Tag Archives: #artist

Feeding the Creative Soul

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Happy Monday, everyone! I hope the holiday was a special one despite the tough times we are experiencing across the globe. Today I want to talk a little about what art supply I ordered this weekend and why. I’ve also started a new book to read that I have been enjoying so much that I’m wanting to take my time with. First, let’s talk art.

A few years ago, I developed my own technique in creating painted papers without the use of Gelli Plates. I didn’t want to spend the money and I wanted to be as original as possible. I created a masking technique of sorts and use my abstract painting style to create these papers. I knew one day that I wanted to invest in the Gel Press Plate. This weekend I decide to bite the bullet and order a plate. I can’t wait to see what I create with it and how much it differs from my painted papers “Masking” technique. I’ve even ordered a new soft brayer for this project. I look forward to sharing with you all what I come up with!

This weekend I started Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan and I’m really enjoying the story so far. I’m about half way through. Callahan is a talented story-teller and when I saw this one available for reviewers, I had to read it! Savannah Georgia is in my State and its history is among my favorites to study and read about. -Stephanie

Expected publication: March 9th 2021 by Berkley

About the book:

It was called “The Titanic of the South.” The luxury steamship sank in 1838 with Savannah’s elite on board; through time, their fates were forgotten–until the wreck was found, and now their story is finally being told in this breathtaking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis.

When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski, she’s shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly can’t resist the opportunity to try to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking.

Everly’s research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah’s society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions. This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive the surviving.

de Young: Selected Works

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I came across de Young Selected Works through a good friend who was clearing bookshelf space in her home library. I was delighted she had a copy and was willing to pass it along to me. I’m always curious to see what my friends reading interest are. She has a broad collection and she is definitely a well-rounded reader.

I’ve looked through a few pages and will be studying this book thoroughly in the near future. As an artist, I am extremely interested in learning the history of art and why artists create what they do and their process.

Stephanie Hopkins

About the book:

From Goodreads:

“An illustrated survey showcasing the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s finest works of art, each accompanied by an informative commentary.”

From Amazon:

“The two museums that in 1970 became the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco were at one time rival institutions. The de Young museum grew out of the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. The Legion of Honor had its genesis in the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915, but was conceived from the outset as a museum of fine art. A striking copper-clad building designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the de Young museum in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park houses a broad spectrum of art from diverse cultures and traditions, including a world-renowned collection of American art; traditional African art; art from Oceania and the Americas; Western and non-Western costumes and textiles; contemporary art and works on paper. This illustrated catalogue showcases the museum’s finest works of art, each accompanied by an informative commentary.”

2020 Index Card Challenge: Part 15

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Index Card Art

I have neglected to post my completed Index Card Art Challenge until now. I was supposed to share the final outcome a few weeks back. I must explain why I haven’t sooner. When your writing muse awakens from a deep slumber, one must bear down the hatches before the moment passes. What a wonderful writing experience it has been and, I believe it will continue for quite sometime. Forming new writing habits has really helped.

I thought of a couple ways to share my journey in this challenge and one of them was to take a picture of all the cards together and talk about each one. That task seemed a bit daunting to me. Not that I don’t enjoy talking about creativity, mind you. We’re talking about a hundred cards and I believe the previous posts and the art shown speaks for itself.

Today I’m sharing the final (days 96-100) cards. I will link the previous posts down below for you to take a look into this worth-while pursuit. This challenge has taught me a lot about my creative side and has built my confidence further with creating smaller pieces of art and blending brighter colors I had not beforehand.

If you are looking for a new craft to pursue, or you want to challenge yourself in creating daily art, this endeavor is for you.

My next art feature will be about creating art on Rolodex Cards! Now that has been a challenge since the cards are a lot smaller than the index cards.

