Art Unstructured

Wonder Now

2012-01-19T16:17:00.001-06:00

This month's ATC.... a Wild Card. Individual images from Tumblefish Studios, altered and assembled by yours truly in photoshop. 7 layers of imagery in all.
Wonder Now.

December

2011-12-06T16:04:00.000-06:00

This month's ATC is a digital image that was made up of 5 separate photos and a few photoshop brushes, using 8 layers in the composition. The individual photos were purchased from Tumble Fish Studio and include the boy, crown, key, and hand. These became the raw material to transform and alter in photoshop.
The prompt for the month was "Artist Tribute" and I chose to try something in the style of one of my favorite contemporary digital artists, Maggie Taylor. A few years ago when I first looked at her work, it inspred me to experiment with photoshop. With much yet to learn, I am still inspired when I go to her web site and study her imagery.

Story House

2011-11-22T15:49:00.000-06:00

This is a model for a mixed media class project in which each participant makes and embellishes a little house that "tells" or implies a story. When all the houses are complete, participants trade houses, then interpret the visual clues to tell their version of the imagined story, in their own words. Creative writing is encouraged and there are no wrong answers.

As my little story house sat on the work table, I continued to work on a small collage with similar colors and images. A scrap of wood was used as the base.

The end result was two works that seem quite related.

In art, as in life, one thing often leads to another.

Mixing It Up On Canvas

2011-11-12T05:37:00.000-06:00

Recently I picked up a fairly large stretched canvas that had been neglected in a corner of my studio.
Although I have seen many fine examples of mixed media work on canvas, I had never tried it myself and it was time to do so.
The process for this work started by dividing the surface into sections and applying layers of collage using matte medium and undertones of color with acrylic paint. Each new layer that was added created more depth and interest and I liked working on the sturdy canvas. It's not shown here but the surface treatment goes right around the edges of the piece so no framing is necessary.
I'm already looking forward to the next adventure on canvas!

Interior

2011-07-23T06:41:00.000-05:00

If you ask them, about 98% of children will say they are artists and approach art making with joy and self assurance. Sadly, by the time they become young adults, that number is about 2%. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, the gift of playfulness is too often traded for self criticism. The large and free flowing paintings proudly displayed in childhood become small tight drawnings hidden under hands and turned face down.

There are many theories as to why this happens. I believe that without nurturing it, we lose the ability to access that playful, creative part of our selves. What do you think?

  Play is a means of discovery.    This is how I typically approach a theme: intuitively and with open possibilities, playing with immediate response, moving and removing images, arranging and rearranging. I rarely know ahead of time what the end result will be until it is "discovered."
  The theme for this month's art exchange was "interior."
  Starting with bare walls and floor, I filled the room with unexpected images rather than furniture. Working intuitively up to this point, the quote by Claude Debussy came to mind and the child's hand was added reaching into the space.
   "I wish to sing of my interior visions with the naive candor of a child."
   Honor your creative spirit and make time to play and discover something new every day.

Visual Journals

2011-05-28T12:16:00.000-05:00

I love the look and feel of the hand painted artist's canvas over heavy book board and have made a few more of these books to put in my Etsy Shop.

While I often use recycled leather for my spines, for this series I have been using hand painted canvas and it works beautifully.

I begin with large sheets of artist's canvas, painting and embellishing the entire surface. When it's dry, it is cut into pieces just right for covering the book boards and spines.
Once the canvas is adhered to the book board, I paint it a little more so each book is unique.
The paper is cut and folded into signatures, then bound to the spine.
This one is ready to go!

Fred 1995-2011

2011-04-28T19:10:00.003-05:00

On monday we had to say good-bye to our oldest cat, Fred. He had been in poor health for some time, and had crossed that line between having pretty good quality of life and not feeling good anymore. There was not going to be a happy ending here, so we tearfully made the decision to give Fred the final gift of a peaceful end to his struggle.
Over the course of his illness, Fred had gone from a robust, stocky physique, to mere skin and bones. I wanted to override those final images and remember him as he looked in his prime. So this morning I opened my journal and painted a portrait of Freddie....a cat in the prime of life, a mighty hunter of rodents, the super-cat he had been. He was stretching, as he often did, just before he came up and gave you a good head-butt.... a real show of affection. That's the way I will always remember him.
The quote is from Walt Whitman, so thoughtfully sent to me by my art-exchange friend, Sharon Parker. It was fitting that it should be included on the page:
"I think I could turn and live with the animals, they are so placid and self contained;
I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition; They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins; They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God; Not one is dissatisfied- not one is demented with the mania of owning things; Not one kneels to another, nor his kind that lived thousands of years ago; Not one is responsible or industrious over the whole earth"

Sometimes keeping a visual journal is a way to work through the difficulties that life hands us. It's a place with no rules where we are allowed to express freely the things we are feeling and then stand back and say "There, now, that's a little better."

3 Funny Bunnies

2011-04-19T05:10:00.001-05:00

Another digital illustration with a "numbers" theme.
Once again I began with a vintage toy as the focal point.
This one seemed appropriate for the season.
Happy Easter!

One

2011-04-15T18:27:00.000-05:00

Numbers. That's the theme of this month's exchange. I used the image of a vintage toy robot and the lyrics from an old song by Three Dog Night. "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do..."

Fun with Photoshop

2011-03-27T08:59:00.000-05:00

Five different images were used to create this 16 layer work in Photoshop. My inspiration came in the form of an email from my dear friend and kindred spirit, Terry Garrett. Yesterday he sent me several links of artist's work that he thought I might like. After spending time looking at all the eye-candy, I was so inspired, I could hardly wait to get started on some work of my own. This is often how it begins.
The image of my cat Chance was the starting point and the composition grew intuitively from there.
There is still so much to learn about image manipulation in photoshop, but it is always an adventure to see what will happen. Don't be afraid to experiment. Go where the muse takes you and above all, have fun with your imagination.

Hide and Seek

2011-03-26T05:56:00.002-05:00

My offering for this month's art exchange features the sport of Geocaching.

I decided to experiment with an original black and white photo and used a gradient blend of three colors to alter the image. This is the result. I hope it reflects the enthusiasm I have for this high tech game of "Hide and Seek."

The original photo for this image was taken near Clear Lake, Iowa at the site of the 1959 plane crash that claimed the life of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson. The "Virtual Cache" at this site called for a photo to be submitted with the cache log.

There was a strange energy at this place that seemed to come through in the shot. I made the half mile walk through a cornfield just after sunrise on a cold autumn morning and set up my tripod for the photo. As the timer went off, there was a rustling in the rows of tall dry corn which caused me to look in that direction. Crows.

I stayed for a while looking out over that landscape and could imagine a snowstorm in the early morning hours long ago and the events that happened there.

For more information about Geocaching, click here.

For more information about the Buddy Holly plane crash, click here.

Red Leather and Centipedes

2011-03-24T19:24:00.000-05:00

I like to recycle good usable materials whenever possible, and frequent trips to thrift shops are part of my routine. On one visit I found a red leather coat that was probably not going to have a future in fashion. It was an ugly coat, but the leather was beautiful. I purchased the coat, took it apart and cut book spines.

This journal was similar to another one I recently put in my store and I wanted to make it different somehow. It needed a few red centipedes on the cover.....

As I was taking pictures of the new book, I suddenly had an assistant. Chance wanted to get a closer look at that red leather spine. He couldn't believe it was made from an old coat!

