My Creative Burst

Mug Shots from Platform Art Fashion Show

2010-04-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

I'm finally posting some of these cool shots from the February 2010 Platform Art Fashion Show. DeeDee Jones Owner of King's Court Gowns http://www.kingscourtgowns.com/ coordinated the show and provided the dresses. I had the honor of being the mug shot photographer during the performance!

There was truly (Dis) Order in the Court!

Platform Art

2010-02-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

Can't wait for the Platform Art party tomorrow night. The theme is (Dis) Order in the Court and my project "For the Record" was based specifically on that theme. A series of of mug shot inspired portrait/photographs of everyday people and their statements will be hung on a prison-like chain link fence as a base. I'll add more postings after the event!

Here's the one mug shot that had no mug!

Handmade Pocket Calendar

2010-01-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

Since I can never find quite the right calendar, I decided to make my own. I used several different types of decorative paper, drew the calendar by hand, and bound the whole thing with loops and knots of red embroidery thread. Afterwards I made a little end-sleeve to keep the edges from getting crinkled.

Apothecary Garden Herbs

2009-12-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

I have finally come up with a way to combine my passions of Agriculture and Pharmacy. On a small scale, I have started growing, harvesting and packaging organically grown culinary and medicinal herbs and plants. Stay tuned for upcoming recipes and gardening reports!

Feeling Sluggish

2009-10-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

I love making polymer clay slugs. Painted gold, they are sure to brighten any day when propped on a computer, book shelf or piano.

Family Reunion

Library Time

Slime Tunes

My New Etsy Shop

2009-08-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

I finally got my Etsy shop set up! There's only one painting listed so far, but I'm really proud of myself for doing the banner, the listing and setting up PayPal. The best thing about Etsy is that it's such a great way to express your creativity. I can spend hours reading shop information, looking at original art and just enjoying everyone's unique way of photographing and displaying their work.

Hopefully soon I'll be adding some of these cool afghan's that I can't resist whenever I get the urge to go "thrifting" .

Here's the link to my Etsy shop.....

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6191050

Jacksonpollock.org

2009-06-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

I just learned about this site. It's super fun and I found myself smiling the whole time I was painting/drawing. So far, I figured out that the space bar erases whatever is on the screen, moving quickly makes a thin line and clicking the mouse changes the color! Try it....it's cool!

http://www.jacksonpollock.org/

Art Group Paints Ceiling Tiles

2009-05-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

Last week the girls from Art Group met in my backyard studio to do some creative work. Here we are painting ceiling tiles for the Pediatrics Floor at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

It was a productive meeting, with great food and friends.

This cat has the makings of a new super hero!

Jordan creating a very friendly and unpretentious owl

It was rainy outside, but comfy inside.

Mia's Favorite is the Giraffe

I really hope the kids like Ooey Gooey the Rainbow Slug!

Yellow Door

2009-05-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

Not too long ago, I painted the front door of my little mid-century house Lemon Yellow.

Here's to you Vincent!

Weekend of Solitude

2009-05-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

I've had a delicious weekend of solitude. They don't come around often, and as much as I adore all of the people in my life, having a few days to myself has been pure bliss. Saturday morning I woke up to see the sun shining for a change, so I threw on a pair of jeans, jumped in the Subaru and went to pick blueberries.

I was warned that the fields were wet and that they were! I picked a cozy corner and picked berries for an hour until as instructed by the owner, I came back with blue fingers and a blue mouth.

Shady Oaks Blueberry Farm

gets extra special credit in my book for their adorable hand-painted signs!

Couldn't help myself from making a blueberry-inspired culinary still life.

Tomorow morning promises a cozy breakfast of blueberry pancakes and coffee....

Available Work

2009-04-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the pieces that are currently available.....

Apothecary Jar $10.00

Original Drawing

Fine point Sharpie on 70lb 9"x12" white Strathmore drawing paper

" Journal"

Oil on Canvas

18"x24"

Gallery Edge

$150.00

"Signature"

Oil on Canvas

8"x10"

$60.00

Child's Play

2009-03-04T05:51:00.000-08:00

In my search for inspiration, I am always fascinated by my daughter's natural creativity. We have all the art supplies any child could want...yet her creations usually use the bare minimum of these items. Instead, she brings in things from the world around her to tell a story, set a scene or create a little world. Isn't that what art is all about? Here are some of the things I find on a daily basis......

