ART HAS NO BARRIERS

I have been away from blogging for awhile while I tried to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up, lol.  I have done a lot of soul searching about my art and my teaching abilities.  I love sharing my talent with others and helping them discover their inner artist. One day the light bulb went on in my brain and I decided to write a grant proposal to teach art to students with disabilities. I applied for the "Artist in the Community" grant through the Art Council of Greater Lansing. In October I was awarded the grant to help students with disabilities to find their voice through art. This project is very close to my heart! If you have read my previous posts you know I had a grandson with severe disabilities that died in 2013 at the age of 6 1/2.  

I have a community partner in the Lansing Art Gallery downtown Lansing, MI.  I will hold 4 classes there this spring to kick off the program.  Thanks to the grant and supporters these classes with be offered free of charge.  Gelli Arts, Stencil Girl stencils and Deco Arts have generously given me enough supplies for all of the classes. Because of this act of generosity the students will be able to take some products home to continue experimenting with what they learned with me.

In the classes we will be making mono prints using Gelli Arts printing plates.  No previous experience is necessary and everyone I have taught this technique to has enjoyed it.

STUDIO RENOVATIONS CONTINUE

STUDIO BEFORE AND ALMOST AFTER.....

STUDIO RENOVATIONS CONTINUED..................

I am still in the process,with a lot of help from my Son-in-law Scott, of remolding an adjacent garage into my art studio. This will be my first studio outside of my home even though it is just 50 feet or so away. We basically started with the shell of a garage and built it up from floor to ceiling, I'm learning a new trade in the process. lol I now know how to drywall, mud, lay wood flooring and various other builder trades.  In the past my studio has always been in my basement along with the kilns. So far I have a kiln room/garden tool storage, art supplies storage room and art studio. We started this project about 2 years ago and the largest part of the renovation is done.  After about a year off to work on other projects Scott is doing the final phase of building my work station and cabinets.  We tried to find ready made cabinets that we could just put a counter top on but could not find any that fit the bill, so back to the drawing board and Scott will customize them to my specifications.  The counter top alone is going to be exciting but a challenge as we are using 140 year old barn wood to make it and then clear coat it with Verathane. I didn't want a total white out like so many studios and this will help bring in a little rustic flare.

This week he got the base cabinet done that will be part of my work station and it took me most of the week to prime and paint it including all the shelves.  I have moved my painting area to the back of the room on my patio table.  I was able to finish and start a new painting while I was waiting for the layers of white to dry.  I am sure it is going to get more and more difficult to get paintings done as the space gets more crowded with the construction but I plan on trying my best to keep painting.

ACRYLIC 6" x 6" POPPY ON CLAYBORD

We hope to get all the cabinetry done by the end of March so I can get busy with my new project at the Zoo.  I hope to have a  series of great animal portraits done by the end of summer or sooner.  I am already planning out my next series of paintings when I am done with the animals.  I feel like I have to make up for lost time! lol

Hope you all stay tuned for the next phase of my art studio and artistic work.

You can follow me on Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/C.L.Tonning.Artist