Exquisite Corpse

Artists’ Mediums Inc. Exquisite Corpse Project:

Perhaps you have seen paintings we have here in the store, which have a dreamlike quality, and odd style changes?

 The Exquisite Corpse is a surrealist’s game.

Originally it was “played” on a piece of paper. One artist would draw the beginnings of a figure, or a picture, then fold over the paper so that only ¼ of an inch of the lines were still visible, then pass it onto another artist, who would continue from there (without completing the image), without knowing what is drawn underneath. The effect is one that shows surprising variety, and originality.

The Employees of Artists Mediums have played this game with Pen and Ink, Acrylics, Oils, Collage, and more. Each person covers up their part of the art, before passing the canvas onto the next artist. Not knowing what you are “painting up against” has made for some very interesting subject transitions. Through the years many different Employee/artists have participated.

At first, we only played the game in its purest form, only indicating the directionality of the art, so it could be easily viewed when finished. Then we began to make pre-determinations. For example: our collage Exquisite Corpse had a vertical orientation, as well as a subject of animal/animals, and the media of Collage.

It has always been an enormous creative challenge, as well as being fun and inspiring. here is just one photo a previous project, but please come into the store and take a closer look at all five on display now.

Oil on canvas FIVE artists Exquisite corpse

Now we are trying to decide how best to involve YOU, our customers.

I’m not sure exactly how this is going to work. We need to make sure no-one loses a piece of art, so there may have to be a deposit or something. We will have ask for your personal contact information, when we send you home with one of these projects, so that we can find the art again later

We will have to trust you not to peek, if there is already art on the surface, just look at the colors you CAN see, and go from there!

Hopefully eventually there will be several choices, so all the different kinds of artists can have a go at this project. We know from experience that these projects can be time consuming, so, although we will keep track of who has each piece of art, we will allow several (3-5) weeks for each artist to complete the portion they are willing to do.

So one person at a time, will take it home, and make additions - and cover it up, before returning it to the store.

There will ultimately have to be a deadline, so we can hang it all in one big Exhibit. So that everyone can see the creative accidents and inspired uniqueness these types of artworks provide.

If you are interested in being involved with this project, please contact us here at the store with ideas and suggestions about how we can make this project work.

Thank you,
Chelsea Lindner
Manager

Artists Mediums Inc

Display Books

Display books come in many sizes and have many uses.

It’s good to store your art work, reference photos but also.
Even a family vacation can be neatly stored in these variously sized books.
You can preserve your artistic accomplishments by making a simple career portfolio: (Save any newspaper write ups, fliers, or postcards from art exhibits you’ve participated in, along with lists & photos of your art that was exhibited there, for a wonderful record of your creative endeavors.)

“I like to keep a record of my various snow sculptures in a display book along with clippings of them from when they show up in local newspapers. When you build something so fleeting, it’s good to be able to keep them after they are gone. They are on the web too, but I still like to have copies I can touch.” Click here for the online snow sculptures.

Chelsea
Artist, and Manager of Artists Mediums Inc.

Davis Studio, Burlington VT

Davis Studio has some excellent classes going on year round. 
Everything from kiln-fired-glass to felting to painting, printing on fabric, etc.
http://davisstudiovt.blogspot.com/

"I have heard from a parent who had wonderful praise for Davis Studio.
Her child took some classes there, and she said they were amazing
about making sure to bring out HER child's creativity,
rather than trying to fit her into a mold."- Chelsea , manager Artists Mediums Inc.

Art is cheap therapy

Finally, the Economy …Times are tight for all of us, and I don’t mean to belittle anyone’s struggles to survive this economic slow-down. After all, I myself am trying to survive on a retail income. But, I did want to try to shine a ray of hope on the situation.

I’ve lost count of the times I have been told that the economy was crashing, or the world was coming to another end, and that we can’t make it financially. If I closed the store every time someone said we wouldn’t survive, this year would be approximately our 8th closing. Somehow we always pull through just fine. Sometimes are rougher than others, but it always works out, I don’t know how, it’s a mystery.Some people say that the ‘Arts’ are not needed. That, in times of economic downturn, people need food, not art, and that what we do is simply a luxury.

I know that during 9-11 we had customers coming in, grateful that we were open, so they could get the supplies they needed to express themselves during the tragedy.

Stress related illnesses have increased over 500% in the last 10 years, this was one statistic I have recently heard, and I believe it. We are all moving at top speed, working as hard as we can, and running ourselves ragged.

Art, in my opinion is cheap therapy. You can get a lot of pencils and paper for the price of only one visit to the Psychotherapists office. As a matter of fact, you could probably set yourself up quite nicely to paint professionally in Watercolors for the price of one visit. (No offense intended to the many friends I have in the various healing arts.)

As I reminded my mailing list customers during the end of the year last year: My wish for you, is that you find the time to tend your own creative fire.

I hope that you can do something for yourself creatively. Whether you decide to doodle with your kids, splash some paint around, make a lovely greeting card for someone you care about, or get your hands dirty with some nice earthy clay, I only suggest that you give yourself permission to have some fun.

To twist a phrase: Sometimes you really DO have to stop and DRAW the roses.

Thank you all for helping us “always make it somehow.”
Chelsea Lindner
Manager;

Artist’s Mediums Inc.