Collagist

"The Question"

2012-02-12T13:26:00.001-08:00

I finished this piece today. It was mostly finished for a while (the two holes with the man and woman). I knew I was going to put a third "hole" in it, but wasn't sure about what to do after that. I decided on the skeleton transfer. It's always a bit nerve-wracking for a collagist like me to place a transfer, because I never know exactly what it's going to look like until it is placed (and then it's too late to do something else). I like to have a little more control. But I think it turned out well. Then I thought I needed something in the upper left hand quadrant of the piece for "balance". I tried Saturn, but it was too dark (and thus not recessive enough). Then I looked at the piece matted and in its antique frame and I decided that although the piece isn't "balanced" per se, it "opens up" on the left and this actually enhances the "feel" of the piece. Glad to have this piece done (it's been around for a while) and happy to be fairly satisfied with it. BTW, it's 11.5" x 6". The question is... what is "The Question"? Enjoy.

"Smoke 'em if you got 'em!"

2012-02-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

Here's my latest piece (9.5 x 9.5"). I haven't been in the studio for a couple weeks because I have been busy with the beginning of a new semester and was at a conference in Louisville last week (that deserves its own post). Anyway, I'm pleased with this piece. In a way, it's the "opposite" of many of my other work in which I place color accents within a black-and-white (or muted palette). This piece features a colorful background with black-and-white accents. The "guys" were each individually cut and meticulously placed (that's what took the longest in this composition... by far). Enjoy!

a few shots from the opening at The Tech Garden

2012-01-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

The artwork will be up for the next month. There are LOTS of great pieces in the exhibit (including the painted peppers and photos by my friend and fellow art explorer Tom Nettle). Enjoy!

Salon: Opening Reception: Thursday January 26th, 20125pm ...

2012-01-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

Salon: Opening Reception: Thursday January 26th, 20125pm ...: Opening Reception: Thursday January 26th, 2012 5pm - 7pm The Tech Garden 235 Harrison St. Syracuse, NY Viewing hours: January 26th - Febru...

detective

2012-01-21T08:24:00.000-08:00

Marie Noelle-Little, one of my colleagues at Utica College, asked if I could use this magazine for my collages. I was SO excited to see it! I love the lighting! That's one of the things I "look for" when I am searching for images -- interesting and unusual lighting. The really nice thing about this image is that the light is coming so strongly from below. Of course the image itself is awesome too. I can't wait to see how this element gets incorporated into one of my works! Enjoy!

blue and red pair

2012-01-14T06:32:00.000-08:00

I posted the 'female' of this pair a while ago and just finished the 'male' last night. I had some left-over of the space/star element from the female, but as it turns out, it was a far lighter/bluer portion of the element and didn't "match". I wanted these tow pieces to be complementary. So I searched through my space/universe/galaxy books again and was extremely fortunate to find a page with what appeared to be the same image with the same varied colors. The stars were the same too. This is not common in that for many of these kinds of images, the stars are slightly different (i.e., more blurred or more "sparkly"). The red elements in these pieces are made up of the papers used for dress pattern cutting. I only had a couple swatches of this stuff. I LOVE the intensity of the color and the "random" textured pattern of the dots (created by that spur-like roller thing). I had Jim at Oskar's Framing do these beautiful metal frames and I like the way this pair turned out. It all started from my just playing around with some left-over elements. Once again, serendipity enhances the collage process! Enjoy!

Black Gryphon beer flight holders

2012-01-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

Last new year's weekend Lindsay, Anthony and I collaged their wedding invitations. This year we spent an entire day (plus about day more) working on collaging beer flight holders that they will use at The Black Gryphon restaurant (which they own) in Elizabethtown, PA. The shape of these flight holders represents the tail of the Gryphon seen on the Welsh flag. I hope this New Year's collaging tradition continues next year with another interesting project! Enjoy!

New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T07:49:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess that will do it for another year. I was hoping to have more posts this year than last; but I ran a little short (mostly because of my sabbatical). I am so pleased to have become a Signature Member of the National Collage Society this year. I consider it my biggest accomplishment of the year! I was also happy to show my work at Arkell (in Canajoharie, NY) and at the Old Forge Library (in Old Forge, NY) with my friend and art comrade Sue Firsching. I am REALLY looking forward to "The End is Near" exhibit at Utica College this spring with 10 other interesting collage artists. And of course, I am happy to be helping Jonathan Talbot with his workshop at Utica College. Not sure what else the new year will bring. I have a number of works-in-progress and I feel like trying some new things. Thanks to all of you who check out this blog site every once in a while. Like teaching, artists need very little reinforcement... but we do need some (and it is always greatly appreciated). Wishing anyone who reads this a very healthy, happy and productive year to come! Enjoy!

mat and frame

2011-12-30T11:22:00.000-08:00

I posted this piece as an image on Nov. 18th, but just got the mat and frame done for it. I am always impressed with how much the correct "treatment" can enhance an artwork. I'm very pleased with the way this ne looks now framed. I am working on a "partner" piece for it now. Enjoy!

South Side Sally?

2011-12-30T11:11:00.000-08:00

Just finished this piece today. Seems a propos for the upcoming New Year's Eve celebrations. Enjoy!

Jacques de la Villegle

2011-12-27T18:36:00.001-08:00

Saw this piece in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City the weekend before Christmas and just thought I'd share it here. It's entitled "bleu O noir" (1955). Enjoy!

resonance

2011-12-25T07:19:00.000-08:00

I work quite often on my collages. I really enjoy the process, so why not. In fact, I think I am officially obsessed with collage. I really enjoy looking for elements; I really enjoy looking at others' collages; I think about my on-going collage projects pretty regularly; I really enjoy talking to other people (who are interested) about art in general and my collage efforts specifically; I even occasionally finish a piece here and there ;-) Most of the collages I create I "like" (which is probably pretty natural); but others I create I "REALLY like" (or "love"). I was very excited yesterday (Christmas eve day) to finally complete, mat and frame a piece I've been working on for a couple weeks. This is a piece I think I "love". I show it here from collage "surgery" to finished and framed. It's entitled "I began to experience the effects at around 3000" (8" x 6"). Enjoy!

