Somerset Studio Gallery, Summer 2007 issue

Hooray! It was in the mail today!

My submission for the "ten" theme is included!

It's such a high and rush! I want to go clean a path and get to work in the studio on more!

Maybe I will after the house is quiet tonight.

baby greeting card

Made this card for my cousin who is having her 4th baby, a girl finally after 3 boys!

Idea came from Paper Creations magazine. Made my own baby feet charm with sculpey clay.

moved and settled?

Matthew has settled into his apartment in New Bern NC and will begin his work as education reporter on Tuesday for the Sun Journal newspaper.

He is both nervous and excitied as expected but will do fine. He is hard working, courageous and dedicated. He will do fantastic. I will too after I adjust to the fact that he may not live at home again. I know this is part of kid's growing up but it is difficult to let them go. I do have the good fortune to have his love and open invitation to visit often and I get to learn about a part of our home state I know little about. I do know it's the second oldest town in NC and had the first printing press in the state. It has an unusual population of black bears. New Bern is also the home of Pepsi Cola. It is a charming town especially in the historic district.

settled?

today's GIVEN BY GOD

With God in our heart

We are never apart.
For where we are He is;
We are always His.
Giving his support and love
And all good gifts from above;
Without Him I would surely fall
But can't since He is my All.
With Him I will always stay
Following him the rest of my days.
He gives me joy and peace
With which my worries release.
Filled with His spirit
Lifting my own spirit;
Fearing not the unknown
Rejoicing in Him, my safety zone.

more sculptures

The kids really enjoyed the class. It was frustrating trying to keep the pieces together while they painted them, but it was one of the more successful classes we have done.

Here is a smathering of their efforts. Enjoy! Try it yourself!

sculpture and atc

Even with the hustle bustle of moving my grown college graduated son to his new apartment and job I made this sculpture to use in a class demo and a new ATC.

The sculpture is made of paper tubes and a coffee can, glued with Aileene's tacky glue and painted in various acrylics.

The ATC is a magazine photo with a word from a magazine and the crown is made from half of the top of a Christmas ornament. Just remove the hanger, flatten and cut into 2 halves. Instant crowns. Great three d element.

New Circus ATC's

I finished these 6 ATC's yesterday in between, teaching, getting car maintenance done and taking care of household chores too.

The best thing about ATC's--

• portable


• good use for small windows of time


• keeping creativity pumped

Make ART

BE HAPPY!

New Chapters in Life

My son graduated with honors from Gardner Webb University on Saturday.

He has a wonderful new job in New Bern, NC at the Sun Journal. Transitions for us all but

he is an amazing, strong, christian young man and will be great wherever he is.

I too am strong and a christian and will survive this new chapter.

It's still difficult but life goes on!

Here is a digital collage I made of him!

endings and beginnings

Well, my son graduates college in three days. He has a job and we are going apartment looking on Monday. I am hoping I can stay calm and upbeat and IBS free for the transition.

I do well with constants and changes are difficult for me. With God I CAN make it!

Excited about some art projects but not ready to share so for now ....

Bliss

Bliss is simple joy and pleasure from everyday life and family. Living for love, experience, fellowship and happiness. Find it simply in seeing a flower's blossom or a son's smile, feeling a husband's hug, knowing a parent's health or a friend's laughter.

Once you really understand bliss you will find it everywhere you look, smell, taste, see, and listen. Wait, I hear it calling me now. Go find your bliss.

new collage

I finally broke the blue funk yesterday and worked on a green piece for an upcoming Somerset Studio submission. Here it is:

Green Geisha.

free images again

from Lisa Volrath at the following link:

http://countdown.tentwostudios.com/

Thanks Lisa!

TGIF? Menopause! and Middle Age Crazies

Here is my sweet Mom and son and me after my son received his journalism award from Gardner Webb University on Tuesday. I should be on cloud nine. I am but anxious too. I await Terry getting home from Montreal tomorrow after being gone for 2 weeks again. It's been the longest 2 weeks yet. I have my work done and should be relaxing and enjoying the day and anticipation but I still have this scratchy allergy throat, no energy cause I didn't sleep enough last night, and scattered thoughts.

I want to do art. I can't concentrate for the first time in a long time. I have 2 new art books, the new Somerset Studios and a couple other magazines but can't relax and read them. Is something wrong with me or am I just agonizing on the new changes in my life?

Matthew's graduation and moving away to work. Terry retiring soon. Possibility of building and moving. Is this normal or am I crazy?

As the song goes....maybe I'm crazy or just a little unwell...

