Upcoming Spring and Summer Classes    Sunday, March 5, 2017

Spring and Summer Classes 

Spring Classes at the Guilford Art Center

Exploratory Art Class Fly their Mixed Media Koi Fish Kites!

Koi Fish Kite Project - Mixed Media Art from Marcy LaBella on Vimeo.

 

 

 

Exploratory Art - Mixed Media - Feature Focus Portrait

Exploratory Art - Marcy LaBella 8 Mondays, begins April 3 4:00PM - 5:30PM In a studio arts format through a series of guided projects, we try a little bit of everything: clay, paint, pastels, collage, fiber arts and more! Children experience a wide variety of art mediums.

Tuition $150 members $135

Flowers in a Vase - Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Paper

Art is a Garden - 8 Wednesdays Begins April 5, 4 - 5:30

A mixed media class for kids that celebrates the art of the garden.  Create with markers, pastels, paint and clay and make things inspired by and for the garden.

Tuition $150 members $135

Fairy Houses - Art of the Garden

Teen Art Lab - Marcy LaBella 8 Thursdays, begins April 6 4:00PM - 6:00PM

For teens who love to create! Try journaling, painting, mixed media, acrylic painting and experiement with other art mediums.  Charcoal, Inks, abstract and observational concepts will be explored.

 

Tween Mixed Media - Side by Side Portrait Collage

Summer Classes

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Creative Clay Sculpture Class at Wesleyan Potters

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Creative Clay Sculpture - Learn sculptural and handbuilding construction techniques.  Coil, slab, tube and pinch methods as well as joining and helpful sculpture hints and methods.

Summer Kids Camps - Guilford Art Center 

As summer approaches more information about these classes will be posted as it becomes available.

June 19-23

You Me & The Sea  9am-12pm ages 3 ½-6

An Ocean of Fun - mixed media ocean themed art for littles - Lots of fun!

Home Is Where The Heart Is 1pm-4pm ages 5-9

Create and design a variety of different houses, homes and structures out of clay.  Fairy Houses, Wall Art, A box that's a house and more.

June 26-30

Art Is A Garden  1pm-4pm ages 5-9

A mixed media class that is inspired by the art that is a garden.  Create things inspired by and things that go into the garden.  Lots of fun.

Butterfly Garden - Mixed Media

July 3-7 (omit 7/4)

Princesses & Dragons  9am-12pm ages 3 ½-6

For your little prince or princess - make a crown and weld a sceptor in this class for young royalty.  We will create royal things for small lords and ladies.

Hands On Hand Building: Session A  1PM-4PM ages 5-9

Pinch, coil, roll and create things out of clay.  We will make a variety of art and learn valuable clay construction skills.

Sgraffitto Tile with Engobes - Hands on Handbuilding

July 10-14   Mixed Media Painting  1pm-4pm ages 8+

Use a variety of painting and drawing media and combine with papers, fiber and more to create fabulous works of art.  Still life, portraits and abstractions - indivual expression is most encouraged.

Mixed Media Hearts - Inspired by Jim Dine

July 17-21

Art From Nature 1pm-4pm ages 8+

We will be creating work inspired by nature and using natural items to create things to make art with as well. Print making, painting, drawing and sculptural ideas will be explored.

July 24-28

Photography For Kids  1pm-4pm ages 8+

Learn to use a digital camera and learn basic photography skills.  Composition, light sources and simple crops and edits.  Kids will be using some of their pictures to create awesome mixed media art.

July 31-August 4

Hand On Hand Building: Session B  1PM-4PM ages 5-9

Pinch, coil, roll and create things out of clay.  We will make a variety of art and learn valuable clay construction skills.

 

 

 

 

 

Mixed Media Zine - Sketchbook Paper, Graphite, Watercolor, Pencils    Friday, March 3, 2017

Mixed Media Zine - Sketchbook Paper, Graphite, Watercolor, Pencils from Marcy LaBella on Vimeo.

Making Art With Children    Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Making art with Children

Making Art With Children with Marcy LaBella from Marcy LaBella on Vimeo.

This little video vlog was made by me in my painting for kids class.  I love painting with children because I get a window into their unaltered and pure streaming creative process. I started our class yesterday by sharing the work of Gordon Hopkins.  They loved seeing his bright colors and simplified shapes.  I had some still life images but the girls were drawn to his cup and bowl pieces so we decided to use those as inspiration.  I am so happy that I work for art centers where there are hand crafted bowls and cups just everywhere to use.  The kids can hold, touch and feel them in their hands and look at them for inspiration for drawing.  So different from the mass produced wares that are more commonly found today.  