"Corvu"

2011-12-25T07:14:00.000-08:00

I found 6 of these small frames at a garage sale... cheap. They're kind of nice because the way they're cut, they have a "built in" spacer, which gives a slightly shadow-boxy look. Anyway, here is a small format collage (only 4.5 x 5.5") that I just kind of threw together for the frame. I liked the way it turned out. Enjoy!

continued serendipity

2011-12-25T07:05:00.000-08:00

Whilst I was coating this vintage (and colorized) photo recently, two interesting things happened. Since the photo is hand-colored, when I was brushing the acrylic medium onto the surface, it started to smear the paint (it must be water-soluble). I quickly became much more careful about applying the medium. Here's the other thing... I have to apply the medium to both sides and when I turned the photo over, I noticed how beautiful were the colors and pattern of the ripped paper on the back of the photo. I will consider using the back rather than the photo itself when I use this piece (although I have n immediate plans for it at this point). You just never know what you'l "happen across" with this medium. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

coincidence or subliminal?

2011-12-21T10:44:00.000-08:00

Last night I was reading "Collage: Assembling contemporary art" (Black Dog Publishing) when I came across this image of a piece entitled "Pleiades" by Max Ernst (1920). I was struck by the Ernst's inclusion of a colored leg (I'm still not certain whether it is painted or another collage element), because I was playing with this idea last week in my studio (see man braced with one arm). I have had that book for a while (and haven't looked at it in over a year) but don't consciously remember ever seeing the Ernst image. Interesting. Either this is a cool coincidence or some kind of vaguely subliminal influence (which I seriously question). Nonetheless, I think it's kind of cool. Enjoy!

Cornell in NYC?

2011-12-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

I was struck by this holiday window treatment at the Russian Samovar in New York City. It was so Cornellian! I should have asked the owners if they were inspired by Cornell or if the similarity to some of Cornell's work was coincidental. Enjoy!

Reverse collage photo?

2011-12-20T07:51:00.000-08:00

I was in New York City this past weekend. I still enjoy taking "tourist-y" shots in NY. I posted this one on FB and it got MANY positive comments; so I thought I would share it here as well. In some ways, it reminds me of some of my collage work, except the stars are in front of the building instead of behind it. Enjoy!

the finished product

2011-12-20T07:48:00.000-08:00

Here's what I put on "the canvas". I'm not really sure I like how it turned out; but it would be difficult to change at this point. You can see it "live" next week at The Green Onion on Genesee St. in Utica, NY. Enjoy!

the "canvas"

2011-12-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

Last of the flight holders for The Onion in Utica. This is a work-in-progress. I have put down the "background" elements and now will continue with placements of weird images. This one is a bit of a departure from the earth-tone palette of the first three. I'll be very interested in how folks respond to this style after seeing the other. Will post the finished product soon! Enjoy!

Rome Art and Community Center exhibit

2011-12-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

Two of my artist friends are showing work at the Rome Art and Community Center through January 13th. Tom McCarthy is a colleague of mine at Utica College. He studies invertebrate behavior (lots of cricket work) and teaches biology. But he is also an award-winning photographer who is particularly interested in the way light can produce weird effects in his photography. Sybil Johnson I met when I was taking watercolor classes with Ralph Murray (RIP). Sybil is an accomplished painter who is regularly working on commissions for all sorts of folks. The exhibits are definitely worth checking out. Enjoy!

Arkell Annual Juried Exhibit

2011-12-09T07:18:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pieces from the current exhibit at The Arkell Museum in Canajoharie, NY. In my opinion, the exhibit is REALLY strong... definitely worth the trip to see. "Mother and Child" by Sally Dill; "Arizona 1" by Linda Hinckle; "Loving It" by Paul G. Kant and of course, yours truly standing next to "It's Not Always Black-and-White". And finally, someone spelled "Steven" correctly with a "V" rather than a "Ph". Enjoy!

classic cowboy paint-by-number

2011-11-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

I got this painting as part of a box lot at an auction (already painted by someone else). Initially, I had no plans to use it for collage. But the image has really grown on me and it looks great coated with acrylic medium. Now I'm really excited about starting to play with placement of various elements onto (into?) the scene. This is something different for me and I'm psyched! I'll post a finished product soon. Enjoy!

another flight

2011-11-28T11:31:00.000-08:00

Here's the third flight holder I have collaged for The Green Onion in Utica, NY. Enjoy!

holiday treat

2011-11-26T07:33:00.000-08:00

Here's one I'm entitling "In the Fishbowl" (5 x 7"). It's a bit more colorful than my pieces tend to be; but I like it. It seems to have a holiday feel to it, I think. I have included some of my intermediary "thoughts" to give those of you who are interested some insight into the process. It's pretty typical of my work (and of others I presume) as we collagists make our way to a final product. Enjoy!

smallest

2011-11-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned how nice it is to be back in the studio? I love it! Ideas seem to be flowing freely. The "problem" is that I now have about 6 actual projects "in the works". That can sometimes be a bit distracting for a monkeybrain like me. Last night while I was juggling the ongoing projects, I put together a few remnants that I had laying around. I used a small aperture mat and "found" the germ for lovely this composition. I tacked it down this morning and will frame it. Although I made a couple of lapel pins a while ago, this is the smallest of my "real" collages yet. I tend to like the small format collages. It's only 2.75 x 2.75 inches (7 X 7 cm). Enjoy!

collage pilot?

2011-11-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

I'm not exactly sure why they call them "flights", but some bars serve a sampling of 5 or 6 small glasses of beer. My favorite bar in the Utica area is called The Green Onion (located near the Uptown Theater in South Utica). It's one of very few bars that does not have a television in it (yay!). Anyway, a couple months ago, I collaged one of their flight holders. On Monday I finished a second one. They certainly are unique and fit in well with the quirkiness of the bar. It was amazing for me to see the similarity of this one with the previous one. I hadn't looked at the first one while I was doing this one. Interesting. So this was my second "flight". Maybe I should now refer to myself as the collage pilot? Enjoy!

ephemera and history

2011-11-14T05:19:00.000-08:00

Good morning all! One of the reasons why I love to do collage is that I learn so much (weird stuff) as I search for elements to include in my collages. When I look through old books and magazines, I get warm feelings of nostalgia, mixed with piqued interests in retro science, mixed with an appreciation for historical context, mixed with the excitement of creative potential. Who could ask for anything more in an artistic endeavor? I was recently paging through a 1903 Cosmopolitan magazine which I purchased at an auction a couple years ago. I LOVE looking at the old advertisements especially. I used to teach a course entitled "Drugs & Behavior" when I was at Lebanon Valley College and covered the historical/chronological aspects of drug regulations. Many students are surprised to learn that the opiates and cocaine were not illegal in this country until 1914. So you could get patent medications with cocaine and opiates from mail-order catalogs like Sears & Robuck. Of course, free access meant that many individuals would become addicted to such substances. Anyway, here's two pages of advertisements which include no less than 6 ads for help with opiate addiction (but two ads which are for a syrup which contains cocaine). Notice as well the two ads to help women gain weight. The times, they are a changin' (or they have changed and are changin' still). Enjoy!

