Next Workshop: Batik Basics

My next workshop is coming up in a couple of weeks on Saturday April 30th! The focus is on the batik process allowing you choose what you want to create...a banner, a scarf or art flags for example! The description is below. Go to www.suzannedrown.com for more information.

Batik Basics
Batik is the ancient art process of “writing” or painting with hot wax. In this day-long workshop you will have the opportunity to create your own batik designs and learn about wax-resist techniques, including painting or drawing on fabric with melted soy wax. You will also learn dye painting techniques to color your fabric.

Teens and adults welcome.

Date: Saturday April 30
Location: So Po Art Studios, South Portland, ME
Time: 10am-4pm
Fee: $75 + supplies (approx $10)

Once you register, I will send a short list of additional materials for you to bring from home: scissors, t-shirt, extra fabric, etc. Please bring a lunch.

7th Annual T-shirt & Dancer’s Art Sale

My daughter Zoe has been dancing with Betsy Dunphy at Elm Street Studio since she was in Kindergarten. Seven years ago Betsy and I came up with the idea of creating a t-shirt with one of my designs and the annual Dancer's Art Sale was born. It is that time of year again! I think this year's design especially celebrates the wonderful spirit of students at Elm Street Studio!

Here are the details!

New! I am are offering 3 different items incorporating this year’s design:

• T-shirts – available in Children’s Medium and Large, and Adult Medium, Large and X-Large.
• T-shirt transfers for you do-it-yourself-ers! These are the same heat transfers I’ll be using for the t-shirts above. They come 3 to a package with instructions, so you can decorate your own cotton or polycotton shirt, bag, etc. All you need is a hot iron.
• New! Art prints of the design, 8 x 10, suitable for framing or as a poster.

The cost is $15 each (tax included), with 20% of sales going to help defray recital expenses.

Please pre-order by May 28th. All orders will be ready for pick-up the day of the recital. (There maybe some extras for last minute folks, but no guarantees. So please pre-order.) Samples of everything are hanging on the bulletin board at the studio.

2 Ways to Pre-Order

1. E-mail Sue at sue@suzannedrown.com
2. Call Sue at 409-4897

You can pay the day of the recital via Cash or Check (preferred), or credit card.

To see other dance themed items, you can visit my Etsy Shop, (Etsy is an on-line marketplace for all things hand made). If you would like one of these items let me know. Also I have just looked through my stock and found a number of items from past sales. I will have them with me on June 6th as well. Remember, 20% of all sales will go to defray recital costs.

Please stop and say Hi on June 6^th!

First Show of the Season!

I am busy preparing for my first show of the season! The Designing Women's Studio Spring Cleaning Sale will be featuring supplies and sale items!

All my pins will be on sale for $7!
They make great teacher and mom gifts!

New Fabric fun packs! Quilting squares!

Don't forget a scarf for mom for mother's day!

Other surprises! New products and designs for 2010!

Please stop by and say hello!

Spring Workshops

I am very happy to announce my schedule of spring workshops for adults and teens!

They will be held at So Po Art Studio's Community Classroom in South Portland, ME! Check out all the information on my website www.suzannedrown.com. Hope to see there!

Sidewalk Art Festival this Saturday

This Saturday, August 22nd I will be at WCSH Sidewalk Art Festival in Portland, ME from 9am-4pm. I will be located on the sidewalk near Longfellow Books. Stop by and say Hello!

Art in the Park this Saturday!

This Saturday, August 8th I will be at Art in the Park held at Millcreek Park in South Portland, ME from 9am-5pm. Stop by and say Hello!

A Piece of Art A Day Challenge

Creating a new piece of art everyday, I know that this sounds like a simple thing to do especially for someone who make their living as an artist! I have felt like lately creating new work is getting a bit lost! Between what I need to do to promote my business, teaching, taking care of my family and working a part time job I have not been working on the new as much I would like! What to do?
I am going to challenge to myself to create a piece of art a day. Draw, paint, batik, big, small, does not matter, just that I create something new! My hope is to change my focus and develop a new habit. I will plan to post some of my favorites in the future. Want to join me? Let me know!!
Interestingly enough I just found this great source of inspiration for my challenge while reading the Design Sponge! The Museum of Pocket Art which features business card size art promoting the idea that everyone should be able to carry great art with them to inspire and share! Check out both sites! Stay tuned and get creating!

Painted with Wax

Here are some more photos of the waxed fabric featuring design number two.

What is Batik?

It's hard to believe, but I first tried out the batik process as a teenager, which was a long time ago! I was inspired by a magazine article... and my desire to create something cool for my dorm room. I figured it would be fun! What I created was a big mess and a love for the process that continues today.

When I do shows, there is a real mix of customers who know the process, those who want to hear more and others who, like me, are inspired to learn how to batik themselves. I am currently working on a new design today, so this seems like the perfect opportunity to answer the questions so often asked: What is batik? How does it work? How do you get the beautiful colors and what creates that crackling effect? Is it hard? You get the idea.

So over the next week or two, I will try to answer some of these questions and illustrate the process of batik.

