Are You A Canvas?

MID-CENTURY MODERN DREAMS - Collage

 “Fashion is Art and You are the Canvas!” – Velvet Paper

Fashion truly is Art! From Haute Couture to Prêt-à-Porter the designer escorts us through their passionate journey.  Colour, form, and pattern: our shared tools of the trade inspire them to make their concepts tangible. And how heartening it is to be wrapped in someone’s dream!

When my Artistcellar box arrived in the mail I couldn’t wait to experiment with the Marked Series Stencils. With circles, X’s, and an interlocked ladder the graphic feel made me think of Mid-Century Modern art and interior design. And I was in luck: my Artistcellar treasure trove also contained Dylusion Bubble Gum Pink Ink Spray and Dina Wakley Lemon and Lime acrylics. The stencil pattern and my acrylic colours were perfect for taking me back to the time of Bakelite telephones and the Camel cigarette man wafting smoke rings across Times Square from his billboard.

I wanted to start with the background. I went to a new page in my Strathmore Mixed-Media Visual Journal. The ladder stencil and Dina’s Lemon acrylic came first. Slowly, I built up the layers using each stencil in the collection and a variety of acrylics. Then came time to throw caution to the wind! I grabbed my Dylusion Bubble Gum Pink ink and sprayed away. I loved the hot pink colour, mopped up a bit with my sponge and pushed it through the stencil. I really was pleased with the effect and will be adding it to my favored techniques. I completed the background with Punchinella, Artistcellar Halftone Dots Stencils and metallic acrylic.

I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I love the fact that the Artistcellar stencils hold up to anything I throw at, or push through them. Clean up leaves them in perfect condition ready for my next project.

Now that I had my background ready, and my colours were just as vibrant as they were wet, I knew the focal point needed to be just as bold. I am a great fan of black and white fashion photography of the 1950’s. I chose a photo of a woman, head titled back, with eyes slightly closed. What was she dreaming about… Perhaps a great adventure? And who would accompany her? And most of all, what clothing would she pack! I thought of the Bakelite phone…and the phone book she would peruse. To the left of the work you will see a page which I infused with bee’s wax.

This is what I love about Art. We have countless ways to express what comes from deep within us. With so many tools at our disposal we are only limited by our imaginations. By sharing what is essential to us we give it life, and hopefully nurture the spark in others. 

So the next time you put on that favourite piece of clothing, just think…you are the canvas helping to make a designers soul immortal!

MATERIALS USED: 

• ARTISTCELLAR MARKED SERIES STENCILS
• ARTISTCELLAR HALFTONE DOTS SERIES STENCILS
• PUNCHINELLA
• DYLUSION BUBBLE GUM INK SPRAY
• DINA WAKLEY LEMON & LIME ACRYLICS
• REEVES METALLIC ACRYLIC: GOLD, ROSE RED, BRONZE
• PLAID FOLK ART METALLIC ACRYLICS: AQUAMARINE, AMETHYST, CHAMPAGNE
• NATURAL SPONGE
• STRATHMORE MIXED-MEDIA VISUAL JOURNAL
• BEES WAX
• TELEPHONE BOOK PAPER
• DIGITAL IMAGE – FASHION OF THE 1950’S

But Is It Art?

BUT IS IT ART? Digital Collage

 “I have never been able to understand the artist whose image never changes”

-Lee Krasner, Abstract Expressionist Painter

When I feel adrift, I return to Art History. There I find comfort and direction. Reading Lee Krasner’s quote started me thinking about the evolution of our work.

Do you ever review your body of work? Do you find you can re-experience a particular time in your life just by looking at your colour selection, composition and the materials you chose? Art journaling clearly gives us a sense of time and place.  And I feel work beyond journaling can take you on a similar voyage.

Usually when I begin to work I have an inkling of where my journey will take me. But this time I really didn’t have a finished piece of work in mind, so I decided to let my supplies influence my direction. Building on my last Artistcellar piece I wanted to continue exploring the use of Rubber Cement as a resist. Last time I chose a heavy watercolour paper. I now went to the extreme…my cherished smooth and silky Mineral Paper. I was excited to see if the new substrate would enhance the resist.

Using the Artistcellar Seafoam stencil I once again applied Rubber Cement. But this time instead of using my fingers for a mottled finish, I brushed the cement in an even layer through the stencil and allowed it to dry overnight. Removing the stencil was easy, the clean-up quick, leaving it in pristine condition.

Punchinella, circular and hand cut stencils at the ready, I covered the Mineral Paper. I used both a dry brush and wash technique of various watercolours. When dried I added the metallic acrylics. I varied the density and disregarded the placement of the rubber cement.

