Creative Alchemy and Eco Art

My Creative Process and Eco Jewelry with the Transformation of Plastics into Beautiful Jewelry.

Creating at the Joy of Art Studio

 

Series of Eco Jewelry created from "Green" material. I transform plastic by melting and changing the form into something that can be cut and molded and looks more organic. Plastic is a wonderful material for jewelry and much like the ancient artist who used whatever they had to create their art, it is vital that artists use material that is not trash or objects that ordinarily recycled but it can also be transformed into something beautiful through the alchemy of the creative process.

My Process in Creating Eco Jewelry

 

  Eco Jewelry by Joy Hellman

I save my plastic in bins in my studio basement and paint it as I go sometimes with just paint that I have left over from painting projects in my classes I am ready to do a project I use either a blow dryer or a heat-gun depending on what I want to do and what kind of plastic I am using. They all change in unique ways and create different effects.. I have experimented to discover how the plastic transforms and now even though I am open to the unexpected and there are always those in the creative process, I now work with it with purpose and a method that have improved upon in time. Plastic is a wonderful material for artists to use and I am just one among many who working with plastic as a resource in their work.

After the  piece is finished I use a variety of found objects sometimes entrapping them in the melted plastic and other times glued. I have used anything that I have in my stash as long as it is small enough for the piece of jewelry. I have the goal of creating something from the plastic that looks ancient or natural. I also use metallic and iridescent paint to enhance the piece. It is a very organic and intuitive process when I make my jewelry. I never really know what the results going to be. As I create a story emerges/ The story defines the piece and becomes he name of my jewelry pieces. It's all very magical and when I hold the piece it is much like it came through me and is brought to life
I love the idea of bringing something to life or giving a new life to ordinary material and watching the alchemy of the creative process form. I also believe as an artist, it is my way to take something headed for the landfill and make it into something beautiful.
I was inspired to start working with plastic when I was listening to a podcast where two artists were talking about how they had started when they were cleaning up the ocean of plastic. Because they were artists, they started looking at the material as resources for their art
As I was listening, I started thinking how I could use plastic in my own work. I already use a lot of recyclables in my art so I started collecting all kinds of plastic not really knowing what I was going to do with it even though somehow I knew I would create jewelry. Luckily, I have a wonderful husband who understands me as an artist and a basement in my studio for all my material... I painted the plastic first with leftover paint from my classes and just waited for the inspiration.... One day I was painting and drying some cups that were made from cornstarch and suddenly I saw the plastic changing form, softening, and transforming into almost a fabric or clay. I started cutting and forming the soft plastic... Well after that I begin to experiment with other types of plastic... each had their own way of transforming... I even made a sculpture out of a plastic painted pop bottle and earnings out of milk bottle plastic. As I worked with the plastic, I began to use it as an art material and even used other things in the plastic. I have since created a whole series of Plastic is Beautiful jewelry and continue to consciously work and experiment exploring the material further, I believe just as ancient artist used material that they found to create their art, we as artist can use plastic as magical and wonderful resources for our art. It is a way to transform something ordinary into something beautiful as well as make a statement for the earth...


Thanks for the opportunity...
It is a gift to share my love for plastic,
Joy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7vU2cDIyjU
http://artheals.libsyn.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy Hellman Painting in Front of Eve Avery

                                                            Joy Hellman Mixed media artist and owner of Joy of Art Studio
Painting in front of Eve Avery Downtown Southern Pines  o n a beautiful spring day. My ladies can be seen at her store and at Retro's next door to the Joy of Art Studio 

Creativity is a Journey

Creativity is a Journey

   

