Dhokra Casting in India

This video is a compilation of photos from the dhokra village and video from the dhokra workshop we attended while in Santiniketan at the Santiniketan School of Visual Art and Design.

A few of my Experimental Dhokra Pieces

Dhokra is a lost wax casting technique and the closed casting method is only used two places in the world. One of the professors who took us is the professor for the small metals department and was incredibly excited about this part of the trip. West Bengal, India is one and the other is in South Africa.

There were three craftsmen from one of the dhokra villages that came to help with the workshop.

Be sure to check out my other India and art videos on YouTube.

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

#TheLilyPadProject Update Video

#TheLilyPadProject update Video

 

I have prints and greeting cards for sale! 
 
Check out my Portfolio to see Card Packs

All individual cards $5 each

Assorted Card packs (pick either watercolor or prints)

3 cards = $14
4 cards = $17
5 cards = $22
6 cards = $25

175+ Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Artists and Family

My favorite part about Christmas is Santa. Not because I like to receive receive receive but because there is something special about giving without expecting anything in return, not even a thank you. 

Growing up my mom filled the stockings and added a few Santa presents under the tree on Christmas eve. Santa's gifts were always wrapped with matching paper and ribbons and boys. True beauty. 

As I grew older Santa continued to come even though we all knew what was going on until one Christmas eve I snuck downstairs and started adding stocking stuffers and I continue to, to this day (even at the in-laws house and they don't even do Santa).

Whether you already have a stocking tradition or want to start one this year, here are some great ideas to get you started and many on a thrifty budget. I will start with stocking stuffer ideas for your artists in the family and go through ideas for several other family members...If you are in a hurry, here are 5 Last Minute Holiday Ideas.

Artist Stocking Stuffers 
1. Paint brushes
2. Paint tubes
3. Paint Palate
4. Favorite songs to listen to while making art
5. A gift card to Blick or another online art supplier
6. A cute apron
7. Bite sized candies
8. A travel watercolor kit - or watercolor paint refils
9. A travel water container
10. Art books
11. Little knick-knacks or anything beautiful
12. A gift card to a local art or craft store
13. Kneeded eraser, nice pencils (I like mechanical but some people don't) and a sketchbook 

14. Tape ( duct tape, artist tape, washi tape, double sided tape)


Kid Stocking Stuffers
15. Mini box of sugar cereal
16. Stickers – especially scratch n’ sniff stickers (Michaels craft store has a good variety)
17. Pez
18. Chinese paper yo-yo ( or other random paper toys)
19. Candy necklace
20. Stretchy bugs/critters
21. Silly straws
22. Glow sticks (you can get 15 packs at the $tore around Halloween)
23. Astronaut Ice cream ($3.10 for a 12 pk. here on Amazon)
24. Lip gloss/lipstick
25. Mini nail polish (inexpensive and good choices of kid’s colors at Walmart)
26. Fruit snacks
27. McDonald’s gift card (just enough to get an ice cream cone on a “date” with mom or dad)
28. Matchbox cars
29. Slap bracelets
30. Kazoo
31. Crayola Model Magic packs 

32. Coloring book and crayons 
33. Food shaped erasers (girls love the scale of these for American Girl dolls)
34. Glow in the dark stars and planets
35. Heat bags (sew a pouch of fabric or a sock filled with dry rice
36. Dress up jewelry
37. Earrings
38. Travel game 
39. Webkinz or other small stuffed animal
40. Fancy scissors
41. Silly socks
42. Box of crayons, markers, or colored pencils
43. Journal 
44. Silly putty
45. Can of silly string
46. Animal sponge capsules
47. Expandable t-shirt, towel or washcloth
48. Glue sticks
49. Markers
50. Watercolor paints
 51. Origami paper
52. Disposable camera
53. Rearview spy glasses
54. Smencils (scented pencils)
55. Noise maker (shakers, tambourine, maracas, whistle)

Teen Stocking Stuffers
56. USB Flash drive
57. iTunes gift card
58. Stretchy book covers
59. Diary with invisible ink pen
60. Cell phone cover or a new cell phone 
61. Embroidery thread for friendship bracelets
62. Beef jerky or other snacks
63. Gift card to bowling alley or skating rink
64. Makeup
65. Art Lessons
66. Gel pens and black paper
67. Perfume
68. Nail polish in funky colors
69. Manicure pen
70. Lanyard for keys
71. Keychain
72. Wallet
73. Earbuds
74. keys to something special like a first car parked in the driveway with a giant bow.
75. books or a book (I was a nerd and asked for several books on the AP reading list one year, but this could be a great chance to give an artist book, graphic novel, or auto biography of an inspirational figure. Chicken Soup for the Teen Soul is also good.)

