The Magical Sparkle of "Thank You"

“If the only prayer you ever say is ‘Thank You’ that will be enough.” – Eckhart Tolle

 
Looking out over our frost kissed lawn has been a not so gentle reminder that Winter is on the way. But rather than curse the cold, I embraced the sparkle and shine as inspiration for my next Artistcellar Design Team project.

Working with my favourite substrate, Illustration Board, I covered the surface with a smooth coat of gesso. The next layer added was an article about the Dada Movement printed on slightly yellowed newsprint paper. There was a little bit of bleed when I covered the print with Matte Medium. I liked the way the ink became bolder in certain areas as it dried. Looking for a bit of texture, I mopped on white gesso with a rough natural sponge. My board took on a white, frosty appearance … exactly as I had hoped it would. Slow to dry completely, I left it out overnight and in the morning I was ready to begin.

I wanted the look of lace for my background. Artistcellar’s Quasicrystal stencil Quasi, was perfect. I applied the pattern with Champagne metallic acrylic. Combined with the white gesso, it gave me the nostalgic effect I was after.

I’ve had the image of the two women kicking around my scrap box for some time, and I knew this was the perfect setting for them. I only wish I knew who they were and the reason for the photo. They do look happy to be sharing time together. Perhaps I could create an interesting history for them with the elements I had at hand.

I have been winterising the flower beds around the house and salvaged a few dried hydrangea blossoms. The colour was perfect and the petals held up well when glued to the board. My finishing touch was the series of jewelry tags, covered in liquid acrylic and a few Halftone Dots.

As the seasons blend one into the other, I know I am guilty of allowing the daily mechanics of existence to dull the sparkle and shine of living life mindfully. With the celebration of Thanksgiving I am reminded that a simple “Thank You” has the all the magical sparkle we need.

MATERIALS USED:

• ARTISTCELLAR STENCILS: QUASICRYSTALS (Quasi & Infra), HALFTONE DOTS
• INKADINKADO RUBBER STAMP: Moth
• LIQUITEX WHITE ACRYLIC GESSO
• LIQUITEX MATTE MEDIUM
• MEMENTO DYE INK: Tuxedo Black
• DYLUSION PAINT: Squeezed Orange
• PLAID: Champagne, Sahara Gold                                      
• DALER-ROMNEY: Acrylic Ink Velvet Violet
• DALER-ROMNEY: Liquid Acrylic Galactic Blue
• NATURAL SPONGE
• JEWELRY TAGS
• BEES WAX INFUSED BROWN, ART PAPER, & DOILY
• COFFEE STAINED GAUZE
• SURGICAL TAPE
• DRIED HYDRANGEA PETALS
• STORE TRADING STAMP
• VINTAGE IMAGE
• ILLUSTRATION BOARD

The Laws of Chance

When life takes on the feeling of being trapped in a never ending roundabout, it’s nice to stop, step back and search for balance. I find solace in Art History.

The Dada Movement inspires me. Born of the chaos of World War I the Dadaists embraced all facets of art as an authentic means of expression. Tristan Tzara, a man with a poet’s heart and a founding member of the movement, composed his work by cutting up newspaper articles and selecting words at random. Following his lead, I cut text from a variety of sources and a photo of Tzara into strips.

The more I looked at the material on my work table, the more I wanted to free the collage to build itself. As was the choice of many Dadaists I wanted to follow the laws of chance. Using this technique and a photo of a pair of cupped hands, a design began to emerge.

To complete the work, I turned to the pages of my Strathmore Visual Journal. It is such a great resource to have at hand…everything in one place ready for use. It was from these pages that I chose the Artistcellar Marked and Blocks series.They were the perfect compliment. Not only did the colour of the neon acrylics and organic Marked shapes enhance the collage, but I was happy with the straight edged Open Work design. It was the perfect foil. Artistcellar stencils never disappoint!

Working in the method of the Dadaists did the trick. The commotion surrounding me slowed and became ordered and, almost magically, not as chaotic. 

It was then I realised something I knew in my heart all along. Making the decision to leave some things to chance is beneficial in…my work as well as in life. It is true that when we learn to let go of what we can’t change, we are open to the possibilities of what we can. We are free to follow the laws of chance, knowing that the decision is always in our hands.

