Card Catalog Challenge

My friend Cynthia hosted a swap where we were all challenged to create original works of art based on discarded catalog cards from a library. Cynthia sent us each 20 cards. I noticed mine were mostly about psychiatry (was that a hint?). It was a fun callenge and I'd do it again in a second.

Card Catalog Challenge

My second entry.

Wendy's Calendar Project

These are my two calendar pages for my friend Wendy's calendar project. Six artists created two months and made duplicates for each participant. This is December.

Wendy's Calendar Project

January

Rust

This is a photo I took in Vermont. I just love the peeling paint around the rusty latch. My daughter and I were exploring an abandoned site ... it was an old amusement village called "Santa's Land". The new one was across the street.

Altered cabinet card

I've collected vintage photos for years, but this is the first time I've altered one. I hope the woman in the photograph doesn't mind. I tried to keep her dignity :-)

New Journal: In My Next Life

I'm currently working on a round robin journal project with my family (sisters and nieces)
This is the cover. I tried a bit of sewing with this one.

In my next life ...

Inside front cover

In my next life ...

collage and stamps

In my next life ...

collage, paint, digital additions

Stained Glass

I just finished this stained glass piece. I've been taking stained glass classes for a while, but this is the first time I've been able to combine collage images with the glass.I used clear glass backed with thin copper sheeting to sandwich the collages and various stained glass for the colored blocks. The center is an old vintage mirror with lots of crazing and it scanned much darker than it is. The piece is about 16x7"

Dulcie's Journal

This is the spread I created for Dulcie's wee little journal. It's only 5x5" and I loved working in the small format. I hope she likes it :)
We were to choose a photo from our past. I'm the ballerina on the left with the elephant ears, lol.

Reputation de Teint

This is a journal spread I've just completed in Keron's art journal title "Reputation de Teint. We are each asked to use paint swatches with their color names visible. I chose some Laura Ashley paints called "Deep Cowslip". The botanical drawing is of the cowslip in bloom.

Artistamps

I spent the afternoon today learning to make postage stamps in Photoshop. I found a clearly written tutorial online at Depiction.net http://www.depiction.net/tutorials/photoshop/postagestamp.php I've been teaching Graphic Design for 6 years using Photoshop and I had never used some of these tools. Specifically, the Brush Shape Dynamics and the Eraser on a Stroke Path. I'll probably incorporate making faux stamps into my curriculum this fall. I think the kids would love it! The stamps above picture an ATC (artist trading card) I made recently.

Artistamps

This is from an old ATC I made when I first started making artist trading cards. I used a black background for these.

Journal spread for Sharon

Has it really been that long since I posted an entry? Foot surgery has a way of slowing one down, I guess.
I've recently finished a journal spread for Sharon,
the tattooed goddess :-)
Her theme is Rust and I'm the first guest artist to work in it. She's an incredible artist and I'm honored to have the opportunity. Can't wait to have her work in mine!

More Virtues

Goodness - which really should be a virtue I think, lol.

More Virtues

Using prints of Islamic tiles, textiles, and vintage quilts.

Virtue Cards

The little paper arch at the top of this card came from an old incense package I've had forever. I found it on the floor where it had fallen behind my work table. It reminded me of an archway. I decided to put this picture of the doll head in the archway. The sides of the card are three-dimensional, creating a niche for the head. I liked the way the snippet of measuring tape acts as a label for the piece. I continued making these little niches (see below) and decided to use "virtues" as the theme. I think there are 52 virtues! I read that somewhere.

Virtues

The number "30" was on a scrap from the incense package. I used it to fill in the area above the doll head.

Virtues

I like this center image with all the lines across the face.

Family Swap

These are ATC's I made for Lenna Andrews' Family swap. I made copies of old family photos on my father's side and layered them with paper, paint, and images. Then I used rubber stamps to print "family" on each one. My father would have gotten a kick out of them :-)

Family

My grandfather, John Sward, my grandmother, Grace Sward, and my Aunt Gloria, circa 1927.

