Proportions of a Man's Heart

You may have seen a few glimpses of this piece in the fall, when I posted it as a WIP, before it went to the Art of Horror show. I wanted to share a few more photos of the finished piece. 

I'm currently in the process of photographing all my work and adding to my Etsy shop. So you will be seeing some details on pieces you might not have seen before, or only viewed as a work in process.



Also, I have some great news to share; I will be teaching my techniques and process of making box assemblages like this at East Coast Art Retreats. The class is called "Ghost Stories." You will learn how to I pull together the story from found objects and create your own narrative from artifacts.
 
Stay tuned for more info on this as registration is opening soon

Title: Proportions of a Man's Heart

Materials: Mixed Media Assemblage (created from found objects, vintage tool box, plastic classroom anatomy figure, key hole, key, old paper, book cover, barbed wire, army men, gel medium, acrylic paint)

Size:14 1/2" across x 10 1/2" tall x 4 1/2" deep

 

 

 

 This piece is for sale. See Art Section or my Etsy Site for more info.

Oh the Horror!

I think I mentioned earlier in the month that the wonderfully tal

ented Beth Robinson, asked me if I would be in a Halloween themed group show. I met her at the new gallery space at the soda plant, the S.P.A.C.E. I handed off my "spooky" new pieces to her today. Take a look at the creepy doll shrine and haunted mixed media collages that I will be showing.

Beth was impressed with

the size of my new pieces and I have to say they are

probably the largest

assemblages and collage works I have done. I am really happy with how all four of the pieces turned out.

Albeit, they are dark and haunted. The subject matter, stronger and and a little creepier than I usually approach.

But, it was great to stretch myself, both in the size of the work, the content and the process. I used some new techniques that I had been playing with and although I was up late, burning the midnight oil for many nights, this project was altogether, very satisfying.

I AM going to be early tonight, but there is no rest for the weary. With two craft shows looming in my near future, and a guest artist project due this weekend, I am pushing full steam ahead.

If you are in the area, do check out the show at

OH THE HORROR at the Soda Plant. It runs till 10/31 with a closing party on Halloween. And, you are welcome to pop in at the opening reception, this Friday from 5-8, part of the Burlington 1st Friday Art Walk.

Opening Reception Friday, October 2 from

5:00-9:00pm for the First Friday Art Walk
Closing party on Halloween
S.P.A.C.E.
266 Pine Street, Suite 105
Burlington, Vermont“Breath-taking” works by a group of ’strange,’ yet extraordinarily talented, artists and craftsmen: Beth Robinson, Marc Awodey, Janet Van Fleet, Kevin Montanaro, Lorraine Reynolds, Jme Wheeler, Jonathan Ward, Andrea Currie. Works range in mediums from paintings to strange dolls, to mad scientist installations and vintage horror movie posters.

hope to see you there!

Cheers!

fabric-o-rama

my etsy pals are having a little challenge on the melange blog. glenda bailey, who is a fabric addict, has challenged all the melange members to use fabric in our art. as a costume designer, fabric is always a part of my life. this love for fabric made it's way into my art. from the first altered book i made to the dolly shrines that i have been working on this week, chances are if you are looking at one of my pieces, there's apt to be some fabric on it some where.

using fabric for me has always been about texture. besides the fact that i don't seem to have the patience (or the skill) to make anything come out "flat", i love to have texture in my work. when i started this art journey and making altered books, i quickly found that fabric had so many uses. first, i adds texture and interest to the surface, secondly, i used it to cover the myriad of mistakes i made, and lastly, it help the pages from sticking together. now, there are fewer mistakes to cover, but i still use fabric. besides, it's a resource that i have tons and tons of. there was a time when i was selling bags of fabric scraps on etsy because i had so much of it.

the scrap bin is getting smaller. mostly because i have a special project, that i have been working on for craft shows. all i am going to say right now, is that it makes excellent use of scraps, in a truly artist way.

the piece that really shows how versatile fabric can be as a medium is in my altered book, "angels have wings." the cover is a corset and fabric is found on almost every page, from the flames that engulf the workers of the triangle shirt waist factory from hand embroidered flaming heart of Mary that boldly sings out on the final page.

i love using fabric so much, it's pretty much always been a part of my art. i do recommend that you take the plunge and try it yourself if you haven't already. you might like the results!

Busy week

i've been busy working on art projects every night this week- it feels great to be so productive and moving things towards completion.

the doll shrines are coming together- the boxes are almost complete and i was busy tonight making some clothing for the dolls. tomorrow- i will finish with the sewing and assemble. tonight they are drying.

i also put another layer on to the collage on canvas that i've been working on: what remains. there are three canvases in this group that i am "salvaging" from a project that lost direction and steam. four month later, with many thanks to friends and fellow artists who helped me cut through the mental block, i am working on them again, with vigor. they still have a bit to go- but i am hoping to finish them Thursday night, i have a Friday deadline.

i have patti edmon to thank for her kind, but to the point crit of the old pieces. she helped me find focus. so thanks pat!

i promised myself i would try to get to sleep early tonight, so at 11:55, i bid you adieu. until we met again.

what remains- WIP

it's beautiful here, today in the green mountain state. i am shuffling between chores in the house, art making and things that need to happen outside in the yard before it gets too cold. i've been very inspired and very motivated to make art this past week. so as the dishwasher is spinning, and the laundry is drying on the line, i've been painting away, outside on the deck.

i finally got the guts to paint on top of these two canvases. they were giving me such issues, the collages seemed off balance, lacking focus and just "not me." so i took a leap this morning and started in on it again. both canvases need more layers of color- but it's a start.

the best thing is- it's cleared my head as to where it's going- so now i can move forward without fear.

love when that happens.