Wisdom from Morrie

My son graduates in 1 week from college. He will start his new job in 3 weeks.

I am happy for him but it's change and adaptation, which I don't do well with.

I will be okay but it will take me some time. I don't go with the flow like my friend.

She complains when she's not happy with situations and lets all concerned know it.

I silently suffer and when it comes down to it, I survive.

I am prone to IBS. I've never blogged about it and would rather not but maybe someone else will be encouraged. I'll take my meds, eat little, and survive. I am a survivor.

One of my favorite movies and books is Tuesdays with Morrie. He really didn't let anything get him down. He enjoyed everyday and lived it fully till his last. I have no real problems but create them in my mind and let it spoil my day. I will deal with this. I will not let this take over my life.

I will not!

These are good times and I want to enjoy them and be happy.

The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.
Morrie Schwartz, Tuesdays With Morrie

The image is me having fun on the computer.

Art Sites and Family Blessings

My review of a favorite book is on the front page of the Artella Daily Muse today. You can see that much for free actually by going here: www.artelladailymuse.com.

Also the site I suggested is today's link latte: http://www.vintagepaintworks.com

Still floating on air that my son is such a wonderful young man with a wonderful future.

I thank God for His MANY blessings.

Here is a little digital collage of my son.

Proud Mama

My son has decided to accept a job at the New Bern Sun Journal as education reporter beginning in about 3 weeks. He also won an award at Gardner Webb University today in Journalism for excellence in broadcast and print journalism. He's also a really great son and guy. I call him my gentle giant at 6' 4".

laZy DayS oF suMmer ?!?

I know it's still spring, a second spring for us in NC who had an early spring, a late winter freeze and are now in our second spring actually....pollen and all.

Watched two lame movies, wait for TV, don't rent, (Friends with Money and Trust the Man).

The saddest thing was the fact that they were ordinary people like me...no excitement, no orgasmic revelating lives.

But I have my art...one of the best part of my life other than my terrific family!

Time

Time is all we have to control even though we sometimes think we can't. My son came home for the night with two weeks of college left. He wanted to think about his job opportunities and sleep in his own bed and spend time with his Mom. Dad is out of town. We did talk to him on the phone, long distance, too long, but it was good for us all. We watched Tuesdays with Morrie and realized again, the importance of time and using it to our liking. We were reminded of the phrase that says "how many get to the end of their lives and say I'm glad I spent more time at work". No one does that. Our friends and family is what is important, sharing our lives and love with others, having long talks and laughs with those we care about, showing others we are there for them. I love art but I love my family and friends more.

The image is from one of my art journals. I cut three different models from a catalog and gave them my mom's (center) and her sisters' heads. Lightly sketched in a background. Doesn't it look like they are having fun?

Have fun with those you love today in person if you can but in an art journal if you must.

Art submissions

I submitted art to the 1000 journals book project.

I submitted art to Somerset Studios.

I submitted art to Artella.

I am fortunate to have had some published.

I hope to have more published.

I recently took one of my collages and turned it into a drawing and had it made into a rubber stamp. I really like the way it turned out and would love to have more done. I really wish I could have my own line of rubber stamps. I wonder how folks do that like Claudine Hellmuth, Lynn Perella, Michelle Ward and others? Any ideas?

I will take photos tomorrow and show you how the stamp image compares to the original collage.

For now I am posting one of my most recent image sent to Artella for the Friday Challenge. I call it She was a real baking doll.

Enjoy!

Artella Daily Muse

I am spotlighted in the Artella Daily Muse again today with my images for the Friday Challenge of Umbrellas. Check it out free with a two day pass at http://www.artelladailymuse.com.

Here is one of the images you'll find.

Palm Brella

Also, I did get one piece into the local I Am Woman show but not the one I wanted to get in.

Mixed emotions

My son is in New Bern for a job interview and it's an exiciting time. I want him to be happy and fulfilled and rewarded for his hard work but I miss him and will miss him if he moves out there. It's only 5 hours but I'm a mom.

My husband is in Canada on business and I miss him but I appreciate all the hard work he does to support me, our son and my art which I am certainly able to do because of his encouragement and hard work.

My beach journal is turning out well and I am sharing images for the next few days so keep checking in. Today I'm actually sharing 2 pages, before and after, an ordinary page turned out to be quite extraordinary with images and words by me.