Prilimanary Sketch - Cups Lily age 6

We started by practicing cup shapes and then by drawing them on a big piece of water color paper. First in pencil and then in pastel.  We devided our page to create abstract color breaks.  I did not limit colors but told them to be creative and to divide the pages and choose the colors they loved.  I love the results!

Cups Floating in a field of Pie Shapes - Chloe age 6

Making Art With Children    Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Making Art with Children

Flowers in a Vase by Samantha age 6 Oil Pastel, Acrylic on Paper

The non-profit arts center where I work takes a long break over the holiday season.  It almost seems like too long a break sometimes even though I love having the time to finish up my holiday wares, put in time at my co-op's annual holiday sale and refocus my goals for my own work for the upcoming year.

Van Gogh Inspired Winter Trees by Caleb 2nd Grade Oil Pastel and Acrylic on Paper

 I really miss working with the kids and was so glad to finally get back to classes this week.  This semester I have two Kindergarten through grade 2 classes running, my favorite age.  They are so open, ready and free about creating at this age and can't wait to start working on whatever I throw at them. 

Winter Trees, Inspired by Van Gogh by Elio, Kindergarten, Oil Pastel and Acrylic on Paper

Monday's class was more then half full of exuberant boys but thankfully ones who LOVE making art.  It was hard to get them to focus after a full day at school but they all managed to pull off wonderful Van Gogh inspired winter tree paintings.  We talked a bit about Van Gogh and his process, his use of impasto and his textural mark making.  We mimicked this with staccato marks in Oil Pastel and followed up by using watered down acrylic paint to finish our work..AMAZING See more in the gallery of children's art work on this site.

Flowers in a Vase by Eve, Kindergarten, Oil Pastel and Acrylic Paint

Tuesday's class was comprised of 5 young ladies of the same age group, all in grades kindergarten through 2nd grade. They created gorgeous still life paintings of flowers in a vase.  First they drew very lightly with pencil and then with oil pastel to create dynamic marks.  We finished up with oil pastel.  I told the girls to be creative with colors and they were!  I love these so much.

Claire age 8 Flowers in a Vase, Oil Pastel and Acrylic on Paper

I am always blown away by the creativity and sensitivity of the work my young students create.  It amazes me and I love watching them work and engage in the process drawing and painting. We can learn so much by watching the effortless way that kids immerse themselves in art making. They don't spend time agonizing over which colors to use or if they made the wrong mark and miraculously everything works. I love children's art for it's innocence and unintentional sophistocation.

 

New Year New Beginnings    Monday, January 9, 2017

New Year New Beginnings

Mind Mapping Journal Paper, Ink on Paper, Watercolor 2017 

I guess I'm not really the typical New Years Resolution type person - I live my life in a much more organic kind of way normally but sometimes I really try to focus my goals and get type A-ish about stuff and the New Year always seems like a good time to do some serious goal setting. 

I started thinking about goals for my art journey and business and want I wanted to acomplish this year.  I will say that last year was a hard one because my father was extremely ill and passed from cancer and dementia.  Understandably it was a set back and I was kind to myself and felt lucky to be able to be flexible enough with my work that I could spend the time with my family over those months. 

Rilke Quote - Pen and Ink on Paper, Marcy LaBella 2017

As I began to think about the different things I wanted to do and the goals I have set for myself it's become clear that I really need to be specific about things if I want them to happen. I want to do more writing, so I have outlines and ideas for several articles to submit and the publication guidelines for publications I am submitting to.  I went over my classes and added new ones to offer, re-wrote discriptions and added some new adult workshops. I completely overhauled my Etsy Shop that has been lying dormant for a few years.  It has been so easy to just lie back and sell through galleries that I haven't been pushing my online sales but I really need to get back in the game.  I am narrowing my focus within the mediums I work with, clay, mixed media paint and jewelry and setting my studio, web and writing schedule to keep on track.

