Traci Bautista | Stumbling Over Chaos

Reading Update
Print & Stamp Lab: 52 Ideas for Handmade, Upcycled Print Tools by Traci Bunkers. Good book about using things from around the house and (mostly) inexpensive items from the dollar store for art mark making.
Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books from Recycled and Repurposed Materials by Jeannine Stein. Extremely creative projects for making books from unusual things (such as hot water bottles, felted sweaters, window screens, and bath rugs). I’m beginning to suspect (from both my bookmaking class and reading books such as this) that I am not nearly as precise and detail-oriented as most bookmaking requires…
Printmaking Unleashed: More Than 50 Techniques for Expressive Mark Making by Traci Bautista. Ok look at many different ways to make stencils, stamps, and other mark making tools. I found the instructions to be confusing frequently, with too many references to self-branded products.
The Artist Unique: Inspiration and Techniques to Discover Your Creative Signature by Carmen Torbus. Good look at how different mixed-media artists find their inspiration, along with some of their favorite techniques. This quote sums up how most of the artists dealt with inspiration: “One of the most important things Iâ€™ve learned about my own creativity is that I donâ€™t need to wait for inspiration to hit before I begin working on my art. If I simply show up and begin creating, the inspiration will come.” -Leah Piken Kolidas
Pretending to Be Normal: Living with Asperger’s Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder) (Expanded Edition) by Liane Holliday Willey. I really wanted to love this book, but I didn’t. It was kind of interesting to read Willey’s experience growing up as an undiagnosed Aspie, but I never felt invested in her story – it all felt very distant. Reading this felt similar to how reading Temple Grandin feels to me – I always retain (or am kept at?) an academic distance. Cynthia Kim‘s Nerdy, Shy, and Socially Inappropriate: A User Guide to an Asperger Life was much more my speed. YMMV.