Gulf Coast Abstractions - Mixed Media Collages

Some of my fondest memories of my childhood are from growing up on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico at our family beach house on Fort Morgan. We spent summers there, running the dunes, casting the nets, floundering, and digging for periwinkles. The sand was so hot that you either had to run like the wind or wait until the day cooled off to get from the house to the shore. Our family ate together, played together, worshiped there together and built the memories of a lifetime for us and I think I can still get sand out of my ears if I tried really hard. 

One of my first memories of meeting my husband was driving up to the west end of Dauphin Island and viewing the kids and Bill shoveling oyster shells for the driveway. Anytime it stormed the ocean would wash the sand over the drive and the shells would have to be re-sifted. Bright Waters faced the Gulf of Mexico and the memories we  shared there are still bitter sweet to this day. Hurricane Ivan took the house and Hurricane Katrina took the lot and I miss Dauphin Island, the call of the ocean, the taste of salt in my mouth, and the incredible sunset so much. There are days I look to the sky, close my eyes, and imagine that I am still there, listening to the draw of the ocean's song. Living along the Gulf Coast is like no other place and no matter how far I drift from here it always calls to me, always reminds me of being home. 

When I thought about what type of work I wanted to create for a mixed media show coming up this month the idea of celebrating the beauty of the coast was the perfect choice. There are lines, colors, patterns, and textures that I carry with me in tiny spaces of my mind, all from the memories of childhood and those I hold dear from Dauphin Island. For those of us lucky enough to grow up along the coast it becomes part of us, our spirit, our way of life, and the impressions last a lifetime. 

Mixing multiple elements in a piece has been a challenge of mine and I have grown quite fond of using graphite, acrylic, and collage using transparent papers. The pieces used to create the myriad of colors and landscapes were made using papers that would have ended up in the trash. I repurposed table paper from our art center, hand painted them, and incorporated them into the framework for each piece. Graphite was used not only as a sketch tool but I also wanted to write through the inspiration for each piece with a painting of words as well as paint and paper. 

The images here are the beginning of this series. My intent will be to build a body of work that encompasses the impressions of the coast from my childhood to present day, celebrating our way of life here from the ocean to the small town life that we all know and love. I start with that of abstract landscape and gulf front, as these colors and structure are what my psyche echoes of days long past. 

If you are a lover of the coast, I do hope my words and images will connect with you in a unique way, as the coast has to me. 

Text written on canvas: 
To live by the coast is to live with the knowing that even though the air be salty, the waves be ever moving, and the sand be always at our feet, serenity comes from being in sync with call of the ocean against the longing of our hearts. It shall always call us home. 
"Reflections of Bright Waters 8" by 16" collage on canvas

Text Written on the canvas:

What is the call of the ocean on our hearts? Is it the ebb and flow of the spirit between love and connection? Is it the fluidity of the movement between coming forth and drawing back? For so many the ocean calls out to us, touching a place deep within, grounding us by water, life, and the beauty bound not only by its surface but also its depths. When one experiences the call of the deep along the coast we become part of it in a way that is difficult to pen. It is who we become, our way of life, our knowing between the land and the sea. Our families are shaped by it, contained by it, and impacted by it, as it was meant to be. May our longing for the coast remain in our hearts, be protected by our actions, and may we be the stewards of the tide. May we forever love and honor its beauty and the gifts it offers us.
" The Call of the Sea" 22" by 28" collage on canvas

Text written on canvas: 
"Sunsets are God's way of painting our hearts into being."
"The Green Flash" 16" by 20" collage on canvas

The Outdoor Studio

This week I start Flora Bowley's online workshop and the nature of that experience is that the canvases need to be big. Because I have such space issues at home, I knew this would be the time to set up my outdoor studio at Dulcinea. My hubs erected the backer board for me and I have a removable 'wall board' that I can use for large canvases. He also set up a glass table so that I can pour directly on the glass and pull skins after my acrylics dry. He did this so that I wont stress my back from bending over and that I will have an adaptable reach so I don't stress my shoulder joint. My hubs values what I do so much and tends to look after my spine issues way more than I do, for that I am grateful. 

