It's been a while...

.... but I'm back.....tho' not quite in full swing yet.  The International Collage Exchange is up and running on:

http://www.tart.co.nz/exhibit.htm

My piece, 'Wishing For A Better Solution' is SOLD and soon on its way to the USA. (Thanks Julia Payne, a fellow collagist)

Wishing For A Better Solution
old book page, found objects

I love working with discarded objects and papers.  Makes an awful mess in the studio...but is so much fun.

REJECTION

As an 'artist' one must get used to having one's work rejected from various exhibitions. Fortunately it happens less as time goes on....until this year.  I seem to have had rejection upon rejection.  Perhaps I'm losing the plot?

BARRIER
rust-dyed muslin, waxed cord, painted and found papers, acrylic
on 20 x 20 x 3.5 cm wooden panel

DREAMSCAPE
painted and found papers, acrylic
on 20 x 20 x 3.5 cm wooden panel

These two works were submitted for the Lethbridge 10000, but not hung in the Gallery (first time for four years that I've missed out).  Mind you, am in their 'online' selection, but it's not the same as being 'hung'.  

 

It's a little disappointing start to the art show season but hey, I paint and collage because I'm obsessed and can't stop, AND because it's the thing I most love to do.

Onward and upward.......

Remember 'Small Changes' ?

 My blog of March 15th showed how I had altered a small painting for the better (I thought). Well, nothing is ever finished until it is....

NEWS FROM THE EAST (version 3)

....and maybe it is now (but don't be too sure).

Meanwhile I have been making painted papers for collage. 

FAUX MARBLE - I love this effect.

MARBLING - I've tried not to be fussy with these, and to keep them loose.

Of course, each time I enter my workspace the first thing I encounter is a bench covered with papers, and bits and pieces.  It is SO distracting, I just can't help playing. 



WISHING FOR A BETTER SOLUTION

The page is from an old book on fuzzy logic, combined with a circuit board, some old metal washers, and a small wishbone.  Maybe now I can do some painting.




Vive Las Vegas

Vive Las Vegas is a US company that makes fun and funky rubber stamps. I buy from them to make ATCs, cards, and the fun stuff I do when not doing 'real' art. 

Each month they have a challenge and, on a whim, I decided to participate this month. The theme was twilight, dusk, northern lights, or twinkling night skies.

I found an image of the Northern Lights, painted and altered it, then added stamped coloured images from VLVS. I added sunglasses to  'skinny minnie' .

The word bubble was photo shopped on top.  I do like my whimsy.

Back to the studio today.

Fun Collages

I had the privilege of joining a group at the Caloundra Regional Gallery, making quick collages under the guidance of Sam Cranstoun. What fun! Sam is a VERY talented artist, currently showing at Caloundra.  He provided us with old photographs and pictorial magazine pages, and started us off with a fortune cookie.  The brief was to choose a photo to suit the fortune.  Haha !!!!  I LOVE this concept.

This was the beginning of two hours of absolute fun.  No pressure. After all you can't produce a masterpiece in two hours can you?  We were all up to our ears in images, bits of paper, and glue.

 

They're all a bit rough...but I had a ball.

Sam gave us a brief discussion on his work. He generally works on a well-researched theme. Then he makes collages on that subject, and uses those as reference for paintings.  Wonderful.

Many thanks to the Gallery staff and Volunteers who made this evening possible.



Small changes

I recently thought I'd completed a small mixed media piece...but no.  It sat around the studio for a little while and, each time I caught sight of it, I just knew I wasn't happy. Naturally I had to alter it, but not a lot.


NEWS FROM THE EAST (version 2)




NEW FROM THE EAST (version 1)

Now that I see them both together, it is obvious that I did the right thing. Adding the cooler purple gave it more punch, and the asemic writing in the top right fits with the title.

Was I right? 





Hung!

4567 Diversity - 62 x 62 cm, mixed media on stretched canvas

I'm extremely happy to see my work on the wall of the Noosa Regional Gallery, in the Taste Of Art exhibition.  Seeing my work among that of my peers gives me a realistic view of my progress as an artist.

For once I'm quite happy with this piece.