Cheap And Quick Art…Just The Way We Like It!

Project Create is starting a new section on our blog focused on giving you great ideas for some quick and cheap ways to add a little creativity into your daily life. While we are trying to build our repertoire of projects you can do in our studio, there is no reason why you can’t try these at home!

So here is our first project: Wire Sculptures!!!

The materials list for this is simple: wire ($3.99 of copper wire for 15 yards), wire cutters (already owned), pliers (already owned), and something to mount your sculpture on (we used a scrap piece of wood – free).

Now this is a difficult project to give instructions on step by step, but here is the gist:

1. Decide on what you want to sculpt (we chose an alligator)
2. Map out a simple design of the idea, one that you could trace with a pencil and never have to pick up pencil from the paper.
3. Cut out a long piece of wire big enough to sculpt your concept with one piece with a little leftover (if it is too small, you can always attach more, and if it is too long you can just cut it!)
4. Begin shaping the wire into your concept, using your fingers, pliers, or anything else you might think is handy. For example, in our alligator, I simply wrapped the wire around a pen to achieve uniformity around the eyes…The idea here is mold the wire into the simple shape you drew out first. You will be surprised with how easy this is!
5. Mount your sculpture. I drilled a hole through some scrap wood and put the excess wire through the hole and twisted it around two nails I hammered into the back (see below).

This entire project took only about 30 minutes to finish, and now I have a great decorative piece for a guest room or bathroom area (alligators can pretty much go anywhere in New Orleans!). So do you think you are up to the challenge? We would love to see your wire creations, so make sure to post them in our comments section!

As always, don’t forget to spread the word about Project Create and help us raise enough money to open our studio where these materials and projects can be made permanently available!

Donate to Project Create

The Good Fight: Art Abandonment, A New Form of Paying It Forward

As I have said before, it is always great to find other people fighting the good fight. Check out this great find by our creative cousin over at Free Penny Press (the founder of Take It To The Street Poetry):

 

Art Abandonment= Great Idea

Many of you may know of the Poetry/Art gig that I run, “take-it-to-the-street-poetry”. I collect, edit & publish poetry zines that are printed off by people around the globe to be given away for free. I love the concept of sharing words with others at no cost to either person.

I have found our sister group, the “Art Abandonment” organization. Same premise, make some art and then take it out into your town or wherever and leave it for some unsuspecting person to find. How wonderful is that to happen upon a piece of art and it is yours, for FREE. How wonderful to be the artist freely sharing their art, for FREE.

The organizer of this group, Michael deMeng has a few thoughts about why he feels this group is important:

“I think it’s important to be able let one’s art live a life beyond its creator. I love imagining what becomes of my art after it is gone…whether given or sold.
Some folks can’t seem to let go of their work…even when they sell it.
This is a great way to learn to move on.
It’s also a way sharing work with an unsuspecting patron. In this day and age when money is tight, this is a way of encouraging folks to stay involved in the arts.
This is good for the soul. A random kind act. You’ll find it’s a bit addictive…and fun.”

If you are an artist, budding artist or simply someone that’s likes to doodle, I encourage you to get involved with this group and let’s help keep Art alive in our world.

http://michaeldemeng.typepad.com/art_abandonment/2012/06/art-abandonment.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtAbandonment/ (This is an “Open to the Public” group, so join)

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Project Create strongly encourages artists from all walks of life to partake in Art Abandonment! What do you think?

Project Create Is In A $500 Grant Challenge – Vote For Us!!!

Project Create has come quite a far way from being just an idea. We have accumulated over 300 followers, racked up over 3000 views, and held a contest for what can only be described as the Best Logo Ever. But Project Create needs to start doing something very, very, very important: RAISE MONEY!!!

Unfortunately, we are not yet accepting donations because we have not achieved our 501(c)(3) status, and donations would not yet be tax deductible (refer to my previous post on how to become a nonprofit). I will say that we have been in deep discussion with an amazing nonprofit that might take us on as a fiscal sponsor (I even flew down to New Orleans and met with their Board of Directors!), and hopefully achieving 501(c)(3) status will just be around the corner.

Until that time, we are doing everything we can to get our name out there and find other fundraising opportunities. One of those opportunities is the GOODMaker Art Everyday Grant. GOOD is offering a $500 grant to an individual or organization with an innovative plan for bringing the visual arts to their community.

I think we can all safely agree that Project Create falls into that category.  And so, Project Create is one of the many amazing ideas to be listed in the GOODMaker Challenge, but GOOD will only award the $500 (and all of the glory) to the one idea with the greatest amount of votes.

So now it is up to YOU to help us win the award!!! What can you do, you ask?

1. First, you can click here to go to our contest page and vote for us! Leave lots of comments too. People like to see comments.
2. Second, you can spread the word BIG TIME to all of your friends and family (Facebook, Twitter, Email, ANYTHING HELPS!). Share our link: http://arteveryday.maker.good.is/projects/projectcreatenola.
3. Make some art (true this won’t help us win the contest, but it will help you be AWESOME).

Voting is open from March 22 – 30. Please vote for us! This money, and the recognition, will go a long way in allowing us to opening our doors. Think of the children!

The March Art March: GOOD Magazine’s 30-Day Challenge

Art is good, and everybody knows it. But taking time out to create art during a busy work week can be difficult. Trust me, I can sympathize. I work an average of 50 hours a week and I am currently struggling to find time teach myself how to paper mache a life size model of Dolly Parton.

Life goals aside, being creative doesn’t have to be a gigantic task. We can be creative every day with simple actions: doodling, trying a new recipe, sewing on a button, dressing up your dogs in business suits, etc.. The point is, most people don’t realize how easy it is to add a little artistic spice to their daily soup. That’s why I get so excited to see other people make the effort to be more artistic every day.

Check out this challenge from Senior Editor Cord Jefferson and Designer Trevor Burke of online magazine GOOD. The challenge is to be creative 31 times in 30 days with simple tasks. What’s amazing is that their 31 challenges are all things you probably want to do anyways (i.e. go to a museum, frame a picture, and even break something!!!!).

So I say its time to stand up for yourselves and GET CREATIVE. Do you have what it takes??? Be sure to check off your list and let us know about your successes! We would love to see pictures of your creations.

Thanks to my artistic cousin, invadingnola, for sharing this with us!