Art is in everything

Began working on my beach scrapbook this weekend. It's so much more than a scrap book. It's a beach art journal. I bought a blank spiral bound

book with fairly heavy paper. I've done loose watercolor paintings, washes, and stamping designs for the backgrounds as well as glued in some full page papers and images. I've combined the pix with my own original poems and writings digitally. Added stickers and shell embellishments. It's almost finished but I may glue the last 10 or so pages together and cut a center area out to make a shadowbox for sand, photo and shells. I haven't taken any photos yet but will. For now I'll share another image from my trip.

Enjoy!

Have a WOW day!

Sunday Solo

Well, I got Terry to the airport for hopefully his next to last trip to Canada. Even though I enjoy my time alone I also miss him terribly.

He is such a wonderful husband, friend and father. I hope he knows how important he is to me.
Here is a new canvas collage I did for the annual I Am Woman exhibit which is juried this year for the first time. Who knows if it will even get in? It is called "It was Written All over Her Face." The face of my deceased mother in law Lois. I used her actual photo enlarged on the computer. I first glazed the 16 X 20 canvas with colors she liked, stamped a design and then adhered the photo with gel medium. I covered the face and neck with newspaper torn into little pieces. Eyes, nose and mouth collaged over the appropriate areas. I then added the Christmas tree shaped playing cards for a crown. I melted wax crayons with my new little craft iron I ordered cheaply from Collectibles, Etc. for her hair and clothes. I melted white beeswax over the tinted (with acrylics) face and the playing card crown. I like the piece and think it is one of the most unusual I have done and is quite original as well. I topped it off with a handpainted butterfly shape since she was a lover of butterflies as I am.

summer has returned

and I am having a hot flash too...that's okay...i love the sunshine...

feels more like it should for almost May and for having just got back from the beach....

more from Kiawah getaway

a moment of silence for Virginia Tech

I am still in shock by the tragedy at VT. I am praying for those families and students who must be devastated beyond my imagination. Why is the world such a hurting place? Why can't people turn to God in times of pain? Why can't we heal our land? Why O' why? I must leave it with God.
I will post art later as I am taking this moment of silence for VT.
May God heal all who were touched by this tragedy.

floating on air...........

maybe it's from the wonderfully relaxing week at Kiawah, maybe it's my new clothes dryer, maybe it's the new collage I have almost finished, maybe it's the fact that the woman journal project is almost ready to display, maybe it's all my blessings I am feeling so thankful for.

Vacation is over

until August at least.....

It was a wonderful week of

relaxation without interruption of daily chores and routines

sleep catch up

exploring new places and ideas

eating good food

sight seeing my favorite scenes of Charleston and Kiawah

collecting inspiration for art

Ready for a busy week of teaching, art making, art handling, chores, etc.

Seeking clarity of purpose and trusting it can be sought.

What a blessing!

Kiawah Island, SC is a blessing for anyone who needs to take time to get away from the busy hectic day to day routines. Go and find out for yourself. I will be sharing my experiences and images and writings this coming week.

Kiawah bound

Kiawah bound and loving it!

Check in next weekend!

for now....consider this...we can always vacation in our minds but take a real one every chance you get!

Also, if anyone is looking for art books, I have a couple dozen I am parting with. Send an inquiry to cqt144w@mindspring.com if interested in seeing the list, purchasing or making a trade.

Free Gifts

Lisa Vollrath is graciously sharing images again this holiday season.

Visit her here and spread the good news of the season.

http://countdown.tentwostudios.com/

Christ died for you and loves you and wants you to be HIS own.

Wishing you many blessings this holiest of seasons!

Corset Tip-in Swap FINIS!

What a pleasure it was to do the Corset Swap Tip In swap with such fine artists and people. Here are photos of my finished project. I just did an accordion hinge binding for the individual tip ins, making a simple cover of an old catalog page of corsets with the participants names.

I then constructed a simple 3D corset to house the book. A pocket was placed in the back for a couple of extra pieces that didn't fit my final binding process. I rather like it. The corset is just heavy art paper, stenciled with a doily placemat, eyelets and gold cord.

ATC Program

I've been asked to do a program on ATC's for the Southern Arts Society.

Telling, showing and making. I decided to put together a board of examples of different techniques. I completed it early this morning. Since the flu I haven't been able to sleep. I give out quickly but found I could manage this while resting on the bed.

I think it turned out pretty good. I will take handouts of the history, websites to check out, supply and resources ideas and hopefully my enthusiasm for ATC's.

Still recouping from flu

but ready to make art....working on Easter cards, ATC's, SS submissions and other goodies!

It's spring! I want to get my house spruced up and then spend time in my studion...non stop but Easter, my Dad's birthday and trip to beach are first....anything is possible.