Creativity is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the your comfort zone and fearlessly jump into the unknown , listen to the calling of your muse and follow Her voice What you’ll discover will be wonderful! What you’ll discover is yourself! I always try to remember this wisdom when I prepare for a new class or workshop, trying out a new technique or beginning a new project. And when I am learning something new I also try to remind myself that experts are not born, they are made. I also believe that we all start from the beginning each time we create.. That at one time they too were beginners, filled with self doubt, left wondering if they would ever learn whatever task it was they set out to learn. If I have a passion to truly learn something then I have to also learn to set aside my need for instant gratification and experience some discomfort in order to come out on the other side. And boy can that be difficult because our own self critic is a darn hard taskmaster. So as you start this new year, if you are on a journey to discover the creativity that resides within, be nice to yourself, give yourself the gift of the time necessary to make that discovery. lock up that critic. Creativity is an amazing, exciting journey if you just take that one step. One step is after all the beginning of a journey and each stone makes up a mountain, each drop of water an ocean. Jump into the unknown and you will find your creative wings.

 

Artfully Yours,

 

Joy

Creative Process and Your Inner Wisdom

I believe that the intuition is there for everyone to tap into and express through creativity. I teach workshops to people who have never painted because of the intimidation and expectations of a blank sheet of paper. It has been amazing! I now continue process painting through my own art work and on large canvases. The inner wisdom is with me ay all times both as an artist art teacher and group facilitator. My inner wisdom is a living force that I consciously tap into tune into work with and express in all that I do.

I believe that my inner wisdom is a living force that is always with me in my creative process even when I am afraid of beginning. This energy is so real that it is like friend who speaks guides and supports me in my creative work whatever I am doing as long as I trust the process.

Wisdom is an inner force that we choose to connect and tap into through the creative process.


                               

The Alchemy and Magic of the Creative Process

                 The Alchemy and Magic of the Creative Process

                                 Creating with Molding Paste
           

Marry Your Muse

As an artist, I am always experimenting with techniques, media and exploring the creative process. I believe that the mostColor  exciting part of being an artist is the process of                                         Abstrackcreating. I believe creativity is like magic. I open myself to the possibilities of the unknown and allow my imagination, my intuition and creativity to marry. That is when the magic happens. I believe it is when I trust my own creative process, that I will experience th

Dear Muse release my inhibition to the Creative Fire. May I be a clear and flowing channel of powerful works of art. May I never be afraid to ask "what if ? " and take a step into the unknown... jump into the void ... Create the abandon...

 

As an artist, I am always experimenting with techniques, media and exploring the creative process. I believe that the most exciting part of being an artist is the process of creating. I believe creativity is like magic. I open myself to the possibilities of the unknown and allow my imagination, my intuition and creativity to marry. That is when the magic happens. I believe it is when I trust my own creative process, that I will experience that magic and again....

 

 

 

Creating Surfaces with Modeling Paste

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creating  Surfaces with Modeling Paste

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy of Creative Surfaces and Backgrounds

                                     
Joy of Creative Surfaces and Backgrounds

                                       

De- Stash!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                           

 

 

 

                                               

Journey of a Mixed Media Hoarder

As a mixed media artist I use a lot of recyclables and found objects in both my art and my work as a teacher of art so I have collected a lot of material and have huge stash… but as we all know as much delight it is to collect the material and look at our stash if we are not actually using it well it has to go. So I began my long and difficult journey of the de-stashing process. I started going through it and loading it up actually letting it go. I was happy to find homes for the things that I knew another mixed media artist would love as much as I do and put the fabric paper books ephemera to a creative use in their own art… I gave a bin of silk to an artist who plans to make beautiful scarves , I an artist who uses photos and collage papers gladly received the old books, I gave large pieces of fabric to a women who teaches sewing which I know it will be reincarnated into beautiful dresses and projects her students create in their sewing classes… I sorted and cut my fabric and collage papers and now it is ready to give to a Quilt Guild that makes quilts for nursing homes and children in hospitals. A teacher who uses "Green" material in her classes is taking the collage material. I am planning to create collage packages to sell on Etsy and use it in my up-coming online mixed media classes, I finally realized that I no longer use the files and folders of art projects from the past an am more digital so I am letting go even though there are such sweet memories of the beginning of the Joy of Art Studio when I did not have a computer but took notes and created folders from my classes and projects. I let go of a char in my studio that I lovingly called my comphy chair so many meditation moments and books read there in order to actually start using a beautiful chair that I husband brought from China that was not easy to say goodbye to my comfy chair… Well the journey was long and arduous but I now have a beautiful and workable back room which was only storage and wasted part of my studio. Now it is a wonderful project room and a place where I can create so it was well worth the work the struggling through my resistance the fights with my husband because of my need to control, the trauma of saying goodbye to my comply chair,,, I am very happy and would advise any one who is a mixed media artist to take this journey…. De-stash. Not only do I have a room that was only used for storage but the area where I teach, my downstairs where I store my material is organized and now I will use the material and not just squirrel it away… My nick name is Art Squirrel Anyway I actually feel better value much more the things that I do have and I love my new project space…So…this is my journey of de-stashing... truthfully mixed media de-hoarding.

