Art Journal Fun

Here's the two page spread I plan to work on today. This is one of my smaller art journal's that I have not worked in lately. It's time has come. Four hours at the Plainfield Art League each Friday has become a fantastic opportunity for me to focus on my personal journals. The majority of my life's work has been created not only because I really do enjoy doing it, but always with the purpose that someone else would love it and want to purchase it.

That scenario presents a number of different challenges. Selections of color, design, style, imagery are all viewed from a perspective that focuses more on marketability than personal expression. Once I made the commitment to allow myself to create work solely for my own pleasure, and that was not an easy mental shift, I'm having more FUN.

Word Art

Yesterday was the monthly Art Journal meeting. Laura, our facilitator, gave us each a 4 X 6 postcard with one word printed on the back. Then we had 5 minutes to create a visual description of that word. We could select anything from the vast collection of magazines, printed or blank papers, paints & drawing tools, stickers, etc. that she spreads before us at each meeting. The timer chimed and we had to stop and pass our card to the person on our right. 5 minutes more to work on that word. The timer interrupts our focus and we must pass it on again, etc. Continuing in that way until our word returns to us. My word was DISCOVER and here's the result. It will now be archived forever in my journal.

Paper, Process & Perception

Altered Book page spread

This is a two page spread from an altered book created when I was teaching myself this NEW creative technique.  It has been taken out of the original book because I really like it and think I want to display it in a frame. One of the things I learned during this process is sometimes a really good result can be on the opposite side of another really good result, and you have to make a decision if you are willing to give up the other side. Fortunately, in this case, it wasn't an issue. But there are a few others in this same book that I'm not yet ready to relinquish.  Keep the entire book together? That is certainly what many altered book artists do and I hope that some day I will get to the point where I'm happy enough with all the pages and can do that.  I'm no where near that yet.
Progress not perfection, right?

Friday at the Plainfield Art League

Making this commitment was a good thing. It seems that if I put it on my calendar as a definite, not a maybe, I’ll do it. So far only a few people drop by each time, but we haven’t been there that long and it’s a pretty new shopping center. I would love to have lots of people pouring in to look at the exhibit and even buy a piece or two, but if not, it’s O.K. I have supplies with me so I can sit and work on my Art Journal, or elements for a new work. 
Here’s my portable supply box. This box was a purse that belonged to my Mother and has to be 20 years old. I’m so glad I kept it all these years.
 
Can you believe how much it holds?
 
I am amazed at how I had all these items and could just “fit them in”. How cool !!!

Noveldom Abatement

Noveldom is not over yet, but seems to be subsiding. Not sure yet if it’s the current story or the whisper from the studio. Last week sometime I visited the Cloth Paper Scissors on-line group, probably when I was working on that “Running with Scissors” entry, looking for inspiration. But I digress.
Today Judi Hurwitt wrote in her BLOG,“Energized and inspired by last week's interview with Sherrill Kahn and the peek we were given at her new work, Monday morning found me setting up the wet studio for some marathon fabric painting. I used to spend days and days doing this- mostly on paper and wood- and I have missed it a lot, lately.”
Hmmmm, I’m relating to that last line about missing the painting process. So I’ve  hauled out some of my collection of collage inspiration and put them next to my reading chair.

What might happen next?

BLOG update

as usual, this is not going as well or as quickly as I had hoped. Part of the problem is not knowing where to find photos when they don’t automatically come up in the pictures folder. Also, some of my photos are on my laptop so I will have to move them to the “bigger, better, faster” computer.  In the meantime higher priorities surface, (isn’t that always the way)?. I finished working on mailing out new member materials for the Midwest Collage Society, and now have to work on new art for upcoming exhibits. I need a personal assistant, any volunteers out there?  Note the description, VOLUNTEER!!

That’s all for now, have to go apply matte medium to the collage for the Naperville Art League exhibit, the theme is “Running with Scissors”, I couldn’t come up with an idea for the longest time. I even went on-line to see what I could find, guess what there’s a book and a movie with that title. Didn’t like what that was about, so went back to mulling about what to do or to just forget it. I hope I’ll have time to take a photo before I take it on Saturday.

FLORA takes 2nd place

Currently on Exhibit at Norris Gallery, St.Charles, IL

how many do I need ?

