New Site Launch: Create Mixed Media!!

The  New SITE!!!

Ok- I am SOOOO loving this new website!! It's called Create Mixed Media and it launched  yesterday around 3. It's been a long time in the works, I first heard about it last October. But I think they wanted to get it just right. Because it is so much more than I expected. I think it's hard sometimes to explain your vision for something. Even artist/writers can find it difficult and when your idea is something as big and grand as this website I think that makes it extra difficult. So when Rice Freeman Zachary, the writer and artist who was called upon to help lead up this project sent out an e-mail late last fall explaining the ideas she and the other editors had, I found it a little hard to really wrap my head around. Videos, lots of videos, tutorials, materials you love, tours of your studio, pictures of your cat in your studio, anything quirky or interesting that others might be interested in. It seemed like an interactive magazine/you tube/supply source/artist love-in. Frankly my head started to spin.

So I was so excited to actually see this vision happen yesterday. It includes a ton of materials and videos, and has artist profiles. But I think what I sense more than anything is that they want it to be a resource. Have a question about encaustics? Check it out under the Make tab. Want to know more about artists or the editors of the magazine? That's the Meet tab. Want to saturate yourself with fabulous videos from the likes of Ruth Rae, Susan Lenart Kazmer, Mary Beth Shaw, or Jill Berry? They're right there under the Look tab.

Art by Tonia Davenport

The super cool thing? This is just the beginning. They only went live with this yesterday. I heard from Rice that they are all uploading content like crazy and have only scratched the surface so far. The other super cool thing is that this isn't just going to profile the artist's who've already made a name for themselves. They're here at the beginning, but CreateMixedMedia wants to include any artist who wants to contribute something worth sharing.

I'm also excited to see North Light Books partnering with Stampington to support this site. I'm a little partial to both, seeing as the first is my book's publisher and the second, well, I just love their magazines! Plus, they did give me my start by publishing my very first article. These are two powerhouses that if you stop to think about it have access to nearly every amazing mixed media artist out there right now. Imagine if they were all to come play at this new site... and you're starting to get the idea.

The last little cool bit is that if you download their free e-book Stitched Up, you'll find one of the projects from my book!! It's the Resolutions Wall Quilt and I was just giddy to find it there nestled in with projects by artists like Josie Ciriccione, Ruth Rae, Kelly Snelling, and Kimberly Santiago. I mean seriously- how cool is that?


So go now- hop on over, and spend some time getting to know this site. I know you'll enjoy it!