More science inspiration

I'm playing with another portion of the science classroom poster/map that I used for another collage I posted a while ago. So excited to explore and see what comes of this!

 

Inspired by science

 I finished this pair of pieces last night, They are entitled "Prelix Supra" and "Prelix Infra". The pieces are 3" x 5" (8" x 10" framed). The letters represent the complementary amino acids found in the double helix of DNA. In this case, the string of amino acids in each composition are unpaired (although the sequences of each individual composition is complementary to the other). That's from where the first part of the title comes -- "Prelix" (before "helix"). BTW, the small "u" in the composition represents "uracil" which is found in place of thymine in RNA translation of the DNA pairs. The "supra" and "infra" part of the title simply refers to "above" and "below", respectively. That's the arrangement of this pair that I intended (i.e., one above, and one below)

The Making of "The Sacredness of Comfort and Care" -- imspirations, parallel processing, and emergence of a collage composition

Check out my new video on YouTube about my process of making a collage...

https://youtu.be/S_gWqImwO7E?si=iva1czZcpE6RQbby 

detail follow-up

I wanted to follow-up on the last post with an illustration of the perceptual impact of subtle changes in composition. If you focus on the urchin (the spherical element) in the bottom right area of these two images, you will see the subtle shift in the position of the element. The first image shows the urchin encroaching on the golden braid. The second image, has the urchin placed so that it is not overlapping. Of course, overlap is a key cue for depth perception, so it is not surprising that the different placements suggest differences in "depth". I ultimately chose the placement in the second image, as I think it elicits the perception that "looks better" to me (and I hope, to the viewer). The bottom image is the completed collage (with the blue element adjusted to the horizontal).

Iconic

Finished this piece today. The mat dimensions are 8" x 10". I have not settled on a name for it yet; but wanted to post it because I'm excited about it.

 

Mixed feelings

On April 1st, I posted photos (and narrative) of "The Sacredness of Comfort and Care", stating that it was one of my favorite collages I have made. That is probably one of the reasons that I am now experiencing mixed feelings about its sale at the Cooperstown Art Association Gallery. I mean, I'm very happy that someone liked the piece enough to buy it: But perhaps I was not ready to "let it go". I like it too... a lot. I also have been focused on generating high-quality pieces for my upcoming two-person exhibit at The Other Side (Utica, NY), and thought that "The Sacredness..." piece would be an impressive centerpiece for that show. The last time I had a solo show there, I sold 14 pieces. I want to have a strong follow-up to that exhibit. I assume that I could perhaps borrow the piece from the new owner for that exhibit: But I am also cognizant of the fact that having a "NFS" piece means potentially less commission for the gallery (and I like to support galleries, as well). So, I can sincerely say that I am happy for the sale, and I assume that it will bring joy to the new owner. But I do have mixed feelings about it.

Another find; another kind

After finishing d.h.k., I decided to experiment a little with some elements that were laying around the studio. I decided to try some arrangements that are a bit different for me (but still in my "voice"?). These were different enough, that I thought they were worth posting. Not sure if something like these will become a finished composition, but interesting nonetheless. I have also included in this post, a beautiful red cover of a 1937 publication about contract bridge (another example of something I forgot I even had).

d.h.k. -- a new piece

Okay, so here's a piece I created (in record time?) from the classroom botanical poster/map. I'm very excited about the colors! And I had a frame in the studio that I think matches the color scheme well. The piece is 11" x 14"; but with the frame included, it's a bit larger than what I usually do (and I'm happy about it). I entitled it, "d.h.k. -- Unsung Hero of the Modern Botanical Era". BUT, the letters aren't meant to be anyone's initials -- they are just labels for the cells. And the female sculptural element is unrelated to "the modern botanical era" (whatever that means). So the title is whimsical, and invites the viewer to try to figure out who d.h.k. is. So in my mind, the title becomes an integral component of the collage.

Found treasure

 Last night in the studio, I "came across" this gem. It's a beat-up old science classroom "poster" (map-like) made with kind of a paper-canvas material. To tell you the truth, I barely remember purchasing it (probably at the Farmersville auction). I was SO excited to have found this! I started experimenting right away (so much fun!). I have been wanting to try to create some collages that are a little bigger, so this is a perfect source. I have my hand included in one of the photos, to show the scale.