Mom Stocking Stuffers
76. Scented hand sanitizer (particularly from Bath & Body Works)
77. Camera memory card
78. Jewelry (Earrings, necklace, etc. My mom loves huge earrings. I sometimes buy them at the $tore, take the charms off and string them as necklaces.) Wire wrapped Jewelry or make paper bead jewelry.
79. Gift card for a pedicure, manicure, or massage (I know this one’s not “cheap” but it sure will earn you a lot of points, dads!)
80. Keychain charms of kids with initials (SO cute!)
81. Package of decorative buttons (for crafting)
82. Knitting needles or crochet hooks
83. Crochet or knitting pattern book
84. Fancy hand soaps (particularly from Bath & Body Works!)
85. Seeds an a mini pot
86. Scrapbooking ribbons, tags, embellishments, etc.
87. Scentsy

88. Beaded bookmark (can be found in card or gift stores or on Amazon here)
89. Fancy scissors
90. Scrapbook paper (rolled up in a paper towel tube)
91. Gourmet coffee or fancy hot coco mix
92. Specialty tea
93. Ped Egg or pumice stone
94. Votive candles 

95. Icing tips/bags
96. Mascara 

97. Box of dollar store note cards 98. Chocolates (bag of Dove or Bliss)
99. Coffee shop gift card
100. Nail polish
101. Scented hand lotion (particularly from Bath & Body Works!)
102. Tree ornaments
103. Purse
104. Gift Card for favorite store and offer to go on a shopping spree with mom (or just give her the card so she can get away)

Dad Stocking Stuffers
105. Tape measure
106. USB flash drive
107. Picture hanging hardware
108. Nails & screws
109. 3M hooks
110. Car charger for cell phone
111. Beef jerky
112. Car wash gift card
113. Golf tees
114. Golf balls
115. Video/Computer game
116. Coffee shop gift card
117. Drill bits
118. Tool keyring 
119. Mini flashlight
120. Gift card to bowling alley
121. Wallet
122. desk calendar
123. a nice tie
124. socks 

 Anybody Stuffers
125. Favorite candy bar
126. Snack packages (cheese crackers, cookies, etc.)
127. Hand Sanitizer
128. Gum
129. Sudoku book
130. Christmas ornament (start a tradition and give or make one for each immediate family member)
131. Hand and foot warming packs (found in the dollar spot at Target)
132. Slipper socks
133. Hot chocolate packets
134. Mug with candy canes and coco
135. Video Games
136. Kinect or other gaming system

Practical Stocking Stuffers
137. Calculator
138. Book light
139. Pencil sharpener
140. Deodorant
141. Toothbrush
142. Kids toothpaste
143. Dental floss
144. Barrettes / pony tail holders
145. Comb
146. Hot comb, flat iron, gel, or other hair supplies

Adult/Bestie/Husband/Wife/Romantic Stocking Adult Stocking Stuffers
147. Unmentionables or Christmas underwear
148. Victoria’s Secret gift card
149. Date night our on the town gift card
150. Butterscotch Schnapps and Apple Cider mix and cinnamon sticks
151. Peppermint Schnapps and Hot chocolate mix with a candy cane
152. Artwork is always a great idea.
153. Mini scented candles
154. Gift card for a tattoo 

Family Stocking Stuffers
155. Deck of playing cards. Bang is also a good game
156. Video games
157. Ornaments
158. Ski Passes
159. Netflix or other yearly subscription
160. Movie tickets
161. Travel tickets
162. Maybe pet supplies for a new pet
163. Game sets - Yahtzee is easy, you can find dice and the refill sheets. Our whole game cost less than $5

Pet Stocking Stuffers
My mom always had stockings for out pets and I was typically the one to open them. These were often items that we had for our dogs anyways, but added a little fun to Christmas morning.
164. Chew toys
165. Canned food
166. catnip
167. Play stuff/toys
Tot Stocking Stuffers 
168. Playdoh
169. Bubble bath
170. Bathtub crayons
171. Pacifier
172. Cute socks
173. Baby/Tot photo book (tots love looking at pictures of themselves and their family members)
174. Dum Dum lollipops (not for the youngest tots!)
175. Bubbles
176. Character band-aids
177. Board book (one of my favorite authors of tot books is Sandra Boynton)
178. Character spoon and fork set
179. Character kids cup (Target “dollar spot” often has these)
180. Shoes

If you like countdowns or want to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, you could pick several of these and gift one each day. 

What are some of your favorite gift giving ideas?

Henna 'n' Sarees

Felicia Follum Sketches and Hand Drawn Greeting Card

The past couple weeks I have been spending a good amount of time looking at henna designs and creating some greeting cards inspired by the women we saw in India. Both the shape on the cards (and several paintings) and the delicate henna patters remind me of the elegant beauty that Indian women possess.

As we traveled on the trains I kept seeing women in saris walking along side the road, in a field, or even thought a pile of trash. The women in their beautifully colored and elaborately detailed fabrics created a unique elegance. The saris, in most settings, stood out from the architectural or prairie landscapes. I absolutely loved the repetition of the shape.