You can view her video by clicking on  the link below 
her book: 

Flora's Video

Here is the view of my table and my canvas. I am currently working on a series of mixed media collages which combine my love of the southern coastline and my fond memories of Dauphin Island, Alabama. We are so blessed to have such a beautiful coast to enjoy here, and much of my younger days was spent in Gulf Shores or Dauphin Island. 

First stages, getting my background papers and landscape glued on. 

The house structure was already part of the painted paper so I embraced that image and began to build in the pilings and definition. You can see the view from my studio underneath this board. This is my smaller backer board and I have a larger one as well for big canvases thank to that sweet many in the background. 

For this series I am showcasing the coastline in an unexpectedly colorful way, yet simplistic, which is how I view our beautiful coast. We had a beach house on pilings like this, and those days were grand. 

 

This is the finished piece, 8" by 18" gallery wrapped canvas. 

"Reflection of Bright Waters" 

Up close detail images: 

I can't wait to go big with my outdoor studio and begin slinging, and I mean....literally, slinging some paint. It is beyond peaceful at Dulcinea and painting outdoors is one of my favorite ways to create. My challenge for Flora's class will be two fold. I hope to master a few new skills in mark making and incorporate my love of collage into the acrylic, intuitive process. We shall see how it turns out. 

In the meantime, I send you lots and lots of ((((((creative energy))))) especially for those of you in a funk lately!

Breathe, Pray, Paint

In the Land of Ardithian today would be one of those days that you would find me muttering under my breath the words, "Holy Cow Moly this can't be it."  Occasionally I get in this state, this state of being and feeling and moving through a discombobulated world and not feeling grounded or connected to serenity, as if I had lost it under a rock and am frantically turning rocks over to see if it lies beneath one. It is in these moments that I know I am spread too thin, that my self inflicted desire to connect and be all that I can be to myself and others has gotten out of hand and I have lost the most important point of focus that makes all of that beautiful living possible. In this moment, you would see me smack the pause button and take a deep breath. 

Then, you would see me grab a paint brush, turn on some tunes, take another deep breath, and paint/pray my way back to peace. 45 years I have walked this planet and although I have always been enthusiastically optimistic, I have struggled with peace most of those days. Painting, or at the very least creating, is one way I have found that instantly brings me to a balanced state of being and I wish so much I had been aware of its power back in the day. With all that said, I sit here smiling, not just smiling, grinning a big ole cheesy grin because despite all of that rock turning,  at my core I am right where I need to be, right on the path of loving myself and others, and right on the path of allowing my faith to guide my steps, and for that....I am deeply grateful.

In the next few weeks there will be several wonderful opportunities that I am part of, including a new mixed media show with my dear friend Mary Elizabeth Kimbrough at Church of the Reedemer, I will be teaching in April at the Art by the Sea Retreat through the Mary C. O'Keefe center in Ocean Springs, and I am starting Flora Bowley's online course this Monday to fine tune my intuitive painting style in acrylic. My mixed media classes have started back at Lavretta Art Center, my online mixed media group on Google+ is growing and thriving, Art(ology) is wonderful and doing well, and my friendships and connections through my art world, my faith world, and my family are beautiful.  What is so incredible about all of this is that so far, my body is allowing me to do it. That is a miracle folks, especially for those of you who know my medical history. 

Through the pain, I will create. Through the funk, I will create. Through the dark days and the light days, the days that are discombobulated and the days that are seamless, I will create. For when I create, I breathe, and when I breathe I pray, and when I pray, I am heard, and when I am heard, miracles and weirdness happen. Those are the moments that make the discombobulated days manageable, and those are the ones I seek. 

Here is a sneak peek of some new miniature collages I am working on. They are 4" by 4" and created using hand painted papers . What I love about these are the subtle landscapes you can see throughout the abstractness. They remind me a bit of the nuance between the line I walk between serenity and chaos, and how when the pieces come together the whole has room to breathe. 

