Guess what inspired me last May? Aliens!

Aliens!  I had always wanted to create a giant Paper Mache head for years so we at Open Eye Art  thought it would be fun to make two extra large, friendly looking, female alien heads. We were determined to march in the UFO Festival Parade  in the awesome and  quaint, town of McMinnville Oregon. We first learned about the UFO Parade through our friends at the Atticus Hotel. In fact after the parade we did a photo shoot at the hotel that was hysterical. As you can see in the photos.  Knowing we had to join this quirky, small town festival, I quickly got busy experimenting with every paper mache recipes I could find. The most helpful and incredible web site I found for this project was actually this "artsy craftsy" website named the Ultimate Paper Mache that was created by Jonni Good.  The Ultimate Paper Mache Joint Compound and Glue paste, and her special Paper  Clay were all magical recipes for this project.

Ether and Lucent at the Atticus

Paper Mache heads made by Jennifer Mark and Juliet Moran of Open Eye Art

 We are planning on walking in the UFO Festival parade again this year as Ether and Lucent, May 18th  at 3:30 .

Little did we know last year that this festival draws UFO believers, and experts from across the country. Experts such as  George Knapp, had a fascinating talk about the Skinwalker Ranch and  Jeremy Corbell's Documentary  snippets were equally eye opening.  I still have not had the chance to watch his movie, Hunt for Skinwalker Ranch  in its entirety. This year's festival line up looks equally as interesting. The great thing about this gathering is it does not take itself too seriously and it is still pretty intimate and  intelligent with a lot of humor sprinkled in everywhere.
If this kind of quirkyness fascinates you, then it is a must do. This festival is a total trip.

 If you don't get a chance to head town to the UFO Festival you can still see us dancing down the streets in footage shown at every  McMinniman's Theater around Oregon and Washington.

Open Eye Art

Open Eye Art Giant Paper Mache Head

New work using the power of shape....

Buck- 24 x 36" acrylic on Canvas by Jennifer W Mark

 Here are two new paintings I have just completed.  I am inspired by the simplicity of plant shapes making up a larger silhouette. These are spontaneous paintings that I find easy and a joy to paint.  I love how the deep gray canvas makes the colors pop.  I can delve back into my "mind catalog" of plants and flowers and just paint from my imagination.

Orb- 36 x 36" acrylic on Canvas by Jennifer W Mark

The next art pieces will utilize more NW themes....can you guess what shapes those will be?

Make your own trophy.....

Photo by jennifer Winship Mark of Open Eye Art

Have you ever needed the perfect trophy for a contest? 

 We just spray painted these fun Halloween figures and candle holders and glued them to a black base.  We will be presenting these along with 5 others at our upcoming Pumpkin Contest for a fun corporate team builder at Skamania Lodge on October 31st.

Tips for making your own golden trophies:
Find a figure that is well defined with easy to read details
Ceramic and resins work great (soft plastics never seem to cure well)
Tape off any areas you wish to perserve
Details can be saved with brush on "miskit" (watercolorists know what this is!)
Spray with Krylon gold foil spray paint

Warning!!!! It is soo fun you will start tearing apart your house for different items you can "Midas Touch".
Have fun.....

Photo experiment....

Photo by Jennifer Winship Mark

 

photo by Jennifer Winship Mark

Translucence

Photo that Juliet and I composed that celebrates the last beautiful blossoms of summer combined with the amazing leaves of fall.  We are experimenting with the concept of translucence.

Mask and Found Object workshops in 2014!

 Mask by Jennifer W Mark

 

New Perspectives Mask Workshop

A unique way to learn to 'see' another person's viewpoint and enhance understanding of one's own and the group's unconscious bias. This workshop is an intersection of collaborative team building, psychology, storytelling, artistic expression, role-playing and humor. Participants will immerse themselves in a another person's story allowing a window into their perspective 

 Found object gilding by Jennifer W Mark and Juliet Moran

 

 Midas Touch Workshop

Discover your own creativity. Open your eyes to the beauty of everyday objects and those found in nature. Use storytelling, collaboration and the ancient art of gilding. 

 

Gilded and Neo color mural by Jennifer W Mark and Juliet Moran

Go with the Flow Workshop

Discover how to collaborate yet keep your individual creative spark.  Learn to use neocolors and gild.  This workshop will create a major art piece that will be donated to a non- profit.

If any of these workshops sound intriguing to you then drop me a line.   We are planning on running these three different 2 day workshops in June and July of 2014.

Just finished my butterflies.....

                                                       Original watercolor by Jennifer Winship Mark

10" x 8"

$150 framed

 Original watercolor by Jennifer Winship Mark

10" x 8"

                                                                                                    $150 framed

 Original watercolor by Jennifer Winship Mark

10" x 8"

                                                                                                    $150 framed

 Original watercolor by Jennifer Winship Mark

10" x 8"

                                                                                                    $150 framed

 Original watercolor by Jennifer Winship Mark

10" x 8"

                                                                                                    $150 framed

 Original watercolor by Jennifer Winship Mark

10" x 8"

                                                                                                    $150 framed

Original watercolor by Jennifer Winship Mark

10" x 8"

                                                                                                    $150 framed

Yamhill Oregon...

photo by Jennifer w Mark

A while back after I spent a beautiful afternoon at Stoller Vineyards I took these photos

while my husband and I sped through the countryside of Yamhill Oregon in our little convertible. Life doesn't get much better than this!

The land and the skies are breathtaking .

photo by Jennifer w Mark

Creativity takes time....

I've been a little crazy over the last few months creating "hands on shared creative experiences"!

What does that mean?

  I have been effective in setting up some inspiring workshops that  have ignited the creativity of  friends, high school students,Chinese Medicine Students, Moms, daughters and corporate executives.

I have been stimulating creative interactions among many  even including chickens.

Here are a few photos from some fun art encounters over the past few weeks.

Lincoln High School International Studies Students putting the final touches on the collaborative painting created for the New Oregon College of Oriental Medicine.

Open Eye Workshop

Hong Finding inspiration....

 

 The group in deep concentration looking for outlines and ideas....

Fay and Helen connecting

  Saga's masterpiece in simplicity...