Art Dust/ Mixed Media Fiber Artist RPL

Artist Trading Cards-Famous Artist

2012-02-14T12:44:00.000-05:00

The next theme for the Roses on My Table Artist Trading Card Group is Famous Artists. The idea is to either make a card with your favorite artist portrait or to create a card collage in their style of art.

Van Gogh is my favorite artist. I was introduced to his art in Mrs. Berkel's 5th Grade Art Class. The class assignment was to draw and color our version of Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace.. Night Scene. I loved all the colors I discovered in that painting.
I was sick with pinkeye and an ear infection and missed the next week's art class. When I returned to school and walked into the classroom, I was surprised and delighted to find the walls covered with colored drawings of sunflowers.
I learned that these were more Van Gogh's and I had missed the class!! I was so disappointed
.
Several years ago I sat down with my colored pencils and did a drawing of Cafe Terrace.
I got my drawing out ,scanned and downsized it to use as my background for this Artist Card Trading swap.
I found a vintage photo of a Victorian Femme and decided the story line for my cards would be that "She" was meeting Van Gogh at the Cafe and he would know her by the sunflowers in her hair.

Mermaids and the Sea Altered Art Book

2012-02-10T15:48:00.001-05:00

Here are the last page spreads in my altered art book, Mermaids and the Sea.

Mermaids and the Sea Altered Art Book

2012-02-05T16:26:00.001-05:00

I began this altered art book last June while accompanying my Hubby on a business trip to Boca Raton, Florida.
Last month I pulled out the altered art books that I had begun and decided that I would make it my goal to complete them.
I had imagined this book's theme would be the Sea but along the way my Muse decided it should be about Mermaids.

I am finishing up the last page spread today and will post photos tomorrow.
As I work on my books I will sometimes go back and add something to a page especially if I felt it hadn't quite come together. It can be a struggle in balancing the art I want to do and still leave room for writing space.
Do you have a favorite sea or mermaid poem I could add to the book?. I'm looking.

Feeling Like Spring!!

2012-02-02T10:17:00.000-05:00

Awoke to a foggy morning here. It made me wonder if the Groundhog would see his shadow and what our projected winter weather outcome would be.

The sun has come out and has burned away the fog.

It's a milky sunshine but it is sunshine nevertheless.

Feeling very Spring like I decided to freshen up the look of my blog.

What do you think?

You like it?

Happy Candlemas/Ground Hog's Day/ Imbolic

2012-02-01T19:16:00.000-05:00

Three Muses Challenge-Musical Instrument

2012-01-31T14:29:00.002-05:00

This week's Three Muses Challenge was to have a musical instrument somewhere in your art entry.
I was thinking about creating some altered envelope art when I remembered I had done a few sketches of the Symphony.
I love looking at all the various shades of the violins, cellos and bass fiddles. I find myself craving my colored pencils and sketch books every time we go.
I managed to put this little sketch book in my purse and drew right before the Symphony started.

A Few More Pages

2012-01-26T13:33:00.000-05:00

I had a request to post a few more pages in my altered book, My Love Affair With Van Gogh.

Three Muses Challenge-Oo La La ( anything French)

2012-01-25T10:38:00.000-05:00

This weeks Three Muses Challenge is Ooo La La, anything with a french theme.

This was hard in the fact that I had to choose which French themed art of mine to show I decided to highlight a page in my altered book, My Love Affair with Van Gogh.

On this page spread I created pockets to hold small tags and cards.

I call it Paris Dream.

Paper Dolls and ATC's

2012-01-24T13:07:00.000-05:00

I have been having fun meeting like minded individuals /artists at Roses On My Table.
I've joined a swap group of Artist Trading Cards and a group who swap and create Art Paper Dolls.
The Paper Doll group's theme for February is Steam Punk. I needed to do a little research to be sure I understood exactly what Steam Punk is.
Think Victorians and what their idea of Future Industrial tools and materials would be mixed together.
I call my Trio of Dolls the Time Keepers-Past, Present, Future.

2012-01-19T12:48:00.003-05:00

I finished the House and Garden Altered Art Book yesterday. It feels good to have it completed.
Staying on the topic of what I've learned with this book , I also found sometimes a page isn't coming together as you had imagined it would.
I began the page to the right wanting to use the door in my composition. I had applied pieces of masking tape to the page with the hopes that after painting they would give the impression of a stone wall.
Afterwards I wasn't happy with the muddiness of the colors and my chipboard butterfly wouldn't stay attached to the page.
After having a little hissy fit, I thought maybe if I painted the background white and removed the butterfly, I would open up a space for journaling.
The colors were not working and now the door didn't seem right.
I ripped everything off the page spread and started over. I applied a piece of red hand dyed and stamped paper, ruler stickers and put the postcard which is a closeup detail from one of my mixed media paintings. The green complimented the reds. I sewed on a button and attached a tag.
It felt right and I had added a place for writing.

Nearing the Completion of my House and Garden Altered Art Book

2012-01-18T15:08:00.002-05:00

Creating this altered art book has at times been frustrating but it also has taught me so much.
I think I'll be a better judge when it comes to inspecting a books binding, by knowing what pages has been sewn to the spine from those that have just been glued.
This one began to shed pages on its own after I had removed some as I started the art altering process.
Which in turn taught me what methods and materials worked best to repair the pages I had already completed.
I found that a wider sturdier piece of tape worked better than regular scotch tape. Scotch tape and the masking tapes I used spilt on me.
I found that strips of fabric proved to be useful ,not to mention adding another interest point when trying to keep the pages attached
I ended up using small " pleather" necklace twine to sew through the cloth inner binding to the outside of the books spine as a method to hold the book together.
I have two page spreads left in this book. My plan is to finish it today because I am anxious to start working on the next book in my color series, My Little Book of Red.

My Book of Green

2012-01-16T15:24:00.000-05:00

The title of this altered book is, My Book of Green.
My inspiration for each scene/page spread came from the names of the green paint swatches I had picked up at my local hardware store. They have names like Far Away, St. Patrick, Leprechaun, Summer Frolic, Putting Green, and Green Fees. There are names like Au Naturale , Clean Green, Early Spring and Marsh Green. I found greens named Pale Tide Pool and Essence of Spring Willow and one of the more popular color names Green Tea.
I want to know who thinks up these names and how much do they get paid? If they have a job opening, I'd be happy to fill the position.
I'm thinking I need to start a series of color themed altered books.
I'll start collecting swatches of red paints and in honor of St.Valentine and February, I'll begin creating my second in the series, My Little Book of Red .
Can't wait to see what the reds are named.

