zenspun

Back in the Saddle Again

2010-08-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

Finally, I'm going to start blogging again. Its been a virtual lifetime since my last post, so now that my life is on a new path, I'd like to get back to my art. My sister Charlene and I have decided to try using Etsy as a venue for showcasing our work together. I'll post a link as soon as we have the shop up and running. We'll call ourselves Suite Nirvana after the lovey art studio that I work in, up in the coastal redwoods of Carmel Valley. I'll post photos of that spot later as well. In the meantime, here's the first group of objects that we completed together. They're wooden cubes with wires attached, that we've painted decoupaged and finished. The papers are adorable, we found them at a local craft shop, and spent a couple of days playing with them, and sharing our ideas, then made about a half dozen. We also decorated some metal tin containers I had left from another project. I'll post photos of both. It feels so good to be back on track, and settled enough to focus on art once again.

A new journal

2007-12-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

This Journal was created using a standard composition book. I modified both outside covers and inside panels with collage art. This is the front. I uses a combination of digital images, altered, distressed, and painted cardstock papers, ephemera, stamps, inks, and doily scraps. I finished with a white gel pen.

Like a Bird

2007-11-01T18:28:00.001-07:00

I have finally created a new piece. My muse has run away from home, but I decided to create something without her. This piece is based on a Leonard Cohen song. The first few lines go like this:
Like a bird
on the wire
Like a drunk
In the midnight choir
I have tried
In my way
To be free

This song has been rattling around in my head forever. This is mostly collage, some distressed painted board, stamps, ink, rub-ons, and embellishments. In my enthusiasm, I created this piece to be about 9x12, but my scanner is about 8x11.5 so I couldn't scan the entire piece. But, oh, well, you get the idea. I'm just thrilled to be creating again.

sweet dreams

2007-08-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

and glad awakenings be thine

This is a piece I created for a dear friend's birthday. He is going through a rather transformational year. I'm not sure if he is awakening from a deep sleep or if he has fallen into a trace lately. Happy birthday, dreamer.

On a Roman Holiday

2007-06-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

I will be away from the country and my studio for a month while I travel through Italy. Hopefully I will return fresh and inspired by the many muses who dwell in that beautiful country.

Aurora

2007-06-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

A Journal Spread for an Art Garage project entitled Magikal women. I'm feeling rather dreamy and romanitic at the moment , and my art is reflecting this.

This Is SO You

2007-05-28T14:37:00.001-07:00

This ATC is for a swap I did via my Paper Traders group. The card is supposed to exemplify your typical style. My art just reflects my mood and attitude at the time of creation, and the day I made these I was thinking Spring and new beginnings.

Le Reputation de Teint

2007-05-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

This art spread is for Keron's Paper Trader Journal entitled Le Reputation de Teint

These are her instructions:

Go to your local paint store, pick a colour chip you like the name of and use it as the inspiration for subject of the page. The PAINT chip needs to be included, with its name on it.

I happened to have these paint chips lying about, having saved them from a bedroom remodel I did last year, and since they are a favorite combination of mine, the spread was a delight to compose. This woman is one of Leonardo's, I love the subtle but rich colors in her face, and the absolute symmetry of her features.

Blocks

2007-03-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

These are blocks I made for a swap in Paper Traders. Boy were they fun to make. Like my sister says, It's like eating popcorn. I started out making three, ended up with a dozen. The blocks were sanded, whitewashed, stained with inks, decoupaged, and then fussed over some more, trying to get that antiqued look with paints, stains, inks, and sandpaper. I think I'm done (maybe).

2007-03-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

A contribution to another Art Garage Journal. The instructions are basically to create anything you'd like on one page, then a little about yourself on the back. My written contribution:

I have been creating art
with paper and glue
for a very short time.
I love using natural
images and colors.
While I create my pieces
I feel like I’m singing
a joyful song celebrating
nature and life.
I’m discovering deep
pantheist beliefs
through my art.

Be like the bird, who halting
in his flight on limb too slight,feels it give way beneath him,
yet sings knowing he hath wings.
Victor Hugo

Easter Eggs

2007-03-09T23:20:00.000-08:00

Charlene and I attended a Durwin Rice workshop on decoupage. We made some collaged plates and these eggs. Just on time for Easter.

Joan of Arc

2007-03-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

One of two pages I made for my sister Suze's art journal entitled amazing women. The other is Helen of Troy. I made them both using a one-ply napkin over text as the background, collaging the images, and embossing with gold.

