Art Club

I am super excited about a new project called ART CLUB! 

One night in November around a kitchen table (and after a few red wines) I was talking to a new friend Brenna about how I'm always more creative when I have a project and sometimes a deadline to work to.  She felt the same way and I mentioned that my partner and myself used to set each other monthly creative projects, back when we lived in Glasgow, Scotland.  With only the 2 of us, my partner and I were always distracted with other things like work, commitments, bad televeision and lots of the other things in life that soak up time.  This montlly project fell away but I always loved this idea of having a project to work towards.  

Looking around the table on this November gathering, I was amazed at how many creative people were there that night: singer/songwriters, photographers, graphic artists and a trained sculptor.  After lots of excited discussion the group at the table all said they felt the same and we decided to set a monthly creative project.  Art Club was born there and then!

For the first monthly project the task was to do something with a piece of A4 paper (any colour).   

The idea is that everyone creates something relating to the theme and interperates it in their own unique way.  A new theme is posted each month then at the end of the month we share what we have created.  You don't need to stick to you normal field of creativity, for example if you are normally a painter you might want to make a short animation, or if you are normally a photographer you might enjoy writing a poem, and so on.

It's really simple, free and hopefully fun for everyone involved! No one will tell you off if you miss a month...I promise.

I think the project should be open to anyone that's interested, all around the world - so please spread the word , the more the merrier!

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  This is my Art Club submission this month, and I decided to make a paper cut.  I spent a bit of time living in China in 2006 and I have been obsessed with paper cuts ever since.  I also adore the work of Rob Ryan!

I used navy blue card to cut out, which was a good weight to use, as it didn't rip too easily.  I didn't have any of the official paper cutting scissors that they use in traditional Chinese cuts, I just used a craft knife.

I am really happy with the end result, and I know that I wouldn't have made a paper cut if it weren't for Art Club, so that makes me even happier!  

This is my initial drawing (so technically I used 2 pieces of A4 paper to make the paper cut, but hey, I won't tell if you don't). 

I have 2 books on traditional folk patterns from Russia and Eastern Europe, which I looked through for inspiration.  I then drew out my design on the paper and went over it in black marker.  This part is important as it is easy to get confused with what bits you need to cut.  I cut away the white parts of the drawing, which was taped over the top of the blue card.