My First Group ATC Swap- Cowboy Sweethearts

2012-01-13T15:21:00.001-05:00

For the month of January the Artist Trading Card group over at Roses On My Table blog theme is Cowboy Sweethearts.
After deciding I wanted a vintage image of a cowgirl, I did a little investigation and found this lovely lady.
I created the background by fusing fabric to the trading card. I gave her a new bandanna using blue checked gingham ribbon and a glitzy earring as well.
I needed to make six cards to trade. And as I worked on each I was trying to come up with a title for the edition. (Every new art or group has its own language. I learned that making several of the same image is called an edition.)
I thought about famous cowboy sweethearts like the TV program Gun Smoke's Miss Kitty, Dale Evans and Roy Rodger, Nell and Snidely Whiplash, oh wait... that cartoon was about the Canadian Mounties and Nell had a thing for Dudley's horse ...never mind.
I had my radio playing in the background and a Beatles tune came on which got me to thinking about their song Rocky Raccoon and Rocky's girlfriend who called herself Lil but everyone knew her as Nancy.
Give yourself two Hurrahs if you were mentally singing the song at the end of the last sentence:)

Hurrah for ATCs( Artist Trading Cards)

2012-01-10T16:23:00.001-05:00

I was blog hopping checking out what's up for today and stumbled across a lovely blog called,
Roses On MyTable.
It is a blog full of mixed media art and groups who swap art. I've been looking for a group to do just that.
I signed up, created a profile page and added my first photos of some of my ATCs.
I've already received a friend request along with my first swap theme and date.

I'm off to create Cowboy Girl Friends.

Three Muses Challenge- Maps

2012-01-09T14:44:00.000-05:00

Hope your new year has gotten off on a good foot. I've had some accomplishments already.
I finished my brother's Motorcycle T-Shirt quilt/ comforter and it is on its way to him.

I checked out the Three Muses Challenge blog to see what the upcoming subject for this week would be. And it is maps.
I brought out all my bits and pieces for collaging and created two pieces of Envelope Mail Art.
They are entitled Tailgater and Explore More.
Collage is a great art to work in and with. All those heaping piles of magazines, cards, and junk mail are fun to cut up, not to mention pasting and rubber stamping.
The only draw back I can see right now is you tend to shed little bits of paper everywhere you go.
Oh well ,it could be worse........ It could be hair!!

T-Shirt Quilt/Comforter

2012-01-04T13:25:00.000-05:00

My brother is a carpenter who creates wonderful things from wine cabinets to sun porches. He works for the city of Durham, N.C. taking care of its infrastructure.
He's a nice guy with a big heart who rides motorcycles. Last year his motorcycle group raised money to help a Vet get a home.
He was telling me about all the t-shirts he has collected over time and wondering what to do with them. I suggested a T-Shirt Quilt.
He brought me a box full of shirts. I was teasing him about the motorcycle cutie and vowing not to use it. Hubby said, It's his shirts and it will be his quilt, use it. He's right and I did.
I'm in the final stages of machine quilting and hand tying his comforter.
I hope he will like it when it is completed.

Happy New Year- January 1, 2012

2012-01-01T22:26:00.002-05:00

Urges, Ideas and the Calling of the Muse

2011-12-28T15:52:00.000-05:00

Now that most of the Holiday activities are done and the packing away of decorations have begun, I've been feeling a little antsy.
The need to create is starting to swim through my veins like little fishes.
We visited one of my favorite Art Galleries ( Eye On Art) yesterday. Standing there and absorbing all the creative energy and color flowing from the paintings, sculpture, glass and pottery was wonderful.

I've pulled out a couple of paintings that need finishing and my idea journal. I'm ready to see what swims to the surface.

Soldiering On

2011-12-15T19:19:00.000-05:00

Well, we're about 3/4ths of the way through our Holiday Shopping. We've got pockets full of lists plus receipts and we are licking our pencils and adding up the amounts. Things have to balance, you know.
So far so good.
Very soon I'll have to begin the holiday grocery shopping and baking. Aah the fun never stops.
I may go hide out in my studio and paint a little. It soothes the soul.
Hope your Holiday preparations are going well.

Three Muses Challenge- Tis the Season

2011-12-12T19:28:00.001-05:00

This week's Wednesday's upcoming Three Muses Challenge is Tis the Season.
I've decided my Santa/Toys artist trading card will be my entry. From a little child's perspective that's what Christmas is mostly about......TOYS!!
Do you remember a particular present you wanted and got or didn't?

Artist Trading Cards- Season's Greetings and Naughty & Nice

2011-12-07T19:31:00.001-05:00

Three Muses Challenge- Odd Bodies.... with a short accompaning Story

2011-12-06T16:42:00.003-05:00

Don't you just love it when serendipity and synchronicity arrive together? This weekend I persuaded Hubby to go with me to the Half Price Book store. I love books. I love reading them , handling them, owning them and even smelling them. Not to mention altering them with art work.
Now hubby loves to read but he's not to keen on previously owned books or even checking books out from the library. This came about when he had an allergic reaction from a borrowed book and he surmised it had been in a home where a cat lived. He is Very allergic to cats.
I was having a great time looking around the store when I noticed he was sort of hanging around and wasn't shopping. I asked him, had he found anything yet? And he whispered to me if I had noticed "any peculiar people?" I looked around and back at him puzzled and said No and went back to browsing. Two minutes later he comes up to me and tells me he's going to go wait in the car.
Umm, Okay I told him.

I had just found this really cool book on Art Paper Dolls and another one on Faces in Architecture and wasn't paying full attention to him. I made my purchases and when I got into the car I asked him, why he'd left the store so quickly.
Didn't you see the lady with the weird bright red hair who had her cat on a leash? Everybody was making a fuss over the cat and a clerk went by muttering Oh god, she's in here again with the cat!
They asked the lady to leave because the cat wasn't a service animal. I decided to wait here, he told me.
Well I guess I know I'll be going back to this store by myself or I'll wait till my son's in town. He loves book browsing like I do.
Now here's the serendipity part. I was checking out the Three Muses Challenge blog for this week's challenge. It is Odd Bodies. There's two chapters in my Art Doll book that touches on this subject which had gotten my creative juices flowing and I had already begun working on a couple of paper dolls.
Meet Patty Pelican and her friend Freda Flicker. Patty's taking Freda out hat shopping. Patty's been told she has extraordinary taste in clothes and accessories. Personally Freda thinks it has gone to her head.

Long story-short, Here's my Entry for this week's challenge.

Holiday Artist Trading Cards

2011-12-04T20:37:00.000-05:00

I have been working on some Artist Trading Cards for the Holiday Season. While I was decorating the house for Christmas I came across some old cards and tags I had put away. My muse sent me off to do something with them and here's what I've created so far.
My lighting wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be and Let it Snow looks a little duller and yellower than it really is.

I'm toying with the idea of creating a card a day, so far so good. I figure by the time the month is over I should be a lot better at designing my cards.

December 2nd and 3rd

2011-12-03T11:49:00.001-05:00

The tree went up on the 1st. This year I actually had a theme. Usually I just crowd all my ornaments on and hope for the best. I am an ornament freak. Every year I tell myself I will not!! buy any more but alas it never sticks.
So I have decided to no longer fight the urge. And you know what ,when you stop struggling the problem gets easier and the temptation isn't so hard to handle.
I chose a snow and ice theme for my tree, all white and silver ornaments. I went through the rest of my stash and pulled out all the white whimsies. There are snowmen, white birds with long white feathered tales, crocheted snowflakes and sliver floral picks.
Yes, I did buy more silver ornaments but they were on sale!

