Studio Session w/ Supporting Artist Maryam Sedadi!
January 28th 4 PM PST | 7 PM EST on Instagram Live
Topic: Make a Card
Writer: Natasha Navarra
Creative Tools:
Rawan: Hot-Glue gun, Colored
Markers, Multipurpose Paper, Vintage Book Paper, Greenery
Nadin: Pencil, Sharpie, Red Pen, 8.5″ x 11″ Paper
Maryam: Scrapbook, Old Paperback Books, Drawn and Cut-out Hearts, Scissors
(various-blade types), Glue Stick, Blank Post-Card,
The one and only Card Queen, Maryam Sedadi takes us inside the studio live on IG to help us craft one-of-a-kind and personalized cards just in time for Valentine’s Day-a time to celebrate romance, love, and all of the smitten googly-eyed-themed sentiments. Many historians argue about the exact details surrounding its origin. Upon research, I’ve found several articles citing this day as one of the oldest celebrations in Europe, with its roots reaching back hundreds of years in Rome.
A quick web search online for Valentine’s Day will reveal many myths and legends dating back throughout the centuries. In many regions around the world, millions celebrate Valentine’s Day and it has evolved into an occasion in which lovers express their love for one another by presenting cards, gifts, and sweet confections. Valentine’s day isn’t solely a holiday for couples, but can be a day to express love for friends and family!
During our IG Live Studio Session featuring Supporting Artist Maryam Sedadi (click the link to watch), we learn about Supporting Artist, Maryam Sedadi. Maryam begins the session by walking us through her creative process. The first step in her process is idea gathering by use of jotting down her ideas in a sketchbook or scrapbook which she always keeps handy!
The second step is to gather her supplies for her work. Maryam begins with a white, blank postcard and utilizes an old paperback. She experiments with texture by tinting pages with a liquid residue to pronounce the color and accentuate texture. As a writer, I’ve always found beauty in the aesthetics of words on a page used as a form of medium. The visual component adds a creative play with words.
Maryam draws her inspiration from many sources including but not limited to old paperbacks and selects various pages to use for her work, removing them by hand for more of a vintage framing. Many of her materials include old newspapers and magazines, typically items that would be thrown out which now can be recycled for artistic creations. As she continues to work, the page from the selected book is then glued to her card. Maryam recommends a glue stick that can be easily purchased at your local Target or Amazon store online.
Maryam frequents old bookshops for her materials as she favors second-hand stores for items such as stamps which are sometimes sold in bags together and other treasures which turn out to be more economical. The beauty of trying out various compositional techniques using existing materials is having an immeasurable number of elements in your piece which can result in “happy accidents” or interesting visual perspectives. Maryam uses both real and artificial flowers in her work as she enjoys layering and often experiments with her materials- using an example of several drawn and cut-out hearts that varied in size and shape and gluing them together to illustrate a bouquet of hearts against the background of picturesque words, a perfect card for Valentine’s day.
Make a card in real-time with us! Watch our IG Live Studio Session available on Instagram
Stay Connected With Us!
The Art Spread IG Page: https://www.instagram.com/the.art.spread/
Rawan IG Page: https://www.instagram.com/project.therapaint/
Maryam Sedadi IG Page: https://www.instagram.com/kimyacollection/