nathalie-kalbach

Artful Adventures in Mixed Media is Out and Giveaway

 

My book Artful Adventures in Mixed Media is now officially out and being sent out all over the world. PINCH Me! It is so much fun to see it arrive at different locations and it makes me just giddy to see all those photos. If you ordered a copy- tag me on instagram so I can see it :)))

To celebrate the official release day today I am giving away two copies of my book: one here on the Blog and one during a Facebook Live Event today- check it out:

THIS GIVEAWAY IS Now CLOSED – Edited June 12th, 2017

Blog Giveaway: I will give away one signed copy of my book to a randomly drawn person, just leave a comment on this blog post below and let me know why you think this would be just the right book for YOU :) You can do so until June 8th, midnight EST.

The Winner of a signed copy of my book Artful Adventures in Mixed Media is :

Congratulations Julie, I sent you an email- Nat

 

I will also give away a signed copy of my book during my Facebook Live Kaffeeklatsch this afternoon, June 8th, 2017 at 4pm. – check it out on my FB page 

 

Thank you for all your support and for celebrating with me! You are amazing!!! My heart is full today – lots of Love

 

Comments (62)

  • Sue LD

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    I am new to mixed media and would love to have this book.

    Reply

  • Brenda Ryan

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    Who wouldn’t want to win your book. The colors on the front cover are enough to draw you in. Congratulations on your book!

    Reply

  • Barb macaskill

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    This would be perfect for me because I love your products and use them all the time on my crafty journey! Due to health issues I am not able to get out of the house very much so I can’t attend any of your classes! Having your book would be the next best thing! Thanks for the chance to win a SIGNED copy! What an honor that would be! Fingers crossed ?!

    Reply

  • Susan

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    this book is perfect for me because i can’t get to an in-person class with you, nathalie! will you be selling it in your shop or do i have to buy it from amazon?

    congratulations!!!

    Reply

  • clen3

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    Nathalie, your book is fabulous! I have been enjoying looking through my copy, along with participating in your Artful Adventures Stroll Through the Hood Challenge! If I am lucky enough to win a book, I will be sending it to my friend in New Zealand who also is a rubber stamper/art journaler – I know she will love it as much as I do! Thanks again for such a great book and a really fun challenge!!

    Reply

  • Glo

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    Couldn’t get away to join you on FB but will be joining you for your on-line courses. Hope the book captures not only your talent but your positive energy! Looking forward to getting the book.

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  • Susan Griffen

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    Your book sounds fabulous!! Would love to have it to add to my collection.
    I am an avid stamper and love trying new techniques and mixed media for my projects.
    Hope to win this exciting new book!!

    Reply

  • Leonie

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    I love your style and have followed you for years. I enjoy the unexpected and this will be a great book to have as a springboard.

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  • Melaine

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    I would be excited to get your book. I’m always looking for new techniques!

    Reply

  • Victoria Sturdevant

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    Your book looks fantastic! It’s on my Amazon wish list. Thanks for a chance to win. Congrats!

    Reply

  • Susan M. Brown {sbartist}

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    Congratulations Nat!! I am so excited to be able to add “Artful Adventures” to my personal library. This would be just the right book to add to my collection because your style of mixed media is fresh, fun and colorful! Plus when I’m reading I will be able to hear your voice like you are right here in person. I look forward to catching a IRL workshop with you again sometime, meanwhile your book will help keep me occupied during monsoon season here in SoFL. :)

    Reply

  • Gloria

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    I am always looking for new inspiration and new techniques in my mixed media play. I would love to win your book.

    Reply

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Art Stroll: Rauschenberg Among Friends Part 2

As promised Part 2 of my visit of the Rauschenberg Among Friends Exhibition – you can read about Part 1 here. When you are reading this I have been already back to the show and have scheduled another visit next week …I am obsessed- HELP – LOL

“Ace”(1962) , Oil, paper, cardboard, paint-can label, umbrella, doorknob, fabric, wood, nails, and metal on canvas – on five panels

I love how reading the signage becomes the start of a scavenger hunt trying to find all elements mentioned on the panels.

