Taken with picplz.

I come from a theatrical design background and tend to think in terms of color and light. As a theater person, I have always loved to collaborate!  Whenever I am creating glass, I become completely present and think only of the intended creation. In this case, I had the opportunity to work with Clara Berta. I love Clara’s color sense and her use of texture and the way she build up layers of color and texture. When I am painting with glass, I also build up layers and texture. I was so delighted when Clara showed me a painting she had yet to complete and immediately knew that I wanted to do a glass overlay to her painting. Working with Clara this way was like we were finishing each other sentences; the finished painting was the culmination of our mutual intent.  I hope you enjoy what we have created together.

Thank you Clara for the opportunity to create with you!  

Open Mind - By Steven Lenchner and Clara Berta

by Catherine DeMonte, LMFT is a Marriage Family Child therapist

Play and art therapy are forms of psychotherapy that help children source their feelings in a nonthreatening (and possibly non-VERBAL) way.  I do a lot more sandtray therapy than any other form of play therapy and I imagine that a lot of why that is so is due to the fact that as soon as children enter my office they see two walls full of miniatures and two sand trays at the perfect height for playing in.  Children are told they can take anything off the shelf, that nothing is off limits.  It is so incredible to see them look the collection over quickly, then remove items from the shelf and create “scenes” or “stories” in the sand. In terms of choosing objects, they seem to know exactly what they are looking for.  The sand boxes are painted blue on the inside and bottom so that when the sand is pushed away it can look like “water”.  Although I don’t interrupt what they do, what they pick, where they put it in the tray, and what they do with them (bury figures, have them “fight”,  gather a mama animal with her babies, etc.) it is all healing and cathartic for the child.  And interestingly, it doesn’t matter what a child is referred to therapy for, this tool can be healing in their process. So regardless of why a child is being seen: whether grief work, phobias, regression, abandonment issues, or whatever, sandtray therapy is an effective tool.  And whether or not the child ever addressees the issue verbally or not doesn’t seem to matter as far as their healing goes.  I once had a boy who began to have a school phobia and refused to go anymore.  He never brought it up with me, only silently played with me placing army men in the trays week after week, enacting battle after battle.  Although possibly politically incorrect, army men will engender feelings of protection and value.  Apparently it worked because not long after he began his sessions in play therapy, he was able to return to school.   Whatever was “warring” inside of himself, he had resolved it on his own.  Another older boy began to wet his bed, well after being toilet-trained.  There was no medical reason for it and so he came to see me.  The topic never came up but his issue too was resolved in a relatively short time.  Unlike adult therapy where insight and awareness is key if change is to take place, child therapy relies more on internalized healing.  A child in therapy doesn’t sit on the couch for months talking with the therapist.  Nor is the therapy hour an hour of talking AT the child.   Rather it is an hour of interacting with the child in a way that helps him or her understand themselves  better and feel more at peace in the world. 

The combination of the toys in the room along with an alliance with a therapist, an adult well versed in helping a child attain their best self in an environment of non-judgment is a powerful, supportive and loving way in which a child can explore whatever it is they are dealing with.  It is very rare for a child not to want to come, as it just feels good to get the non-intrusive yet completely attentive presence of a an adult who really listens.  It is almost magical how powerful it is, yet this also says so much about a child’s deep knowing of him/herself – in that by choosing the figures they do, the archetypes if you will, and playing with them they resolve the inner struggles or hurts that they carry.  If we adults can jump back and get out of their way and honor a child’s play (which is their work) it is miraculous to see the depth of their wisdom and what amazing good comes from it.

Nature by Dori in our mixed media painting class.  The concept of mixed media has been utilized for hundreds of years. There are two aspects to mixed media. One has to do with advertising and the multiple ways of presenting information. This can be using methods such as radio, television or billboards together. The other has to do with art. This second mixed media, or assemblage, concerns works of art that are put together using different media for a composition such as collage, photography or painting made from whatever the artist chooses to use.

A mixed media collage implies two separate art techniques. First there is the art of collage, which is defined by the free online dictionary as an artistic composition of materials and objects pasted over a surface, often with unifying lines and color. Mixed media adds to the overall concept of working with one or more types of painting in addition to the process of attaching collage elements. Elements can include photographs, colored paper, ticket stubs, magazine articles and advertisements. Even with all this visual information, a mixed media collage can still effectively convey a strong image and message.

A real fun, and obvious, form of mixed media art is assemblage. Assemblage is a form of art that is three dimensional and composed of putting together objects that are found. Assemblage really takes mixed media art to a new level. Instead of using the traditional mixed media objects, it branches out to include anything that an artist uses to create their piece of art. It can range from common, everyday items to unusual things that you wonder where the artist even managed to find them. This form of mixed media art is fun for anyone to try, from young to old, you yourself or with a group.

