Janice M. Chau

I've been making woven paper fish to prepare for an activity I will be hosting next week. We're going to be making fishing line bookmarks.  The bookmarks will be a reminder about our communities and this quote: "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.   Teach a man to fish, feed him for life." Part of this project is also cultural.  In Pacific Asian countries it is very common to find weaving and crafts with palm or coconut fronds.  Here are the two tutorial videos that I used as my references. Woven Paper Fish Tutorial from azulchromis Woven Palm Frond Fish I didn't have a paper trimmer so i used an Exact-o knife and scissors to cut the strips from DCWV Border Stack Textured Yardstick Brights   This was really good training for cutting straight lines, but after all the paper i cut, for efficiency I will be investing in to a scrapbook paper trimmer from Fiskar. For the large fish I used 12 in. x 3/8 in. strips. For the small fish, I cut the exi...

These are a few centerpieces that I've done in the past.  I am always approached about creating centerpieces with a very limited variations of use of flowers to keep cost down.  So the methods that I have used are in mixed medium.  I tend to gravitate towards the mixture of  nature and ornaments made from scratch. I personally feel like centerpieces at any special event tells a story, sets the ambiance, and sets the style of the event, yet you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get a very imaginative, creative, and charming sculpture.  I love bringing in enchantment and whimsy into the room. I truly do appreciate the sustainability, upcycling, and the similarities in mediums, and useful resources.  (e.g.paper was once a branch).  Here is what I've done in the past. Oikos 20th Year Anniversary Januarty 2009 Adult Reception Table Pieces Children's Reception Table Pieces Photography:  Regina ...

First Art Class at Elephant Sanctuary Art House. Students and Coaches! On another adventure. A friend of a friend of mine invited me to come and create with the little tikes that were going to attend the first ever art class at Elephant Sanctuary Art House. (ESAH).  This was one of the funnest Saturday mornings I've had in a while.  It's because kids say the darnest things. It's funny how their imaginations run wild.  AND it is so awesome to see how their imagination comes to life in 2D or 3D form when they are given the opportunity to.  Here are my students being silly, focused, energetic and creative. Robert seriously was very mechanical about his elephant.  He built his piece by piece focusing on shape and proportions.   I could tell by the statements and the way he laid out the shapes before gluing it all down.   He used scissors a lot for the limbs, but tore the body. Christian had a lot of fun with the tissue paper....

My third of Visual Arts! Spring 2013 with The 24 Foundation zoomed before my eyes.  Just as all of us were really getting to know each other, life took one of its biggest pitches at me.  In a way I was very glad to have shared that moment with the girls I work with.  All of us have dealt with some type of loss, had to come to acceptance, learn to adapt, and face our fears of separation.  Before home week, some shared that they didn't even want to go home to deal with what they desire to separate from:  their old self, or even old ways of family life. I didn't know that this would actually become a way for our small group to bond.  So, week 2, before home week, one of the girls could not help but come to visual arts group with a very long face.  She shared with us that her dog is gone. Every so often the cadets get to call home.  The last thing she thought would happen while she was trying to make this transformation and change in her life ...

I am so grateful that the front window shutters swung wide open.  So grateful that by divine powers, the time frame opened perfectly down to the calendar dates.  Like most mentoring programs a 100% commitment is required.  I debated reapplying as a mentor due to the fact that I would be traveling for out of town in the middle of April.  As I read the application, my eyebrows raised with gladness that "Home Visitation Week" is the same week that a whole grip of us mentors need to go out of town.  (hahaha I"m not the only one).  It so awesome seeing how the inner workings of life merge through divine powers over how much control we all think we have.  Another example was that a week before beginning this spring sesh, 24 still needed 15 mentors.  Some how it all worked out and this is the 1st session EVER  that 24 has a 1 to 5 ratio of mentor mentee relationship.  All of us couldn't help but have grateful hearts giving thank...

Great addition for your desk, and new in the studio, personal stationary. envelopes + envelope liner with flat card.  Coming to my new Etsy store this coming February 2013.  If you'd like customized personal stationary for your home or office, feel free to contact me.  Mango Tree Mulch Personal Stationary, A2 Envelop (5 3/4 in. x 4 3/8) Mango Tree Much Personalized Stationary comes with 3 types of liners in traditional Japanese print origami paper. Close Up, dark purple ink on rounded corner flat card.

Here is the last blog post of 2012.  It's a tad of a throwback from a previous blog in October. Origami Ornaments for Samodi Wedding .  In addition to the origami ornaments, we cut paper lanterns from STARDREAM Metallics Cardstock Silver 105lbs. paper, Cricut scrapbook cut outs of different random pairs, tissue paper snowflake doileys, and used baby's breath flowers combined together to create a random, picnic like, fresh, and whimsical centerpiece for their wedding.  The idea was to find imagery that would tell the stories of how Samson and Jodi spent their quality time together.  (just a side note, they literally traveled by train and planes to see each other since they taught English in two totally different cities in China).  Her special request to me was that each centerpiece would be random, colorful, but attain the main wedding colors of purple, pink, and grey.  She also requested that each on look individual and different, but have the sa...

I've been working on origami ornaments for Samson and Jodi's wedding. There is no particular theme for their wedding, but they are Chinese American, have been living in China for the last 4 years, and got to know each other over several Chinese holidays, as well as flying kits in the park.  They will also eventually move back to China.  So paper kits and lanterns seemed appropriate as they are going to be soaring high as a newly weds. One thing that is special about this couple is that they met in Thailand (the land of smiles), and they both have been immersed into several different cultures such as:  Hawaiian, Japanese, Mexican, Texan, Californian, The South, Thai, and of course Chinese.  Within all these cultures the use of color, paper, print, and quality time have shaped much of their character. Their wedding colors are grey, pink, and purples.  But I figured, that splashes of other colors wouldn't hurt.  Here is just a sneak peak of what...