“Black Market” (1961), Oil, watercolor, pencil, paper, fabric, newspaper, printed paper, printed reproductions, wood, metal, tin, street sign, license plate and four metal clipboards on canvas with rope, chain and wood suitcase containing rubber stamps, ink pad and typed instructions regarding objects to be given and taken by viewers

Black Market was first on view in Amsterdam in 1961 and viewers were invited to take out an object from the suitcase and replace it with their own and then make a drawing of their contribution on one of the clipboards. Unfortunately people were mostly just stealing the objects in the suitcase and so Rauschenberg withdrew his invitation. – I just love the concept and thought -so sad it didn’t work out!

“Pilgrim” (1960), Oil, graphite, printed paper and fabric on canvas with painted wood chair.

If you look closely you can see that Rauschenberg actually used the chair as a painting tool to drag down the paint in the canvas and then attached the chair as an collage element. It looks as if you are invited to take a seat to be part of the painting- but Natalya and I refrained from doing so – LOL.

Marcel Duchamp “Bottle Rack” 1960

Rauschenberg purchased this work for three dollars after he saw it in an exhibition, and then asked Duchamp to sign the work. Duchamp agreed and signed and left an inscription saying “Impossible for me to recall the original phrase” . Jokesters- LOL- I wonder how much this readymade art piece is worth nowadays.

I loved how the exhibition was laid out – and of course early morning hours are the best to ensure a more empty space.

“scanning” (1963) Oil and silkscreen -ink print on canvas

the canvas includes a photo of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company with Steve Paxton how lived with Rauschenberg when the piece was made.

The paw prints here were added by Sweetie, Rauschenberg’s pet kinkajou who strolled across the canvas while Rauschenberg was making it on the floor of his studio. He simply embraced the accident as part of the work. HA YES!

“Overdrive” (1963) Oil and silkscreen -ink print on canvas

I am so in love with this piece and the one below

“Estate” (1963) Oil and silkscreen -ink print on canvas

Rauschenberg started in the early 60s to use more and more readymade images into his paintings and visited Andy Warhol in the studio in 1962 to get an intro into the silkscreen technique. He had a friend destroy his stock of screens to avoid the pressure of repeating himself in his artwork.

I could look at them forever- and as you can see below the paintings are actually quite big.

“Volon” (1971)

Come on- admit…this makes you look at your boxes in a whole different way, no?

Untitled (1972) – Tape and cardboard boxes with rubber hose.

and so something that some people call trash becomes a piece of artwork – I love it!

“Sor Aqua” (1973) Wood and metal suspended with rope over water-filled bathtub with glass jug.

Rauschenberg found the inspiration for this piece in Venice – where he gathered found materials for a series of assemblages. The water- filled bathtub evokes the Venetian canals, the suspended tangle of rusted metal refers to aging, deteriorated surfaces throughout the city.

“Mirthday Man” (1997) Water-soluble inkjet dye and pigment transfer on plylaminate

You can find an x-ray of Rauschenberg which he called “self-portrait of inner man” and surrounded it with photographs he had taken over the year. Rauschenberg created this piece in one day on his 72nd birthday.

“Bible Bike” (1991) Tarnishes on brass, bronze and copper

The imagery and coloration in the metal painting series, Borealis, was produced through chemical reactions (which Rauschenberg called “corrosions”), sometimes with the addition of acrylic paint. Tarnishing agents, such as acetic acid and ammonium salts, are brushed or silkscreened onto brass, copper, or bronze surfaces, resulting in a muted range of colors: green, brown, or black, depending on the type of metal support. By painting or drawing with a tarnish-resistant medium before applying the tarnishing agent, the artist could create coloristic variations by contrasting the tarnished and untarnished metal.

I hope you enjoyed the Art Stroll- you can find all Art Strolls here on my website. But seriously if you are in NYC visit this exhibition – it is open until September 17, 2017.

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Artful Adventures – Interview with Mark Leibowitz

Mark Leibowitz is part of my book Artful Adventures in Mixed Media and I thought it would be interesting to hear more about him and some of his thoughts. Grab a seat and a cuppa and listen to this interesting conversation which I think you will enjoy. We are talking about things like

  • NYC Urban Sketchers
  • “Anywhere on earth there is a beautiful picture to be found”
  • Sketching People and the Fear of Sketching People
  • The Baggage we bring to creating
  • Why do we create
  • The connection between memory and art

Artful Adventures Interview with Mark Leibowitz from Nathalie Kalbach on Vimeo.