Last evening I started creating some Christmas themed ATC's which I will post a little later today.

Yule Countdown

2011-12-01T16:41:00.000-05:00

Gearing Up for the Holidays

2011-11-29T19:32:00.000-05:00

Well, the turkey has been eaten. The traditional family homemade Coconut Cake was made, declared authentic in taste in comparision to Granny Lancaster's and quickly devoured.
I've been cleaning and taking down autumn decorations.

While wet heavy snow fell this afternoon and Charlie Brown Christmas music played on the CD deck, I began some Holiday decorating.
We still have a day left of November before December begins.
Yet, do you feel the magic in the air?

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T20:47:00.002-05:00

Altered Art Book-Step 1

2011-11-21T15:13:00.001-05:00

From my pile of available books I chose the Charlie Brown Encyclopedia to alter. The theme of the book is Stars and Planets which complements my chosen theme , the Moon.

I keep a box stuffed with files full of pictures that I have torn out of magazines, newspapers, and brochures plus postcards and greeting cards. While organizing and adding items to the files I discovered that I had a number of pictures that featured the full moon. So naturally the theme presented itself.

Most of the books I have in my library on altered art suggest working on the cover last.
I find myself creating my covers first. My reasoning is I like to attach items to my covers and that may mean holes with eyelets or brads, wire or ribbons. If I wait til the end to do the cover it also means my first spread must wait as well. Particularly if I have added items to the cover that will require brad ends or eyelet holes be concealed.
I have had very good luck creating my covers first with one exception. I had used an old piece of costume jewelry on a cover and halfway through the alteration process it broke apart into several sections. It caused me to go back and rethink the cover and redo the first page spread.

For this book's cover I began by painting it using black, slate and quarry pebble acrylic paints. On the cover was a picture of a half moon which I chose to retain. The cover ended up requiring two coats of paint. I am planning on painting a Full Lady in the Moon on the cover next

2011-11-16T14:59:00.000-05:00

Thank you all for the lovely comments about my Three Muses Challenge Mail Art.
I loved making them.
I hope you looked at the pictures close up. The return address on Harvest Blessings is the top of a restaurant check from San Diego, California. I thought it went well with my waitress.
When I travel I collect all kinds of paper ephemera such as tickets, brochures, paper napkins and so on. I love using them in my collages and altered art.
On my "Weary Mother" mail art I used a new masking tape I found in the scrap booking section of our local hobby store. It's printed with a vintage pharmacy address from a town I once lived in.
Now that the Holiday Preparation Season is upon us, we are being inundated with catalogs and various service company's special rate postcards. The slogan on a card for carpet cleaning was just perfect for the envelope.
This was a challenge I truly enjoyed.

Three Muses Challenge- Mail Art

2011-11-15T11:09:00.001-05:00

This week's challenge at Three Muses Challenge blog is Mail Art. With Thanksgiving on the horizon I decided to make it the theme of my entry. My first piece of Mail Art I went in for a some what tradition look.

While looking through my Dover Book of "" Women , A Pictorial Archive From Nineteenth-Century Sources" I came across the illustration of the over worked Mother and thought ,"Been there, Done that!"
With all the preparation that goes into the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, I knew she needed a little acknowledgement and applause. So I used Mother for my second entry into day's Mail Art Challenge.

Picking Out A Book

2011-11-11T16:16:00.000-05:00

Picking out a book is the first step in creating an Altered Art Book. When I was first introduced to altered book art I was a little intimidated because I love books and have always treated mine respectfully. The thought of actually "defacing "a book went against the grain. I found that once I had created a few altered art books, my love for books grew even more if that is even possible.

Face it not all books are keepers. Some have outdated information and are no longer relevant. I also like the idea of recycling books into art. When you begin to look for a book, the best places to go are, thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets and used book stores.

I like working with hardcovers because they are sturdier and are more likely to stand up to the altering process.

Pick the book up and feel it. Is it a light weight? Or does it have a little heft to it? Thin books may not have sturdy papers .

How old is the book? Older books may have brittle pages, or to soft pages and loose spines. If you're going to put a lot of art and creativity in your book you don't want it falling part. But if it has a great cover, interesting title and illustrations, it could be used as a resource book.. Use the cover or pages as materials for another book.

Start with a medium size book, one that is medium in all aspects, medium size and medium amount of pages.

Now here is a few tips I picked up that I didn't find in my altering book bibles.

Check the spine and signatures of the book. You are asking what's a signature? When a book is made, a section of the papers are sewn together, it's called a signature. There may be as many as ten signatures to a book. The signatures are then sewn to the spine of the book . Many books have the signatures glued to the spine. If the book is newer with not much wear it may not be a problem.

As you work on your book you will be adding many different materials and you'll need to remove pages. Open your book to a page near the beginning and rip out a few. Work your way through the book pulling out pages in intervals.

Here is where I ran into the problem of working with a book that had glued signatures to the spine. After I had pulled some pages out, the remaining pages began to lose their hold while I was working with them. This is where I had to work to come up with methods to keep the remaining pages in the book attached.

One more thing I discovered was working with glossy papers and covers can be a challenge. Glossy pages and covers have difficulty accepting certain kinds of paints. One technique is to lightly sand paper the surface of the page or cover of the book. The sanding gives the surface a little tooth with which it can grab and hold onto the paint

Are you ready to start altering a book? Are your creative juices flowing?

Go find your book and lets's get started.

The Beginning of a Passion- Altered Art Books and Journals Course

2011-11-09T19:56:00.001-05:00

In 2004 I came across an article and challenge in Quilting Arts Magazine that dealt with making a fabric altered art book and/or a fabric art book. I had never created one and was intrigued enough to try one.
Like any good bibliophile I went out and bought books and magazines that had basic altering how tos.
With the publishing of my Fabric Art Book I was hooked.
I had bought as many books as I could find at the time that dealt with the subject of altered books. The ones I repeatedly went back to for information and inspiration are the ones featured in the above photo.
After creating over 20 art books in various mediums , I have learned through my own experience coupled with the information I found in those books, some basic rules to follow in the making of art books.
If you're inclined and interested in creating art books of your own, I will be posting a simple how to course.
I hope you'll follow along and if you have questions please comment and let me know. I will do my best to answer them.

Changing Course

2011-11-03T13:51:00.000-04:00

A year or so ago while visiting the Chicago Art Museum's exhibit on Matisse's art, I came across a quote of his that I wrote down in my notebook.

" Changing course when you have achieved what you want in a certain area, when you have exploited the possibilities that lie in one direction, you must, when the time comes, change course.

Search for something new.

