Flights of Fancy

I have been working on a series of bird collages using mixed media, scanned images and mixed layers. These are the first three.

Happy Easter, or Ostara, or Spring Equinox! This season has many names and many traditions. We sort of celebrate them all. I was raised with Easter, my husband with Passover. Our son learned to respect both celebrations. This year we will be particpating in both on the same day with family. I personally enjoy the symbol of the egg as fertilitly, new growth, new life. Honoring the past , acknowledging the present, building the future.

Sunday Postcard Art

Thought I might take part in this week's Sunday Postcard Art challenge- lots of fun! Digital collage with assorted images and stamped clay images I made a while back.

Journaling

When I began this paper assemblage journey a few years ago, I discovered a craft that was not only fun but meaningful in a way that changed the way I put my life together. It created a more sensitive , collaborative approach to my work and my home life. Journaling rubbed off onto everything I did . The words I used on my early journal pages were mostly others'. Now with a blog I finally am learning to add my own- which is still hard for me. (The text part of my posts are still laborious). Writing for me is a bit like exercise- don't really like to do it but feel a real sense of accomplishment when its done! Journal on...

By Definition

When I first saw the theme for this weeks Inspire Me Thursday (Key) the obvious came to me to do a collage with an old key that I scanned in and build from there. I knew that there were a number of different meanings for the word "key" but when I looked it up in the dictionary I was shocked at how many! Its fascinating how a language can take a small word and assign so many different associations to it. I tend to think of a key as the answer to a mystery- the classic unlocking to things unknown/ the power of knowing; but that's in a lyrical sense . I'm a landlord and sometimes the mystery behind the door is not a pretty one! To a musician a key is how they perceive the world- the note that their world is finely tuned to . To an historian a key is the method to decipher a code or series of symbols. It will be interesting to see the many artistic interpretations given to this theme!

Had some fun yesterday decoupaging some Easter eggs( needing a break from taxes and bookwork)! I enjoy using patterned napkins for different layers ending in cool results. The hummingbird was done on an old piece of brick from my yard ; painted, stamped and decoupaged. The eggs were blown out (I made a fritatta with them so they don't go to waste), then washed out , left to dry and then the fun begins. I like to use "Golden Medium Gel" for the adhesive as it melts or shrinks the paper into really interesting designs.

Living In Color

A few years ago I went wild and decided to paint focal walls in our house for highlight and mood. My husband designed and built three custom homes for us over the past 35 years so I am lucky to work with really "good bones" so to speak in terms of architecture. It's hard to gauge (how dark- how light) to go on a large surface but we are really happy with the results. During the day the light changes and you get alot of variable moods (it also makes it hard to photograph and get the colors accurately)! I am also thrilled at how the colored walls set a dramatic background for artwork. My kitchen and breakfast room are bold warm colors that start my day off with energy, while bedrooms are painted with cool, softer colors. I realized this winter how important to me color in the home really is- it does affect your mood and creativity - and if your are able to do it- I say go for it!