Last Chance to Enter to Win!

Hi all -

My friend and art sister Miriam Schulman has pulled together ten creatives to offer holiday gift ideas this fall in her Handcrafted Holidays online workshop.  What a treat to be working with Carolyn Dube, Andrea Gomoll, Marjie Kemper, Systole Kirkeeng, Jand LaFazio, Danita Salcido, Joanne Sharpe and Blenda Tyvoll for this exciting class.  

Miriam has been offering a free video series of Artist Chats (interviews with each of us that include giveaways) before class begins. 

Check out my interview, and enter to win a stamp and stencil!

Today's the last day to enter to win!!

I am thrilled to announce that I'm a teacher for Wanderlust 2017. 

Do you know about Wanderlust?  It is an online yearlong journey offering you videos from 24 guest teachers and 2 resident teachers on a weekly basis. Each one is full length, high quality and downloadable, so yours forever.

You will also be invited to the Wanderlust community, a supportive and friendly gathering place.  If you decide to join, I would greatly appreciate it if you use my affiliate link, as this is part of how I will get paid!

Dyan Reavely, Andy Skinner, Rae Missigman, Cinnabar, Kate Krane, Mindy Lacefield, and more! 

Click here to view more details

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

How I Was Shaken Up by Anselm Kiefer

This is my final Creative Jumpstart Post, and I can't thank Nathalie Kalbach enough for the inspirational ride.  For the month of January, she and the other "Jumpstarters" had me inspired, stimulated and making non-stop art.  What more could I ask from an online class?




The final Master Artist was Anselm Kiefer.  His work deeply moved and troubled me in its unblinking look at trauma, struggle and the Holocaust.   Here is how I translated all of the lessons into my own work.













Inspired by Natalya Aikens stitching project, I layered ripped book, atlas, music and gelli print pages.  I scraped crackle paste by Deco Art through a stencil designed by MaryBeth Shaw to represent a landscape and forest.

Inspired by MaryBeth, I used my fingers to rub in paint.  Inspired by Joe Rotella's lesson involving the fragility of everyday things and new beginnings, I began to doodle buds and other flora with black paint and a thin brush, using my non-dominant hand.  

As I painted those shapes, they began to look like eyes to me.  

I rotated my canvas and began to work on it vertically.  I used a mask of a girl's dress to echo Joe Rotella's gorgeous project. 

Nathalie Kalbach's lesson involved explorations in texture.  In it, she completely painted over a prior canvas and scraped layers away.  I decided to be bold and painted over and scraped away parts of my canvas, and stenciled a window and a door. 

Inspired by Wilna Furstenberg's beautiful layout, I added brush strokes meant to look like stacks of books or twigs.  Inspired by the idea of ephemera like books and pieces of cloth, I scraped fiber medium on deli paper and stained it with orange and gold colors, and used strips of that paper to build a path and stairs through my canvas.  I also stamped a Hamsa to represent hope and blessings. 

Again, I rotated the canvas, added more marks and more white for hope and light.  I used a handmade paper cast embellishment to represent the homes we leave, and the homes we find.  To anchor the peace spiritually, I added a Star of David.  

Again - THANK YOU to Nathalie Kalbach and all the wonderful artists who made Creative Jumpstart 2016 so wonderful.

What do you think of all the twists and turns this canvas took on the way to completion?  I'd love to know!

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

How Online Classes Can Jumpstart Your Creativity

The New Year is chock full of lots of inspiration in the form of online classes.  While I love in person classes, taking a class on line can allow you to experiment in the privacy of your own home and at your own pace.  

From Rae Missigman's lesson.

I signed up for the Documented Life Project and Creative Jumpstart 2016.   I haven't jumped into  DLP 2016 yet, but Creative Jumpstart has truly captivated me.  The first thing I think upon waking is - what does Nathalie Kalbach have in store for us today? I can't wait to watch the video, which goes live daily at 7AM EST!  This year, Nat has picked different famous artists and asked mixed media artists to "jump off" of their styles.  You still have lots of time to jump in.