Here is the inside of the cover and the back side of the centipede stitches. I like to leave them exposed.

Consider how you can recycle interesting and useful materials into your artwork. Visit your local thrift store and imagine the possibilities.

My Current Journal

2011-03-20T11:47:00.001-05:00

Although most of the books I make go into the hands of others, this is the visual journal I am currently carrying and working in.

The covers and spine are hand painted canvas. I chose the dark earthy colors I love, and stitched 2 centipedes in waxed linen across the surface.

Attached to a page-marker are some items that each have symbolic meaning. The small face charm represents a playful childlike spirit, the key opens the mind to possibilities, and the metal tag with "Imagine" stamped on it reminds me to look beyond the obvious.

Much of the paper for the inside of this journal was pre-painted before being cut into pages and bound. I used concentrated inks and put sea-salt on the wet pages to create the interesting textures as they dried.

I find a blank surface intimidating to work on, so I usually paint or alter the pages of a book prior to working in it.

On the inner cover, you can see the back side of the centipede stitching. I like the structure of this stitch and chose it as a place to write my name in the book.

The title page has two important messages: "Silence your inner critic" and "Take time to wonder."

The page in view is the result of a drawing exercise called "Picasso Dogs" from the book Drawing Lab by Carla Sonheim. I had so much fun with this technique that I introduced it to one of my drawing classes.

Since this journal is in the early stages, I have only completed a few pages. So many possibilities await!

Remember your childlike playful spirit, open your mind and look beyond the obvious.

Painted Canvas Covers

2011-03-02T05:56:00.000-06:00

One of my students recently gifted me with several rolls of fine artist's canvas. Within hours a large section of the canvas was on my work table getting painted for book covers. The painted canvas is adhered to heavy book board, resulting in a very sturdy journal cover.

This example shows a strap binding with heavy leather. Signatures are attached with a version of the longstitch binding method.

With this new supply of canvas, the plans are to make a few more of these and continue to experiment with alternate cover treatments. It's always an adventure and so much fun to play.

You will find this journal and others in my Etsy Shop.

Texas Jack

2011-02-24T16:21:00.001-06:00

Texas Jack was the subject of one of my journal pages this month. If you aren't familiar with this member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame, there is an excellent website devoted to his memory. You can access his biography on the site by clicking here. Frontier scout, actor and close friend of Buffalo Bill, Texas Jack was one of the good guys in America's Old West.

Different and Alike

2011-02-23T05:04:00.001-06:00

Facing pages in one of my art journals..... or should I say "face-off pages"?

The prompt was "altered faces" and this duo began with that intent, but evolved into a statement about our differences and similarities.

We are drawn to each other because of our similarities but it is our differences we must learn to respect.

Fear

2011-02-05T11:03:00.000-06:00

Pages from my visual journal. Some thoughts about fear.
The right page incorporates painted paper woven into the page. Left over pieces became the horizontal bands on the facing page.

Zentangle

2011-01-21T06:43:00.001-06:00

When the theme for our January art exchange was announced to be "Black and White," I immediately thought of drawing Zentangles. The first one on gray paper with white highlights and the second one in the traditional black and white with graphite shading.

For anyone wanting to learn more about the art of creating Zentangles, here are some links:
http://www.zentangle.com/whats-new.php this is the newsletter link.... go back into the archive newsletters to find instructions for individual patterns.
http://zentangle.blogspot.com/ this is the Zentangle blog.
That should be a start. Remember, anything is possible one stroke at a time.

Notebook Journals

2010-12-20T17:22:00.001-06:00

What does a book maker do with all of the papers left over from her projects?

Make Notebook Journals, of course!

I had a huge collection of paper accumulating by my cutting board and now most of it has been put to good use in these fun little books.

They measure 4 x 6 and have a variety of papers for the pages.

Tag, You're IT !

2010-12-11T11:22:00.000-06:00

Journals with tags and hand painted covers have been the trend in my studio work lately. I recently purchased a set of metal tags with words stamped onto them and at the time, didn't have a clue how they would be used. One day after making a journal, I set the tag on the cover and thought it worked pretty well. Thus began the series. When the tags run out, I'll have to move on to the next adventure, but for now, it's all about the word: Inspire, Wander, Journey, Imagine, etc.

Hand painting and collaging the covers involves a variety of stenciling and stamping techniques. Anything within reach becomes fair game to be covered with paint and pressed into the surface: corrugated cardboard, sequin waste, rollers, bubble wrap, plastic cups, etc. I try not to over think the process and allow it to be intuitive.

The words on the tags seem ambiguous enough to take on a variety of meanings, and yet just right for establishing a theme for the book.
The "Philosophy Tags" are by Tim Holtz and available on his website. You will find a bunch of other cool stuff there too, and most of it is also available at larger art supply stores.
The hand painted, hand bound journals are available in my Etsy Store.

Number Please....

2010-12-04T05:27:00.000-06:00

I've been recalling the days when you picked up the telephone to hear an operator politely say "Number Please." A real person on the other end, instant gratification and no waiting... someone just sitting there ready to help. Simply speak a 4 digit number and the operator would connect you. That's right, 4 digits.

The telephone I grew up with as a child was an instrument of wonder, massive and imposing with a table of it's own. When it rang, the whole house shook and everyone fell silent with anticipation to see who could be calling.

Party lines were shared among neighbors and on occasion you would pick up the phone to unexpectedly hear someone else's conversation and listen for a moment before carefully, guiltily returning the heavy receiver to it's cradle. There was always a loud audible click in hanging up.

When the rotary dial was put into use, the phone company gave out instructions advising folks how to use the thing. You can see one of those public service messages (here). Somewhere, an operator was displaced and "Number Please" became obsolete.

I can clearly recall the sound of the telephone of my childhood, and the one at my grandparent's house that had a different, more baritone ring. Who knew this would be a sound I would someday miss?

I wonder what will the children of the present recall about the telephone?

These were the thoughts that inspired my visual journal pages for the month. Above is my first version, and below is it's evil twin.

And now, if you will excuse me, the phone is ringing.........

Return of the Centipede

2010-11-25T05:11:00.000-06:00

The centipede returns, marching across the cover of this hand painted journal. I thought this little square book was finished and had set it aside, but the urge to add the critter to the cover kept nagging at me.
The pages of this book include a variety of interesting papers. This will be a fun journal for someone to fill! Available online at my Etsy store.

Painted Journals

2010-11-14T07:50:00.000-06:00

Recent experiments with hand painted journal covers have been productive. I have been using heavy recycled cover boards from discarded books and given them a new look with acrylic paints. The painting technique involves starting with a background color and then adding a variety of colors with 'found object' stenciling. Very fun to do and I like the playful results.

The front and back covers are painted at the same time to allow continuity of colors, but they are each unique in all other respects.

Here is another color variation using a violet base color.

The pages are a variety of papers, including watercolor, heavy illustration and high quality text weight papers. These would be perfect to use as visual journals.

You can find a variety of hand made books like these in my Etsy shop.

Journal Pages

2010-11-03T18:26:00.000-05:00

Zentangles with a poem by E.B. White.

The Spider's Web

The spider, dropping down from twig,

Unfolds a plan of her devising,

A thin premeditated rig

To use in rising.

And all that journey down through space,

In cool descent and loyal hearted,

She spins a ladder to the place

From where she started.

