I heart you screenprinting.

I've been splendidly busy preparing for various craft and fashion exhibits. This has lead me back to my love for screen printing, which I'm happy to report is a process I have mastered in my own home studio! Usually I've used professional equipment, but after some experimentation and mastering my methods, I'm in love with this form of printing all over again!

















Catch me in Calgary at the Portobello West Fashion & Art Market in the Big Four Building
at the Stampede Grounds - May 8 - 10. I'll be selling and promoting my latest wearable art.

(Oooh and I made undies too!)

A few things here and there...

So I made a simple online porfolio for people to just quickly check out my work without having to scroll through the blogland. Check out:

http://valerieturbak.carbonmade.com/

Also! I got a wee bit of press coverage for my clothing designs!

Taken from the Red Deer Advocate Website:

"A Red Deer clothing designer has found inspiration in the 1950s.
Valerie Turbak recently launched her Lucky Lucy’s line of “vintage-inspired dresses.” On display at 180 Degrees Consign Shop in the city’s downtown, the garments reflect the party-dress style of five decades ago.
“I took the idea of that sort of hourglass, puffy dress of the 1950s and modernized it so it was comfortable for people to wear.”
Turbak, who has a keen interest in fashion history, thinks the dresses with their eye-catching colours will appeal to a younger demographic. She’s already sold some of her handmade products and has requests for more.
“People can get them custom-made if they want to,” she said, adding that she can also alter existing dresses.
Turbak previously designed and made recycled clothing from men’s T-shirts. That line, called Broken Threads, did not generate the interest that Lucky Lucy’s has.
She described her latest venture as a collaborative effort with the owners of 180 Degrees. Turbak began working on the line a couple of months ago and has had them in the store for about a month.
She hopes to expand into new markets this summer, targeting venues like farmers’ markets and music festivals and also knocking on the doors of fashion retailers."

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Voices Not Forgotten

I have just completed these cute little drawings, although I'd prefer to think of them as "country girl trading cards", since they are about that size. I'm submitting these to a miniatures show here in Red Deer for the month of December. Yes, I love old country & bluegrass music, and YES I will pay tribute to these lovely voices! Come on? Who doesn't love a little slow dance to Patsy Cline? Or a sing-a-long to a June Carter and Johnny Cash tune?

A little more recent news...

I finally got a new camera, after my last digital camera drowned in a summer river rafting accident. This means a lot of new art work to be photographed, and also to be made! I bought a camera that allows for a lot of creative control (it's not an SLR), but better than just your average point and shoot camera, so I'm going to be teaching myself some photography and possibly take a course some time in the future. Now I can actually update this blog since I have some means of making an image!

The tryptich show at Gallery IS in Red Deer has concluded. The show was beautiful and incorporated so much amazing talent. I was proud to be a part of it, and even sold a piece! The whole experience has motivated me to paint and draw even more!

In my sewing room I am working on some new vintage inspired dresses. I've purchased wholesale fabric for the first time ever in my life. I'm hoping to have them for sale at 180 Degrees Clothing in Red Deer at the beginning of November, just in time for all of those christmas parties. I'll be working really hard on that this week, while teaching design classes, AND finishing up my crazy Zombie Nurse Halloween costume. Photos to come!

It's been a long time...

I'll admit that I slacked off on this blog, but I have been working at completing some of my many projects! I am going to submit some of my work to a group show this month. It will be my first attempt at any submission to a commercial gallery. Fingers crossed!

During the summer I sold a painting at the Red Deer Artwalk which was very exciting. I wonder how it looks in someone elses home and I hope they are enjoying it.

I finished this one, as you might recognize it from previous posts. It's one of my all time favorite paintings that I've done.

This is what I'll be submitting to Gallery IS for their Tryptic Group Show. I really had a hard time photographing these. If anyone has any tips on taking photos of art, drop me a line!

Over and out.

Lovely Location!

Some of my paintings are up in a neat little clothing shop in Downtown Red Deer. You should check them out if you're in the neighbourhood, or need an excuse to come to visit me.

Tall Tails

It's -30 degrees today. I painted this because I was stuck inside for most of the day. Even though it was my day off from work today, I think I can honestly say I was productive! I'm really glad that my show is in the spring, because I can use all of these freezing, cold months to finish all of my pieces.

This is a close-up of the lovely lady. I really liked painting the hair. Deep down, I really miss the dreadlocks I once sported on my own head :)