HOPE

2007-02-16T15:06:00.000-08:00

This is a two page spread I created for an Art Garage traveling journal. I used paint on a large floral stamp for the background, stencils, inks, and collage images. I embelished with a gold calligraphy pen.

More Artifacts

2007-02-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

These were done with joint compound over decoupaged images (the last two were lazertran images). I inked the edges for color, added beeswax when the joint compound dried, the wood stain rubbed over that, then more ink, and gold rub. They're very textural in person. I took advantage of the imperfect transfer on the Madonna, to make it look flaking. The medussa transfer is transparent, so I added flakes of leftover transfer image from the madonna, to make it less "perfect" looking. I like the way the Madonna looks like to she has a star for her eye. The Medussa is a little creepy :)

Those who danced

2007-02-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music:

This is a spread I did for an art journal round robin.

lucky charms

2007-01-27T13:28:00.000-08:00

These are charms I made for a charm bracelet swap we're doing in my Paper Traders' group. There are 13 participants. I'll post the completed charm bracelet when I've put it all together. I wanted my charm to feel soft and textural while still using metals and wire. I started this piece with two brass washers from the hardware store. I cut out two very tiny images one of a bird, and one of an egg. I sandwiched them between the two washers and glued them with a heavy duty glue. I then coated the washers with glue and dipped each side into brass microbeads. (I was considering birdseed, but it was too large, this charm is about 5/8 of an inch) I dropped a dollop of diamond glaze into the center on each side to seal the image. I wrapped vintage tinsel around the perimeter of the charm, and used the tinsel to secure my jump ring. I think it looks rather soft and nest-like. I hope it holds up, I've never made jewelry before.

Artifacts Journal

2006-12-31T10:14:00.000-08:00

This is the inside cover to my artifacts journal. More detailed information about the journal is beneath the flap. I used golden acrylics and some pearlescent powder for the background, stamped and embossed the script with Jim Holtz distress powder. I used Lazertran (for the first time) to creat the butterfly person image. I then added the panel on the right with the name of the journal.

This is for a Paper Trader art journal, but instead of a round robin, participants will submit "tip-ins" and the journal maker will add them to her own journal. I'll post more as I make the book.

The second photo is another image I made using lazertron again. This time I coated mat board with stucco and distressed it with paint and inks to give it an old world look, then added the image.

Santa's Workshop

2006-12-18T17:17:00.000-08:00

I've been busy making Christmas gifts. Here is one of the paperweights I made for a sister. I made 6, all different. They scan funny because of their shape and the glare from the glass, but you get the idea.

Bird Woman

2006-12-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

This 11 x 9 collage is a contribution to another calendar project for 2007. This time I get to keep the original and send in the digital copy.

Ahhh June

2006-11-28T20:11:00.000-08:00

Here is the June page for the same calendar project

April Fool

2006-11-26T17:15:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a group project for a calendar for 2007. I'm creating April and June. The pages are 10x7.5. This page has an old music sheet as its background, it's title is "April Fool" I added "For Love", and added a dreamy girl with a fools cap surrounded by clowns.

Merry Merry Merry

2006-11-09T20:51:00.000-08:00

Here is one of the ATC ornaments I created for a swap through Paper Traders. You probably can't tell what an elaborate process it was to create these. I started with a metalicized card stock in a deep gunpowder/gold color. I decoupaged a white/green napkin over the cards. I added a few more layers of decoupage glue, glitter, some gold leaf, some torn papers, and the angels. On one side I added cotton gauze for the cloud effect, on the other I added some crackling medium, then an antiquing gel. I added angels, and tinsel, then embossed the edges with gold, then added the gold pipe cleaners, with green silk ribbon, and a bras finding, and miniature pine cone. Merry Christmas :)

The Kalevala

2006-10-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

For my sister's art journal entitles "Passages."
I selected some passages from the Kalevala, the national epic of Finland:
Shall I bring these songs together
From the cold and frost collect them?
Shall I bring this nest of boxes,
Keepers of these golden legends,
To the table in my cabin,
Underneath the painted rafters,
In this house renowned and ancient?
Shall I now these boxes open,
Boxes filled with wondrous stories?
Shall I now the end unfasten
Of this ball of ancient wisdom,
These ancestral lays unravel?

