The Fox - When You Can't Find What You're Looking For

First I collaged bits of "Journal Starters" images leftover from other projects. I wish that I had remembered to take step by step photos beginning with this step. The image of the rooster inspired the creation of a fox. Next I added layers of paint and colored pencil. 

I named this journal page "When You Can't Find What You're Looking For".

Detritus Project - Assemblage - CORN ROAST

Mel Kolstad, curator for the Langdon Divers Gallery in the Fond du Lac Library issued a call-to-artists to create original artwork for the "Detritus Project" to be be displayed at the library gallery February 3 to March 2, 2016. Artists were to use materials library staff found in returned books, which Mel refers to as detritus. The opening reception will be Thursday, February 11 from 6pm to 8pm.

The box of detritus was pretty picked over by the time I stopped at the library. I chose these two pieces. I was attracted to the "Corn Roast" raffle ticket as the event occurred on my birthday. The sticker on the left side remains unused.

I cut out the portions of the ticket that were of interest to me and collaged them with a "Journal Starters" image from my book. The inspiration of the corn roast date prompted me to draw my face with colored pencil.

As I am coloring in my face I am thinking of all the herbicides and GMO's that are now so infused into our countries corn production. How many acres upon acres are planted in corn...and why...

I placed the collaged image in an old wooden box and added more bits from the ticket around the sides of the box. Finally I rolled up some corn husks and glued them around the edge.

This piece is titled CORN ROAST.

For more information on the "Detritus Project" click here http://www.fdlpl.org/blog/2015/11/turn-castoffs-art-call-detritus-project

Mel Kolstad is one of the contributing artists for Journal Starters: Sampler Volume 1!

QUIT SMOKING! DON'T START SMOKING!

I like to explore ideas by using images of unknown people to create scenarios. The unknown images often sparks ideas that I would have never thought to journal otherwise.

I wish that I had photographed the spread before I started painting and drawing over for comparison. In my journaling journey I like to revisit where I came from.

The idea of time "dragging" on and how time could be affected by a "drag" on the cigarette is the scenario I am exploring.

I feel powerless and sad when I see people smoking. Making art gives me some sense of control. 

QUIT SMOKING! DON'T START SMOKING!

PEACE - Art Journal Page

I have been trying to prep assorted pages in my journal to help jump start my creative process. I find that this is a good way to be productive when I'm not feeling particularly creative. 


I chose the main magazine image because I was drawn to the close-up of praying hands. 


Feeling compelled to journal yesterday I flipped through my prepped journal pages and I envisioned an image over the page. 

Do you see it?

I saw a dove.

Praying for -
Peace on Earth
Peace of Mind

The striped images were added later to cover lettering I didn't care for.  I think they add more visual interest and help balance the design.

Collaged Art Journal Page

I was inspired by a torn paper collage journal page spread by Marie Danti.  I started with this quote "When the uncreative tell the creative what to do, it stops being art". Next I ripped out mostly solid sections from a magazine and glued them down without preplanning. Pieces laid prior helped to guide the next paper I glued down. I didn't have a plan for the subject matter except to draw something in marker loosely. Tony Bennett was the source for the quote so I googled an image for him and liked the pose from his All Time Greatest Hits album.

The drawing isn't as loose as I had first intended.  Since it was an actual person I wanted there to be some resemblance. First I sketched the image in pencil. Next I drew over the pencil lines with marker. Then I painted in shadows with watered down acrylic paint.

I think the random collaged paper gives the spread more of a dynamic energy than I could have planned.

Journal Page – Transformation

 

This is a journal page about transformation. It speaks to me on several levels. The salamander template was the last collage item added. The page was almost finished and the geometric triangles had briefly reminded me of MC Escher’s art piece with the lizards but I didn’t have that in mind when I let it sit for a few days.

Then, when I seen the salamander template from the previous salamander page I knew where it belonged. The journaling and quotes were added last.

Looking at the photograph, I now want to extend the stems of the dandelions to the bottom of the page. The upper right corner looks a bit bare too! Perhaps something will find it’s way later.

