Saturday, October 25, 2014

Weeks have gone by...

Sooooo.....I found these little weird shadow boxes at one of those $ stores, did a minor deconstruction & voila! SHADOW BOX! My Favorite!
Now I am running out of boxes. Scary.......
I had a very creative time 5 weeks ago & got diverted by less important things.
I miss it so I have to run on fumes.
Making boxes, journal entries & learning to meditate.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Little salt & peppers living peacefully with the little china deer that I found at Mt. Dora.
Its nearly a summer's morning...

Fishes

Back to stenciling fishes. Lots of them.
I guess I am adding words to the work. Seems the right thing to do.
The rain woke me up.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Collages Return

Studio time being limited as it is during the school year, I let go of collages to work on journal pages. They are collages too, but of a public consumption sort. I have handed over my hand BACK to the creative force that runs the collage department. I noticed the return of frenzied glee. I am still using up those things on my tabletop that have been saved b/c of their beauty.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

First of Last 3

Getting very close to binding. Having thoughts & ideas of how its going to go & what I will do with the journals once I am done.
Am working in my own journal but have found myself days ahead with collaged pages. The last 2 daily journals I have built are about 3" thick. Its been fun to work in such a giant book. Its just about a year's worth of pages.
Am thinking of entering some of my coptic bound books in an exhibition at the Abecedarian Gallery in Colorado. It would be a good idea.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Some good old phone book pages & magenta German trolley postage stamp. I am wondering if a person would have trouble writing on these pages. They are meant to be written on. I do. Writing about my day has amazing power.
Reading is a Super Power. Writing is a Super Power too.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Blank Journal Page #28

#28 for posting today.
Some clay tile work & a puppy. What could be better?
I have another idea! I am very excited about my next blank journal project!
I have loved doing "ABCEDARIANS" for all sorts of things. My favorite is the one I did, as an edition, about my trip to Spain. I was planning on doing an Abcedarian for summer adventures (which I plan on having) & I have always wanted to do one on "Mythological Micanopy".
BLANK JOURNAL IDEA TWO!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Monday's Page

Seems like now the hard work begins: finding a binding system. I really like the Cinch Book Binding tool, but the spirals seem hard to find & are really expensive. I'll keep looking. The industrial world might be a better place to look than the crafty world. I want to use a spiral bind.
Another question is how many pages. I always use a variety of papers, some even challenging to write on --thats the fun of it.
Saw Ernest & Celestine at the Hipp & watched CBGB on cable. Good.
And vacuumed & washed floors a little.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Only ONE more to go!

I've actually finished 31 blank journal pages, although I have not posted them all yet. I will continue to post until I am done. Don't you love hand shadows? And I am wondering if that is part of a Giotto? I forgot to make note.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Sitting Bird

So, Magpies can recognize themselves in mirrors. Learned it from my favorite podcast, Dinner Party Download. Dave Barry was just giving etiquette advice. Hilarious!
This is #25. Seven more.
Saw Cosi Fan Tutte last evening at the movie theater. I LOVED it. How do opera singers last a whole performance? Its not a joke.
But I do have one for you:
What do you call an alligator wearing a vest?
An INVESTIGATOR!

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Closing on on 32 Journal Pages

This image has been on my table for over a month. Its finally put to use. I finished John Green's book, The Fault of our Stars (YA fiction). I liked it's edgy wit.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Longing for a "figure". It doesn't have to be human. Checkout the MAGENTA U.S. "Centenary of the Telegram" 3 cent stamp. This morning I was thinking about the cloth towels in gas station restrooms. Remember you pull on the towel & a fresh starched cloth towel would come down. And the soap dispenser sometimes put out a powdery pink soap that lathered up when wet. I smelled that soap this morning on the dog walk.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Journal Page #21

Whoa! #21. I found a whole series of old 20 accounting textbooks at the Friends of the Library Book Sale that I plan on gutting for the covers. The covers will be the covers for these new journals. Its still an idea. I am moving ahead step-by-step, like these will be actual journals. Then what? Now I have to make a decision about a spiral binding machine. I do LOVE to make books.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

#20 Blank Journal Page

ADD DRAMA TO ANY SPACE! Look at that W. C. Handy stamp! I don't often use American stamps but this one fit so smoothly with the listening girl. GOOD MORNING GIRLFRIEND!