Work in Progress- Harvest Home at a stand still

When I do art shows or classes, people always ask me about my process. They are curious about where my ideas come from and how I go about making my art. In the past I have written many a blog post about where the spark comes from, how I get from point A to point B.

Today, Day 1 of my staycation, I am stuck some where in between the A and the B. I started this project,Harvest Home, several months ago, when I got it in my head that I wanted to college on canvas, which is something I have never done before. I was all gung-ho when I started- but after about three hours in, I gave up. It stopped "speaking to me." I wonder how many of my other artist friends have abandoned art sitting/hanging in their studio.

I decided last week that I was ready to finish Harvest Home. This poor piece. Maybe I should have started smaller? Three canvases that tie together is proving very challenging. I also don't like shininess of the gel medium transfers. On this large scale, the have stretched a little and the ripples are catching the light in unwanted places. And the texture and color balance is not quite where I want it to be. I am grappling with the idea of adding a layer of paint to it, maybe do some peeling paint. None of the found objects are secured down yet, so I can do that.

The piece is sitting on the living floor- waiting for me to do something with it. I am taking a break from it, hoping that inspiration will come flooding in. Maybe the best thing is to start all over again. Thoughts? words of advice? consolation? any feedback is welcome....

commitment issues

Last week, when I was making very large gel medium transfers, I was inspired to start a new project - three collages created from an old class photo. Looks like the photo is from the early 1900's, some where here in Vermont- I think it's Woodstock, but not sure. There's a distinctive brick building in the background. I'm pretty sure this is the the green at the center of town.

So I went out to Recycle North looking for canvas to collage over- they are in the middle of re-doing their art section, so it was slim pickin's. I found one and picked up a two pack at Michael's and as luck would have it- they are all the same size.

I gessoed the recycled canvas and then took over the dining room table laying out the collage elements. Usually when I am in this mode- it's really easy to go from step to step. But for some reason, I was hemmin' and hawin' about this. I'd put the elements on, take them off. I don't know what was making me so unsure- Maybe it is because they were real blank canvases, that I paid money for, instead of some thing re-purposed from the thrift store or dump. Who knows....

When I finally had a rough idea of what I wanted I started in on the background, gluing down large sheets of really old news paper (1916)- Pulling some off with tape and then painting with a wash to make it look all old and uniform.

We took the dog to the park for an hour or so, had some lunch, then it was back to the canvases. Laying three out on the table, laying the elements back on, taking some off, thinking about it too much. I did this for several hours. Between the indecision, I was scanning and listing new pieces on Etsy.

Finally, after the kids where sound asleep and I felt like it was time to just take the leap- I started in on with the glue. Now, two canvases, have first layers glued- and I'm ready to start up on the final one- I don't know what the problem was.... just a little fear of commitment I guess.

Strange Dreams, Harvest of Flowers and Fancy

Finished up three new collage pieces this weekend - plus a boatload of magnets

She Fancies

3 1/2" x 6"

Harvest of Flowers

4 1/2" x 7"

Strange Dreams

8x 10"

Off to get more done- the clock is ticking show the Stowe Street Art Festival is Saturday morning. 

Best laid plans

I started my day all ready to blog about how productive my Friday Night and Saturday had been. Thinking about the next two pieces I was going to finish. I was out on the deck photographing the four pieces I had finished over the last two days when my son came outside and said : "Mom the basement smells like poop!"

I jet down stairs into the laundry room and found the sewer line overflowing into the basement- what happens next eats up most of my day- tracking down someone from the Town Public works on a Sunday afternoon to check the main line- to find out the main line is not clogged- then getting a hold of a plumber to come out to do the call- Needless to say- my day got away from me- finally I am sitting down to upload the pictures of the previous days labors.

I'm quite happy with them

Morpheus Box - Complete

As promised here's the finished Morpheus Box that I started in Michael DeMeng's class two weeks ago-3 Mary's and Joan of Arc- it is nameless right now- not sure what to title it- 

It's a bit heavy and martyred with the flames 

and chains.  maybe it's called "sacrifice." that would be a good summation. 

 the zipper came off and the corner pieces i bought from a great etsy seller- high desert supplies aka high desert diva. i love that gal! she's got wonderful stuff.

my collection for the stowe street art fest is starting to come together!

I also found Nancy Anderson today. this woman's work rocks my world! when michael said i would like her stuff, he wasn't joking! wowsers! watch out mr demeng, if she teaches you might have lost a fan (just kidding- but, yeah, her stuff is that good!)

last thing to report: german scrap angel wings are flying off the shelves!! i listed five lots today and they all sold! listed some more... 

ok, enough goofing around! got to get back to work!