Journal page – Good versus Evil

AN INTERNAL DIALOG FOR CLARITY,
PONDERING THE MERITS OF GOOD VERSUS EVIL.
I was working on a figural assemblage today. I cut a circle out with the face from the photograph. Instead of throwing the faceless photograph away I decided to make a collage in my journal. Not sure which direction I wanted to go I decided to flip through a library discard book for another face to replace the missing one. Instead the picture of two men, one wearing white, the other black caught my eye. I immediately though of good vs evil. I originally had them placed behind the head opening so that their heads were representational of eyes. In my excitement to glue the pieces down this idea escaped me until seeing the collage on this blog.
Looking at a photograph of your ART is often a good way to see it with fresh eyes.
I decided my figure needed arms. I found a pair but discarded them in favor of the ones pictured. I found these arms when I was looking for the legs. The arms holding glasses further added to the theme I was developing.
I had not intended to work on a collage today but working in my journal to make something for myself was freeing.
Pondering the merits of good versus evil on this Memorial Day!

Collaged Journal Page

 

I made this collaged journal page at the cabin yesterday. It was a near perfect day except for the ticks that I found crawling on me. So I drew them on this character’s face. You can click on the picture to enlarge it and see more of the detail. I really was able to lose myself in the process once I gave up on preconceived expectations.

Maxims and Rules of Celebrated Men - Carus - Assemblage

Maxims and Rules of Celebrated Men - Carus – Assemblage

The belt buckle was the starting inspiration piece for this assemblage. I had an idea that it could be something to look through, perhaps a portal to clarity. Next I searched for a photo and found the above cabinet photo with the handsome young gentleman. I intended on finding a one line quote from an old book to add below the picture. I pulled out my old “Chatterbox” book that I have been working in and the first page I opened I found the title for my piece “Maxims and Rules of Celebrated Men” with the quote below.

Carus. - 1. Hear as little as possible whatever is to the prejudice of others. 2. Believe nothing of the kind till you are absolutely forced to it. 3. Never drink into the spirit of any one who circulates an evil report. 4. Always moderate, as far as possible, the unkindness which is expressed towards others. 5. Always believe that if the other side were heard, a very different account would be given of the matter.

When all of the pieces come together as if they were always meant to be – this is the magic of assemblage.

To enhance the design I added three screw clips and for interest rather than adding a fourth I use a singleton cufflink, which was perhaps once worn by a “Celebrated Man”.

This is an original assemblage framed under glass. Available in my Etsy shop RAEvN's Nest here.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100640597/maxims-and-rules-of-celebrated-men

Pantalet Assemblage

A couple of years ago I was the winning bidder of a box of antique and vintage doll clothing at a live auction. I’m not quite sure why I felt compelled to bid on the box full of clothes. When I looked through it, I found some of the sweetest diminutive garments.
After a bit of investigative work I discovered the name of these Victorian undergarments. I originally thought they were called pantaloons, but after “googling” I found out that pantaloons were for men. Then I tried petticoats, well they are skirts. Drawers and bloomers are shorter pants. The definition of pantalets is; long drawers, usually trimmed with ruffles, extending below the skirts: worn during the early and mid 19th century.
These pantalets are the inspiration for a series of framed assemblages incorporating doll clothes.


Wearing the pantalets is an actual original image from an 1872 Victorian magazine of a beautiful woman with a far away gaze. A page with poems for interest and another with a landscape to ground her. Three buttons for balance and to hold the composition together.


I chose this frame for it’s round top and aged patina. I feel that when something is made well, its beauty only increases with age and the wear shown makes it authentic to its past.
This is the first in a series, stay tuned for more. I almost have the second one completed, with ideas for a couple more.

FrAgMENteD Journal Continued

A continuation of my FrAgMENteD Journal. It's interesting how the drawn parts look larger than the photograph parts. I traced them, so they are the same. I also liked the collage on the left better versus the right. Actually, I am not sure which collage I prefer. Which one do you like best?

For those of you who read my journal pages, my husband Mark is doing fine. It was surgery for carpal tunnel, Lateral epicondylitis, also known as tennis elbow and Medial epicondylitis, also known as golfers elbow.