Seth Apter and The Mixed-Media Artist

It's always exciting when a friend's book comes out  - especially when people you know are featured in it.  Double excitement. So I rushed up to Barnes and Noble this morning and snapped up

the last remaining copy of the mixed-media artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams From Over 40 Amazing Artists by my chum Seth Apter. (North Light Books). Seth's infectious enthusiasm, gift for friendship, and acute attention to detail make this both a 'how to' book, a celebration of creativity, and...

the book features the work of Elizabeth Bunsen - one of the most creative people on the planet - who does magical things with all sorts of mundane objects -and

my husband, Robert Schmid, whose work is entirely different.

"Sleep" robertschmid.com

These are but two of the many artists who shared their work, techniques and dreams with Seth.  The book is such fun and so full of useful things and thoughts that it will make you rush out and do something wildly creative yourself. At least I hope so.

ps Seth will be signing copies of the book this evening FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15th at

 Ink Pad  7th Avenue at 13th St. See you there!

Messing About with Paint

So we're home from foreign parts, and getting back in the swing of things. On Saturday and Sunday I had  terrific fun both teaching and taking a book-making workshop. (I was teaching the writing part.)

I prepared some writing prompts, got out my trusty water colors and got ready to have fun.

Ah, the joy of art supplies, and collage and painting pages!

And mixing and gluing!

So, we made eight pages and put them into a book. You can see the  cardboard spine by the water bottle (top left).

Anyway, out of much creative chaos, overseen by Roxanne and Seth and me, there emerged......

ten stunningly individual books. Jo P's is rather elegant and minimal.

Another Jo's book was about family and her mother's recipes. What meal could possibly need green beans and orange juice at the same time? Hm..... 

A very messy page from my work in progress. My first attempt at collage and rather horticultural. Anyway, a good time was had by all. (I think!)