At one time, we had the entire solar system taped to the ceiling. In addition to that, the continents were taped to the walls throughout the house. Here's our Earth...probably much like the astronauts saw it!

A tupperware bowl beach.....it sits on the back porch where it's nice and sunny!

Here's a basket of hand-made eggs that I found perched on top of the cereal boxes when I opened the kitchen cabinet. They are little stuffed animal birds wrapped with paper towels and tape. They will probably hatch pretty soon!

A welcoming spider web next to the front door....made with tape and purple fuzzy yarn.

This butterfly was a decoration on my Valentine's Day roses. Mia made this little home for it with a tissue box and toilet paper.

Children can be such a source of inspiration...if we just leave them alone to work their magic!

Blankets and Bags are Packed for the Red Tag Sale

2009-02-19T05:45:00.000-08:00

I know it will be chilly, but I'm still excited about the Cougar Red Tag Sale this coming Saturday! I've packed my funky bags and I'm bringing my funky blankets, along with plenty of great Burst items for the sale!

I'll have children's art products (including Eeboo), Illume candles, canvas, paint and more. Since I can't bring everything...if you place an art supply order at the Red Tag Sale, 20% of the sale will go to Cleveland Court Elementary School.

The sale is Saturday, February 21, 2009 from 7:00am to 2:00pm. The location is St. David's Episcopal Church on Edgewood Drive. It will be a combination rummage sale and specialty-vendor showcase. This one-of-a-kind event will feature everything from gently-used toys, clothes and furniture to new retail and home-show items to edible treats.

Proceeds from the sale will be used to acquire new classroom and educational materials, support the teachers, improve the campus, and provide funds for field trips.

Hope to see you there!

Peeling Paint

2009-02-15T10:11:00.000-08:00

Found this great peeling paint on the side of an old building as I explored some alleys on Friday...I love the soft pale blue-grey color.

This weekend we're relaxing at the beach and I'm focusing on adding links to the Burst Blog to local art associations, etc. It's cool and misty outside and the beach has more of the same soft blue-gray-green colors as the lovely peeling paint! A perfect peaceful afternoon for a hot cup of white tea.

Special Valentine's Day Gifts

2009-02-01T10:52:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air. Valentine's day is one of my favorite holidays. I spent the afternoon thinking about love, romance and all of my favorite people! Anything the color red or suggesting romance is keeping me busy with daydreams.

I took this picture today in a little Lakeland alley. Reminds me of the truck belonging to the unpretentious romantic guy in Madonna's "Material Girl". Can't you just picture him driving along with a bunch of daisy's in the other seat for his sweetheart? The truck bed filled with red roses would sure be killer too!

Illume Copper Pot Candles

If you're trying to decide what to get for that special guy.....Illume "Room Therapy" copper pot candles come in three romantic scents. Relax with Black Amber & Lavendar, Restore with Golden Teak, and Calm with Sandalwood Hinoki ($17.00 each) are all romantic, not too sweet, fragrances.

Illume Pillars

Just about any special someone will love Illume pillars. My favorite romantic scents are Pomegranate, Coconut Milk Mango and Vanilla Suede. Large pillars are $25.00 and small ones are $16.00. Also, not shown, are the Blackberry Sage candles in a decorative tin which make a sweet gift at $12.00.

Handmade Paper

Feeling creative? Try using handmade Lamali Lokta paper in "Pluto" as a decorative mat for a black and white photo of you or your sweetie in a black frame. This paper would also be great for making handmade valentines, book covers, or journal covers for recycled or handmade paper. It also makes a bold statement as a drawer or cabinet liner, or framed alone for a modern look.
Sheets measure 20"x30" ($5.95 each).

Crayon Hearts

Valentines Day Special- our recycled crayon hearts are 2 for $1.00 or 12 for $5.00

(Normally $1.00 each)

Other Gift Ideas

Need to say "I'm sorry"? Why not express it with a jar of pink pencil erasers? Ten cents each.

Love pink? We have artists Pink Soap ($8.75 for 12oz), Claytoon Modeling Clay in "Pretty" (1 lb for $3.59), Stabillo Swing Cool Highlighter Pens in Hot Pink ($1.00), and Prismacolor pencils in carmine red, pink, and process red ($1.45).