When I came back and found a quick watercolor painting I had in my sketch book I was in awe. I sculpted, I drew, and I painted...and I still am creating more images based on that same idea.

In addition to the Indian Woman shape I love the delicate designs that India was covered in, especially those used to decorate women's hands a feet for weddings and other holidays. The patterns appear to be influenced by old Indian art styles such as miniature paintings of Gods and Goddesses that people use in their homes as a part of their pooja.

Felicia Follum Chalk Pencil Drawings

The begining of our trip was spent in Delhi, Old and New. In the Handi-Crafts Museum I spent a large amount of time in the miniatures section, just looking at the texture and patterns in the gutters and the various repeating shapes and symbols. Some that stood out included the peacock, snake and lotus flower composed of thin lines.

Throughout the trip and even upon returning to the US, I continued to see these shapes repeated on paintings, sculptures and in henna designs. The sketch in the photo above was inspired by henna designs. Though I am not sure what will come out of all these henna and pattern sketches, I am excited to continue designing as I am sure I will know exactly how to use the patterns when the time comes.

Abused Goddesses and Devi Goddess Video

I found this (well actually a friend shared it with me, knowing my fascination with all things art and India and social change through art and religious culture...) incredible campaign fighting against domestic violence in India.  It compares Indian women to the Hindu goddesses addressing the contrast between women being beaten and worshiped.

The religious artwork was one of the most fascinating aspects for me while in India.  You can check out a video of me walking through various Hindu Devi Goddess temples here. If you are interested in seeing more of my videos from India be sure to subscribe to my YouTube account.

Check out the Abused Goddess Campaign here

Enjoy a video I took while looking at a Devi goddess temple.

India Inspired Art

Be sure to check out my Indian Inspired Artwork in my Facebook gallery. I will be adding more to this album as time goes on and as more work is displayed in public. If you are interested in purchasing work please message me on Facebook or email me at FeliciaFollum (at) gmail (dot) com.

Some of the topics that my Indian Inspired Artwork addresses include Women in India, Trash, and the Mixing of Religion and Culture. 

Keep an eye out for my Artist Statement about my India Inspired Artwork to learn more and see how the body of work develops.
 

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Decor from last year...

In case you were wondering...Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday ever and I hope that you are able to share in my enjoyment.

You can check out work from my past Halloween art exhibition, Creepies and Crawlies (snakes and Lizards).

Happy Halloween!!!

Graphic Design Questions

Book cover for Captured Justice.
 See more Native American social justice posters 

Before I begin a graphics project I tend to ask several questions to help me get a better understanding of what the client desires.

Here are the questions I ask.

1. What is your business? Name? What do you do? Ideas? Images?
2. If you had to describe your desired/typical clients in a short paragraph what would you say about them? Age? Gender? Style? Culture? Class? Etc.
3. Is there anything else I need to know?

Other questions that may apply

What imagery are you leaning towards?
What are you trying to say with the imagery, that is not being said in the text or business name?
Do you want this type, image, or color heavy?

What questions do you ask your clients before beginning a project? Are they similar? Is there anything I forgot?

Pat Jones and Nebraska Pledge

For todays post, a seemingly politically neutral painting :)
Lily Pads
Felicia Follum
Aprox 18x48 in (will measure soon)
Hang ready print on canvas
$325

I absolutely love teaching art. But to be honest I am not a fan of some of the drama surrounding public schools which plays a large role in why I did not get an Art Education degree. You can check out my YT videos (and many other posts on my art) to see more about how I am still using my art degree to educate and help others.

Art+ India Exhibitions

If you have kept up with my art and travels via my Facebook page then you already know that I have been creating work inspired by my trip to India and you have been waiting patiently for an opportunity to see this new work.  If you have not been keeping up be sure to like my Art Page on FB and keep reading.

There are currently (I plan to add a third option in the next couple weeks) two chances for you to see my new artwork inspired by my recent trip to North India. Both exhibitions will be up throughout the month of October.

Honey Bee Studio Gallery
Reception: October 4, 6-8 pm

Visual Art Building lobby
Reception: October 25, 6-8 pm

Please visit the Facebook Event Page for more information or if you would like to RSVP.

These two exhibitions will have unique bodies of work from me and several other artists who traveled to India with me through the University of Wyoming Art Department.

Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss the stories inspiring my work. I will post soon with more info and artist statements.

The Hinglish Project

The Hinglish Project typeface is absolutely gorgeous! I hope you enjoy the beautiful design as much as I do as a graphic designer.


Hindi is a difficult language to learn. Well at it appears that way at first. The Hinglish Project typeface is an excellent tool to help people familiarize themselves with the beautiful script.



As you may or may not know I have been practicing Hindi (which you can learn more about at HindiForChristmas) for a couple months now and hope to be able to read by December. Be sure to subscribe to see how I am using Hindi in my artwork as well.

Like my Facebook page and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more updates and videos in response to my time in India.

