Blowing in the Wind

Along with all the gorgeous Autumn colors on the trees, we also have this fluffy white stuff blowing in the wind. No, not snow --- not yet anyway. But the milkweed pods seem to have burst overnight, sending their seeds off on the wind currents.

Blazes of Color

This year the Autumn leaves have been extraordinarily colorful --- blazes of crimson in the maples and gorgeous golds and oranges in the oaks. It's no wonder I have been inspired to make collages with them, hoping to preserve their beauty.

New Idea

I have been creating collages using archival mat board as a backing, because it is sturdy enough to withstand paste and glue without buckling. However, it is not easily stitched through, and I want to use stitched lines as design elements in new collages. So today I played with alternatives. I'm not fond of batting --- too puffy, plus what to do about the edges. Finally I hit on the idea of using Pellon, and I think that is the solution for me. It is somewhat sturdy, yet easily stitched through. The collage above is my first attempt using Pellon as a backing, and I'm happy with the way it handled stitching and painting. What do you think?

The Completed Book

Here is the completed book, with all 8 pages mounted. It is a simple accordion fold book, made from a single sheet of paper.

Here are the first four pages in the book.

Here are the last four pages in the book.

Please click on the last two photos for more detail. For whatever reason, Blogger is limiting the size of photos to display in this post.

The Making of a Folded Book

Yesterday, while walking, I saw a tree that had lost its leaves, yet still held an empty nest in its branches. Several leaves were caught in the nest, and it reminded me of some words that I have had sitting on my work table for a while --- "Four drops fell to earth making four sacred places". I decided to use a set of four leaves that I found to represent the "four drops" and to incorporate four nests as the "sacred places". Thus began a new book....

Layer 1: background papers, cut to page size, and a few additional details added with mulberry papers, cloth, found papers, the four leaves and the words.

Layer 2: acrylic paint --- stamped some metallic russet stripes and screened some black circles to represent the nests.

Layer 3: acrylic paint --- added some white snowflakes and gold text. The "snowflakes" were created by painting a hedge apple with white paint and rolling it across my pages.

Tomorrow........the finished book.

Leaf Collages

These two collages were created with a background of found papers. Then I added layers of mulberry paper and cloth and more found papers. The final layers are actual painted leaves and acrylic paint. The top collage includes a redbud leaf, and the bottom collage includes sumac leaves. Both collages measure 6.5"h x 4.75"w and are mounted on 10" x 8" Bristol board.

Another Maple Leaf Collage

I finished this collage this morning, and I think it is my favorite so far. I love the blocks of color and the way they blend with each other and the leaf, and the way the text unifies the whole design.

More Texture

Texture fascinates me almost as much as color. These are photographs of peeling birch bark. Aren't all the layers wonderful?

Colors in the Woods

Woodland Palette #1
6"h x 5"w
mounted on 10" x 8" Bristol Board
SOLD

Woodland Palette #2
6"h x 5"w

mounted on 10" x 8" Bristol Board
SOLD

I am totally enamored with the colors of the maple leaves this year. The vein lines in lime and yellow contrast beautifully against the bright crimson of the leaf. I have never seen coloring like this, and it is fascinating to me. Above are two more collages that incorporate actual maple leaves that I have found on my walks.

All About Texture!

Recently I spent the day at the local zoo, enjoying the crisp autumn weather on a photography jaunt. I was in search of textures to use in my artwork. Below are some of my favorites from that day...

remnants of cut-off leaves,

the underside of a variety of palm leaf,

the bark of a tree,

bamboo.

Kansas, Kansas, Kansas

Last Saturday, in Lawrence, Kansas, I taught a collage workshop to a fun group of art quilters. Most of them were total newbies with collage, so it was interesting to see their progression during the workshop. I think a good time was had by all, and you can click here to see one participant's collages.

This is a photo of a cluster of mushrooms growing outside where the workshop was held. I loved all of the textures!

Any guesses what this is??? No fair posting if you were with me when I took the photo.

