A Thousand Dreams …in my art journal

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A thousand dreams within me softly burn

Arthur Rimbaud

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The format of my new art journal is fun- but it is hard to photograph the double spread – I will figure it out ;)

I played with Liquitex Pouring Medium and Acrylic Paints and Inks to see what happens, loved the effects and saw flowers- which I then outlined with a black pen. I added a thin layer of clear gesso over the pouring medium parts as in an art journal otherwise the pages will stick together like crazy and destroy parts of the pages when you try to open it again. Works quite well and you do not loose too much of the shiny-ness.

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Also loved playing with the templates included in my Stampendous Wired Stamp Set. I heard that some people do not see that there are template stencils in the stamp sets, there are :) – don’t throw the packaging away with them!

Have a gorgeous day!

Nat

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Comments (2)

  • Amante del Papel

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    Is just amazing!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Clear gesso…another supply that I now “need”.
    That red flower is so natural looking. I like how you designed it with the black ink.

    Reply

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Standing Strong Canvas or… Blog Hop with Dina Wakley

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I am very proud of and happy for my friend Dina Wakley who just launched her own signature line of acrylic paints with Ranger. So when she asked me if I would participate in a blog hop and show some work using her paints, I said of course yes.

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I had planned on doing a canvas on the Flatiron Building in NYC – as many others I find it highly intriguing – the more as I learned through the PBS show “Treasures of New York” about it’s history.

 

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The name “Standing Strong” is the name my artist friend Tanya Watts Wedhorn gave it after I posted a sneak on my Facebook page and asked people to help me with a name. She is fighting returning cancer and what she said really touched and resonated with me„I remember seeing this building when visiting New York and it just seemed like a building that has really had to stand it’s grounds in a quick growing and changing city. It reminds me of strength and not changing for anything or anyone. So my title would be Standing Strong! Xxx“ Stand Strong Tanya – Lot’s of Love!!

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I had fun painting with Dina’s paints, and using her brushes and the Gesso and Gel Medium.  Love the colors she included in her line- I used almost all colors she sent me.

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Check out the other, super amazing Mixed Media artists that are participating in this blog hop today – and be sure to not miss the giveaway of two complete sets of the paints on Dina’s Blog:

Dina Wakley http://www.dinastamps.typepad.com
Dyan Reaveley http://dyan-reaveley.blogspot.com/
Roben-Marie Smith http://www.robenmarie.com/
Mystele Kirkeeng http://www.mystele.com/
Dawn Sokol http://www.dblogala.com/
Julie Fei-Fan Balzer http://balzerdesigns.com/
Nathalie Kalbach http://www.nathaliesstudio.com/  Permalink: http://wp.me/p3Cnxf-4nr
Kirsten Varga http://www.smilingeyestudio.blogspot.com/
Traci Bautista http://www.treicdesigns.com/

Hope you enjoy the artwork created with Dina’s new line!

Have a gorgeous day

Nat

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Comments (72)

  • Barb

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    Natalie,
    This is a fabulous email. I have not been able to download any of the videos you have posted. Just wanted you to know.
    Thank you so much for sharing your creative world and talent.

    Reply

  • Gemma maggs

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    Wow……such a beautiful interpretation of such an intriguing building…..your colours are so vibrant and perspective is amazing. I love it. It’s a great advert for Dina’s paints xxx

    Reply

  • stephanie

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    Great pieces. Would love to win some paints and supplies.

    Reply

  • Gerrina

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    Wow, you’ve made a fantastic artwork! Did you know that in Antwerp there is a smaller cornerbuilding aswell? (Near the Groenmarkt) Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  • Cynthia Clark

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    Love your painting. I agree about the Flatiron building, it’s wonderful.

    Reply

  • Janice

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    Wonderful! A real treat for the eyes. You are so talented!

    Reply

  • Amy King

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    Thanks for sharing your painting! I am so looking forward to trying Dina’s new products!!

    Reply

  • Gerrittina

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    Wauw, you have painted an amazing sky. I really love it!

    Reply

    • Gerrittina

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      please, remove this one. My mistake.

      Reply

  • Gerrittina

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    Wauw, you really painted an amazing sky. Love this one.

    Reply

  • Tracy

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    That background is incredible! The colors, textures, layers are fantastic!

    Reply

  • Julie T

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    Wow your canvas is amazing.