Image taken from my 2017 Vision Board and DIgitally Altered

I am compiling images, empowering words, drawings, and the like to create a large 2017 Vision Board.  This will be an ongoing project for my studio wall and I plan to keep it going all year - adding to it and keeping it going and alive with ideas.  I did this Ink and Watercolor piece inspired by project presented by the very talented Misty Mawn in her workshop Make/Do/Art. I recently signed up for this class and am enjoying it very much.  I love her classes and she has wonderful projects and content.  I thoroughly enjoyed her class Art Entwined which is also still available. Find Make/Do/Art here.

Rilke Quote - Digitally Altered

I am enjoying the process of getting back to daily drawing and love the process of taking simple contour drawings in pencil over to ink and coloring them simply with just watercolor - or digitally altering them with photo apps.  This is something I've been playing with for sometime and I've been toying with adding some prints and cards with drawings and quotes I really like into a line of contemporary female portrait drawings with quotes that are uplifting or those that make you think.

So I guess even a typical Type B, creative person needs a little goal setting and focus occasionally.  I have learned from my  online coach/mentor/goddess Leonie Dawson that setting goals, writing them down and defining the steps you need to do to acomplish them is the way to success - we will see!  

Namaste,

Marcy

Holidays * Winter * The Wheel Turns * Starlight Starbright    Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Winter Bird Series - Acrylic Mixed Media 12"x12" 2016

Marcy LaBella

 

Winter is fast approaching and with it come the holidays and for most artists and crafters the busiest time of the year.  With the end of fall classes it was time to say goodbye to my students until January just as they were still excitedly discussing superhero costumes and halloween candy and looking forward to Santa's upcoming visit.

In the mean time I been involved in frantic art making, working on my jewelry, pottery and painting a new series of paintings for a winter collection of blank greeting cards.  I always think I will have everything ready NEXT year and I won't be rushing but I am always coming up with something fabulous at the last minute and want to make lots of THAT for this years sale.  This year I decided to make a simple hammered hoop pendants with sari silk tassels and organic stone bead necklaces, which I knotted on waxed linen which I love.  I did them in both patinaed copper and in sterling silver.  I thought I would make one or two but after I made the first one I was amazed at how much I loved the way they looked even for their simplicity.  I ended up making lots...glad that I did I am almost sold out at both of my galleries.  I plan on making more for gifts and some to put in my etsy shop which I plan to re-open ASAP after the holiday. For now I am going to post select items on Instagram so find me there at https://www.instagram.com/bellamarcella1212/  

A  Small Slice of the 2016 Wesleyan Potters Sale

The sale at my co-op Wesleyan Potters is in full swingand as always getting it all in place is a huge undertaking of many people working hard towards a common goal.  We take our entire studio apart and turn it into a beautiful gallery once a year and it takes the work of the entire membership to pull it off.  This years theme is Starlight Winter Bright and the sale is really beautiful with lots of gorgeous art from our members and outside artists. 

Two new Outside Artists to our sale this year.  Lexi Axon a fabulous artist, painter, teacher and printmaker and Toni Schiano's home raised Llama wool are both fine additions to our sale.

I am very happy to say the artists I invited this year seem to be doing well and I just love seeing the work displayed.    You can visit through December 11th at Wesleyan Potters, 350 South Main Street, Middletown, CT. We also have a large extended gallery shop through December 24th. Please call 860-347-5925 if you are in Connecticut and want to stop or visit us online anytime to find out more about our classes and programs here www.wesleyanpotters.com/

Watercolor and Pastel  - A favorite painting by one of my kindergarten students.  It captures the feel of winter with its cool colors and the crystalized salt used on the painting  almost looks like frost...LOVE

 

A Gift to Myself - Garden Girl by Misty Mawn    Saturday, July 30, 2016

Garden Girl

A Painting by Misty Mawn

My painting is here! My summer has not been too great, my Dad passed away a few short weeks ago, after a battle with cancer and dementia leaving me feeling exhausted and depleated.  It's hard to see a family member so ill and struggling with such devestating illness.  A short while ago there was a Facebook auction put on by Stephanie Gagos featuring the work of one of my very favorite artists Misty Mawn.  Her work is so inspiring to me, full of soulful imagery and emotion.  I have taken her online workshops and love her book Unfurling.  She is a fabulous teacher and artist who is passionate about sharing her wealth of knowledge with others. She gives so much in her classes, she is a wealth of information. I can't say enough about her wonderful online courses which everyone should try. Her latest one is Make/Do/Art.

Even the Outside of the Package Looks like a Beautiful Present!

