Monthly Archives: October 2009

What’s Beneath It All Is What Really Matters

31 October 2009

Submerged, originally uploaded by Leah Virsik.

My largest painting so far 48″x48″… I went through such a process with this one… from “I NEVER want to paint this large again” to “I really like it”. It’s oh, so interesting to watch my process.

This piece entitled “Submerged” will be on display at Alameda Women Artists 16th Annual Alameda Museum Exhibit & Silent Auction from November 7 through December 5, 2009 at the Alameda Museum at 2324 Alameda Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501. The Alameda Museum is located off Park Street between Central and Encinal Avenues and can be reached at 510-521-1233.

Our Opening Reception is Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. and we’ll be having a Closing Reception & Holiday Art Boutique on Saturday, December 5, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. We’re also having a silent auction featuring 3D mixed-media sculptural art pieces created by AWA members. The auction ends Saturday, December 5 at 2:45 p.m.

Exhibit Hours are Wednesday through Friday and Sunday from 1:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Hope you can make it!

Posted in Blog | Tagged , , , , , |

Musings on Perfection

29 October 2009

I’m always amazed how one thing leads to another. I’m taking a really great patchwork quilting class with Angie Woolman at Stone Mountain and Daughter in Berkeley, CA who is helping me learn to see color and to talk about it. We were piecing fabric together and she mentioned about not being concerned with the thread color. I have light color thread in my sewing machine now and a black skirt that I haven’t worn for years because it needed to be sewn. I sewed up the skirt really quickly this morning and am wearing it today. It really helps to loosen up and relax sometimes!

Going through my desk today at work I ran across a quote from Martha Graham “Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.” I love that. Another quote that I align with is by Richard Bach…”You teach best what you most need to learn.

Posted in Blog | Tagged , |

From a Box to a Book

28 October 2009

Art Has Become My Life, originally uploaded by Leah Virsik.

This is my “box” for Pro Arts 35th Anniversary Party/Box Art Benefit Auction: Saturday, November 7, 6 – 9 pm Preview Exhibition: November 3 – 7, 2009. Thanks to my dad for cutting the box of wood into nice 1/2″ pieces.

Inspired, I signed up for Leah Piken Kolidas’ November Art Every Day Challenge and received a really nice email back from her. I’m exited to join an online art community and post more of my work, more often.

Also, I signed up for Rock Paper Scissors Collective’s Sewing Lab Training. Looking forward to learning how to use their industrial straight stitch and serger! I want to make more books with fabric and leather.

Posted in Blog | Tagged , , , , , |

Make Your Own Simple Handbound Journal: November 21

11 October 2009

office_supply_books
Raid Your Office Supplies! Make Your Own Simple Handbound Journal
Time: Saturday November 21, 1:00-4:30 p.m.
Where: Frank Bette Center for the Arts
1601 Paru Street, (at Lincoln) Alameda, CA 94501
Fee: $45 members, $60 non-members. Plus $10 materials fee
(pay materials fee at workshop)
Click here to sign up via PayPal at the Frank Bette site.

Meet Leah Virsik on Wednesday, October 28th, 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Leah will have samples of her journals/books and answer questions about her workshop.

In this class for beginners, you’ll create your own 2-section “pamphlet stitch” journal from commonly available office supplies including file folders, envelopes and paper clips. You’ll sew the sections, attach eyelets to the spine and secure your book with an elastic band. You’ll then add elements to the cover and inside to make it your own. Take home your own unique handbound journal and a one-section mini-postcard book.

What to Bring: ruler, scissors, glue stick, pencil, a cutting mat and a bone folder. Also, bring a 4″ x 6″ piece of cardstock (or postcard) for a cover for a mini-book. Optional: Bring any elements you’d like to include in your book to personalize it. Some examples are: canceled stamps, rubber stamps, stickers, paper clips, ribbon, old receipts, shopping list, scraps of paper and handwritten notes. Limit these things to 5 1/2″ high. White inside pages and some ephemera will be provided.

About the instructor: Leah Virsik enjoys making books and painting. She has a passion for paper and bookbinding and daydreams about art when she’s not actually making it. She creates books out of new and repurposed materials and works with paper, fabric, plastic, metal, acrylic and collage. Learn more about her and her work by visiting www.leahvirsik.com.

Posted in Blog | Tagged |

  • Subscribe by email

    Click to subscribe to this blog as well as my newsletter and receive notifications of new posts by email.

  • Artist statement

    I’m hungry to learn and it’s through my process of creating that I’m ultimately satisfied. I’m curious about different materials and take on the challenge to incorporate what I’m most drawn to into my work. I’m intrigued to discover the resulting patterns and repetition. As I create, I explore my inner landscape. I’m attempting to uncover a stifled sound. It’s my challenge to express this internal voice through my art and ultimately, boldly, out loud.

    My quest to connect my voice with my work has led me to reexamine my personal history. The threads in my bookbinding and in my collage are entwined in my familial roots. Growing up, I remember a quilt frame my dad made, taking up our entire living room. His grandmother taught him to quilt using scraps of clothing. Years later, I began a quilt when a friend was teaching a class on patchwork. To my surprise, cutting up fabric and piecing it back together reminded me of my work with paper collage.

    As a child I would sew with my mom and what I most remember is the guilt I’d feel as I jammed up her machine. Now, when the threads and material bunch up they become useful fodder for my work. In some ways the threads act as a binding element, as in my books, and in other ways they are a reflection of my internal processes.