    Reply

  • Theresa

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    what a lovely canvas! The buildings, the flat iron building is great so detailed!

    Reply

  • M.Austen

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    Your buildings look amazing!! Can’t wait to try Dina’s new line of paints, brushes, and stencils!

    Reply

  • Ruth L

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    Your canvas looks so nice Nathalie, and Dina’s colors are matching your building composition.

    Reply

  • Gina Lighton

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    What a beautiful paint and Dina’s paints look so awesome. Best of luck to your friend Tanya.

    Reply

  • Dara Lynn

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    Gorgeous painting Nat!! I want to thank you for all you do for us out here!

    Reply

  • Kathy

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    I LOVE that building and LOVE your interpretation of it! So colorful and vibrant! Beautiful work!

    Reply

  • lulu

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    Wonderful painting! Great symbol of strength. Best wishes to your friend.

    Reply

  • Jackie P Neal

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    Nat- this canvas is stunning! I believe this is officially my favorite! And a very lovely gesture for the title for your friend! Sending good thoughts and juju for her health-

    Reply

  • Gabriele

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    Love that painting. Cool perspective, and of course cool colours!!

    Reply

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Dixon Mills ArtShow

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A couple weeks ago we had a little art show with artwork of the artists living at Dixon Mills and for the residents of Dixon Mills. It was a fun social event in our Social Club and I think there were about 60-70 people. It was not only awesome to be able to show some of my work, but also to connect with the other artists in our old factory buildings and to connect with neighbors. It wasn’t a public event- so I didn’t invite everyone I knew – but I had my sweet friend Julie Fei-Fan Balzer and my friend J. coming over. Hubs unfortunately had to travel.

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Kim and Josh from Josh Urso Design showed some of their wonderful knoop (dutch for knots) tables and the gorgeous light below (WANT – I love their lamps too!). They create really awesome furniture and lamps with all kinds of awesome and sometimes unexpected materials and resin.

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Also one of our Residence Artists is Donna Greenberg, a known polymer clay artist. She brought some of her jewelry and beautiful home decor items.

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And here is us waving to our friend Anke: we found out that we both know Anke Humpert from Germany quite well. Anke and I have met several times doing Mixed Media things together and now she is super thriving in polymer clay art and knows Donna well. (The world is so small…it is not only a saying – remember- I met Maeghan at NAMTA in Pittsburgh- she was at the Artshow too- Loveee her – and when we talked it turned out she lives in the same building – CRAZY!)

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There were also lot’s of wonderful photographs, glass painting art, mixed media collages and watercolor paintings – but I stink at taking photos when I talk so much- I always forget to take photos when I am talking with so many people. It was a great little show and a wonderful evening and I got a lot of positive reactions and inquiries about my work – including emails the next day. Yes there will be prints. These originals will not be sold yet as they are part of a bigger work theme. Thank you for all of those there and for being so supportive about my work! Here is my big fat happy grin at the end of the show :)

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This would be the perfect time to stop this post…huh? Wait wait…you have not seen Julie, right? Well- kind of …she is standing behind the knoop table. But – Julie actually slept over and we had a VERY long night, talking and planning and laughing. And then this is how a joint fashionable jammie day looks like ;)

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She wrote all about our Art Slumber Party here. I do love her- what a good friend she is – and how awesome , she lives so close now..It is 45 mins – btw- she is a true New Yorker whining, if they have to travel outside their little island, but over an hour traveling inside the city to Brooklyn is totally cool- LOL. It takes me as long to Downtown Manhattan as her = 20 mins ; tsss ;) But sorry, I was shifting away..here is Julie writing down our evil plans to take over the art world …

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And here is me holding up a hostess gift she painted in my studio, trying out my beloved Liquitex Markers…pretty cool. She made sure I hold it up high enough to cover up my Yankees Hoodie – she as a true Red Sox Fan had a hard time looking at it – snigger (I am not even a fan…I am European – I have no clue about Baseball – it is just a nice cozy hoodie- LOL).

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And that was it…amazing night, amazing day- I was so inspired and full of energy afterwards (despite the fact we slept about 3 hours and I had to teach Friday night ;) ) – I cannot wait until the next Artshow and Art Slumber Party ;)

Have a gorgeous day

Nat

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Among Mad People or …Art Journaling Keeps Me Sane

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“But I don’t want to go among mad people”, said Alice. “Oh, you can’t help that”, said the Cat “We are all mad here”

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carrol

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I smothered the background in paint and let it all out  – MAD ;)

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Have a gorgeous day and go make some art today!

hugs

Nat

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New In-Person Classes added for Seattle & New York City

I am super excited that my friend Birgit Koopsen from the Netherlands will come to the States and we will teach together a second year at an Artfusion Event -this time organized by The Ink Pad in New York City.

