The Creative Conversation: Finding Your Voice

I signed up for Bridget Benton's on-line class: The Creative Conversation: Finding Your Voice.  She wrote a book titled The Creative Conversation and we'll work through some of the exercises in the book as well as other projects.

Here are a couple of collages. The first was created using images that appealed to me, the second was created using images that I didn't like as much.

Notice that I chose the brighter colors, some contrasting colors and natural or soothing subject matter.

The images I wasn't fond of were more muted, more orange-y brown and had bizarre subject matter: a tattooed dog, eyeless samurai creatures, skeletons, insects.  However, I can't help but notice that this collage is pretty interesting.  There's a lot going on here.

I've never been crazy about magazine collage because it reminds me of kid stuff and it would be hard to create "fine" art from the materials.  However, I can see that it would be helpful in designing a piece and it is also easy, fun and cheap!

Post cards that I sent

Here are a few of the cards I sent:


Drawing of Chocolate Cosmos with liquid water color and Peerless Transparent Metallic water colors.



Trying various pens and designs.
 

It's fun to experiment - there are always some I like better.  How many layers to make? How much is too much? When to stop?  It sure is fun to play with the paints.

 

2013 Postcard Swap

Aw - look at all of the pretty cards I received this year!

Lots of cool techniques. The top one above has embossing powder, the middle one is made from a computer punch card.

Stamping, collage, fabric

Stitching.  There is clear texture on the blue card.

Beautiful collage.

Hand drawn scene. Actual embossing.

A real feather survived the mail.

All so very awesome.  What a joy it is to go to the mailbox during a Post Card swap!

Click here for some background on the post card swap by Hanna  It looks like she may organize another one in Fall 2013.

 

What a world

What a world.  These two items came in the mail today. The National Geographic says that 25,000 elephants were killed last year. The Knit Picks catalog has pretty photos of yarn and yarn colors.

I've been meaning to research the elephant situation. I guess Nat Geo has done it for me.  I can't even bear to take the wrapper off.  I'll read it during a short trip we're taking to the coast for our 15th wedding anniversary which is today!

It's so distressing. I want to just look at the yarn catalog and enjoy myself.  But the title of the Nat Geo cover is so shocking, I can't think of anything else.

What can we do? I live in the NW corner of the United States of America.  We don't allow ivory imports. The Oregon Zoo has had a breeding program for 50 years. Packy, the patriarch, was born in April 1962, a couple of days before me.  The zoo is expanding the elephant area by six fold over the next couple of years to continue their research and so that their 6 or 10 elephants can be as happy as possible.  Meanwhile, elsewhere, slaughter is happening.

In art news, I did not complete a project in August. Work, unexpected company and an unexpected wedding intervened. I do sketch almost everyday, and bills are getting paid, so onward.

4 months and 50

A pleasant interlude via a neighbor's garden.

Art, job, taxes, money, love. I have a lot of love in my life, my job keeps me busy and will bring in money to pay the taxes. Art is always there but not always active.

I've been pondering the fact that if I choose to forgive my parents and other people in my past, then what I'm left with is that I'm in control of and responsible for my life.  Me, alone.  Sigh.  What a big responsibility.

As I look around at my messy office, studio, house, finances and realize it's all my own doing, I kind of want to hide under the covers and not come out.  The good news is that it's all fixable!

That's what I've been thinking about as I turn 50 and 1/3 years old next week.  I do have a goal to have some art made by the end of August.  Three weeks? We'll see!

Post Card Swap Part 3

Love this - and it came in a cool stitched envelope.

This one is a sketch book! How awesome is that? It arrived today on my birthday. I love it - so happy for the sweet gift.

PostCard Swap 2012 Part 2

The first one came in clear plastic and has stamps from Denmark, France and Cambodia on the front. It was sent from Maryland and the US stamp has a black marker through it as cancellation. (Cool for postal geeks).

I love the fish stamps and sense of depth.

Then we have minimalist art in blue - really lovely and intense color from Seattle.

Finally, a card that came sewn up in book pages from England! I love the heart with the writing through it - I want to steal that idea.

Fortunately, this batch seems to have been created using acrylic paint or other waterproof ink. I was munching on a scone and looked over to see Honey the dog drooling all over the pile of cards! I wiped them off and they look fine.

There are still a few more to show. I, ahem, need to get a little more organized first.