Susan and Philip Morgan

2011-11-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to express my gratitude to Philip and Susan Morgan for patronizing my creative efforts. Here, Susan is shown with the piece she purchased at the recent charity auction for the Heritage House in Elizabethtown, PA. They now own a watercolor painting I did years ago and this recent collage. The piece is entitled "Perhaps you should think about writing down your good ideas". Thank you for your continued love and support! Enjoy!

old friend

2011-11-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

As I wrote in an earlier post, I have not been working on art regularly lately. Mostly the hiatus was self-imposed as I have been working on my sabbatical writing and I felt I was at a natural break point from my major art goals. On Sunday evening, I "returned" to my workspace (studio?). Wow, I didn't even realize how much I had missed being in "art space"! It was great! Last night I returned again and began working on some stuff. I probably shouldn't post until I have a piece finished, but I just can't help sharing something representing "my return". It feels like I'm seeing (and being?) and old friend again after a couple months. I'm looking forward to getting back into the thick of creating art again. The woman over south side NYC is a work-in-progress. Who knows if the finished product will even look anything like this ;-) The trachea/blood vessel image is beautiful enough to show unmanipulated, I think. I'm excited to see what becomes of it. Enjoy!

Collage by Dan

2011-10-30T07:31:00.001-07:00

My cousin Dan is a collector of Mexican movie memorabilia (mostly posters and books) and other ephemera. So it's not surprising that when he has been up from Guadalajara to visit, he enjoys working on collages. I taught him the Jonathan Talbot technique and , of course, this has allowed him to exercise his creativity without worrying about other "messier" techniques. Dan has created some really nice collages; but I think this is one of his best. Color composition is exquisite and if you notice, he uses a depth cue which is not too common. The background is printed in a way that makes it look somewhat blurry (especially relative to the crystal clear face). This creates something akin to atmospheric gradient and enhances the depth in the piece. Enjoy!

where have I been?

2011-10-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

Argh! I have really been neglecting this blog over the past weeks. The problem is that I am on sabbatical. You might think that this is a good thing, and at some level it is of course. I am working on a book (a textbook perhaps) about research design. It's pretty dry stuff indeed. It has turned out to be much more difficult writing it than I had anticipated. But probably the biggest problem for me in terms of artwork is that my work day (and work week) is very open-ended. There's not much of a defined end to my day or week so that I can say at some point, "Cool, it's time to create some art!" As most of us are aware, creating art and playing music are the first casualties of a busy "work" or family schedule. Fortunately, these "problems" happen to coincide with what I am perceiving as a natural break point in my work. I have had a very satisfying and successful couple of years. But I do have a little something to share in terms of a new image. My mother-in-law went with us to Italy recently and loved it. For her birthday (today), I decided to do a souvenir-type collage. I think she'll like it. Enjoy!

from the sea

2011-10-16T08:17:00.001-07:00

On Friday evening after dinner, MC, Dan Sue and I sat down and poured over the sea glass and tumbled stones we brought home from Italy. We each "designed some jewelry pieces" (nothing was fixed) and shared with each other our favorites. It's almost like jewelry collage. What a fun time! Enjoy!

playing card alterations

2011-09-12T07:40:00.001-07:00

And here's what I did with the cards...

playing card collaborative

2011-09-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

Collagist Liz Cohn is conducting an extensive collaborative collage project involving playing cards (see previous posts). After doing three cards last month, I wrote to Liz and told her I enjoyed it and that if she wanted me to do more, I'd be interested. Here are the additional four cards she sent me. Although I like to photograph the cards before I do anything to them, I wrote with white ink on the queen card before I remembered to photograph it. The others are "raw".

9-10-11

2011-09-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most non-premeditated pieces I have done. Although I have been interested in the 9/11 anniversary coverage this week (and anxiously awaiting our departure to Italy tomorrow), I wasn't thinking of doing any kind of collage to commemorate the event. I went to an opening reception for Jan Burke at the Hamilton Fine Arts Center Saturday (nice show) and was inspired to do a bit of work in the studio that evening. After working on some playing card pieces for Liz Cohn's collaborative project, I was looking around at some of the elements in my work space. This piece emerged after only about 8 minutes. I know it might seem a little creepy, but certainly 9/11 was an intense event. RIP to the victims of 9/11 and thanks to all the police, medical, military and civilians who helped their fellow men and women.

how long?

2011-09-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

After being woken up by a couple of quarrelling cats this morning at 5:00 am, I was cleaning up my photos on the computer and looking back at some of my past posts on this blog. I found that in February of 2010, I posted an entry about a couple of interesting elements I had found but wasn't sure what to do with at that time. The fetus/pelvis illustration was one of them. As it turns out, it was just last month that I incorporated it into one of my better pieces (now getting matted and framed) that will be in the "The End is Near" exhibit at Utica College in the spring. So sometimes when people ask "How long does it take you to do a piece?", I don't exactly know how to answer. Sometimes I will find an interesting element, cut it out and coat it and then put it in one of my "map" drawers only for it to be used at some later point in time. Of course it's not all constant work, but I never underestimate the power of preparing and "being ready" for something to emerge in the future. Enjoy!

Sculpture Space CHAIRity auction (Oct. 1st)

2011-08-31T06:16:00.001-07:00

On Saturday October 1st, Sculpture Space, located in Utica, NY will be holding its annual CHAIRity auction. Sculpture Space is an internationally lauded residency program for sculptors (see www.sculpturespace.org). I have been donating pieces to this great cause for the past 10 years. I usually do a piece of painted furniture and for the last couple of years did a collage as well. This year I have done this piece for the event. It's entitled "Thinking of Ewe" (14" x 11"). I'm hoping that two people like it enough so that it will bring in a respectable amount for Sculpture Space. It's a great event and is the closest that Utica ever gets to feeling like New York City (in my humble opinion). Enjoy!