LifeLight South Dakota 2013 and #TheLilyPadProject

Lily Pads
Felicia Follum
Aprox 18x48 in
Hang ready print on canvas
$325

This past week I was blessed with the opportunity to share my art at Lifelight, the largest free Christian music festival in the United States. I met some wonderful and fascinating artists. We talked about art and life and how we use our art to help make the world a better place.

My work was selected to be in the 360 Loft Gallery where I displayed a variety of my lily pads from #TheLilyPadProject.

You can find more of my work on Facebook.  Be sure to like and share my art page.
If YouTube is more your thing, take a moment to subscribe to my channel as well.

#TheLilyPadProject and Human Trafficking

I tell you about #TheLilyPadProject and how you can get your own lily pad to help fight human trafficking and sex slavery. Yes all of this in 5 minutes.  The lily Pad Project is part of an art exhibition that I will be having in April at the University of Wyoming and a couple other venues.

I use the lily pads to talk about human trafficking and some specific aspects of modern day slavery.  Watch the video to find out some of the many connections I use to compare water lilies and lily pads to human trafficking.

I would love to have work up in more places so contact me if you have a venue or if you are an organization fighting human trafficking.

If you enjoy my art be sure to subscribe to my YouTube art channel.

Maya and Mucha

In the video below I talk about a poster I created in response to black beauty and Maya Angelou. Though this video is about black beauty the overall theme is that all people need to love themselves for who they are.

Phenomenal Woman
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Maya Angelou
I completely understand and believe that confidence and beauty issues apply to all people regardless of gender, class, size, and race and I talk about beauty in general a bit.

This specific post talks about black beauty and my art. I will link to a blog post about why I think black beauty is important.

Phenomenal Woman Blog Post

Blog post about a controversial black reality in America

Decoration Day

The window just above the flag is my studio.

Thanks to all of you who have fought for what you believe in and are fighting for justice in your country and abroad today.

Here are a variety of ways to celebrate Memorial Day, originally Decoration Day.

1. Volunteer at the local soup kitchen (when I was in high school 70% of the homeless population was made up of veterans)
2. Donate used items to a shelter or other organization designed to help get people back on their feet (fight the war against poverty in your own backyard)
3. Spend time with a veteran with a disability today (or an elderly friend/neighbor.)  Talk to him or her about how America has changed in their lifetime.
4. Make a gift basket, bake cookies, or cook supper for families with a parent overseas

Proud American

5. Collect funds for Soldiers Angels, donate to Veterans for Peace, or choose another organization you support.
6. Make artwork dealing with the flag.  If you are critiquing American culture or values try to stay positive today.  The image in this post is another example of art you can create as well.  A poster honoring a soldier is another possibility as well.

7. Take an immigrant out for coffee. Learn his/her story. People who escaped hardship, brutality, or other negative aspects of their home country often have an extreme sense of pride in America.
8. Journal about how your family came to America.  Most of us were immigrants at some point in time.
9. Pray for world peace, freedom and justice for all and be thankful for all that we do have in our country.

Another Proud (Beautiful) American

Do you have any family traditions for Memorial Day? If you do add them to my list. If not which idea above sounds the most intriguing?

Wether you have a BBQ, place flowers on a tomb, hold a flag, or hold a protest, I would suggest taking the day off and spending some time outside.  I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend, however you choose to spend it!!!

God Bless America...

...and the rest of the world. 

Source: hispanicfanatic.wordpress.com via Felicia Follum Art+ on Pinterest

Source: touchpuppet.com via Felicia Follum Art+ on Pinterest

How to Make your Humanities Degree Stand Out

I share my experience with using my humanities degree to rock my resume. I talk about how I wrote about my humanities degree when applying for jobs and discuss some of the skills that people who study in the realm of the humanities fields possess.

Just as a reference I had an Art degree, a Humantities and Fine Arts degree (with areas of emphasis in Philosophy, Religious Studies, and African American Studies, and a Graphic Design minor. This combination was not only a ton of fun to complete but it offeres a wide variety of skill sets for what I want to so it is perfect.

After watching this video you will have a better understanding of one way that I used my Humanities degree to my advantage.


If you enjoy this video be sure to check out my other Art Jobs Videos:
Debt
Humanities Degrees and Resumes
Life After Art

I have two more that I have not posted yet. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to see the last ones.

Grace is A Bit Queer Vlog

In this video I talk about my Grace is a Bit Queer graphic design poster series, a body of artwork dealing with the relationships between Christians and the LGBTQ community. As Christians we are called to show grace and even love to those who are different than us regardless of personal opinions.

What we do/who we are does not get us into heaven. It is something much deeper (though I don't really talk about that in this video haha).

The posters attempt to help  to help people understand Christianity, grace, and radical forgiveness a bit more.



If you like me or my art be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Life After an Art Degree

In this video I talk about my experience of being fresh out of college and some of the challenges that I am currently facing. I have two other videos from this Art Jobs series posted and at least two more to come. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to see them all.

