FALL
CLASSES + EVENTS + CREATIVE MUSINGS
// 2015
Two Hands
NewsPaperie
T WO H A N D S PA P E R I E .C O M
SIXTH EDITION
O TW H AN N
Just owning fun, creative journaling supplies doesn't always mean that they get used. Much of the time I purchase art supplies and they sit in the studio for a long while before they are put to work. Finding the time to be creative is a challenge. On page 11 we introduce you to Lisa DeYoung, a long time friend and artist who has designed a system for making art a part of her daily routine. Please take some time to explore the pages of the Newspaperie- get inspired, participate in our Art Call, take a class or come to one of our free events. We've met and continue to meet so many creative people in the store- it's part of what makes running a retail business exciting. It fuels us just like the store fuels so many and keeps people coming back again and again. Make things with your own Two Hands!
Mia wo Hands T Paperie Gang
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS // SHOW US YOUR VISUAL JOURNAL PAGES
Twice a year Two Hands Paperie invites customers to submit artwork with a variety of themes that have included altered books, ofrendas (small altars), mail art, and fabric/paper art. All art has then been on display in the store. This year, we decided to make the art call more accessible to Two Hands fans near and far using social media. We are proud to announce our first Instagram Call for Entry! The call is to show us your creative Visual Journal pages by simply following these easy steps: 1. Follow @twohandspaperie on Instagram. 2. Post to your instagram feed an image of your favorite visual journal page(s)- the page can be created for the call or can be from your archives. 3. Tag @twohandspaperie in your comments on the photo and use #twohandsentries as the hashtag. 4. There is no limit on the number of submissions, post as many photos as you want. Only pictures submitted within entry dates (Oct. 1-31) will be eligible. 5. For us to ship you a prize, you must be in the Continental United States to win. 6. One grand prize winner chosen by Two Hands Paperie and one viewers choice winner determined by the number of "likes" will be announced via Instagram on November 1. The two prize packages are: • Peerless Watercolor Package with the Peerless Complete Edition, a water brush pen, and watercolor sketch book (see page 8 for more information). • Midori Passport Traveler’s Notebook Package with a new Midori starter kit, plus two additional refills.
he and t
A DRUM ROLL PLEASE... Allie Horton Word smith & social media butterfly Gerald Trainor Grammer police Mia Semingson Newspaperie content lion tamer Rachael Kelley Graphic designer & digital magician Shari Burnham Talent scout & class ringleader Leading Ladies: Andrea Sanders // bezero.co Cynthia Morris // originalimpulse.com Lisa DeYoung // mountainmermaidstudios.com
Look for these
TRAVEL JOURNAL ART SUPPLY MUST HAVES
throughout this edition of the Newspaperie for social media shout out tips from our friends.
@ twohandspaperie
U R OW YO
1- 31
MAKE
T
H
OCTOBER
DS
N G S WI T
The 6th edition of the Newspaperie focuses on finding creativity in your daily life. In addition to Cynthia's artwork and interview (pages 1 &14, 3-8, 13) we also introduce you to some of our favorite items in the shop that have been essential to the creative practices of many customers' Midori Traveler's Notebooks (page 9) and Peerless Watercolor Papers (page 8). Funny
enough, these very popular products were both introduced to us by our customers. Andrea Sanders has been a Traveler's Notebook user for sometime. Read her interview on page 10 about her love for this versatile notebook and why she uses it. Fran Meneley, a long time teacher at Two Hands, first introduced us to Peerless Watercolor Papers. On page 8 we give you some fun facts about this product.
// 02 HI
W
hen Gerald and I purchased the shop in 2010 one of our goals was to get to know the people who help keep the creative energy flowing through Two Hands Paperie- our dedicated customers! Gerald was the first to meet Cynthia Morris, about five years ago now, shortly after we had taken over. Cynthia lives in Denver, and stops in when she makes a trip to Boulder. They started talking and Cynthia mentioned that she does visual journaling, a term that Gerald was not yet acquainted with. So she pulled out one of her journals and it was enough inspiration for him to begin his own visual journaling practice and he's been doing it ever since. After their first meeting Cynthia became part of our Two Hands family. She regularly teaches classes at the shop and she has been an inspiration to us both. We're excited to introduce you to her in our Fall 2015 edition of the Newspaperie! We hope her fun and whimsical map of Boulder will help you capture the WOW as you explore the town or serve as a guide on how to capture your own WOW experience as you document your adventures, wherever they may be.
TRAVEL
•
1&14
Decorative Map / Wrap Sheet by Cynthia Morris
•
2
Introduction & call for submissions
•
3-7 Classes
•
8
Nicholson’s Peerless Transparent Watercolors: The Facts
•
9
Anatomy of a Midori Traveler’s Notebook
•
10
A Midori Way Of Life with Andrea Sanders
•
11
Create, Play, Thrive- Make Art a Daily Practice with Lisa DeYoung
•
12-13
Artist Spotlight: Cynthia Morris
03 //
CLASSES ENCAUSTIC
TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR CLASSES
Two Hands Paperie makes available the following tools for students to use during class: bone folders, self-healing cutting mats, awls, bookbinding needles, PVA glue, glue brushes, scissors, 12" rulers, right triangles, small palettes, embossing tools, graphite pencils, linoleum cutting tools, watercolors, and watercolor brushes. However, feel free to bring your own if you have favorites you like to use. Most materials are provided as part of the class cost, but there may be some items you need to bring. Check the materials list online for the specific class you’re interested in. Be sure to purchase your materials before coming to class.
CANCELLATION/ REFUNDS
Cancellations made up to 14 days prior to the first class meeting will be refunded or, at the participant’s option, used to pay for another class. Two Hands Paperie will retain a $10 processing fee for EACH class cancelled by a participant. After 14 days, there is no refund or credit. In addition, the fee for a class cancelled within this 14-day timeframe by a participant cannot be transferred to pay for another class. These policies are to ensure that teachers are compensated for their investment in materials and in time spent preparing for the class. We reserve the right to cancel a class if fewer than 3 students enroll 48 hours prior to the scheduled class time. If for any reason Two Hands Paperie cancels a class, students will be called at the phone number on file and refunded the FULL class fee.
LOCATION
Unless otherwise noted ( * ), all classes are held at the store at 803 Pearl Street, Boulder.
REGISTRATION
Register online at www.twohandspaperie.com No prior experience is required for classes except in a few cases. Classes are limited in size and fill quickly, so register early. Standard classes are designed for teens through adults, with Art Technique classes suitable for children 10 and above as well. So that the instructor can help all students equally, we ask that an adult accompany younger children and take the class alongside them. If you have any questions about whether a class is age appropriate, please contact the store.
INTRODUCTION TO ENCAUSTIC* //
There’s nothing quite like working with encaustic, a medium made by mixing melted beeswax, resins, and coloring agents. The fragrance of the beeswax makes for an amazing sensory experience, and the medium is very malleable and forgiving. Also called hot wax painting, encaustic was used in ancient Egypt for portraits. It was rediscovered in the mid-twentieth century and has become a popular medium because of its unique properties and look. Join artist Alix Christian in her studio for this one-day introductory class to learn the basics. You’ll experiment on wood panels with a variety of tools and techniques to create texture, modulate color, build up layers to create visual depth, carve lines and patterns, and add text and images. Give yourself permission to play while “painting” with wax and fire! The class is held at the instructor’s studio in North Boulder. The address will be will be emailed to registered students a few days before class. There is a short lunch break. Choose a date: September 25, Friday, 9-3pm October 23, Friday, 9-3pm November 20, Friday, 9-3pm December 11, Friday, 9-3pm Instructor: Alix Christian. alixchristian.com Limit: 6 students. Cost: $155; includes all materials, but bring favorite collage items if you’d like.
