Just Now, Come

In the latest issue of Mabel Magazine, my favorite written piece is that by textile artist Amy Meissner where she talks about how living in Alaska influences her creative work. It’s a moving, honest, intimate piece that, even though I’ve never been to Alaska, I connected to instantly. Amy says that Alaskans have a word for newcomers: Cheechako which is derived from the Chinook word “chee,” meaning “just now,” and “chako,” meaning “come.”

Just now, come.

I emailed Amy to let her know how much I enjoyed reading her piece and that Cheekchako, “just now, come” perfectly describes the marbling process. You need to be very present when marbling because it is at the mercy of Mother Nature and slave to randomness. It happens and it happens now. But it is also a very welcoming and forgiving art form. You cannot really fail at it. Show up and it will show up with you.

Just now, come.

This is my new mantra for when I marble. And I will be sharing it with participants in my upcoming Clouds on Water: A Journey into the World of Marbling eCourse.

Early bird registration specials run through December 31:

• $179 for Introduction to Paper Marbling
• $79 for Advanced Marbling Techniques
• $110 for Marbling on Fabric
• $259 for ALL THREE eCourses!

From the Keyboards (and Hearts) of Students...

I am so incredibly humbled by the student feedback from my first eCourse, Clouds on Water: Introduction to Paper Marbling. As I put the finishing touches on the two new marbling eCourses, Advanced Marbling Techniques and Marbling on Fabric, their comments, praise, and support propels me. A big thank you to the inaugural Clouds on Water class! You will always have a special place in my heart.

Here are a few responses from the question, "What did you love most about the course?"

• Having the ability to have the videos running as I was working at the tank. It was almost as good as having Barb in the room. (Joan Merritt)
• I really appreciated Barb's support and timely feedback. (Karen K.)
• The sense of freedom to create! (Karen McMillian)
• Barb's enthusiasm! Also, seeing both Barb's work and Julie's [her marbling assistant] made the process feel more accessible. If I'd only seen Barb's I might have been a little intimidated. (Kelley Walker)
• Barb's engagement with the group, which supported the bringing together of the group as a place of sharing and offering. ~ (Lawrence Sunhorse Maskill)

If you'd like to try a new art form in a supportive, encouraging, perfection-free zone, Clouds on Water: A Journey into the World of Marbling is for you.

Early bird registration specials run through December 31:

• $179 for Introduction to Paper Marbling
• $79 for Advanced Marbling Techniques
• $110 for Marbling on Fabric
• $259 for ALL THREE eCourses!!

I'd love to take you on the marbling journey. Hope to see you in the studio soon!

The Magic Continues: Two New Classrooms Added to Clouds on Water

I am so excited to announce the next generation of classes available through the only online marbling classroom of its kind: Clouds on Water: A Journey into the World of Marbling.

Earlier this year, in beautiful partnership with the talented and inspiring duo at Animyst, my Introduction to Paper Marbling eCourse was launched. And now I'm thrilled to rollout two new classrooms: Advanced Marbling Techniques and Marbling on Fabric.

What Will I Learn?

Introduction to Paper Marbling: Learn the fundamentals of marbling ~ from making the bath and your own tools to troubleshooting tips and creating traditional patterns, this course will walk you through every step of the marbling process and take you on the journey to producing beautiful creations on paper.

Advanced Marbling Techniques: For those with marbling experience, start diving in deeper and go beyond the basics, breaking rules along the way and taking your marbling adventure to the next level. Advanced patterns, using additives, marbling on non-traditional materials and 3D objects are just some of the topics covered.

Marbling on Fabric: Fabric is a stunning medium upon which your marbled creations shine. This course teaches you the special techniques unique to marbling on fabric.

When are the Courses?

Registration is now open for the January 18 - March 6, 2016 session (six-week guided course). All of the content will be available for six months (July 2016).

What are the Fees?

The cost depends on which class you take, however every course includes downloadable handouts, six-weeks of guided instruction, and access to the written and video content for six months.

• The Introduction to Paper Marbling eCourse investment is normally $259 but through December 31, 2015, we are offering an EARLY BIRD special of $179 ~ that's a savings of $80!
• The Advanced Marbling Techniques eCourse investment is normally $129 but through December 31, 2015, we are offering an EARLY BIRD special of $79 ~ that's a savings of $50!
• The Marbling on Fabric eCourse investment is normally $139 but through December 31, 2015, we are offering an EARLY BIRD special of $110 ~ that's a savings of $29!

