If you've ever wanted to learn the secrets which turn a tap handle into a mysterious woman from the sea, which transform plastic aquarium plants into subterranean roots stretching far beneath the known world and those which can make an icy cave from a bourbon box, then prepare yourself for inspiration that will have you checking your trash bin, twice. &break;&break;In Secrets of Rusty Things, renowned assemblage artist Michael DeMeng guides you down the intuitive, curious and often rock-strewn path of an artist's creative process, where illusions are just as important as any other aspect to the art. You'll discover new ideas of where to look for, not only discarded objects, but new items that you may not have previously seen as having a place in a future work of art. You'll be inspired by ways to add meaningful symbolism to your artworks' stories both through the use of color and shape. And you'll see how an ancient tale can parallel the artist's plight and invoke a new piece of art. &break;&break;From the pondering of each ancient myth and its connection to the modern-day artist, to the gluing together of objects, to the paint that unifies and disguises the original bits and pieces, this is an intimate view into the creative process unlike any workshop you've ever attended.

Assemblage ole! Bring your artistic yearnings and sense of adventure along on a journey to the land of Dusty Diablos. Inspiration seeps from every page, and inside here you'll find: a tasty mix of ancient folklore (from the ancient metropolis of Teotihuacán to the miracle witnessed by Juan Diego); colorful pop culture (who knew that Western-Horror was its own film genre or that there's an entire island overrun with misfit dolls?) and informative art-making how-tos (like the Tricky Burnt Paper Routine and crafting your own Nicho). Join author Michael deMeng on an artist's pilgrimage south of the border and experience a culture as rich as it is beautiful and as genuine and down-to-earth as it is humorous and fascinating. While being mesmerized by all the amazing assemblage pieces, you also learn such nifty things as: Mixing up Michael's favorite paint washes to achieve "rusty" results in your own work Crafting your own slithering serpent Creating miniature story boxes Aging bottle caps with beer and so much more! Indulge your senses and come along for a trip through crowded marketplaces, a thrilling taxicab ride and the intoxicating festivities of Dia de los Muertos and discover the allure of Dusty Diablos. You might not want to leave.

Contains techniques for creating altered books, boxes, cards, and more.

Discover a curious world of assemblage with projects that have a story to tell! Step inside Altered Curiosities, where a wisdom tooth gets its own shrine, a honeybee lights up the room and a taxidermy eye becomes the eye in the back of your head. As author Jane Wynn shares her unique approach to mixed-media art, you'll learn to alter, age and transform odd objects into novel new works of your own creation. Step-by-step instructions guide you in making delightfully different projects that go way beyond art for the wall—including jewelry, hair accessories, a keepsake box, a bird feeder and more—all accompanied by a story about the inspiration behind the project. You'll also learn to: Find your personal symbols and incorporate them into your work. Alter toy figures to create curious new creatures. Master simple soldering techniques that take you beyond the soldering iron. Apply beautiful patinas and etchings to brass and copper. Transform cast resin into pieces that look like metal. The endless possibilities of assemblage are yours to discover! Let Altered Curiosities inspire you to create a new world that's all your own.

Imagine being given the "building blocks" that allow you to construct an infinite number of dimensional works of art, using as many elements as you like! &break;&break;Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams is your construction dream date to building whatever your creative mind can churn out. In this book, author Kerin Gale will introduce you to the incredible possibilities of using epoxy clay to make jewelry, lighting fixtures, accessories, decorative art pieces, a mirror, an evening bag, an aquarium and more! There are many things to discover about this clay and Kerin has much to share with you. Inside you'll learn such things as: &break;&break; Painting techniques to create striking and aged finishes.&break; Working with epoxy clay as a construction tool for joining disparate objects.&break; How to create realistic molds from any objects that catch your fancy.&break; Combining epoxy clay with polymer clay for additional solutions.&break; An easy way to make your own texturing tools.&break; And that's just a start! &break;&break;Become inspired by this exciting new medium. Let Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams be your imagination's springboard into an incredible new world. You'll never look at dimensional mixed-media art the same way again!

Make mosaics on any surface--mirrors, tables, chairs, picture frames, bowls, switch plate covers, wooden shoes, and more.

“Why do they keep locking me up?” Rusty’s Story is Carol Gino’s account of the extraordinary life of the woman she undertook to help – the woman who ended up teaching her an invaluable lesson about the will to live, the strength of hope… Rusty used to wonder if she would make it through the day, seeing danger in everyday living. Rusty has epilepsy. She was twenty when Carol Gino met her and learned of her past ordeals: the stigma of mental illness, the drugs that took away her self-control, the treatments that only worsened her symptoms. Carol and Rusty set out to prove that illness can be overcome, and that there is no substitute for love and care. From Library Journal While many advancements have been made in understanding and treating epilepsy, the disease is still surrounded by an aura of dread. Rusty was a teenager when she was stricken with epilepsy. Misdiagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, for years she suffered more from inappropriate medical treatment than from her condition. The reader is mesmerized as Gino passionately relates Rusty’s plight. Despite repeated incarcerations in a frightful state mental institution and the toxic effects of drugs, she never lost her sense of humanity or her strong desire to help others. Gino’s deep distrust of the medical establishment, her fervent attachment to nursing, and her conviction that the patient knows best are themes that are interwoven into the emotional story of Rusty’s fight for a normal life. – Carol R. Glatt, Helene Fuld Medical Center Lib., Trenton, N.J