When I began this blog I was mainly involved in fiber art, studio art quilts and soft sculpture dolls but in my two and one half years of blogging I've slowly evolved to working mostly with collage and mixed media art.

Due to my many years of hand quilting I have developed carpal tunnel syndrome and a contact dermatitis allergy to fabric. Still that doesn't deter me from creating and working with fabric if the Muse calls for it.

I feel the need to explore altered art books and journals, altered mail art and atc's, now not to mention giving the cracks and splits on my fingers a chance to heal.

Because I feel this need to change my focus I am giving my blog a face lift and fresh new colors. Come and see what new things that I create and explore.

Close up of Max, Quilted Canvass Paintiing

2011-10-29T18:28:00.000-04:00

Purple Mountains

2011-10-27T14:15:00.000-04:00

SOLD

Three Muses Challenge- Wings

2011-10-25T15:02:00.000-04:00

This week's Three Muses challenge is Wings. Since I've been creating ATC's this week, I chose to stick with this format.
Do you like Libby's little fastinator hat? When it came time to photograph my ATC I couldn't decide which background set it off better. I took shots of both backgrounds.
Possibly the black background was best?.

Halloween ATC Art

2011-10-24T14:50:00.000-04:00

To create Tag Art and ATC's I am discovering that you need to have a good supply of stamps, clippings, brads, stick glue, stacks of magazines to use as a resource and trays to hold all the little bits and pieces.
Oh and a very good small sharp pointed pair of scissors is also a must. In fact it doesn't hurt to have several pairs lying about in strategic locations, such as the kitchen counter, the coffee table or under the couch pillows as well as the pair on your work table.
I have to say it pleases my inner little girl to do all this cutting and pasting and working with small cute little images and pictures. I find myself making up stories to go along with each tag or ATC ( artist trading card).
If you make ATC's or Tag Art, do you concoct stories for your little pieces of art?

2011-10-24T11:29:00.002-04:00

Three Muses Challenge- Circles and Squares

2011-10-18T14:54:00.003-04:00

For this week's Three Muses Challenge- Circles and Squares I decided to create a piece of Halloween themed mail art.

P.S. I was wondering if anyone would like to exchange mail art?

Halloween Tag Art

2011-10-14T19:19:00.003-04:00

Three Muses Challenge-Bottles

2011-10-04T16:28:00.002-04:00

Working on this week's Three Muses Challenge-Bottles was fun.
I had originally intended to create a small herb stand having small bottles of dried herbs hanging from my "wall".
But Matilda said "I don't think so. How about we have a wee small drink and think on the subject again?"
What can I say the old girl is right.

Halloween Tag Art

2011-10-03T20:03:00.001-04:00

I've been working on some small art tags with a Halloween flair of course!

Three Muses Challenge-Moon

2011-09-28T11:46:00.001-04:00

This week's Three Muses Challenge subject is the Moon. For my entry, I'm showing the back of a Halloween art project that I have completed. It is a book/box that I re purposed and created a Spell Book, a Halloween decoration
I've shown the cover already in the Hat challenge with the promise of revealing the back cover when it was completed.
Ta Da !! Here it is.

2011-09-22T12:33:00.001-04:00

Three Muses Challenge- Doors

2011-09-21T10:11:00.002-04:00

Don't you love it when synchronicity is at work?
This week Three Muses Challenge is Doors. When I read what the challenge was I had to smile because I've been creating a page in my altered art book, Homes and Gardens, that features doors.
I'm not sure why I love doors but I do.
I collect pictures of interesting doors, partly for the artistic designs and partly for the magic of them. ( I think I just answered my question).
Doors are in between places, neither here nor there, and everyone knows it's in between places where magic happens. Think about it.

Three Muses Challenge- Autumn

2011-09-13T13:11:00.002-04:00

This weeks Three Muses Challenge was Autumn.
My entry is a page from my "Taste of Autumn", an altered art recipe book I created.

My camera gives me fits sometimes. I'll snap a picture and it will show me the little green hand sign which is supposed to mean this is a good shot. Later I'll be viewing the photo after I've downloaded it and discover that it is blurry when I zoom in for a closer look... example... the above photo... ugh!!

Inspiration from Modiglani

2011-09-07T11:55:00.000-04:00

I have had several inquires about my blog banner. I'm very glad that it is so well liked.
The closeup of the Grooms face comes from my quilted canvass, The Bride and Groom.
This painted art quilt is my take off of one of Modigliani's wonderful paintings.
I changed the background from the original. I needed to translate a plan wall to a quilting motif, to do that I researched wall paper designs from the 1910's to the late 1920's. Modigliani's painting was done in 1915 , I believe. I hand quilted a stylized leaf design behind the Bride and a stripe design behind the Groom.
In my painted art quilts I like to add found objects or other mixed media to give them some texture. After I had painted the Groom I decided I didn't like his mustache , it needed something. I had a Aha moment and hand embroidered him in some mustache whiskers.
I have always admired Modigliani's ability to convey personality in the minimal facial features he has painted in his portraits.

Three Muses Challenge- Words

2011-09-06T19:50:00.001-04:00

This week's Three Muses Challenge is Words. With this challenge in mind I was looking through some of my sketch books and came across this page spread.
I used the children's poem called "Monday's Child" for the left side and the quote, "What one loves in childhood stays in the heart forever" for the right side.
Yes, all those little girls are me.

2011-09-05T16:18:00.002-04:00

Three Muses Challenge- Windows

2011-08-24T12:16:00.000-04:00

This week's Wednesday's Three Muses Challenge is window- windows. Thinking about what sort of art I wished to enter I first considered a mixed media project where two small 8" x 10" canvases are painted, hinged and have a small wooden doll size window placed in the center of one. It opens like a book and has endless possibilities for all sorts of cool things to be seen through the window.
Unfortunately I had a small accident Sunday morning, I broke my toe. I've been hobbling around but mostly keeping still with my foot elevated.
Therefore my entry is a drawing of a window with the curtains closed on a hot sunny summer's day.
You get to imagine what might be happening behind those curtains.!?

The Three Last Page Spreads in Commissioned Altered Art Journal

2011-08-19T16:43:00.000-04:00

My First Commissioned Altered Art Book/ More Page Spreads

2011-08-19T11:18:00.001-04:00

Here are some finished page spreads I did yesterday. As I work on these I wonder if I'm doing to much and not leaving enough journal space..
I'm hoping the receiver of this journal loves the book and writes all over it.
I've got a page spread and pocket spread to finish today.
Any comments or questions about my art is welcomed.

My First Commissioned Altered Art Book

2011-08-17T15:10:00.001-04:00

A good friend e-mailed me the other day and asked me to create one of my altered art books for one of the Summer interns where she works. Her office wanted to give the intern a gift. My friend has seen my art books and has always liked them.
I asked for directions as to what the recipient's tastes were. She told me the young woman was a poet, who loved the colors brown, reds, oranges, and turquoise and also liked American Indiana Art as well as abstract art. I quoted a price for my art and it was agreed upon.
My first step was to go to my local Goodwill store. I found two books that were in good condition and the right size. I brought them home and after looking them over again, I picked the one I thought would be the best candidate.
After pulling out extra pages and then gluing together the pages that were left I've been working on the page spreads the last couple of days and my goal is to have the book completed by this weekend.

