A Work in Progress.....

The Summer House ....maybe that's what I will call this....the first "house" in my house book.  I haven't finished it, but want to share what it looks like thus far.  

 Here is a close up...that is Tom at the window, when he was 7 yrs old, holding our first pup, Max, a wonderful Golden Retriever who is no longer with us.  Tom's picture is printed on vellum, as is the bird in the cage at the peak of the house.  This "house" isn't quite finished, but wanted to share what I accomplished today... a learning curve with collage and mixed medium but I'm having so much fun!

Playing with Ideas

I have a couple of different things going in my art room, but I am especially interested in doing a "House" book, inspired by Angela Cartright's book, In This House.  I've cut several pages of a house shape out of watercolor paper and last night I started to "play" with it.  But it's not easy!  I'm used to painting my pictures and this is really more collage work, lots of layering and so forth.  So it becomes a question of what I want to show and what I want to be "in the background", having been sanded and painted over.  So, I'm at the very beginning of this page.  I put some color on the page and I glued bits of music because my house is nothing if not musical.  But the music will be an "underlying" theme in my house pages. 

Now I need to take the next step on the page, but I also feel like I need to collect more materials so I have lots to choose from.  It all takes ....time.  And I want this to be good....incorporating bits of my own home and life and part of things I just happen to like.



So here is a  page of the beginning.....not necessarily the first page of my book, but who knows....

He's Home!

Tom returned yesterday from his training at Camp LeJeune. They say a picture is worth a thousand words....he looks great, he is great!
I'm just a proud Mom.....

The Subject is...FISH

I had the opportunity this week to visit my local library and hear a talk given by the author of this book, TROUT, James Prosek. He went to our local high school and while he was studying at Yale, he published this amazing book of his watercolors of....Trout.  Now even if you're not a "fish afficianado", you can't help but appreciate the work that went into this book.  Such an accomplishment at an early age.  
He's published quite a few books...both children's stories (I've read those too), and other "fish" books and he has a new book coming out this fall on...Eels!

But what I loved hearing about more than anything else...is his journey because he has an amazing life!

Segue to today....I had my 2nd class on how to alter a book.  We did a little bit of origami.  And, when I saw that the instructor had this beautiful rubber stamp of a ...FISH....well....that had to be in my book today.  So here are my pages from today's class...

 and it opens....

A little bit closer....

/

So that's my fish tale for today.  

A Deserving Vet

On a drive recently in a neighboring town, I ended up right behind a red Corvette. What are the odds that an inspiration for a journal page would be so "in my face" as this was?  And ever since I saw this, I knew I had to put it in my Red, White & Blue journal.  Here was this beautiful red Corvette...and it had a Veterans license plate.  A veteran in a "vette".  I couldn't get it out of my head...thus the joy of art journaling.  Now it's saved on paper.  Because, at the time, I thought....who is more deserving of having a car like this...than a Veteran.  

If I Ruled The World

IT'S A HOT SUMMER DAY

This photo I found on Pixdaus should make you feel a bit cooler.  Just let yourself feel it....like you are on top of the world....

IF I RULED THE WORLD 

If I ruled the world, ev'ry day would be the first day of spring

Every heart would have a new song to sing

And we'd sing of the joy every morning would bring

If I ruled the world, ev'ry man would be as free as a bird,

Ev'ry voice would be a voice to be heard

Take my word we would treasure each day that occurred

My world would be a beautiful place

where we would weave such wonderful dreams

My world would wear a smile on its face

Like the man in the moon has when the moon beams

If I ruled the world every man would say the world was his friend

There'd be happiness that no man could end

No my friend, not if I ruled the world

Every head would be held up high

There'd be sunshine in everyone's sky

If the day ever dawned when I ruled the world...

--Words by Leslie Bricusse

Music by Cyril Ornadel

Recorded by Tony Bennett

Red, White & Blue

Collage, mixed media.  The girl I cut from a children's book about the American Flag and it was illustrated by Ralph Masiello.  I also used the web patching tape you use on a wall  to make repairs, down the left side.  The words say "The sky's the limit."  That's what we wish for all of our children.

I Love Friday Nights....

....the work week is behind me, and the weekend stretches before me.  I love catching up with my sister, Dianne, on how her golf was this week and on all of the "art" stuff that we're interested in....while I'm sitting on my deck enjoying a cool drink.  My brother, Bill and Kathy, are enjoying a trip to Colorado for a friend's wedding...and my younger sister and her family are settling into their new place in Idaho.  We're all so far apart....we need another reunion!!!