Thus I, gone forth as spiders do

In spider's web a truth discerning,

Attach one silken thread to you

For my returning.

Proceed with Curiosity

2010-10-31T22:22:00.000-05:00

Journal pages, a bit on the creepy side for Halloween. Sometimes questions are more important than the answers.

Look for the Gifts....

2010-10-25T04:58:00.000-05:00

Journal Page.......

Look for the gifts wrapped inside the journey. Keep Seeking. Look for wisdom in unlikely places. Trust that where you are right now is exactly where you are supposed to be and that the circumstances in your life are teaching you exactly what you need to know.

Gone Fishin'

2010-10-13T17:15:00.000-05:00

Pages of my journal.....Fish swim across a background of paint and torn vintage papers.
The quote is one of my favorites:
"Many people go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it's not the fish they are really after."

Alphabet Soup

2010-10-13T04:48:00.001-05:00

   My journal was open on the table and a lettering stencil was laying across the pages. There was a can of black spray paint within reach...
   Later, while reading a book, I came upon several quotes that wanted to be recorded and the closest thing at hand was this journal.... Serendipity happens.
   "Technological frenzy, if left unchecked will lead to a world wide ecological catastrophe."
   "It is human nature to believe that anything that seems possible should therefore be tried."
   "The unintended consequences of curiosity are that the creator's works become the public's problem"
   "The functional fact of life is that nothing lasts."
Dark thoughts on this October day.

Absurdity of Conduct

2010-10-10T06:14:00.001-05:00

"Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose.... and then where are you? -Fanny Brice

"Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those whom we cannot resemble" -Samuel Johnson.
"Learn to be what you are and learn to resign with good grace all that you are not" -John Frederic Amiel.
Three quotes that inspired this rather silly page in my visual journal. The picture of the dog came from a piece of junk mail and I couldn't bear to throw it away without a bit of play first.

Holly Shrine

2010-10-05T17:14:00.000-05:00

   Early on an autumn morning I visited the site of the 1959 plane crash that took the life of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson. The site is located in a cornfield near Clear Lake, Iowa. You can park along the gravel road at the intersection of Gull and 315th and then walk the half mile path along the fence line to the permanent shrine that marks the spot. There are a pair of giant black eyeglasses marking the trailhead. Kind of goofy, but nice to know you are on the right path.
  For geocachers, this site is listed as a 'virtual geocache' called the "Holly Shrine" The requirement to log this cache is a picture of yourself, including the shrine, so I packed my tripod and camera for the short hike.
   The shrine itself is made of stainless steel and marks the spot where the plane came to rest that night, crumpled up like a ball of paper, after rolling some 500 ft on impact. The bodies of Holly and Valens had been found lying on the ground within 17 ft, and the Big Bopper's body was found across the fence in the field. The pilot's body was encased in the plane wreckage. It must have been a horrible sight for the law enforcement officers who discovered it.
  The ground around the shrine is covered with guitar picks and little trinkets that people have left there. It's an eerie place, in spite of the fact that it's out in the open.
   On this October morning the corn was standing, ready for harvest, and there was a light frost on everything. The sun had just come up and was shining at a hard angle, adding long shadows to the landscape.
   I set up my tripod, hit the timer and moved into the picture. Just as the camera was about to go off I heard a loud rustling, saw movement off to one side and, a bit startled, looked to see what it was...... turned out to be birds in the cornfield, but it made for an interesting photo. I think it captured the strange energy that was all about the place.

Migration 2

2010-09-22T19:26:00.000-05:00

Another digital collage with a "migration" theme. The image of the men is from a vintage catalog, and don't they look nice in their sweaters? All ready for a crisp autumn day and watching the monarchs begin their migration. Here comes fall.... get your sweaters ready!

Migration

2010-09-18T18:42:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year.... migration is in progress. Here in the midwest we watch the monarch butterflies gather and begin their journey away from the colder weather. Many of the birds leave for the winter months and we look forward to their return in the spring.

I thought about the quote from Dan Eldon's journal "The Journey is the Destination" and it seemed fitting here.

A side note: Many years ago, by chance, I picked up a copy of Dan Eldon's book and like many others, was profoundly influenced by it. If you are not familiar with him, you may want to go to the website (click here) and explore.

Reincarnating Old Books

2010-09-04T05:25:00.000-05:00

I was out running errands a couple of weeks ago and stopped at a garage sale. There, in a box of discarded books I found this treasure, and a few others. The covers were dark and the spine was falling off. A perfect candidate for 'reincarnation' to become an altered book journal / sketchbook.

At home in my studio, the cleaning process begins, removing the covers and gently revealing the beautiful graphics. Any fraying of the original canvas is stabilized. I like to preserve the end papers whenever possible, especially if the original owner's name is written there.

The old text block is removed and saved for use in collage backgrounds and other mixed media work.

Papers are cut for the pages and the thickness of the new text block tells me how wide to make the spine.

It should be noted that I have never taken apart a book that is in excellent condition, believing that those examples should be saved for collectors. The books I choose to work with are those that are otherwise destined for the landfill.

Recycled materials are used as much as possible, and in this case, dark green leather was repurposed from a coat found in a local thrift store. I often shop for discarded leather coats that can be 'harvested' for book spines.

The finished book is rewarding on many levels.... the fun of looking for these hidden treasures, the joy of craftsmanship and the satisfaction of knowing that a lovely old book will have a new life in the hands of someone who will once again treasure it and fill it's pages in their own unique way.

You can find my hand bound journals / sketchbooks on Etsy.

A Little Spark of Madness

2010-08-26T17:35:00.002-05:00

This is what recently evolved on the pages of my journal. At first glance you may assume I had a crazy week getting used to being back in the classroom again. That would be correct. But the little creature on this page is actually the result of a project done with my drawing students. It was inspired by an exercise from the book Drawing Lab by Carla Sonheim. Using a series of self generated prompts, we each made original 'creatures'. (I like to work along with my students whenever possible.)
Pictures of giraffes were used to make a series of overlapping blind contour drawings. From those, we picked out groupings of lines that suggested a figure, creature, or animal. Using tracing paper, we 'tweaked' the drawings, developed something we liked and made a graphite transfer into our sketchbooks. The drawings could be finished using any medium. I choose to play with some new gel pens. Too bad the 'sparkle' one doesn't show up very well here.... lots of sparkle.

Speaking of Carla Sonheim, she has a wonderfully creative blog called Snowball Journals. Check it out and be sure to go back into some of the older posts as there is so much playful inspiration there.

Steampunk Man

2010-08-09T20:28:00.000-05:00

Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction set in the 19th century Victorian era when steam power was still widely used. It features futuristic technology as people of this historical period would have envisioned it.

It contains fictional machines like those found in the works of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne.

Below is the original cabinet card I found in a local antique shop. It had $5 printed in pencil on the back and, not having my reading glasses on, I though it read $8. I nicely asked the owner of the shop if he would take $6 for it and he said "Sure!" Later as my friend Katie and I were having lunch I took it out and with reading glasses on, realized my mistake and we had a good laugh about it. For the rest of the afternoon as we explored local shops, it became our joke that whatever the price tag said, maybe I could offer a bit more. As we get older we really need to keep our sense of humor and just roll with it.

The man in the photo seemed the perfect candidate to become "Steampunk Man" for this month's ATC exchange. I had fun transforming him and really think it was worth the extra dollar paid.
If you are not familiar with Steampunk, do a little Google image search..... there is some amazing creative stuff going on in this genre!