Three Muses Challenge- Hats

2011-08-16T16:26:00.001-04:00

This week's Three Muses challenge is hats. For my entry I decided to show everyone my Halloween Book of Spells that I have been working on. Along with the Witch with her lovely Halloween chapeau that graces the front cover..

My inspiration for this piece came from an article in an October issue of Somerset Studio's magazine. I found this book/box last year on sale at Hobby Lobby. It was pretty ugly with awful ripped gray colored low thread count muslin glued to it. The only saving grace was the label on the spine and I thought it had great potential.
I painted the thing with orange and black acrylic paints, and have been working on finishing the covers.

Three Muses Challenge-Maps

2011-08-09T12:17:00.001-04:00

This Wednesday's Three Muses Challenge is maps.
One of the altered art books I have been working in I call "In Search of Art".
The first page spread I used a map stamp behind the Eiffel Tower on the left side. Can you find it ?

Altered Art Journals

2011-08-08T19:35:00.001-04:00

I've been spending a lot of this summer working on my altered art journals. With the temperatures being in the 90's for so long now , it's just to hot to be out and about.

I have saved articles about gardening, growing plants and garden art projects that I have pulled out of different magazines over the years. I find myself trying to remember where I've stored them when I need them. Thus my Garden Notes altered art book was begun.

Indiana State Fair Entry

2011-07-30T10:46:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we were to turn in our entries to this year's Indiana State Fair.
I've entered my mixed media painting ,Jean's Song. One nice feature about entering in the Fair is you receive six tickets to the Fair. The tickets covers my immediate family and over the years we've turned it into an annual Family outing. My grandsons are now old enough to remember going and ask about when is it time for the Fair.
This year it starts August the 5th and runs to August the 21st. It's the Year of the Sowbean here in Indiana and the featured dessert is fried ice cream. Personnally give me funnel cake or elephant ears anytime!

Autumn Leaf/ Mixed Media Painting

2011-07-26T17:41:00.000-04:00

To create this painting, I used a leaf that had fallen from our small magnola tree for the subject.
I began by painting black gesso to the canvas. After it dried I took pink colored chalk and drew the leaf design. Torn masking tape pieces were applied to the background to create the texture of a stone wall.
I used gel medium to glue down a strip of fabric in the bottom third of the canvass. I also applied cheese cloth and rat tail cording to replicate the leaf's veins.
Then I used acrylic paints to complete the picture.

Three Muses Challenge- Oriental

2011-07-19T16:24:00.001-04:00

This Wednesday's Three Muses Challenge was to create something with an Oriental theme.
Since I've been reorganizing all my scrap booking papers, bits and pieces, I've had an easier time of finding the correct themes when I need them.
My Entry is Mail Art.
I've been saving those chop sticks wrappers for a while. The Gentleman was printed from old Korea
money that my Dad collected while serving during the Korean War.

Fortune Tellers Shrine...Halloween Project #1

2011-07-14T20:13:00.000-04:00

I keep binders full of art ideas and projects that I have pulled out of craft and decorator magazines through the years. I have ones full of quilting projects, wool and penny rug projects and embroidery ideas. But the biggest one is full of Fall and Halloween ideas and projects that I knew I would have to create some day.
With my Fall fever attack growing in intensity I pulled the Halloween binder off my art studio's bookcase and began flipping through the pages.
In the Sept./Oct. 2008 issue of Somersetstudio Magazine, Tricia Scott wrote an article on constructing a Fortune Tellers Shrine. She explains how she had a wooden letter holder that she transformed into a Shrine. She also made the coolest altered art journal to put in it.
I had pulled those pages out and have kept them with the notion that someday I wanted to try something like this.

Reeling from my Fall fever, I headed to my local Good Will store to see if I could find a wooden letter holder. There on the shelf was a cherry stained letter holder for only $2.95. Well of course I snapped it up.
Back in the laboratory/ laundry room I began sanding down my find and doing a little deconstructing to it as well. In the small drawer I removed the little divider panel , pulled out the sticky green felt and unscrewed the the little brass knob.
I painted acrylic white gesso on the desk to give it an antique worn look. I then stamped the drawer with a moon and stars stamp and used a diamond harlequin stamp on the rest of the desk.
After the acrylic and inks had dried I decoupaged some torn pages from a 1983 Farmers Almanac on the inside of the little drawer using semi gloss gel medium. For the final touch I brushed a little orange acrylic glaze here and there on the shrine.
I am now in the process of creating Sister Ruby's " Fortunes, Forecasts and Lucky Charms" book.
Now where can I locate a small tea tin and tea cup so she can do a few tea leaves reading?
Stay Tuned!

Time Flies or only 122 Days to Halloween

2011-07-08T13:36:00.001-04:00

OH, something happened on the way to the grocery store today. I came down with a bad case of Fall Fever!
We're hosting the grand boys for an overnighter and I was out getting the necessary supplies, brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts, chocolate chip waffles , fruit roll ups and whole milk ( got to have something with a little bit of nutritional value).
But first I'd thought I'd stop by Hobby Lobby and see about getting some scrap book papers and glue. Walked into the store and they had kiosks full of pumpkins, fall leaves and autumn colored candles. I spied some black crows peeping out of fall foliage and that did it; this big wave of Fall fever rolled over me.
I've been looking for that next creative spark from my Muse to hit me. After all the rearranging ,cleaning and painting of my art studio I've been ready to start working on something.
Now I know it will be Fall and Halloween inspired.
Hang on to your hats, gather up anything orange, black, white, purple and lime green and follow along with me, if my calculations are correct there's only 122 days to Hallow'en!

Three Muses Challenge- The Twenties

2011-07-06T15:34:00.000-04:00

This weeks challenge was the Twenties.
I've finally gotten back to working on my altered art garden journal. While refiling all my scrap booking papers and magazine tear outs I came across this relaxed lady and just knew she'd work for this challenge.

Plein Aire Painting Class

2011-07-04T18:10:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks. I've been in the middle of repainting my studio and completely overhauling and resorting out all my art supplies. It was time to get rid of half used materials, outdated paints and other clutter.
Along with all that activity I took a two day plein aire workshop with a favorite friend and teacher of mine Jerry Points.
We had a nice group of artists plus two very clear sunny days to paint out in the open.
On our first day we painted water lillies at a small local japanese garden.
The top picture is my completed painting. The version I'm most happy with.