"Reflective Sky" $60

"Take Flight" $60

"Lines of Spring" $60

"The Range" $60 

"Beyond the Hill" SOLD

"Moon Shadow" $60

"Reeds of Discontent" $60

"Ledge to the Sky" $60

Peace to you friends!

New Year, New Month, New Day!

2011 came in quite subtle for me. Usually, I would set some goals, make some new resolutions, blah, blah, blah, but this year.....I simply let it happen. What I found was that without all the expectations I place on myself, letting life happen turned out to be one of the best ways for me to start this year, this month, this day. I actually gave myself permission to let those things go and simply approach each day as new.....it's been really liberating, to say the least. Now, I wish I could say I am on top of the world and such but no......I am blessed though. Blessed is good, really, really, good, :)

Without the whine...and cheese, I have been struggling with the crud, a cold, or something, and haven't felt great.  It seems to have found a way to completely zap my energy and for 5 weeks now it has gotten old, as old as the penicillin growing in my fridge. I have been collaging through it, writing through it (in my journal), but I haven't felt up to sharing, at least not on the web. I won't apologize for not posting though because I am a firm believer that if your ability or your spirit doesn't lead you to something, then don't go. So I have stayed, alone with my thoughts, my art, my ideas, and the quiet time has been calming. My friends though, have been such a wonderful layer of support and entertainment, which I am most grateful for. 

So, today, despite the sky covering us in a cold and gloomy mood, I am choosing to begin a new painting, work on some collages, and take the time to breathe in God, and breath out, everything else. For me, for today, it's what I need, and taking care of me is all too important these days. My prayers, my thoughts, my smiles throughout the days have been with you all and I hope it finds you well. May you too, take some time, to renew yourself in which ever way seems best! Hopefully......art might just fit in some too!

Here is step one of the new piece I am working on. It's a slow process.....may even have to call this one, "Patience."

Step one, transfers from a Biology text, when the paper layer is removed

Spreading Christmas Cheer!

 

Collage a Day Series

As I sit here typing, peering out the window between the sunflakes, I see the power of the wind and how it seems to make nature dance with reckless abandon. At times, I hear a limb knock the house, reminding me that even the trees like to say hello on occasion. Overall, despite the cold, today I am surrounded by beauty and I am most grateful. Holidays are a mixed blessing for me. I love them....and I loathe them. 

There are reasons I do both, and I would not be true to myself if I simply marched through the holidays with a perky face. In fact, there are moments I could completely channel Scrooge in all his glory. But, they are few, thankfully, and I work hard at breathing through these days, counting my blessings, and choosing to be content despite feelings. That can be hard.....the contentment, but it's a work in progress, sometimes in five minute increments. 


Art is a gift in my life. My ability to create it, but most of all share it, is precious to me. The friends I have met in the art world are the ornaments on my tree you could say, each one unique and brilliant. So, I find myself in a mood to spread some Christmas cheer with you all. My Collage a Day series is coming along nicely. Much has been revealed to me about my passion for collage, my ideas about life, and my willingness to share with others through this series. Today, on my fanpage on Facebook, I decided to ask my fans to share a Christmas memory on my post, and at 4pm, I will be giving a collage away. To me, that's what Christmas is all about, the giving, the sharing of love with others. Hopefully, whoever receives it will pay it forward as well.


For those of you who find these days a struggle, my thoughts are with you, and my prayers. As the wind blows today, I pray it blows blessings, positive change, and health your way as well.

Art at the Murray House

A fellow artist and friend, Connie Hozvicka, wrote a blog the other day about what it means to hit the big time as an artist. The thought perplexed me. For months I have tossed that concept around, chewed on it, tip toed around it, and occasionally given it up for dead. Alas, it would never leave me, and then I read a blog about the exact same thing and I knew, like I was breathing, that it was something I must come to grips with. Some greater force in this crazy artistic world knew I needed an answer to that big time question so I threw in the towel and decided to really pin my thoughts down about it. During the pinning, I was invited to go cut and paste with some ladies in their 80's and 90's, and I oh, so couldn't pass that up......idea on hold yet again.