Observations

Observations #2
11" x 11"
SOLD

Observations #5
11" x 11"
$175

One thing about puppies --- they give you a reason to take walks, no matter what the weather is like. At first I was not too enthusiastic about walks in pouring rain or bitter cold winter winds, but I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoy it now. It has given me opportunities to observe many facets of nature that I otherwise would have missed. My newest series is inspired by these observations, hence the title of the series. Click here to see the first six pieces.

Autumn Glow

Autumn Glow
5"h x 5.5"w
maple leaf, found papers, ribbon, cotton cloth, acrylic paint
SOLD

Yesterday when I returned from my morning walk, this maple leaf was on my front porch. The coloring is so exquisite that I picked it up and put it in my press to preserve it. This morning it inspired this collage that incorporates the leaf with a background image of trees.

The Final Result

Here is the book folded and tied after completion. This is a hand-dyed cotton yarn that I tied around it.

And this is the entire book with all of the pages completed. It has been a fun project and an interesting break from making my morning collages. Let me know what you think now that it is finished.

Pages 15 & 16

These are the last two pages in the book, so tomorrow I will post photos of the completed book. It has been a fun week working on this project. I had a tough time not adding any painted accents, but now that I see the whole book, I think it is stronger for its simplicity.

Pages 13 & 14

Pages 11 & 12

Pages 9 & 10

Pages 7 & 8

Pages 5 & 6

Pages 3 & 4

Here are the next two pages in my mini book of collages. One reader asked about the size of this book. It is approximately 2" x 2.75". I took an 8.5" x 11" sheet of card stock and folded it into fourths in both directions to create the book.

Pages 1 & 2

These are the first two pages in my mini collage book. I resisted the temptation to add paint as the final layer to the collages, which has been extremely hard for me. However, I think leaving the paint off has given the collages a simple beauty that I love.

Mini Collage Book

This week I have abandoned making my morning collages in favor of making a small accordion fold book of collages. It started with a magazine ad that had some phrases in it that really spoke to me, so I cut the phrases out and decided to make a book that incorporated them into the pages. I used a sheet of fossil colored cardstock for the book, and above is a photo of the cover. Each day I will post some of the pages.

Believe Collage

Believe
Collage size: 7.5"h x 5.5"w
Mounted on Bristol board 10" x 8"

Yesterday I spent several hours in my paint studio, putting the finishing touches on a new series of 4 collages for Collage Mania and a new series of 6 art quilts. The collage above is number 2 in the Inspirations series and will be available for purchase through Collage Mania in May 2009.
Click here to see the entire series.

Rust and Paint

I love images of peeling paint and rust, so last weekend I took my camera out to the family farm. Where better to find peeling paint and rusty metal than on acres full of old farm machinery and dilapidated outbuildings. This farm has been in my husband's family for over 100 years, and even though they don't farm the land themselves anymore, there are still remnants of those days all over the farm. In about an hour, I shot over 150 photographs. Above are two of my favorites.

Praying Mantis

It's praying mantis season here. All summer long I haven't seen a single one, and yet, in the last week I have seen a dozen or more. The one above was a morning visitor to one of our tomato gardens today.

Every time I see a praying mantis, I think of my Dad. He had yew bushes along the front walk of his house, and every year thousands of baby mantises would hatch in those bushes. Even when we had yew bushes in our yard, we never attracted the mantises like my Dad did. I miss seeing the mantises in his bushes, and I miss my Dad.

New Series Completed

Primary Lines #4
12" x 12"

All four pieces in this series are finished now. This is a series that I have loved working on --- the bright colors and splashes of paint here and there have brought this work to life, and I am thrilled with the results. To see the entire series, please click here.

New Acquisition

Life
Artist: Virginia Spiegel

This is the newest piece of art in my collection --- a rich collage of papers and cloth created by Virginia Spiegel. This is from her new series "Third Thoughts". I love the colors and textures in this collage and can't wait to get it framed and on the wall.

New Work

Primary Lines #3
12" x 12"

I am finishing up the last two pieces in the Primary Lines series. Above is #3, and I am almost finished with #4. Stay tuned to see them all posted together on my website.

Bees

The sedum in our garden is covered with bees right now, and I thought that would provide another opportunity to test this camera. Even though the photo could be better, I was impressed. This was shot without a tripod and with a gentle breeze blowing.