nathalie-kalbach

Whose Front Yard? – Canvas

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A new canvas finished – I had a great time painting. It took me quite a while to finish it deciding when to finish :) That is always the hardest part, don’t you think?

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I used Liquitex Soft Body and Heavy Body Acrylic Paints as well as Markers, Inks and Spray Paints. I made a lot of marks with the Liquitex Freestyle Palette knife – I love using it to create texture and marks into the wet but also into the dried paint.

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I am thinking about having this one scanned, too, and make it available as prints. What do you think? (I will add the prints to my shop as soon as they are ready.)

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Wishing you an amazing start into the week!

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Nurse Ratchet

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    I love that in your world the sea gulls are pink and orange!!

    Reply

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Inspired by Brooklyn – Brooklyn Museum Swoon Exhibition

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I am a little bit behind with posting my stuff, so this exhibition meanwhile closed. But: Last month I went to the Brooklyn Museum for Swoon‘s Submerged Motherlands Exhibition. I admire her work and I wanted to see this exhibition ever since it opened .

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In the middle of the rotunda of the museum was this amazing tree – the trunk made of dyed fabric and the branches holding intricate paper cut pieces. Swoon engaged with climate change in the installation as a response to the catastrophic Hurricane Sandy.

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The exhibition touched me – not only was I in awe by all the tiny details and the obvious love and work in putting it all together- it also made me think, feel, and smell (the rafting boats made out of garbage and that had concurred some international rivers, left some traces ocean smell in the exhibition).

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I wanted to live in this place. It was beautiful and calm.

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Where ever you looked you saw tiny pieces of repurposed every day materials into pieces of art.

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on the walls, on the floor, in air

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The drawings and colors – strong and breathtaking . It was an exhibition that made you want to explore, to stay there forever, to lay down on the floor, to just let it work it’s magic.

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I am sad the exhibition is over and not there to go back- but it makes me happy to know that the rafts found a final resting place in a forest. What a beautiful idea.

If you have the chance to see art work by this amazing artist- go and see it Follow her amazing projects – she is one inspiring and amazing person! I have a little swoon crush, I admit!

You can find Swoon on her website here, on FB, instagram and twitter.

What was the last art exhibition that made you all emotional?

 

Nat

Comments (1)

  • Michelle Salazar

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    This is amazing thank you for showing me her work I will keep my eye out to see if I can catch her exhibit live sometime!

    Reply

  • Diana Trout

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    Thanks for introducing me to this artist, Nat! I’ve had a nice little visit with you this morning ;)

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Thank you Diana :) Can’t wait to catch up via email :)

      Reply

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I am not what I am …or In My Art Journal Today

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I am not what I am. I am what I do with my hands.

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I used Acrylic Paints and my Stamps and Stencils and wrote the quote with Acrylic Inks onto a piece of washi paper. I found the photo many years ago at a flea market in Germany and I always wondered about the story behind it.

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Here are some of the supplies I used:

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Do old photos you see at a flea market intrigue you too?

Have a gorgeous day!

 

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Cynthia

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    Absolutely! I have a couple of shoeboxes full and several old albums that I have picked up at flea markets and antique shows. My mom thinks it’s sad that someone’s family doesn’t want them but I like to think it’s a way of honouring them, to use their pictures in my art. I am always curious about the people in the photos and what they might have been doing when the photo was taken.

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Yes they do and my son thinks it’s strange that I buy pics of people that I don’t know. He does like making up the stories with me however.

    Reply

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designed by n*Studio features: Marsha Valk

One of the things that make me really giddy is when I spy someone using my new stamps by Stampendous or also my Stencils with StencilGirl Products :) So I thought once in a while I would feature the work of those wonderful talented people with a new Series called: designed by n*Studio features:…..

And today I feature: Marsha Valk 

I  know Marsha for many many years know – first online and then from meeting her at a workshop in the Netherlands, where she lives. She is a very talented person full of fun ideas. She just blew me away this year with her awesome creative video for Creative JumpStart and I am thrilled she did some fun projects using my stamps.

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Hello, hello! I’m Marsha Valk from the Netherlands. I discovered scrapbooking in 2003 and I’ve been an avid scrapbooker, mixed-media/art journaler and just all round crafter ever since. I love all colours of the rainbow and i will use them all on one project if I get the chance!

I own all three of Nathalie’s Stampendous stamp sets and i use them all the time on my projects. I love the grungy, graphic look. They’ re ideal for adding a little bit of subtle tone on tone texture AND for adding contrast with a bolder colour ink. The quality is superb and I use them with and without an acrylic block. I couldn’t tell you which one of the sets is my favourite: I just love all the different circle elements!