Black and white?

2011-08-24T05:23:00.000-07:00

This piece is 14" x 22" and I think I will entitled it "It's Not Always Black and White". The reason for this title? Each of the elements - with the exception of the starry space element- is taken from a book or paper that made it appear to be black and white. However, although the pieces were monochromatic, they each had different hues. The woman is somewhat purple. The fetus is yellowish (aged paper). And the roses have a Payne's gray hue. I love the interplay of these subtle colors in this piece. Enjoy!

Playing cards revisited

2011-08-16T07:38:00.000-07:00

Liz Cohn is a collage artist from the West Coast who has organized an extensive collaborative project involving playing cards as collage substrates. Liz begins by placing some collage elements on these cards and then sending the cards to other collage artists for them to add elements. I think it's a great idea and I have contributed my own "hand" to some of these (see previous posts). You can see MANY cards resulting from these interesting collaborations at http://lizole.deviantart.com/gallery/

Power of N pieces

2011-08-15T05:38:00.000-07:00

SOOooo, I finished my "Power of N" piece (the one shown here with the "spaceships"). It's entitled "the collected and assembled" (a phrase from within the materials we were sent). I'm not totally satisfied with it, but I like it. There's no turning back once you've made the cuts. That's one of the things that was a bit challenging about this project in addition to the fact that we had to use materials chosen for us; that is, the fact that once you've made a decision --especially for a collage with some kind of narrative like mine-- you couldn't change very easily. I don't want anyone to get me wrong, I love challenges like that! Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! Oh, what about the second, colorful collage? I threw that one together with "scraps" that I had left over from the Power of N materials. It's a 6" X 6" piece entitled "Clockwise perpetual neophyte". Enjoy!

"Josey"

2011-08-02T05:43:00.000-07:00

This piece is entitled "Josey" after Joseph Cornell (a.k.a. "Joe C"). It is comprised of only three elements; but the elements are a bit more unique than the "standard" types of collage elements. The girl (anyone know who she is?) is a photograph that had already been placed on a wooden cut-out. I got that at the Farmersville auction last month. The film reel was also obtained at the FV auction last year. The shallow box frame I got at a garage sale in Utica. I had worked on another element to place in this composition; and it looked pretty good. But I decided that it looked more beautiful and had more impact as it is here. Enjoy!

The Power of N materials

2011-07-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I received the packet of materials for The Power of N project. As a reminder, The Power of N project was organized by collagist Joel Lamberth from Australia and involves 10 collage artists (selected from about 50 who responded to the solicitation on "Collagista") who have each been given the same materials from which to choose elements for their respective collages. That is, we each received the same set of materials. I thought it would be interesting to share with you images of some of the materials that were sent. I will probably not post my collage image until the project is complete because, understandably, the 10 of us are suppose to work independently to see what is created by different artists using the same materials. Anyway, here are a couple of the pages of images sent for use to use. Enjoy!

"Kurzempta"

2011-07-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

Here is another piece inspired by my recent trip to the Kurt Schwitters exhibit at the Princeton University art gallery. You can see similarities between this and the other one I posted a couple days ago. I really enjoy working in this palette and in a style that pushes me a little bit into a different arena. I am donating this piece to the fundraiser for the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts (one of my favorite arts venues). See their website soon for more details at http://www.mohawkvalleyarts.org/
Enjoy!

Utica Observer-Dispatch article

2011-07-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

The local newspaper ran a nice article about my journey through art-land today (Thanks Victoria!). In light of the fact that some of the readers may have interest enough to visit this site, I thought I would provide some details about how you can see my work. The exhibit I have up now at the Arkell Museum/Canajoharie Library is up until next Thursday. I really like the way this show hangs together and I hope that some of you will make the trip to see it. Include a great lunch at the Elephant Bistro and it makes for a very nice day trip! On Friday I take the show down and bring some of the pieces up to the Old Forge Library Gallery (and include NEW pieces) where they will be part of a three-person exhibit entitled "On and Off the Wall". The other artists are my friends Sue Firsching (sculptor) and Vicky Zacek (fiber artist). The opening reception is August 5th from 5-8:00. If you're up in that area then, I hope to see you!
http://www.uticaod.com/latestnews/x920794742/Workshop-sends-Utica-College-professor-on-a-different-path

Playing card collaboration complete

2011-07-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Here they are! A playing card collage collaboration between Liz Cohn and me. Check out my earlier post to see what was sent to me by Liz. I really enjoyed doing this project! Thanks Liz!

What will "happen" on "Day 3..."?

2011-07-17T05:52:00.000-07:00

I'm a teacher at heart, and a bit of an archivist by nature. So a couple of my goals with this blog are to use it as a teaching tool for those who are interested; and as a means of archiving my artistic activities. Some of my collage process involves experimenting with what elements work well together in a piece I am creating. A couple of posts ago, I shared the image which will become the basis for "Day 3 of the Invasion". I carefully cut the windows out of the image and now am trying to decide which "space/star" image will look best. I have a strong light source coming into the room which I need to enhance. I also need to keep in mind the color(s) because I have at least one other element I have been experimenting with that I would like to use "in the room". So anyway, here are some shots of the next step... deciding the background space/star element. Enjoy!

Kurz

2011-07-17T05:45:00.000-07:00

The final element has been placed. No, it wasn't yarn or glitter or an alien as some had suggested on my FaceBook solicitation. It was a simple rectangular piece that helps balance the composition. For comparison, look at the image from a couple of posts ago. Any guesses about from where this small piece came (hint: look at the development of "Day 3..."). I am entitling this piece "Kurz". Afterall, it's a tribute to Kurt Schwitters; and Schwitters called his work "Merz"... it seems like a weird combination of his name and "Merz" was appropriate for this tribute. Enjoy!