Stephanie Hopkins

Index Card Challenge Links:

Parts I / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 /12 / 13 /

14

Art Captured Through the Lens of a Camera

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Photo taken by WSM Photography

As I mentioned in a previous post, a photographer captures a moment in an instant and holds it without change. The photo captures an existence of different mediums such as landscape, portraits, buildings, and any other form you can think of. We see these images through a photographer’s eye. Such as an artist who captures images on canvas or a writer who captures them with words, a photographer’s photo is the same concept.

Today I am showcasing Photographer Scott Moore’s new print shop where you can purchase his notable photos. I do know some of the current photos in his shop are limited editions. If you are interested in them, you should make your purchase soon. I highly recommend his work. I have a print of his Milk Way Balance photo and it is outstanding quality. In fact, so much so when looking at the image, I can picture the movement of the night sky and imagine what the ancient rocks (Balance Rock) must have seen throughout history. If those towers could talk… I’m looking forward to having the photo framed to add to my night art collection. -Stephanie Hopkins

About the Photographer

Scott Moore brings 20+ years of architecture and design experience. This Experience has covering every aspect of architecture, from conceptual design through completed built projects. This experience and his knowledge of architecture is what make his approach to photography unique. While shooting architecture professionally for 9+ years, the shots taken are with an understanding of an architect’s vision of our built environment.

If you are interested in purchasing one of his prints, visit his Print Shop  

Instagram

WSM Photography Blog  

My 2017 Q&A With Photographer Scott Moore

WSM Photography Photo images are subjected to copyright. In order to use WSM’s photo images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins or Scott Moore

Why I Chose to Combine Literature, Art and Photography at Layered Pages

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Writers breathe life into characters with words and their book is their canvas. A writer’s art is to gather elements of life, places, time and situations and weave them to form stories. To design a story that draws a reader in and leaves an impression that has the reader emotionally invested is an art.

An Artist creates art through a canvas or sculpture to express mood, emotion and self-expression. Often times there is chaos in those mediums that expresses what many relate to in life or they trigger memories. When artists do this, they bring the essence of the human condition and their surroundings to life expressed through the different styles of their work and bring a powerful reality through their creations.

A Photographer captures a moment in an instant and holds it without change. The photo captures an existence of different mediums such as landscape, portraits, buildings, and any other form you can think of. We see these images through a photographer’s eye. Like an artist who captures images on canvas or a writer who captures them with words, a photographer’s photo is the same concept.

Each medium l have presented here is an expression and in its simplest form, each medium tells a story.  My passion at Layered Pages is to capture their essence and to give understanding to the craft so people will have a deeper understanding of these mediums and their importance to our society.

Stephanie Hopkins

Greetings From Layered Pages

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Hello Fellow Readers and Artists,

I hope this letter finds you well and you’ve had a lovely and productive week. My hours have been filled with writing, reading, studying, new art projects and reflection. I have many exciting posts to share with you all in the coming weeks and months.

I did complete my index card art challenge a few days ago. However, I am not featuring them this week after all. Next week I will be sharing the remaining cards I created with a picture(s) of the entire collection (100 cards) as well.

If you haven’t already, please, take the time to read at my posts from earlier on this week. I want to wish you all a lovely and blessed weekend.

I leave you with a quote from Charles Dickens.

“Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”    

Regards,

Stephanie Hopkins

A Christmas Carol Murder (A Dickens of a Crime) by Heather Redmond

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Book Spotlight: This story sounds fascinating! I love a good mystery. Love the cover! Keeping a sharp eye on this one. -Stephanie Hopkins

The latest novel from Heather Redmond’s acclaimed mystery series finds young Charles Dickens suspecting a miser of pushing his partner out a window, but his fiancée Kate Hogarth takes a more charitable view of the old man’s innocence . . .
 
London, December 1835: Charles and Kate are out with friends and family for a chilly night of caroling and good cheer. But their blood truly runs cold when their singing is interrupted by a body plummeting from an upper window of a house. They soon learn the dead man at their feet, his neck strangely wrapped in chains, is Jacob Harley, the business partner of the resident of the house, an unpleasant codger who owns a counting house, one Emmanuel Screws.
 
