check them out! At artists from top left to right are as follows: Stephanie Aliberti (NY); Melanie Glassey (PA); Diane Menna (NY); and Poppy Terris (FL). What really strikes me is how well these small works read. The compositions are unique, visually appealing, and have their own symbolic narrative. Now that I have my cards I realize I made mine smaller in width. It is time to invest in a ruler and not use the measuring tape for paper projects. Oh, no! Another trip to the art supply store, best buy required textbooks for this term first! I feel lucky to have stumbled this opportunity to participate in a community building project. Thanks again to the organizer Melanie Glassey and to all you hard working creative folks who participated in the Art Therapy Alliance 2nd ATC swap.

I recently participated in my first art therapy-artist trading card swap. I was once again gently reminded by this activity of the awesome power of making spontaneous art. Truly art gives us what we need to survive emotionally and spiritually. Despite being a dedicated studio artist I feel that I’m often asleep to what I really need inside. Yet this simple and meaningful task reminded me of what I do best which is to create from within. Am happy with how my cards turned out and I am a bit surprised at how peaceful they look. The themes that emerged within my cards are those that seem to have stuck with me during my graduate training thus far which are keeping a drawing journal, breathing, listening, and observing. The guiding theme for the artist trading card swap was collage unleashed so I brought it back to some old school fun by scanning three dimensional objects ( including my face), collaged items, packing tape, text in black ball point pen, and of course some iridescent fabric...

The encaustic workshop led on Wednesday was a success! It looked like everyone enjoyed the process and were thirsty for an art experiential. Many thanks to Paula for hosting this meeting in her stunning backyard plein-air studio and to my co-leader Natalie who introduced our group to modern variations of the encaustic technique and provided hand outs for the participants. Thank you all for enthusiasm and eagerness to learn this art process. Coming up next in our Art Therapy Student Summer of Art WS: Watercolor and Acrylic: Water based techniques meeting site & leaders TBA soon!