I hope you enjoyed the interview – I sure did – let us know what you think about some of the topics.

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BTW if you are in the NYC/NJ area – come to my book signing on Wednesday, June 7th, 2017 at The Ink Pad in NYC !

You can order Artful Adventures in Mixed Media now

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Forward? Collage

1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back = 2017

A lot of things going through my mind lately- how far have we come …how far do we step back in this time and age?

I created this canvas board based on an inspiration photo I took for the “Stroll Through The Hood Challenge” .

You can see a free video  on how I created the page and my thought process while doing it in the classroom accompanying the challenge if you haven’t yet. You can sign up here

I loved playing with some collage materials that I have had in my drawers for a while and creating texture and fake rust.

I also had the photo for a long time and I was happy to finally use it.


Hope you are well and have a wonderful day!

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Denim Mending at the Textile Arts Center in NYC

A couple weeks ago I took a class at the Textile Arts Center in NYC: Denim Mending.

The TAC is located in Brooklyn but has a great small studio space in Manhattan with tons of classes at different times of the day and since I totally into embroidery for a while now, I thought this would be a perfect class. And it was :)

We got to work with all kinds of fun dyed fabric (they offer a variety of amazing dying classes as well) .

and started out with some basic stitches , applique stitches and back applique (in the picture another student’s practicing samples- I looooveee the polka dot fabric with the blanket stitch so much!)

Later in the class we got a short intro to Shashiko which means little stabs and is a form of Japanese embroidery originating in the Edo period (1615-1868)

These are some samples- – I fell in love instantly …although it does kinda like tell you to do neat and straight stitches – LOL- which you know…is not me ;)

But here is my first try in Shashiko

Not too shabby – I like it and oh man- now I want all kinds of Jeans being ripped so that I can start mending them and I bought all kinds of supplies of course  – and is it bad if I bought some shirts that I just want to do this on?  I am ready LOL

It was a fantastic class by Jennie Maydew -(check out her website with beautiful textiles and artwork too). I learned heaps, and it inspired me and I am full of ideas how to incorporate what I learned into my own artwork – I am so glad I went. A great example yet again how good it is to sometimes take classes that are totally different from what you usually do :) If you are in NYC – check out the TAC – what a gem place to take classes.

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1…2…3 – Whatevers

A couple years ago my friends Vic Chrisman, Cat Scanlon and I founded The Whatevers, a Creative Storytelling Project. In a nutshell we decided to give old discarded photos we found a new life by telling the story of those shown. The three of us wrote an article for the recent Cloth Paper Scissors Issue – and we decided to revive the Whatevers every Wednesday this May on our blogs :)

Here is my project for this weeks’ photo

“Nothing would make them happier than meeting once a year at their parents house to help with the harvest. It was as if time was standing still and all sorrows were gone.”

Played with the pattern in different sizes of my Toledo Foam Stamps and Stencils – with spray paint and acrylic paint.

Now let’s check out what Vicki and Cat did with the photo and in case you want to play along with us -here is the original photo for you. Share with us what you came up with on the Whatevers Facebook Page or leave a link in the comment section :) This is it for now with the Whatevers – but who knows- maybe we come back some other time :)

Here are the supplies I used for my page – some links are affiliate links:


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Artful Adventures Stroll – Transportation

Subway – Billy Collins 1941

As you fly swiftly underground

with a song in your ears

or lost in the maze of a book,

remember the ones who descended here

into the mire of bedrock

to bore a hole through this granite,

to clear a passage for you

where there was only darkness and stone.

Remember as you come up into the light.

I created this art journal page based on two inspiration photos I took for the “Stroll Through The Hood Challenge” . You can see a free video  on how I created the page and my thought process while doing it in the classroom accompanying the challenge if you haven’t yet. You can sign up here

I love the poem and I liked incorporating it into my art journal. All in all I am so grateful we have such an amazing public transportation system here- unless it is early in the morning and the train is full to the brim. Good think I work mostly from home ;)


Hope your days is awesome filled with easy transportation – no traffic jams- no packed trains :)

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