Assemblage-en-Juin or Put-itTogether-June

Panel members introducing themselves to each other. Lots of assemblage art on display.
For a full description click on this link:

 http://treasurevalleyartistsalliance.org/assemblage-en-juin-or-put-it-together-june/

We had a full house!

The Panel discussion was on Monday night...

...then on Thursday night I was showing at First Thursday at Idaho Blueprint

On Saturday I met about 10 ladies and 1 gentleman at the Idaho Youth Ranch Outlet. For many of them it was their first experience and for others they came back for more fun. 

Items are not sorted, the fun is digging through the bins to see what you can find. 

"Hmm, I wonder how I could use this?"

"What do you think?"

Rows and Rows of stuff

This is what I bought for around $3

Then it was back to my studio to see what we could create with the items we found.

Most of the projects didn't get finished as they needed to be propped up to dry etc.
But they got a good start. 

Some worked inside where it was a little cooler. 

Who knew taking arms off Barbies was so hard...

We had to pull out the dremel.
I can't wait to see all the finished projects. The Next TVAA show  is in August called "Hunting and Gathering" I hope to see all of these pieces there. 

This was a cool surprise I got in the mail the other day from one of my high school friends, Lisa. Thank You!

It's Not All Black and White

This piece I completed a few years ago. The pigs on top I made in Sue Latta's resin workshop. They are glued on a block of wood. I was never completely satisfied with this piece and took some pliers and a razor blade to it and took it apart.  I am working on a series of pieces using plastic cast off pieces and wanted to incorporate this into that series. I was going to attach the whole block to another piece but when I glued the pigs on top they extend off the back edge so it would not lay flat.

 I painted this frame black and added a backing covered with black scrapbook paper. I still wasn't satisfied and took it over to my friend Marianne's Studio for input. She said it's too bad that all the black items are devils, guns etc. and the white items are cute bunnies and hearts. But that's the way these things come and my plan was not to paint the objects but to use them as they are. 

This is the final incarnation. I overcame the problem of all things depicted in white as good and all things depicted in black as evil by incorporating color. My mother tends to be a person that see's things as black or white. That has never been me. As a Libra I can weigh both sides of an issue and always try to see the others viewpoint.

So here goes- my 12" x 16" "Where's Waldo" assemblage I have included things that are controversial, American Flag = extreme right tea party vs a more liberal philosophy - the gun -2nd Amendment vs those that don't think we all need to be carrying guns) cellphone =radiation and government spying, Food=GMO's and what's gonna kill us or give us dementia or cancer, the stethoscope = the Ebola crisis, the Ken doll with the bicycle helmet = helmet laws vs personal freedom,  the computer- is technology making us all less social and is this just another venue for Big Brother to watch us?, The cow and the cheese = dairy, is it good for us, what about antibiotics?, The woman's torso with the red light pointing to it = body image issues and the media, high heel shoe's and surgery, the dice represent gambling (state lotteries giving $ to education?), Dinosaur, is the earth really only 6,000 years old despite scientific data?, and hence the Jesus fish. The white tennis shoe represents exercise- how much is too much?, The spider- people hate spiders but they are part of the ecosystem, the lamb= veganism, vegetarianism, is it healthier?,  lady bug=pesticides, Red Bull pull tab- really?, Eagle= new wilderness designations?, camera= photographing in the wilderness for a fee, coke= obesity epidemic, Halloween and Christmas. paganism or religious holidays?

Glass Beach

This looks like sand on a beach but this is actually trash as art. Glass "pebbles" along with abandoned metals (some with newfound patina) have washed up from an old dumpsite nearby, showing that decades of weather, too, can make art. This is Glass Beach in Port Allen, Kauai.

A close up of  my beach combing treasures. 

ThaNk You, Thank YOu, tHank YoU!!

This past week I have been the lucky recipient of quite a bit of "found art" or things that people didn't want to throw away but thought I could put to good use. It started with Lynne who gave me these fine pieces of fringe at last weeks studio night...

 ...then Ronna asked me at the docent meeting if I would like these earrings that are missing their mate...

 ...at the Gypsy Gallery Show...Emmy asked if I could use these monopoly pieces...

...on Saturday went on a hike and found the key... and Leo found the antlers and asked if I would like them and Kim carried them out for me in her backpack!

 ...but it doesn't end there, I get home and this baby doll is sitting in my living room! courtesy of Nancy! Wow, thanks all!

Tonight was Studio em night. Sue came to visit, drink wine and pet the dogs. :)

 Marianne busy at work on her dolphin mixed media piece, and she gave me a 16 x 20 frame I spied up in her "attic" Thank you! I needed it for a piece that was entered in a show but I mistakenly framed the wrong piece (different size)

My mixed media collage "17 postcards from Peru" that I had messed up and Marianne told me I could remove some the acrylic paint layers by using rubbing alcohol, which worked  and then I added a few more layers of color in select areas.

Poor Halle the cone dog who broke her foot while we where on our girls hiking/art weekend 3 weeks ago. 

Thanks all for a great week!

Inspiration

Where do I find my inspiration...

It could come from my curiosity....my husband was horrified that I actually ate this on St. Patricks day but I was really curious about the green ketchup that I heard about. In my own taste test it tasted like ketchup but not as flavorful. I was impressed with the color.

 I get inspired from objects I find in thrift, antique and resale shops.

From the views while exploring new places on foot.

 4" x 4" canvases for a project for the BAM gift shop

This book was published in 1961. I think I got it from my grandmother. I have read this book and taught from this book for many years. It has been a ton of inspiration for me. I am re-reading it in preparation for my upcoming workshop at the museum.

Here's what I worked on while my friends were all at studio em tonight. I will stamp each one with my own personal chop with red ink. I haven't decided what to do with the sides. I'm thinking keep them simple white.

December 8th class- still room!

Back in October I was going to teach my first mixed media workshop  "Homage Collage" click on the link for details... it has been rescheduled for this Thursday Dec. 8th from 5-7 pm. If you are interested please let me know ASAP, there are still a couple spots open.

This past weekend I was invited up to a friends cabin in the mountains. Boy was it cold!! But we kept busy making art and venturing out to the local thrift stores.

The picture above is Mickie's example of what  we will be making in the class. She made an excellent homage to her grandmother using photos, jewelry, perfume bottle, playing card and magazine flowers.  For the class I will provide the mirror and basic supplies, you bring the ephemera related to your theme.

This week I was fortunate to have some friends hand me bags of goodies for my art!

"Found Objects" given to me by my art museum docent friend Kathy C.

"Found Objects" given to me by my friend Lynn F. at the Gypsy Show

Mountain Town Thrift Store Finds

A personalized piece for a back country skier friends birthday.