Robin's Egg Blue

2010-07-28T07:17:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I was out geocaching and came across a robin's nest with 3 perfect blue eggs. I was immediately reminded of the quote from one of my favorite little books "The Rabbit Box" by Joseph Pintauro and Norman Laliberte and knew this would be the prompt for my second blue-themed journal page.
"Robins, how can you tell the difference between your eggs and the sky?" Something to wonder about.

Small Journals

2010-07-26T07:20:00.001-05:00

Petite and portable, this small journal is perfect for travel and carrying in a bag for making notes and quick sketches.

The small format also allows me to use some of the papers left over from larger projects.

I like the way the "Bottle Cap Button" looks oversized in this proportion.......

Here is your art challenge: Get out the lovely papers and materials that you have saved from other projects and make something wonderful.

The Blues

2010-07-19T19:41:00.001-05:00

The theme is "Blue" and this was the first idea that came to mind. One of the things I enjoy about our art exchange is that we are free to interpret the decided-upon themes in any way we choose.
Billie Holiday (1915-1959) was one of the most notable blues and jazz singers of the 1930s and 40s.
You can read her biography and see the timeline of her life here.
For this image, I started with a plain black and white photograph and added the color variations and graphic designs in photoshop. Below is the original photo.....

Sometimes it's fun to take a stock photo and experiment with color variations, filters and use different brushes to create layers of texture and interest. Just remember to save a copy of your original in case you want to start over or use it again.

Dreams

2010-07-06T17:31:00.000-05:00

Here is another visual journal page using red as a dominant color. I have used images from a vintage field book about fish.... they have also appeared in many of my past works. I like the way fish imply fluid movement and the ability to swim through a setting.
Go Confidently in the Direction of Your Dreams.

Theme Red

2010-07-02T06:15:00.002-05:00

This month's art exchange is all about red. My instincts were to explore the theme in relation to antique anatomy illustrations. The psychological influence of color creates a surreal and somewhat menacing picture.
I have been influenced here by the works of collage artist Hope Kroll who often evokes intriguing and disturbing results through juxtaposition of images.
Choose a color.... any color.... and play. Don't be alarmed if the results are a bit unsettling. We all have nightmares.

I Will Fly Away

2010-06-01T18:24:00.001-05:00

Book arts and mixed media combine in this "Shrine Book." Collage and assemblage techniques are used on the covers. The base layer covering the cardboard structure is made from pages of a vintage book torn into pieces and applied with a matte medium. Once that was done, the shrine-like niches were embellished. I try to let a story or theme unfold without over-thinking it. The muse leads the way.

White colored pencils are just as I found them in the bottom of my pencil drawer.

The smaller niches are filled with resin to encase the embellishments.

A tapestry spine is reinforced with a hidden structural layer and bound with waxed linen. The book is sturdy and large.

The text line is from a page of an antique book, one of many that I have disassembled to make my journals. "I will fly away"...... it seemed to add another dimension to the story this book might tell.

Gifts of Summer

2010-05-28T19:42:00.001-05:00

I recently experimented with collage on fabric. It begins with a piece of fabric for the background placed on a sheet of glass or heavy plastic. Gel medium is applied, saturating the cloth, and then papers are layered on with more gel medium until you have a background that appeals to you.

After drying, the piece is peeled off the glass. Now you have the option to add whatever else you want. I sewed on some beads, added threads, applied crackle medium, painted on it, added illustrations and torn paper, and rubbed on acrylic paint glazes. Gel medium is applied over the surface to seal it. I like the matte finish.

A very fun experience and working on the fabric creates a flexible surface that can take quite a bit of embellishment. Consider the possibilities! I'm thinking about how this technique could make beautiful soft journal covers......

Going Green

2010-05-24T19:05:00.003-05:00

Can you guess the theme for this month's art exchange? Sometimes it's fun to play with a color name and make a collection of images related by the common thread.
Included in this rhapsody in green: Green Hornet, Green M&Ms, Green Lantern, Frankenstein with his lovely green complexion, green light, Mr. Green Jeans, green beans, green eye, Lorne Greene (I know, that's a stretch), green stamps, and Green Day.
Next time you are at a loss for what to put on a journal page, pick your favorite color and go for it.

Alcohol Inks on Glossy Paper

2010-05-03T17:27:00.000-05:00

I have been using alcohol ink on heavy glossy paper with some fun results. The colors do unexpected things as they are layered and become permanent when dry.

Here I have made book covers using hand painted paper inside and out.

This little book could be used as a journal or notebook and is has been posted for sale on Etsy.

And as you can see, I'm still making the bottle-cap buttons. They make such nice closures for the cord.

If you haven't experimented with alcohol inks, you might enjoy the results. There are some good tutorials online..... click here for an example. Have fun!

She Who Loves Butterflies

2010-04-30T18:51:00.000-05:00

Here is another of this month's exchange based on 'words.' In this case, I just like the way it sounds.

The Crabbiest Man in Town

2010-04-19T19:49:00.000-05:00

"Word Play" was the theme of this month's art exchange. As you can see, I took a light hearted approach to the subject.
Everyone agreed that he was the crabbiest man in town.

Lewis Again

2010-04-15T17:58:00.001-05:00

I have been reading 'The Mystery of Lewis Carroll' by Jenny Woolf. It is a wonderful biography and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about this intriguing author.

As I was reading about Carroll's life I was moved to do a study of his face. Luckily there was a journal and pencil at hand so the muse didn't have to wait long to be answered.

The most famous portrait of Carroll was made by photographer Oscar G. Rejlander in 1863, and was the reference I used for my drawing.

'A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky' was written out on the left page...... I love this poem and wanted to include it in my journal along with Carroll's modest glance.

Now I'm ready to get back to reading the second half of the book!

You can find more information about Lewis Carroll and the book on Jenny Woolf's website or on Amazon.

More Fun With Bottle Caps

2010-04-02T17:21:00.001-05:00

OK, so I think I'm on a roll with this bottle cap thing..... It's way too much fun to play with and I can't seem to stop. As you can see there are still some unused buttons waiting for their books so there must be more to do. I've been so busy making the books that I haven't gotten them listed on Etsy yet, but that will happen soon.

So many beverages, so little time.... pass me a cold one and a bottle opener please.

Bottle Cap Buttons

2010-04-01T22:05:00.000-05:00

Fun with bottle caps!

I have been making bottle cap buttons embellished with stamped polymer clay centers. The edges of the bottle cap are hammered and holes are punched into the metal from the back. Polymer clay is pressed into the center and a rubber stamp is used to embellish it with design. Holes are opened up through the clay. The buttons are baked to cure the polymer clay and with the metal backings, they are very durable.

This journal is posted in my Etsy shop.

Cheshire Cat Revisited

2010-03-19T09:19:00.000-05:00

I'm revisiting the Cheshire Cat image one more time. Who can resist this character!
Again I am using the altered photo of my cat Roy, and the digital image created for the ATC (posted below).
This time he appears floating above the woods, which I find a bit more unsettling and suited to the original concept.
The original photo of Roy appears in the right hand column of this blog and he is waiting to sign autographs for his starring role....
Meanwhile, I would like to mention a new book titled The Mystery of Lewis Carroll: Discovering the Whimsical, Thoughtful and Sometimes Lonely Man Who Created "Alice In Wonderland" by author Jenny Woolf. It is getting rave reviews and I am ordering my copy today.
There is also a Facebook page dedicated to the book. If you are a fan of Lewis Carroll and Alice, it is definitely worth a look.