Stabilo colored pens!!
@ jlo_4242 ENCAUSTIC – LAYERING PAPER* NEW! //
There are so many encaustic techniques! This class is all about experimenting with hot wax and layers of various papers to create an unusual collage. The melted wax medium transforms paper and ephemera in unexpected and surprising ways. Papers become translucent. Colors change. Images are softened. Because of the almost imperceptible thickness of the medium, successive layers create a subtle but rich visual depth. Join Alix in her studio for this one-day class to see how introducing a new medium into your kit of techniques can change your work. No previous experience is required. The class is held at the instructor’s studio in North Boulder. The address will be will be emailed to registered students a few days before class. There is a short lunch break. November 6, Friday, 9-3pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Alix Christian alixchristian.com Cost: $155; includes materials, but bring favorite papers and images you’d like to experiment with.
3 micron pens: blue .5, red .3 and black .1; customized watercolor pan set, small pieces of mylar and vellum, waxed linen and graphite pencil
@ richellecripe
MAKE THINGS WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS !
BOOK ARTS MEDIEVAL LEATHER JOURNAL //
The leather cover of this journal is inviting. The texture and rough, irregular front edge recall a time when books were sturdy and meant for heavy use. You’ll love the feel of it in your hands as you unwrap the thin linen tie to reveal the pages inside. This journal is bound with the German long stitch, which is a non-adhesive, historical binding that lies flat and travels well. Many of the most popular journals sold at Two Hands Paperie use this binding. Book artist Jeff Becker will show you how to tear down paper from large sheets, how to assemble signatures, and how to sew the signatures into the leather cover. For extra touches that add to the book’s character, you’ll also add endpapers and an attached book mark. Once your new journal is bound, enjoy embellishing the closure with buttons and large beads to personalize it. September 20, Sunday, 12:30-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Jeff Becker. www.fatcactusstudios.com Cost: $100; includes most materials, but see the list online.
QUICK AND CRAZY JOURNAL //
This small journal is another creative marvel from artist Fran Meneley. It’s quick because it takes almost no time to put together, and it’s crazy because you won’t believe what she uses as the base for the cover. (Trust us. You have plenty of material readily accessible at home, even if you don’t save and stash away all things paper.) Fran’s new journal is so satisfying and so easy to make that you can always have one at the ready. Instant gratification! Part of the fun is playing with postcards for the collage on the cover. Choose a theme or be wildly abstract. Cover the “seams” of the postcards with colorful washi tape, stitch some folded pages inside, and you’re done. October 4, Sunday, 1-4pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Fran Meneley. www.franmeneley.com Cost: $65; includes most materials, but see the list online.
COPTIC STITCH SIMPLIFIED NEW! //
The Coptic stitch, a non-adhesive bookbinding method that was developed in Egypt 2,000 years ago, is a workhorse. It’s particularly popular for sketchbooks and journals because it allows the book to be repeatedly opened up flat without weakening the spine or signatures. In addition, the sewn chain of thread that links the signatures across the exposed spine lends itself to wonderfully creative and colorful variations. Local book artist Kristen Law Lewis learned a new, straightforward way of teaching the Coptic stitch from Kitty Maryatt, Director of the Scripps College Press in California and an Assistant Professor of Art there. Students in Kitty’s class learned the Coptic binding by stitching on a preprinted template – much easier! After a bit of practice sewing with Kristen’s version of the template, you’ll use your new skill to create an exposed spine book from start to finish in class. If you’ve never tackled the Coptic stitch before, or if previous attempts have left you a bit baffled, this class is a great way to master it. October 11, Sunday, 11-4:30pm Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Kristen Law Lewis. www.papercutspress.com Cost: $110; includes most materials, but see the list online.
// Book Arts continued
FINE BOOKBINDING – CASING IN NEW! //
This charming journal has been created by custom bookmaker Mary Jo Hamilton as an introduction to the art of fine bookbinding. For those who’ve already done some binding, this class is a wonderful study in the little details that transform a book from lovely to something of professional grade. Mary Jo will cover the basics: bookbinding tools, the importance of grain, standard techniques, and which materials are the best to use. You’ll learn how to square a piece of paper, how to measure and cut accurately (there are a few tricks to make it easier), and how to work with the appropriate adhesive. There’s no need to tear down sheets of paper and sew signatures for this project; you’ll work with a bound text block of acid free paper so that you can focus on the details of the cover and assembling all the components (a process called “casing-in). Text blocks are available commercially in many sizes, both blank and pre-printed, which makes it simple to make photo albums, guest books, wine journals, baby books, and the like. You’ll love Mary Jo’s detailed handouts! They’re a great reference for making more of your own custom books later on. November 1, Sunday, 11:30-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Mary Jo Hamilton. www.acornbookbindingllc.com Cost: $110; includes all materials.
POCKETED MEMO BOOK //
Once you’ve made one, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without these self-closing, little memo books with pockets. The beauty of the design, by prominent book artist Hedi Kyle, is that it’s made by folding only a single sheet of paper to create the cover and form a snug little closure. The two internal pockets are particularly useful for holding all those little receipts and cards you pick up while around and about. Book artist and calligrapher Melinda Canino will show you the simple folds required to create the cover and pockets, plus how to attach a small signature of blank pages for taking notes. You’ll make two books in class: a mediumsized one and a smaller version that can easily be carried in a purse. Because of the wide choice of decorated papers that will work, these little books make great personalized gifts. After you make a couple for yourself, of course! November 8, Sunday, 11:30-1pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Melinda Canino. www.melindacanino.com Cost: $45; includes all materials.
REFILLABLE LEATHER JOURNAL NEW! //
Modeled on the popular Midori journals that we sell in the store, this small refillable journal is easy to make and eminently customizable. The clever binding uses a cord that holds two replaceable memo books inside and a separate cord keeps the leather cover closed. The journal is sized to take most small refills, but you’ll make your own in class using plain white paper and a simple pamphlet stitch. Did we mention how easy it is to customize these journals? Start by using decorated papers – jazzy? elegant? funky? – to cover your inserts and to add color. Glue a simple image on the front page or add some lettering. Add beads and charms to the cord binding. The journal will become even more interesting over time as the leather develops a lovely patina from being used again and again. After all, it’s perfect for journaling, list making, or even sketching. November 14, Saturday, 10:30-2pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Mia Semingson. www.twohandspaperie.com Cost: $70; includes most materials, but see the list online.
CLASSES DRAWING
&PRINTING INTRODUCTION TO LETTERPRESS* //
We love, love, love letterpress! This style of printing creates a crisp, textural impression in the paper, which has a unique look and feel that appeals to the senses in a way other printing methods don’t. What better way to learn this nostalgic method of printing than on a 2500 pound, hundred-year-old press? Think of the stories it could tell! Carolyn Sweeney, owner of Black Dog Press, delights in using her vintage press to teach others the art of letterpress. She’ll show you how to set type by hand, using old-fashioned metal type, in order to create your own layout with words and vintage printer’s ornaments. She’ll also teach you how to “makeready” the press for a clear impression. You’ll leave this one-day class with a basic understanding of letterpress printing and personalized note cards that you've designed and printed yourself! The class is held at the instructor’s studio in North Boulder. The address will be will be emailed to registered students a few days before class. There is a short lunch break. Choose a date: September 26 or October 31, Saturday, 10-3:30pm. Limit: 4 students. Instructor: Carolyn Sweeney. www.blackdogpressonline.com Cost: $130; includes materials, but see the list online.
staedtler triplus fineliner markers for sure!”
