Our April inspiration ...

comes to you from ...

Australian Indigenous Artist, Trevor Nickolls with his piece Warmun Mandala.

Criteria - Use these colours on your entry

A little about Trevor Nickolls

Born 1949, Adelaide, South Australia, Trevor Nickolls is a significant “urban” Aboriginal artist who has been working as an artist since the 1970’s. He has inspired and influenced many artists. He is represented in collections of all of the major art museums and galleries in Australia as well as in collections in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States of America and Canada.

 

Trevor Nickolls' work is innovative and unique. His work often shows a complex iconography with many layers of meaning. A major theme in his art is “Dreamtime to Machinetime” a theme which articulates the cultural transition which many Aboriginal people have undertaken in their journey from their traditional cultural heritage of living in the Dreamtime, into the world of mechanisation and technology. Trevor Nickoll’s work often presents various interactions between these two different worlds or shows the dilemma of living within both. Subject matter includes the spirituality of the Aboriginal people and their interrelationship to land, sea, sky and cosmos; where people and elements are seen as integrated rather than separate.

 

Trevor has had interactions with other artists, including Aboriginal artists like Dinny Nolan and Warmun artist Rover Thomas with whom he shared the spotlight as the two artists representing Australia at the 1990 Venice Biennale.

 

Click here for more information about Trevor Nickolls.

 

 

We have some delightful layouts from the first of our talented creative team for your inspiration.  Please call back on the 15th when we will reveal the winners for March and also prtesent to you more wonderful layouts from the remainder of our team.

 

 

Debi

Amanda

 

 

Maja

 

 

Helene

 

 

Sarah

 

 

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by midnight on April 30th, 2013. We'd love to see your paper, digital, card or off the page submissions but please remember we appreciate original entries (you may combine with a sketch).

Can't wait to see what you all come up with for these gorgeous rich colours. 

Our Guest Designer for April, Anita Bownds will be joining us this at the end of next week.  Please call back then to say hello and see her terrific take on this month's challenge as well as seeing more of her lovely work. 

 

 

Introducing Polly Libby ...

the the winner of our March guest designer spot with her wonderful layout for this month's inspiration where she has used various beads to make the sun and the leaves are embossed gold foil. .

Hi,

My name is Polly but I prefer to be called Libby. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 26 years and we have two grown children and one grandson. We live in the beautiful Northern part of Maine (USA).

I have been scrapbooking for many years and this past year ventured into the world of blogging and have really begun to create "outside my comfort zone," which has turned out to be super fun! I love creating layouts, cards, tags and mini albums. I also enjoy challenging myself to use new techniques by entering a variety of challenges. I can never get enough paper packs, ribbons, flowers and bling.

I enjoy reading, photography, gardening, cross-stitching, crocheting, volunteering and spending time with family.

I am currently a DT member at Soul Scrappers, hosting the monthly Quote Challenge (Since Aug 2012) and also a DT member at Colorful Creations, hosting the monthly Song Challenge (Since Oct 2012).

Although I am new to the ARTastic Challenge Blog, I look forward to each challenge and the opportunity to inspire you with my creations. It is an honor to be chosen as a Guest Designer and be a part of such a wonderful challenge site this month.

My Blog: http://northernmainescrappygirl.blogspot.com/



And some lovely layouts ...

 

 

Thank you so much Libby for joining us this month.  It has been so nice to have you with us.


Still lots of time for you to submit your entries for this month.  We have some terrific prizes up for grabs as well as a chance to be a guest designer here with us.  Come on - get those submissions in.

Grinning winners and some team inspiration ...

Another month has rolled on past and it is time to announce our February winners.

We had some lovely entries last month from some really talented ladies and selecting the winners was certainly difficult.  Thank you to all who entered.

We'd also like to thank our two main sponsors this month, Peta from Scrapbooking From Scratch and James from Alacraft, for their generous support.

ARTastic followers can enjoy 20% off at Alacraft with discount code ARTS20.

