Collage - Vision

This collage is made on a square, flat canvas.  I used a vintage advertisement, antique buttons, an assortment of letters, paint and papers to create the collage.  The glasses are a rub-on. 
I used the same herringbone tissue paper on all the sides of the collage.  The paper was difficult to work with, as tissue paper tears quite easily.  The strange blot at the top happened after I had assembled the piece, and was not intentional.  But, I didn't mind the effect.  The aqua coming through the upper right and lower left is remnants of what I had started before.  I didn't like my initial start and went in a completely opposite direction.  I think the turquoise coming through is a happy error - I like the bit of color.  With this piece, I went with some mistakes and liked the end result.
I have started top-coating all my collages with a clear top coat in satin, or flat.  I like how the top coat offers some smoothness to the multiple layers of the collage. 

The quote is:

After all, tomorrow is another day.

-Vivian Leigh

This collage available at The Purple Poppy in Lafayette, Colordao.

Collage - Forever is Composed of Nows!

This is one of my finished collages .... A look, finally at what I did with all those inchies. 

To finish that "blank canvas" of inchies, I added a paper ornament, a decorative brad, a bit of sealer and paint.  I added a simple quotation from one of my favorite poets, Emily Dickinson.

"Forever is composed of nows."

Now, I am headed down to the Colorado State Capitol for Creative Industries Day.  I am excited to be a part of the Lafayette Public Art Committee, and thrilled to be a part of the arts in our community.  Today we will look at the roll of arts in our state. Lafayette has been nominated for the Governor's Arts Award.  Today will be a day filled with information and arts advocacy.  Can't wait to see how it goes.

Art with Hearts - continuing collage

I have been working on collage a lot these days.  I have been exploring texture and combination... using found objects and creating objects to use.  I love incorporating words and quotations in my work, must be my English teacher background.

I recently hung this one in my black and white bathroom.  Although not totally black and white, this piece has undertones of tan and green.  I use a math flashcard, a printed ornament, and a vintage filling station receipt.  The black and white heart is elevated by painted foam core.  The entire piece is mounted on a flat canvas and framed in an old recycled frame.  I love the vintage feel of the piece and the peace that the uniformity of color brings.

Project - Collage Freebie

Are you making Valentine's Cards this year?  I wish I was, but what a busy week... and my studio is too cold with our temperatures below freezing again.  I always have the best intentions to make cards and mail them out.  Another year, perhaps. 
This is one of my fun, quirky images - from a vintage postcard.  They look a little awkward, don't they?

It would be a cute one to use in a collage or on a card, the postmark on the front reduces its collectible value, but makes it more interesting in a piece of art.  This one is vintage, but was mailed to me in the 80's. To borrow this image for your own art or craft usage, right click and save to your computer. Personal use only, please. Feel free to use it for your collages and Valentine's cards. 
For more post cards, check out my other blog: Postcards, etc.

Blank Canvases

It occurred to me that the name of my blog is art + food + friends.  I haven't talked a lot about art lately.  Er, I haven't talked about my art, lately.  Reason #1: my studio is cold.  That little one room, standing in my back yard, can get pretty darn cold in the winter.  Reason #2:  the holidays sucked up all my time and energy.  Ok, those are excuses.  Maybe even good excuses, but excuses nonetheless.

I have been sneaking time in my studio when I can find a glimmer of a warm-ish afternoon and crank up the space heaters. 

5 x 7 canvas, with woman theme - assembled from inchies. 
I want to add the right quote or word or element in the space above the bottom row. 

I have a gazillion ideas but I  have started on 3 or 4  6 or 7 canvases.  They are still "blank" canvases.  I have a background, I may even have some elements, but they are not finished.  They are all in progress.  I am waiting to find the right word or quotation or element or image to make these come together.

5 x 7 a Cheery canvas, background made from paper inchies
Looking for the right kistchy image and quote

Just to give you a peek, so you'll really believe that I do work on my own art, here's what I've got.

8 x 10 assembled from black and white inchies of various papers.

 I will keep you posted as these canvases evolve.  I hope to get some more time in the studio - but the forecast isn't looking good.

Eerie Resemblance

I spent part of today scanning old postcards and photo cards for my Postcards, etc. Blog.  I came across this interesting photo card.

It's just another vintage photo card - a bit blurry because the dog moved.  It has no distinguishing markings on the back, but it was sent from my uncle to my parents in 1960's. 