Playing cards project

2011-07-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I have become involved with an interesting collaborative collage project over the past week. Liz Cohn has organized a project which will culminate in an exhibit in Portland, Oregon next year. She begins by altering playing cards with collage elements. Then she sends these cards to other collage artists for them to contribute to the collage. I like small format pieces to begin with; and the challenge of integrating my work with someone else's is also intriguing to me. SOoo... here are the cards that Liz sent to me. What do you think? What would you do? (this is strictly a rhetorical question; I'm not really soliciting specific responses ;-) I'll post what I do soon (since I'm almost done already!) Enjoy...

workshop opportunity

2011-07-15T19:36:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased and excited to notify anyone who might be interested that Jonathan Talbot will be offering a two-day collage workshop at Utica College next April 21st and 22nd (2012). This is a great opportunity to learn from one of the best! Go to Jonathan's website for a more detailed description and to read comments and see work from previous workshop participants (including me!). http://www.talbot1.com/workshop/index.html

Inspired and continuing

2011-07-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

I spent a good deal of the day working on a couple of pieces (after spending LOTS of time over the weekend cleaning and re-organizing my workspace in the basement!). After seeing the Schwitters exhibit at the Princeton Art museum last month, I was inspired to try to do a piece reminiscent of his work. I think it turned out well... although I'm pretty sure it still needs 'something' in the center portion of the composition (feedback is welcome ;-). The second piece I started working on will likely become "Day 3 of the Invasion". Enjoy!

To The Power of N...

2011-07-04T06:58:00.000-07:00

I've been selected to participate in this wonderful event! I'm excited and nervous!
http://collagista.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/to-the-power-of-ncall-for-submissions/

Failure... or is it?

2011-06-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

So I spent a good portion of the day cleaning my studio space a little and just sort of getting back into the swing of things with my collage efforts. I actually did two collages today. One was done in the spirit of my friend and fellow collage junkie Julie Sadler. Her collages are awesome and they are quite different in style compared to mine. Her process- which she uses to great effect-- is much more "free form" and she lets herself explore more that I do in my meticulous ways. So I decided to try to "let go" a little and work without much planning. The result I think turned out okay. Then I decided to finish a piece I had started a little while back. This piece is a bit more in my "voice". It's also the smallest collage I've made (measure 2" x 5"). Enjoy!

Flight for the Green Onion

2011-06-25T06:18:00.000-07:00

There's a nice little pub that opened in Utica not too long ago next door to the Uptown Theater on Genessee St. One of my favorite things about the place (in addition to the great rotating variety of beers they serve) is the fact that there is NO TELEVISION!!! Conversation and music rule the space. The people who hang out there are really hip; with lots of artists in the crowd. I asked one of the owners (Collin) if I could collage the wood forms they use for serving "flights" of beer. He said yes; and here's the end product. Enjoy.

Good news-- bad news-- good news (Schwitters)

2011-06-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday of this week, I went to see the Scwitters exhibit at the Princeton University art museum. WOW! Awesome! Every individual interested in collage should see this show. These are three pieces which were in the exhibit. They were sold out of the catalog (but I am on the list!). The good news is that this is a GREAT show of Schwitters' works (which are rarely shown together). The bad news is that it is only up until June 26th. If by chance, you can see the show... SEE IT! So what's the other good news? The show will be moving to Berkeley CA for West coast fans. AND... I will post more photos once I get the exhibition catalog! Here is an excerpt from the NYT review of the show:
"Schwitters made no categorical distinctions between his art (painting, collage, sculpture, design, installation), his writing (poetry, essays, children’s stories) and his performances. To him they were all integral parts of a one-man cultural movement called Merz, which he invented, deriving the name from Kommerz, German for commerce.
The multidisciplinary nature of Schwitters’s output, which can make a career survey look like a group show, may be one of the reasons he remains an underknown figure. His sole American retrospective, at MoMA, was 25 years ago. Representative samplings of his art have since rarely been on view, there or elsewhere.
Yet he has had a huge effect on post-World War II artists and is revered by many. Two of the collages in the Princeton show are from Jasper Johns’s collection; two others are owned by Ellsworth Kelly. Robert Rauschenberg, who introduced Mr. Johns to Schwitters’s work, was a major fan. And a Schwitters effect, however indirect and unrecognized, can be spotted in much contemporary work.
Even in his own time he was hard to get to know. He made contradictory impressions on people who encountered him. To those who knew him through his performances he was an extrovert: a large, hammy guy with big ideas and a big voice, relishing the role of clown.
But he could quickly drop into loner mode, shy away from company, rebuff unsought friendship, assert the middle-class proprieties he grew up with. After bouts of what seemed like compulsive extroversion, he spent long stretches on his own. And the dozens of collages and assemblages at Princeton suggest how he used that time.
Meticulously puzzled together from paper, fabric, wire, scrap wood and other everyday materials, these pieces are the work of a sorter and measurer, a concentrator, a tabletop worker, someone who found satisfaction — more than that, comfort — in up-close, fine-grained aesthetic control. Even the Merzbau, with its interior network of nooks and shelves, projected deep focus, on a walk-in scale."

blast from the past (well, actually a photo)

2011-06-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

I was going through old shots in Photoshop and came across this one from several months ago. If you follow this blog you may recognize some of the elements on the table. They have become integral parts of finished pieces. It's kind of interesting for me to "go back in time" and see them before I had decided on exactly what I was going to do with them. Enjoy!

Review and nice shots

2011-06-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

My artist friend Julie Sadler is always so supportive of my creative efforts. What a wonderful review of my Arkell show at collageclearinghouse.blogspot.com! Thanks Julie!

more on inspiration

2011-06-15T07:07:00.001-07:00

I posted something similar a few months ago; but I think it is worth reposting some new images and showing how raw images serve as initial inspiration for some of my pieces (because the MOST common question of me is "Where do you get the ideas for your pieces?"). Here are a couple of images that I got from a vintage French story book. They both inspire me in an "invasion" kind of way. Of course the window in one of the images will most likely be replaced by some spacescape. The lighting is awesome and it provides me with a nice 3-D illusion. The one with the woman walking the dog is quite thought-provoking as it is, methinks. I've illustrated here how just adding a circular element (it's technically two related elements) with stark color contrast can enhance the "collaged" image immediately. I will probably be working on these images over the next couple weeks-- exploring images and experimenting with placements. I will try to post intermediate images in the progress (but I can never guarantee that "documentation Steve" will be at the side of "creative Steve"-- perhaps fodder for another post). Enjoy!