 

 Alacraft is a family business originating from an established bricks-and-mortar store and stocks a range of quality materials including lace, ribbon, yarn, scrapbooking supplies, stickers, iron-on motifs, quilting fabric, craft flowers and much more.

  Check out Alacraft today!

 
 

Scrapbooking from Scratch is an online scrapbooking site specialising in Designer Scrapbooking Kits but we carry many other scrapping products from NEW releases to those essential items we all need. My talented design team work with 1 -2 kits per month each to give you inspiration & ideas.

Please note my kits are never released on a set day of the month - just whenever I receive new stock so join my newsletter or connect with me on Facebook to get the latest release notifications and updates on blind challenges and monthly comps. 

............................

 

and now our February winners - congratulations go to ...

 

Anita Bownds who has won a $25 gift voucher from Alacraft.

 

Jen Fawkes who has won a lovely prize from Scrapbooking From Scratch.

Kathleen White who has won the Curator's Prize. 

Our random draw prize goes to Sarah Schultz.

We would like to offer Di Hasthorpe a guest designer spot for April.

Our Creative Team winner for February is Maja who will received a little RAK from me.

Well done everyone. If all these winners could please email me your postal details I will see your prizes get out to you.

 

NEXT - More fantastic inspiration from our remaining creative team members ...

Elaine

Julie

Shazza

Lesley

Jane

 

We'd love to see your scrapbooking version of  Girl in Pink. You have until midnight 31 March to submit your entry.

Next week we will be introducing you to our January winner of a guest designer spot, Polly Libby.  Please come back and see us and her delightful work then.

Don't forget - Each month we will be selecting someone from amongst our entries to be a guest designer for one of our upcoming challenges - it could be you!!

Introducing Sarah Schultz ...

Introducing our first guest designer for March - Sarah Schultz with her delightful submission for this month's inspiration.

Hi,

 

My name is Sarah Schultz and I am a mum to a beautiful 3yr old daughter Caidin. I have been scrap booking for nearly 10 years but only seriously for just over a year. I am starting to get into card making as well and I'm a keen photographer. I love making my own embellishments and using found items on my layouts. My style is to keep adding "stuff" until it looks right and I'm happy.

 My blog is scrappysarahjs@blogspot.com

Here is some of Sarah's lovely work.

 

 

Welcome Sarah and thank you so much for being part of the team this month.

 

Please don't forget you have until the end of the month to get your own interpretations of the inspiration to us - we'd love to see your work especially since someone from amongst the entries will be given the opportunity to guest with us in May.

 

 

Our March Inspiration ...

comes to you from ..

Australian portrait artist Julia Sattout with her painting Girl in Pink.

 

 

Added criteria - use a portrait photograph

A little about Julie Sattout

I have always been fascinated by the process of creating a portrait. As a child, I used to watch my artist neighbour turn a blank sheet of paper into a moving rendition of her sitter with what seemed to me to be a few strokes and smudges of pastel. I loved her expressiveness and the life that jumped off the page.

 

After a few unconvincing attempts to replicate her efforts, I abandoned the idea of ever being able to draw and instead became a lawyer. As one does.

 

In 2006 my interest in drawing was reinvigorated by some incredibly supportive artist friends, particularly friend and mentor, Enid Ratnam-Keese. Inspired by the creativity around me, I joined a life drawing class and haven’t looked back.

 

During 2010 & 2011 I completed (and thoroughly enjoyed) the first year drawing and painting components of the Diploma of Fine Arts at Meadowbank TAFE. Sadly, my paid work has had the temerity to intrude on my time and I have had to suspend my studies.

 

To keep my skills fresh, I join Sydney Community College classes when I can. I have also participated in a number of intensive portrait workshop weekends with artist David White.

 

I prefer portraits and the figure as subjects and would describe my style as loose and expressive. I love all faces, from the cherubic wonder of the very young to the undulating landscapes of the very old. I am particularly drawn to faces full of character and have included some of my favourite character-ful faces in my Gallery.