What is interesting about this card, is that the woman looks remarkably like my mom, although she wasn't the woman in the photo.  

What do you think?

Discovering the undiscovered - Vivian Maier

Do you ever go to yard sales?  Sometimes I do.  Do you ever flip through someones forgotten stuff at an estate sale or flea market.  Sometimes I do.  What if you saw this photograph?

What if it was only in a negative?  Or maybe unseen, in a film canister?  And if there were boxes of them?

Would you recognize the quality and talent?  Would you take a second look?  Would you ask who had made these?  Would you want to find out more?

This is the story of the amazing discovery that John Maloof made as he was at an auction one day.  He found some old photos; and he realized they could be important.

He looked for more from the photographer. He has now accumulated over 100,000 photos, negatives, and film canisters from the until now unknown photographer, Vivian Maier. Maier may turn out to be one of the best street photographers of all time.

Working as a nanny and domestic in Chicago in the 1950's, 60's and 70's, Vivian Maier lived a seemingly uneventful life, but took photographs of everything. Her body of work, still being discovered, is being acclaimed as one of the best collections of street photographs ever compiled.
Eccentric, private and quirky, Vivian Maier was an amazing photographer. I am excited to see her story unfold.




What would you do?

(Photos printed with permission of John Maloof)

New Toy - Art Every Day #23

I have a new toy. 
I am almost giddy about it.
Yesterday I bought myself a 1 inch square punch, like this one.  It's an Inchie Punch!

I am so excited, I can hardly stand it! 
I went to the chilly studio and punched and punched and punched. 

Two different colleges started to form.  A bright patchwork of paper squares in random pattern and color.

And a black and white patchwork of squares.
Two more works in progress. 
Obviously I can't just put down a random assortment of paper squares on a canvas, or can I?  Should I incorporate some of my already completed inchie collages?  Should I use the patchwork as a background for a bigger collage? 
Oh the possibilities are seemingly endless.  I love my new toy! 
To be creative today, I have new possibilities.
(Part of Art Every Day Month sponsored by Creative Everyday.)

Decorating with collections

I inherited a gene for collecting.  Some call it hoarding, or being a pack rat, hopefully it really isn't that extreme and it can be more delicately called "collecting."  Collecting can cause it's own problems: where to store a collection, when to stop, and what to do when a collection gets out of control.  Never fear, collections can be tamed, and in some cases it is okay to say goodbye to a collection.

My first collection gone wild was a collection of suns and moons that I started in the 90's.  Remember those?  Celestial imagery was everywhere.  I thought it was charming, so I bought, created, and collected many, many suns and moons.  My family got on board and I couldn't pass one holiday or birthday without receiving at least one celestial gift.  You can imagine that eventually it spiraled out of control.  I had a solution.  Confine them.  Instead of having suns and moons strewn about the house, I decorated the bathroom with them.  It wasn't even a full fledged bathroom, more of a powder room.  To embrace the theme, I painted the walls a bright orange and hung the best of the suns and moons on all four walls.  I must admit, it was a bit overpowering, but it was confined and contained.  It was kitschy and cute. 

 

Since then, I have broken that collection and I only have one unique ceramic sun left on a wall in my home.

I learned a lesson, though.  Grouping items is a great way to display confine a collection.  I used this technique when designing one of the bathrooms in our 1890's home renovation. I have a large collection of vintage photos.  Some are family shots and some have been collected at flea markets and yard sales just because they are interesting.

Using black and white in that bathroom seemed like a natural choice.  I found a white waffle weave shower curtain, and simple black towels.  I framed my collection of hand me down antique photos in black wood frames, and incorporated some black and white artwork as well.  I decoupaged a tissue box with black and white imagery.  I scoured the other parts of my house for a white kettle, a white pitcher (to put flowers in), a black glass bowl (for soaps). I painted the walls white and the built in shelving, window trim and door trims black. 

The overall effect is quite nice and was easy to achieve.  I didn't have to spend much to get the look.  I used old photos and vases.  The frames, if they weren't black, were painted or found at local discount stores.  I made the tissue box and the polka dot candle with black and white papers and Mod Podge. 

With white walls and only black accessories, there is potential for an easy switch up, if I want one.  I can add red towels in December for a pop of color.  If I find a really great antique accessory with a bit of color, I could add that too.  It's a great look, and I haven't tired of it yet!