Remember that Big Piece?

Well, I ended up starting another and slowly adding to the first. Once I added the birds I figured I was done, but I wasn't sure. I get stuck not wanting to cover up previous layers even though I KNOW it gets better as more layers get added.

Then I had a revelation! I wanted to play with negative space. I let that idea roll around in my head for a couple of weeks and then I just jumped in and did this!

I love it! And I thought it was done, but a week later I sanded down some of the red to expose more collage from underneath. I'm calling it "Two in The Bush".

As for the one with the arrow, it may or may not be done. They are both sitting on a bookshelf between the living room and kitchen so that they can speak to me when they are ready.

I'm temporarily calling this peice "Target Number".

What do you think???

Backyard Friends

Isn't he the cutest? Andy and I were out enjoying the pond one evening this week and we watched this little guy walk over to the tree, climb up, and settle in for a nap in the crook. We were keeping an eye out for Mom, but she never showed up.

Today I watched a little birdie take a bath in the top of the waterfall. He didn't even mind that I was sitting right there! Of course I did not have the camera with me...

Finally it feels like spring!

Going Large

I've been having conversations with other art friends about working large. We all agree that we want to, but really haven't. So I took a tiny dip in the working larger pool when I took a 16X20 canvas down to Jan's. I wasn't worried about wrecking a big canvas since I bought it for $1.00 at the thrift store...gotta love that place.

I started by covering the whole thing with collage bits (mostly book pages) and then added a wash of quin gold, quin crimson and thalo green. I bought some latex house paint samples at Lowe's (on clearance of course) to try the bubble effect that I showed in the provious post. After it was home and on display for a couple of days I started adding more paint. This picture was after I added some extra green, yellow and turquoise.

At this point, I didn't glue down the flask. It actually still isn't glued down while I work through deciding what to do. It sat like this for a day before I got brave and added some more paint. Sorry the pictures are crappy. I couldn't get a good shot without the flash back.

Next I added the orange..loved it.

Finally this is pretty much as it sits looking for the next layers. At this point I figure I've overdone and need to dial back. But no, I'm adding more layers of collage before I go in with more paint. This is the hard part...When is it done? When is it overdone?

How to Be Creative

I saw this on Kelly Kilmer's blog and thought it was interesting.

I just had my third weekend of art play-dates and they all left me super-excited!

First there was a night at Karen's house where we made some postcards and chatted about a small girls' art retreat next September.

The next weekend Marissa came over here and we did a little "Mailart 101". Marissa created her very first mailart and we sent it off to MMSA.

Yesterday I went down to Jan's house and played with Carol and Jan. Even though we were all working on completely different projects we all would stop and admire the others and help push through obstacles.

I painted on a big canvas for a change. Here's just a peek... Art on All!!!

Can you say...Obsessed???

I have been playing with both Citra Solv and Nevr Dull a whole bunch lately in preparation for my class at Kept Creations in Whitman, MA on October 11. The pages below are all Citrasolv on National Geographic magazines. Aren't they amazing! You end up with a lot of lunar landscapes, but I'm okay with that.. :)  I'm home on vacation this week and am hoping to actually create some art while I clean the hoard. We'll see what actually gets done. So far it is 10:00 AM on Monday morning and I haven't done either one.

Enjoy the eye-candy. I'll post some finished pieces later.

 Isn't the green fabulous???!!!

 This one below was from an older Nat Geo (1970's) and it took quite a bit to mainpulate the inks, but it's still cool. I actually like my fingerprints all over it.

 The reds are wonderful too. Boiling hot lava...right?

Ransom Note Makers Are True Artists

If you haven't tried to make a ransom note before, be prepared. It takes quite a bit of dedication to cut and paste all of those little letters. These postal ransom notes were sent last month and I just found that at least one didn't make it where it was going. I'm off to cut more little bits....

I wrote this little instruction manual a couple of years ago.

The camel ransom note went to Tricia for a swapbot swap. I really didn't want her camel...send peeps!

Mailart Inspiration in Light Blue and Neutrals

Isn't it amazing how different people can create with the same theme and arrive at very different results? This is Danielle's Round Robin Mailart Zine. She asked the 5 of us to create a zine with the color theme of light blue and neutrals. This is her entry-

She also asked us to add to her cover page. Yes, the fish is mine....

Next in line was Tera who added these hippos. That one in the front is a little un-nerving. He just keeps looking at me....

After leaving Ohio it went on to Massachusetts where Karen added 2 beautiful collages.

All the way back across the country the zine traveled to California where Kerri worked some magic.

Finally, after it came back across the country to me and sat on my table for a month (or more), I finished my page. The note that is hard to read upside-down says *If you have clothes on, don't take them off. They protect you from shark-skin lacerations. Good advice, I thought. It is now off to Tarah in the Netherlands for its last stop before going home to Australia.