The Murray House is a retirement center in the heart of Mobile on lovely Dauphin Street. I have passed it many times, but never had the opportunity to visit, until Jami Buck rang my phone and invited me. Her dear friend Annette Simmons, who is sister to a dear friend of mine, Mary Beth Culp, lives there and Jami had thought the idea of doing an art class at the center would be grand. I was thrilled and suggested we do an art party for Annette, work with collage, and we both got excited. Now, we knew the ladies would be in their upper years, some of them artists in their earlier days, but we actually had no idea, other than Annette, who we would play with. I say play because art is always play to me, or it should be at least. 

When we arrived, we had met our four ladies, which turned to six, which turned to seven, which ended up at nine! And, rather than freak out, we rolled with the punches, shared supplies, and had a lovely time with these ladies. They all, well into their 80's and 90's still had their wits about them, were quite hilarious to be honest, and had a come back for every joke we threw at them. They loved the color palettes we worked with and some of the images brought back happy memories for them, of pets, and family, and things they didn't like. They told a bit about their occupations, Flora Mary was an elementary school principal at Mary B. Austin and Annette, who was an occupational therapist for children, was also an artist. It was just a great experience sharing art with them and here is why....

That hitting the big time question came full circle to me during this event. With total clarity, at least for me, I realized that hitting the big time as an artist was in this moment. It wasn't about being 'discovered', selling a piece for a ton of money, getting into what some would say is 'the best' gallery. It also wasn't about me getting my name out there or about me trying to network or sell my art. All of that, which is necessary for a professional artist, is trivial to me really. What means the most, what tells me that I have hit the big time as an artist was the look on Lurlee's face when she clapped, and with teary eyes, said, " This is so much fun, I had so much fun." Yes folks, clap your hands, I have hit it big! 

Thanks Jami for this photo, love it!

After we left, we learned that many of those women were the movers and shakers of their time in Mobile. Mary Abbey Berg, who now has a senior center named after her,  was not thrilled at the temperature, but she was pleased with her finished piece, especially the use of the word "fearless." I hope and pray that when I am their age I still feel fearless and am able to create art in some capacity. But more than that, it would mean the world to me if I am in a place like the Murray House, to have some young, whipper snapper artists like me and Jami show up with paper, scissors, glue, and paint ready to make art. 

Annette added the phrase "Don't Be Afraid" to her collage

Ms. Sullivan was a hoot, kept us on our toes.

Their finished pieces, which I think are beautiful!

Flora Mary thought out of the box, loved her!

Can you tell they were loving this?

Annette's finished collage

Mary Abby Berg's finished collage

I have seen with my own eyes how our elderly folks are forgotten and it's heartbreaking. The Murray House seems full of love and it's clear that they have families who visit and love them, which is rare for so many their age. If you are an artist, I hope you would consider hitting the big time with me and volunteer at a senior center. We will be there one day won't we? 

Baking Edgar and ATC Musings

I baked Edgar. Yes, dear, sweet Edgar, protector of prayers, spreader of joy, one hot looking, studly dude...I baked him. Actually, it was for his own good because had I not thrown him in that super hot oven, he would have smeared his comb over, and we just couldn't have that now, could we?

Edgar is one of my Ardithian creations using a bottle I found buried in a dump pile and polymer clay. I decided he needed to be a prayer protector, so the prayer he protects says this: "May you days be filled with love and joy always." I think Edgar will do a perfect job making sure that prayer gets to the big guy upstairs, I mean, come on....who would wound a soul like Edgar?

Alas....I have also bitten the ATC apple of obsession. Actually, until I move some of my larger pieces, I decided to work on some smaller themes and play around with ideas. Art Trading Cards and mail art are two perfect ways to do that. My most favorite format is 4" by 4", but ATC's are always 2.5" by 3.5", or playing card sized, and those aren't too bad to alter. Several of my friends are into inchies, and although I have prepared some for paper, that tiny size is a bit too hard to work with when my neck has to look down so often so I may just leave the inchies to them.