Alice

2010-03-18T18:06:00.004-05:00

The "Alice" stories were written for the young daughter of the Liddell family with whom Charles Dodgson was friends in the mid 1850s.

Having told the story and been begged by Alice Liddell to write it down, Dodgson eventually presented her with a handwritten, hand illustrated copy of the manuscript entitled Alice's Adventures Under Ground in November 1864.
The work was later published as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 1865 under the pen name Lewis Carroll which Dodgson had begun using some years before. The illustrations this time were by Sir John Tenniel as Dodgson thought that a published book would need the skills of a professional artist.
There are several interesting speculations about the relationship between author and muse, and the later split between Dodgson and the Liddell family. You can learn more about the intriguing story from the many online resources.
The original book ends with a poem titled A Boat Beneath Sunny Skies. The first letter of each line of the poem spells out Alice Pleasance Liddell.

A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky

by Lewis Carroll

A boat beneath a sunny sky,

Lingering onward dreamily

In an evening of July —

Children three that nestle near,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Pleased a simple tale to hear —

Long has paled that sunny sky:

Echoes fade and memories die:

Autumn frosts have slain July.

Still she haunts me, phantomwise,

Alice moving under skies

Never seen by waking eyes.

Children yet, the tale to hear,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Lovingly shall nestle near.

In a Wonderland they lie,

Dreaming as the days go by,

Dreaming as the summers die:

Ever drifting down the stream —

Lingering in the golden gleam —

Life, what is it but a dream?

Cheshire Cat

2010-03-09T05:35:00.000-06:00

This month's ATC exchange was so much fun with it's "Alice" theme. I knew immediately that I wanted to do something featuring the Cheshire Cat, and my own cat Roy begged for a starring role.
I started with a photograph of him (you can see the original on the right hand column of this blog).
His handsome little face was isolated in photoshop and eyes were enlarged and slanted slightly upward.
Next I found a photo of a fashion model's mouth and morphed it to make the well known Cheshire Cat Grin. The chin and upper lip of Roy's face needed to be redrawn to accommodate the new mouth, and more whiskers and fur details were added.
Once the face was made, it became an object to play with in various settings.
The quote is from the original Alice story. It's what the Cheshire Cat replied when Alice asked for directions. "It really doesn't matter which way you go....."
Roy was pleased with the results..... it made him grin.

Dark Journal

2010-02-20T12:51:00.001-06:00

I've got that centipede bug again. I have been experimenting with different cover treatments and discovered a technique that works really well to create a very durable and interesting surface. It's a process of layering papers, mediums and pigments onto heavy book boards. The results: an intriguing leather-like finish.

The materials used on these covers are vintage clothing patterns, satin varnish and a variety of brown pigments.

I can hardly wait to try out some other types of paper with this method. Oh the possibilities!

Initially the book covers were unembellished, but somehow the black waxed linen jumped into my hands and before I knew it, a centipede was marching across the covers.
You can find this journal and other similar ones for sale at my Etsy Shop.

A Valentine

2010-02-14T05:53:00.003-06:00

I know that if I ever to looking for my heart's desire, I'll never go any further than my own back yard. For if it isn't there, I never really lost it. -Wizard of Oz

Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens. -Carl Jung

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life

that nothing else can bring. -Oscar Wilde

Heart Upon Sleeve

2010-02-09T16:11:00.001-06:00

February's theme is 'hearts' of course. I chose this line from Othello as my prompt.... "But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at: I am not what I am."
The bird Shakespeare referred to is a Jackdaw, an annoying species of black bird. Here it looms larger than life, ready and no doubt eager to take a peck at the heart in question.
Love is in the air.....

Prediction

2010-01-30T06:43:00.007-06:00

Our theme this month was 'Predictions' and my thoughts turned to the little slips of paper in fortune cookies. For years I have collected these whenever we get together with friends at our favorite Chinese restaurant. I have a whole jar full. As I went through them, this one stood out, and the photo of 'Frank' seemed to connect with it. He looks like the patient type. The photo is from my extensive collection of 'lost people' that end up in a shoebox at some antique store for $2.
Here's hoping that Frank is rewarded for his 'everlasting patience.'

Become Who You Are

2010-01-24T12:30:00.002-06:00

Thoughts about diversity and uniqueness were the prompts for these journal pages.
It takes courage to become who you really are.

Play Art

2010-01-21T17:22:00.018-06:00

Creativity is about play and a willingness to go with your intuition. If you know what you are going to do, why do it? --Frank Gehrey

People tend to forget that play is serious --David Hockney

Today I'm revisiting one of my favorite themes:

Play..... get some.

Begin Where You Are

2010-01-19T07:27:00.002-06:00

Every day brings the opportunity to try something new. This was the prompt for my journal page yesterday. As usual, a wide variety of materials were used, starting with a gesso ground on the pages. Watercolor, torn paper, acrylic paint, printed images, markers and watercolor oil pastels were all within reach and found their way onto the page.

Begin where you are but don't stay there too long. Move forward on your journey.

You Go Girl !

2010-01-16T05:52:00.006-06:00

I like to work intuitively most of the time which means I don't always know where the muse is taking me. It's the most wonderful feeling to just let things happen without over-thinking, trusting your immediate instincts. Remember, you have more paint to cover up anything you really dislike later. (If and when you do cover something up, consider using a semi-transparent wash to allow the layered imagery to show through and create interest).

Here I began by playing with the background with no further expectation. Layers of paint, colored pencils, and stamped textures were all used. Images were added and the theme of the page became obvious.

The linear borders on top and bottom were made with a strip of corrugated cardboard that was placed on acrylic paint and then pressed on the pages like a stamp. What other 'found objects' could you stamp with? When I'm working, anything within arm's reach is fair game. (Try little plastic drinking cups for circles, bubble wrap for pattern, fork tines for lines of dots, etc).

Soft water-based oil pastels were used around the imagery to help them blend into the background, and then the writing was applied with waterproof pens.

I'm not sure it's finished yet but decided to post it here anyway. As Anne Boelyn said, "That's how it's going to be, no matter how much people may grumble."

What's next? Guess I'll get a background started and see where it takes me.

Journal Play

2010-01-09T06:27:00.007-06:00

Remember to play often.

A visual journal is the perfect place to play with ideas, color, materials, words, whatever you want. You are not obligated to make a masterpiece. You might even paint over the whole page if you don't like it.

Here are some recent 'play pages' in my journal. None of them are really noteworthy, but they each represent a moment in time and document what I was thinking about.

Compare this to the concept of writing down your thoughts in a diary...... it's very related to that, only more visual.

The prompt for the above pages: A co-worker's birthday celebration and remembering the importance of celebrating life each day.

The prompt: A friend gave me a piece of vintage ephemera and said "here's something for your journal." I had also recently listed all of the daily expectations of teaching in a large public school. The two items merged on these pages very spontaneously.

The prompt: Recalling a time in my childhood when I wanted to become invisible. Not a happy time, but something that later helped me grow. Making these pages allowed me to revisit and remember a significant event in my life.

There is power in putting images and words on paper. If you have not tried visual journalling, it might be a new adventure for the new year! There are so many resources online to inspire and get you started.