Sketching at the Boca Raton Resort, Florida

2011-06-19T11:45:00.000-04:00

Hubby had a business meeting to attend in Florida last week and I tagged along, while he worked I wandered around the resort taking photos of some of the interesting architectural details of the buildings and sketching.
There was a lot to discover and a lot of subjects that I wanted to paint or sketch. I'll be using the photos I took to create future art.
The main fountain out front was intriguing. I really liked the small four corner mer men fountains? I'm not sure they would be considered mer men as they had wings for arms even though they had double fish tails for legs. I need to go look these creatures up in my mythology books.

Three Muses Challenge- Exotic Birds

2011-06-07T19:18:00.003-04:00

This week's Three Muses Challenge is Exotic Birds. I was pondering what my entry would be while working on my House and Garden Altered Art Journal. My creative muse took over and this is what I created a Blue Winged Rose Sitter Bird.

She's in the process of laying her eggs and contemplating whether they will have enough room in her new Bird House.

Paint Brushes and Colored Pencils

2011-06-02T12:13:00.000-04:00

Three Muses Challenge-The Written Word

2011-05-31T20:00:00.001-04:00

This journal page spread is called the Ferry Seeds/Words of Wisdom. To create this spread I took several pages from clothing and jewelry catalogs, tore them into strips and then wove them together. For focal points two greeting card covers were used along with an envelope.
Crewel embroidery thread and a small square of fabric covered felt was used to make the fastener for the envelope.
I'm gathering quotes to keep in my envelope. If you have one you particularly like please send it to me so I can add it too my collection.
Thanks...

Three Muses Challenge-Blue

2011-05-24T19:19:00.002-04:00

Trying to decide what my entry for this Wednesday's Three Muses Challenge, Blue, has been a little tough, so I've opted to show a colored pencil drawing rendered on white tissue paper and my quilted canvass painting of Modigliani's , Paulette Jourdain. ( Thanks, Christine)
The drawing is a copy of Van Gogh's drawing of a plaster casting, he did as a class assignment.
To create my quilted canvass painting, I first hand drew the design on 100% cotton fabric with pencil. Then I machine stitched the basic outline following with hand quilting.
Once I completed the hand quilting I attached the binding and began painting the picture using acrylic paints. Her hair bow is made from a black chiffon headscarf that I cut down and appliqued to the picture.
In Modigliani's original painting there isn't any wainscoting or wall paper on the back ground wall. I added those features so I could have something to hand quilt for added texture to the painted art quilt.

I'm sure you've figured out by now my reasoning for recreating this painting of Modigliani's....
you know...
..Paulette painted Paulette

Drawings in Progress

2011-05-19T15:04:00.000-04:00

I've been in a bit of a stall, not sure about where I want to go with my art. I've also been preoccupied with getting my herb garden planted.
But I sat down the other day and completed the drawing of the man's face in the stone and started drawing on one of the Lions that stands outside of the Chicago Art Museum.

Three Muses Challenge-Eggs

2011-05-18T14:46:00.002-04:00

This weeks Three Muses Challenge is Eggs. Being one who likes to try new things I had a go at ceramics a while back. It being near Easter at the time, I decided to make some eggs. I tend to go my own way in a class situation so while everyone else was crafting the traditional eggs, I drew a grooming cat on mine.
I scratched my design into the green clay, rubbed it with color and then had it fired in a clear glaze.
This cat of mine has followed me around for almost 30 years and he doesn't shed , require to much maintenance and my allergic husband can be near it.
I do miss the purring though.

The Dog's Done

2011-05-14T15:43:00.001-04:00

This week I worked on finishing my painting of the Dog. My goal was to paint quickly and not over think it. Also I gained more knowledge of what I can accomplish with my acrylics by working in this method.
I envy those painters who do plein aire painting and can finish a wonderful painting in an hour or so.
This painting started out as an abstract in the beginning and turned into something else at the finish.
My husband has suggested Dog in the Marsh with Toast as the painting's title. What do you think?

Pulling Out Unfinished Fiber Art

2011-05-10T15:35:00.000-04:00

While straightening my studio I came across some fiber art that I had started and had put away to finish later.
The trees are inspired by a small Arts and Craft tile that I saw while browsing through a book on the subject. The piece is being done in crewel embroidery French Knots. Yes, that's all knots. I really like the look and feel of it but doing repetitious work really bores me. So I set it aside. It's time to finish it!

The other small piece is the beginning of a small art quilt. It too needs to have the embroidery and beading work on it completed.
Now that I have most of my herb garden and window boxes planted for Spring, I'm going to have to manicure the dirt out from under my nails and get to sewing.

Three Muses Challenge - Stripes

2011-05-04T19:49:00.000-04:00

My entry in this week's Three Muses Challenge/ Stripes is an art quilt I created. The fabrics are 100% cotton. It was machine pieced, hand quilted and embroidered. It won a Second place ribbon in the 2010 Indiana State Fair, Professional Embellished Fiber Art category.

Mixed Media Painting in Progress

2011-05-01T20:02:00.001-04:00

I clip art photos, pages from magazines etc. just what ever peaks my artistic curiosity and I tape or glue these clippings into my art journals for future reference.
A few clippings were of abstract paintings that had interesting designs. Using these as a starting point, I began working on two acrylic paintings by applying pieces of masking tape to a canvass that had been painted with black gesso.
After painting on my abstracts for a while I found that I liked some of the design but as a whole it wasn't quite what I wanted. I put my brushes down and went and got a diet coke. I figured that if I still wasn't happy with the paintings I could always paint over them.
As I drank my coke I picked up some catalogs that had come in the mail and began flipping through them. I came a cross a photo of a dog that just resonated with me.
I immediately went back and began painting him on the canvass. It was exactly what was needed, the painting seemed to paint itself.
I will finish the dog's face and complete the painting tomorrow.
Now I'm going to have to locate another dog for a companion painting.
If you have a cute dog or cat and want his picture painted, please let me know or send me a photo.

Altered Journal #2- House and Garden....Troubles!

2011-04-26T15:20:00.001-04:00

This journal is progressing at a much slower pace than I thought it would. I think part of the problem is the book I chose to work with. The binding and signatures are not as strong as I thought they were. I'll be working on a page and discover it's coming loose from the binding, which means I have to stop and figure out how to keep the page attached. Fixing the difficulty more than likely will change the art and composition on the page.
Also some of the paints and glues seeped through the paper where I didn't expect it to. Those small calamities forced me to go back and redo and repair art I'd already finished.
I'm also having a small concentration problem.. ...There are too more altered book ideas that are battling to be the first one in line.
One theme is Roses and the other is the Moon. It's beginning to look like I'll have to start two more journals and work on all of them simultaneously, depending on which muse is demanding some attention at the time!

Progress on Altered Art journal #2

2011-04-23T09:58:00.000-04:00

Three Muses Challenge- Mail Art

2011-04-19T19:59:00.001-04:00

This week's Muses Challenge is Mail Art. Two envelopes were previous mail art that I had begun but had not gotten around to completing them. They're the ones with a Fall theme.
I pulled them out of my art clipping files, finished them and made one more for good measure.
They are all stamped and collaged. Hope you like them.
Want to trade some Mail Art? The Post Office could stand a little business. Let me know if you're interested.

