Are You A Hopeless Romantic?

“Postman’s bag is always heavy because it carries the life itself: It carries all the sorrows and all the joys, all the worries and all the hopes!”― Mehmet Murat ildan

Have you ever waited for the postman to arrive? I am sure you have, if you are like me. And do you ever wonder what is in their mailbag? Of course there are bills, and junk mail, which can be a treasure trove for collage artists. But do you ever wonder about the other mail…the messages of delight or passion or longing? And is there still room for them in the age of texts and email?

I recently received a nice collection of acrylics from Artistcellar. They were new to me and I couldn’t wait to give them a go. The Dylusion Paint series is blendable and quick drying, manufactured with journaling in mind. The colours are vivid in the wide mouth tubs. I wondered if they would keep this wonderful quality once applied to my substrate.

I decided to work on illustration board. Rather than prep with gesso, I simply lightly sanded the surface and applied the Squeezed Orange Paint. Coverage was quick and easy, although it didn’t dry quite as fast as I thought it would. But sure enough, the orange kept its vibrant glow after drying. I next stenciled with Quasi from the Artistcellar Quasicrystals Series using the Dylusion Spray in Bubble Gum Pink. Although you can still see the stencil if you look closely, the Paint absorbed the colour. Not what I had in mind for this project, but a finish to keep in mind for the future.

I wanted to put the rest of the colours through their paces, so I sponged them randomly through my Diamond stencil. With the open stencil area it was easy to see how they performed. Again, as with the Squeezed Orange paint, I am pleased to say Vibrant Turquoise, Fresh Lime, and London Blue were easy to work with and held the brilliant colour you can see in the tubs…even after layering paint on paint.

With the background finished I continued by attaching a vintage photo I found in an old magazine. The postage stamps and Priority label just seemed to fit so well with our postman. I found a rubber stamp with beautiful calligraphy. Could the message on the stamp be from a letter in his mailbag? Why not? I inked the stamp with Vibrant Turquoise Paint and stamped on to very fine tissue paper, then attached with matte medium to the board. The final touch was to stencil the Infra image in gold.

Maybe I’m just a hopeless romantic, but seeing the postman with his mailbag does pull at the heart strings. And yes, I believe there is a place for "real" mail in the age of texts and email. My question is this: Is there someone who would love receiving a real letter from you? And would decorating it with your stunning art bring joy to you both? Many believe that letters mingle souls. I know I do.

MATERIALS USED:

• ARTISTCELLAR: QUASICRYSTALS SERIES (Infra, Quasi)
• DIAMOND HANDCUT STENCIL
• DYLUSIONS PAINT: Squeezed Orange, Fresh Lime, Vibrant Turquoise, London Blue
• DYLUSION SPRAY: Bubble Gum Pink
• DINA WAKLEY: Blushing, Lemon
• DECOART: Splendid Gold, Champagne
• REEVES: Rose Red
• ROUND SYNTHETIC SPONGE
• LIQUITEX MATTE MEDIUM
• FINE GRADE SANDPAPER
• TISSUE PAPER
• RECOLLECTIONS RUBBER STAMP
• VINTAGE PHOTO, POSTAGE STAMPS, LABEL
• ILLUSTRATION BOARD

Searching for Letters Abroad

“There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all”  

In My Life - John Lennon

Of late, the Full Moon has been my time of introspection. Urged on by the changing of the seasons, so it was again this month. The feeling of melancholy surrounds me as I see the leaves change colour and begin their spiral dance to the earth. And the progression continues with change as the only constant.

I have mentioned how much the Artistcellar Labyrinth series has inspired my work. Believing in Synchronicity, they came to me just when I needed them most. This time my chosen stencil to work with was Gonzaga. I love the clean straight lines. It would be a superb counterpoint for the elements I collected for the collage.

A new medium for me is the Deco Art Media Crackle Paste. Application is easy and all that is needed is a palette knife and patience to allow for an adequate drying time. I picked a piece of copper metallic writing paper for my substrate. As I spread the paste through the stencil I wondered how it would hold up. Would this technique be its demise? It’s an interesting process to watch. The thickness of application varies the size of the eggshell cracks. And like magic…there they were. I pulled the stencil away from the paper and started my clean-up. I’m happy to report, as with all Artistcellar products, cleaning was easy and the stencil held up beautifully. Quality, quality, quality!

Hearing “In My Life” on the radio brought back so many wonderful memories from a time before email. It’s no secret that I am a passionate lover of the written word. Letters, postcards…anything in the mail is nourishment for my Muse! I relish the anticipation as much as the delivery. Just to see an address in a familiar hand is uplifting. I wanted my theme for the collage to be the art of correspondence.

I admit I find it difficult to meditate. So many ideas, so many images interrupt what should be a place of quiet and wonder. By using the labyrinth as the focal part of my work, I am getting closer to quieting my mind. The Labyrinth pulls together my random thoughts. So the work you see here is an attempt at stream of consciousness meditation, for lack of a better phrase.

It was time to complete the collage. Drawing from my Book of Backgrounds (aka the Strathmore Mixed-Media Visual Journal) I selected other stencil designs I created: Halftone Dots, Seafoam, and Open Works from the Blocks series. Placing the images went smoothly…as if they knew where they should “live”. I allowed myself to feel, and to journey looking back at what once was with a definite optimistic view of the future. I recognise that accepting change is an integral part of the progression.

