cormorants and seth apter's mixed media workshop

painted, stamped, stenciled sheets of tissue paper

This coming Monday and Tuesday I'll be joining a two-day workshop lead by Seth Apter. It's been a year since I last took a workshop and I'm looking forward to learning some new techniques and connecting with other creative minds in person.

We'll be making our own personalized Memoire after gutting and reconstructing a store-bought book. I found an old book at a local thrift store titled, "Nature's Program" which I think fits perfectly for my memoire.

I've been busy all week collecting the materials I want to use for my memoire: photos, book pages, washi, handwritten notes, and much more and making my own carved stamps. In fact, the last couple of weeks I made lots of stamps: cat head, bear, lotus, cormorant, bottle, rose lace, the word live, pattern, circles, chevron. Most were using linoleum, but for some I used speedy easy-cut rubber or stencil sheets to cut out my designs.

No paint will be used for this workshop and that sent me into a bit of panic. I'm used to combining paint, writing and collage elements. That's why I wanted this workshop: it takes me out of my comfort zone. It set me to thinking how could I embellish my blank pages with color while not using paint or other ephemera?

Although I found a couple ink pads at the thrift stores, I decided on preparing sheets of painted tissue paper. And I had so much fun blending and overlapping colors and then adding my own stamped creations.

Coningsby, detail of 5 x 7 collage

All these painted, stamped and stenciled papers looked so delicious just lying there on my art table. Not able to resist any longer, I set to using them in a collage. I used two stamped cormorants on painted tissue papers and added triangles and circles using my thrift-shop ink pads and my acrylic metalic pens. I then outlined the cormorants with pencil and micron pen.


So what do cormorants have to do with Seth Apter?

When I first came on the ferry to this island, I was met by cormorants who rest on the wood pillars that sandwich the ferry as it docks. Today I watched one skimming the water so gracefully with its body reflecting on the calm ocean water. Cormorants have become a symbol for my migration and self-discovery and I'll be using images of them throughout my memoire.

Coningsby, 5 x 7, mixed media collage

Coningsby: There is nothing I should like so much as to travel.
The Stranger: You are traveling. Every moment is travel, if understood.
Benjamin Disraeli

joining Sunday Sketches and Glue it Tuesday

GalleryJuana cats on etsy

GalleryJuana figures on etsy

Facebook

art and poetry

your voice I, 4 x 6

Since arriving on the island, I've grown fond of collecting old books that I find at outdoor markets and thrift shops. I use some of these books for collage projects, but others sit on my shelf waiting patiently until I hear their song and a new art project awakes in me.

your voice II, 4 x 6

One such book is a travel book of Europe with the inside pages measuring 4 x 6. The other day I was looking for my stash of collected postcards and came across my poetry from years back. Suddenly, it all started to come together: the book and the poems.

I used assorted papers, my original stamps, acrylic and gesso for the background. The portrait drawings and handwriting were done with micron pens, black ink.

On the phone, you tell me you love me.
And your voice echoes in my mind all day.

joining sunday sketches

GalleryJuana cats on etsy

GalleryJuana figures on etsy

Facebook

Mail Art

orange bird and flower mail art

Recently, I sent off some mail art to my Uncle. The orange sharpie bird drawing is a partial of one of my crow drawings. The background has layers of craf-t decorating chalks, acrylics and tissue paper.

blue bird mail art

My Uncle likes to send me newspaper clippings with every letter and my blue bird pen drawing was inspired by one of those clippings. I used craf-t decorating chalks and acrylics for the background colors and  joined the two art cards with a brad.

This was my first time to use the pastels and I can see that they will be a versatile addition to journalling. I didn't set the pastels with a fixative, so a translucent color came through as they blended with the acrylics. I found more techniques at about.com.

Liberate Your Art

I love getting paper mail in my mail box, but since everyone is on the internet, I mostly get junk mail. I yearn for paper mail so much that I have resorted to enjoying the junk mail, and my husband now knows to not throw it away.

So when I heard about this postcard swap, I jumped in. I sent one and received six in return. I am so impressed with how well organized and how enthusiastic Kat is about the postcard art swap. I received some inspirational photo and art postcards and look forward to participating again next year.

I sent my Enso postcard pictured below along with the quote. Follow the liberate your art link to view the participants.

enso postcard

"The freedom to make mistakes provides the best environment for creativity."
anonymous

I received from Kathy B, Elaine (image below), Kat Eye Studio, sonya versluys, urbanmuser. Urbanmuser's photography on flickr is inspiring, and I love the quote that Kathy had on her beautiful photo postcard.

Video featuring all the amazing art and photography of the Liberate your Art 2013 participants.

joining sunday sketches and liberate your art

GalleryJuana cats on etsy

GalleryJuana figures on etsy

Facebook

my story

wip one, my story

My life has changed drastically over the last three years. My story is still evolving. What I've brought forward with me are memories of the past, and these are what have kept me moving forward.

wip two, my story

When I think of Mexico, I think of my Mom. Although, she had never been to Mexico until she was in her 60's, her Father was from there. I grew up hearing her and my Grandfather speak in Spanish. I love the language but cannot speak it fluently. I finally came to realise that learning it is not my priority.

I also remember Mom traveling to Mexico with me, her very first trip out of the States, and how excited she was. I am always a nervous wreck during the take-off, but she was so happy and not worried at all about the future. Two stamps that I purchased in Mexico remind me of her and these roots.

Photography is another love of mine. With that, I've followed in my Father's footsteps. Every trip back home, he'd sit down with me and teach me how the camera settings work and show me what projects he was working on. Since I was 7, he made sure I had my own camera.

my story journal page, 6.5 inches x 10 inches

The earth moves in its orbit 68000 miles an hour.

This year has seen movement, evolution, and my story is changing.
Maybe I can plan now.
I want to take root and fly at the same time.
I am restless and at peace.

Materials: decorative tissue paper, Mexican postal stamps, self-portrait pen drawing, gesso, acrylics, stamped squares, camera pencil drawing painted with acrylics, Japanese caligraphy cut from a book, sewing patterns, earth orbit calculation from an old math book, and my handwriting.


joining sunday sketches and glue it tuesday and mugshot monday

GalleryJuana cats on etsy

GalleryJuana figures on etsy

Facebook