Reader…

Hi creative friend!

My studio tables are covered with lots of handcrafted goodies!!

Little bottles of mineral pigment blends. Trays of PIGMENT BARS waiting to be packaged. Stacks of fiber-paper experiments. Swatches made with different binders and mediums. Mystery Kits waiting to be packed.

STUDIO NOTES: materials experiments

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately exploring what happens when you experiment and alter the material itself.

What happens when the mineral pigment blends mix with watercolor binder, acrylic medium, ink binder or wax?

What happens when I revisit mixed-media experiments from over a decade ago, when I was exploring how to make paper from pigments and recycled materials?

What happens when paper becomes more dimensional, textured or almost sculptural?

Those kinds of experiments have been taking me back through old studio journals and techniques I was playing with years ago, while opening up all kinds of new ideas for where I want to take my mixed-media and handcrafted products work next.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more of this side of my studio practice: pigments, binders, wax, fiber, surfaces and all the unexpected things that happen when I start altering the materials themselves.

I’m also putting together a short survey about materials exploration and mixed-media practice that I’ll be sharing soon. I want to hear what you’re curious about too.

But first…

Come hang out with me LIVE on Thursday!

Thursday, October 8 3pm PT / 6pm ET

I thought it would be fun to turn the camera on while I’m working instead of waiting until everything is perfectly packed and photographed.

I’ll be packing VINTAGE ALOHA orders and giving you a closer look inside the #tracibautistaCOLOR COLLAGE + COLOR Fall Mystery Drop, including the SWATCH STUDIO MINI + XL kits.

I’ll also share a few of the material experiments happening around the studio, talk handcrafted color, wax, pigments and mixed media, and answer questions while I work.

Bring your sketchbook, coffee, tea or whatever you’re working on and come hang out for a little while.

And if you can’t make it live, the replay will stay up on YouTube afterward.

​JOIN ME on YouTube LIVE THURSDAY →​

a peek inside the Fall Mystery Drop

If you saw my last email, you already know I put together a small batch of SWATCH STUDIO MINI + XL kits for the #tracibautistaCOLOR COLLAGE + COLOR Fall Mystery Drop.

About half have already found homes.

I’ll be sharing a peek at some of the collage pieces and packing orders during Thursday’s live, so you’ll get a closer look at what I’ve been gathering and putting together.

If you’ve been thinking about one, the kits are available now.

No two will be exactly alike, and the SWATCH STUDIO XL will simply have more of the good stuff.

​EXPLORE THE FALL MYSTERY DROP →​

One more thing…

What would you ask me if you were hanging out in the studio with me?

Hit reply and send me your question.

It can be about handmade paint, PIGMENT BARS, mineral pigments, mixed-media materials, the SWATCH STUDIO kits, my studio process, or anything else you’re curious about.

I’ll pull a few questions from your replies to answer while I work.

I can’t wait to see where these studio remnants end up in your work. 🎨

SHOP FALL MYSTERY DROP

P.S. I’ve been filming some of these mineral pigment experiments too. There’s a new video waiting to be edited where I test the blends in several different mediums. I’ll share more of that soon. JOIN ME LIVE in the paint studio on Thursday, October 8 at 3pm PT…set a reminder!​

With creativity and color...

Artfully, xo Traci Bautista 💞 Founder, #tracibautistaCOLOR

If you have any questions reach out to customer care using the chat box at tracibautistacolor.com