Seth Weaver: "Sounds like an un"beat"able art project and art exhibit, Olga!!"

DRUM HEADS:
A generous person at the Academy of Lifelong Learning - where I teach ART- donated 40 drum-heads (!!!?) (Thanks Dick!) How exciting and unusual is that? (Ludwig Drum Co.)
I got each of my art students one and I challenged them to reinvent the drum-head into an art project.
I love using "re-cycle- able" pieces to create Art.

JURIED SHOW:
In September '09 there will be a juried "Drum Head Art Exhibit" @ the University of Delaware (Academy of LifeLong Learning, Wilmington Campus.)

I'm honored to announce that Alice B. Hupfel (Member, Board of Trustees for the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, the DCCA) agreed to be the juror for this show.
Alice Hupfel worked for the DE Art Museum for 30 years and had many jobs there but her love was the Art Sales & Rental Gallery that she managed.
They sold works to many corporations and collectors.
All work was original and was consigned from galleries in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York city.

The show encompasses artwork in all mediums
Ribbons are awarded for First Place, for "Best in Show," Second, Third and Honorable Mention artwork.
The show will be open to the public from September 21 through September 25, 2009.
Theme: "BEAT IT!"
I also will notify the local newspaper and TV channel WHYY.
Even Art Instructors are infected with the "Drum Head Bug" and participate in the challenge.

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INFO for my STUDENTS:
Here is my first attempt.
(It's far more challenging than I thought it would be...)

For this drum-head I wanted to make use of its shape.
To show my students the different possibilities my next one will be totally different and more of a challenge.
Instead of making use of the circle I'll design a subject which will trigger the eye away from the center and its roundness.

I titled this one "MOONLIGHT SONATA"
But it still needs layers and layers of (workable) medium gloss varnish.
Who ever can give me any ideas, you're most welcome to comment!!
(I'll keep you posted about the end results!)

Zoomed in image: THE PROCESS.
No.1) This White Heavy Smooth Script Logo (Ludwig) Front Bass Drum Head is perfect for that vintage look and a challenge to reinvent in an art project for my students.
Ringo Starr used to play on drums of this brand.

No.2) This is the BACK of the drum head.
I used a Chinese News paper, and added my own portrait (I tagged it middle left,) (Newspaper gives the surface a nice flexibility)
I think the back of a painting is as important as the front.

No.3) When I finished gluing the newspaper on the drum-head (with the Archival Matt Medium Liquitex of course) I added a cheese cloth for more texture with Gesso.
After that layers of Gesso....