My Creative Space

 

My Creative Process and Gallery

My Creative Process and Artwork

Inner Wisdom and Creative Proces

“Creativity Gives Wings to the Imagination."
~Joy Hellman

 

Creative Process and Inner Wisdom:: The Alchemy of Art

 

As an artist, I am always experimenting with techniques, media and exploring the creative process. I believe that the most exciting part of being an artist is the process of creating. I believe creativity is like magic. I open myself to the possibilities of the unknown and allow my imagination, my intuition and creativity to marry. That is when the magic happens. I believe it is when I trust my own creative process, that I will experience that magic and again....

As I reflect upon on the wisdom process that I have experienced during Bones of Wisdom I feel that I have come to a new appreciation, awareness, and conscious understanding of my own inner wisdom as being an action based on intention. Wisdom is not simply knowing but something that I can express and use in my life. I have a whole new paradigm of thinking about inner wisdom. I have always known that my intuition works in and through me in all that I do including my work as an intuitive counselor the healing process that has occurred in my life in all the things that I have created and co-created both in my work as well as in my art. I know that my inner wisdom is a power that can be tapped in to, and tuned in to, and defined. It is developed as a skill and can be used in all that I express. I know that my inner wisdom works in my creative process and I completely trust it as much as when I worked as an intuitive counselor and gave insight to others. Now as an artist I tap into that same source, that same force, the inner creative fire. Each time I set out to express my creativity. It begins with a tiny seed thought, a vision, an inner prompt. It comes from my inner imagery, work and life experiences. It can begin with something within the subconscious and I may not know the meaning of the imagery or symbol until I do inner work through journaling, mediation, dream work or journaling. It can also begin with a new understanding or insight gained from something I have that has inspired me, a technique that I have discovered or a video that I watched and sometimes a class that I take. Inspiration is both an inner and outer world process but it is everywhere and as a creative artist I must open myself to the energy and begin. I do not know where the creative thread will take me because it is much like going on a journey somewhere that I have never been before. I trust my inner wisdom and the guidance that I receive and simply let go of my own expectations, my control of what is happening. Sometimes it is something that has no logic. The use of recyclables was an example of that….

I was listening to a pod cast. They always inspire me when I am working in my studio. I was listening to Healing Arts Radio and there were two artists talking about how they started using plastic as a resource for creating their own art… I was inspired to start collecting plastic in all forms with no idea of what or how I would use it to create my jewelry. It was through experimenting exploring and listening to my intuition (inner wisdom) that I was lead to start using heat to melt the plastic. I found that the plastic changed form and was transformed into a material that I could purposely use for my Plastic is Beautiful jewelry.

The next example although it was difficult to chose because there are so many, I was taking an online class with Petrea and learning process painting and through it discovered a whole new way to tap into my intuition through color. My whole color scheme became even more vibrant through the course the assignments and painting on large sheets of paper taped on the wall and not thinking about the colors, randomly placing them next to each other, listening to my inner wisdom through the creative process. I believe that the intuition is there for everyone to tap into and express through creativity. I teach workshops to people who have never painted because of the intimidation and expectations of a blank sheet of paper. It has been amazing! I now continue process painting through my own art work and on large canvases. The inner wisdom is with me ay all times both as an artist art teacher and group facilitator. My inner wisdom is a living force that I consciously tap into tune into work with and express in all that I do.