Saturday, April 12, 2014

#17, 18 & 19



Got behind in my postings so there are 3 today, 11 more to make & then on to next phase of the project. These collages are actually done over the course of 3 days. I find that I am working differently, accounting for writing area for another person. It is strange to work this way & feels a little less authentic. Its a trade-off right now.


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

# 15 & 16 Blank Journal Pages

 Two. I am catching up. I may be over half way done & then I will have to think about binding & marketing. Still working tabletop, but I am running out of figures & I have discovered how exciting & important they are.

#14 Blank Journal Page

From several days ago. It has been 3 days since I have been in the studio. Unusual for me.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

#13, April First

Today is a palindrome: 4-1-14! Been out of studio for 2 days--felt bliss to be back among my papers, scissors & glue. Still using from the table pile. Of course, I am tempted by all sorts of new images calling to me from within pages of books & mags.
Who is that guy on the beautiful 50 Cent Poste Italiane stamp? I don't know yet, but I know where to look. I think.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Blank Journal #12, 20 more

If there are only 20 more then I could be done with this phase by the end of April. Boy, I have loved this spring break. This collage appears rather simple but there mistakes that I had to work through & re-solve. I LOVE that part!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Handwork

Newest collage. Took some struggling to get beyond smarmy. Lovely Czechoslovakian President Masaryk 1 Koruna stamp (which I couldn't find an exact image of---the images I was finding are much more complex & the President is facing the other way). Makes me wonder....The date on the earlier stamps is 1925-27 & unfortunately the postmark is unreadable.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Sometimes Images Put Themselves Together

Red Thread.

#10 Journal Page

Still working with things on the table. I found myself leafing though a book & had to put it away. Using what is in front of me. Another gray day here. It is still cool which I dee-light in. The heat will be here all too soon & over stay it's welcome.

Monday, March 24, 2014

#9 Journal Page

Oh boy its hard to stop. I am using my precious pile & I like working with the limitation. Making my TO DO LIST for Spring Break. There are a pile of shadow boxes sitting in the Floridarium for about a year waiting for Assemblages....on my list.
Working on the raised bed garden the whole week...getting soil this afternoon. I will weed the kitchen garden bed so its ready for butterfly feeder plants.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

#8 Journal Page

This is my NEW RULE (that I imposed on myself after a very tall stack of images that I have been hoarding fell to the floor & I had to pick them all up) I must use what is on my tabletop. I am not allowed to go looking for new imagery until I've made a dent in what I have so carefully been collecting. This is another "Creator taking stock" composition. One of my very favorites of layouts. I re-visit it ALOT.
The stamps are from a magazine so they are not real, they commemorate the 70th anniversary of the German Derby. They are barely readable.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Everything & Everyone with Bears & Mona.

I love these bears. They are very old timey rubber stamps that I got at Renninger's in January. I am able to build collages again. My Little was busy being an adult & the energy was not there. I kept my journal up but collages have to say everything & not just be surroundings for words.

2 More Pages

For the last 2 mornings I have not been able to get anything going on paper. That is very unusual & this morning I understood why. Gone was the Little that I depend on when making these collages. I had shut her out again & was trying to make "Art". Not a good idea. Without my Little making decisions my work is boring & contrived, when she is in charge it is lively & unpredictable. Reunited, la la  la   la    laaaah.....