MATERIALS USED

• ARTISTCELLAR MARKED & BLOCKS SERIES STENCILS
• PUNCHINELLA
• DINA WAKLEY LEMON & LIME ACRYLICS
• REEVES METALLIC ACRYLIC: GOLD, ROSE RED, BRONZE
• NATURAL SPONGE
• VINTAGE & CONTEMPORARY MAGAZINES & BROCHURES
• PHOTOCOPIES
• STRATHMORE MIXED-MEDIA VISUAL JOURNAL

Buried Treasure...Adding Our Voices To Art History!

HUGO'S SOUND POEM - ATC

There is nothing as intriguing as going on a treasure hunt! The anticipation of what you might find is palatable. And what a treat when you finally make your discovery!

Below you will find my post as part of  Seth Apters's Buried Treasure project. I encourage you to visit his Blog, The Altered Page, to view Seth's and other Bloggers posts from the past. I enjoyed visiting each link. It was great to revisit posts and terrific finding new Blogs I can follow in the future.

I chose my Saturday, 11 October 2014 post because Art History is truly a treasure hunt for me. When I lack inspiration, I look to the past for comforting encouragement and a way to reconnect with my Muse. 

So...are you willing to join the hunt? After all, aren't we all adding our voices to the joyful chorus of Art History?

Saturday 11 October 2014 - Finding My Way Through XYZ...

A call for art from The Carlisle Arts Learning Center in Carlisle Pennsylvania intrigued me. "XYZ" was the unconventional theme for an Artist Trading Card exhibit sponsored by the Gallery.
 
XYZ..XYZ... The letters rolled around my mind...What do those final three letters of the alphabet mean to me?
 
I admit, I have been struggling lately. Feeling uninspired,  I know my Muse hasn't abandoned me, at least not completely, but we just don't seem to be connecting. Projects started are in my studio, half completed, if they had the good fortune to even get that far.
 
And it saddens me. I miss the rush, the passionate excitement of new ideas, of experiments successful...and perhaps not quite so. I miss the joy of creating. But how can I get on track and open the lines of communication fully with my Muse?
 
Waiting for an appointment I pulled a small book on Dada from my handbag. The book fell open to a page with a photo of Hugo Ball dressed in costume and ready to recite a poem. A Sound Poem. My Muse reaching out? Synchronicity? It was perfect. I could feel the spark of excitement starting again.
 
Dadaism as an art movement was founded in Zürich Switzerland on February 5, 1916. Artists are poets rejected the conventional methods of Art and started something new. The Cabaret Voltaire hosted performance art and sound poetry. Hugo Ball wanted to return to "the most intimate alchemy of the word, and even to go beyond it in order to preserve for poetry its most sacred domain".
 
XYZ...over and over...with a rhythm going to the source not only of the poem I could hear, but the uninspired place in my soul.
 
The substrate for the ATC is illustration board. I photocopied the photo of Hugo in his shaman's hat and Cubist costume. Finding the letters X,Y, and Z seemed to just fall into place, gleaned from various magazines. I finished with metallic acrylic paint sponged on to the card. At the end of the exhibit the cards will be traded.
 
Although I'm still finding my way through, returning to Art History certainly has started opening up the lines of communication for me. How do you rekindle your relationship with your Muse?

How Do Your Dreams Influence Your Art?

HUGO'S XYZ - COLLAGE

I love returning to Art History. It is a comforting place...like a warm sweater on a cold night...nurturing, enveloping, familiar. And every time I return I discover something new and inspiring.

The National Collage Society hosts a Postcard Exhibit annually. April 2, 2015 to May 12, 2015 marks the 18th Annual Exhibit. The entries, all 4" x 6" postcard size, are on show at the Tucson Jewish Community Center Art Gallery in Tuscon, Arizona.

Lately I have read a lot of Art History books and articles. They have influenced my thinking while awake and asleep. And oh the dreams! One night I found myself at the Cabaret Voltaire in Zürich, listening to Hugo Ball reciting a Sound Poem. Like most dreams, images juxtaposed themselves without thought of cohesion...just random images shooting through the kaleidoscope of my nocturnal mind.

I felt my Muse was encouraging me to return to the world of the Sound Poem. And so began my entry for the show.

The substrate for the collage is a canvas board. The photo of Hugo in his shaman's hat and Cubist costume took center stage. I paid homage to his poem by incorporating the title KARAWANE. I added metallic acrylic paint sponged on to canvas. It was finished by with a Swiss postage stamp, and a Dada inspired pointing finger and the word Cacodylic.

The Society chose sixteen winners from the entries. I am delighted and honoured to be among them. You can view the collage work chosen here.

Musings by day and night shape our world as artists. How do your dreams influence your Art?

Where Will Your "World Tour" Take You?