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Page in my recent vacation album, inspired by Sanna Lippert. I especially love the effect of the burlap stamp combined with ultra high embossing powder!

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Page in one of my art journals – I have loads of pages like this, I love making patterns. I’m still debating if I want to add a quote. I just don’t dare… It may take me years to decide. Hahaha. The background colours are neon irl, but my camera unfortunately has trouble catching that. The elements are the result of exercises from a class I took. I added stamped images to the Ecoline try-outs, cut them out and glued them into the book.

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Mixed media bottles created for Scrap365 and WOW! Embossing Powders. This was such a fun project. The stamps are perfect for layering.

Thank you Marsha, I love how you used the stamps and layered them on each of the projects and the cool dimensional texture you created with the burlap stamps. And what a fab fab cool home decor idea to use them on glass bottles. Love them!!!

Here are the n*Studio products that Marsha used:

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Thank you for coming by – don’t forget- share your project using my stamps and stencils with me – I love to see them!!!!

 

Nat

Comments (4)

  • sanna

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    gorgeous projects, Marsha! I really like the bottles and am very honored you getting inspired by me ♡ ! I have the wired set and love it to bits too :). that neon journal page looks fab as it is! amazing colour!!!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Marsha, I love your art journal page with the white objects on it.
    I don’t think that I would add a quote.
    The bottles are nice and I especially like how you layered the stamps on the bottle to the left.

    Reply

    • marsha.

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      Thank you Sue!!!

      Reply

  • Marsha.

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    Thank you so much Nat!!!

    Reply

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A Good Day or… In My Art Journal Today

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EVERYDAY :)

have a good one!

Nat

Comments (8)

  • Laura S.

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    Luscious layers! How’d you do that?! Maybe I will be learning a few of your secrets soon :)

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Spray Painted the background, used some Acrylic Paint. Let dry- and then placed the words over the background and sprayed over again. :) So excited you are coming to CREATE in Dallas- and yes- I will show loads of “secrets” there ;) have a gorgeous day, Laura!

      Reply

  • Tracy

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    Wow, how you get that iridescent look? Love it! Especially the border around the words.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Hi Tracy, I spray painted the background and used some Liquitex Soft Body Iridescent White Acrylic Paint here and there. It shows here and there and I am amazed you saw it as it is so hard to capture in a photo :)

      Reply

  • Jackie P Neal

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    Gorgeousness and yes I will have a great day! xo

    Reply

  • Erin

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    This looks awesome!
    Is this spray paint?

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Sorry, I forgot the supply list this time- yes it is Liquitex Spray Paint.

      Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    I have been enjoying that you’re sharing more of your daily art journal pages Nat. Hope you have a nice Sunday!

    Reply

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About art collaborations, friendships and artcations

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Last week I had a little artcation with my friend Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. We spent the week at her Mom’s house near Boston to kick off our one year long art collaboration. We are both very excited about it and hope it will take us and our art further along the road.

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We have been hatching this collaboration idea for some time now and it was wonderful to finally get started with it. You can hear all about the art collaboration in the Podcast Julie recorded that week. We recorded part of it at the beginning of the week- talking about our expectations, fears, ideas and why we are doing this and then we recording a second part about egos, obstacles, our friendship and how it went along so far.

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You can listen to it here and we would love to hear what you think:

It was great to work together at the same time on some bigger pieces of canvas – here are some in progress and they are not done yet

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Besides that I was lured into a scary death bathroom by Julie and her Mom,

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we ate delicious food and …often

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and did some serious shopping

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We had a great time – thank you Julie’s Mom for an awesome time :)

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I came home inspired and relaxed – and I cannot wait for a new artcation in a couple months and see how our monthly art collaboration will have progressed by then …and our friendship ;)

Have a gorgeous day

 

 

Nat

Comments (4)

  • Laura S.

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    I finally made the time to listen to the whole podcast and Wow, this is such a cool idea. I am so intrigued…best reality TV show ever! Are you guys taking pics of your work, as each stage progresses? It would be fascinating to see how the canvas’ change, but picture taking during the creative lesson might be too interruptive? You both are brave to try this; testing your friendship. However, I only see your friendship growing stronger. There is always the possibility of squabbles, especially when you spend that much time with someone. Add the fact that someone is coming behind you and “jacking” with your art work and what if you just completed something that you loved and they totally wrecked it? This is going to be very interesting and fun. For the audience, anyway! Hopefully fun for you guys, too. Either way, I know you both will grow as artist and friends and the projects are going to be glorious! Looking forward to the saga and thanks so much for including us on this journey.