I'm working on some new journal pages ( I'm not going to mow in this heat!)  It's hard to explain, but I just love the way I feel when I walk into my art room...

One of my biggest challenges is finding what I want...when I want it.  So I found these great Mary Engelbreit tins with windows....so you can see what's inside and I filled them with spools of ribbon.  (The skeleton is  a memento left from my Frida Kahlo workshop....)

 And this is just a picture of various containers on the edge of my drafting table...one of them I stuffed Christmas lights into.  You should save those wonderful glass bottles you get spaghetti sauce in!  Recycle, recycle.  And ...there is a mug from Tom...when he was a little guy.

And I want to post the picture of Bill and Kathy in Colorado...it's a nice one of them.  We just had such a wonderful visit with them in Atlanta!!

 So....that's my Friday night post.  Made homemade pizza....no photo...It didn't last long enough for me to take one.  :)

Not The Only One

Blue Patterns by Diane Walker

Imagine there's no Heaven

It's easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today

Will there really be a "Morning"?

Is there such a thing as "Day"?

Could I see it from the mountains

If I were as tall as they?

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace

Has it feet like Water lilies?

Has it feathers like a Bird?

Is it brought from famous countries

Of which I have never heard?

 Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world

Oh some Scholar! Oh some Sailor!

Oh some Wise Man from the skies!

Please to tell a little Pilgrim

Where the place called "Morning" lies!

You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will live as one

There's a website called Episcopal Cafe at http://www.episcopalcafe.com/art where I got this from...I liked it so much, I had to post/share it.  There is a lot of wonderful art on that site.  "Imagine" by John Lennon; and Will there really be a "Morning"? by Emily Dickinson.  A little morning philosophy....

Homage to Nancy Drew

I loved reading books when I was a young girl ....and I must have read almost all of the Nancy Drew Mysteries...I don't really know.  All I know, is that I would go to my room and stay there for hours, reading Nancy Drew Mysteries.  

I came across some of the original hard bound copies in an antique flea market in Atlanta recently...was almost tempted to purchase one and read it ...again...but I didn't.  But...she's been on my mind.

So, segue to what I love about art journaling.  You don't have to spend hours, days figuring out how your "canvas" is going to look.  With art journaling...at least for me...it's something you just....do.  It doesn't take hours or days or weeks....you just have an idea, or a feeling, or something that you are chuckling about....and you have to get it on paper...in some form....capture it.  

So....here is my homage to Nancy Drew.  On the top page are the lyrics to Judy Collins song, "Both Sides Now" (there is a connection) and on the bottom...just a little philosophy about life, Nancy Drew and whatever you want to take away from this.  (In case you don't know it, if you double click on the image, you can see a larger version).  I had fun doing this, and that's what it's all about. (modified image 7/18/10)

Just One More ....

I can't help myself....I enjoy doing patriotic art more than anything else.  I was inspired by watching A Capitol 4th on TV and watching the Marine Corp Band play....my July 4th finale for this year.....

4th of July at Bethany Beach

When Tom was little, we spent many July 4ths at Bethany Beach.  Here is a collage... a photo of him watching the Bethany Beach Parade.  I painted the  background buildings, but cut him out from a photo as well as the rear of the truck and added it to this picture. 

Tom ...a younger soldier

I have quite a few pictures of Tom in his various "soldier regalia"...in this photo...his 2 front teeth were just coming in...

July 4, 2010

I cannot let a July 4 weekend go by without some "red, white & blue.  So last night I created this little painting for my red, white & blue journal.  The felted wool flag in the center was created by my artist friend, Morna Crites-Moore.  Morna has created some amazing felted wool flags which you can see on her blog, click here ...you have to go and see them!  Be sure to scroll down to her Flag Day post....

Updates on my Marine son who is spending his summer at Camp LeJeune, NC...I found out last week that Tom was named "Marine of the Week" by his platoon (140 guys).......so proud of him.  He has some time off this 4th of July and is spending the long weekend at the Outer Banks...some well deserved R & R from the hot summer days they've had down there.

So, I'm dedicating this post to our men & women in uniform.

Fun Little "Book"

I found this fun little "book" when I was in Atlanta last week, wandering around an antique flea market.  The tag said it was a notepad...but to me it's a fun, little blank book ....a glamorous, velvet dress with sequins on a hanger.  It's now hanging on the wall in my art room....just having fun!

