Calm Before The Storm

I had so much fun with the book cover I created the other day that I decided I need a new studio book for keeping notes and quick sketches in my studio. My current book is just too big and awkward and difficult to take with me should I decide I want a notebook outside the studio, too. So, I went to Michael's this week where they're having a buy one, get one for a penny sale on canvases and Strathmore art pads. 

I decided upon a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 spiral bound sketchbook and bought one for $7.99, and a second one for 1 cent. They are 100 pages each so I felt this was a good deal.

Yesterday I created the cover you see above. I just love it! It makes for a great looking book and I decided that this might make a great gift idea and I decided to make a bunch to sell at the TAGG Holiday Gift Show and Open House in November. (Details on that to follow.)  So I went back to Michael's and bought 6 more. I can't wait to get started on them.

This is what it looked like before I created the new cover.

This will be my last post before we evacuate to get out of Irene's way. I sure hope that when I return I have a home and a studio to come back to with a minimal amount of damage.

"Key To My Heart" 4x4 Mixed Media Collage

Every once in a great while I make a little piece that's almost a piece of me and very hard for me to part with. This is one of those. On the other hand, if someone wants to buy it, I'm not going to stop them!

Sketchbook Page for 08.23.11

I just felt like doing something completely different today. No collaging involved!

Just For Me!

You may or may not remember that last February I was in Savannah and I picked up an old Belgium textbook from The Paris Market. I was taken by the display of them on the stairway, and I think what attracted me the most was the fact that they were all recovered in plain cardboard. It was obvious to me that this was not the original cover on the books, but their clean, sameness attracted me nonetheless.  The one I chose was covered in the same plain cardboard, but still had a leather binding. That's just an irresistible combination for me.

However, although I loved the plainness of the cardboard cover, I still felt compelled to do something about it. I guess it called out to me in much the same way a blank canvas would.

In the six months that I've owned this little book, I've done nothing with it. It is my intention to actually do sketching in it; right over the Flemish words. I know that I can't collage in it as it will break the spine. But, since I've been spending more and more time in my studio, I'm chomping at the bit to do something with this little book and have fun. So the first thing I've done is decorate the front cover. I felt compelled to do that today. Although I've accomplished quite a lot in my studio today, this is a project that I've actually  finished and I just love it. Mostly because, it's just for me!

"Butterflies on Yellow" - 12x12 - Mixed Media Collage

This piece has taken me forever to finish. Mostly because, I haven't really liked it since the process began. I started off by painting the canvas in shades of bright red and orange and gluing red and orange pieces of scrap papers to it and then toning the whole thing down with lace paper. But I just didn't like it. 

Then I went through more color changes via paint and paper.  I added more scrap papers and ended up painting over them. Then I added lace papers until I felt a little happier and I repainted the outside edges of the canvas in yellow oxide to tone down the existing color (whatever that was at the time). 

Next I added the butterflies and fossil leaves, followed by the little butterflies and the "bubbles". The butterflies and bubbles are all from 90 pound watercolor paper with Bomomo designs printed on them. Then I decided I wasn't too keen on that. The inks smear slightly when the varnish is applied and I thought the color was garish. I detailed their little bodies by using extra coarse pumice gel tinted with metallic paints and adding antennae with black fabric paint. I started to like it a little better. But, so many times I came very close to pouring a pint bottle of black gesso over the whole thing. (OK, that's a slight exaggeration, it was only 237 ml.) 

Finally, yesterday, I added the finishing touches by outlining the butterflies in gold metallic fabric paint and then gave the whole piece my signature splatter of gold acrylic wash. And suddenly I realized I could live with it. It's a little too girly for my taste, but I can envision someone else liking it. 

So, there you have it! A painting with a story, although not an exciting one. :/

Sketchbook Diptych

Yesterday's sketchbook page was a companion piece to the page next to it, so I've photographed them both together. The bottom layer of paper on each is from a map of New Zealand taken from an old atlas dated 1963. The paper is wonderfully yellowed, but in good shape for tearing and pasting. I love using maps in collages.

"Domestic Goddess" - Digital Collage

I offer this evening's creation with my apologies to Sandro Botticelli.

I've more or less taken off the last couple of days to catch up with old friends and visit favorite haunts. But I was able to get into the studio to do some minor creating. Here is today's sketchbook page:

And here is a birthday card I made for my nephew today. Unfortunately his birthday was yesterday, but I hope he'll forgive me for being late.