I love the muted color palette! I don't know what will come from this source for elements... but I'm excited to start exploring/experimenting. Here are some starters (all rough right now)...

Cooperstown (NY) Art Association

Had a wonderful time at the 35th Annual Regional Art Exhibit in Cooperstown, last night. I was so excited that I got accepted into this show, along with my friend and fellow artist, Tom Nettle; and my sister-in-law and fellow artist, Donna Durr. They accepted 66 pieces of the 176 that were submitted. And Tom won a Juror's Citation Award, too! The show was particularly strong, in my opinion... and well-attended. It's nice when there is some external recognition for all the time we spend creating in the studio.

Award winner, Tom Nettle

Cut paper collage entitled "Vivian", by Donna Durr

Award winner, Mary Helen Epps, with her piece, entitled "Contemplation"

 

creative distractions

 Well... I had intended to work on finishing the "paired" project last night; but I got distracted by some elements that were laying around the tables in the studio. Not sure if anything will come of this rudimentary start. But I am digging the way this looks (a bit of surreal; a bit of Warhol)...

The collage of life

I've been very pleased with the number of hits that this blog is getting on a daily basis recently. One reason I am posting today, is to let folks know what I have been up to recently. I consider my life to be very collage-like. In addition to loving my activities as an visual artist, I am playing more music with friends -- old and new. We play mostly improvisational music (jamming?), rather than playing "cover songs". Last weekend, as part of my birthday celebrations, I got together with my good friend Goody and a new person who we have not played with before. He played guitar; and an instrument called a "duduk" (an Armenian flute-like reed instrument). It was an awesome 2 hours of ambient, spacey, jazzy improv. On Saturday, we played with a full band, including keyboard, sax, and drums. SO much fun! I also dealt with a sewer back-up in my basement (yuck). Life is like a collage, with so many interesting elements. But I have also been working on a collage project which I "teased" about in an earlier post (regarding a potential transfer element). The project involves a paired set of collages. Not done yet... but here is some progress.

 

"In Someone Else's Hands"

 I finished this piece yesterday, for the National Collage Society “Small Works” exhibit. ALL entries need to be 4” x 6” and mounted on 8” x 10” mat board. I wasn’t going to submit this year, but this came together rather quickly. Although, in my haste to finish it (it HAS to be sent out today), I failed to do the “micro cutting” around the face (dammit! sloppy). I will still submit it. This one is entitled “In Someone Else’s Hands”.

teaser transfer

I meant to post this first image the other day, as a teaser (what will become of this?). But I ended-up posting about the piece I had just finished. Anyway... I had already decided on the answer to the "teaser" part if it... I wanted to use it as a source for a transfer. So now the "teaser" has moved along one more step. Here is how I used it for two different, complementary transfers. I'm still not sure where these final compositions will end-up; but I am interested in the process, and the idea of doing a complementary pair. The third image is a quick collage (like less than an hour!) I made for a friend of mine. It's a very small piece (3.5" x 4.5"). I missed some micro-cutting in my haste to get it done. But I think it's a nice, simple piece.

 

Sisters

I am happy to have finished this piece today. It's a "sister" piece to another one I created recently.

 

Self portrait?

 While going through a box of old stuff from my office, I came across this quick sketch I did when I was on faculty at Lebanon Valley College. The eyes were drawn around what was then two coffee drop stains (the brown color of the coffee has since faded) on my desktop blotter. The sketch was made circa 1993. I recently put UV coating on it the other day, and will re-frame it soon. But I realized that perhaps, unwittingly, this represent the only "self-portrait" that I've done (at least that's what I am now thinking). This doesn't have much to do with collage, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless.

Dancing in the studio

Well, I'm not exactly sure from where this metaphor came, but it seems to capture what I was doing in the studio last night -- dancing. I was chipping away at a potential composition for the National Collage Society's small format exhibit (the guy with the dog); but was also playing around with other elements. I also have a partner frame for the gold-braid frame I posted recently (with the beautiful woman and the graph paper composition), which is silver-braid. I experimented with elements that I thought might go well with the silver. I ended-up creating a composition that is very atypical of my normal style. It was exciting to open-up more possibilities for future directions. Here are some of the images from my dancing...