A Nile Journey - Digital Collage

Although February is so cold and blustery here in the Eastern United States, there is a convivial, scarlet heart that beats the rhythm of love in this dead of Winter month.

With this in mind, Lunagirl Moonbeam's next challenge is...RED. Looking through her incredible collection of images my eye kept coming back to a woman pensively looking over her shoulder. What could she be looking for...or thinking about?

I then spotted the beautiful frame in Lunagirl's collection. It was just what I was looking for...gold, crimson, and beautiful.

As I travelled to the world of the "Lady in Red" the collage quickly fell into place. I could imagine her "World Tour", when  voyaging was a real adventure. With her felucca sailing away, there she is, having her photo taken as she disembarked on the banks of the Nile. And the memento of the occasion, safely enclosed in the frame, is her gift to her beloved.

From my own digital ephemera collection I started the piece with a nebula background...a fitting base for the star-crossed lovers. I added the postcard and stamp, because a "World Tour" just isn't the same without correspondence to mark the journey. I finished the piece with a romantic full red rose.

Today - February 5th, fellow Collage Artists, is the anniversary of the birth of Dada. In 1916 the Cabaret Voltaire in Zürich opened to a standing room only crowd. Do you think the Cabaret Voltaire would be our Lady's next port of call?

As we all take our own "World Tour", where will it lead you and who will join you on your voyage?

What is Essential to You?

Han's Richter's Dada XYZ 1948

As a creative person, what is essential to you?  "XYZ", an Artist Trading Card call from the Carlisle Arts Learning Center in Carlisle, PA. had me thinking. My Muse was on hiatus. I felt stranded when I opened my book on the Dada Movement, and received inspiration from Hugo Ball's Sound Poems.

It was what I needed to kick-start me into action. So it felt natural to explore the world of Dada through the eyes of other members. And what could be more appropriate than to read Hans Richter's "Dada XYZ".  The piece opens with: "I never understood Hugo Ball very well."

I photocopied the photo of Hans Richter and attached it to illustration board. The text in the background is Richter's thoughts written in 1948. It is published in Robert Motherwell's anthology of Dada writings, The Dada Painters and Poets. I finished the card with sponged metallic acrylic paint. At the end of the exhibit this card will also be traded.

Inspired by the Dadaists, not understanding is the essential quality I look for in Art and in Life. Not understanding keeps me thinking...keeps me investigating...keeps my lines to my Muse open. And when I do finally understand, even if not fully, it can lead me to some very interesting, unexpected and inspiring places.

My question to you is...what is Essential to You?

Finding My Way Through X, Y, and Z!

Hugo's Sound Poem - ATC

A call for art from The Carlisle Arts Learning Center in Carlisle Pennsylvania intrigued me. "XYZ" was the unconventional theme for an Artist Trading Card exhibit sponsored by the Gallery.

XYZ..XYZ... The letters rolled around my mind...What do those final three letters of the alphabet mean to me?

I admit, I have been struggling lately. Feeling uninspired,  I know my Muse hasn't abandoned me, at least not completely, but we just don't seem to be connecting. Projects started are in my studio, half completed, if they had the good fortune to even get that far.

And it saddens me. I miss the rush, the passionate excitement of new ideas, of experiments successful...and perhaps not quite so. I miss the joy of creating. But how can I get on track and open the lines of communication fully with my Muse?

Waiting for an appointment I pulled a small book on Dada from my handbag. The book fell open to a page with a photo of Hugo Ball dressed in costume and ready to recite a poem. A Sound Poem. My Muse reaching out? Synchronicity? It was perfect. I could feel the spark of excitement starting again.

Dadaism as an art movement was founded in Zürich Switzerland on February 5, 1916. Artists are poets rejected the conventional methods of Art and started something new. The Cabaret Voltaire hosted performance art and sound poetry. Hugo Ball wanted to return to "the most intimate alchemy of the word, and even to go beyond it in order to preserve for poetry its most sacred domain".

XYZ...over and over...with a rhythm going to the source not only of the poem I could hear, but the uninspired place in my soul.

The substrate for the ATC is illustration board. I photocopied the photo of Hugo in his shaman's hat and Cubist costume. Finding the letters X,Y, and Z seemed to just fall into place, gleaned from various magazines. I finished with metallic acrylic paint sponged on to the card. At the end of the exhibit the cards will be traded.

Although I'm still finding my way through, returning to Art History certainly has started opening up the lines of communication for me. How do you rekindle your relationship with your Muse?