Thursday, March 20, 2014

#5 Page

It has been raining here for days & when that happens trees start to just fall over. We lost 2 in one season that way; big water oaks! So the blowing raincoat person is timely. Also got some Arabic newspaper, a gift from a friend. AND a lovely Republique Francaise stamp.
Plenty of places for writing under the stamped hand. Hands are also a favorite. A list of irresistible images might be interesting.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Half of Donald Judd

I'm saving the other half for later.
Journal Page for today! I am wondering if I need to add lines for others to write on. I always make my own lines b/c I like the way it looks. I like lines. I like letters. AND I like house shapes. Thats a lovely King George VI stamp.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

#3 Journal Page

The Horse is Van Dongen's and the woman is Margaret Bourke-White. I am finding that I am working differently, conscious of copyright & of audience. I don't think I like that. But the process will continue until I find out what I need to learn.
We saw The Great Beauty, which I was really looking forward to. I was disappointed. There was great beauty but great folly too.

#2 Blank Journal Page

So the way I figure it I have to stay a day ahead of myself if I want to keep working in the journal that I presently keep. On this page I will write just to the right of the hand. AND it seems to crying for a postage stamp right under the fingers. Purple? Turquoise?
A little while ago I bought a stamp collectors album with little transparent half sleeves so I could organize all the stamps by color. Ooooo...I love it.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Blank Journal Pages

This is today's journal page before any writing. I have an idea that I would like to scan these images before they become MY journal page, gather them up & use them in a generic journal that I would spiral bind.
I have decided that on weekends I will  be an artist. That will be my job now on Saturday & Sunday. I wonder how long I can keep it up? I do artwork almost daily but its hiding under a bushel. No magic is going to happen about anything getting done or getting learned or moving along. Its all effort & the seriousness of the effort. I LOVE making things & have let that love slide. Dangerous business, that.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Walking it off

Which I have been good about doing when the going gets tough but was a total slacker last week. Finally finished a collage. Am working in a limited space....
Lovely red stamp from Republique Francaise.

Monday, February 10, 2014

My own Girl & Bear

This is actually a today's page from my Visual Journal. I've had a string of pages that documented snippets with rather unsuccessful visuals. I haven't really drawn a bear before, this one came to me. Here he is. Rather rudimentary but counts for solace nonetheless.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Hold your horse.

So there she is again: the Creatrix.
She loves to show up in lots of things I make. Its been a long time since I have worked up a finished collage. My life is a little more complicated right now having to share my studio as a guest room. The studio moved to the front room which of course does not have all the small bits & pieces that sometimes become necessary. Am still working in Visual Journal everyday. Its my lifeline.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Where are the images of women?

As I work on collages with my variety of magazines, I have noticed that my choices are narrow as far as women go: fashion models, beautifully made up women, skinny women. Whereas with images of men, I find old ones, men doing interesting things, big men, fashion men, ordinary men...Now I've noticed the same in movies. Where are all of us? We are being UN-represented. Color me angry & confused. Us ordinary women are pretty damn beautiful!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Tempting the Fishes

Sunday morning studio time! Long & quiet.
Saw movie, Her, this afternoon--was so captivated. I didn't want the suspension of disbelief to end. The way the idea of near future is handled is quite interesting. The clothing fascinated me.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

A bit Contrived

Although a spontaneous grouping of random images, it seems contrived to me. I couldn't resist the weimaraner. So, title-wise, Waiting for Treats? Or Eye to Eye? Or Dancing Partner? I'm tired from the week at work. A 2 day weekend no longer seems even remotely enough....

Friday, January 3, 2014

Creatrix, her Birdies & New Puppy for 2012 Take Stock

Wrestle, wrestle, grumble, throw up hands, cuss a little. Finished! I know its a little saccharine, but the idea of a Creatrix & dog has continually charmed me. I've found I LOVE surfing magazines! They have such fantastic images of sea & sky. I like to have both in a collage.
Man, its cold here! We bundled up for our dog walk & my nose & face were frozen. Its been reminding me of what it was like to go ice skating. We used to go every evening after supper when I was a kid.
Happy New Year. Make a Wish. Thanks Regis!