April Art Drawing

2011-04-16T12:58:00.001-04:00

This primitive fiber art piece measures 12" x 12". It is hand stitched, embroidered, beaded and hand quilted. The inspiration for my small fiber primitive art quilts comes from admiring the applique art of English Artist
Janet Bolton.
If you want to add your name to the drawing for this piece of art, please leave a comment saying so.

Weaving Series- Working with Tyvek

2011-04-15T13:13:00.000-04:00

To create the art quilts in this series, I used acrylic paints on a piece of tyvek. The tyvek was then cut into random size strips which were woven with cotton fibers and fabric. The small weaving was placed between sheets of freezer paper and pressed with a hot iron. The heat melts and distorts the tyvek into interesting shapes.
When I got the piece done to my liking I then machine basted it to a cotton background. From there I did hand embroidery, beading and added a large to medium sized button for a focal point.
I finished the art with hand quilting.

Three Muses Challenge- Keys

2011-04-12T19:33:00.001-04:00

Here's my entry to this weeks Three Muses Challenge. Art is the key to my Bliss. Come on in and visit a while.
This small art quilt is hand painted, embroidered, beaded, buttoned and quilted.

A Face in the Round

2011-04-12T15:06:00.001-04:00

I've been working on several new drawings. I pulled up the photo that I had taken of a building in downtown Indy. This building has the coolest stone carvings around its windows and doors. There's one carving that looks like a Knight to me. I'm working on his portrait now.

Sunday Daffodills

2011-04-11T12:22:00.001-04:00

Sunday, we nearly broke an 81 year old record in temperature for this day in my area. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing and I had to go outside and draw the wild daffodils growing in our natural( read wild) neighborhood common area.
I loved sitting there listening to the birds twittering, neighborhood dogs barking, the sound of the lawn mowers cutting the first grass of the season and the roar of the motorcycle club as they passed by.
As I drew my daffodil I kept thinking of this line from a poem ,daffy down dilly.
After I finished drawing, I stood up, let some feeling come back into my left leg and went into the house to find the origin of that haunting line.
Turns out it is a Mother Goose rhyme.
Daffy Down Dilly
Has come to town
In a yellow petticoat
And a green gown.

I also came across this little daffodil poem.
Surprise
Close your eyes and do not peek
And I'll rub Spring across your cheek
Soft as velvet, smooth and sleek.
Close your eyes and do not peek.

Altered Book #2 House and Garden

2011-04-07T11:45:00.002-04:00

I've been working on my altered journal #2 and due to the themes that seem to be attracting me I have decided to call the book, House and Garden.
In the Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, there is an article written by Heidi Sekovski and Karin Winter that tells and demonstrates how to make a folder journal using a basic manila folder.
Because the spine of the book that I am working on has some dried cracked glue problems and loose pages, I needed something to had some stability.
I constructed one of the folder journals following their directions. However I did not do the the covering and sewing of the folds with fabric as they showed. With it being in my book I am hoping that that will be enough protection for the edges. This folder addition worked perfectly.
I sewed the folder into the book using some small black leather cording.

I'm now in the process of sorting my scrap booking papers, postcards, and cards looking for those that will work toward the book's theme.
I'm also doing some drawings I want to add as well.
Have you ever tried any of the art projects found in art and craft magazines?

Three Muses Challenge - Victorian Elegance

2011-04-05T15:18:00.001-04:00

For this weeks Three Muses Challenge , Victorian Elegance, I am submitting two of my art quilts. I call these my Bodice Ripper Series.
They were created using acrylic painted and heat distressed pieces of tyvek which were stitched onto cotton fabric. The ripped corsets were then hand embellished. I used hand crocheted lace, ric rac, ribbons, buttons, eyelets and embroidery and crewel threads and yarns.
I was able to locate some antique mother of pearl bra strap rings which I used on the second art quilt.
These art quilts were hand embroidered and hand quilted.
My two victorian maiden tags were stamped and collaged.
Oh by the way, the small skirt on the top corset tag is made of a used acrylic painted dryer sheet. How's that for recycled art?

Art Dust Gallery

2011-04-04T15:09:00.000-04:00

You may not be aware that I run a virtual Art Gallery.
Art Dust Gallery is where I showcase my art and try to give some background on how the art is done or what inspired the piece.
It's been up about a year and a half now. I dropped by the Gallery today and did a remodeling job for the Spring Season.

Please stop by and check out the new digs. Leave a comment.
I am planning on having an Art Sale soon.
Tell me what pieces catch your eye or what you might like to see on sale.

Click on Art Gallery under my profile and it should take you right there or if you prefer go to
artdustgallery.blogspot.com

Thanks

April 1st- A Little April Fool's History , Pie Bird

2011-04-01T13:53:00.000-04:00

April is named for the latin word Aprilis, meaning to open. April was originally the second month of the early Roman calendar till Julius Ceasar established the Julian calendar in 46 B.C. and it was moved back to the fourth month of the year.
In the northern hemisphere the appearance of the outdoor world usually changes more in April than any other month of the year.
The observance of April Fools day is said to have started after Charles IX in 1582 adopted the Gregorian calendar. Up to that time the New Year celebrations began on March the 21st and lasted until the 1st of April.
Because news was slow to travel many weren't aware of the changes which resulted in April Fools. Silly jokes were played on those who were uniformed.
April Fools Day was brought to the states by the English, Irish and French immigrants.

One of my favorite songs/poems when I was a girl was Four and Twenty Blackbirds.
I would wonder how anyone could bake a pie with live birds in it. It would make a wonderful April Fools joke.
And if you could bake a pie with birds in it why wouldn't you use a more colorful bird for greater effect? Couldn't you just picture cardinals or bluejays flying out of a pie?
Spectacular!

Frida Soft Sculpture Drawing Today....And the Winner Is ..paintedlady89/Gigi

2011-03-31T10:54:00.002-04:00

Frida stands 12 inches tall. The basic body was constructed from 100 % cotton fabric and was machine stitched and hand stuffed.
Her face was hand drawn and acrylic painted on cotton fabric which was then stitched down on the doll form. The basic body form was then decorated with sewn down fabric strips, hand beading and lace.
A quote from Frida Kahlo was also applied by hand.
Her value is $75.00.

Paintedlady 89/ Gigi e-mail me so we can set up arrangements. Congratulations!!
I hope you will love her as much as I have.

Happy 2cd Anniversary: Don't Mess with the Blogger

2011-03-30T19:52:00.001-04:00

Two years ago today I began my blog Art Dust. When I started I wasn't very knowledgeable about the ends and outs of blogging. For that matter I wasn't very computer knowledgeable as well.
I feel like I've grown a lot but still have a lot to learn. (Famous last words!)
One thing I discovered is how much easier it is for people to find you when the name of your blog is also your blog address.
So I changed my blog address to my Blog's name and guess what... I couldn't access this blog. And all the ways I tried to get to it told me it was no longer available...major hair pulling and cussing...so I went and redid my blog address back to fiberartistrpl.blogspot.com and here I am. I'm hoping you all can still find me.