{ FULL PACKAGE EARLY BIRD SPECIAL }

Through December 31, buy all three courses for $259 and
get access to all material for ONE FULL YEAR!

That’s a savings of $268 and an EXTRA six months of access
to all the videos and other content.

Stories

Here is another direction I've been exploring. I'm loving the circles these days. Making them in the tank is such a trip. Patience (and more patience), an understanding of what your paints are doing, the depth of the bath, weather (I've been working in humidity levels as low as 13%...yikes!), and more patience all affect the outcome.

These are all on wood panels. I paint a background color, marble over it, sand it a bit, and sometimes marble and sand again. Then I mask off a shape (oh, I'm in love with shapes these days as well!) and marble again. Finally I remove the mask and voila! 

I think these broken ~ or interrupted ~ circles tell such a story and, when combined with the organic shapes and distressed backgrounds, there is quite a narrative going on.

Creating Language

I've been really, really busy in the studio these past few months and have been negligent in keeping my blog (and other social media sites) updated with news. This is not an apology. In fact, I'm very proud of the fact! I'm very protective of my time these days and when my energy feels at its best in the studio, that's where I stay.

But I'm emerging now to share in some of the goodness that has been happening in my world. Over the next few days, I'll share some of the exciting directions I've been exploring.

Today's images are from a little experimenting I was doing with creating backgrounds that I would then marble on. This idea emerged from the mini-residency my friend Liz Kalloch (check out her new website!!) and I did back in August.

She is a BILLION TRILLION times better than I am at making the backgrounds beautiful and interesting ~ but part of collaborating is being able to understand what your partner can and can not do...or needs to be pushed to do. By attempting to make backgrounds myself, I learned so much about the process (and how I can contribute to that process) and can communicate with her in a whole different way. Because that's what collaboration is all about: creating a new artistic language.

Catch-up Post: Making my own Pigments in Virginia

This is a long overdue post about one of the funnest classes I've taken in a long time. And yes, it was a class that involved marbling but it was more than that too. It was also about history and science and beginnings and discovering a whole new set of tools with which to create.

A few weeks ago I had the distinct honor and pleasure of taking a two-day class with Dan and Regina St. John ~ two very talented, long-time marblers who are incredibly generous with their marbling knowledge (and ridiculously fun to boot!). The class was called, "Historical Marbled Paper Patterns and Pigment Grinding" and as the name implies, we learned how to make our own marbling paints (from grinding pigments to making our own binder!) and how to use them (along with additives) to create historical patterns such as Shell, Stormont, and Tiger's Eye.

The class was so insightful on many levels ~ not only did I learn new techniques and peel back another layer of the art form, but being around Dan and Regina and seeing how they work as marblers was incredible. It's one thing to see the results of a marbler's work...it's another to see them in-the-moment, actually creating that work. Some things must be observed to be learned.

I just finished placing a very large order for new tools and materials and the goodies should be here by the end of the week: pigments, burnisher, glass muller and mulling surface, potash, olive oil soap, a new scale, and much, much more. (I think I'm gonna need a larger studio!)

I am so excited to start making my own marbling paints ~ though it will be for special projects only! There is just as much a time commitment to making one's own paints as there is to setting up the marbling studio (lots and lots of prep involved)...it is not for the faint of heart. But once you see the color difference between the homemade paints and the commercially made ones, you'll know the time investment you made was well, well, well worth the effort.

It's Called Pivoting

Today, I was supposed to leave for Bangladesh to embark on a truly beautiful project called "Miracle of Materials." (If don't already know about it, you can read about it here and here.)

Sadly, due to recent violence against foreigners and security alerts throughout the country, our Bangladeshi hosts have urged us not to come at this time. And after consulting with several expats (whom my Miracle of Materials partner Annika knows) as well as the US Embassy, we feel this is the best decision for now.

To say that Annika and are disappointed doesn't even begin to paint the picture. I was in full-steam-ahead mode when I got the call on Tuesday about the situation and it was another 24-hours before I could fully wrap my brain around what had just happened. But as my friend, Liz, likes to point out, the game isn't over...it's just time to pivot! Annika and I (and the rest of the group) are working hard to reschedule the trip before the end of the year and will keep you updated as things unfold.

If anything, this situation just underscores the purpose of our trip and our mission. A group of self-reliant, empowered people is the best foundation upon which a community can be built. A solid community foundation fuels a stronger, brighter future ~ and one that is equally accessible to all.