Celebrate Life

2006-10-24T10:26:00.000-07:00

A portion of a journal spread I did for Cynthia on Paper Traders. The name of the journal is Arc of Life. This is an altered photo of my grandfather with me and my twin on our 1st birthday. He's holding a candle for us to make a wish together. The fans are Faux fans I constructed, to hide my messages and cards behind.

tins

2006-09-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

I've been making some tins lately, here's a selection, I didn't photo all of them. I bought myself a circle maker, and it has come in very handy for this project. I've written down all the dimensions, so I now have a "recipe" for making my boxes. I purchased the tins for Specialty Bottle Company online. they are quite reasonably priced. If anyone is interested, I could give you the dimensions of all papers required for both inside and out. Just ask.

Tag Cards

2006-09-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

These are a bunch of cards I did for a tag swap. The rules were to make atcs anyway as long as a tag was in the card. I used my bird stamps, some gouache paint, bought papers, stamps, distressing ink, some ribbons and brads.

Never Too Old to Dream

2006-09-09T15:48:00.000-07:00

This is a two page spread I've created for a Paper Trader Art Journal. The owner designed a beautiful book with the request that the feel just be old. I had lots of fun with this one. I like open themes that are not too prescriptive.

Wanderlust

2006-08-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

My husband is passionate about traveling. I made this 8x10 collage for his library. I once made a similar ATC (one of my very first) using similar ideas and images, but I traded it.

A Feather is a Letter from a Bird

2006-08-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

This is a two page spread I created for my latest journal: Bird Book. It is mostly a mish mash of collage elements on a very pretty wrapping paper background with rub-on lettering. I'm attempting to add a real feather to the second page, we'll see if I can get it to stick without too much of a mess.

By The Sea

2006-08-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

This spread I did in my daughter's art journal called "By the Sea" I was inspired because all of the participants live on either the East or West Coast; and we're all sisters, daughters and nieces; joined by our connection to the sea, separated by a vast expanse of land.

Special Treasures

2006-08-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

This is a 2 page spread I created for an art journal called "Special Treasures". I love this little guy. I thought his special treasure could be his great report card.

My Little Bird Book

2006-08-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

This is the title page of my latest journal. I altered the background paper with a variety of inks that I sponged on, and added the collage elements. The seed letters were purchased that way.

My Little Bird Book

2006-08-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

This faces the page for Artists Sign In. The paper background is a 7gypsies, I drew the wing on tracing paper (I traced a wing), secured it with brads, added the collage elements and edged it in distressing ink.

Portraits

2006-08-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

Pages I made for a friend's Protrait journal.. The underlying pages are constructed with what looks like cabinet card matting. The journal is sprinkled with cabinet cards, and has a very definite monochramatic vintage feel to it. A lovely book.

My Little Bird Book

2006-07-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

Here's the artists' instruction page of the same journal.

My Little Bird Book

2006-07-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

This is the Artists sign in page of my newest journal. I was inspired by a journal another artist created that I'm working on, she used a 7 gypsies paper called Remy. I loved the colors, so I painted some paper in washes of beige and white, and stamped it with a midnight black chalk ink.

My Little Bird Book

2006-07-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm working on yet another art journal. But this one is different. My sisters, daughters, and nieces will be the participating artists. I'll try to post their books and pages along with mine as we progress.
I think my totum must be a little bird. I have the strongest affinity for them; I have no need to catalogue or categorize them, but I just enjoy watching them as the chirp away all day long as they go about their business. They're so chipper (some might say chirpy LOL). A little wren established a nest right by my front door, above the frame; a titmouse started a nest in a decorative birdhouse I've had outside forever.
If you look around my house you'd notice bird images in every room, all brought in quite by accident and without any plan to developing such a collection. And because my dear grandmother was also fond of birds, and that is a big connection I have with the women in my family, I thought the flock could add avian images to my new journal.

Paris

2006-07-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

Gertrude Stein said "America is my country, Paris is my hometown."
This is a spread I created in an Art Journal with a travel theme. I created the backgrounds with golden acrylics and a variety of stamps that I layered. I always do a mock-up of my collages using photocopies of the images on cheap paper. I cut them and place them, then paint and stamp the background before I get started with the real images.
The image on the left is 3-D and there's a hidden card behind the frame, giving information about me, and my work, as directed by the journal's owner.

Spark

2006-06-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is a spread that I did for my sister Suze's art journal. The title is Spark as in the energy of creativity.

My Memory Box

2006-05-28T17:30:00.001-07:00

I just made this box, it's about the size of a postcard, and the top slides open. I'll use it to store my favorite postcards and ephemera. I scanned it instead of photographing it, so it looks flat.

