Art-oberfest

The Humboldt Area Arts Council is holding Art-oberfest again this year with a full schedule of art classes scheduled for October.

The first class will be Oct. 4 at the Humboldt Art Center called “Alcohol Ink on Tile Class.” Paula Crandell is the instructor. Participants will make three projects to take home. Cost is $40 with all supplies furnished.

The rest of the class schedule includes “Pumpkins or Fairy Garden” on Oct. 10.

The night of Oct. 12 will be Kids’ Fall Arts n Crafts Night from 2:30-4 p.m. The event is free. It is for ages five on up, although under five can participate with a parent.

“Sponge and Rag” by Susan Witzel will be Tuesday, Oct. 18, from 7-9:30 p.m.

A Photo Show is set for Oct. 27 from 5-7:30 p.m. Limit to two framed photos no smaller than five by seven. Participants can drop them off at Witz End, O’Hair or First State Bank. There will be two categories, non-professional and professional.

Here is a little bit more from artist Paula Crandell.

“Alcohol ink (A.I.) is pigment dye that is suspended in alcohol. It can be used on any nonporous smooth surface. I use ceramic tile, clear acetate, Yupo (a plastic paper) and glass. Clean surface with alcohol first. Drop ink of various colors on to surface with a little 91% alcohol and let the ink move. This is what creates all the unpredictable shapes, and colors that A.I. is known for. I use gravity, air (canned air or blowing through a straw), cotton swabs, or a tiny dental swab to move ink. Because it's alcohol based, the ink usually dries within a couple of minutes. I always give my work two coats of Kamar varnish and one coat of U.V. protectant.

I’ve been working with A.I. for about a year. I have made cards, stamped and did paper art for about 15 years with a dear friend. We bought alcohol ink after watching a demonstrator use it to create marbled paper. We made our paper, and the ink sat for years on a shelf. One day we were working on cards and she said...what do you think we can do with that ink? I went on line and found hundreds of YouTube tutorials. Wow! The things people were making....just beautiful! I immersed myself in everything I could read or watch about A.I. I bought tiles at Habitat for Humanity and ink and practiced, experimented and created. I guess you could say working with alcohol ink can be addictive, because I am hooked! I belong to an A.I. Facebook group and I’ve learned a lot from the members. I’ve taken one class on line that was beneficial. I keep experimenting with the ink and surfaces and hope I never run out of ideas.

I was immediately drawn to the intense colors and the unpredictability of the medium. For example, sometimes the ink will blend together, but some inks repell each other. You can put a drop of yellow ink on a surface that has another color on it and the yellow spreads out in a circle. This is an “ooooh and ahaaa” moment for students. Love it! I also like that it's rather new to the art world which means most of the well known artists are still "available" to mentor others. I also like the looseness and fluidity that the ink can have.

The ink tells me what to do! I always tell my workshop students that if they have control issues, A.I. will be a challenge. The ink has its own way of moving and you have to “go with it.” I can't tell you how many pieces I’ve started with something in mind, and it's ended up as something else. That's the fun part! It’s important to always keep art elements in mind, composition, color, texture, movement are always paramount. I like to remove some of the ink to create a better composition.

I’ve taught a few classes and most people are pleased with the results and find it relaxing. I don't recommend it for children because of the alcohol (sometimes it's spritzed and airborne) and because they don't make plastic gloves for little hands!

I spent 41 years in education as an art teacher, school counselor and assistant principal....a vast majority in middle school and love 99.9 percent! We lived for 20 years in LeMars where I worked as a counselor at LCMS and moved to Sioux City after we became empty nesters. After I retired, I began to return to art. Jean Weiner helped me get started in Watercolors and I take classes with Glenda Drennen at the Sioux city art center. They are both accomplished artists and also so encouraging to students. So are the students. I took a drawing class at Morningside and had a great time as the class granny. Kids would say oh you're so good...then I'd respond by saying, you're at the beginning of your art life...I'm not. I've taken a 30-year break, I have a lot of catching up to do.

I believe everyone should have an original piece of art displayed in their home, even if it’s their own work or their children’s. Everyone has art ability. Sometimes you have to work a little harder to bring it to the surface. Good art doesn't have to match your couch.”