If you would like to read more about the recent happenings in Bangladesh here are a few links:

BBC Sept 28, 2015
Italian aid worker killed in Bangladesh 'by IS'

The Guardian Oct 1, 2015
Second foreigner killed in Bangladesh as ISIS claims responsibility

NY Times Oct 4, 2015
Bangladesh skeptical that ISIS was behind shootings of foreigners

US Embassy, Dhaka
https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=18298

Back to the Beginning

This is what it looks like to experiment with new materials for marbling. There are so many variables to deal with already with an established marbling practice...throw in something never done before and you're back to the very, very, very, very beginning. All new formulas, all new techniques, an entirely new way of looking at things. Right now, I have four tanks going with three different types of bath + five different paint formulas. I haven't worked this hard to figure things out in years!

In the foreground is a tank I build from a cardboard box and two trash bags duck-taped together. The tank is the same size that the women artisans use. I wanted to replicate surface space and surface tension as I experimented with paint formulas.

In Bangladesh, I have no idea what kind of materials I'll be working with...or what I'll have access to. It's part of the thrill and part of the anxiety. All I can hope for is that my years of marbling practice, years of paying attention, years of pushing through my own failed attempts, and the adventurous souls of the women artisans will get all of us where we need to be.

Thank you!

Nothing makes me happier than a REAL paper map, a guide book, and an electrical adapter for a country I've never been to before!

I can't even begin to express my sincere gratitude for everyone's enthusiasm and support for the Bangladesh adventure I'm about to embark upon. Even though I'll be with an amazing group of people (Annika of Di Milo Design and Bobby and Mycah of Redmond Digital Media), there are so many unknowns and variables involved in this trip for MY part of the program that it's making my head spin and my stomach fill with butterflies. I know everything will be fine and once I get there all my concerns will melt away ~ but right now I'm wrapping myself up in your kind words and earnest encouragement as I make my way through the process of figuring out how to make it all work out!

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
~ Helen Keller

Bangladesh, Here I Come!

This is going to be a game changer. And I would be honored to have you be a part of the experience.

In less than a month, I will be boarding a plane bound for Bangladesh where I will have the privilege and honor of working with fair-trade paper artisans on developing new marbling techniques. But this won't be your typical marbling class. And the participants won't be your typical students. This adventure will be all about increasing women's self-determination in a country that makes it difficult, at best, to do so and helping them create more opportunities to provide for their families and villages. In other words, helping women help themselves.

Let me start at the beginning.

A few months ago, my friend Annika Buxman of De Milo Design, approached me with an idea. Her line of eco-friendly and fair-trade papers called Sustain & Heal comes from a co-op in Bangladesh which provides employment for women in rural areas who otherwise would have no other source of income. The artisans make handmade papers from locally grown jute fiber. Then they add elegant designs to the paper by marbling on them.

An artisan creates marbled designs for the Sustain & Heal line of eco-friendly and fair-trade papers.

Annika has been working with the co-op for seven years and would like to see them expand their line of paper offerings. However, the artisans are limited by their current marbling capabilities ~ but not limited by their eagerness to learn new techniques! So she asked me if I would be interested in going to Bangladesh to help them develop new marbling skills.

Would I? Of course!

We will be gathering together women from several rural communities for a three-day workshop. Our goal is to build upon their existing talents while exposing them to new tools, materials, and techniques that they can then build upon. This will give them the ability and confidence to extend their range of papers ~ and then take their new skills with them back home to their villages and share what they learned with even more artisans ~ thereby creating ripples of more opportunity.

A group of women gather at an artisan workshop in Bangladesh.

De Milo Design will be investing in this training by funding 25% of costs and we hope you will help us raise the rest of the funds needed. Your contribution will help change the lives of these women by making a business opportunity a reality. While their individual stories reflect hardship and tragedy, they've come together in these workshops and have created a sustainable, empowered community able to provide for their families.

To learn more about this incredible opportunity and see a short video about the group of amazing women artisans, visit our fundraising page. (And check out the many beautiful thank-you gifts we're offering to show our appreciation for your support!)

Indescribable

I've been quiet here on the blog lately and there's a very good reason for that. I'm still trying to find my way into how to share the soul-shifting experience of the two-week residency I did with my collaborator and friend Liz Kalloch. In some ways, I don't want to tell the story ~ that by doing so will weaken its power. In most ways, I simply can't. It was 14 days completely and totally committed to the creative process ~ and boy did we dive in, go deep, and not come up for air until we had to.

