A day of reflection.

Today is a day of reflection. I am reflecting back on the spring semester at Swarthmore;

The fun I had drawing from dance and instructing, the challenges of working in the digital world creating my work and relying on the computer to output my work. As well as the excitement of Art Rage a program that gave me the ability to draw and play back drawings I create on the i-pad as a video.  Studying each line as if it was the first time I saw them as they played back on the computer was a real thrill and somehow unreal. (The new programs that are available along with all they do is really astounding to me as I think back to the days before TV.  And yes I remember when only radio was around and only Dick Tracy had the ability to view the world in miniature let alone computerized or digitized.) I am still trying to figure out how to save my files and publish them…a new frustration…or shall I say I believe that this will be the next new challenge. And when I do figure this out you know I will share them with you.

Another challenge for me is to combine the digital images I create with the traditional printmaking techniques I learned at PAFA. I am using my I-pad as my sketch pad which is great on the environment; however I am faced with a learning curve of working with new equipment. So I am redrawing with the same energy and feel directly onto monotypes using the I-pad images as a guide. This technique first came to mind when a wife of a dear friend and colleague called me to collect some of his belongings. Hal Lose was an artist/illustrator who worked created pop-up books, paper-cuts, collages, sculptures and many other wonderful works of art.  His work inspires me and when his wife Pat Sgro presented me with several of his pieces as well as many art supplies I was overwhelmed.  In memory and honor of Hal, I am creating these new mixed media pieces. Being the recipient of such a kind gesture for me was truly an honor and a humbling experience.  I only hope that I can share the joy of creating my work as Hal did with me when he was here.

 I am reflecting on this summer. But somehow this summer seems to have melted away just the same. Maybe it is due to the ungodly heat we had this year or just that I wish the summer was longer than it is or seems to be.

For those of you who I haven't had a chance to speak with lately or if you haven’t checked out my Artworks by Anthe face book page;  I taught a class of nine 11-12 & 13 year old girls from Chester at Swarthmore College, in June and July.

 I learned that life can be really challenging but nothing is more challenging than girls as they are coming of age. You would think I would remember this from being a mother of three teenage girls once! It was a great time for prayer, introspection and laughter. Many smiles were received and given along with many other looks.

The goal of the class was to introduce the students to unfamiliar music and encourage a visualization of the music into art. The students in this class drew from 38 different genres of music. They learned to compose drawings utilizing the visuals components that they made and incorporated them into finished works of art. Mobiles and other projects were also created while listening to the various genres the first few weeks. After which the girls wrote lyrics, composed their own music, recorded,  performed and then created a visual interpretation of their music. The artwork was installed in an art show the final week of class accompanied by their DVD.  The DVD recording consisted of the students performing their music and an explanation of the project for all visitors to view. Both the visual and musical components of the class came together in a DVD which I made to chronicle the experience. Two DVDs can be viewed on my “Artworks by Anthe” face book page. One of the children singing which is 2 groups of 3 and 1 group of 2 children and the second which is the children’s music and their artwork in a slide show presentation.

On another note …
Change of seasons begins yet again…
Now we approach mid September, yikes… For me, last month brought about an almost milestone birthday, which was celebrated in the cool foggy far reaches of Maine with my dear husband, great friends and an unexpected little gathering of old friends. Not to say that the friends were old….just that I have known them for a while.   While there I reconnected with friends, classmates, and family. Made art and read a great book on grant writing which I highly recommend to all my artsy friends out there who are professional artists, musicians, or writers. The book is titled “The Artist’s Guide to Grant Writing” by Gigi Rosenberg who has received over $80,000 in grants. The book is basic and really outlines a simple attack formula for organizing yourself, your work and your goals.

 In a couple of weeks I will be teaching a couple of classes on mixed media and collage.
This time at the MANAYUNK-ROXBOROUGH ART CENTER for any of you out there that would like to come and have fun or any of your teens that would like to learn the art of collage...
Mixed Media & Collage – Anthe Capitan-Valais Instructor
Sept. 20th - Oct. 25th • Thursdays - 3:30 - 6pm (for teens 14 - 18
yrs old) • Thursdays - 6:30 - 9:30pm (adult class)
You don’t need to have any previous artistic experience other
than a desire to create. If you can cut, rip, and paste paper you
will like this class. You will learn the art of taking pieces of paper,
overlapping them along with magazine clippings, and other things
to create exciting art with no drawing or painting experience
needed. Experimentation is encouraged with the sky as the limit.
This class is meant to be a fun way to create art, greeting cards,
book covers, or your own masterpiece. Just come and be ready to
have fun. $75 non-members, $70 members (for the teen class) $80
non-members, $75 members (for the adult class) Materials
needed: scissors, white glue or glue stick and anything that can
be easily glued down to a surface; such as string, yarn, material,
paper, magazine clippings, ribbons, etc., & old plastic, metal, or
wood objects to cover. A materials list will be provided to students
at the first class for the remainder of the course. To register: please
send an email to antheartist-mac@yahoo.comet are subject to change.
Please double check the date, time, day online at
www.mrartcenter.org its located at 419 Green Lane Phila., PA 19128      215.482.3363

I hope to have an open studio soon…So stay tuned… Also I will keep you posted as I have my upcoming shows in 2013 in Pa and Delaware.  Well that is all I have for right now. Have a blessed day and a great autumn!