How about a journal with a little love note on the first page? We have red hardbound 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" Writing or Drawing Journals ($9.99) and 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" Moleskine sketchbooks ($12.00).

Know a special litle girl? I recommend Eeboo Candy Girl & Bear Composition book ($13.50) or a Butterfly and Ballerina decorative tin with colored pencils ($14.00).

Bennington Pottery Factory

2009-01-31T09:18:00.000-08:00

While in Bennington, Vermont we had a great time visiting the Bennington Pottery Factory!

Aren't these pale green bowls wonderful?!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T04:07:00.000-08:00

The holiday was wonderful but too short! Moving the store took much more time than expected and inventory......lets not even go there!

So what are my goals for the New Year? I'm putting together a price list that I can send out by email. This is already partially completed, so if you want a copy just let me know!

I'm adding a section on the Burst Blog for Lakeland artists. The purpose is to have a list of all the cool creative Lakeand people in one place so you can find them when you need them!

There are more goals but the most important one is to simplify and enjoy life.

A Gift For You

2008-12-19T06:57:00.000-08:00

My wish for you is 2 minutes of joy. I know, that's not much you say...but I prefer to under-promise and over-deliver. I encourage you to pause to: feel the sun on your skin, notice a shadow, marvel at your fingers, cuddle a child or a pet, cook and eat a savory meal, pluck a blade of grass, stretch your back, greet a friend or stranger.....you get the picture. It's the little things that mean so very much.

Need a good book recommendation? I'm currently reading a wonderful book titled "The Gift" by Lewis Hyde. The focus is on creativity and the artist in the modern world. Originally written in 1979, it's now considered a modern classic. As stated on the back cover, the book "is a brilliant defense of the value of creativity and its importance in a culture increasingly governed by money and overrun with commodities." According to the author "I am not concerned with gifts given in spite or fear, nor those gifts we accept out of servility or obligation; my concern is the gift we long for, the gift that, when it comes, speaks commandingly to the soul and irresistibly moves us".

In this season of giving, I can't help but wonder what is the best gift? I believe it is a gift of yourself. A small genuine effort of friendship and caring. Although it's totally off beat for this time of year....here's an old song called "Coconut" that I sing to my daughter while I pour the shampoo and wash her hair at night. She loves it..and sings along.....I hope you do too! Who knows? Maybe it will take care of that 2 minutes of joy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbgv8PkO9eo

BTW....Saturday will be the last day Burst will be open on Tennessee Ave....after that, we'll still have all the same stuff...now available on line and at trunk shows!

Warm wishes,
Georgia

eeBoo

2008-12-09T14:23:00.000-08:00

Imagine arriving home to find the packages that you have been eagerly waiting for!

Hooray, eeBoo is here!

What is eeBoo? According to the company, "eeBoo produces beautiful, useful and well-made products for children. Using only the original art of well-known and well-loved children's book illustrators we create vibrantly original toys and gifts that hopefully children will affectionately remember."

Super Cute eeBoo!

If you ask me, I'll say eeBoo has some super cute and terrific stuff for children! The packaging is beautiful, and all of the products inspire imagination and creativity. No batteries required, no assembly required, no junky little pieces of plastic, and no excessive packaging!

There are sketch books, oil pastels, colored pencils in decorative tins, beautiful world and US maps, paper dolls, puzzles, Spanish and French learning games, diary's, and more!

Holiday Art Show

2008-11-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, November 29, there will be a small art show in the parking lot shared by Burst and Yia Yia's Bead Store. The hours are 10-4. Stop by to see the artists and their work and catch some great sale prices going on at Burst!

2008-11-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day. I sold 2 of Holly The Terrible's paintings and met some great new people! I'm really looking forward to the next step of my adventure in business. Since I'm happy with the way the retail space turned out...I hope I'll be equally happy with my new studio and the creative ways I can approach the business of art. My goal is to start working toward a good way to offer art supplies to local artists at a great price, while eliminating most of the overhead. I'll be experimenting with my Blog over the next few weeks to see what I can do to make the online experience as inspirational as possible.

Here are a few of my other ideas: 1)I'd love to add a column of my favorite local artists to my Blog...so if you're interested in Lakeland artists, you can click on anyone and get their links and contact information...along with a sample of their work. 2) I can also imagine having brightly colored old suitcases filled with great art supplies....and heading out for a fun trunk sale. 3) As far as my own art, I'm going back to the garden...to explore new ways to celebrate my favorite succulents! There are more ideas...but not as easy to explain....so more on that later.