We put no pressure on ourselves ~ only to commit to being in the studio together ALL day (we usually got to the studio about 8:30 a.m. and didn't leave until after 7 p.m.) working on our collaboration projects we call New Ground. We had no number to meet, no agenda to complete. It really was an open-ended voyage into exploration.

Along the way, we tapped into some good, good stuff. Almost effortlessly, we produced a nearly complete series involving patterns (all on wood panel) and got a good start on a couple more directions we are excited to pursue. (But not being in the studio together to nurture those new directions together is a hard pill to swallow.) And on a personal level, I unexpectedly found my way into a couple of new creative directions I'm excited to explore more of.

It was a time of color exploration for me.

The brighter the color, the better!

Color study ~ seeing how paints behave when overmarbled on black.

Integrating creative styles.

Alumming oversized paper!

Our chill spot outside the studio (also the gathering place of several happy hours with other artists in the building)!

Busted out the oversized tank and had a blast!

Color, contrast, cracks...

Studio dog, Henri.

Works in progress...how we stratigize.

Work in progress...

Work in progress...

Peek at the finished piece!

Peek at another finished piece.

Another peek, another piece...

Work in progress...

Peek at the finished piece.

At the last minute, we decided to create smaller replicas of the original pieces.

What I learned during this time is that collaborations, when with the right person, is exhilarating. It sounds cliche but it's true: it's like a dance. You feed off each other's energy, guide each other across the dance floor of process, support each other when there's a stumble, and can't imagine dancing to that song with anyone else.

I also learned something about myself: that all my years of practice, of study, of showing up and DOING is worth it...it makes a difference. In little bits it never seems like I'm getting anywhere but when something like this happens ~ where you draw from so many areas of your skill set and talent and creative vision ~ you see the mosaic as the whole that it is.

Things are Hopping in the Studio

Two new works-in-progress...

Meet me at the corner of Color and Movement.

Nervous about this one...eeeeek! A few more rounds to go.

Another Set of New Work

These took a while to emerge. And there are lots of layers. Layers on layers of layers. Some are emotional. Some are pages from a vintage garden book. Others are regular paint and marbled layers. And in between is the spiritual. These pieces are personal. And now, it's time to let them go.

New Ground Mini-Residency!

It's been a while since I talked about my soulful collaboration with artist Liz Kalloch called New Ground. A lot has happened with the project but mostly independently these past few months as we've tackled other projects that have prevented us from getting together in person. Since we live 400 miles apart, it's not like we can just bop on over to each other's studios and work together for a few hours. Calendars have to be cleared, plane tickets bought, supplies shipped back and forth. It's an effort. And one we love and find deeply rewarding despite the challenges. 

We decided last year that in addition to the week-long visits we carve out every two or three months to work in-studio together, we wanted to commit to being together for a longer time frame. We both felt that at the end of our week-long visits, we were just getting started when we had to part ways. We wanted to build on that momentum and see what kind of wonderfulness could happen when we really allowed ourselves time and space in which to expand more fully. We applied to a few month-long residencies that didn't work out so we decided...scew 'em, we'll create our own residency!

Photo by the lovely Stefanie Renee.

So next week I'll be heading up to San Rafael, Calif. where we've rented a lovely studio with lots of light and a great vibe. It's located in a building with other artists and because the spaces are working studios (and not live-in), when folks are there, they are there to create. And that's exactly the type of environment residencies are supposed to provide. We'll be there for at least two weeks...maybe longer if our schedules can accommodate it!

We both post a lot of photos of our progress on Instragram so if you want to keep up-to-date, hop on over there and follow us! We'd love for you to take the collaboration ride with us!

• Follow Liz on Instragram: @lizkalloch
  
• Follow me on Instragram: @barbskoog

New Work: Summer Series

I am so, so happy about these new pieces fresh from the studio!

These are the story of my summers ~ this summer and the many before. The colors are inspired by Minnesota greens and Push-up orange (the frozen treat!). Light and airy, these pieces conjure up the sound of loons, the taste of fried sunnies, and the smell of approaching thunderstorms.

I have been working a lot on wood panel lately and even though I find it more challenging and limiting than paper, I'm enjoying the exploration. I've also been playing with incorporating other artistic mediums and materials into my pieces ~ in this case, adding paint, wax and glaze.

These one-of-a-kind, original pieces are for sale in my shop. Head on over to check them all out.