Also if you have any life or art vide requests please let me know. I currently check my YouTube account more than my blog so that is a better way to reach me.



Thanks for watching!

New Camera on The Way

GoPro Anticipation




In this Vlog I ramble about my GoPro* camera that is on the way. I am excited to use the camera for summer travels, backpacking and snowboarding. Be on the lookout for some fantastic videos (well I try and I'm learning). I also just downloaded iMovie 6 which is what I used on this video lol yep.

**I was not paid by GoPro

Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to see my unboxing video!

Batman Day! Dedicated to my Dad

 

Source: geektyrant.com via Felicia Follum Art+ on Pinterest

Did you know that today is Batman Day?! (I know the Interobang would have been the appropriate punctuation mark to use, but I didn't.)

Holy blog post Batman! This is in honor of my dad who has always been a rather large fan of The Bat. Growing up with him I have of course been a fairly knowledgable fan, or addict as some would say since I was young. I have seen ever movie and TV show every made. Including some terrible home made videos of a large Batman running around WallMart and other such places.

Source: madamnoire.blogspot.com via Felicia Follum Art+ on Pinterest

I really do love all things Batman from the political graphic novels to the psychological thrill of Arkham Asylum (the game and the comic book).  The goal of this post is to share some Batman inspiration and fan art with you. (And if my mom can track down the photo I am looking for I will also share some man who shall remain nameless running around in a Holy Bat Suit.)

First of all here is my Pinterest.com board that I created for my dad for his birthday. My parents were moving and did not want anything so I decided to create this board and filled it full of readings and history on Batman. If you scroll to the bottom you will see these original posts but since I did take after my pops in many ways I continued to add to this board.

Source: laughingsquid.com via Felicia Follum Art+ on Pinterest

You can also check out these links from mylikes.com

Marvel vs DC?


Can't wait for The Dark Knight Rises? You'll appreciate these memes.

Check out these fab superhero-inspired makeup looks! #5 is Batman.

Movie Facts

Be sure to follow me on YouTube to see more of my artwork and track my trip to India this summer. If you want any artwork or graphic design be sure to contact me. FeliciaFollum.com has all my contact information but feel free to use Youtube or Facebook.

Watercolor Travel Kit

This is the travel kit that I will be taking to India with me.

 Watch the video to see how I fit all of my watercolor paints, water, two bowls, an eraser and even a brush in this little guy.

 You can also hear a bit about where I have taken my watercolor travel kit.



Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more art and India travel videos.

Tattoos, Tattoos, + More Tattoos

As I am sure you know, I have been working on my tattoo sleeve for a while now. Though it is composed and inspired by mostly my artwork and photography a huge part of the process has included researching hundreds of tattoo photos.

I have been sharing some of these fun tattoo images on my personal Facebook page and people just seemed to love them so I figured I would share them on my blog as well. I hope you all enjoy this uniquely beautiful and fascinating art form.

Just Some Plain, Rad Tattoo Art

Super amazing 3D tattoos. 

12 of the most adorable Disney-inspired tattoos

Here are some more of the craziest and coolest 3D tattoos 

You'll probably recognize a few of these Celebrity Tattoos! 

These hyper-realistic tattoos will shock you!

Some more Great Tattoo Ideas

Check out the Cutest Girl Tattoos! 

Celebrity Tattoos

The NFL is full of inked-up players! 

It's no secret that tattoos are huge in the NBA, but who has the best ink? 

               Source: likes.com via Felicia Follum Art+ on Pinterest

Ok, So I am not a 1D fan but have ya seen Harry's MASSIVE butterfly tattoo?  

Check out the Coolest Celeb Ink! 

Miscelaneous 

Every piece of ink has a story to tell and that's just the case with these absolutely insane gang tattoos! 

Here are 15 of the nerdiest tattoos you can find on the Internet! 

The only thing worse than a painful tattoo, is a painfully mis-spelled tattoo! 

And Some Crazy Piercings 

Why would you put a hole there?

You can also find me on YouTube.com

Links found via mylikes.com.

Taking a Short Break

Hey all and thank you so much for subscribing and/or visiting my blog. You make all the difference on here. I am sad to inform you that I will be taking a break from updating my blog....There is a time for everything (well except blogging). I am currently finding that I am not dedicating enough time to this art blog. I will be taking a short break which means that my regular Sunday/Thursday posts will be put on hold.

But I'm not really going anywhere...

You can still find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, ETSY, YouTube and of course my website. See I'm still around.

To learn more about #TheLilyPadProject check out this YT video

And I will be blog posting sporadically and uploading Vlogs to YouTube. Be sure to check those out and subscribe. Some of my vlog topics include my art (of course),  art jobs, and my new dreadlocks. I am always taking requests so head on over, request a video, subscribe and show me some love.

I will be back probably after summer...keep reading...

Well actually I am going somewhere....

As you may or may not know I will be in India for a month this summer. I expect to be making art like a crazy person for a few weeks after and we will see where things go from there....

