Career Collage for Girls

For years, when I meet new people, they eventually get around to asking what I do for a living.  I typically begin to list the jobs I've had--- accountant, acquisitions coordinator, analyst, asset manager, author, now artist and apparel designer/upcycler-- and conclude by telling them I haven't yet made it out of the "A's".  So, it seems a natural evolution that I've had an epiphany as I have been talking to my daughter about what careers she might choose someday.  With a variety of interests and abilities, who says she has to pick just one?  As I began brainstorming, my Serendipity series flashed in my mind and blended right into the mix.  Why couldn't I write a book, illustrated with my Paper Doll series, that offered suggestions to savvy girls about what they might consider? Over the span of a week, my kids and I started writing down all the careers/callings we could think of alphabetically and the idea started to come to life.

To take the concept "out for a spin",  I started with Gigi (on left), one of my initial Serendipity pieces, now pictured as a costume designer.  With photoshop, I removed a little of this and that and then started adding words to the piece-- in varying fonts.  I love the fun of reading them all the choices and think they must be defined- maybe in a glossary.  Perhaps some may even used in a poem for opposite pages.  The idea is still percolating in my mind.  Your thoughts are welcome.

If you enjoyed this post, I humbly invite you to follow me on Twitter at braitzatl.  You can see other art pieces at www.bridgetteraitz.etsy.com, and the real fashions at www.echoclothingcompany.etsy.com

Meet Phoebe-Time for Daydreaming

I'm sure I am not alone when I say I wish I had more time for daydreaming.  Sitting on the curb in the summer dreaming up adventures, lounging in the tub, or staring at the clouds and seeing fun shapes seems like a luxury out of my reach.  As I get older, it seems some of the time to just "percolate" evaporates.  But not for Phoebe, my latest creation.

She began in a relatively elaborate setting-- compared to her other buds in the Serendipity series.  I designed a wrought iron chair in front of a wallpapered wall---perhaps too ambitious a feat in paint and paper.  But when color inspiration struck and I wanted her her chair to be blue, my layering was suddenly all wrong.  Joyfully, mixed media is a medium that allows for major renovations with creativity and a dash of daring.

Phoebe has finally emerged----sitting pretty in her chair with giant bun feet.  She is quite adored by all of her bird friends as she daydreams the time away........

If you enjoyed this post, I humbly invite you to follow my feed on twitter (braitzatl) or visit my website at www.echcolothingcompany.etsy.com to see other creations.

Grown Up Paper Dolls

Is anyone out there old enough to remember playing with paper dolls?  When I was growing up, I would play with them from time to time before Barbie and all her clothes came along.  It was fun to play fashion   on paper and kind of funny that I am now doing it again- this time on canvas- years later.

When I began the fashion collages with the girls in my studio class, it was just to give them a little practice in designing and preparing a background with a focal point in mind, as well as to use some different mediums--paint, paper, oil crayon, etc.- to create their subject.  What was a practical exercise for them has become a new series for me.



This happy accident led led me to title my new series "Serendipity" which is defined as: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way such as "a fortunate stroke of serendipity".

Gigi- the latest piece- was really quite fun to create and came together rather quickly.  I fell in love with a certain paper from my flat file that had a steely gray background and some really happy Japanese cherry blossoms in reddish pinks and creams.  (This is kind of like choosing your socks then building your outfit around them.)  I wanted to paint a background that would bring out that particular color in a sea of black, red and grey papers, so I started with a medium pink and added some streaks of red, hotter pink and cream. Some wonderful cut out numbers gave the piece even more dimension. With the addition of one polka dotted hat and elegant black gloves,  Gigi is ready to take the town by storm----

For more musings, thoughts, and an occasional quip, follow me on braitzatl on Twitter. For real life creations, visit my website at www.echoclothingcompany.etsy.com

Neat Ninja Assemblage

Who doesn't love the cute ninjas that run around in one of Gmails' email themes?  Well, in one of our recent Art Studios, I challenged the girls to create an assemblage as a sketchbook assignment.  (see "Collage is not just for Ransom Notes").  Enter Nikki and the Ninjas.





She has recreated a ninja painting at a low table.  Love the way she used a page of writing for the face, and cool paper for under the Ninja hood.  Love the pop of red!
















To complete the page, she used other Ninja pics, cut outs from magazines and flyers, and then finished it off with complementary prismacolor markers.  This side represents his work life.

The left side of the page, below, is full of his romantic escapades.  She snagged some fun pics with his lady and continued the theme across.  Love the overall effect and the color palette.

Overall, charming and very creative.  Just what entries in a sketchbook ought to be.  Think how much fun she will have coming across these pages for years to come.

Collage is Not Just for Ransom Notes

I saw this great ad for a show at a museum in London (with the title above) and decided it was going to be our Art Studio sketchbook assignment for this week.  My students are busily working, but I finished first and wanted to share my finished page.

My assemblage is about my journey through art. I have used scans of my Beetle art pieces as the cars driving along the road and some great road package tape as the boundaries.  It was really great fun picking out all the different papers- cutting them into squares- attaching them and filling in with prismacolors. (In fact, I think I would love a quilt made out of these patterns and colors.)  It would also have been fun to make the entire background then attach 1 or 3 major figures or themes.  Hint: Nikki is playing with Ninjas from the Ninja Gmail background- can't wait to see how it comes out.)











From the beginning to the end (where you reach my newest Twitter avatar), you can see many fun mediums (symbolized by the papers/colors), twists and turns into new directions (shown by the road)-  always bounded by the tape, which are my guard rails.  It was fun and frothy and therapeutic.  Who doesn't like to color?









Coming next?  I'll share the other collages when finished, but this week, we are moving on to t-shirt rag pillows.  A great way to upcycle old tshirts and to create a really fun piece for your bed. I got the idea from a tshirt rag rug tutorial I found on Pinterest.  I'll share our inspiration with pics of what we make. To give you a clue, here's a preview of our trial rows.  Color, color, color!!

Valentine's Day is Almost Here!

Well, the art studio session with the girls was great!  They were so creative, and inspired me to do a few more Valentine's for those boys in my life, as well as some more friends.  So, thought I'd play show and tell and display a few more.

 For my son, the golfer who loves lime green and black



























For my friend, the little fashionista, who loves black and cream with a pop of color

For my life-time sweetie who loves orange---even in pansies


















For my dad who loves blue and is also a fashionista


This week, we are drawing eyes in the studio.  Stay tuned---I'll post the best later this week.