Here's what I created in the first week, which was inspired by Matisse.

Inspiration from Julie Balzer's lesson.

Inspiration from Carmen Sanchez's lesson

Inspiration from Joanne Sharpe's lesson

Can you see Matisse's inspiration?    But do they still look like "me?"  Do you have a favorite?  I'd love to know!

Like my online classes, Creative Jumpstart 2016 is completely downloadable - you can watch the videos as many times as you like.  I'm glad because I'm learning a lot!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

Free Download for 2016

Happy New Year!

I am so grateful for the role each and every one of you has played in my life in 2015.  As a thank you, please feel free to download and use this image in your art journals, or for other personal use.

I look forward to connecting with more of you during 2016. 

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletter HERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!  

 

Last Chance for a Huge Online Class Sale!

Through December 25th, all of my online classes are available at the discounted price of $9.99! Each one is yours forever - the videos and pdfs may be downloaded and viewed at your convenience.  Each has loads of techniques that will help you in all your mixed media work.  Click here to read more about them and buy today.  

Each one gives you access to an exclusive Facebook group.  I look forward to connecting with you there!

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletter HERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!  

 

Why An Open Heart is the Only Rational Answer

Windows and Doors Stencil  Available on Society6

With the horrific bombings and shootings in Paris last week, fear-mongering is running rampant - politicians and ordinary people are reacting in anger, and urging closing off, shutting down, turning in.  But bombs and hatred will never win against terrorists.  People turn to violence when they have no hope, no options.  The true weapons against terrorism are education, employment, hope, compassion and love.  We need MORE love, not more fear.

Medallions Stencil, Cascading Leaves Stencil, Falling Feathers Stencil and Hamsa Stamp

As an artist, my response is to make art and thus these images in my art journal.  Open doors.  Think of "others" as the same as me, with the same hopes, dreams and fears.  Think of my ancestors who were rejected and shunned because they were different.

The worst thing these attacks can do is close our hearts and take away our humanity.  Don't let that happen.

Kim Geiser created this beautiful coloring page as a free gift and plea to "Please Love More."  As she says, "Please share, print, use this picture and allow it to remind us to use our powers for good. "

by Kim Geiser Studios http://persimmonsgal54220.blogspot.com/2015/11/please.html

And just a reminder:

The last day to purchase these downloadable online classes for $9.99 is 11/23! Then they go to their normal price of $24.99.  So if you're interested, purchase them, download them, and do them at your convenience!

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletter HERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!  

 

Be the First to Take My Online Classes!

You asked and I listened!  I have launched 2 downloadable online classes! 

For a LIMITED TIME, until November 23rd, these classes are available for just $9.99. The price will then increase to $24.99.  

Watch the introductory videos, check them out, and I hope you enjoy!

VILLAGE SHADOWBOX  

Learn resist techniques and more to create uniquely patterned papers. We'll use those papers to "build" unique, whimsical houses, and assemble those houses in a shadowbox to create a village. This is a great holiday project because your houses can be used for the shadowbox, and also for fanciful gift tags, cards, and more. The class includes four videos, a pdf file, and access to a secret Facebook group where we can connect and share work.  Here's the introductory video!

You can also watch the the Village Shadowbox Introductory video on YouTube here!

REGISTER TODAY!

SPECIAL OFFER!

$9.99 if bought by November 23rd!

FLORAL CANVAS

In this project-based class, we'll create a floral canvas using household objects and stencils. The techniques will be applicable to all your art journaling and other mixed media projects! The class includes a 16-minute video, a pdf file, and access to a secret Facebook group where we can connect and share work.  Here's the introductory video!

You can also watch the Intro to Floral Canvas video on YouTube here.  

REGISTER TODAY!

SPECIAL OFFER!

$9.99 if bought by November 23rd!

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you don't already, please sign-up for my newsletter HERE, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin and YouTube, so that you never miss a giveaway, and always get the latest Jessica Sporn Designs News!