@ lisa_deyoung TANGLES – STEPPIN’ OUT NEW! //
There are so many Zentangle® patterns! But how to decode them and then keep track of them for future use? This class is the answer. Annie Reiser, a Certified Zentangle® Teacher, will walk you through a “stepping-out” procedure that both simplifies the process of analyzing new tangles and makes it easy to document and organize them for reference. As any experienced tangler knows, there are many easy variations on a basic pattern that alter it dramatically. Learn one tangle, add the variations, and you’ve quickly expanded your repertoire. With the step-out process and the vintage style tags Annie has designed for documenting and adding notations on a basic pattern, you’ll kick your Zentangling® into high gear. The tags are an easy way for you to assemble a “library” of tangles. They’re eminently portable so that you can pick and choose which ones and how many to carry with you as you travel around and about. It’s a system that Annie developed to create and organize her personal library of tangles. When traveling, she grabs a small subset of cards and takes off. For this class, Annie invites each registered participant to send her a Zentangle® they’d like to deconstruct and she’ll incorporate it into the class. This is a fast-paced class designed for experienced tanglers. September 27, Sunday, 1-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Annie Reiser. www.botangle.net Cost: $65; includes materials plus a take-home kit.
// 04
WATERCOLORS – AN INTRODUCTION NEW! //
Artist Fran Meneley loves using watercolors! They’re imminently portable, they can be brilliant or subdued, and it’s easy to mix a wide range of colors from a limited palette. If you’ve been intrigued by them but perhaps a bit intimidated, Fran’s class is the perfect place to start. She first discusses the characteristics of different types of watercolors and brushes. (The right ones can make all the difference.) She also demonstrates some basic techniques to get you started. One interesting part of the class is learning an easy transfer method to create a simplified image, which you’ll work on in class. The illustration is truly your own, but done without drawing! Have even more fun and get creative by combining images. Fran provides plenty for you to play with or you can use your own (no larger than 8-1/2 x 11 inches). If you’ll be working with personal images bring copies, not the originals, since you’ll be marking on them. October 24, Saturday, 1:30-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Fran Meneley. www.franmeneley.com Cost: $65; includes most materials, but see the list online.
STAMPING & STITCHING ON FABRIC NEW! //
It’s amazing what you can do with a rubber stamp and paint on fabric. Add a bit of thread plus a few beads and the project is even more wonderful. For this class artist Emily Clark has designed a small wall hanging that’s inspired by the exquisite Japanese birds and animals sold in the past at Two Hands Paperie. We love the rustic simplicity of her woodland whimsies! Emily has hand carved rubber stamps for you to use to print an image on finely woven, natural cloth. Choose a bird, a bunny, or a mushroom. Add a dash of personality with some beads and a few embroidery stitches, which she’ll demonstrate in class. The finishing touch? Frame the embellished image in a small wooden embroidery hoop and add a ribbon to hang it. Charming! No prior embroidery experience is necessary. October 25, Sunday, 1-4pm. Limit: 6 students.
Instructor: Emily Clark. Cost: $65; includes materials, but see the list online.
INTERMEDIATE LETTERPRESS* //
Intermediate Letterpress introduces the use of polymer plates as a way to create images for your stationery and cards. Adding the plates introduces a new element into the design process and opens up more possibilities. You’ll also learn how to adjust the different parts of Carolyn Sweeney’s 100-year-old press to solve printing challenges – a necessary skill in order to consistently produce professional quality impressions. Then the real work begins as you spend a significant part of the class behind the press developing hands-on production skills. Result? A collection of 25 to 30 personalized cards, coasters, or sheets of stationery. The pre-requisite for this class is Carolyn’s Introduction to Letterpress or else previous experience using a platen press. You need to have a basic understanding of how type is set and loaded into the chase before it is inserted in the press bed. The class is held at the instructor’s studio in North Boulder. The address will be will be emailed to registered students a few days before class. There is a short lunch break. December 5, Saturday, 10-3:30pm. Limit: 4 students. Instructor: Carolyn Sweeney. www.blackdogpressonline.com Cost: $130; includes materials, but see the list online.
FOR CLASS REGISTRATION PLEASE VISIT TWOHANDSPAPERIE.COM
CLASSES DRAWING
05 //
BASIC PAPERMAKING* //
&PRINTING
// continued
TANGLING WITH STAMPS NEW! //
Zentangling® is a fun way to create beautiful pen and ink designs, even for those who don’t think they can draw. The patterns look complicated but are easy to learn one stroke at a time. If you can draw a straight line and a curved line, you have all the skills needed to tangle! In this class, Certified Zentangle® Teacher Annie Reiser will demonstrate several patterns and show you how to combine them with rubber stamping for a small piece of art. You’ll also use Peerless watercolors to add some extra interest. You’ll find that Zentangling® is a lot of fun, but its true value lies in the meditative and philosophical approach at the heart of the practice. There are literally no mistakes. This class is for both beginners and those who have already had a bit of experience with Zentange® patterns. Come have some fun! December 6, Sunday, 11:30-2pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Annie Reiser. www.botangle.net Cost: $65; includes all materials.
PAPER ARTS FRIDA’S FLOWERS – DECORATIVE PAPER HEADPIECE //
Mexican artist and fashionista Frida Kahlo has inspired so many women, both as an artist and as someone who courageously dealt with severe hardships throughout life. Her iconic hair flowers are a beautiful symbol of the passionate and creative nature that sustained her. Celebrate the spirit of Frida by adorning your own hair with a lasting bouquet of imaginative paper flowers. Mia Semingson, co-owner of Two Hands Paperie, will show you how to create different flowers from colorful felt balls and a variety of papers such as thin tissue, crepe, and riotous prints. Once you’ve made a bunch, you’ll wire them to a headband covered with washi tape and then add bits of ribbon, metallic paper trims, and other odds and ends. The result? Your own signature headpiece! There will be enough materials for you to also make one for a friend. It’s a great accessory to wear for Dia de los Muertos festivities. October 2, Friday, 2-5:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Mia Semingson. www.twohandspaperie.com Cost: $65; includes most materials, but see the list online.
FOLLOW US
This class is an introduction to the Western style of making paper by hand. Helen Baribeau, a Boulder-based artist, has been making magic with paper for years. Working under her guidance you’ll transform pails of fiber pulp with your own two hands into flat sheets of paper – magical! Her studio, where the class is held, is equipped with specialty equipment that includes a large Hollander beater and hydraulic press. The Hollander pounds and beats fibers to create the pulp instead of cutting and chopping them like a kitchen blender. The Hollander process results in a stronger and much finer grade of paper that accepts color more evenly. Helen’s class, which is designed for beginners and as a refresher for out-of-practice papermakers, covers the basics: pulp preparation and additives, sheet formation, couching, pressing, and drying. The class also includes an overview of decorative techniques such as inclusions, shaped molds and deckles, and layering. Students have made as many as thirty-five sheets of paper during class. No experience is required. Come play with magic! Note that, once dried, your sheets of paper will be delivered to Two Hands Paperie for pickup. There is a short lunch break; please bring a sack lunch. The class is held at the instructor’s studio in Boulder. The address will be will be emailed to registered students a few days before class. There is a short lunch break. October 3, Saturday, 10:30-4:30pm. Limit: 5 students. Instructor: Helen Baribeau Cost: $160; includes most materials, but see the list online.