When I finished and framed “FLORA” and hung it in the gallery space I realized it needs a much larger frame with a mat.  It doesn’t  have the presence I believe the work deserves. Based on that conclusion, the next day I cut the rest of that start-up group into 4 sections each. So now I have 24 potential small works of art, 6 X 4.5. These will be easy to transport and work on during my time at the Plainfield Art League on Fridays, an additional bonus.

Here they are coated with Polymer medium and spread out to dry. I have decided to try the Jonathan Talbot technique of coating all the materials on both sides with GLOSS medium and then once assembled, use a tack iron to adhere them to each other and the backing.

Here’s two I worked on yesterday, dimensional elements are yet to be added. This is often a point at which I set the work aside for a time to enable me to come back to it in a day or so with “fresh eyes” and “ears” to know what’s next.

The cool thing about this process is the spontaneity of the design and assembly. 

Framed art ready for gallery art exhibition

“Flora” 10 X 13 Mixed Media Collage

Here’s the framed collage I just finished in time to hang in the upcoming Plainfield Art League Exhibit, Buds and Blossoms. In this art work I met my objective of using my own photo images with many different methods. The photos are of a flowering tree I have in my garden which was a very prolific bloomer last summer. It’s extremely satisfying to use these photos to profile it in this manner.

“Ready For The Dance” 10 X 13 Photo

Here’s an 8 X 10 lab printed enlargement of one of the photos used in the collage. They are presented in matching LIFESTYLES frames.

Photo Paper

http://www.officemax.com/office-supplies/paper/photo-paper/product-prod2041634

You know, when I talked about this paper the other day I knew I should tell you guys what I used, but then, I forgot, sorry. Here it is. I have not yet used it in my current collage work, but am getting close. I will be sure and let you know the results. Thanks for asking.

Start Ups

Yesterday I went to the PAL to “gallery sit” and to work. This is such a win-win for me. At the last minute my friend Joy called to say she would not be able to join me as we had planned. OK, so now I needed a new plan. The large space with many tables is a dream come true. Last week I coated “the back side” of 6 sheets of watercolor paper with Golden Matte Medium. FYI, Canson 9X12 120lb, rough surface, heavyweight. I buy this at Michaels in pads of 10 sheets (on-sale or with a 40% off coupon). I Repacked my carry/roller case with collage making essentials and the prepped papers. By noon I was all set up and worked straight through till 3:30. Now these are only the beginning.  I like working on several start-ups at once so as not to spend too much time on each one. These will have several more layers added to them.
Now I will work on each one more individually focusing on “the story” as it becomes revealed to me.  Here they are.

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Collage Exhibit at Peabody Estate "Memories"

Marianne - Mixed Media 16 X 20

Escape Into the Night - Mixed Media 22 X 30

Lots of great collage work to be seen in this exhibit.
Mayslake Peabody Estate

Inspiration for working in a series

Well, I'm finally getting back to work. This photo was taken several summers ago and I scanned it with my Brother MFC-685CW. (for those of you who ask about specific equipment). I cropped and enlarged it in Picassa to full page size and printed it on this new photo paper I bought yesterday at OfficeMax. Paper made from Stone, would you believe, never heard of such a thing. My plan is to use my photos in a Collage series. I heat set, with an iron, some ink jet printed images of other photos from the same photo session that I had printed a few weeks ago on plain multi-use printer paper. I'm applying matte medium to both sides of these and plan to use them in this collage series. Yesterday I gessoed 5 sheets of watercolor paper on one side and then put matte varnish on the back side. Last night a thinned layer of light color acrylic paint was added to the gessoed side.

Answer to question about Collage Adhesives from follower

Regarding your question about adhesives. Yes, I do use good-quality matte medium for paper and even some lightweight fabrics to layer them to the canvas/painted surface. Also, since my process is often wet into wet, with lots of layers, the acrylic paints also contribute to good adhesion, and lately I've been playing with the heat gun, as well.

That said, when it comes to actual 3 dimensional objects my tried and true friend for (30 + years) of dimensional collage making, has been 527 made by BOND adhesives. Super strong, crystal clear, durable, flexible, yada, yada. It bonds anything to anything, glass, metal, wood, plastic, fabric, shells, can't remember anything on which it didn't work.