Here is my description....Batik, an Indonesian word meaning, “wax writing,” is a process in which an artist “writes” or paints on fabric or paper. The wax creates a resist that protects the fabric from the dye when the fabric is either immersed in or painted with the dyes. A new waxing and dying process must be repeated for each color and layer of the design. Wikipedia describes it as "a wax- resist dyeing technique used on textile." The key components being wax and dye.

For me the process starts with the design, which is created with paper and pencil or pen. Here is step one: The design. Check back later this week to see step two.

Happy Monday!

Easter Eggs

As the sunny days increase and spring begins to take hold I realized that Easter is close!

As a child and then as my kiddos grow/grew up, my favorite activity of the season is decorating Easter eggs! This week I came up with a new way of decorating my eggs , on paper in a painting! I am hooked! This is my second and have another started with an idea for another!

Hope this inspires you to go out and get your eggs, gather your children, their friends , your friends, your family and decorate some eggs!
Happy Spring!

CeleSoirée 5 on Friday March 27!

I recently donated this framed batik hanging to ILAP.

The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project is Maine’s only provider of free and low-cost immigration information and legal assistance to low-income Maine residents. ILAP is dedicated to improving the lives of Maine's immigrants by providing expert legal assistance and advocacy.

In order to support their mission they are having a fund raiser . CeleSoirée 5! CeleSoirée is a celebration of Maine's immigrant communities and the valuable contributions they make to the economic, political and cultural life of Maine. Proceeds raised will support ILAP's direct legal services program, education and outreach program, and impact project.

The evening will feature:

• DELICIOUS INTERNATIONAL FOOD donated by Portland's best restaurants
• A silent auction you won't want to miss with outstanding JEWELRY, PHOTOGRAPHY, PAINTINGS, SILK SCARVES and so much more
• Plus LIVE WORLD MUSIC featuring AFRICAN DRUMMING by Jordan Benissan and CELTIC RHYTHMS by Boghat!

TICKETS are $25 in advance or $30 day of. Children 14 and under are free. Advance tickets can be purchased online on their home page or by calling 207.780.1593. Check it out!

GRATEFUL!

One of the things I get to do in my working life as an artist is teach. This weekend I had the pleasure of teaching a mother/ daughter duo batik at Artascope Studios. It was a pleasure and caused me to take a minute to reflect on the many things I am grateful for. Here is the short list of the many things and people I am happy to have in my life!

• Art and living my life as an artist
• My husband...my partner...my rock!
• My two kiddos, who have grown up so fast...they are both smart, independent and very cool people!
• My friends...they help get through the difficult and help celebrate the sweet moments.
• My parents who have always supported me!
• My students and customers...without them I couldn't do what I do!
• Spring...a reminder of new beginnings.

Hope this inspires you to take some time to think about what is important to you and appreciate it!

Doing a Demo!

Next Saturday I will demo how to batik and paint with dyes. Join me Saturday March 14th from 10am to 1pm at Artascope Studio's monthly Open House event! Hope to see you there!

Having A Sale

In order to make room for the new, I am having a sale on much of my current inventory. Here are the details:

When: Monday, March 2nd through Saturday, March 7th

How: Three ways to take advantage…

1. Shop online at Etsy - www.suzannedrown.etsy.com. Not everything will be listed, but it’s convenient.
2. By appointment @ my studio from March 2nd- March 7th. Just call 409-4897 to set up a time.
3. Studio Open House @ 462 Preble Street on:
   

   • Friday, March 6^th, 4:00 to 7:00 pm
   • Saturday, March 7^th, 10:00 am to noon

What: Almost everything will be on sale (pins, cards, prints, originals) with some items discounted up to 50%!

For more information email me at suzannedrown@gmail.com.

March Classes

Here are the dates of the classes I am teaching at Artascope Studios in March! I am really excited to be teaching a 3-day weekend workshop, Dye Painting / Batik on March 20,21,22! We will be painting with soy wax and dyes, and focusing on the batik process.

Also, I will be starting a Dye Painting 6-week artist series March 19. Both are great opportunities to really immerse yourself in the waxing and dyeing process!

The Intro Marbling Fabric on March 31 is a new class; the process is fascinating and fun!

For more information about cost and how to sign up go www.artascope.com or call 799-5154.

Hope to see you there!

Great Class!

I had a wonderful afternoon on Saturday teaching 3 wonderful ladies about batik and silk painting! They created 3 beautiful and unique scarves!

Class Tomorrow!

I am teaching a great class tomorrow called Silk Painting at Artascope studios from 2-6. Students will learn about painting with wax and dyes and create their own beautiful scarf. Call 799.5154 to sign up.

New Beginnings

The world is changing, and I’m going to change with it. While change can be confusing and unwelcome, it can also be exciting and a relief. In the last few weeks, we have witnessed a change in our country that has created excitement, hope and renewed pride. My life as an artist used to require only pencils, pens, paint, dye and wax. Now it includes connecting with a much larger world through my computer… and so begins my life as a blogger!

I am an artist living and working in coastal Maine. Life as a batik artist, and the business that grows from it, have been my primary focus for many years. In this new year, I am excited about shifts in focus and attention that will lead to new artistic and business opportunities. My old business, Sunfire Batiks, has evolved into a new business, Suzanne Drown Art and Design.

In this blog, I hope to share more about my journey as an artist, and invite my many artist/designer friends to also share about their journeys. Look for more posts soon.