Do you have something in your life that is easy for you to do? Something that is natural? Some activity where you are not afraid of failing because you know that you will come out the other side?

Learn from that! Transfer that confidence into a new activity. Be Brave.

I think we all have safe, creative, things that we do confidently. It could be any thing:

• an art making technique
• cooking skill
• athletic activity
• work based skill
• family responsibility

Think about it!

I know you have something in your life, where you are confident enough to “fail.”

For me it is gelatin printmaking. I am confident enough to play, fail and know that I will eventually succeed.

I teach with this type of philosophy. Failure and ugly art generally is necessary and leads to more beautiful creations. If you would like to embrace this style of learning then join me in the current workshop Book as ART Material.

• We will cut up old books and make new tools, books and collages.
• Embrace the page, spine, cover and text of the book.
• Move through the fear of the book being too precious
• Create new art that is meaningful to you

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Many old books end up in land fills or get recycled for paper pulp. This should ease your mind and give you the confidence to tear, cut, glue and reshape old books into new art making tools and art pieces.

Books are precious and powerful, but I think repurposing old unwanted books gives it new life and new power. I like to work with the parts of the book:

• Covers
• End pages
• Page blocks
• Spines

These parts can be cut apart and reassembled to make a new book with a rich patina and history. Sometimes you can find wonderful marks, notes, and history from prior readers.

If you have a pile of old books and you are brave enough to make something new with the old parts, then join us in the online workshop, Books as ART Materials. Click here to read the details on the workshop page.

In the class we will:

• Take books apart
• Use pages and parts to make stencils and stamping tools
• Build new book forms