PAJAKI – PAPER CHANDELIER //
Everyone is immediately attracted to the Pajakis hanging in the store. Symbolizing a wish for health and happiness, these decorative paper chandeliers originated in an area of Poland famous for its riotously colorful paper crafts. Contemporary versions of this charming folk art are simple and fun to make. Mia Semingson, co-owner of Two Hands Paperie and a great lover of Pajakis, will show you how to build the airy, web-like frame from wooden hoops, cotton twine, small colorful balls, and specialty paper straws. But the really fun part, and the majority of the class, will be spent decorating the frame with flowers, pompoms, decorative shapes, and just about anything you can imagine. As part of the class, you’ll learn how simple it is to make crepe paper tassels and beautiful flowers from scraps of paper. Anything goes! October 16, Friday, 10:30-4:30pm. Limit: 4 students. Instructor: Mia Semingson. www.twohandspaperie.com Cost: $125; includes most materials, but see the list online.
KIRIGAMI SNOWFLAKES //
The word “kiru” means to cut, and “gami” means paper in Japanese . . . you can see where this is headed. In this class you’ll make intricately cut, delicate snowflakes with master paper cutter Anne Weatherley. Anne has developed her own methods that allow anyone to make beautiful paper cuts by following a few simple steps and keeping some key design ideas in mind. There’s a particular technique she’s developed that creates a “flow” pattern – a beautifully curved and interlocking design. You’ll be amazed at what you do with scissors and a piece of paper in a couple of hours! November 8, Sunday, 2-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Anne Weatherley. Cost: $55; includes all materials.
COLLAGE PLAY //
Whether you’ve been doing collage forever or you’re just getting started, you’ll leave this class looking at it in a whole new way. Fran Meneley, who has years of experience combining images in brilliant ways, has an approach to the art of collage that’s both intuitive and well-grounded in specific techniques. She’ll start the class with a few warm up exercises that provide an eyeopening example of how varied results can be, even when everyone is using the same materials. Just seeing each person’s natural approach is instructive and inspiring. Additional exercises are fast-paced and will keep you working from the right side of your brain. There’s no time for anything else! Strangely enough, working this way leads to more meaningful pieces. This is the perfect class to learn how to sort through your stash of papers – the cards, illustrations, other images, handwritten notes, theatre playbills, tickets to special events, even postcards – that you love but don’t know what to do with. Fran will help you see how to create something totally new and uniquely yours from these seemingly unrelated items. December 5, Saturday, 11-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Fran Meneley. www.franmeneley.com Cost: $90; includes most materials, but see the list online.
CALLIGRAPHY
& HAND LETTERING 26 LETTERS – CREATIVE VARIATIONS //
Hand lettering personalizes and adds interest to artwork of all kinds. If you look closely, you’ll find that much of the writing is really creative variations on the basic alphabet. It’s easy to add similar touches to your own journals, collages, cards – really, pretty much anything. Join artist and calligrapher Melinda Canino to learn some unique and fun ways to manipulate letters. You’ll start with a simple block script that seems quite natural since it’s based on the hand printing we all used in school. Then it’s time to get creative! Play with varying the line, color, scale, and design of these 26 letters to animate words on a page. At the end of the day Melinda will show you how to create a small book featuring your new, creative variations. The book serves as a nice reference for your future adventures in playing with letters. September 19, Saturday, 10:30-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Melinda Canino. www.melindacanino.com Cost: $110; includes most materials, but see the list online.
Windsor newton water colors, a bit ‘o white gouache, my new fave watercolor graphite and must have ERASER.
@ efgager
// Calligraphy & Hand Lettering continued
INTRODUCTION TO CALLIGRAPHY – POINTED PEN NEW! //
This class is a wonderful introduction to the pointed pen and the fascinating world of classic calligraphy. The word calligraphy comes from the ancient Greek words for beauty and writing. In the West it’s traditionally been used to describe sets of letters that are written by hand. These scripts, which are different from the looser styles of Asian and modern calligraphy, are defined by structured shapes for the characters and specific rules for spacing. The pointed pen, which has a flexible nib, is perhaps less common nowadays than the chisel-edged calligraphy pen, but there’s a particular beauty in the subtle irregularities inherent in its lines. Explore its use with calligrapher Megan Goodenough while learning a basic alphabet that’s inspired by the classic Spencerian and Copperplate scripts. Megan will start with which nibs, inks, and papers work best for the beginning calligrapher and will then provide some simple exercises so you can get comfortable with using the pointed pen to create thick and thin lines in a single stroke. After practicing the shaped alphabet, you’ll letter a short phrase or haiku on fine calligraphy paper. You’ll leave class with a solid foundation in shape and form for classic calligraphy and with a complete travel kit of supplies. October 3, Saturday, 10:30-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Megan Goodenough. www.theilluminationcollective.com Cost: $125; includes most materials, but see the list online.
FUN AND FUNKY HAND LETTERING //
Get a little funky with pen and ink! Local artist Alix Christian is delighted to take you on a creative journey into the world of hand lettering, her style. The inspiration is Modern Calligraphy by Molly Suber Thorpe of Plurabelle Calligraphy Studio. Alix will start you off with a few basics at the beginning of the class: line variations, horizontal and vertical spacing, basic letter shapes, color, and the like. She’ll also introduce you to some very unusual writing instruments. After that, there are no rules. The fun begins as you play with letters, words, and styles, mixing them all up. It’s time to get creative with writing! Just think what it can add to your journaling and artwork. October 17, Saturday, Noon to 4pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Alix Christian. www.alixchristian.com Cost: $85; includes most materials, but see the list online.
LOVE OF LETTERING //
Words contain magic and meaning while adding a powerful visual element to journals, but people often struggle with their own handwriting when they try to put words on a page. They feel uncertain about how to do it in an artful way. This class explores different forms of lettering and mark making, based on your own hand, for creating layouts that consist primarily of words. Journaling artist Jessica Herman Goodson believes that each person can create visual poetry on a page by embracing the character of their own writing and taking the time to really look at it letter by letter. You’ll learn how by playing with words and phrases meaningful to you as you develop a sampler of letterforms in your journal. This class provides a safe space to layer paint and experiment with script, block letters, rubber stamp letters, and more. Come have fun working with the written word to create textured and artful pages! November 7, Saturday, 10:30-4:30 pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Jessica Herman Goodson. www.jessiestarling.blogspot.com Cost: $110; includes most materials, but see the list online.
CLASSES MIXED VISUAL
JOURNALING EVERYDAY TRAVELS – CAPTURE THE WOW! //
This class is a unique workshop with creativity coach and artist Cynthia Morris. She loves to travel and she loves to journal. No surprise, then, that she has a small library of books she’s created that are just bursting with color, drawings, and doodles. We love her travel journals from faraway places (Paris is a favorite destination), but we’re particularly struck by the ones that capture her everyday adventures. Journeys, after all, are about learning to see familiar places through new eyes as well as going on a grand tour. Cynthia’s workshop is created in that spirit. Though you’ll leave with a new set of tools that make it easy to capture both everyday life and faraway adventures through journaling, the focus is less on art making than on experiencing the world around you in a new way – that is, “Capturing the Wow!” You’ll gain permission (from yourself!) to be messy and playful, and you’ll discover how keeping an illustrated journal can enrich your life. There’s no experience or artistic skill required. Just show up with curiosity, a sense of fun, and a willingness to play! October 10, Saturday, 1-5pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Cynthia Morris. www.originalimpulse.com Cost: $80; includes most materials, but see the list online.
I never go anywhere without my uni-ball Signo white gel pen. And of course #washitape. But my favorite little item that I really love is a Sanford Noblot ink pencil! It changes color when you add water going from gray to blue.