after reception glow

2011-06-12T17:53:00.000-07:00

Wow... the reception at Arkell/Canajoharie library and the after-party at The Elephant Bistro were both awesome! It was great to see artist friends and former students and family and friends and meeting new folks too. Three pieces have already sold (which is an added bonus). But what is WAY more important to me is that people are so supportive and like the work that I do. I am truly grateful and feel SO fortunate to be able to pursue my creative endeavors AND have people support me in those "travels". Thank you so much everyone! And I know some other folks would have made it if they hadn't had other obligations. Man, I am blessed. I can only hope that my artwork makes the world a little happier place and that perhaps inspires others. I didn't take too many photos because I was busy, but here are some including some from The Elephant Bistro (owner Autumn and Mary Carol are in the one at the bar). I would HIGHLY recommend The Elephant Bistro to anyone visiting Canajoharie for the day. Again, thank you everyone for making it a great day! Enjoy!

Arkell/Canajoharie exhibit preview (cont'd)

2011-06-09T09:22:00.001-07:00

Arkell/Canajoharie exhibit preview (cont'd)

2011-06-09T09:18:00.001-07:00

Arkell/Canajoharie exhibit preview

2011-06-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd post the 17 pieces which will be in the exhibit (artist's reception this Saturday from 2:00-4:00). I'll need to split-up the posts...

Edgey

2011-06-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

I thought that some people might be interested in a brief "lesson" in collage technique. I took photos while I was creating "Delicate Rana" (i.e., the blue frog piece) to illustrate the importance of covering edges in collage. Here you see the white edge of mat board on which the collage was created. Simply by using matching paints to cover these white edges, you get a much "cleaner" look which results in more powerful impact (imho). I use a ripped off piece of a foam "brush" for best results (if you use a standard paint brush, it's more difficult to keep paint from "straying" onto the surface of the collage). Enjoy!

"Surgery"

2011-06-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a somewhat larger scale piece these days. The primary element is something I cut from a canvas wall hanging that I purchased in New York City last year at a flea market. The wall hanging illustrates the internal organs of the human body and was probably used in an elementary school. Last week one night when I was working on detail cutting, I sort of cracked-up because I realized what I was doing was like some kind of weird collage surgery. Here's a photo of the "operating stage". LOL. Enjoy!

To The Power of N

2011-06-06T07:48:00.000-07:00

Thought I would pass along this call for submissions to participate in an interesting collage event. Go to this site for more information

http://tothepowerofn.joellambeth.com/

From their website:
"The medium of collage allows for the expression of concepts, ideas and emotions through the reinterpretation and recontextualisation of an endless array of discarded and then found materials.

But what if there were only a finite amount of pieces to choose from with which to make a collage? Would two collages created by different artists using the same materials end up looking the same, or at least similar? What about ten different collages by ten different artists?

Would a thousand monkeys at a thousand typewriters all eventually write Shakespeare?"

MoMA Picasso exhibit

2011-06-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

I have been SO remiss in posting on my blog, that I am trying to "catch-up" a little this week. In May, Mary Carol and I went down to NYC to see the Picasso "Guitars" exhibit. Although the focus of the catalog (and title) for the exhibit was on the guitar form, I was struck by the essence of all of the work (i.e., not just the guitar images) in terms of Picasso's exploration of collage itself and of collage as part of truly "mixed media". I have read in various art books that Picasso originated collage as a legitimate medium in modern fine art, but was invariably disappointed when authors typically relied on the same single image to illustrate this [see the ocre-colored guitar piece with the blue rectangle in the upper center entitled "Guitar, Sheet Music and Glass" (1912)].The exhibit at MoMA included SO MANY more pieces which served as a testimony to Picasso's genius with regard to collage (Picasso never seems to disappoint!). It seemed to this naive observer that Picasso was not so much interested in collage as a single medium, but as a means to explore the possibilities of intergrating images. Some of the "collage" elements in his paintings are actually paper elements; but some of the elements that look like paper are actually painted (e.g., the faux woodgrain). I was also struck by the simple collage elements that were included in his charcoal drawings. They were minimalist, but exquisitely placed! I particularly like the piece with the "J" precisely cut at its origin. Enjoy!

ROCO cont'd

2011-06-06T07:08:00.001-07:00

Here's the one I REALLY wanted to purchase (was one minute too late!); and the piece I had in the show (the frog entitled "Delicate Rana"). Enjoy!

Rochester Contemporary Arts Center 6 X 6 show collages

2011-06-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

The opening of the ROCO 6x6 exhibit/fundraiser was Saturday. What a wonderful event it was! I had submitted last year, but did not attend. This year I went up with Mary Carol and some friends and had dinner before heading over to the show. It was a bit overwhelming at first. With 3000 images on the walls, it felt a little frenetic... but in a good way, of course. There were loads of hip, artsy folks there. Here is a sampling of some of the collage work I found quite interesting. BTW, I would post the artists' names, but they are not available (they're "hidden" beneath the pieces until July 1st). I bought the light-colored one with the light blue-green element. Enjoy!

more later

2011-05-17T21:22:00.001-07:00

Well, it's late and I need to go to bed. So I will write more about this piece soon. For now, I want to "get it out there" for your enjoyment (hopefully). Enjoy?

WAY TOO LONG!!!

2011-05-03T05:19:00.000-07:00

It's been WAY too long since I posted last. I hope I haven't lost the several followers I have accumulated. The good news is that the semester is almost over and I look forward to posting very regularly on this site through May and the summer (so check back when you can!). This morning I'd like to share with you a piece I put together which is a bit deviant from my typical style (although, of course, you can probably see my "voice" in the piece as well). I was working on a piece for the 6 X 6 show at the Rochester Contemporary Arts Center (more on that later) and had several 300lb watercolor paper substrate pieces prepared for the project. I ended-up having a piece left-over. The paper was painted with a mixed green acrylic paint and then I took a "metallic" blue spray paint can and held it above the paper about two feet and sprayed a fine "mist" down onto the painted paper. It really provided a nice effect-- a little sparkly (not too much) and a nice blue green hue (see detail). I had some elements laying around that I had prepared for use without having a specific purpose for them (it's collage afterall, right?). So I just started experimenting without much intention. I realize that other collagists do this often; but my approach typically is driven ("dogged") by a need for more intentional composition (for better or for worse). Anyway, this is what emerged from my play. I have entitled it "He stunned her with his emptiness" (5" x 7"). Enjoy! And remember to check back again soon, if you're interested ;-)