Comic Book Classes

2008-10-28T05:47:00.001-07:00

Here's the flyer for Bob Smeet's Comic Book Classes

Recycled Art Supplies

2008-10-24T05:54:00.000-07:00

Do you have an old creative hobby? Left over materials from old finished projects? Why not recycle some of those old art supplies?

Here's some of my old stuff that I found while walking through the garage this morning.

A cigar box full of mosaic tiles

Old watercolor and acrylic paint

To help everyone get the most out of their money, bring your old art and hobby supplies to Burst and I'll consign them out for sale. The reason I say this, is that one day some sweet ladies from the Saint Francis Thrift Store brought in some old paint brushes and asked if I was interested in purchasing them. I bought the whole lot and then sold them individually. They flew off the shelf!

The ideas are endless. Jars of old buttons, old brushes, decorative paper, artist and craft tools, rulers, colored pencils, etc. Also, check out the Etsy website for ideas for making kits from ephemera.

We can all use a break from the rising costs of everything from food to gas...and starving artists got their name for a good reason!

Stay tuned for more ideas on recycling!

Georgia

Pumpkin Painting

2008-10-22T04:04:00.001-07:00

We had a great weekend and enjoyed a little good old fashioned pumpkin painting. There are still some pumpkins left, so we'll have this available this coming weekend as well (October 24 and 25).

As Lucy can testify, you can never have enough pink!

Jake plans his next move.

I'm looking forward to celebrating fall with my neighboring businesses. Also, the Burst class section has been updated and I will continue to add more new things!

Georgia

Mission Completion!

2008-10-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

OK, here's the final painting in my "Painting a Week" 4 week project. I publicly challenged myself to do this, and the pressure definately worked. All four paintings are part of a series of black and white oils. The "under" paint is layed on heavy with lots of texture and swirls. The black subject matter is applied with kite string or sewing thread to provide a rythmic feel.

"Guppy Dreams"

Oil on Canvas

Georgia Keriazes

Do you dream in color or black and white? I've never been quite sure of the answer to this one. This painting is titled "Guppy Dreams' for those guppies who definately dream in black and white and wake up thinking..."Where was I? What happened? What time is it?" It's a calm yet mysterious place with rippling water and tempting plant life.

I'll be taking a little break to tackle the jungle in my back yard and the dust monsters under the beds. My next project will also have looser terms and will probably include succulents, parakeets or something else equally serious.

Painting A Week #3 "Signature"

2008-10-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

Just under the wire. I just finished this painting and my store opens in 45 minutes! This is the smallest in my black and white series so far. Since the canvas was only 12"x12", I decided to use sewing thread instead of kite string to apply the last layer of black paint. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. I've titled it "Signature" because the delicate, rhythmic lines remind me of the thousands of physicians medication orders that I've seen over the years.

"Signature"

Oil on Canvas

Georgia Keriazes

I also made banana bread muffins this morning with Kim's lady-finger bananas. The brown sugar on top is Mmmmm!

A Painting a Week- Painting #2 "Journal"

2008-09-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

OK, here it is. It's still very wet and I have no idea how I'll transport it tomorrow without making a mess of myself and my car.

"Journal"

Oil on Canvas

Georgia Keriazes

I did this painting because I love journaling and some of the hand-made journals that I've been collecting have really inspired me with their beauty, personality and wonderful "imperfections" that accompany all hand-made products. I was initially disappointed with the outcome of this painting because I meant for it to have a delicate look and it wasn't quite working for me. But after making a few additions that added more contrast and strength, I was happier. That's when I remembered that whenever I try to paint something that conveys calmness, peace and tranquility...it doesn't work for me. Since painting is a "release" for me, my work is usually active, bold and explosive. If I learn that lesson a few more times, maybe I'll actually remember it!
Overall, I'm satisfied with the painting, although I gunked up my signature with an enormous "G". I really want to fix it when the painting dries, but I don't plan to because it would defeat the intent of the "painting a week" project.

"Music" and Cookies

2008-09-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today I am starting a new project. For the next month, I am going to try to do a painting a week. I hope that by telling a lot of people I'm doing this, it will increase the chances that I actually will!