The final step was the removal of the resist. The Mineral Paper held the cement in place which made it a little difficult to remove. What simply peeled off the watercolour paper held fast this time. But with a little perseverance, all cement was removed and I was left with an interesting array of colour and form. As with past projects, the Mineral Paper held up beautifully. No tearing or buckling. The paper is just fantastic and a MUST for any artist.

The final pattern reminded me of the post-War Abstract Expressionism movement…and I knew what I need to add to complete the image. Some time ago I purchased a fashion photo of a woman in a lovely flower print dress and hat. From her pose she could easily be gazing at an interesting piece of art. Could she be wondering…Is it Art? What do you suppose her answer would be?

When you view your work can you see a shift in perception? Do innovative and interesting influences appear over time? What images are constant…giving you a secure base to allow you to dream and experiment. And do you ever wonder, looking at the world around you…Is it Art?

MATERIALS USED

MINERAL PAPER

ARTISTCELLAR SEAFOAM STENCIL

ELMER’S RUBBER CEMENT

RUBBER CEMENT ERASER

ROYAL LANGNICKEL WATERCOLOURS

PLAID FOLK ART METALLIC ACRYLICS

ROYAL GOLD

AQUAMARINE

AMETHYST

PLUM

ROSE

CHAMPAGNE

DIGITAL IMAGES

What Are The Best Things In Your Life?

Lovelier than a thousand kisses,

Smoother than muscatel wine.

Coffee, I must have coffee,

And if anyone wants to give me a treat,

Ah! just give me some coffee! 

- The Coffee Cantata by J.S. Bach

  

Coffee. Or as we say where I come from, “cawffee” is more than just a morning ritual. Its intoxicating scent eases you into the start of the day. Rich and bold, it is a relaxing conclusion to the evening. It warms you up on a cold day or cools you down in a variety of disguises from iced to ice cream. It’s an excuse to meet and share time with friends. No matter how or where it is served, I love it! 

Working on my next collage using the wonderful Artistcellar Halftone Dots stencils I moved on to my next new love: Mineral Paper. Sleek and smooth, made from rocks, I couldn’t wait to try it out with a variety of media. It took the acrylic paint I stenciled on like a dream. No buckling or wrinkling. I was left with a wonderfully smooth, flat surface.

But would the mineral paper hold up to something a more liquid? I reached for my ever present cup of coffee. I covered the sheet with a general wash. While drying, I sprinkled on both wet grounds and instant granules. The page performed just as described by the Yasutomo Company. No bending. No warping. Just a flat surface – as pristine as when removed from the pack.

I loved the way the paper responds to wet media, but I wanted to try just one more effect. When dry I spritzed the sheet in several areas with my spray water bottle. The mottled look was just what I was after. Again, when dry the Mineral Paper remained flat, smooth and ready to be scanned.

Of late I’ve been in a ‘50’s kind of mindset. I decided to add the image of the surprised woman. But what could she be thinking? Did she just make a fantastic discovery? Of course! It has to be the best things in life.  And what could be better than a reassuring rotation of Art, Sleep and our Daily Brew? Who wants to join me?

An Attitude of Gratitude

Giving Thanks in the 50's - Digital Collage

Didn't life seem vibrant in the 1950's?

On the surface, the country had a decidedly optimistic vibe. Popular culture was in its heyday. Televisions were now in many homes. The flickering black and white screens televised  a range of viewing options from the hilarious antics of Lucy and Ethel to the wisdom of Fulton J. Sheen. The art, fashion, music, and automotive industries all pushed the boundaries of what was previously accepted behaviour. After the stark War years, Americans were grateful. They were thankful for the new and ever-changing opportunities now with their reach. It seemed as if there were no boundaries. The sky was the limit.

Embraced by these emotions I embarked on the next Lunagirl Moonbeam challenge. The Theme for November  is Thanksgiving/Harvest/ Gratitude. There are always so many choices to be had from Lunagirl's collage sheets. I chose a woman delightfully showing off  her new space age refrigerator from the Lunagirl Retro 1950's collection. 

The work is a digital collage. I kept the Mid-Century Modern ambiance by incorporating various 1950' s patterns as a background and on the woman's apron. And nothing says happiness and thanks to me better than sunflowers. But I do have to ask...did we really clean the house in heels, pearls, and a twinset?

As we Americans celebrate this Thanksgiving Day, my wish is that you find your sky-is-the-limit vibe. And may you share it with the people who support your attitude of gratitude.