Sometimes Reaching is Hard...But Reach We Must...

Big Life - Collage

There are times when life is a song. You know all the words, sing along, and even throw in a few improvised moments with wild abandon. And everything falls into place. Like magic. But we have all experienced times that are challenging. We not only forget the words, but at times the tune. And life seems to be getting smaller, restricted, limited. And this is where I am at the moment.

On the way home from a doctor's appointment I stopped at Starbucks for coffee. I reached into a bin of cup sleeves and pulled out one with the following message:

"Your life is big. Keep reaching." - Oprah Winfrey

Encouraging advice continues on the back: take a few moments to pause and reflect. Teavana and Oprah call it your own personal "steep time". Time to Steep Your Soul.

It was just what I needed to read. Synchronicity? I believe so. And it was enough to get me back to hearing a  bit of the tune...if not the words. I rifled through my box of ephemera. I found a vintage romance magazine. The image of the woman from a 1920's ad was just what I needed. Someone happy, effervescent...dare I say Bubbly? Someone clearly reaching and enjoying life.

The substrate for the collage is a canvas panel. The background is a page from the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper Want Ads circa 1972. Hershey Kiss wrappers, fine art images, tea dyed gauze, a dried petal from an iris plant, tea bags, printed and rubber stamped tissue paper, dictionary text. Acrylic paint sponged and pushed through purchased and hand cut stencils finish the collage.

So, although my life is still not filled with lyrics and a tune, I am hopeful. I know the big life is there. I just need to keep on reaching.

Summer Is Just A Sigh Away...

"Four Seasons Suite - Summer" 5" x 7" COLLAGE

The collage is an homage to one of the best times of the year and is part of the "Four Seasons Suite" I have been working on.

I used a 5" x 7" canvas substrate. The handmade papers were altered using acrylic paint, alcohol, water, Ranger inks, and Perfect Pearls Mist. Tea dyed gauze crosses the canvas at the woman's eye level. Mulberry paper completes the top portion of the design.

I am crazy about Victoriana. The images from Dover books. In my opinion they have the best selection of all.

To quote Henry James: "Summer afternoon — summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."

And Summer will be here before we know it!

My Tea with Agatha

My Tea With Agatha

Keeping on a Food Theme...I am an insatiable reader. I usually have at least two or three books going at the same time. I normally read non-fiction...but I do love the twists and turns of an Agatha Christie story. My Mom is a great mystery reader and she introduced me to Agatha and her ingenious plots.

For many years I lived in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. Agatha went missing in December 1926. A manhunt ensued and she was discovered at the Swan Hydropathic Hotel registered under the name of Mrs. Teresa Neele. The Old Swan, as it is now called, was an easy walk from my house. I would stop there or at the Royals Baths, or Betty's for tea.

I loved using the photo of Agatha as a young girl. With her faraway expression, was she  searching for her own Muse? She did inspire me.

My collage again has canvas as the substrate. Included are a photo of a young Agatha Christie, tea stained cloth, dictionary pages, handmade and found papers, and....tea bag tags. There's even a Taylor's Tea tag...a right old Harrogate tea...and a company I had the pleasure doing business with when I was a commercial screen printer.