The painting I finished today is called "Music". It's the first in a series I'm calling "Planned Spontaneity". In this series, I use a combination of tools to apply the paint, impasto style. For this piece, I used brush, palette knife, and kite string to apply varying layers of oil paint. The different methods for laying on the paint create a juxtaposition of texture along with the strong contrast of black and white color. The contrasting layers come forward from the back to the top of the surface with increasing spontaneity. The final layer of paint applied with kite string, allows for the most movement. I tend to be very active when I paint and I think it is apparent in this piece.

"Music"

Oil on Canvas

Georgia Keriazes

September 2008

I also made some of my favorite cookies this morning, oatmeal with raisins and oatmeal with chocolate chips! The recipe is straight from the lid of Quaker Oats.

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

2 sticks of softened butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 cups of Quaker oats, raisins and chocolate chips.

Heat oven to 350 F. I put the butter in a metal bowl and let it soften in the pre-heating oven while I measure everything else out. I mix the dry stuff together in one bowl and the wet stuff in another bowl. The I dump it all together, mix it well and divide the batter into 2 bowls again. I had 1/2 cup of raisins to one batch and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the other batch. Bake rounded tablespoonfuls onto an uncreased cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. Cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet and then move to a wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Delicious Art Supplies

2008-07-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some images of the artist supplies stocked at Burst....

Golden acrylics and mediums, Princeton brushes in Natural Bristle and Synthetics, canvas and more.....

The drawing center has a variety of sketchbooks, graphite pencils, Pigma micron pens, rubber kneaded erasers, Sennelier soft and oil pastels, Sumi sticks, India ink markers, vine and stick charcoal, and more.

For oil painters, there are Sennelier "Etude" oils, Turpenoid, linseed and poppy seed oil, palette knives, Gesso, Princeton Natural Bristle and Synthetic brushes, Canvas, and more.

Fabriano "Tiziano" paper imported from Italy in the full range of colors, Arches watercolor paper in sheets and pads, spray fixative, newsprint, drawing paper, drawing boards, Lamali handmade decorative paper, and more.

For the watercolor artist: Winsor Newton artist watercolors, Richard Simmons brushes, Arches watercolor paper, masking fluid, student watercolors, and more.

These are handmade heart crayons..... made with love from recycled crayons!

Lots of cool kids art supplies.... Eeboo, Cretacolor, and Stockmar to name a few. All have beautiful packaging and are non-toxic. In order to encourage creativity, I don't stock kits, or supplies that have predetermined end results.

Come by Burst to check out the back to school specials!

Children's Art Class

2008-07-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

Who says you have to be 5 years old to create a masterpiece? Isaiah, 11 months old, had a blast creating a Matisse paper collage on the wall and making his own painting!

Poetry Workshop with Cathleen Drake Nelson

2008-07-16T23:37:00.001-07:00

Cathleen started the 3 day poetry workshop on July 14. The children aged 4-8 enjoyed sharing their favorite poems, and starting poetry journals. The discussions and illustrations included dinosaurs, unicorns, cats, sisters and Gracie's puppy named Tulip Jelly Bean!

Discussing our favorite things.

Dinosaur poem in progress.

More poets at work.

Mia Painting Sunflowers

2008-06-10T18:53:00.001-07:00

Mia -Age 5
"Sunflowers"

Acrylic on Canvas

My Creative Burst

Mug Shots from Platform Art Fashion Show

Platform Art

Handmade Pocket Calendar

Apothecary Garden Herbs

Feeling Sluggish

My New Etsy Shop

Jacksonpollock.org

Recommended Reading

Art Group Paints Ceiling Tiles

Yellow Door

Weekend of Solitude

Available Work

Child's Play

Blankets and Bags are Packed for the Red Tag Sale

Peeling Paint

Special Valentine's Day Gifts

Bennington Pottery Factory

Happy New Year!

A Gift For You

eeBoo

Holiday Art Show

Comic Book Classes

Recycled Art Supplies

Pumpkin Painting

Mission Completion!

Painting A Week #3 "Signature"

A Painting a Week- Painting #2 "Journal"

"Music" and Cookies

Delicious Art Supplies

Children's Art Class

Poetry Workshop with Cathleen Drake Nelson

Mia Painting Sunflowers