PS A whole bunch of DO's and just one DON'T

DON'T try to contact me via Pinterest (I have way too many updates to keep track of on there)

DO check my boards out :)

Do subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Do request videos

Do find me on the other places online and share your artwork or just come say HI!

Srping/Summer Questions Inspired by YouTube

I teach a blogging class at the Cooper Center for Creative Arts. As a part of the class we are creating posts based on TAGs from YouTube. As a class we created a list of questions inspired by several TAG post questions and picked our favorites from that list. I am creating this post to share with my students. I may create a YouTube video as well so be sure to check out and follow my channel. Below are my favorite five questions from the list.

In this post I will use several of the techniques we are studying including lists, story, photography, link roundup, recommendation/review, and tips. I hope you enjoy!

What are your favorite spring/summer accessories?
(example of a List post)

Scarves with tank tops
Scarves with long sleeves
Scarves with puffy vests
Scarves wrapped around my head
and
Cut t-shirts with bangle bracelets (my Style and DIY YouTube videos can be found here)
but
mostly scarves


What is your favorite flower?
(example of a Story post)

My favorite flowers are...well, honestly I love any wild flower. But my absolute favorite flower is a wild orchid. More specifically the red ones that grow on a red and purple stem. And of course there is a story behind my specific love of wild orchids. I went to a flower camp in Colorado with my mother-in-law (at the time soon to be mother-in-law) where we identified one hundred and seventy some wild flowers. We drove to at a 14,000 foot elevation. Thoe whole experience was fantastic. We had a ton of fun with the Colorado old hippy flower laides. My mother-in-law was the youngest by about twenty to thirty years and there was me.

As we ventured we found some orchid species that were completely red and were actually a fungus and not a flower (I'm not a scientist so I won't try to explain much more). These flowers fascinated me. I painted them. I drew them. I went for day hikes to look for them. I went for night hikes scoping them out with my head lamp.

Still over four years later when I am backpacking or camping or hiking I tend to stop to smell, paint, and look at the wildflowers and if I see a red fungal orchid I scream a bit, jump up and down and show everyone on the trail with me as I explain this entire story.

What is spring/summer like where you live?
(ecxample of a Video and Reccomendation/Review post)

Laramie’s weather is pretty crazy….

Though I recommend that you come visit. Check out this video to see why.

Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to keep up with me and my art (I also talk about things like my dreadlocks and art business).
Are you going to go camping or going to camp this summer?
(example of a Photo post)

Yes! Yes! Absolutely! Yes!  I love camping and bacpacking.

One very special reason why I love camping is taking time to be alone in creation. Read more on my sckrlgn blog.

Are you going on vacation or Spring Break?
(example of a Link Roundup)

Yes, I will be traveling to India this summer. I have a couple blog posts about traveling in response to Haiti and I plan to create a couple more. I will most likely create some posts in response (and preparation) for India.

All of my Haiti Posts can be found here.
Past Haiti Trip
A Language Barrier, not a Communication Barrier Pt. 1
A Language Barrier, not a Communication Barrier Pt. 2
I am Thankful for My Water
Syncretism: Mixing of Religions If I were to go back and edit, or rewrite, this blog post I would talk about the difference between culture and religion and where that boundaries is or is perceived to be.
Being Jesus/Love in Haiti
Thomazeau, Haiti
Next Trip...(Things I would Change)
Beauty in The Broken
Life in Haiti
Maps
Art Lesson Ideas
Personal Motivation for Travel (to Haiti)

Stay tuned for more India posts!!!

India Trip

This post is an introduction to a series of blog posts in preparation and response to my India trip this summer. I will be adding more but wanted to be able to link to the whole set (which is why this post is so slim). 

Feel free to check out my Haiti Posts to see what I hope to create for India (the Haiti posts are focused on religion, my India posts will focus more on art).

I will also post YouTube videos so be sure to subscribe for more updates.

#TheLilyPadProject Vlog Video

Hey guys!! Be sure to come to my art exhibition #TheLilyPadProject in the next couple weeks.

If you can't make it to Laramie, Wyoming no problem. Host in a local venue. I am always looking for places to share my artwork.

I wanted to share my exhibition Vlog video with you all.  If you haven't found me on YouTube be sure to head over to my channel.

What is A Goji Berry?

Well, I am not sure what a Goji berry is but they sure do smell fabulous!

For those of you who don't know I am a BzzAgent. This means that I get free or discounted products to sample for companies and then I share what I think about the product. 

 You really should check out the site especially if you like freebies.

My new Sister Locs and #TheLilyPadProject

Sadly, I received the product for the first campaign too late. You may or my not know that I just decided to loc my hair which means no more conditioner, or lathering shampoo. I am also only using organic hair products at least while they loc.

Tattoo Fashion: Off the Soulder Shirt Tutorial

Fashion is something that has nearly fallen off my to do list as I finished up the last couple years of my Art and Humanities degrees. As a creative person I have always enjoy self expression through my clothing, hair, makeup, and body art so it only makes sense that I would return to this area of my life at some point.

I am currently at that point in life where I am transitioning from college to “the real world.” Over the past couple years I have been updating my wardrobe to match and in the meantime decided to make the commitment to get a large tattoo. The tattoo decision is impacting my fashion sense in some fun ways. Since starting my ¾ sleeve, I have really been focusing on clothing that emphasizes a specific part of, shows all, or covers my arm. I currently refuse to buy or DIY any clothing that doesn’t fit into at least one of these categories.


One of my favorite styles that shows off my water lily is the off the shoulder look. I will be creating a video tutorial on YouTube in addition to the one below..

Artist Interview on YouTube

Artist Interview

Check out this video to see my design and to receive some fabulous art advice from the lead singer of my favorite band, Showbread.


I would love (as I said several times in the video) to hear your answers to these and other questions, either in the comments or via YouTube. If you are on YouTube (or have a Gmail account) be sure to subscribe to my Felicia Follum Art+ Channel.

Here are the questions I answered.

1.What does "being creative" mean to you?
2.Can you describe the time when you first realized that creating was something you absolutely had to do?
3.What kind of creative patterns, routines or rituals do you have?
4.What's your favorite thing you've ever created?
5.What are you trying to communicate with your art?
6.Which creative medium would you love to pursue but haven't yet?
7.What's the best advice you ever had about how to be more creative?

You can see more of my art on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/FeliciaFollumDesign or on my blog at
My website is www.FeliciaFollum.com

The questions I responded to came from this site.

Creativity Prompt #16: Create a Music Video

This creativity prompt is to create a music video. It doesn't need to be fancy. In fact the storyboard may be enough. Often times jumping into the creative process with no reservations is all it takes to become inspired.

Find me on YouTube and subscribe to my Art+ channel. If you do create a video I would love to see it. Feel free to post it as a video response.

I created this music video around nine or ten years ago for my Digital Video class. I hope you enjoy one of my favorite songs from my all time favorite band Showbread.

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope you enjoy my complete goofiness in this video.

Be sure to check out my other art related YouTube videos and subscribe and answer the questions in the comments or create video response.


What are your thoughts on Valentines Day? Why?
Have you ever had a valentine?
What is the cutest thing you have ever experienced/seen a friend experience on Valenines day?
What is your favorite/least favorite valentines day candy?
Do you have a valentine this year?
What is your ideal Valentine's gift?
If you were to have a celebrity valentine who would it be?

Art In Haiti

Me sharing a a Paper Bead Lesson

Here is a post from my religion blog. I talk about my experience teaching art in Haiti leading art lessons. I will edit the post a bit. To see the original and more about the religions of Haiti and my spiritual experience check out my SckRlgn Blog.

As many of you know I was fortunate to be able to take a trip to Haiti last summer (2011). The goal of our group was to build a chicken coupe in a small village community while spreading the Good News.

One of the cultural differences led to the Haitian males taking away most of the American women’s jobs while working on the chicken house (polaye in Creole). Though frustrating for some of the ladies in our group, this was a good thing for two reasons. First, I strongly believe that it was our job to equip people rather than do for them. And second (third, fourth and fifth), this dynamic led to me being surrounded by tons of kids, and the opportunities to lead art lessons, learn some Creole, and having the chance to spend quality time with one of the older girls. One-on-one time with a role model of some sort is a major need for many young women in Haiti. In fact if I go again I plan to take nail polish to share with the young women (probably women of all ages).

The photo above is me teaching some of the order girls and young boys how to make paper beads. You can read more about the Upcycled paper beads in my tutorial. I also took around 60 friendship bracelet kits (just cut string ready to be braided or knotted) Using art to connect with people was a unique and beautiful experience. I went in with no Creole and some of the older kids knew how to count to 5 in English and say Miami. The art lessons allowed me to make friends with one of the families as well as some other kids and leaders in the community. Using art allowed us to teach each other basic language skills but also forces us to use sign language (actually having sign language experience was more beneficial than my Spanish) and other forms of communication such as body language and sounds.

I would love the opportunity to go back to the small village again, to show the kids that it was not a one-time event, but rather a sincere investment in their lives. I also have a small amount of money to take back from selling my art in response to the first trip.

Creative Prompt #14: Tattoo Design

Design a tattoo!

Whether you are seriously considering body art or not answer these questions.

If you were to get inked what would you get and where? Would it be color or black and grey? Why? What is something that is central to who you are? Is there a person you respect who you would like to honor?

If you are thinking about getting ink, write about why you want one and what it means to you. Is it as simple as liking beautiful art or as complex as representing your life story. Designing a tattoo does not mean that you or anyone actually needs to get the work done. I spent hours sketching ideas over the course of almost three years before actually committing. If your are considering a tattoo see the bottom of the post for more questions to consider.

If you are not considering getting inked you can still design some artwork or even a single heart or cross on you finger. 

More questions to consider (You can see my answers to these and more in a bit under the label tattoo)

Where are you at in life?

Are there any major life changes that will take place? Graduating high school? College? Marriage? Kids? Pregnancy?

Do you know what you want to do with you life?

If you want to be a doctor, nurse, lawyer, or other profession that is maybe not as open to the idea are you willing to cover your tattoo?

Do you still live with your parents/grandparents or others who provide for you? What do they think?

How will your body art affect the way you are treated? 

What does your get tell you?

Can your afford it?

230 Nooses for Black History Month

I hope everyone has a fantastic Black History Month!!! I wanted to share some artwork with you from my last exhibition titled "Make it Plain."

This video shows a piece names 1982 and talks about why I chose to create 230 nooses. The song playing in the background, Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday, was also written out in one of my books. As you will see he goal of my noose artwork was to help people understand a bit more about African American history and the racism that existed and to some extent still does exist. You can see images of the finished piece at the end of the video.


To see more of my art check out my YouTube channel.

Channel Your Anger: Creativity Boost #13

Though anger is typically not helpful, there are certainly some productive ways to use this emotion to create artwork. My last body of art, Make it Plain was my creative response to African American history and to the way that people still act today.

This exhibition was the result of several months of intense research, my African American Studies and Religious Studies minors (equivalents) Graphic Design minor and art major. I read around 16 books full of essays by former Klansmen as well as several African American History textbooks. The video below shares one of the Essays written by General Nathan Bedford Forrest (the man Forrest Gump was named after).

If all this research was not enough to make me angry I have seen racism in many forms throughout my life including murders by the KKK, car bombings, and smaller things that hurt just as much over time.

I tell you all this because I want you to channel the negativity that you experience this month or over time and use it to create powerful and beautiful artwork. There are so many topics that can be covered. I teach adults with disabilities (which could be a topic on it's own) and many of my students are extremely passionate about the R word and bullying. Other topics I have addressed include Native Americans and Indian Reservations, World Water, HIV/AIDS, KONY2012, Christianity/Religion, the LGBTQ community and several others.  My current and in-progress body of work deals with human trafficking and sex slavery.

As an artist who focuses on Social Justice, it would be very easy to get bogged down with all the garbage. Art has allowed me to channel that anger and share difficult topics with others in a beautiful and non-threatening way.

Tell what you think in the comments and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

About Me+ I'm on YouTube

About Me+ My Art

If you are on YouTube come find me! I would love to see what topics your videos cover as I will be looking for ideas.

Creative Prompt: #12 Traveling Sketchbook

Book Art by Felicia Follum

Do you surround yourself by creative people? Have you ever passed a sketchbook back and fourth among friends? Well why not start one?!?

A traveling sketchbook is a fun way to be creative without needing to be too serious. Including friends who are creative in different ways can be great as well. A writer may create a list, a graphic designer may create a chart and a visual artist a sketch. The next person could either respond to the previous work or start a completely new idea. One person could also create a background or simply write one word. Make your own games or simply pass with no guidelines.

The image shows some of my old sketches as a part of a book I made using an Exquisite Corpse Haiku (each person in the group wrote one word and passed the poem to the next person) and surrealism style overall. I never thought I would actually us the images but they worked perfectly once scanned into Adobe Illustrator and layered.

You can follow me on Twitter @feliciafollum for more creativity prompts.

Have you ever passed a journal around? How did it work? What guidelines did your group apply to the project?

Nautical Sleeve Tattoo and Photographic Inspiration

Though photographs are not my artistic focus photographing is still a fun way for me to capture some of the beauty that I see in the world.  I absolutely love the ocean and nature.

You can read more about the art and significance behind my tattoo and see more photos here.

Ugh sorry...many of my photos were removed because I had posted them on Pinterest...:( but I will try to update some of them
 

The majority of my tattoo is coming from my art work (which Pinterest won't allow me to share but click the link for my Facebook Art+ Page)

Since taking these jelly fish photos I have really fallen in love with both the symbolism behind jellyfish and their inherent beauty.
(Once again these were on Pinterest)

Not all of these will show up in my sleeve but they play a significant role in the designing of a nautical and ocean (and lake) themed tattoo sleeve.

You can see more of my tattoo inspiration on Pinterest.

Creativity Prompt #11 - De-stress

Take a break from being creative and just be. I understand that when you are too busy it can feel like taking a break is the most stressful option possible. Truth is we are much more productive when we take care of ourselves. I'm not promoting a 6 or 7 hour break, but rather a 20 - 40 minute yoga session, spa visit, hot bath, reading or journaling (for fun), a run (a mile is plenty for me) or calling an old friend. Let's face it. However we choose to spend our quiet time every now-and-then we all need to unplug and just be.

A day at the beach, ocean, or pool is anything but stressful. 

See more of my ocean photography here.