@ semingson FINDING YOUR VOICE – INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL JOURNALING //
This class is for people who are fascinated by visual journaling and want to know how to begin. It’s also for experienced people looking for a new approach. Join journaling artist Fran Meneley for practical advice on how to develop a journaling practice for both your home and on the go. Fran will also share her time-tested approach for building your own mixed media arsenal. Though the focus is on finding your inner voice, the class is also rich in techniques. Fran brings a wealth of supplies to experiment with so you can find out which tools and materials work best for you. So many goodies in one place! You’ll have lots of fun playing them and with the techniques she demonstrates, such as using a view finder, creating visual interest with borders, and changing up your lettering. In addition, Fran has lots of handouts and fun little exercises to spark ideas. In addition to the class kit, you’ll take away a series of “explorations” (like homework but much more fun!) to keep you going once the class has ended. You’ll leave with at least three to five finished pages and be well on your way to finding your own voice. October 18, Sunday, 12:30-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Fran Meneley. www.franmeneley.com Cost: $80; includes most materials, but see the list online.
// 06
MEDIA
HOME RELIQUARY //
This class explores what the word “home” personally means to each of us. Multi-media artist Deedee Hampton has created a small reliquary in the shape of a home to honor its sacred essence. She’ll show you how to build your own, complete with soaring wings. Displayed inside is a small “relic” (for example, a family photo, a feather, or a jewel) that symbolizes the spirit of home for you. To build your reliquary, you’ll emboss and paint the metal that forms the wings and covers the house-shaped base. Deedee will demonstrate additional options for embellishment. Add even more meaning to your home reliquary by including a personal blessing and a clay “offering” disc marked with your fingerprint. All you need bring are your thoughts and a relic no larger than 2x2 inches. The finished reliquary is 4x7 inches and can hang on the wall or sit on a flat surface. If you prefer, you can add your relic later. Deedee will also have some small, home-related objects for purchase that might be just the thing. September 26, Saturday, 10:30-4:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Deedee Hampton. www.deedeehampton.com Cost: $115; includes most materials, but see the list online.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS – TINY TINS NEW! //
A tiny tin box is the “canvas” for this small ofrenda that celebrates Dia de los Muertos, a high-spirited Mexican holiday literally exploding with color. The celebration commemorates the annual return of departed spirits, and is a time for food, drink, lively music, parties, and activities the spirits enjoyed in life. A key part of the celebration is decorating ofrendas, which are small personal altars, with colorful flowers and mementos. Design your tin to honor a loved one or create something more playful in the spirit of the holiday’s colorful sugar skulls and whimsical skeleton figures. You only need paint, a few found objects, and bits of ephemera. Carolyn Sweeney, a Two Hands Paperie veteran, will get you started with a prepared and primed tin so that you can concentrate on the fun of painting and layering objects. She’ll also give you instructions on priming the tins so that you can prepare more on your own at home. One special feature of these small ofrendas? They can be mailed – honestly! October 14, Wednesday, 6-9pm. Limit: 8 students. Instructor: Carolyn Sweeney. www.blackdogpressonline.com Cost: $65; includes most materials, but see the list online.
I always carry my Sakura Koi water brush and my travel watercolors in addition to micron pens.
@ layzerbeamer
INFO@TWOHANDSPAPERIE.COM
//
303 444 0214
CLASSES MIXED
07 //
MEDIA
// continued
BEESWAX COLLAGE //
This class is the perfect way to try out working with hot wax as a medium. Though related to encaustic, beeswax collage is something else again. Mia Semingson, coowner of Two Hands Paperie, will explain the differences at the beginning of class as she describes the tools and materials you’ll work with. In beeswax collage, wax is the adhesive instead of glue. Because of its unique nature, the wax transforms papers and images in serendipitous ways. There are sure to be some interesting results as you create your collage on a small piece of board. To give you additional options to add to your bag of tricks, Mia will demonstrate a simple image transfer technique and how to use metallic foil for accents. To finish your piece, you’ll apply a lightly colored oil wash on top. The wash fills the nooks and crannies on the surface and highlights brush strokes in the wax to create a lovely patina. A side benefit of working with beeswax – the fragrance subtly scents the air with a marvelous and calming bouquet! October 31, Saturday, 10:30-2:30. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Mia Semingson. www.twohandspaperie.com Cost: $80; includes most materials, but see the list online.
My favorites are my peerless watercolors, water brushes, sharpie fine point and yes yes the uni-ball singo white gel pen,
@ blackdogpress CARVED WOODBLOCK ORNAMENTS NEW! //
Artist Theresa MacFarland’s small carved ornaments are popular at the craft fairs she attends. Now you can make your own while learning the basics of woodblock carving. Theresa has come up with whimsical illustrations and a different approach to teaching the craft that give it a new twist. Her simple line drawings are just plain fun. They make it easy to learn how to use the different tools and how to vary cuts. For the first ornament you’ll work with her illustration, which is a sampler specifically designed so that you can practice a variety of techniques. You’ll design your own illustration for the second ornament – a fanciful flower, a silly animal, an icon, or whatever strikes your fancy. Theresa will provide pointers on how to tweak your drawing so that it works as a woodcut. She’ll also discuss the importance of negative and positive space to help you decide what to carve and what to leave alone. What could be better than leaving class with two unusual ornaments – one for yourself and one for a gift! November 15, Sunday, 12:30-3:30pm. Limit: 6 students. Instructor: Theresa MacFarland. www.wonderboundpress.com Cost: $65; includes most materials, but see the list online.
Can’t live without my micron pens, they’re all over my house and purse. My visual journal however is very sad…
ART TECHNIQUE classes
Our Art Technique classes are mini classes designed to showcase a new technique or medium or to introduce a new twist on an old one. Limited in scope to quick projects, these classes are a wonderful opportunity for you to have a little “get-a-way” fun with others. We love to see how new ideas spring up when people get together to make art! Register online to reserve your spot. Art Technique classes are suitable for children 10 and above as well as for teens through adults. So that the instructor can help all students equally, we ask that an adult accompany younger children and take the class alongside them.
IMAGE TRANSFER POSTCARDS
Image transfers are quick as a snap to do, and they’re a great way to add images to almost anything without the need for drawing or gluing. Because the transfers are inherently translucent, it’s fun to combine and layer them in creative ways. Who knew blender pens and packing tape could be such useful tools? Mia Semingson, coowner of Two Hands Paperie, will show you a few image transfer techniques, then turn you loose to create your own postcards – maybe to send, or just for fun! Choose a time: September 25, Friday, 2-3:30 or 4-5:30pm; Limit 7 students. Cost: $25; Instructor: Mia Semingson. All materials provided, including paper ephemera from the store’s collection. However, feel free to bring your own printed material. High contrast images, either color or black and white, work best. Make a copy to use in class if you want to be able to use the original again. Copies must be made/printed with a toner-based copier or printer; ink jet copies will not work.
AS THE COLOR WHEEL SPINS
Come play with color! This class is a quick introduction to color, color mixing, and color theory. See how color changes and pops when it’s next to and around other colors. You’ll learn firsthand the reasons why as you mix red, blue, and yellow to create your own version of the classic color wheel. Alix Christian, an experienced educator and artist, will lead you through some simple exercises in selecting and combining colors. As a byproduct, you’ll also learn basic watercolor techniques, such as glazing and working wet on wet or wet on dry. You’ll be working with watercolors during the class, but the color principles apply across a variety of mediums. Spin the wheel and see where it takes you! October 9, Friday, 2-4pm. Limit 7 students. Cost: $25; Instructor: Alix Christian. Includes all materials.
PARTY CRACKERS – WITH SNAP!