I believe that my inner wisdom is a living force that is always with me in my creative process even when I am afraid of beginning. This energy is so real that it is like friend who speaks guides and supports me in my creative work whatever I am doing as long as I trust the process.

Wisdom is an inner force that we choose to connect and tap into through the creative process.

 

Diary of a Mixed Media Hoarder

Diary of a Mixed Media Hoarder




As a mixed media artist I have collected a lot of stuff and am going through it sorting and giving up some of it.. I just let go of a huge storage container of fabric to a woman that sews and teaches sewing.. Yay for me! Going through and old book thought "I will toss that." Well no instead I used it for a journal and created two pages... Want to see? A great method of repurposing.... of course this does not help my addiction as a mixed media hoarder... Any one else have this problem? Addicted to found objects. At least I had fun... O well tomorrow is another day.....




Art Squirrel

Creative Fire

                                            

           
                        Creative Fire




Marry Your Muse


  As an artist, I am always experimenting with techniques, media and exploring the creative process. I believe that the most exciting part of being an artist is the process of creating. I believe creativity is like magic. I open myself to the possibilities of the unknown and allow my imagination, my intuition and creativity to marry. That is when the magic happens. I believe it is when I trust my own creative process, that I will experience that magic and again..





  Dear Muse release my inhibition to the Creative Fire. May I be a clear and flowing channel of powerful works of art. May I never be afraid to ask "what if ? " and take a step into the unknown... jump into the void ... Create the abandon... As an artist, I am always experimenting with techniques, media and exploring the creative process. I believe that the most exciting part of being an artist is the process of creating. I believe creativity is like magic. I open myself to the possibilities of the unknown and allow my imagination, my intuition and creativity to marry. That is when the magic happens. I believe it is when I trust my own creative process, that I will experience that magic and again....

Wise Woman on the Mountain Top...not Yet...Still Climbing

 

Wise Woman on the Mountain Top....not Yet....Still Climbing 

 

 

Question to all of you wise women do you ever hear those voices from the past whispering in your head “Who do you think you are? You are not and never will be good enough and certainly not wise.. Have you ever looked at someone you really admired and thought I wished I could be her? She is so wise. Well join the club... I have the (I am not good, smart, wise, successful enough syndrome this morning and needed to bring it up here. I feel sometimes that I have women’s disease where we think no matter how much we succeed that we are a fake in other words we are really a failure. Ok, we know that is not true but it usually appears when we are faced with a project that we are not sure about and doubting our abilities...I can honestly say that I am always competing with myself and never give myself credit for the successes that I have. Actually they sometimes have n o value because I seem to waiting for someone to say something and that one thing can set off a domino effect of self doubt… Has anyone been there? We have been talking so much about the inner wisdom in this wonderful class but I wonder sometimes if I am really there or have a long ways to go in this wisdom thing…..I even question if I have what it takes to be the wise woman… Ok well that is it….. I do not want to throw negative energy here but it is something that I needed to share wise woman to wise woman… Still going up the mountain towards the wise woman that I am…..… Joy

Death Perchance to Dream

Joy's Creative Dream Journal

Death Perchance to Dream

Death is but a deep sleep upon which when we awake we find that this life was only a dream....

Process Painting and Listening to Your Muse

Here I am in my studio working with process painting. I begin by randomly covering the surface with color as the first layer, not thinking but feeling the color, This is an amazing painting method for  developing your creative intuition 

On going workshops in Process Painting 

Joy of Art Studio 

Joyof_art@msn.com

910-528-7283

Joy of Art Studio in Downtown Southern Pines

Wise Woman series at Flynne's 

Me Painting in My Back Yard on a Beautiful Spring Day

 

My Creative Space and Work Table in My Studio

Learning about the American Artists