Ever the journalist, Charles dedicates himself to discovering who’s behind the diabolical defenestration. But before he can investigate further, Harley’s corpse is stolen. Following that, Charles is visited in his quarters by what appears to be Harley’s ghost—or is it merely Charles’s overwrought imagination? He continues to suspect Emmanuel, the same penurious penny pincher who denied his father a loan years ago, but Kate insists the old man is too weak to heave a body out a window. Their mutual affection and admiration can accommodate a difference of opinion, but matters are complicated by the unexpected arrival of an infant orphan. Charles must find the child a home while solving a murder, to ensure that the next one in chains is the guilty party . . .

Index Card Challenge: Part 14

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  • Day 92
    Day 92

The Index Card Art Challenge 2020 is going by so fast! Today, I’m sharing part 14 of this challenge which entails days 88-95. This challenge is just about completed!

Most of the materials I am using for these cards are my painted collage papers I make on a regular basis. I’m also using magazine clippings and images from old books for collage. As well as Tim Holtz and other artists ephemera you can purchase online or at craft stores.  Many of these cards will be used for my 2021 Journals. Others I want to either frame for make another art piece out of them using the collage method.

The images with three cards (Day 92) was a special series I painted inspired on a morning stroll from the previous day. I had taken lots of photos of landscapes, beautiful shrubbery and wanted to use colors I saw depicting our walk. The colors are so vibrant! Really pleased how they turned out and they have given me inspiration for other art pieces. They would look fantastic in frames!

There are several challenge days you can choose for this challenge and I chose 100 days. Check out Part 13 post in this challenge HERE, where I include more details of this art adventure.

Be sure to follow and check out more of my art at my Instagram!

Stephanie Hopkins

Images may be subjected to copyright. In order to use art images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins

Art in Motion

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This post is the first in a series that will explore confidence in your art, expectations, encouragement and finding your style in creating your own master piece.  Today I’m discussing about when you get stuck on a piece and you’re not sure how break down that barrier.

Don’t force the process. If you’re not feeling it, take a step back and examine what you’ve created thus far. Or come back to your piece at a later time. You’ll be amazed when stepping back builds your self confidence in what you are creating. People tend to give up too easily and throw out their art piece and give up. Don’t fall into that trap.

When you come back to it, put aside expectations and enjoy the journey of each layer you add to your art. Be in the present of mind and never doubt the outcome. You’ll learn and grow with each piece of art you create. -Stephanie Hopkins

Other Related Post Link:

What Are Warn and Cool Colors?

Abstract Impressionism

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My latest pieces will feature some of the influences of Abstract Impressionism. My fascination for layers, texture and the depth come from this form of art from many artists I have studied over the years. No only that, but from patterns and colors I observe in nature and how they coincide with each other. Later on, I will be discussing further about my interest in the medium, the artists that inspire me and when I first discovered my passion for Abstract Impressionism.

This past Thursday, Georgia had a wicked storm come through and over a million people were out of power. Of course, that was the day I had planned on starting new art pieces. The lighting was poor in my art area so I eventually moved my panels to the kitchen island. I am working with Birch and MDF Boards and I have begun the first layers of three and prepping the others with Gesso. The third piece is not shown in these pictures. Have a blessed weekend! -Stephanie Hopkins

The definition of Abstract Impressionism according to Wikipedia: “Is an art movement that originated in New York City, in the 1940’s.  It involves the painting of a subject such as real-life scenes, objects, or people (portraits) in an Impressionist-style, but with an emphasis on varying measures of abstraction. The paintings are often painted en plein air, an artistic style involving painting outside with the landscape directly in front of the artist. The movement works delicately between the lines of pure abstraction (the extent of which varies greatly) and the allowance of an impression of reality in the painting.”

Be sure to follow and check out more of my art at my Instagram!

Images may be subjected to copyright. In order to use art images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins