Debra Disman

Artist

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All She makes

Making Art Inspired By Great Artists: “Channeling” Louise Nevelson

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It was great fun to work with my girrrrlll power (my moniker) CREST Santa Monica Malibu School District after school programming students for our last meeting of our “Making Art Inspired By Great Artists” class, inspired by extraordinary artist Louise Nevelson.

The girrrllls (from grades 1-5!) used a variety of scrap and other wood object and pieces to create their own sculptural constructions using wood glue. They became designers, planners, builders, engineer and of course, artists and sculptors. Very inspiring!

 

WOMEN : Defining Our Representation and Making Our Mark

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Every Year is the Year of the Woman!

Here are two inspiring Artist Roundtables from two inspiring shows I am proud to be a part of:

Women. Defining Our Representation
Presented by Black House Artist


See and listen to the ARTIST ROUNDTABLE!
My roundtable presentation in good company!

and

Women Artists Making Their Mark
Presented by The O’Hanlon Center for the Arts


See and listen to the ARTIST ROUNDTABLE!

 

Of Polka Dots and Butterflies: Inspired by Yayoi Kusama

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In what I am calling my “Girl Power” after-school artmaking class (“Making Art Inspired By Great Artists!), my group of seven power artmakers are hard at work creating polka-dotted butterfly books inspired by Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama!

First up was to learn the correct pronouncement of Kusama’s name…not familiar to the girrrls. Next they created accordion-fold book spines, added the front and back covers, and finally, butterfly wings to the center fold of the spine

Then it was off to the races to add colorful polka dots to their books, in honor of Kusama’s interest (obsession with?) circles, polka-dots, and their endlessness and thus the expression of  infinity the circular shape affords, at least in Kusama’s book (!)

Adding also flowers, butterflies (stickers), ribbons to honor May Day and even using a butterfly shaped hole puncher, the girrrls wowed with their use of materials, their creativity, and imagination to create unique, whimsical, beautiful and stunningly singular works. Just like Yayoi Kusama does with her materials, creativity and imagination!

What a marvelous group. Brava!

Spines folded, covers and wings attached, let the adornment begin!


Weaving ribbons through the holes.


 Can there be any more polka dots?!?


Using the butterfly hole puncher.


Deft use of the polka dot (and other) stickers, which she is adding white texture to (overlaying the original orange color polka dot color on the wings) , which she took out or replaced later, to have just the plain orange polka dots. Just amazing!