 

http://juliasattout.com/

The ARTastic creative team layouts are amazing this month.  I think you are going to love, as well as be inspired by, the first of our team members pages.  Our remaining creative team will showcase their work on the 15th so please remember to call back then and to also find out our winners for February.

Debi

 

Helene

 

Amanda

 

Maja

 

Sarah

 

 

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by midnight on March 31st, 2013. We'd love to see your paper, digital, card or off the page submissions but please remember we appreciate original entries (you may combine with a sketch).

 

 

We are looking forward to seeing more delightful entries this month.

 

Our second Guest Designer, Sarah Schultz will be joining us this month.  Please pop back at the end of next week to welcome her and see her lovely take on this month's challenge as well as more of her beautiful work.

 

 

Winners, inspiration and a guest drops by ...

It is time to reveal our January winners and to introduce you to our first guest designer for 2013, Isabelle Venturini.


Firstly I would love to thank each and every one of you would contributed to ARTastic last month.  We had some sensational entries which made selecting the winners no easy task.

We'd also like to thank our main sponsor this month, Peta from Scrapbooking From Scratch for her support.

 

Scrapbooking from Scratch is an online scrapbooking site specialising in Designer Scrapbooking Kits but we carry many other scrapping products from NEW releases to those essential items we all need. My talented design team work with 1 -2 kits per month each to give you inspiration & ideas.

Please note my kits are never released on a set day of the month - just whenever I receive new stock so join my newsletter or connect with my on Facbook to get the latest release notifications and updates on blind challenges and monthly comps. 

Congratulations go to ...

Angie Budden who has won our major prize from Scrapbooking From Scratch.

Di Hasthorpe who has won the Curator's Prize (donated and awarded by Shazza Bishop)

Our random draw prize goes to Tone-Lill.

We would like to offer Polly Libby a guest designer spot for March.

and just because we had so many delightful entries and I didn't get to give away something myself I've pulled rank and awarded Emma a little something too.

Our Creative Team winner for January is Elaine.


Next we have the remaining February inspiration from our creative team ...

and amazingly artistic piece from JULIE

 

a cheerful beach scene from ELAINE

 

a laugh out loud page from SHAZZA

 

a bright and colourful one from JANE

 

a truly delightful layout from MAJA

 

and equally beautiful page from LESLEY

 

 

and finally I am delighted to introduce you to our very first guest designer for 2013, Isabelle Venturini from France.

Bonjour,  I am Isabelle, 33 years old, married. I live near Paris, in France.

I have been scrapping since the end of 2005. My favorite subjects are my pets (my 2 cats) or my parent’s pets and my travel pictures. I often do multiphotos pages, because I take a lot of photos and can't choose among them.  I also find using a mixture of photos gives more rhythm to my pages than using a single photo pages.

Challenges that use inspiration pieces are my preferred type of challenge because I find it is an incredible source of creativity as well as giving you the freedom to follow your own path although I still try to be very near the inspiration source in form, colors or style.

My two sample pages were made in November and December 2012 for my Malta album.  They both have little decoration but a harmony of colors, which is an important priority for me.

 

 

 

 Please see more of my work on my blog.

 

 

Here is Isabelle's interpretation of our February inspiration.

 

 

What struck me in the painting was the crowd of people and movement. As I hadn't any beach pictures left, I used pictures taken during a visit to the aquarium in Paris.
I decided to create a "full layout" - no free space on the background which I made with a zebra template, ink and pen.  To replicate the painting  I put the starfish in the middle like the woman seated on the chair, and a round picture in the top right corner like the ball.
As orange was one colour I noticed dominated the painting, I used it as one of the main colors of my page.

We'd love to see your scrapbooking version of Australian Beach Pattern.  You have until midnight 28 February to submit your entry.

Don't forget -  Each month we will be selecting someone from amongst our entries to be a guest designer for one of our upcoming challenges. 

 

Introducing Lesley French ...

our second new creative team member.

Hi my name is Lesley and I live in the north island of New Zealand.