It's the beginning of September and I am forced, yes, forced to be thinking about what items I need to prepare for my Christmas show. I now understand why we see holiday items in stores so early, which I really dread, but from a retail sense I get it now. Lots going on in the art world in Mobile these days which is a wonderful thing. I plan on sharing some local events and local artist on my blog in the next few weeks. If you know of an artist that wants some 'media coverage', and not the MSNBC kind, shoot me an email.

Until then, Edgar and I are going to have a conversation about his friends, or lack there of, and I plan on introducing him to Found Baby. I think she might just find his comb over quite appealing, LOL!

I've Converted My Mom To A Collage Artist

I have often heard it said that I am just like my mother. There have been times I looked at the other person with the "What?" expression and then there are those times that I have said, gladly, "Yep" and proud of it. This is one of those times, but things are a bit backwards, she is a lot like me. You see, my mom has been turned on by the allure and addiction of collage. Not a bad thing at all, within reason, but one that makes me laugh out loud because I know my mother. I know her creativity runs wild like mine, her enthusiasm for a new project is contagious like mine, and.....like me, she can lose complete tracks of time in her own "creative world" just like me.

She came over the other day so that we could work on her Goddess of Cut Paper collage. Of course, she didn't approach it in the conventional way, it's not in her nature, or mine, LOL! so we put our heads together and brought it to fruition. She is most proud of it and so am I. You see, it's not often one gets to paint with their mother, or do collage, or chill out and just play with their mother, so the time that we spent doing this meant way more to me than the finished piece, but for her first, it is quite lovely.

 I can remember as a kid always having art supplies handy and one Christmas we made handmade ornaments for our tree. Not just a few, but an entire tree's worth of ornaments, with burgundy velvet, gold trim, and lots of other blingy stuff. I will never forget that 'arts and crafts' time and our tree.....well....it was a sight to behold. Let it be safe to assume that the creative gene, the one that keeps my brain ticking, came wildly packaged from my mother to me, and thank God for it. Here is her masterpiece, made of collage, fabric, paint, and assembled pieces. Way to go mom!

Mail Art - Have You Tried It?

When is the last time you received a letter in the mail that was hand written? Chances are, a long time ago. In an age where technology seems to have us with a choke hold the fine art of letter writing is quickly becoming a past time. I had thought past times were for 5 cent Coca-Cola's or penny candy from the corner store. I never dreamed that I would actually see letter writing come so close to extinction in my life time, but it seems it has a lot in common with oily birds these days.

Being a member of the Letter Writer's Alliance really opened my eyes to the beauty of the handwritten letter so I made it a challenge to myself to send at least one hand written letter or post card out each week. I joined Postcrossings, which is an international group of folks who swap post cards from around the world and I joined several other letter writer groups. But, being an artist, I found myself wanting to incorporate my love of art into the mail, so mail art became a major part of my letter writing activities these days. If you Google "Mail Art," you can see hundreds of examples of letters, sent through the mail, that are actual works of arts. They are quite fascinating. Because I am a collage artist, I actively sought out other artists who participated in mail art and have now begun swapping actual works of art, with letters inside, through the mail. It is pretty fabulous I must say! 

So, I thought Mail Art would be a wonderful lesson to add to my collage class and next week we will get our hands busy creating, not only letters, but beautiful ones at that. Here are some ideas to consider if you are thinking about a mail art project for yourself or your children.

1. First, decide who you are going to mail your letter to and write the letter. Don't type it, actually pen the words yourself. 

2. If you are going to add mail art, consider what type of art you love to do or art they would love to receive. Do they have a favorite color?

Do You?

Do you love abstract, or funny cards, or do you love to simply draw? 

3. Choose a theme for your mail art, such as holidays, spiritual, sports, gardening, and design your envelope to fit that theme. 