Add a bang and some merriment to your holidays! The project for this class is based on traditional English Crackers, which are simple cardboard tubes decorated with colorful paper and filled with small trinkets (traditionally sweets, a party hat, and a small motto or really awful joke). The secret to their fun is a loud “snap!” that the Crackers make when pulled open. Depending on how quickly you work and how many embellishments you add, you’ll make four of these noisy little merrymakers. November 6, Friday, 2-4pm. Limit 7 students. Cost: $25; Instructor: Mia Semingson/Staff. Includes materials and embellishments to make the crackers and party hats, plus a selection of really corny jokes. Bring your own candies and small treasures, no larger than 1-1/4 by 3-3/4 inches, to fill the crackers.
@ why_christine VISIT US 803 PEARL STREET, BOULDER, COLORADO 80302
PEERLESS
N i cholson’s Peerless Transparent Watercolors THE FACTS BY ALLIE HORTON One of our favorite art supplies in the store to suggest as gifts or show off to new customers are the Nicholson’s Peerless Transparent Watercolors. The Peerless Watercolors offer vibrant, long-lasting colors in the form of transportable sheets impregnated with watercolor pigment. The Complete Edition comes with 15 different color sheets, bound into a travel friendly booklet. The pigments are created from mineral dyes and do not have harsh ingredients. Here are some interesting facts about these incredible portable watercolors!
In 1885 Charles F. Nicholson developed the formula for the Peerless Transparent Watercolors. The formula was originally created to hand tint commercial packaging. In the early 1900’s, the company joined with Kodak to hand tint black and white photographs. The Peerless Watercolors become part of the photo emulsion and stain the surface of the print instead of coating. The tint will last for many years. In fact, the Museum of Science and Industry used Peerless Watercolors for photo restoration.
Artists like Salvador Dali, Ansel Adams and Edward Hopper used the paints in their work.
Musician Jerry Garcia from the Grateful Dead used Peerless Watercolors exclusively for the abstract watercolor paintings he created in his spare time. These finished paintings were transformed into designs for the Jerry Garcia men’s tie collection still on the market today.
Always in my travel journal kit: Peerless Watercolors, a water pen, and my trusty, favorite Faber-Castell PITT artist “s” pen- waterproof so I can draw and watercolor over it
@ athandstudio
// 08
enter to win
WANT TO WIN A SET OF YOUR OWN PEERLESS WATERCOLORS? Enter the Call for Submissions! See page 2 for more details.
Peerless watercolors and water brush
@ kerryfloyd
The colors are 100% nontoxic and acid free.
All of the colors are handmade in Wisconsin using the same techniques developed in 1885.
The Complete Edition is contained in a yellow booklet that has not changed since it was designed in 1902.
Nicholson’s Peerless Transparent Watercolors offer deep, rich colors for painting in the studio or on the go. They are truly a must have for any visual journaling kit. Come in the store to see a demo or purchase your own set. They are also online.
09 // 01 on the journal
midori traveler's notebook WHAT ARE THESE MIDORI TRAVELER’S NOTEBOOKS? They are an entirely customizable notebook experience. Wildly popular in Japan, the Midori Traveler’s Notebook features a leather cover and rubber bands to hold a variety of refills that can include blank, lined or grid notebooks, zipper pockets, a planner, and much more. The Midori Traveler’s Notebook can be used for visual journaling, as a wallet or as a planner. Two Hands Paperie carries the Midori starter kits and all of refills and accessories in the store and online. Want more Midori inspiration? Check out our “Travel Journaling and Midori Magic” page on Pintrest.
02 hand & washi tape
win WIN A y o u r TRAVELER’S own NOTEBOOK! See page 2 for more details.
04 for the inserts
01
03 pencil & number clips
Soft Leather cover Elastic Strap Optionl Pen Loop
02
Washi Tape, rubber stamps…. this journal will serve as an inspiration to get out your art supplies and play!
03
Midori Brass pens and pencils, clips, alphabet and number templates.
04
A variety of accessories and notebook refills available to fit your notebook needs: Blank, lined, grid, folder, dated and undated planner formats, zipper pocket, business card holders…
MAKE THINGS WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS !
WAY OF LIFE
// 10
LEARN MORE ABOUT ANDREA SANDERS:
Be Zero- Zero Waste Living Home Consulting and Education www.bezero.co
@ bezerowastegirl 303 359 8634
make yours
LEARN TO MAKE YOUR OWN REFILLABLE LEATHER JOURNAL. See page 4 for more details.
I
t was a sunny day in Seattle and I was on a work break,” this love story begins. “My boyfriend at the time met me for lunch and happened to bring the mail. Among the letters was a small brown envelope. I remember the lovely details of the brown paper wrapping, the paper twine and colorful Washi tape all neatly folded around the notebook package. I savored the unwrapping and truly fell in love.” Andrea Sanders is not describing her love story with a human, but instead with her steady companion: her Midori Traveler’s Notebook. It is not often that we remember the exact scenario we purchased an everyday item, but then Traveler’s Notebooks are hardly everyday items. It seems that most people have their own Midori love story. Ours, at Two Hands Paperie, started with Andrea, who brought in her notebook and suggested we carry the line. Just like Andrea, we fell in love with the completely customizable notebooks. So as we journey through travel journaling in this Newspaperie, it feels only fitting for Andrea to be our Midori guide. She has been a proud TN (as they are often called) owner for six years and still believes: “It’s one of the few and most important items I own.” When Andrea says she owns few things, she is speaking the truth. She can fit all her clothes into a carry-on luggage sized suitcase and most of her personal possessions into a day bag. “My focus is on experiences and the objects, like my Traveler’s Notebook,
to facilitate the inspiration and capture those experiences,” she explained. This focus is not only central to the way Andrea lives her life, but it is the core of her business Be Zero. “Be Zero is a movement to educate individuals to rethink consumer habits while dramatically reducing their plastic and trash footprint,” Andrea described. “Producing less trash does more than just help the environment. It will simplify what you buy, lead to healthier eating habits, and save you money.” To share the Be Zero message, Andrea hosts Be Zero Boot Camps and free zero waste living talks in Boulder. She is able to run her business and stick to her Be Zero values with the help of her Traveler’s Notebook.
8 for more info) and travel paintbrush to “leave the digital world behind for a moment and let whatever pours from my heart and mind out on paper- thoughts, art and ideas.” Regardless of how the TN is organized, it is the perfect companion for adventure. Andrea has brought her notebook on many of her adventures; the most noteworthy of which was her two months living in Thailand. “I traveled super light, only taking with me a [small backpack] for the whole two months. My Traveler’s Notebook captured everything while I was there,” she said. However Andrea is using her notebook, she truly takes advantage of its customizable nature: “You change all the time and so can your Traveler’s Notebook,” she declared.