Oskar's framing

2011-04-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to give a "shout out" to Jim at Oskar's framing for all the help he's given me over the last several months as I get my work professionally mounted, matted and framed. It's SO nice to be working with a small independent craftsman! Oskar's framing is located on Kellogg Rd. in New Hartford, NY. Tell him Steve sent you! Enjoy!

yet another NYC collage exhibit

2011-04-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

Read this story in the NY Times about a Romare Bearden collage exhibit.
www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/arts/design/romare-bearden-at-michael-rosenfeld-gallery-review.html?_r=1&hpw

“Romare Bearden Collage: A Centennial Celebration” is on view through May 21 at Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, 24 West 57th Street, Manhattan; (212) 247-0082, michaelrosenfeldart.com.

article worth reading

2011-03-28T03:43:00.000-07:00

Wow, this is a very interesting article in "Inside Higher Education" about science, creativity and art. Enjoy!
www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/03/28/interview_with_author_of_book_on_artscience_labs

"H2O" Exhibit at the Old Forge Arts Center

2011-03-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from the exhibit. My colleague and fellow artist Tom McCarthy won Third Place. Congrats Tom! The large black and colored pieces are by fellow artist and associate of The Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, Frank Wilcox. I really liked the shells piece (with transferred map elements on beeswax in the shells) by Sue Horowitz. And friend and fellow artist J. D. King looks up from the first floor to the loft/hallway in the new arts center. Very nice exhibit! Enjoy!

Invasion and other fantasies piece (11" x 14")

2011-03-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

Greetings! I wish I had more time to share some thoughts about this piece; but I am really overwhelmed with my "real job" work these days to take the time. I did want to get this image "out there" though. More to come when I find a little bit of time. Enjoy!

two others

2011-03-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

These are two other collages from "Le Techniques..." book. The colorful one is one of Pierre-Jean Varet (the editor of the book). The black-and-white one is from one of my favorite collage artists, Marco Modi (although a lot of his work is not B&W). Enjoy!

"Les techniques de l'art du collage"

2011-03-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to return home from Arizona to find that copies of this book had arrived from France while we were gone. The book is edited by Pierr-Jean Varet and includes images of over 80 collage artist from around the world... including moi! In general, I am in great company; but I also was pleasantly surprised to find that since the artists are listed in alphabetical order, my image happens to be across the page from Jonathan Talbot's piece! I'm so happy to have been included in such a well-crafted publication. Enjoy!

Invasion series

2011-03-05T09:37:00.000-08:00

This one is entitled "No, I haven't heard about any invasion" (8" x 10"). I am having fun with the "Invasion series" so far. The title of my upcoming solo exhibit at Arkell Museum in Canajoharie (June 3-July 29) I think will be entitled "Invasions and other fantasies". I'm really looking forward to seeing the piece hanging together. BTW, it wasn't intentional that my last two pieces have had a similar color scheme. I certainly like the scheme. Enjoy!

"Elegant Finestra" (8" x 8")

2011-02-27T12:53:00.000-08:00

Not much to say about this one at this point. Just thought I'd share. I'm hoping to finish a couple this week. Enjoy!

Opportunities?

2011-02-22T10:41:00.000-08:00

A couple of things for folks to consider.
The Rochester Contemporary Arts Center is conducting one of their interesting fund-raisers again this year in June. It's called the 6x6x2011. Artists can submit a 6" x 6" piece of artwork (any medium) which becomes part of a 5000 piece exhibit (yes, 5 thousand!). Each of the pieces is priced at $20 to benefit the Center. It's interesting to see the diversity of artwork. The down-side is that your name does not get posted with your piece. It is only revealed to the buyer (so the name exposure is virtually non-existent). BUT, I think it's a worthwhile cause. I think I am going to do it again this year and attend the opening reception on June 4th. Should be fun. Check out the website at: www.rochestercontemporary.org/ You can see a cool video from last year's 6 x 6 event at this site too. Deadline for submission is May 1, 2011.
The Old Forge Arts Center is sponsoring an exhibition with the theme "H2O". They are accepting artwork and written work for this show. The show runs from March 26-May 7th with opening reception on March 26th. The deadline for submissions is March 7th. Check out this site for more details: www.artscenteroldforge.org/exhibitions.cfm?newsitem_id=23&action=view
Enjoy!

old birthday present

2011-02-18T06:44:00.000-08:00

Here's one I did for my stepson Noah a couple years ago for his 20th birthday (before Talbot). I have refurbished the piece and gave it a proper frame (not shown here). Enjoy!

something a little different

2011-02-18T06:38:00.000-08:00

I decided to be less deliberative or contemplative for this piece. I kind of just "threw it together" to see what would emerge from some elements that were simply laying around the studio. I'm not displeased with it. I think it sort of has my voice in it, but is a bit different than the stuff I've been focusing on as of late. It was a nice exercise for me. Enjoy!

"I was thinking of something different"

2011-02-14T16:12:00.000-08:00

Here's a piece I did a couple years ago, before I learned Jonathan Talbot's technique. I "refurbished" it and re-matted and framed it (mat and frame not shown here). It's 8" x 10". Enjoy!

lapel pins

2011-02-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

During one of my evening travels through collage-land, I happened to do a little mini-collage with some scraps. After some exploration and experimentation, I thought these might make nice collage lapel pins. Still need to work on some of the details, but I kinda like these. I gave one to MC for Valenine's Day. Enjoy!

Primordial collage

2011-02-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

This exhibit looks like a great opportunity to see some of the earliest collages of Picasso and probably some of the initial collages that gave "fine art" credibility to the medium. Check out the story at the New York Times site.
"Picasso: Guitars 1912-1914" is on view from Sunday to June 6 at the Museum of Modern Art
I can't wait to see it!!!

Dr. Gyrus, I presume

2011-02-08T04:53:00.000-08:00

My latest collage/assemblage. Enjoy!