Here are the details for my class on September 28, 2014 – 2.30-6pm

Walk With Me – Altered Book Workshop

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You can sign up here

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After teaching at the upcoming Create Mixed Media Retreat in Somerset, NJ,and Create Mixed Media Retreat in Dallas, Texas  I am thrilled to announce that I will also teach at the Create Mixed Media Retreat in Seattle, WA October 24-26, 2014

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If you want to check if there is other workshops close to you where I teach this year- check out my Workshop List here. If you want me to come and teach at your store or a retreat you organize- please contact me – I would be happy to work something out with you.

Have a gorgeous day

nat

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If You Have Good Thoughts – Art Journal

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If you have good thoughts, thy will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.

*Robert Dahl*

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This background started out with a mono printed background demoing in a workshop and from there I added layers of layers, hiding, revealing and adding

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There is a lot of texture on this spread. And I used this fluorescent pink , which is a new obsession of mine- LOL. I know some people HATE it …I used to too but somehow it speaks to me at the moment  and I love to explore with which unusual color combinations it can look good with :)

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I hope you have a wonderful day …I am so giddy about the spring finally being here….Cannot even tell you :)

hugs

Nat

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Aligned Stars or … The Whatevers

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Are you ready for the next photo of the Second Round of Whatevers? If you missed what the Whatevers is all about (basically they are photos that my friends and I found on flea markets etc. and that we give a new life and story) or want to see all the past photos and takes…check it out here.

Click here to see what CatVickiMartha and Cuchy made out of the photo and which story they tell.

Here is my take on this month’s photo:

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“They knew their stars were aligned as long as they were able to keep away the evil forces of world politics”. NatKalbach_AlignedStars02

I worked in a smaller art journal this time and also changed the format. I wanted to see how I like it. NatKalbach_AlignedStars04 It was fun – I think it is a different way on approaching an art journal page.

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And here is the photo of this month’s Whatever for you :

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You can play along with us and share your story with the Whatevers- just link it up so we can see it :)

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Here is how it works

    • Vicki, Cat, Cuchy (Carmen), Martha and I and I have made a one-year commitment to each other and picked twelve photos with Whatevers whom we will give a story.
        • Every month – if possible always on the 15th –  each of us will do a post with an individual story that goes along for us with the same photo.

       

       

 

      • If you want you can play along and we will have the photo for you to download and show us your version of The Whatevers. The photo will be posted at the end of our blogposts- not on Facebook!

 

      • There is no rules to the story itself- it can be funny, sad, uplifting, breathtaking- WHATEVER

 

      • There is no rules on the length or the form of the story– it can be a short sentence, an essay, a poem or a soap opera – WHATEVER

 

      • There is no rules on the artform you choose – it can be a scrapbook layout, an altered art project, an artjournal page – WHATEVER

 

      • Here is a rule though: if you take the photo you have to link back to us and show us your story.

 

      • These pictures are from our personal stash and are for personal use for you only! If you want to use them for a publication whether a book or magazine in print or digital form please ask for permission!

 

      • If you want to participate we’ll have a linky list for each Whatever Post.

 

 


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Germany’s Next Goof Ball

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I think this is an appropriate title for the layout showing pictures of a photo shoot in Germany. I did this layout for the Stampendous! CHA booth …and I kind of think I have never shown it…if I did…sorry…I guess then I goofed up ;)

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I stamped the white background with my Stampendous! Stampset Wired and Gesso and after it dried I lightly sprayed over it with Liquitex Spray Paints. I stamped on different cardboard with the circle wire stamp and cut it out. Also stamped and stenciled with gesso and black acrylic paint on top of the background after spray painting.

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For the title I stamped foam letters with archival ink and the background stamp to pick up the background design. The ones I used were Pink Paislee Cushies which are not available anymore but you can use any kind of cardboard or foam alphabet stickers. It is a great way to alter what you have and make it fit with your project.

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The photos were mounted with double sided tape and for dimension also with foam pads.

Yours truly

German Goof Ball aka Nat

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