From personal adventures to professional organization, the Midori The Traveler’s Notebook is a tool Traveler’s Notebook is Andera’s most for Andrea in both her professional trusted partner. The customizable and personal life because it is truly nature of the notebook has allowed customizable. Currently her TN is it to suit her needs, whatever they “arranged to accommodate creative thought, projects, and daily to-do’s” but are. We are grateful that Andrea introduced us to these versatile in the past it has “been packed with 5 different notebooks or I’ve made it just notebooks and for all the Midori love stories that have followed. my wallet.” The other way Andrea has customized her notebook is through the brass Midori accessories: “My Midori brass pen, pencil, ruler, I really like to take along and the brass index clips are all super my Midori Brass Template functional for me and give my TN the Bookmarks, numbers look and feel of timeless adventure!” and letters. When she is feeling particularly creative, she pairs her notebook with other Two Hands Paperie products like the Peerless Watercolors Set (see page
@ athandstudio
INFO@TWOHANDSPAPERIE.COM
//
303 444 0214
1 1 //
MAKE ART DAILY create, play, thrive. MAKE ART A DAILY PRACTICE BY MIA SEMINGSON
H
ave you ever participated in a daily art practice to foster your creativity? When contemplating this venture at first you might say to yourself, “Really, how hard can it be? I brush my teeth everyday, why not make art everyday?” I can’t tell you how many times I have set out to do just this and have failed, miserably in some instances. I am lucky if I make it a week. Regardless of my good intentions, it is a challenge to maintain a daily art practice, near impossible on some days. From my personal experience in maintaining a daily art practice it has been about finding the right combination of “ingredients” to continue, even when the going gets rough, that can make all the difference. Before Instagram existed on everyone’s mobile device, I made a commitment to start a year long photography project beginning on my 39th birthday. The goal was to photograph everyday then edit the images and post one picture each day to a blog and write about it. Part of the challenge I set up for myself was to make each daily image connect visually or conceptually to the previous day’s image. So for 366 days- May 7, 2009- May 7, 2010 I did just that. And I actually stuck to it for the entire year! The project was called 39+ and you can still view it online at www.39nomore.blogspot.com. My commitment paid off in so many ways and as a result I have an incredible record of my year and all that happened (including the purchase of Two Hands Paperie!) I also became a much better photographer because I had to “make art” on days when I didn’t really feel like it. It was an invaluable experience and I would definitely take on the challenge again under the right circumstances. My long time creative friend Lisa DeYoung, aka the Mountain Mermaid, has found the right “ingredients” in making art a daily practice in her own life. Very different from my project, Lisa created a format she calls the Daily Musings Journal, which provides a space for a simple daily creative journaling practice.
“The Daily Musings Journal began with a personal practice of chronicling my days in (dated) desk planners that I bought. Several years ago, after growing frustrated with the space in desk planners I began to make my own musings journal — week by week and month by month. In 2013 I decided I needed to have the entire journal created before the
start of 2014, and the Daily Musings Journal was born. My practice has evolved over the years, and I still love the hand-drawn square space I have for musing about each day, the week and the year.” Lisa has started publishing her Daily Musings Journal, offering up her format for others to use. Each year the demand for her journals has increased and her 2015 journal completely sold out! If you are looking for the right ingredients to setup your own daily creative practice you might find the inspiration you need to get started using Lisa’s format. The trick is just finding a format and sticking to it. You will be amazed with yourself once you get into the rhythm of constructing your own daily creative practice. Lisa is an independent spirit living in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She lives by the motto Create, Play, Thrive. You can follow Lisa, the mountain mermaid’s adventures online at www.mountainmermaidstudiosw.com and @ lisa_deyoung on Instagram.
Need a little jump start? Join Lisa DeYoung at Two Hands Paperie for a FREE Musings Adventure Evening -October 15th from 6-8pm. Lisa will share tips, techniques and inspiration from her daily musings practice. 2016 Daily Musings Journals will also be available for sale.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
// 1 2
cynthia morris ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
BY MIA SEMINGSON & ALLIE HORTON
I AM IN LOVE WITH THE CREATIVE PROCESS TAKE A CLASS WITH CYNTHIA MORRIS
Everyday Travels Capture the WOW! Saturday, October 10th1-5 pm. See page 6 for more details.
W
riter, teacher, coach, guide, and artist- these are just a few words to describe Cynthia Morris, a woman dedicated to being an “ally in all things creative: book writing, art making and business building.” Cynthia has been an inspiration to us at Two Hands Paperie (see the beautiful map she created for the Newspaperie and her illustrations featured throughout) both in her
creative journaling practice, the unique business she has created, and the life she leads as she travels the world. Her “Capture the WOW” class she teaches at Two Hands Paperie and beyond has served as a spring board for people to jump start their own creative process. See our interview with Cynthia on the following page...
1 3 //
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT got the same mission - to help people tap into their creativity through a sensual engagement with the world.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT AN INTERVIEW WITH
What are your go-to art supplies? What supplies do you travel with? I like notebooks with watercolor paper and experiment with different kinds and sizes. My favorites are Moleskine and Hand Book. I use water brush pens for my watercolors. For paints, I use Caran d’Ache watercolor crayons and also a small travel paint box I made from a mint tin. For pens, I kinda geek out and take a lot with me. I like Uni Pin, Micron and Faber Castell waterproof pens. This year I started using pencil more so I carry a few of those and an eraser.
CYNTHIA MORRIS @ cynthiamorris
www.originalimpulse.com How have you developed your business Original Impulse? What have you learned as you have merged creativity and business? Being in business for 16 years means I’ve done a lot of business development. The first eight years were years without any social media. It’s almost like Original Impulse has had two chapters - before the online explosion and after. That said, working with people in person has always been a big part of how I share my work. Teaching, speaking, and leading excursions have been the most fun way to share what I have to offer. When I realized that if I wanted to stay independent, I would need to become a businesswoman, I decided that my approach would be fun and creative. That I would bring my creativity and my voice to everything I do. A couple of ways I have done that is to commit to using only my own photographs in my work. No stock photos at Original Impulse! That challenged me to become a better photographer, which has been wonderful and fulfilling. I’ve recently been using my own paintings to illustrate my newsletter and blog posts, which has been great fun. What are some of your favorite parts of coaching? I do this work because I believe that our creativity is the source of our vitality. When we’re not expressing ourselves, a vital piece of us is missing. I love seeing my clients empower themselves by making choices that are aligned with who they are and what they are here to do. It makes me so happy to see them alight with the joy and satisfaction that comes from being creatively expressed. When people know, like and trust themselves to show up for their creativity, life becomes very rich and magical. It doesn’t take much to shift from being blocked and frustrated to thriving and happy. I offer my clients dynamic illustrated notes of our coaching sessions as a fun and creative way to be effective and to give value in ways other coaches don’t. My clients love them and will often print them and hang them up as a reminder of their homework. Can your describe your artistic journey, your transition from writer into visual artist? I began drawing in 1996 as a way to meditate. Inspired by the work of Frederick Franck, who wrote Zen Seeing, Zen Drawing and other books, I discovered that drawing was a powerful way to slow down, get present and be grounded. I loved the feeling I got from making art, which was much different than how writing felt. I was interested in a lot of different art forms, but I knew that if I wanted to make progress, I needed to commit to one medium. I dedicated myself to writing and I’ve produced hundreds of articles about the creative process as well as several books, including a Paris historical novel called Chasing Sylvia Beach. Alongside the development of my writing, I drew and painted for fun. I took art classes and filled journals. I began leading creativity workshops in France. When I published my novel in 2012, I freed up time to devote myself to art. I love how art is much less cerebral and more intuitive for me. It’s relaxing, fun and surprising. In 2013 and 2014 I committed to improving my drawing and painting skills, and also decided to take my art in a more professional direction. Since then, I’ve collaborated on several projects including illustrating a book called The Abundant Artist, which will be published in summer, 2016 by Harper Collins.
How do you fit visual journaling into your everyday life? During my days I will step into the studio and do some doodling or put some color down. This calms me, grounds me and opens up space for the next move to emerge. When I start my days with some sketching or coloring, I feel more content and satisfied throughout the day. I don’t necessarily do it every single day, but I always fill pages when traveling and when I attend conferences I make visual notes.