 

FAMILY...

This weekend, my siblings (3) traveled to Atlanta, GA for a reunion that was 17 years overdue.  We gathered at our brother's home...the youngest.  17 years is a long time not to see a family member.  We laughed and we cried.  What really brought us together....was the loss of our  nephew, 28 year old Brett, our brother's son,  who died at Christmas time last year.  So I credit Brett with bringing us all together...only I wish he could have been there too. 

Dianne brought lots of old family photos....it was so much fun to look at them.  We spent lots of time on their porch... starting with coffee in the morning...Bill & Kathy's hospitality was immeasurable. We probably could have spent the entire time on that porch...just talking.  Suffice to say I could add a lot more to this post, but I'm just providing a glimpse.

 Bill and Karen

 

Eileen, Bill & Dianne

                     Courtney, Bill & Kathy

More Book Altering....

This is the inside the book cover.  I "hung the sign" in the workshop and added some other effects this evening...words and the body.  The fun part of doing this is that you can just keep on adding as the spirit moves you.

 These are more pages...I was teaching myself a technique...folding the pages and "sewing" with ribbon to create pockets.  I put the stamp in the pocket just to show you...that's not staying there.  So now I have these painted pages that I will alter, collage, embellish and add who knows what to the pockets.  Fun just to think about....

Learning New Things

I went to an Altered Book workshop yesterday...I am intrigued with what you can do with books whether it's making one from scratch (haven't tried yet), art journaling in a blank book or...as in yesterday's workshop....taking an existing hard bound book and making it into something creative and fun.  (I did read the book before I decided to "alter" it).  So this is the first two pages of the book.  We played with alcohol inks, "masks" which are essentially stencils...the clock gears you see, arylic paint dabbers,  rubber stamps, embellishments...the key and other small metal objects.  So as I was looking at it awhile ago, I decided it needed something more....and who knows...I may yet again add something else to it;  but for now, I added song lyrics...one of my favorite songs from an earlier generation...As Time Goes By...
The photos is not the best, but hope you get the idea....

A Sea of Red, White & Blue - WOW!

I had to post this photo when I saw it on the Drudge Report.  I have never seen this many American Flags in one photo....for me it's like "eye candy"....it was taken at the World Cup Soccer matches.  I just love our American flag and thought I should share this. 

Patience by Randi Parkhurst, Bookmaker

Patience from Glowing Heads on Vimeo.


I had to share this amazing artwork by Randi Parkhurst.  You can find out more about her and her creation(s) by visiting her website,
http://parkhurstpaperarts.com/ 

With Humor

I

I'm really too young to remember the song from the '50's..."Lipstick on your collar"....but I had red lipstick in mind when I decided to create this journal page.  The red "zig zags" at the top of the page are from a lipstick ad in a magazine...and the other set of zig zags are what I cut from the top zig zags....which made me think of "jaws"...mouth...red lipstick on the collar....and, not to be forgotten, the flag on the pocket.  I started with the shirt and then the creation took on a life of its own....that's how art works.

Beautiful Journal

B

Is this the coolest journal cover ever?  My neighbor, Toni, gave me this book....I love it....it will be filled with my red, white & blue art. 

Off to "Camp"

Tom was home from college for a couple of weeks and with him came all of his "stuff"....where to put it all.  But in his "stuff" he had some of the postcards I've made for him during his college years.  Each card has it's own special memories and "pearls of wisdom" I've tried to share with him as he is on his life journey.  Maybe he'll share them with his children some day and "won't have to reinvent the wheel"!  At any rate, I've enjoyed looking at some of them this week as he headed out for "Camp" yesterday...Camp LeJeune, NC that is....for more Marine Corp training.  Ooh Rah!

Playing with oil pastels...is for the...Birds!!!

This was done using some of the tools I learned at my recent collage/mixed media art workshop.  I do love birds....

Intro Page to my Red, White & Blue Journal...

I

 I had to create a "1st Page" for my Red, White & Blue Journal and this is it.....my very first art journal was all about the color blue....I still have a lot of "blue in me".

Red, White & Blue

Memorial Day Memory

How cute is this?  These kids are all in college now, some graduates.  The little drummer, Kait, (3rd from rt) just graduated from Duke where her younger sister, Erica, on the left, now attends.  Emily, in the striped top, went to SMU in TX.   Tom is finishing college this year and, as you all know, is a US Marine.  Tom is in the blue shorts in the front.  All decked out in red, white and blue in the hats they made...wonderful memories...ready for their own parade....