Interesting video by Iuri Kothe

2011-02-04T07:50:00.000-08:00

Check out the video by Iuri Kothe. It's a nice 4 minute video "documenting" the decision-making process in the creation of one of his collages. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QBGXGAEEU4

Anthony? Johnny? or no name?

2011-02-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I posted a new piece. Here's one that I finished this weekend. I need to mount it and frame it though. But I'm having a bit of a problem with a 'name'. The title of the piece will be either "One Day Johnny... One Day" or "One Day Anthony... One Day" or "One Day Son... One Day". Does it make a difference if I assign a name to the individual in the vintage photo used in this piece? Hmmm... Any thoughts? And... should I care what others think? In general? Interesting questions methinks. Regardless... Enjoy!

worth re-posting

2011-01-24T05:19:00.000-08:00

This is a message that was posted on Julie Sadler's "collageclearinghouse" site. Alexis' work is REALLY cool!

A message from Alexis Anne

Dear Friends,
I hope this finds you all well and enjoying the new year.

This Saturday at Swarm Gallery in Oakland is the opening reception for Bloom & Gloom, a duo exhibition with my friend Katy Horan and myself. The works I’ve created for this show are all non-figurative, a side of my work that I have always loved personally, but have not exhibited much.

Other news: studio visits from just last weekend have been posted on Juxtapoz and The Flop Box... Follow those links to check them out. And, on January 30th, keep your eyes peeled for an illustration I made for the New York Times Sunday Magazine On Language column, utilizing football players, of all things.

Below is the press release for Bloom & Gloom, and a couple images of my new work for the show; hope to see you Saturday!

Best,
Alexis

alexisanne.com

In progress?

2011-01-19T15:42:00.001-08:00

I'm always wondering whether I should do an "in-progress" post of a piece I'm working on; but I definitely am doing it this time, because I'm really excited about this piece. I will elaborate upon why I'm particularly excited about it in the next couple days or so. Enjoy (so far)!

Kirkland Arts Center Members' Exhibit

2011-01-17T06:51:00.000-08:00

Shown here is my piece (in a group of three); a hanging "wall mask" by my friend Sue Firsching; and a mixed-media piece by Tom Townsley entitled "Sea Change" Enjoy!

contrast Steve, contrast!

2011-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

A while ago now, I created the "base" layer for a couple of 6 X 6 panel collages. I was very satisfied with the one I show here; except that I was having a difficult time "building" upon the base. Seemed like nothing was "working". This week I decided to do something "dramatic" (I'm using a lot of "quotation marks" in this post, aren't I?) and add some painted color to the piece. I like it. Why? Because it adds to the contrast within the piece. DUH! Simply principle Steve. Now I have to "complete" the piece with other interesting elements. Enjoy!

fun sticks

2011-01-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

My sister Debby and I went to see the Tim Burton exhibit at MOMA a couple years ago. We both really enjoyed Burton's book about "Oyster Boy" and various other strange characters. One day while Debby was hiking near her home in the central Adirondacks, she found a stick that seemed to be calling out "I am Oyster Boy". So she brought it home and made an Oyster Boy stick. She then proceeded to do a "Match Stick Girl" stick and another one (not sure of the name). I'm always happy when friends and family exercise their creativity. Nice job Deb! Enjoy!

Size matters

2011-01-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

Spent the weekend in Providence and on Saturday went to the Cotuit Center for the Arts to see the "So Big!" exhibit sponsored by the Cape Cod Arts Foundation. My friend Coco Larrain was exhibiting her self-portrait that has been featured previously on this blog. I was struck by the size of this impressive artwork! There were many great pieces in this exhibit; but I think Coco's was one of the best, for sure. It really made me think, once again, about the importance of paying attention to the reported dimensions of pieces seen in books and magazines (and on the internet). Enjoy!

Highly recommended!

2011-01-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

I forward here a message that I received from Jonathan Talbot regarding his up-coming workshops. I attended two of these workshops and they were AWESOME! These will be held in his studio in Warwick, NY (in the Catskill region of New York State):

"Four workshop opportunities have just been posted on my website at www.talbot1.com/workshop. Two are collage-focused, one is about image transfer, and one allows each participant to select the medium of his or her choice.

At www.talbot1.com/workshop you will find additional information, links to comments of and works by past workshop participants, and links to both online and mail-in registration forms. You can also call me at 845-258-4620 for answers to your questions or to register by phone.

I hope one of these workshops will fit your schedule.

Cordially,

Jonathan Talbot"

Interesting dilemma in "Art Space"

2011-01-06T09:56:00.001-08:00

Anyone reading this blog and interested in the plight of artists traversing the landscape of the creative journey should read the blogs posts of Julie Sadler at "collageclearinghouse.blogspot.com". I'm sure she would appreciate feedback. Enjoy!

Japanese influence

2011-01-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

My good friends Anthony Morgan and Lindsay Bretz came up from Pennsylvania to visit for New Year's. One of their goals was to create a couple of collages from some of the materials they collected while on vacation in Japan last year. In fact, Anthony proposed to Lindsay while they were there!!! They will be using collages to create invitations for their wedding in May (cool idea!). Here are the products of Tony and Lindsay's efforts yesterday. I think they did a GREAT job! Enjoy!

100!

2010-12-30T09:03:00.000-08:00

Nothing much to add at this point except to say that this is my 100th post for 2010!!! I've really enjoyed blogging and hope to continue and enhance my posts for 2011. Happy New Year everyone! Make a resolution to increase your creativity in 2011! Enjoy!

quote a propos

2010-12-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

So I decided to sit down this evening and re-peruse "Masters: Collage" (Lark Books). I thought this particular quote from curator Randel Plowman was appropriate to accompany the videos I just posted.
"These artists are also tireless collectors, hunters of antique books, unusual papers, yellowed photographs and exotic fibers. As collagists, they find the search for materials to be a creative undertaking in its own right. It's inspiring and idea-inducing, a phase of the artistic journey that awakens new themes and possibilities for work -- a process that's almost as important as the actual act of composition". Enjoy!

thorny movie part 2

2010-12-29T18:47:00.000-08:00

Okay, it looks like it worked from this end. Just wanted to show you the second part. I'll be doing a studio video in 2011! ;-)
Enjoy!

movie trial

2010-12-29T18:35:00.000-08:00

In search of thorny specimens. PLEASE let me know if you can view this video. Thanks. Enjoy (I hope)!