Burnt Sienna

2006-05-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

This card is one of a series I did on the colors of Italy.

Zanadu

2006-05-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

A page for Deborah's Art Garage Journal.

Springtime Lilacs

2006-05-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

another page for my seasons journal. Almost ready to send it on its way to the next artist.

I'm Youth, I'm Joy

2006-05-11T21:41:00.000-07:00

A page from my Journal "Seasons" in celebration of Spring

Latest ATCs

2006-04-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

Melencolia

2006-04-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Art Garage Journal

2006-04-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

These are pages for a journal entitled My Muse Is....
I tried to evoke a hidden, mysterious, ancient muse, and the barely visible snippet on the top page says "my muse lives in old books and prefers the covers closed"

Woodland Fairies

2006-04-25T06:48:00.000-07:00

Just for fun!

New Artifacts

2006-04-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

My husband collects antiquities, so I made this piece for him to hang amongst the display in his library. I scanned it without the glass in front of it, which holds it tighter to the cloth background. It's about 8x11

Art Journal: Seasons

2006-04-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

Here is the front cover of the art journal. There will be 12 artists participating in this round robin, so I created a journal that will allow each one of them to create a spread around a month of the year.

Art Journal: Seasons

2006-04-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is the inside front cover page for my latest art journal. It has an envelope that will house the signature card for the artists to sign as they complete their pages.

Happy Easter

2006-04-16T06:05:00.000-07:00

Making Buttons

2006-04-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

I've been working on my art journal. I wanted to make some letters for the name of the book on the cover. I printed out the title on a BasicGrey paper, and circle punched out each letter. I edged them with some ink, the mounted them on a glue dot. I mixed up dripped some polymer finish ("like 50 coats of varnish")on the dots (I added a bunch of plain dots too, so as not to waste the polymer mix). This morning I looked at them dry, and they're great! kind of a rounded top to each of them, and perfectly sealed.

ATC pop-up

2006-04-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

My latest ATC for the Guardian Angel Swap at Paper Traders. The angel is hidden behind the baby, they share her wings.

Dreams Come True

2006-04-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

A friend is recovering from extensive hand surgery, so a few of us from the Art Garage are constructing a "Good Vibrations" book for her. Here's my contribution. I added a lot of hand images, and flying images to support the central theme (and wish) for complete recovery.

Artifacts Journal

2006-04-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

I've started making a new book called Artifacts. I'd like it to be full of hidden elements and secrets. We'll see how it evolves. This is the cover. It will be accordian style pages. Maybe I'll use it for a round robin, or maybe do it all myself.

Art Garage Journal

2006-03-31T22:22:00.000-08:00

I just finished another spread for the traveling art journal project from the Art Garage. This one is for a journal entitled "Good Advice".

Italia

2006-02-25T17:26:00.001-08:00

still playing with ancient, marbled, distressed colors and images.

Conjuring Spirits

2006-02-19T07:09:00.000-08:00

These collages were inspiring by a page from an old book called Magical Circle, Seals and Characters. This page had a lot of ancient symbols, with two seals described as being necessary for spirits to appear.

I used a lot of techniques on the backgrounds, before gluing the central images. I started with gesso, randomly applied, then layered ink and acrylics, more gesso, more paint, etc. In one instance, I appled the gesso over a stencil of an old doily, let it dry, then applied more color. I stamped some images/background, watercolored some of the images, and voila :)

An Ancient World

2006-02-15T11:25:00.000-08:00

With my new ATC series, I'm going for an old world shabby chic look.
Here is the first of some cards I made using ancient images and text from a French play. I distressed the background, tore up some of the paper, added acrylic wash, more images, LuminArte water colors, embosing powder. Its hard making something look ancient and still attractive and mysterious. This series is a work in progress; I'll be posting more over the next few weeks.

Here are more of my ATCs:

http://www.picturetrail.com/zenspun

Serious Artists' Block Today

2006-02-11T17:56:00.000-08:00

But I wouldn't quit until I produced something. This is for an ATC swap with Paper Traders, called "My Guardian Angel", four more are coming up soon, if my muse hangs in there with me.

Water House Dreams #2

2006-02-07T21:45:00.000-08:00

Here's the other half of that spread. The pigeons actually hide behind the lady in grey, unless you pull on the siren above.

Water House Dreams #1

2006-02-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

I got bored with my experiment, so I can imagine how bored my reader was (yes, you, you're the only one who reads this thing LOL)

I settled on a variety of stamps and some chalk.