In a world today where "going green" and recycling is highly promoted, and even encouraged and taught in the schools, using items in art that no longer can be used in a traditional manner has become very popular. It is another form of recycling. Some artists have become very popular and talented in this field of art. Regardless of your preference of artistic styles, it is not unusual for there to be a mix of different media. Check out the mixed media art the next time you are in an art gallery, some will be obvious, but look closely at the different canvases, some will unexpectedly be mixed media art.

Even though the term multimedia art is applied to mixed media it is not the same. Multimedia art incorporates the use of differing areas like music, dance or interactions with the person viewing the display. Mixed media provides the artist with diversity both with the use of material and with what is represented by the work. The visitor to the gallery or museum can interact with an installation or simply view. Mixed media art using fiber combines fiber along with paint, dye, thread and ink among the media. The United Nations has declared 2009 the year of natural fiber, encouraging the use of fiber in art.

Do you want to enroll yourself in painting classes Los Angeles? Have you been secretly having the very idea of learning how to paint? If you love the artistry of painting and wish you could learn to paint well, then you’re well on your way. The first step of any venture begins with having the passion to do something. The next step is to act on that desire. If you really like to learn about painting, there are individuals who are willing to help you to achieve your dream. Can be as easy to do is a bit of research by using the internet as your guide.  Find an art school or perhaps college art class near your home. Painting classes in Los Angeles has to be inexpensive.  Begin shopping around for the finest establishment which fits your budget.  In the meantime, here are a few types of painting classes that you might be interested in.

Watercolor painting is an excellent way for beginner artists to start in the realm of painting. You don’t need too much equipment and also watercolor paints are generally a lot less expensive than oils. The process of making a watercolor painting also is relatively quick, which is part of the appeal for new artists who want to see outcomes quickly. While painting with watercolors is pretty easy, there are several guidelines to keep in mind which will help your artwork stand out. Make a few test paintings just before to work on something much more substantial. Watercolor paint is extremely finicky and it takes a while to find out how to get your desired color intensity. Practice holding the brush in different ways and manipulating it to get different brush strokes. When you think you have the hang of it you may want to try your very first official painting.

Oil pastels are actually art tools that look like crayons, but they’re oil-based instead of wax-based. They permit you to blend colors more freely, but they also do not dry or fix entirely to paper; so they can be more hard to protect. Nevertheless, you can make use of pastels to make very colorful artwork. All you need to do is understand the techniques. Take an oil pastel drawing course in your art school or local community university. These types of courses can provide you with the most complete instruction on oil pastel method. The courses must teach you mixing and scraping techniques at least. Once you learn exactly how to work with oil pastels, you can practice every technique on your own.

Portrait painting is a struggle for any artist, especially a beginning artist. When learning how to do portraits, an artist must train himself to paint what exactly he sees and to do that by looking at his subject objectively. The best way to learn how to paint a portrait is by painting a portrait, then painting another and another until you turn into a skilled portrait artist.

Now that you’ve been informed in three types of painting classes Los Angeles, it’s up to you to decide which type of painting classes you believe will interest you.  Don’t forget, you are not limited to three Los Angeles painting classes stated above; you can actually select various other painting classes.

Do you want to enroll yourself in painting classes Los Angeles? Have you been secretly harboring the idea of learning how to paint? If you enjoy the artistry of painting and wish that you could learn how to paint well, then you are well on your way. The first step of any venture starts with having the desire to do something. The next step is to act on that desire. If you really want to learn about painting, there are people who are ready and willing to help you fulfill your dream. All you have to do is a little research by using the internet as your guide.  Find an art school or college art class in your local area. Paint classes Los Angeles should be inexpensive.  Start shopping around for the best establishment that fits your budget.  In the meantime, listed below are different types of painting classes that you might be interested in.

Watercolor painting is a great way for amateur artists to get started in the world of painting. You don't need an excessive amount of equipment and watercolor paints are generally a lot less expensive than oils. The process of making a watercolor painting can also is relatively quick, which is part of the appeal for new artists who want to see results quickly. While painting with watercolors is relatively easy, there are some guidelines to keep in mind that will help your artwork come to life. Make a few test paintings before getting to work on something more substantial. Watercolor paint is very finicky and it takes a while to figure out how to get your desired color intensity. Practice holding the brush in different ways and manipulating it to get different brush strokes. When you think you have the hang of it you may want to try your first official painting.

Oil pastels are art tools that look like crayons, but they are oil-based instead of wax-based. They allow you to blend colors more freely, but they also don't dry or fix completely to paper; so they can be more difficult to protect. Even so, you can use pastels to make very colorful art. All you need to do is learn the techniques. Take an oil pastel drawing course through your art school or local community college. These courses can give you the most complete instruction on oil pastel technique. The courses should teach you blending and scraping techniques at least. Once you know how to work with oil pastels, you can practice each technique on your own.

Portrait painting is a difficult task for any artist, especially a beginning artist. When learning how to do portraits, an artist must train himself to paint exactly what he sees and to do that by looking at his subject objectively. The best way to learn to how to paint a portrait is by painting a portrait, then painting another and another until you become a skilled portrait artist.