What a Surprise a Handpainted Card with a lovely thank you note inside!

AND a beautiful postcard under it, oh my...

And the PAINTING itself...Garden Girl  Oh so Beautiful !

Can't wait to frame her...

I was already wearing matching colors when it arrived.

Namaste,

Marcy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making Art With Children    Friday, July 22, 2016

Making Art with Children

Sgraffito Tiles 

 

Grace age 5

 

Every summer I teach week long camps for kids at Guilford Art Center in the shoreline town of Guilford, CT.  The kids that come to the center in the summer are from all over the country because sometimes they are visiting grandparents, or come to Guilford because their families might own a beach house, or because they are on vacation and they can drive to our facility from a town that is just too far away during the school year.  

Sophia age 7

I am always amazed at how the kids are so shy in the first part of the first day, but after we go outside for a brief break time and rejuvinating snack and playtime - they come in full of laughter and with new friendships just formed. By the last day there are hugs, playdates to make and promises to keep in touch.

Miles age 5

Children are so open to experiencing new ideas, friends, concepts and dive right into art processes without any fear of failure which make them sentive intuitive artists.  I teach adults as well and they are often so full of fear that you will never see in kids. Young children don't worry about ruining their art, using the wrong color, making the wrong line or any of the things that paralize the adults I work with.  They are completely in the moment and engaged in the activity and process of making. I try to bring that attitude forward into my own work and remember to leave room for surprises.

Alyssa age 7

This week in my clay camp for  K - 2 grade we did many wonderful projects.  The pictures I am sharing here are of Sgraffito Tiles.  I demonstrated quickly by using a big brush using bright underglaze colors on pre-rolled terra cotta clay tiles. We talked about the term Sgraftitto which comes to us from the Italian word, Graffiare (to scratch).  After brushing on the colors loosely, I defined the shapes in my picture with a pointed clay tool.  These are only a few of the fabulous tiles we made this week. LOVE!

 

It's a Gift    Saturday, July 9, 2016

Finding Peace Mixed Media 16"x20" on canvas Marcy LaBella 2016

How many times as artists have we heard that creativity or artistic talent is a gift? Honestly I"ve heard it many times through the years and it was only when I got to college that I realized that you could actually LEARN to draw and SEE. This astounded me as I always believed you either had it or you didn’t.  I was immediately was blown away by this idea that art and creative ability was something that was not only something some people had a natural aptitude for, but that it was also something that could be learned and accessed by anyone with an interest who wanted to spend the time to learn it  and practice.  I immediately wanted to be able to help others to unlock this ability and find joy in creativity.

  

Crown and Rose 12"x12" Mixed Media on Canvas Marcy LaBella

Over the years I took my natural ability and worked very hard to further develop my skills in drawing, painting, ceramics and metals.

 

What I have found over the years is that the true gift in creativity is not the ability to create but what the process of creating gives back to the artist. 

Pink Blossoms in a Vase 2016 Marcy LaBella

12"x12" Mixed Media on Canvas

During difficult and stressful times I always have my work to turn to, it gives me a place to put my focus, relieves stress and anxiety and gives me a place to channel energy and process all manner of issues that arise in the course of being human. That is the true gift to all creative people, the place to process the stuff of life through their art form, and not the ability itself.  If you never sell a piece of work, if you sing and no one hears, if you dance and no one sees, write something that no one reads but yourself – do it anyway – you will reap the rewards 1000 times over – allowing yourself to be creative is a gift to yourself.

Namaste,

Marcy

 

 

 

30 Day Portrait Challenge    Saturday, July 9, 2016

 

I am participating in a 30 day portrait challenge -  which I thought would be really fun.  I found it on Instagram and joined late so of course now I have to paint like a fiend to catch up.  

Still I have wanted to make a commitment to painting something every single day instead of my regular drawing something every day and I can already feel that it does make a difference.  I am excited that one of my paintings popped into the top viewed in just a couple of days since joining - squee!  I am enouraged.  

Mostly I like the disipline of the different prompts and want to thank Galia Alena and Annie Hamman for creating and posting the challenge.  Here is a link to the prompts if you want to join the fun.

 https://christellesartfactory.wordpress.com/soulful-faces/

You can find Galia Alena here:

http://www.galiaalena.com/circling-with-the-goddesses/ 

More of my #30faces30daysprompts images....

 

prompt - drawing

prompt - repurposed