Family

This is my grandmother, Grace and my grandfather, John at Gaspee Point.

I created a business card for my new venture, "Suzabelle's". I hope to sell collage pieces, ACEO's, and decoupage art. I'd also like to start teaching, maybe some workshops on ATC's and collage art.

For Betty

I made these cards in memory of Betty Friedan, my hero. Where would we be without her discussion of "the problem that has no name" ... The Feminine Mystique changed everything.
Thank You, Betty!

This page is the backside of the artists' signature page. I didn't realize my sewing machine was going crazy back here, making all sorts of kinky loops. I left it as part of the page design.

Art Journal ...

Artists' signature page

First page of the journal - Kundalini, the origin of the Spark

Art Journal ...

Back end sheet:

“I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” ~ Jack London

Paper Traders

A digital ATC I created for the Paper Traders' homepage challenge.

This is the original Fillmore poster I based my design on.

Folie A Deux ...

Another set of ATC's which form a pair ... this one of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo

Art Stamp

I finally had a rubber stamp made. It's 2.5 x 2.5", just right for ATC's. I had it made through Staples. I submitted the artwork on a CD and it only took one week. They sent it out to be done. The only drawback: I didn't know it was a self-inking stamp.
That means I'm stuck with the black ink it came with - oh well.

Another page from the traveling art journal.
Those are Georgia O'Keefe's hands.

“And so our mothers and grandmothers have, more often than not anonymously, handed on the creative spark, the seed of the flower they themselves never hoped to see -- or like a sealed letter they could not plainly read.” Alice Walker

Traveling Art Journal

Front End Sheet

Traveling Art Journal

This is the cover for my art journal for the "Traveling Art Journal" project, brainchild of Sharon at the Aussie Art Garage. The theme is "spark" and refers to the creative spark, that little jolt of pure electricity where all matter and ideas are conceived.

Altered Books and Such ...

Last August, I started an altered book, my first. I was new to ATC's, new to collage, but enthralled by the altered book concept. I chose a record album to alter because it had a cool, worn, red cover, and it came apart with screws. The book is themed "inspiration" and will be filled with all the places I get my inspiration: travel, dreams, art ... this is the cover. I put it aside and now I've taken it back out to assess. I think I need to remove the "unbelievable feats" tag, and perhaps work on the lettering in the title. I do like the painted extension of the image, though.

Altered Books and such ...

This is a two page spread from the album. I wanted to express how inspired I get while traveleing. The small painting at the left is a copy of a landscape I painted while on Martha's Vineyard last summer. The hand at the right projects out from the book's pages.

I haven't done much work with rubber stamps. I usually just add them at the end if I feel a piece needs more. But I bought a sheet of stamps from the Zettiology people and I thought this one was great. It was fun to color it in with various paints and colored pencils. I felt like I did when I was a kid and I got a new coloring book, LOL.
I always have a dilemna when I try to add text to a piece .... print it out? transparency? handwritten? alphabet stamps? I tried something different this time. I typed out the alphabet over and over with different fonts and printed out a couple of sheets. Then I used hole punches to clip the letters out. Time consuming, but fun.

Digital Collage

A member of our group, Paper Traders, created a rich, evocative collage using Photoshop. She so inspired me (thanks, Cynthia!) that I decided to try my hand. This is my first effort to create a traditional "collage" digitally. I tried to create the look of pasted paper and photos. It's really quite wonderful, having an infinite amount of images, patterns, photos, and "stamps" to use. I could get spoiled!

I created a new banner for my picture trail. I wish my collage work was as vibrant as my digital work. What do I need to do to accomplish that? Brighter papers, more intense paints, and sharper rubber stamping, perhaps?
Looks like I'll be going to the crafts store soon ;-)

The All American Pin Up
I cut up old "Modern Mechanics" magazines, circa 1934 and layered a sheet over the pin up girls. Then I cut an opening and folded back the corners. A bit of stamping and a kiss with lipstick completed the card.