I am married to Shane and we have two beautiful girls together; Alana (8) and Rylie (7). I have been scrap-booking for about 9 years during which time I ran a small scrapbooking business from home for two years. I sold this as I started training to become an ECE teacher, but scrap-booking has still been an avid passion. I have been published in the NZ magazine Up2Scrap.

I am really excitied to be a creative designer for ARTastic and am looking at taking my scrapbooking skills to the next level by challenging myself and learning more about what is out there.


To see more of my work please visit me on my blog.

These are three of my favourite recent layouts.

 

 

 

 

Welcome Lesley, we are thrilled to have you join the team.  Lesley will be uploading her first inspiration layout on the 15th.  Please pop back to see her delightful work.

Introducing Maja Stokk ...

the first of our new creative team.


I´m Maja Stokk Lindahl from Sweden. Mum to 5 wonderfrul kids, wife, teacher, "horsegirl" and addicted to scrapbooking.

I found this wonderful world of papers in 2008 when I was home with my youngest son.  I have always been creative in some way but with scrapbooking I can combine several of my interests. I love to sew, take photos, play with colours, patterns and flowers.

I don´t have any significant style. I go with the flow, where the creativity leads me!  I love to make all, from C&S pages to layered pages with lots of everything ;)

I´m designing for a Swedish shop, Mollys Scrapbooking and part of the design team for a sewdish e-zine, Allt om Scrap.

I have been designing for a few other Swedish shops along the way .... both on ordinary teams and as a guest.  My work has been published in the swedish magazine Inzpira several times, and also in the British magazine Scrap365.

I'm very happy to be part of the ARTastic team.   I simply love art and I really like the inspirational challenges and the accompanying critera ARTastic provides.

You can see more of my work on my blog.

Here are two of my favourite recent layouts.

Welcome Maja, we are delighted to have you join us.  Look out for Maja's February inspiration submission on the 15th - it is amazing !!!

Our first Guest Designers ...

We had an outstanding response to our guest designer call with applications from extremely talented scrapbookers from all over the world.  Thank you so much to everyone who applied.

I'm delighted to announce our guest designers for the upcoming six months will be ...

Isabelle Venturini 

Sarah Schultz

Anita Bownds

Tone-Lill Angelskar

Mandy Dodd

Billie-Jean Beveridge

I'd also like to take this opportunity of welcoming to our creative team two brand new members,

 Maja Stokk (Sweden)

and

Lesley French (New Zealand)

who will bring to us their own unique and inspirational style.  You will be formally introduced to both ladies on the 15th of this month so please come back to see us then.

We will also be posting our monthly winners and the very first of our guest design spot winners.  Who will that be I wonder?  

Our February inspiration ...

comes to you from famous Australian artist ...

 

Charles Meere (1890-1961)  with his painting Australian Beach Pattern (1940)

 

Criteria  - Free choice, make of this as you will

 

 

A little about Charles Meere

Meere was one of a group of Sydney artists who took a modern take on classical artistic traditions as a way of portraying national life in the period between the First and Second World Wars.

Born in London, Meere trained as a mural artist at the Royal College of Art, where he was influenced by the ideas of William Morris on craftmanship and the role of the designer. Moving to Australia, he worked as a commercial artist and as a cartographer and illustrator for newspapers.

His most famous work is Australian Beach Pattern which depicts a tableau of beach goers whose athletic perfection takes on monumental, heroic proportions. Meere created a crowded and complex composition through the pattern of figures, which appears as a still-life of suspended strength. This iconic painting encapsulates the myth of the healthy young nation symbolised by the tanned, god-like bodies of the sunbathers.

 

http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/galleries/australian/featured-works/meere/

 

 

I love what the Creative Team have come up with this month.  Here are the our first four inspiration pieces with more to follow later in the month.

 

Debi

 

Sarah

 

Helene

 

Amanda

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by midnight on February 28th, 2013. We'd love to see your paper, digital, card or off the page submissions but please remember we appreciate original entries (you may combine with a sketch).

 

Can't wait to see what you come up with.

 

I'll be back shortly with our list of wonderful Guest Designers for the coming months.