Diana Trout's blog

21 Secrets = WOW

I was stickybeaking around the 21 Secrets Ning site and it is amazing this year. Definitely the best yet.

Tammy Garcia of DaisyYellow

There is an outpouring of inspiration, techniques and you-can-do-it attitude. Connie has done a fabulous job of pulling together artists that have a very similar attitude toward teaching and I'm proud to be one of them. 

Kate Crane

Here's some of what you'll find

Doodling
Textile art so that you can wear your art
Good old-fashioned "make it messy" art
Lettering with stitch (oh my)
A playful approach to painting flowers 
Card games to get your mojo goin' (moi) 
Watercolor (!) 
and 14 more 

Ro Bruhn

There is a ton of video - much more than last year. And you have 9 months to play around and incubate. Some of the artists are familiar (Jodi Ohl, Tammy Garcia, Tracy Verdugo and Joanne Sharp - to name a few. And there are some very creative workshops from artists that you may not be familiar to you and, after my poking around, I want to get to know them all better. It is truly fabulous to see new faces emerging. 

Tracy Verdugo

Please note: the artwork pictured here is not necessarily from the workshop projects. 

21 Secrets is 21 mini-workshops on art journaling (and related) from 21 artists. The class is hosted on Ning.com (free membership after your tuition). You can come and go in the workshops as you please, at 2 am or 2 pm (or anytime in between). You can visit all of the classes as often as you like for nine delicious months. This is the best deal in town: $59 for all this? You couldn't make a better investment. 

Sign up on my sidebar. Yeah, now. Do it for you.

Pioneers

Here are some details and the full piece called "Pioneers" dedicated to Emily Dickinson and Rachel Carson. 

I handprinted sumi-e paper and adhered it to fabric (papercloth). Paint, stitch, pencil. She's one smart bird, reaching for more and empowered. About to burst into song.

Can you feel that? 

I hope so. 

Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul
and sings the song without the words
and never stops
at all  

Thank you Emily Dickinson, for those words and Rachel Carson for discovering that huge leap in helping to make sure that birds and their songs never stop - at all.

I'm gone for the rest of the week *poof* but I'll be back next week to give away one free class in 21 Secrets. See sidebar for the link, if you can't wait. The workshops open on April 1.

21 Secrets 2013

Registration for 21 Secrets opens today! Class opens on April 1 (no fooling). 

My Secret this year is to provide you with 2 art journaling games: Prompt Me and List 5. These are games that I play in my classes and on my own that provide loads of journal starters.

The card games are presented in pdf form and packaged in small candy tins. Inspiration in a box! 

Ning hosts 21 Secrets again so that loads of interaction there and on the facebook group will make this class a community.

 The price remains the same: $59 forall 21 mini-workshops. Click here (or the image to the left) for registration, teachers and workshop description Dirty Footprints Studio. 

Here's an idea of what you can expect your game packaging to look like (your's will be rectangular.) I've used loads of washi tape to decorate and fabric scraps or paper can be used as well as handmade "washi" tape.

It's gonna be a great year at 21 Secrets! 

Dirty Footprints 2013

The teachers for 21 Secrets are being announced today! You can go on over to Connie's blog, here, to get the full rundown. There are some exciting changes in store this year! I'm so thrilled to be a part of Connie's vision. Registration opens January 1, class opens April 1.

One of the reasons that I'm honored to be a part of this program is that it is affordable, accessible instruction and inspiration. These are the same words in my business plan. The underlying structure of my business. Great passion for sharing and teaching lies under every business decision I make. 

I really, firmly believe (now) that if you are passionate about something, you should take that path. The difficult part is scraping together your confidence and overcoming your fears.

Yes, that IS the tricky bit. Yesterday morning, I had a bit of a confidence crisis. I have 2-3 pieces of artwork due at the end of the month. There are guidelines on format, size and shape. I had a moment of "I really CAN'T work like this." (Critic disguised as Diva). Well, yes I can. Yes. I am.

Check out Connie's blogpost here announcing the Teachers of 21 Secrets. xo Diana