Altered Journal #2

2011-03-29T12:47:00.001-04:00

I've begun working on my next altered journal. It's theme seems to be gardens, houses, doors and windows. At least that's what's been catching my artistic eye lately.

I think it's because I'm ready to start working in my herb garden. Alas it's not quite ready for me, so to appease those feelings I've been looking at gardening books and magazines. Outdoor rooms and furnishings seem to be the big "new" thing.
These magazines and catalogs are featuring large bottles and jars filled with game pieces, shells , books and dried plant materials. My fingers and hands itch for pencil and paper everytime I sit down and read them.
Follow along with me as I create this new journal. If you have any ideas about subjects to include please let me know.

Spring Haiku

2011-03-27T15:59:00.002-04:00

In Spring she sings songs

telling of love and flowers.

My heart grows new buds.

Three Muses Challenge-Odd

2011-03-23T14:33:00.002-04:00

This week's Three Muses Challenge, Odd, had me stumped for a while. What exactly is Odd and when does Odd become Whimsy?
I mulled the concept over to the point that it was ragged and I needed some clarification. When that happens I do what I always told my boys who knew and dreaded what was coming when they asked me word definitions.
"GO LOOK IT UP".
So off to the dictionary I went....
(a little throat clearing here)
Odd, adj. #1. remaining or separated from a pair or set...Hmmm, there's 5 definitions given . Oh here it is #5. peculiar or eccentric
Sounds of pages flipping....
Whimsy, n. #1. a sudden odd notion #2. quaint or fanciful humor...

With these ideas floating around in my mind I began to peruse my art.
Would a Bird's house with bird sitting on it's egg and peeping neighbor's in the bush be odd enough?
Maybe.
Would three Indian ladies taking a stroll through a lush grove of cactus that have giant lizards in them be odd?
Maybe.
How about three dancing paper dolls, two being a pair and one being not. Would that be odd?
I can't decide.
You tell me!

After looking at everyone's entries...I'm going back to the drawing board!

Berthe

2011-03-21T14:16:00.000-04:00

This a close up of a quilted canvass painting I created. I was inspired by Modigliani's painting of the Lipchitzs.
I've been asked how I create these paintings that are also quilted wall hangings.
I first begin by treating it as a whole cloth quilt, meaning I take a solid colored 100% cotton fabric usually white and iron it freezer paper. The paper provides stability so I can draw my design on the fabric.
Once the drawing is completed I remove the paper and embroider the features or any thing I wish to high light. It is then basted together with a backing fabric and batting. I machine stitch the main outlines of the subject. Then I hand quilt the whole design. Bindings are added. At this point it resembles a whole cloth quilt.
Since it is a white solid colored fabric. It becomes my canvass and I paint the picture in using acrylic paints.
I also like to add found items for texture. I may add lace, buttons, ribbons or hand embroider in hair.
My next subject is going to be Sunflowers.
I want to try adding beads and small stones to create the seeds and centers of the flowers.

My Book of Green is Completed

2011-03-19T20:06:00.001-04:00

I finished the last page spread in my Book of Green on Friday. The green swatch prompt was Green Tea so I naturally did an Asian inspired theme.

I went back through the book checking and reassessing my art and decided that the Marsh page needed a little something. I ended up outlining the picture with ribbon and adding a red fantasy Daisy flower. I like this better.

Studio Art Quilt- Celebration with Close Up

2011-03-18T14:46:00.001-04:00

This is the first in a series of Art Quilts.

Three Muses Challenge-Fish

2011-03-16T12:45:00.002-04:00

This is my entry for this weeks Three Muses Challenge-Fish. I had three different starts to this page spread before it finally came together.
When I came across the little mermaid it all fell together.

Working on My Book of Green

2011-03-14T13:58:00.002-04:00

I have been working on the page spreads in my altered book. I went back and did some extra accents to my St. Pats spread. He needed a leprechauns hat and I found a really cool one in the scrap booking section at my local Michael's.

The next page spreads were ones on gardening, golf and summer frolicking.

One of the green paint swatch colors is called au natural. I ended up putting a bathing beauty under a waterfall. Across from that page the color swatch was clean green.
For Marsh Green I went with a little willow fairy and a frog pond scene.
I'm making pockets for the last pages and the book will be completed.
I love it when a plan comes together.

Paulette

2011-03-12T16:51:00.000-05:00

Soft Sculpture- March Giveaway/ 3-10-11

2011-03-10T19:45:00.000-05:00

Here it is March the 10th already. Do you realize that 1/3 of the month has gone by? Well, I've been thinking , creating and trying to decide what type of art I might give away this month.
I'm in the middle of completing a painting and finishing two art dolls/ soft sculpture.
I think it will be a soft sculpture, possibly Frida here or another doll.
If you're interested in getting a soft sculpture please leave me a comment and let me know to add your name to the drawing.

Three Muses Challenge-Spring

2011-03-08T19:22:00.002-05:00

I've been working on a little altered art book which I call My Book of Green. The inspiration for this book came from looking at the little card paint swatches from our local hardware store. I love all the different names they give the various shades of green. Right now I'm needing every bit of green I can find to counter act all the brown of Winter.

The swatch for this spread is Early Spring. I used a lovely Victorian card I had collected which featured a pretty red breasted bird with its nest. As I auditioned the pieces of ephemera I realized it still needed something. So I put in a little Fairy who's egg tending.

Flower Chorus by Ralph W. Emerson

2011-03-07T15:56:00.000-05:00

O such a commotion under the ground
When March called,"Ho there! ho!"
Such spreading of rootlets far and wide,
Such whisperings to and fro!
"Are you ready?" the Snowdrop asked,
" 'Tis time to start , you know."
"Almost, my dear! the Scilla replied,
"I'll follow as soon as you go."
Then "Ha! ha! ha!" a chorus came
Of laughter sweet and low,
From millions of flowers under the ground,
Yes, millions beginning to grow.

"I'll promise my blossoms," the Crocus said,
"When I hear the blackbird sing."
And straight thereafter Narcissus cried,
"My silver and gold I'll bring."
"And ere they are dulled," another spoke,
"The Hyacinth bells shall ring."
But the Violet only murmured , "I'm here,"
And sweet grew the air of Spring.

O the pretty brave things, thro' the coldest days
Imprisoned in the walls of brown,
They never lost heart tho' the blast shrieked loud,
And the sleet and the hail came down;
But patiently each wrought her wonderful dress,
Or fashioned her beautiful crown,
And now they are coming to lighten the world
Still shadowed by winter's frown.
And well may they cheerily laugh "Ha! ha!"
In laughter sweet and low,
The millions of flowers under the ground,
Yes, millions beginning to grow.

I love this poem of Spring....