What is your biggest/most common piece of advice? You have to find your own way based on your motivation, agenda and style. Too often we seek answers about how to create based on what others do. It’s okay to seek inspiration, advice and tools, but only if you use them to empower your own process. Make it yours. Make it fun. Make it work for you. Some coaching questions you can ask to begin this discovery process include: What energizes me and sparks my creativity? What must I do to
It is clear from your Adventure Resume that you value travel! How does travel influence your work and how are your travel and dayto-day journals different? Travel has always been a big deal for me. On the day of my high school graduation, I was on a plane to France for the first time. I fell in love with the way it feels to be in a different place - engaged, curious, open, and stimulated on so many levels. This stimulation that comes from making your way in the world is so vital to my art-making. Travel is wonderful and it’s not always that glossy magazine photo spread. It’s inconvenience, discomfort, uncertainty and risk. All of these things are vital to being successfully creative. I’m also very inspired by what other artists make. I visit museums and galleries and also pay attention to street art. Urban environments really inspire me. The simultaneous order and chaos of cities is much like what we experience in art-making. The courage and resourcefulness that travel requires contributes to my capacity as an artist. I usually travel alone, and this adds to my confidence, resiliency and resourcefulness. I axm sure I bring this, even unconsciously, to my art making. Keeping a visual journal of my travels serves so many purposes. It’s a log of my experiences. It’s a companion. It attracts friends much more than if I were taking photos or filling a journal with writing. My visual journals are fairly similar whether I am traveling in the world or at home. I tend to have more unplanned time while traveling, so the pages fill faster when I am on the road. But the content is pretty much the same. How did you develop your “Capture the Wow” class? I began leading creativity workshops in France in 2005. Inspired by a book, Sara Midda’s South of France, a delightful illustrated account of her year in the South of France, I decided to lead a workshop with a friend. We called it Journey of the Senses, and we lead a group of people on various wonderful experiences in Provence. Our mission was to help people tune into their senses and to capture what wowed them in their journals. We wanted them to finish the week with a colorful document of their experiences. This journal would serve to remind them of their trip and also be a unique way to show their friends what they’d lived and loved. Over the years I have refined the workshop and changed the name. It’s still
WWW.ORIGINALIMPULSE.COM // @CYNTHIAMORRIS
feel truly me? What am I hoping to achieve this year? How do I want to be as I move toward my goals? What else should we know about you? People have described me as a Renaissance woman. I’ve done many different things in my life and am proof that we can enjoy life as a creative adventure. That we can change and grow and adapt according to our creativity and our needs. I’ve had odd jobs like hot air balloon chef in Europe and housesitter, and these jobs have allowed me the freedom and flexibility to discover what’s truly important to me. I am in love with the creative process. I’m constantly curious about what it takes to make things that matter. My work as a coach and teacher allows me first-hand access to the things we all share in the creative process. As a coach for Original Impulse and Good Life Project, I’ve had the chance to help other people know and follow their original impulse so they can enjoy their talents and live life on their own terms. We are always evolving and growing, and when we use that to our advantage instead of as a problem, life can feel very dynamic and magical.
At A Glance FALL // 2015
Sep 11, Friday, 5-8:30pm
Lafayette Lantern Walk artgardencolorado.com
Sep 12 & 13
Firefly Handmade Market fireflyhandmade.com
Sep 19. Saturday, 10:30-4:30pm
26 Letters – Creative Variations Melinda Canino
Sep 20, Sunday, 12:30-4:30pm
Medieval Leather Journal Jeff Becker
Sep 21, Monday, 4-6pm
Pop-up Shop and Book Signing Geninne Zlatkis/The Makerie
Sep 25, Friday, 9-3pm
Introduction to Encaustic Alix Christian
Sep 25, Friday, 2-3:30pm
Art Technique: Image Transfer Postcards Mia Semingson
Sep 25, Friday, 4-5:30pm
Art Technique: Image Transfer Postcards
Sep 26, Saturday, 10:30-4:30pm
Home Reliquary Deedee Hampton
Sep 26, Saturday, 10-3:30pm
Introduction to Letterpress Carolyn Sweeney
Sep 27, Sunday, 1-4:30pm
Tangles – Steppin’ Out NEW! Annie Reiser
Oct 2, Friday, 2-5:30pm
Frida’s Flowers – Decorative Paper Headpiece Mia Semingson
Oct 3, Saturday, 10:30-4:30pm
Introduction to Calligraphy – Pointed Pen NEW! Megan Goodenough
Oct 3, Saturday, 10:30-4:30pm
Basic Papermaking Helen Baribeau
Oct 4, Sunday, 1-4pm
Quick and Crazy Journal Fran Meneley
October 9-11
Pacific Coast Origami Contnnvention origamiusa.org/pcoc2015
Oct 9, Friday, 2-4pm
Art Technique: As the Color Wheel Spins Alix Christian
Oct 10 & 11
Colorado Pen Show coloradopenshow.com
Oct 10, Saturday, 1-5pm
Everyday Travels – Capture the Wow! Cynthia Morris
Oct 11, Sunday, 11-4:30pm
Coptic Stitch Simplified NEW! Kristen Law Lewis
Oct 14, Wednesday, 6-9pm
Dia de los Muertos – Tiny Tins NEW! Carolyn Sweeney
Oct 15, Thursday, 6-8pm
Musings Adventure Evening Free! RSVP Lisa DeYoung
Oct 16, Friday, 10:30-4:30pm
Pajaki – Paper Chandelier Mia Semingson
Oct 17, Saturday, Noon-4pm
Fun and Funky Hand Lettering Alix Christian
Oct 18, Sunday, 12:30-4:30pm
Finding Your Voice – Intro to Visual Journaling Fran Meneley
Oct 23, Friday, 9-3pm
Introduction to Encaustic Alix Christian
Oct 24, Saturday, 1:30-4:30pm
Watercolors – An Introduction NEW! Fran Meneley
Oct 25, Sunday, 1-4pm
Stamping & Stitching on Fabric NEW! Emily Clark
Oct 31, Saturday, 10:30-2:30pm
Beeswax Collage Mia Semingson
Oct 31, Saturday, 10-3:30pm
Introduction to Letterpress Carolyn Sweeney
Nov 1, Sunday, 12pm
Visual Journal Page Winners Announced
Nov 1, Sunday, 11:30-4:30pm
Fine Bookbinding – Casing In NEW! Mary Jo Hamilton
Nov 6, Friday, 9-3pm
Encaustic – Layering Paper NEW! Alix Christian
Nov 6, Friday, 2-4pm
Art Technique: Party Crackers – with Snap! Mia Semingson
Nov 7, Saturday, 10:30-4:30 pm
Love of Lettering Jessica Herman Goodson
Nov 8, Sunday, 11:30-1pm
Pocketed Memo Book Melinda Canino
Nov 8, Sunday, 2-4:30pm
Kirigami Snowflakes Anne Weatherley
Nov 12, Thursday, 6-8pm
Holiday Window Craft Party Free! RSVP Tammy Welshon & THP Staff
Nov 14, Saturday, 10:30-2pm
Refillable Leather Journal NEW! Mia Semingson
Nov 15, Sunday, 12:30-3:30pm
Carved Woodblock Ornaments NEW! Theresa MacFarland
Nov 20, Friday, 9-3pm
Introduction to Encaustic Alix Christian
Dec 5, Saturday, 10-3:30pm
Intermediate Letterpress Carolyn Sweeney
Dec 5, Saturday, 11-4:30pm
Collage Play Fran Meneley
Dec 6, Sunday, 11:30-2pm
Tangling with Stamps NEW! Annie Reiser
Dec 11, Friday, 9-3pm
Introduction to Encaustic Alix Christian
Mia Semingson
off-site class or event
TWO HANDS PAPERIE 803 PEARL STREET BOULDER, COLORADO
303 444 0124 TWOHANDSPAPERIE.COM INFO@TWOHANDSPAPERIE.COM