How I Spent My Weekend

I know you're looking at this photo and thinking...what in the world is that?!  Well, it's the most wonderful new art supply that I found out about during the Art Workshop weekend I spent in Lakeville, Ct. That is a photo of a roll of rosin paper....the kind they use on roofs...cheap cheap cheap!  And what we did with it was amazing.

You can't tell the amazing texture achieved ( in the photo on the right) on the paper which we coated with gesso and then used a myriad of simple tools...like bubblewrap, combs, the end of your paintbrush and much more...to achieve a very textured effect on the surface.  Next came the color....oil pastels randomly placed on the paper...no pattern...just literally scribbled on all over the paper.  Then came the elbow grease, blending all of these colors with a paper towel or rag.  That's just the beginning!  Then begins the embellishing...adding collage elements like tissue paper, rubber stamps, feathers, beads, ribbon....you name it....we used it.  This photo is just a small piece of a much larger piece I was working on.

The subject we were all working on was the Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo.  She was a wild woman in her day....some might say she was avant garde.  She was definitely colorful.  Her face in the photo on the left is from a painting I did of her and posted on my blog a few postings back.  I have several more of her "faces" on my piece (another below).  It was fascinating to see everyone's work and their interpretation of her....what aspect of her life they chose to illustrate.  Since I'm interested in "faces" lately, I chose to focus on hers and the other thing I was interested in was her clothing...so that part is still a work in progress. 

 A little bit wilder here....but this was a workshop to just let go....let your ideas just go and not be afraid to put anything on the paper.  So now you've seen a "preview" of the Frida Workshop....Lynne Perrella is an amazing teacher.  How lucky to have her do one of her workshops so close to home. 


And here is how I started my day....a walk down to the lake, coffee in hand before gathering at breakfast with the most incredible, creative group of women....imagine, 21 female artists together for hours, creating...and we all worked together so well not only sharing ideas but some of our "stuff" as well!
The person who traveled the farthest to get to this workshop....we met first (my sister and I) and she traveled 14 hours for a weekend workshop!  The most wonderful, fun person...I hope our paths cross again, Sophie!  She is from Brussels and lives in Dubai.  She had boundless energy (the last one in the studio at night) and I can't believe how much she got done.   And Janet....the "senior" member....her handmade books were marvelous.  And Brenna, the bride, who didn't want to miss the workshop and her wedding is this coming weekend!  And Lyle....well....she's just a hoot. I can't name everyone but I really enjoyed all of these incredible people!

 That's all for now.  Just wanted to share with you this great weekend I had.  I've never spent that many consecutive hours devoted to art and I came back so inspired.  Can't wait to do it again!

                                                                                                                              
                                                      










                                                                 
                                                                         

My Favorite Space

Sometimes you find that perfect piece....well the zebra chair is perfect....but in addition to that, I found this hanging organizer and when I saw it in the catalogue, I said...that's it! So, bingo....it's like a piece of art in itself. It holds lots of paints and rubber stamps. My art room is coming along nicely, one piece at a time.   Women have that "nesting instinct" and it definitely transcends to spaces where we love to spend time.
Here's a close-up of the cabinet...

Easter Sunday

Since it's Easter Sunday, I thought I would post a photo I took of a tiny, one room chapel on the property of the Convent of the Sisters of St. Birgitta, in Darien, Ct. The convent is on the Long Island Sound and inside this chapel there is a tiny fireplace....it's just a special place.
HAPPY EASTER

Life Gets Busy

I've been busy...nothing out of the ordinary, but somehow I haven't had a chance to post anything new and interesting on my blog.  The first day of Spring came and went before I realized it.  I do like that Daylight Savings time is here and it's light out when I get home from work. And my taxes are done.   My lawn is a mess and waits for me to "drop some "lime on it and remove the sticks that I keep picking up...there are lots of Spring flowers in the grocery store....like the pansy pictured here.  Pansies always look happy to me and the variety of colors...lush and beautiful. I started an online art workshop several weeks ago, but there just hasn't been enough time to devote to it...it's always about...TIME.  Mostly, I feel a sense of sadness since my young nephew passed the week before Christmas and I think about his Mom and Dad, my brother, and his sister, Courtney.  I can't help but wonder why it was "Brett's time".