4. Decorate both sides if you choose, just be sure to leave a clear space for your addresses and stamps. 

5. Collage Mail Art can be created using cut out images from magazines, ephemera, patterned or painted paper, or by using rubber stamps. 

6. Sometimes, simply the addition of one simple image, like a flower or a bird, can turn an ordinary white envelope into a work of art. 

Regular white craft glue is great to use for collage, just make sure you glue the edges really well so the automated machines doesn't rip them. 

Postcards can be sent in the U.S by the Post Office for 28 cents, up to a 4" by 6". If it's larger, you need to use a regular stamp. International postcards cost 98 cents to mail. 

Here are some images from mail art that I have made using collage and colored pencils:

If you have a love for letter writing and mail art there are several groups on Facebook and the internet you can join to swap mail art with folks all over the world. Most all of them usually have one primary rule to follow: If someone is kind enough to send you a mail art card or letter, it's always customary to send one in return. I want to challenge you to write at least one letter in the next week, even if it's just a few lines, and consider turning your envelope into mail art. You might be surprised what ends up landing in your own mail box as well!

It's Official, I Have Become A Paper Arts Pimp!

It's official, I'm a collage/mixed media addict. There is no getting past a thrift store without scrounging around the book aisle. There is no visiting a junk/antique store without leaving filthy, loaded up with old, crusty, full of illustrations, books and magazines. There is no visiting Bienville Books without feeling like it's crack for the collage artist. But most of all, there is no table space to be found in my house, without some type of magazine, paint, paper, glue, or work in progress sprawled out everywhere and paper clippings have become our new carpet. I am beside myself with joy and my dear, sweet hubs has begun to suggest a paper arts rehab program. 

And, I must admit, that I am quite guilty of spreading my disease to my parents home, my friend's houses, and my fellow artists bag of tricks. Yes, I am a full, fledged paper arts pimp, that finds her Facebook fanpage and kitchen table much more accommodating than the sketchy street corner. So, to be true to my craft, my disease, my "can't look at a book or magazine the normal way, every again" mantra, I share with you here some of the products of this affliction. I do warn you though, these images may be hazardous to your health. They are known to cause one to stare, and study, and get tantalizing ideas for their own paper arts obsessions, so be fore warned.

Here are two mixed media pieces from my Rejection Letter Series. I found an  old collection of letters from the early 50's, from a writer here in Mobile, who was rejected time and time again. I am using those letters to create these vignettes, which are 4" by 12", in a series of 15. 

I laughed all the way through this piece, "A Royal Flush". As soon as I saw the toilet and paper I knew I had to create this. The only problem was trying to limit my ideas so it wasn't too crowded. I may work this into a "Toilet Bowl Series", which would be pretty hysterical but oh, what fun it would be!

 

Textures on paper are fascinating to me. I decided to play around with some different types, including painted paper and textured wall paper. What started out as a beach house, turned into a work involving architecture, textures, humor, and a profound point that not all neighbors are welcome, hence the expressions on the boys faces. "The New Neighbors" is 11" by 14", collage on paper.

 

My version of "The Ardithian Alice" came about thanks to my inner child. I love, love, love creating whimsical characters that tell a story and celebrating the release of Alice in Wonderland, in my own way, was tons of fun. This is 12" by 12", mixed media on canvas.

Ah, my first attempt at photo transfer and heirloom collage. These are two images of my parents, young in all their glory, and some ephemera from my childhood. The Red Cross letter was sent to my dad in Vietnam telling him of my birth. The map of Hawaii was from their second honeymoon and the little girl is me of course. I won't explain all the details but heirloom collage is something I plan on doing a lot more of.

 This strange little guy is what I call my Exquisite Corpse Doll Project. I start with a head and torso, tape over a section of it, and mail it to an unsuspecting paper addict like myself. They have to add a body part(s), cover up a bit of theirs, and send it back, for a series of four trips through the mail. When all is said and done, I get back a completed Exquisite Corpse, surreal and whimsical, just like the game was meant to be. I will post a separate blog when he is finished.