Butterfly Ballet, mixed media collage, 6x6

Keeping with my buggy alliteration theme, I give you this new little collage. For the moment I have no more terpsichorean insects; I promise.

Tomorrow; however, is the first day of a new month when I always give my blog a new look. So stay tuned.

Dragonfly Dance

Mixed Media Collage on Gallery Profile Wrapped Canvas 6x6

So this is today's offering. Do you recognize some of the scrap collage from my "Shakin' It Loose" post? These are some of my favorite colors and I love the way these papers reacted to the varnish. Their colors became even richer and more lush when the varnish was applied.

I received a very touching email yesterday. I didn't recognize the name when I received it, but the sender was a young lady for whom I was commissioned to do a wedding invitation collage by one of the guests at her wedding a couple of years ago. She wrote me to tell me that the collage was her favorite wedding gift and that now she'd like me to do the same for the birth announcement for her daughter using some of the fabrics from her daughter's nursery.

I was so excited to see this message. I don't know at this point whether or not I'll actually get the commission, but I'm delighted that she liked her wedding collage so much. Things like that definitely give me a warm fuzzy feeling.

The Collection

Mixed Media Collage, 6x6, on Gallery Profile Wrapped Canvas

Sorry, I had a difficult time getting either a good scan (because of the 3D elements) or good photo (poor light today) of this one. I may try for a better one later.

Thinking Of June

Mixed Media Collage on Gallery Profile Wrapped Canvas - 6x6

Shakin' It Loose

After last week's task at organization I found it difficult to switch gears this week. Once I get into the left side of my brain I find it difficult to leave. In addition to organizing I was also working on taxes so I was very far into the left side. So, in order to ease myself back into the right side of my brain I decided to make another scrap collage. To me, it's a lot like shaking out after an intense physical exercise session.

As you know, this is not a finished piece of work. This will later be cut up and used in future collage pieces. But what makes it so wonderful to work on when I'm transitioning is that I can work intuitively. Although I know all the color "rules", color is my strength and I don't have to think a lot about it when I'm working. I just dove into my box of scraps and pulled up pieces whose colors appealed to me and went together.

Composition and making strong focal points is where I tend to be weaker and with this exercise I don't have to think about those things. Color, only, and little bit of balance. Now I'm ready to rock and roll!

Organization

My work in the studio this week has been more about organization than creation. OK. The truth. It's been all about organization and nothing about creation. I've been trying to decide which 32 pieces of art to take to Yellow Springs next month. Yes, it's a month away, but they need all the artwork information by March 31st in order to make all their labels before the artists descend upon them with their "stuff". And, of course, I almost never leave anything to the last minute because that's sure to court disaster.

So I made all the decisions from my computer. I have spreadsheets showing me my art inventory by gallery so I know what pieces are where. I also have digital files arranged by gallery so I can actually "see" which artwork is where. After I made my decisions I then had to create a new spreadsheet and digital image file for Yellow Springs. Then I had to physically round up the artwork. Of course the bigger pieces were newly created and still in my studio. Still, Thistles Gallery took the biggest hit, but they were gracious about it. I also left them with some new artwork in exchange for the pieces I pulled. It wasn't one for one, but at least it was a "piece" offering. (Sorry, couldn't resist the pun.)

Then, I felt compelled to make a new page on my website to give my customers a preview of the 32 pieces that will be displayed at Yellow Springs. It was a lot of work to squeeze so much information on one page. It fits on my laptop screen, but I'd be interested in knowing if everyone else can see the whole page. If you have time to look at it, I'd appreciate your feedback before I email it to my customers.

So, that was my work week. I'm hoping to get back to creating next week. I need to make some new work for an upcoming fine crafts show and I have an illustration project that I'm dying to sink my teeth into.

Victoriana

Victoriana - Mixed Media Collage - 10x20

This is the last of the blank 10x20 canvases. And now I can move onto other things.