Experiment #4

2006-02-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

decoupage medium, Golden red, magenta, and irridenscent gold (drop of each) painted over entire piece.
I've decided that the photo is busy enough without adding to that, so now I'm trying to just dull it a little. (why not do that in photoshop, you ask? I dunno, guess its because I want to use the same application technique to the entire collage when I'm finished, and I like the layered feel of applications.)

Experiment #3

2006-02-02T01:35:00.000-08:00

I'm not really excited about either of the previous photo alterations, this new one is experiment #1 with a coat of decoupage medium mixed with a drop of both Golden Primary Magenta and Quinacridone Red. After it was applied, I used a babywipe to further remove some color, to vary the tones a little.
I'll try again on Sunday. I'm thinking of just removing color from the photo instead of adding to it. Anyone interested, feel free to download the original photo, play with it (not digitally, though, I mean irl), and send me the results. I'll post one or two, if I get any.

Experiment #2

2006-02-01T19:40:00.000-08:00

Experiment #2

This is a tan acrylic paint, mixed with water and a float medium to prevent quick drying. I think I might like this one better, more old world feel.

Experiment #1

2006-02-01T19:11:00.000-08:00

Experiment #1. Same photo with some gesso/water painted over it. What do you think? I kindof like it, sort of watery, maybe a little dreamy. It tones down the background a little which will allow the collage elements more notice.

This Crazy Experiment called Life

2006-02-01T02:56:00.000-08:00

he he he, I just like the title of this post. The real experiment will be to alter some photos I have. I'm creating a spread in an art journal that has come my way. It's not just any art journal, it's my twin sister's, and she does beautiful work. Maybe I'll get permission from her to post her pages here, so you'll see what I mean.
Her journal is entitled "Uncharted Territory", and has dreamy and romantic images with a page entitled "In the Garden of the Unfamiliar". Her artist statement says that she craves beauty.
So here's my idea. (Charlene: Spoiler Warning)
I want my spread to be dreamlike. I always dream in full color, and frequently of architectural buildings, rooms and symbolic images, and little scenes in each room. I have a lot of visual puns in my dreams. I also know that Charlene loves Waterhouse Paintings.
My husband took some photos in Venice. I'd like to use them as the backdrop for my spread entitled "Water House Dream" I'll add the images later, but first I need to alter these photos to create a dreamy feel. I like the ancient look of the photos, the colors, and the architecture, so the trick is to alter them without removing those elements.
Over the next few posts I'll try various ways to accomplish this, so stay tuned. and comments and critiques are very welcome.

Sisters

2006-01-30T06:46:00.000-08:00

This is one in a series of six sister cards I created for my Papert Traders group. I later embossed the edges with gold to "age" it, but the card scanned poorly with the glare of the shiny gold edges. I'm not crazy about my handwriting, but I'm trying to improve.

Ancient Text

2006-01-25T07:20:00.000-08:00

I have been playing with the concept of thoughts and images "beyond words". Some thoughts, feelings, expressions are served so inadequately with the spoken language. I like using text and phrases in my art. In this instance, I took a page from a French play and altered it to look distressed and illegible.
I'd like to make a larger piece like this. This one is only about 5x7.

Angel Orange

2006-01-23T22:38:00.000-08:00

My latest ATC. I'm playing around with the backgrounds. This is a wash of orange acrylic, and a walnut ink, stamped with a pink script, and the postage stamp, and transparent angel added last.

Artist's Statement

2006-01-23T07:12:00.000-08:00

Inside Pages

2006-01-23T06:59:00.000-08:00

I made these inside cover pages to look ancient. I tore out pages from a French play in an old book, and painted them with a wash of beige acrylic, then dabbled them with other neutral colors. I painted the book in a similar palette. I glued the sheets onto the book, then further distressed them, pulling up pieces of the pages as I did so. I glued a few additional images on, then varnished the entire piece when dry.

Traveling Art Journal

2006-01-22T07:50:00.000-08:00

The cover to my traveling art journal. I painted and collaged a discarded library book, then bound it with new heavier weight paper.
This is the side view:

Star of Heaven

2006-01-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

Edward Robert Hughes

Musings and Meanderings

2006-01-21T08:05:00.000-08:00

My musings and meanderings journal, which I'm creating for a traveling art journal through the Art Garage hosted by tatt22dgoddess. The background is acrylics and chalk, the unusual jellyfish images are by Ernst Haeckel. This vellum sleeve is made for the journal instructions to the other artists participating in the round robin, and for their signature cards.