Hannelore Baron was an artist whose work has become known for the highly personal, book-sized, abstract collages and box constructions that she began exhibiting in the late 1960s. Born in Saarbrücken, Germany, on June 8, 1926, she and her family fled persecution in Nazi Germany in 1938 and relocated to the Riverdale, Bronx area of New York City. Without a formal art education, her interest grew and was nourished through a variety of art classes at adult education and community centers.

At age 40, in the mid 1960s, Baron combined her knowledge of a variety of art making techniques (watercolor, drawing and printmaking) and began making her first collages. Baron embarked on an uncharted voyage into collage as a method of containing her search for human connection. Her mysterious and intriguing works of ink, paper and fabric are eloquent testimonials to the common heritage of humanity. Plunging deep into an expression of the common roots by means of personal suffering, she developed a cohesive language through the weaving of texture, shape and symbol. Her transcendent communication expresses the reassurance of the continuum of nature’s cycles reflected by the injection of new life to old fabrics.

Hannelore Baron works reveal the path by which an artist’s self-discovery transcends into universal expression. Working in the form of two-dimensional collage and box assemblage, Baron explored the archeology of the soul. In the early 1970s, Baron established a studio and devoted her time and energy completely to her artwork. Although her compositions are completely abstract, she considered them to be both personal and political statements. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s her work garnered critical acclaim, along with gallery and museum exhibitions in the United States, Europe and Japan.

Her work is marked by the gravity, discretion and understated wit of a survivor. She had a special feeling for paper, for the weight of communication it can bear and the weight of history that settles so easily on its edges and surfaces. She described herself a pacifist and wanted her quietly intense work to convince others of the need to listen. She used letters as symbols of memory and birds as symbols of vulnerability and the need for song. She had numerous solo shows in New York and was a participant in ''Jewish Themes - Contemporary Artists II'' at the Jewish Museum. Although the diminutive collages and doll-size assemblages by Hannelore Baron clearly belong to the 20th Century, it's impossible to link them to a specific decade. Hannelore Baron died of cancer at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center on April 28, 1987. She was 61 years old.

In 1995, her work was the subject of a one-person exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. In 2001 her work was the subject of a traveling exhibition curated by Ingrid Schaffner and organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. Her works can be found in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, and Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Real strangers to time's steady progression, these haunting works are timeless in a profoundly untraditional sense. 

There's an essential difference between "mixed media" artworks and "multimedia art". Mixed media does refer to a piece of visual art that mixes various traditionally unique visual art media. For instance, a work on canvas that mixes fresh paint, ink, and also collage could well be called a "mixed media" work and not a work of "multimedia art." The term multimedia art implies a broader scope than mixed media, mixing visual art with non-visual components like recorded sound, for instance or with aspects of the other arts like literature, drama, dance, motion graphics, music, or interactivity.

When creating a photographed or painted work by using mixed media, it is very important pick the layers carefully and allow enough drying time between the layers so that the final work is going to have integrity. If numerous media are employed, it's incredibly important to select a strong base where the different layers are imposed. A phrase sometimes used in relationship to mixed media is, "Fat over lean." Put simply: "never start with oil paints. Plan to make them the final layer."

Use home items or excess craft items from previous projects to create mixed media jewelry. Mix glass, stones, gems, metals as well as beads for a custom-made bracelet or necklace. Vary the hues and sizes to add more dimension as well as texture to the piece. Try out various combinations. As soon as you have chosen your elements, string them with each other in a random way. Utilizing such things as doilies and pieces of drapes or table linens, add edge and embelleshment for more flair. A mixed media sculpture can be as detailed or simple as you want. This makes it suitable for children. Have kids form animal shapes from crumpled newspaper and cover the shapes with paste. Or help children form chicken wire into animal forms then cover up the wire with newspapers and paper-mache glue. Paint the art forms and add beads or marbles for details such as eyes and noses. Utilize cotton balls or an old coat's lining for fur. You can also use coloured toothpaste, which will solidify and bring texture to the piece.

There's absolutely no restriction to the amount, groups, or type of things that can be created to a collage. Utilize the right adhesive to secure the things into place. Individuals who are just learning how to accomplish mixed media believe that it is the easiest to group together identical objects. Watch for an artistic flow through the piece that carries your eye from one area to another. There is no correct answer to creating a mixed media collage or mixed media project.

A lot of effects may be accomplished by making use of mixed media. Found objects may be used in conjunction with conventional artist media, like paints and graphite, to convey a meaning in the daily life. In this manner, many different aspects of art become more flexible than with traditional artist media. Mixed media art is an artistic trend that mixes elements of numerous disciplines, such as sculpture, portrait-drawing and digital art, in a single piece of artwork. The environmental or "green" movement has been growing in popularity for several years and is likely to continue rising later on, therefore a mixed media art project centered on environmentalism would be ideal for earth-conscious artists.