Tag line used to be, "if you stand still long enough, I will glue you to something".

Caution, tube says quick drying, but in my experience it needs 12 hours to "set" and at least 24 to dry completely, now that may be because I am quite liberal with it for most of my uses. I do use a syringe to apply it exactly where I need it, the tube opening is kinda big and dispenses way more than I usually need in a particular spot.

Other fabricators have their favorites that work best for them, but I have work that has stood the test of time and conditions, no "new and improved", for me.

Repurpose, Redirection - Day 6

Here's one that's already a collage in process.

Repurpose, Redirection - Day 1

This week's entries will probably be more pictures than words. I am gathering together unfinished or set aside work from my garage, closets, various storage locations and sorting through and organizing it into similar ? piles. Giving each piece only a cursory look over and moving on to the next group. This was Monday before sorting. Some of this work has been put away for a looooong time.

Exhibit - Midwest Collage Society

Bloomindale Park District Museum

108 S. Bloomingdale Road

Bloomingdale IL. 60108630-539-3096

Wed 4-8

Thurs-Fri 10-4

Sat 12-4

AdmissionResidents $1

Non Residents $2

Seniors .50

Midwest Collage SocietyPresents

Layers 3

Sat. July 11th – Sat. Aug 22, 2009

Reception, meet the Artists

Sunday July 19th 2-4pm

Collage Notecards

I don’t know about you, but I frequently carry annoyances around in my head. This time it’s about wanting to send a quick thank-you note, a brief announcement, or a birthday card to a friend or collector. I have a boxful of blank cards sent to me by various organizations as a thank-you for donations I’ve made to their cause. Often I receive packets of samples others want me to choose from and order a bunch. These usually come in July or August, hoping for an order from me in time for the holidays. Because I AM a business, I have been selected as a prime candidate to be added to many different mailing lists. Not by my own hands, mind you, but “found” with computer generated search programs for bulk mailing.

Generally I like the ones from breast cancer research, and happily use the return address labels, and often the cards as enclosures for paperwork items needing to be forwarded to my sister in Spain. Other than that, they do collect and seemingly breed in the cute little storage box I purchased at the craft store just for this single purpose. BUT, I want to send something that will convey something about ME, not the graphic designer that did the artwork for most of those commercially printed cards/notes. So, here is the beginning of MY PERSONAL collage note cards. Why have I not done this before? Many years ago I developed a line of collage greeting cards that sold really well at the art fairs my daughter Tammy and I were doing together. They were a nice additional item for our booth exhibit that showcased my framed dimensional collage work and her hand woven scarves and wearables. I sit here shaking my head at how far we’ve progressed since those days. In the very beginning we didn’t even have a tent, so we prayed for no rain!!

But I digress. My creative journey shifted focus around 2000 and I became interested in using textiles as a basis for my work. Those, after all, didn’t require framing, a task that had developed into way much time out of the creative studio. My desire led me to PAQA, and as they say, the rest is history.

In the past year or so, I have felt the pull to return to my love of paper collage as well as fiber. Upon reflection, I see that some of this has come about from the influence of the Creativity Continuum exercises. I also have felt the need to work in a manner less overshadowed by the concern of creating for the potential customer and more for the love of the process. So, here I am sharing these beginnings with you, just for the sake of showing you some of the process, as well as some of the results.

Maybe you will receive one of these on your birthday!!! Do I have your address and the date?

Paper Collage

Last summer, I think it was, I launched on a small format "collage a day" pathway. Each one had to be quickly created in about an hour (not including drying time). It lasted for about a month. I glued the bunch into a black spiral bound book in order of completion and stashed it on the shelf amongst my library of Collage books and moved on to other more pressing matters. Reviewing the contents of that shelf a few weeks ago, I pulled out the book and flipped through it.

WOW, I really like them. This is one of the few times I have created anything personally for myself. Most often I come to the work with a focus on what someone else will like and want to purchase, so these are pretty personal. I shared them with my friend Joy when she came by on Weds. for our monthly get together of show & tell followed by a light lunch. Her response was quite positive and I decided to try scanning them so as to share a few with you.

I am really surprised at the detail I got with the scanner. This is great progress for me and my limited computer technology skills.

Click on the image for a GREAT close up.