What would you like to journal about? Silence your inner critic and have fun.

Invite Peace

2010-01-03T11:52:00.011-06:00

I've always avoided making New Year's resolutions. Why risk the guilt? But when one of my friends on Facebook (You know who you are Lauri P.) posted an article entitled "20 Ways to Add More to Your Life" by Dr. Frank Lipman, it inspired me. I like the idea of seeking more of the positive things life has to offer, and less of the negative.

This morning after reading the list again I selected some of the items and used the term 'invite' as in 'opening the door' allowing these things to come and go in my life.

The resulting journal illustration is mixed media including markers, watercolor pencil, oil pastel, decorative papers and ink.

Once again, inspiration is all around us all the time, just waiting to be recognized and asked to play. Thanks for sharing the article Lauri.

Vincent

2009-12-23T18:45:00.008-06:00

Images of Vincent and his work were used in this month's journal page and ATC exchange. The theme was 'gifts' and instead of a holiday theme, the muse took me in another direction.

With photoshop I placed his tragic self portrait on the painting of poppies for color effect. The quote is from Emerson.

There is a new theory about how Vincent lost his ear in 1888. For more than a century, Vincent Van Gogh has been known as the tortured genius who sliced off his own ear in a fit of madness. But a new study claims that Paul Gauguin lopped it off with a sword as the two artist's argued. It is contended that Van Gogh let everyone think he had mutilated himself in order to protect Gauguin from prosecution. We may never know the true story but it's an interesting speculation.

Below, I used a rare photograph of Vincent and one of his own quotes.

Time

2009-12-16T04:42:00.010-06:00

With the old year drawing to a close and 2010 approaching, I chose the prompt for this visual journal entry: time.

Again, the composition expands from an existing image, in this case the photograph of a colorful bird's head.

Henry David Thoreau's words are at the top: "The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."

A quote from Omar Khayyam seemed to be the appropriate text: "The bird of time has but a little way to fly.... and the bird is on the wing!"

Journal Page / Friends

2009-12-15T17:15:00.006-06:00

This page is from one of my 8 x 10 hand made journals. I make these with my students and work along with them each semester.

The prompt was to begin with an existing image, then go beyond its borders and 'tell the rest of the story.' In this case, the image was the small rectangle that includes the faces of these 4 friends. It was applied to a background and their bodies were drawn and painted with acrylics. Text was added with marker and the line of music seemed to complete the story. "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you forget the words."

Journal Pages

2009-12-12T06:05:00.008-06:00

These are a few pages from a visual journal I have been carrying around and playing with recently. Inspired by artist Teesha Moore, I have been exploring her ideas and color use to stretch my own boundaries a bit.

The text is inspired by a book I love, Art and Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland.
On her website and on YouTube, Teesha Moore has generously shared a series of videos about how she creates her journal pages. They are definitely fun and inspiring and worth a look. After watching them, I made this little book so I could play too.
What I love most about visual journaling is the freedom it gives us to play and explore.

You don't have to create a masterpiece, just get out the paint, markers, glue sticks and pens and see where it takes you. Use whatever inspires you and have unstructured fun.

More Centipedes

2009-11-30T16:20:00.004-06:00

Now we're having fun! A bit on the dark side this time, which is good if you're playing with centipedes.
A new shipment of waxed linen cord arrived today...... I think I'll be needing it.
There may still be more of these waiting to come out and play. That's what is so fun about art, you just never know what will happen next.

Fun with Centipedes

2009-11-28T11:08:00.006-06:00

Here's my latest book-play. I was in the mood for centipedes and lots of them.

So once I got started it was hard to stop. Just one more I kept saying to myself....

The book measures 5 x 7 and has 112 leaves of mixed paper types and weights. There are pages for writing and pages for drawing or mixed media journaling.

Although this particular book is finished, I don't think I'm done playing with this stitch. I may have caught the bug.

Choose Carefully.....

2009-11-21T06:16:00.004-06:00

Don't we all have a 'Door Number Two' somewhere in our past?

Perhaps Howard wishes he had taken the free spin........

Free Spin

2009-11-20T04:55:00.004-06:00

Sometimes you just get lucky.

This month's theme is "Games" and who can resist a free spin, especially with this character as your host...

Fun With Zentangles

2009-11-01T14:39:00.006-06:00

The recent edition of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine had an article on "Zentangles" an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. I thought it looked like fun and it reminded me of an exercise I have included in my art classes for years. I just called it "Expressive Line." Upon further investigation I found that the creators of Zentangles have a web site, certified teachers, and quite a following. I decided that as an art instructor for 34 years, I did not need the $49 kit, but for someone who wants the instruction and does not have access to materials of their own, it might be very helpful. It comes with heavy paper 'tiles', Micron pens, and instructional materials.

I did read the archive of newsletters on the website and looked at the extensive gallery of examples. With that and the magazine article I mentioned, I learned some of the basic patterns and format used in making these intricate designs. I got out my Micron Pens (had 'em already) and some heavy illustration stock (had that too) and started to play. Within a short time I had created my first Zentangle. Then another, and another, and boy am I hooked! It's like doodling on steroids.

There is indeed a meditative (zen) effect in making these repeated patterns within the form (tangle). It is an exercise in focus and is very calming. So, if you haven't heard of this before, you might want to check it out. I think you'll enjoy it.

Black Cats

2009-10-23T04:32:00.006-05:00

I love black cats!

First there was Zorro, a little hitchhiker picked up one cold and rainy September morning long ago. Only about 9 weeks old, he was stranded on the median strip of a 4 lane highway. I stopped traffic to scoop him up and he lived with me for 20 years. I have never been so adored by an animal, whether I deserved it or not.

Now there's Roy, 'King of the Cowboys" Cat. What a pistol! Spirited and full of energy. His middle name is "Get Down." He showed up in the flower bed after the floods of 2008. Another gift from the Universe.

This month's ATC exchange is all about superstition and I just had to feature a black cat and the wonderful quote by Groucho Marx: "A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere."

It's almost Halloween...... do you know where your black cat is?

Superstition

2009-10-15T04:32:00.005-05:00

Our theme for the month of October is 'Superstition'. The number 13 which is avoided by many, has always been lucky for me. Go figure.

The original sepia toned photograph for this composition was purchased from The Vintage Workshop. I used Photoshop to alter color, apply the number and add other special effects.

I'm not really sure what these ladies have to do with the number 13, but encourage you to make up your own story. And considering the season, the creepier, the better.

Harvest Moon

2009-09-30T17:48:00.008-05:00

October arrives bringing the inevitability of autumn. Seeds ripen, fall to the Earth, and begin the long sleep of hope. The wheel of the year turns as the harvest moon rises again.

This digital collage was created with photoshop using antique photo and post card images. It seemed appropriate for the season.

The Elephant Book

2009-09-25T17:38:00.012-05:00

Sometimes I get really attached to a book I have been working on. That's the case with this one.
The cover graphics make me laugh.... Jumbo galloping full speed into a candy store, head down, on a mission. I know how he feels.

The brown leather spine is made from a recycled leather coat. I really hate to buy new leather when there is so much out there to 'harvest'. One less item for the land fill, and I can get quite a few nice spines from one coat. Of course the deconstruction and cutting creates a great mess on the studio floor, but it's all part of the experience.

