The house is a long recognized icon representing Home, Love, Comfort, Sense of Place. It is an oft used symbol of artworks and one I have use frequently in both, mixed media and assemblage. It seems they run in series for me. A personal symbol, I will likely return to again and again.
When is a collage not a collage? When it's an assemblage!
As soon as I decide to use a cradle board as my substrate for a collage piece, it's a pretty good chance that SOMETHING will get added to the frame. I mean, "Hello! Sturdy wood boards!" just begging to be nailed, drilled, glued.
PROTIP
When the collage is going nowhere, stick some people in there to give a focal point. #protip
I've had this obsession with this photo for a year or two. It's from a collection of found photos by Oliver Wasow that he generously shares on Instagram. I've mentioned him before because they are THAT good!
I've had this idea of doing collage on shapes other than square or rectangular for awhile.
It's been two weeks since our return from England. And maybe the hardest two weeks of my life.
Firstly, I'd like to thank you for all the interest in Three Ravens from last week. They've all SOLD! Yay! Love when that happens. I may have mentioned here, in the past, that I don't actively sell much these days...or at least don't MARKET my work (other than y'know the socials)...as it felt/feels SO forced. But I do love it when someone (maybe you?) wishes to buy something. Warms the cockles of my heart. Thank you! Thank you!
It's been awhile...a loooonnnng while...since I've posted finished (read: available) work here. So be it.
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| "I DON'T LIKE SPINICH" |
In between the video learning curve and planting the garden and getting ready for my daughter's wedding, I took a course from Judy Woods. I learned of Judy through Jackie who I discovered on YouTube. She took this "stARTSworkshop" last year and I was curious. Initially, I held off (read above) but I eventually succumbed. Because my nosy art brain Needed to Know.
I had THE best Life Example in my Dad for the Art of Learning New Things as we get older. At 50 he changed careers - and I don't mean moving laterally from one company to another. Nope. He went back to school, driving for hours through Quebec winter nights- from engineer to teacher. Learned to bake bread and make ice cream for my Mom's cafe (STARTING a cafe in their 60s!). Took up the trombone in his late 60s. Carving rocking horses for his granddaughters in his 70s. Short story, long, he was a life long learner and it struck a chord. (I miss him)
After a class, particularly one as intense as Sketchbook Revival (13 days, 2 classes per day, most an hour each... oof!), it takes me awhile to get back into gear. So I play, with my sketchbooks, with techniques I've learned, with new colour palettes but nothing really "important". Important in this case meaning with intent. Maybe even far reaching.
I'm immersed in classes this month (you can check out WHY in my last post) so I wanted to come up with a quick #fridaymusings post and what's better than a list!
You may ask yourself, "I'm on my art path. I know what I want to make, why should I take classes, at all? And you're right to ask. Maybe they aren't for you. But. Every year for the last few, I've dedicated the first few months of the year to taking (online) classes. The reasons are many and I'll try to list mine below.
I was asked to fill in for a show at The Ice House Gallery in Tatamagouche, NS. The curator has always been super good to me so of course I said, "Yes!" after I did a mental tally and thought, "Yep! I've got enough potential pieces to make this work." Only, they were all on paper and far from being finished. But I had a few weeks and I always work well with a deadline. Bring it on, right?!?
Relax! I'm not talking about no longer making art but rather when do you decide that an artwork is not working, may NEVER work? When you do you pull the plug and say, "Nope. Not gonna happen!"?
The other day I was sitting at my desk making some new collage bits out of old collage detritus and thought it might be entertaining? helpful? inspirational? to do a bit of a deep dive into the Hows and Whys of creating your own collage fodder.
Something I've been thinking about lately — posting EVERY. DAY. — on Social Media. I read a post the other day about how we are short changing ourselves, hurrying to post a finished work every day.
I've been doing a bunch of different things in the studio, creating New Year's cards which I hope will be sent out in the next few weeks as well as a little taster from creator of Sketchbook Revival, Karen Abend. I also have a show application I need to focus on and start working on some bigger abstracts. In short, busy busy which is just how I like it!
