Saint Of Secrets: Interactive Art Piece or Elaborate Diary?

Saint of Secrets
19" x 10" x 6"
Found Object Assemblage and
Interactive Art Piece

 The 3 tierd wooden box was found in a thrift store in Ketchum ID, just outside Sun Valley. The metal feet were purchased in Santa Fe, NM. The embroidery hoop halo was given to me by a friend. The mirror head was from a thrift store in Iowa. The pin on top of the mirror was taken off an old art project of my sisters.

wooden book contained in the Saint of Secrets

The book was from a thrift store and carved into the top was "Honduras" I assume it was given to someone as a souvenir and never used. I decorated it with paints and ephemera including an old key and jewel from my daughter. 

The cup is made of bark, I glued an exoskeleton on it? not sure what it is

The cup holds a set of colored pens that are to be used to write a secret in the book of secrets contained in the Saint of Secrets.  I had two thoughts for this piece, one it could be for the person who purchases it to write in or it could be for people that are seeing it in the gallery to write in it. 

Which do you think it should be?

Leftovers Delivered to my Door...

Leftovers

...and boy were they yummy!

As I wrote in a previous post, I participated in Wingtip Press annual print exchange using leftover  pieces of paper aptly named "Leftovers." Amy delivered mine to me and it was like Christmas opening it up. It was all packaged so cleverly in a paper sack, napkin and diner receipt all printed with "Leftovers" As you can see in the photo above I received many wonderful original pieces of art from around the country. What a great project.

Self Portrait for Modern Art TVAA 2011

My Finished Self Portrait

 Last year The Treasure Valley Artists Alliance participated in the Modern Art Event by creating a giant panel of T's, V's, A's and self portraits of members. I had created an "A" last year, so I needed to make my self portrait for this years showing. Below is a video from last year.

This year we are creating a panel of just self portraits. Below is my process.

First I took a picture of myself with my camera, and then printed it out on 8 1/2" x 11" paper. I cut out the background and glued it down on a gessoed board with yes paste. I used a piece of heavy cardboard to remove all wrinkles.
 

Then I tore different pieces of paper and collaged that around the edges. I used cocktail napkins, old sewing patterns and rubbed Pearl  powdered pigments onto that layer.

 
Next I used acrylic paint to paint over the photo and enhance it, I thought I looked tired and made myself more awake! I didn't like the way the neck turned out as painting over the collage the paper started bubbling up, I glued a ribbon across the bottom of the piece which picked up the colors in the background.
I coated the whole piece with Heavy Gel Medium. Then had to add my finishing touches "using every little thing" I found a parrot that looked good among the leaves and added a gold earring.

This year the show will be May 6th. Hope you can make it out, it is a wild and crazy time.

Artist Journals

 This journal was made using an old library book . After decorating the cover I gessoed some of the pages to make them into new pages and other pages that contained illustrations, I saved and incorporated them into my new page by adding paint and ephemera. When I can figure out how to scan the inside of the book so it doesn't come out blurry I will share those with you.

This one was a blank spiral book, with a cover illustration I didn't care for. I collaged and stamped and drew over it. 

I have a really tiny little travel journal I take with me on trips. The rose was one of those done while traveling. Then when I got home I ripped it out and mounted it on patterned paper and glued it into one of my larger journals.

Here is a collage done in my spiral journal. If you create artists journals or like to look at them or want to get ideas or want to share your pages... click on over to Create Mixed Media, were they have started a flickr group on journals:  the open page.

I don't have journal going right now and am thinking this might be a good time to start a new one. My studio is clean (after having a house guest)  and I have lots of space to work....

Butterflies and Flapjacks

Butterflies

4" x 4" canvas

collage/assemblage

First I collaged the canvas with a cocktail napkin. The gold butterfly I found in the street the other day on my way to the grocery store. I glued a gem on her back. Wrapped around the edge of the canvas is a silver ribbon with a glass bead and silver butterfly that was given to me. Also glued on the canvas is a gold bead, and some scrapbook ephemera. 

Flippin' For Flapjacks

3 3/4" x 4" metal tin

collage/assemblage

As I was flipping through a cooking magazine the other day looking for some words for another piece I was working on, these blueberry pancakes called out to me to cut them out. I had the miniature spatula and the photo fit perfectly inside one of the lids to a metal cigar case I had. I painted the case black and added gold glitter glue along the edges of the photo. I covered the photo with Mod Podge Dimensional Magic and glued a chain on the back.