Backgrounds

2009-09-20T13:18:00.005-05:00

A good creative exercise is to create backgrounds and papers for future use. Here I have used photoshop brushes and 'found images' to intuitively paint and stamp a background. These can be printed and used as art papers or saved as digital images.

The possibilities are endless!

Handbook

2009-09-06T11:10:00.018-05:00

During a recent trip to our local antique mall, a pair of vintage ladie's gloves accompanied me to the check out. Although they were much too small for my large hands, I knew at once they would find a place on the cover of a book. The soft white leather was worn in distinctive creases as a woman's hands were protected decades ago. These gloves had been well used and I wondered about the person who had carried them in her pocket and slipped them on casually over and over again. The gloves now hold a book for an artist to use. Pages are made of thick papers for mixed media or watercolor and the book should be a delight to fill.
The gloves are stitched directly to the covers of an antique book with white waxed linen. The spine of the book has been replaced with reinforced vintage cloth and pages are attached with harlequin binding. There are 4 signatures of 10 pages hand torn from artist quality papers.

The Best Way to Travel

2009-08-14T06:11:00.011-05:00

The theme for this month's ATC exchange was 'travel'. This song from my youth kept playing in my head as I was contemplating what to do with the theme, so I took it for a gift and played along.

The Best Way to Travel

And you can fly

High as a kite if you want to

Faster than light if you want to

Speeding through the universe

Thinking is the best way to travel

It's all a dream

Light passing by on the screen

And there's you and I on the beam

Speeding through the universe

Thinking is the best way to travel

We ride the waves

Distance is gone, will we find out?

How life began, will be find out?

Speeding through the universe

Thinking is the best way to travel

The Moody Blues

Samuel was Answered

2009-08-09T09:06:00.010-05:00

For me it always starts with one item. In this case it was the photograph of a young man. I only imagine his name was Samuel... there was no inscription on the back.

The rest took on a life of it's own as I tried to work intuitively on the piece.

A recent class at Valley Ridge Art Studio in Wisconsin with artist Michael deMeng inspired me to try some new approaches in assemblage. He taught us many things about using non-traditional materials and painting techniques to create various effects. Apparently that creative energy followed me home. I do hope it sticks around awhile.

My brother-in-law and husband recently gifted me with an old typewriter, knowing that I would disassemble it for my artwork. The old Underwood was rusted and damaged beyond use and I was told that the auctioneer actually paid them $1 to take it away. What luck!
As I was cutting strips of old newspaper clippings to adhere to the surface, the name 'Samuel' and the words 'was answered' seemed to jump out at me. When you allow yourself to work from pure intuition, little 'gifts' are often presented. In this case, it was the title of the work.

The back ends of the old Underwood keys have such interesting hook shapes!

I must say that during the 2 days it took me to completely disassemble the old typewriter, I gained profound respect for the complex mechanics of the thing.

A work of art in itself.

Vision

2009-07-26T07:14:00.007-05:00

Being extremely near sighted, I am constantly grateful for the ability of modern science to correct vision.

My inspiration for this was a series of recent eye exams and an antique anatomy chart.

Doggone Legends of the Midwest

2009-07-18T18:19:00.005-05:00

What if you were sitting in a motel room with nothing to play with but a stack of old Pizza Ranch menus and a glue stick? Hmmmmm........

Meanwhile back at the ranch, the resulting collage was scanned into photoshop and further developed. You can click on the image to enlarge and explore.

Home Shelters the Dreamer

2009-06-29T05:37:00.007-05:00

I readily admit to being somewhat of a hermit, especially during the summer months. I am content to work in my studio, putter around in the gardens, sit on the deck and watch Nature's big show and enjoy the unstructured time at home.

This illustration was made with that theme in mind.

Emphasis

2009-06-26T06:26:00.006-05:00

Here in the midwest, we have been experiencing a weather pattern that features heat, humidity, and storms. An incredible lightning display earlier this month prompted my interpretation of the design principle 'Emphasis'. Nature's way of saying "Take That!"

This illustration was used on an artist trading card (ATC) for our monthly exchange.

Harmony

2009-06-22T18:21:00.011-05:00

The theme for this month's art exchange was "principles of design." One of my choices was 'harmony' but I was unsure what direction to take with it.

Last week I awoke very early to a thick fog outside, the kind where you can't see across the road. Compelled to get up and ride my bicycle in it, I waited until nearly daylight and took a loop on the bike trail through the woods and around a small lake with fog and mist rolling around me as I rode alone.

It was a bit creepy and I kept expecting Vincent Price to step out in front of me at any moment wearing a black cape and doing that insane laugh.

The bike trail goes past a small cemetery where I have explored many times before, and I recalled the plots of 3 children that lay side by side in the older part of the grounds. At some point on that bike ride, an idea took form as I visualized a photograph of 3 Victorian Era children from my collection. Taking liberty with the artistic principle, I focused more on the general meaning of the word: Harmony in the way they each seemed to have strong individual characteristics , yet all shared common features and contributed to a family legacy. Three notes of a chord. A trio of stories left unfinished.

You never know where inspiration will come from. My best advice is to be open to it, be free and playful with the possibilities, and if you get a chance to ride your bike through thick fog on an early morning in June, just do it.

Saint Mildburga

2009-06-19T20:56:00.009-05:00

This week my cats alerted me to a bird trapped in the fireplace chimney. It happens occasionally, and I have a method of rescue which does not include the cats. Off they went, banished temporarily to the basement. I set up a light on the glass fireplace doors, open the flue, and shortly the bird will come down to the light, thinking it is an escape to the outside. Then I can reach into the fireplace, grab the bird and release it outdoors. One would think I have done this before, right? This time it was a pair of chimney swifts. What strong little birds! I held each one long enough to admire their piercing black eyes and sleek profile, then opened my hand and they were gone.

I was reminded of a little collage made in 2007 when our theme for the month was "saints." This is my interpretation of Mildburga, Patron Saint and protector of Birds.

Garden Journal

2009-06-12T10:56:00.006-05:00

Over the past few years I have kept a very informal little garden journal. In it are brief notes about when certain plants are blooming, when pests appear and what is done about it (this year we will be writing about gophers). There are notes about collecting seeds, which variety of tomatoes were best, and occasional drawings of the placement of plants in the flower beds. Last year's entries included weather notes; the devistating tornado we watched from our home and the floods that left us with "lake front property" and others without homes.

It's interesting to look back over past seasons and read the plans made for this one. The pages are often smudged with dirt, as entries are made while I rest after working. This is part of the overall 'patina' of the book.

My own little garden journal sits on a shelf in my garden shed; the one pictured here is from my Etsy shop.

Into the Garden

2009-06-06T21:27:00.008-05:00

We have had a nice steady rain over night and throughout the day today. The garden is happy.

Several years ago I decided to transform the vegetable garden to a flower garden. This evolved after my "Earth Mother" phase in which I grew and canned everything. These days I am just as happy to support the Farmer's Market, but there are still a few tomato plants, green peppers and basil among the many flowers.

My Grandpa, who inspired my love of gardening, was always digging, planting and harvesting. In the spring there would be hundreds of tulips and in the fall, the entire yard was bordered by chrysanthemums of every imaginable variety. There were grafted fruit trees with 4 different kinds of pears on the same tree, roses and flowering shrubs galore. Grape vines grew on the fence around the garden and in the fall he made the best wine ever. He worked in the garden right up until the day he died and was always looking ahead to the next season.

