Spine poetry

Susan Gaylord mentioned a challenge on her blog recently and I jumped right on it and sent link and challenge off to friends.  If you follow this link to her blog, I won't need to explain it all here.    It all has to do with stacking books so the titles form a poem.     Reminds me of the fun of found word poetry, so had to try it.    Here's a sample done from things scattered on my desk.

In this case it may be more like a very short story.     Look around your house and try this for fun.  It's not a messy challenge for a change.  And you do not need to find any supplies.   

A little spritz, a little spray...

One of our mixed media group had a good source for ordering 2 oz spray bottles, so a bunch of us went together and ordered in bulk.     I know, I know, we are not buying more stuff!! We are all trying to get rid of stuff!    But, this was so tempting and the price was right.  You know how it is.      We planned to spend this morning mixing our liquids and spritzing and spraying on our artwork.   Unfortunately we cancelled the meeting today, but since I had prepared some practice pieces I thought I'd  share them here.

These are all done on 4 x 6 watercolor paper cut from a big pad of paper.    For some, I used tubes of watercolor paint and about an inch of water.   I poured the water first, then added about a teaspoon of water.  For some others I used tubes of gouache in the same amounts.   And finally, I used some old water soluble inks squirted into the water until I thought it looked right.     They all work about the same.    I was delighted that the watercolor didn't fade back as much as I thought they would.    I sprayed through an old piece of lace on some of these.  And added a few rubber stamped images with permanent ink. It's easy to mix your own colors also or overspray with several colors.   I can see a lot of possibilities for these sprays, can't you?     I better get out some of my stencils and masks next time I have a practice session.

 The trees are crayon with diluted ink sprayed over them.

 The three faces were quick scribbles of crayon oversprayed with various colors of diluted watercolor paints.
I think I'll try more of them with water soluble crayons to see if the colors intermix.

 This shoe stamp was sprayed with diluted gouache through a piece of lace.  I like the yellow ochre color in the gouache.  

This one is diluted liquid watercolor sprayed through lace over a rubber stamped image done in permanent ink.

Next I will be trying these sprays over a collaged background.    I think it's really fun to have them premixed and right at hand. They are all standing in an old plastic cookie "tin".    Deli packages are very useful for storage in a studio.

Saying goodbye to an era of online group

Cloth Paper Studio is an online group I've belonged to for years and years.    It is closing up shop as the  owners/list moms are moving on in their lives to other things.    

They are receiving many nice notes from other artists and craftspeople, quilters, felters, beaders, etc. who found a happy home with them for many years.   I am sure they know how grateful we all are for their encouragement, their chiding and teasing, their good humor and sense of fun, as well as the forum they provided for easy exchanges of ideas, techniques, and information.    It's been a great ride.     May first is the closing day, and I for one will be raising a toast to them for the pleasure they brought to me daily online.

Over the years many of the online groups have closed, some because they were related to a particularly hot trend in the altered arts world, and it just plays itself out - and some we just don't know why the interest waned.      This is one group that had so many  varied interests, it always was jumping from one thing to another - and every month at least, I would come away with a new idea, or way of doing something.     You know when we put our heads together, we learn a lot from each other.     One idea leads to another.  And the photos and links to other sites led me to places I never would have visited.     Here is a huge THANKS to Diane, Rachel, Wendy and Sue.     The best group leaders ever.   Now we will have to keep up with each other through the blogs and other new media.   

 I guess it's true the one unchanging thing in the world is change.    It always happens.   Sometimes it makes me sad.   On the other hand, it makes me move forward.    I just joined Trodden  Path, which is a relatively new online group, and immediately came across Evie in Scotland.     An old friend I met through the Cloth Paper Studio group years ago, and whose work I have collected.     Now we are in an ATC swap together.     Here is one of the little cards I just made for my partner.  The theme is winged children.

April post cards

I've been delighted to receive some really nice post cards lately but have been tied up working on and about the Spring Art Show in Lodi, the Tracy Grand Theater Art Show "Expressions! Selections" a show of 25 pieces of art by 20 invited artists, and getting ready for the Lathrop Mayors Art Show.

And keeping up with my beautiful garden by showing it off to a few friends at a little garden party on a rare perfect weather day.

  The Irish Spring card was accidentally  blown off the patio table, and fell into a potted geranium.     It has been watered a couple of times!   LOL  Whatever glue Beth Kelsey used, it works well because it is still intact, although a bit warped.

 The rabbit card is from Jennie Hichcliff. 

Reduce Waste card is from Linda Giese.   Some of these are follow ups to my mailing post cards promoting Artists for a Greener Planet. 

 The one with the can of veggies is from Punwit, a starter to which I added the bird head and the text and the man on lower right.  Now it goes back to him to see what he will do next.    I really look forward to these.   

America is from long time art friend, Joanna Taylor, who had just returned from a trip to Yosemite where a book she had done was being shown with her delightful hand carved stamped images.  

 The bright yellow card was  made with a onion bag by Norma Soulet of Florida, between tennis games.     Isn't this a clever use of a recycled piece of plastic that otherwise would have gone into the trash?  

Thanks for the cards, friends.   I've sent off a series this  month, but forgot to take pics.  I used pre printed post cards I purchased to get the box they came in.    So I collaged over the backs of them,  attached the mail labels onto the printed image and the stamp, and sent them off.     I'm hoping the gals that receive them will enjoy the latest mail art.