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    I still have to watch the podcast, but I’m so happy that you two are working together more and more. I admire the creative work that you both do SO much. Julie’s Mom is so nice and I bet she is a wonderful hostess as well. Glad that you had a fun weekend!

    Reply

  • Donna

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    I heard the podcast last week and really enjoyed a glimpse into the collaborative process. I liked how honest you both were about some of the frustrations and challenges you faced. It sounds like despite some tension, you both had fun. Looking forward to seeing how things progress.

    Peace,
    Donna

    Reply

  • Jackie P Neal

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    Wow nat- what a very cool idea! As I was listening to yours and Julie’s comments, I could not help but wonder about myself and how would I be able to handle such situations. I have a friend in another state that we have talked about doing this through he mail, and yes, that might be easier- but I really appreciate the way you two friends and artists have taken this huge & scarey (in my opinion) project on! Can’t wait to hear more and I am so glad to see you working through those feelings as I think some of those same would be my issues also! “) Very cool!! oxxo

    Reply

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Be a Fountain …or In My Art Journal Today

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Be a fountain not a drain!

I love this saying – it is a good motto to live by.

Liquitex Spray Paints over gessoed texture and masking tape background. Quote was written with Acrylic Ink and a Bamboo Sketching Pen.

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Have a wonderful day !

 

Nat

Comments (2)

  • cheiron

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    Love the quote and the colors!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Funny quote. First time I’ve heard it. I like the image it puts in my head.

    Reply

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CREATE Dallas 2014

I’m teaching 3 classes at the CREATE Mixed Media Retreat in Dallas September 19-20, 2014.

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It’s All About The Layers (6 hours) – Nathalie Kalbach

Date & Time: Friday, September 19• 9am-4pm

Price: 152 USD

Materials Fee: 15 USD

You will leave with: … a load of knowledge about paint media and techniques and various finished pages in your art journal.

Description: Create depth and dimension by adding several layers with different paint and other media to achieve intriguing art journal pages. Learn about different media and playfully explore how to express yourself in your art journal. It’s all about the layers—so come and join us!

Students Should Bring: White and a black journaling pen, a water jar, brushes in different sizes and formats, a fashion magazine, 2-3 cosmetic sponges, an old credit card, a water mister, baby wipes, a paper roll, a craft mat, optional deli paper, a brayer, an apron, scissors, palette paper, a heat gun, and an/your Art Journal. I use a Ranger Dylusions Journal but you can also use a Strathmore Mixed Media Sketchbook – whatever you prefer to work in.

Encrusted-Shrubbery

Encrustred Shrubbery Canvas (6 hours) – Nathalie Kalbach

Date & Time: Saturday, September 20• 9am-4pm

Price: 152 USD

Materials Fee: 15 USD

You will leave with: … a beautiful finished home decor item and lots of knowledge of techniques that you can apply in future projects.

Description: We will create a wonderful home decor canvas using Acrylic Paints, Stamps and Templates as well as Embossing Media and create a one-of-a-kind piece of art.

Students Should Bring: Please bring 12×12 inch big stretched and pre-gessoed Canvas, a water jar, brushes in different sizes and formats, 6-7 cosmetic sponges, a water mister, baby wipes, a paper roll, a craft mat, a heating gun, an apron, scissors, palette paper, black permanent inkpad, versamark embossing pad

Texture Heaven Art Journal (3 hours) – Nathalie Kalbach

Date & Time: Saturday, September 20• 6pm-9pm

Price: 89 USD

Materials Fee: 15 USD

You will leave with: …… a finished texture art journal and lots of technique ideas for future projects.

Description: Create wonderful texture pages with monoprinting, stenciling and stamping techniques, encrust them with different Embossing Media and bind them together in a beautiful tactile art journal

Students Should Bring: 4 pieces of lettersized sturdy white cardstock or sketch book paper, Brayer, Rubber Brayer, Black Permanent Ink Pad , Versamark, Heating Gun, 6-7 Cosmetic Sponges, Baby Wipes

 

I hope that you will join our classes – you can register here for the Dallas Event – and if you are living closer to Seattle– I am also teaching in October some of those classes there :)

Have a wonderful and creative day!

 

Nat

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Applause or … In my Art Journal today

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If you close your eyes the rain sounds like applause.

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I stenciled and stamped the background with acrylic paint. Using my Stampendous stamps and the included templates. Added a translucent yellow acrylic paint over it and then stenciled and stamped some more on top. The quote is written with a bamboo sketch pen and acrylic ink.

Here is a list of supplies :)

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And remember – close your eyes when it rains…it might just sound like applause ;)

 

Nat

Comments (1)

  • Sue Clarke

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    I use the Mish Mesh round stamp all the time.
    It is very versatile.

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