I have kept his tree spade and most of his garden books, and all that he taught me over the years. And sometimes when I am out in my own garden I feel that he is still watching and guiding me with his gentle spirit.

Blue Iris

2009-06-01T18:58:00.004-05:00

The highlight of our spring flower garden is the stand of blue iris in late May and early June. I wish they would bloom all summer long.

They are an annual reminder that the school year is almost over and soon there will be an abundance of unstructured time for making art, riding bicycles, reading, and puttering in the garden. Bring it on!

Untold Story

2009-05-22T13:14:00.013-05:00

When beginning an illustration, I usually have no preconceived idea where it will go or what the finished work will look like. The story unfolds as layers are created and often the end result is a total surprise. This is the way I like to work, implying an untold story that the viewer can participate in, leaving clues and evidence of what might have happened. There is no absolute answer and the story can change at any given moment.

I am reminded of an old Calvin and Hobbs cartoon in which Calvin is working on a paint-by-number painting. Hobbs, looking over his shoulder remarkes "Hey, that's not right.... you're supposed to follow the numbers!" Calvin's reply: "But then my picture would look just like the one on the box..... " Calvin gets it.

Spring Haiku

2009-05-20T17:29:00.005-05:00

The theme for this month's exchange is nesting and haiku. As I was working, my husband came up to the studio and in our conversation I learned that he had never written a haiku. I explained the concept to him and within minutes he had composed this one.

Maybe you too would enjoy writing a spring haiku...... first line 5 syllables, second line 7 syllables, third line 5 syllables.

Fun With Tyvek

2009-05-14T09:24:00.012-05:00

These lovely objects are made from recycled Tyvek mailing envelopes! Since they are almost indestructable I have used them as embellishments on the covers of some of my books: This example also has beadwork, which is stitched through the Tyvek and onto the cover with equally indestructable 'fireline.'

Back to the Tyvek..... here is a brief description of the process used to create the ornaments.

You will need a Tyvek mailing envelope, stamp pad inks or other permanent colored inks, a teflon pressing cloth, a piece of scrap paper, iron, and metallic acrylic paints (optional). Work in a well ventellated room.

First, open up the envelope so the blank side is fully exposed. Use permanent colored inks (almost any kind works) to color the entire surface. I use stamp pads that are permanent when heat set. Blend several colors together if you like. Allow this to dry and cut the Tyvek into pieces about 3 to 4 inches square.

Here is the tricky part..... place a Tyvek piece on scrap paper under your teflon pressing cloth and press straight down with a hot iron for JUST A FEW SECONDS then lift the iron straight up. Check to see the results. If your Tyvek did not scrunch up then you must press briefly again. If you keep the heat on it too long, the Tyvek will simply begin to desintegrate. Be prepared to experiment (play) with this to get the feel of just how long to apply the heat. It is very fun and somewhat addictive to watch when the little piece scrunches up properly.

When your embellishments are done, you can use a sponge to lightly apply metallic acrylic paint to accent the high parts. This accentuates the wonderful random patterns that happen.

These ornaments can be used in many different ways.

I have used these in collage also, and am working on a series I hope to post here in the future.

As always, HAVE FUN.

Hand Bound Visual Journals

2009-05-13T17:30:00.006-05:00

I have been busy making more hand bound visual journals. I've made a series of this design, which is one I like to use myself. These have a variety of hand torn papers for mixed media: Lenox, Strathmore Artagain, and heavy drawing paper. Since the book opens flat, it is easy to work on the pages. The size (5 x 7) is just right for slipping into a bag, along with a few pens and markers and it's easy to hold on your lap for little watercolor sketches and journal entries.

The leather used for spines is upcycled from discarded leather coats. There are so many materials that can be re-used in creative ways.

I have always loved the look and feel of well worn vintage books and have tried to create a bit of that here while designing an inviting "take along" visual journal for mixed media artists.

The covers are made with book board and canvas that has been slightly darkened around the edges for a comfortable vintage appearance.

The spine has exposed binding in a "Harlequin Stitch." This is a rather unusual technique that involves crossing threads between 2 signatures at a time. It is a challenging one to learn.

I use waxed linen for strong bindings and like the way it looks against the spine.

Here is a close up of the stitching. I have found that using a very small leather punch for the holes is preferable to an awl for this binding.
You can see more books like this and other designs at my Etsy shop.

Happy MOTHer's Day

2009-05-08T13:03:00.006-05:00

I found this lovely moth illustration in a vintage nature guide and just had to use it. The background is writing from an old post card and the tree branches are actually photoshop brushes called 'Winter Branches' that I downloaded from 'Room 122'.

Photo Transfer Edge Effect

2009-05-06T11:31:00.005-05:00

If you are learning photoshop and want to try some special effects, you will be pleased to know there are some great tutorials on the web. An example is this tutorial by "PSHERO" for a photo transfer edge effect. This was my first attempt at the technique and it was easy to follow his instructions. There were screen shots of every step, which was very helpful. I would advise printing off the tutorial so you don't have to keep switching screens as you learn.

Here are more tutorials by PSHERO.
Have fun!

Color Play

2009-05-05T11:00:00.011-05:00

One of the things I like about playing with images in photoshop is the ability to alter colors and textures. The above example started out as a random collection of post card stamps and writings scanned into the program and arranged in layers. The posterize filter was used, colors were altered, and various brushes were used as stamps to create additional texture. You can see the original image below for comparison.

I like the way this turned out and may use it as a backing on some of my ATCs.

Feel the Gladness of May

2009-05-01T20:26:00.009-05:00

Every year at this time the bluebells come out along the Greenbelt. The blooms last for about a week, creating a sea of blue on the forest floor and a cloud of fragrance that hangs in the air. It is intoxicating to the senses, and an annual event not to be missed. This year there has been some minor flooding from a recent rain storm and the trails have turned to thick mud. Nonetheless, it was worth getting feet caked with goo to 'feel the blue' again. These photos were taken in the early evening at a primitive park called "The Bird Sanctuary." You can click on the photos to enlarge them.

Scrap Box Collage

2009-04-28T13:07:00.012-05:00

Today's exercise was to create a collage with paper, beads and objects from my scrap box. I found a small piece of heavy watercolor paper that had a wash of warm yellow for the background. Torn paper, beads, pieces of melted tyvek, 3 oriental coins and string all play together in this small composition.

If you have a scrap box or place where you keep things too good to throw away, challenge yourself to use only it's contents as a source of materials for your next collage. You might be surprised what treasures are waiting to be rediscovered.

Middle Life

2009-04-24T09:42:00.006-05:00

A bit of reflection on getting older. Although I embrace this time of life and the sense of liberation it brings, the darkness comes from losses we also must accept in middle life.

I've included this quote from Henry David Thoreau: "Live each season as it passes. Breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit and resign yourself to the influence of each."

Roy

2009-04-23T04:31:00.005-05:00

Last summer we discovered a tiny little black kitten in our flower bed. You can imagine the rest of the story. Roy is now almost a year old and has a definite superiority complex and delusions of grandeur. My kind of cat !!!

Here's Roy in mid-meow featured in my 'fun with photoshop' post for today.

Earth Day

2009-04-22T08:12:00.003-05:00

"When seen from outer space, our beautiful blue planet has no national boundaries."
Dalai Lama

"Thank you Earth, You know the way."
A Mohawk Blessing