In my life all these places had their moments. And for that I am grateful.

Shameless Plug: The Labyrinth Series in addition to other works incorporating Artistcellar Stencils will be on show at the Oyster Mill Playhouse, Camp Hill, PA November 4 through November 20, 2016

MATERIALS USED:

• ARTISTCELLAR STENCILS: BLOCKS: Open Work; LABYRINTH: Gonzaga; HALFTONE DOTS; SEAFOAM
• PLAID FOLKART METALLIC ACRYLICS: Rose, Rose Shimmer, Plum, Aquamarine, Antique Gold, Amethyst, Blue Topaz, Royal Gold, Inca Gold, Champagne
• REEVES ACRYLICS: Silver, Gold, Rose Red, Bronze
• DECO ART MEDIA: CRACKLE PASTE – White
• METALLIC WRITING PAPER - Bronze
• ROYAL LANGNICKEL WATERCOLOURS – Flat & Pearlescent
• ARTLINE STAMP PAD – Black
• NATURAL SPONGE
• PALETTE KNIFE
• WAX INFUSED PAPER
• RUBBER STAMPS
• MINERAL PAPER
• STRATHMORE Mixed-Media Visual Journal 300 Series- 5.5" x 8.5"
• DIGITAL IMAGES – Purchased & Created

Where Have Your Steps Take You?

CREATE - Mail Art

Working on Mail Art feeds my soul. I have always been the person who eagerly awaited the arrival of the mail every day. Holding an envelope in my hands gave permission to my imagination to meander. Who wrote the letter? How far did it travel? Where did it stop along the way? Did anyone else wonder about this letter as I did?

So being a part of a Mail Art Challenge was exciting for me. I enjoyed producing and giving away the Art as well as experiencing the anticipation of receiving beautiful Art in my mailbox.

I found this quote torn from a magazine:

"Art is a Journey. Embrace Each Step."

It was perfect for the Challenge. I thought of how Art has shaped my life. From childhood to the present, Art and Life have intermingled...so much so that I can't separate one from the other. Nor would I want to. Art has opened door to possibilities I never dreamed were available to me. Art has welcomed so many wonderful people, with so many distinctive points of view, into my life. It has made it richer, more enjoyable, and at times, incredibly challenging. But Art has, most of all, allowed me to be my authentic self...to accept each step along the way to becoming the Artist I am today.

Again, the substrate is a craft envelope. I surrounded the image of the woman with art and handmade paper, wax infused paper which I rubber stamped, postage stamp, clippings from magazines, and joss paper. I finished the envelope by rubber stamping and stenciling with acrylic metallic paint. Then off to the Post Office it went with my hopes that the recipient would be intrigued when it landed in her mailbox.

Are you like me...putting one foot in front of the other passionately following the steps wherever they may lead? Where have your steps taken you?

The Gift Of A Creative Journey...

CREATE - Mail Art

I have always loved receiving mail. Real mail. Snail mail. Having bits of paper in my mail box delivered by an honest to goodness person kind of mail. Before the age of emails, texting and social media, paper-in-your-hand mail was the best way to communicate and share your life events with those you cared about.

And even though it isn't as immediate, I still love the anticipation and feeling of surprise when I open my mailbox and find a treasure waiting for me.

When I found out about a Mail Art Swap on the Bliss Angels Blog I decided to jump in! The theme is CREATE. The challenge was to assemble four envelopes.

I sat down with my box of ephemera and I allowed my Muse to guide me. I had a few lovely craft envelopes to use as a substrate. I found a copy  of a painting of First Lady Louisa Adams. I loved her pose and the wistful look in her eye. I decided to build the art around her.

I have a bag of fortunes from Chinese fortune cookies. I dug deep and pulled one out. It read:

Your flair for the creative takes an important place in your life.

It was a perfect start...again...Synchronicity? The substrate is a craft envelope. In addition to the reproduction of the painting I added art and handmade paper, a wax infused paper doily, a postage stamp, newsprint, and joss paper. I finished the envelope by adding rubber stamped and stencilled acrylic metallic paint. All that was left to do was address, stamp, and send.

As I eagerly await the Art that will grace my mailbox I can't help but think about creativity and our lives. The power to create is a gift. Creativity can take us to the places of our dreams. Inspiration comes disguised and in many forms. Even on a lowly envelope.

Do What You Like. Like What You Do!

Home For Christmas - Collage

There is a saying that the secret of life is doing what you like.

I was invited to show with The Urban Individualists Group at the Artworks Gallery in Richmond, Virginia. The theme “Do what you like. Like what you do.” is Chris Ludke's inspiration. The photo below, from the exhibit, shows two of Chris' en plein air paintings.

Paintings by Chris Ludke

I selected Home For Christmas for a variety of reasons. I enjoyed working on this collage. Everything just seemed to fall into place. Again, Muse or Synchronicity... The canvas was just the right size. A piece of junk mail provided the night sky. The postage stamps and an envelope dated 1935 were just what I was looking for. The letter is from Chris. And as much as I value email for speed and an immediate response, I still love getting real letters in the mail.

Do you do what you like and follow your passion? And by doing what you like, does it bring you happiness and a sense of freedom? As Artists do we have the luxury of doing what we like and creating our own happiness? I think every Artist answers these questions just by creating.