All things are possible through Christ who gives me strength!

Metal ATC

Sorry this one failed to load....argh! slow dial up!

New ATC's

My first metal one, made of wire mesh, cross, word tile, all is attached with copper wire and copper metal tape.
Triptych is an homage to Monet, acrylic background with Prismacolor and gold pen details.
Diptych is an altar card for Madonna, acrylic background with Madonna clipart and gold and ink detailing.
Last cards are made on watercolor paper with fun foam shapes, glazed in metallic watercolors and stamped.

Feature

My "Her" series is featured in today's Daily Muse. Go here to see it.

http://www.artelladailymuse.com/news/129/ARTICLE/5119/2007-03-24.html

You may get a free pass to try it out.

Also, here are other links to my works:

http://creativeinspirations.blogspot.com/

http://artellaartistcards.blogspot.com/

http://www.gastoncountyartguild.com/tessnear.html

http://www.artellawordsandart.com/ChrisTessnear.html


http://www.flickr.com/photos/95185307@N00/sets/72057594104502684/

or http://www.flickr.com/photos/95185307@N00/ or

go to Flicker and search for Chris Tessnear or Creative Inspirations

Image is from Christine altered book.

Frustration but success!

The post page loaded this time. Some days it doesn't allow me to enter text or images! Is anyone else having that problem? Is it because of my slow dial up? Is it just the web goonies playing tricks?

Well, here I am at last able to log on and post and I'm at a loss of what I have thought of sharing all the times I couldn't get on. I am actually sick today with a horrible cold and sore throat and sleep deprivation. I took the morning slow and worked on some ATC's, journaling and even some chores (laundry and cleaning.)

I am sharing a page from the altered book I am doing on myself, using Steven King's book, Christine. Appropriate for my name of course. I started off good and then hit a wall and am now back to some decent pages. Do you ever do that? Start with a good idea, work hard and then suddenly, BLAH! Then get back on track and make good pages again.

I am also going to post some new ATC's. My local group meets next week and I will be sharing with a local art group the next week.

Classes are going well. (teaching 3 kid's classes at the local non-profit school of arts) Yesterday was a challenge, working on art for the booth for an upcoming fund raiser and then continuing the projects with kids in my class along with another teacher's class; it was messy and chaotic to state it simply.

Only two more weeks till we take an early vacation to my favorite spot, Kiawah Island, SC. Check it out on the internet and you will see a little part of heave right here on earth and it's only about 4 1/2 hours from here and 30 minutes from Charleston, a wonderful city of art and history.

This trip always relaxes me, inspires me and reenergizes me.

Well, enought rambling... time to finish up my list of chores to do today, sick or not.

frustrated with this blog

New ATC's and Altered Book

Having been making ATC's for well over a year but I am enjoying them with a passion like never before. Maybe due to a local swap group starting up. I have made hundreds in the last few months. I am obsessed with using tape transfers on them.

I also am working on a new altered book about me, using a discarded Stephen King novel, Christine. Loads of fun.

I also completed an addition to my "Her" series. I had wanted to do one of my husband's Aunt Christine (yes, another one, but she is called Teen).

I found this image of her as a young woman stooping on the ground, beautiful hair, and her mouth open as if speaking. I am calling this one, Her Days are Filled with Memories." Widowed in her early 60's she has surely survived with her memories of her wonderful marriage and enjoyed her daughter and grand children. I'll post a photo of it when I get one made but for now, here are my new ATC's and a page from the Christine altered book.

Living proof

I am living proof that if you follow your heart's desire, happiness follows....

• I dreamed of a romantic man to marry...Terry came my way 27 years ago...


• I dreamed of being a mother...Matthew was born 22 years ago


• I dreamed of being a teacher...after many changes and staying home for years to raise my son, I am teaching ...


• I wanted to be an artist since childhood...51 years and I am an artists and an art teacher....

Follow your heart. Love God. Be grateful! Life isn't as good as we thought...IT'S BETTER!

Hooray for late notices!

I was thrilled to recieve that little card in yesterday's mail, that said I do have work in the new Somerset Studios magazine, March April, 2007.

The women in lit issue and here again is my entry.

Keep on Keeping On

Disappointed that my piece for the current Somerset Studios was rejected. I thought it was great. (The Virginia Woolf Pocket Book Reader. Check blog archives for the image.)

Nevertheless, I have another piece to submit for the vintage halloween issue: Who Needs A Broom? A canvas collage utilizing transparent images on an acrylic painted canvas with copper tape details.