Y56

Y56

Not much for me to say here.  It seems like it is a snow scene perhaps.  Or maybe she is running on the moon? :-)


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Ursus Wehrli: Tidying up art  ......need a laugh today, watch this video, another TED Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57eeP31s-Rs&list=PL8NAlwQpw_dxfEeUpBdP3qdSvzc5N6Fuo

U5

U5

Choosing ephemera is the luck of the draw or is it?  Sometimes a piece of ephemera will be on my desk.  I move items around and it falls right on the piece that I am working on.  There it is.  It is meant to be!

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Norah Jones – Black Hole Sun (Detroit Fox Theatre 5.23.17)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbQ08Ixczvo

T Bakery

T Bakery

Not everyone likes working tiny, tiny collages that is.  I like the challenge.  I do a lot of ATCs and so creating tiny for the teabag postcard series was not a stretch.  It was just enjoyable.

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A Journey Through the Mind of an Artist | Dustin Yellin | TED Talks

I like different and Dustin Yellin is creatively different.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN820hIQ17Q

N3

N3

On Friday I finished my docent stint at the Schack Art Center in Everett.  I was hungry and decided to stop at MacDonald's on the way home.  After I ordered in the drive-through I continued on to the pay window.  The cashier handed me the receipt and said that my meal had been paid for by the gentleman in the vehicle ahead of me!  Now that had never happened before.  What a treat!

You might ask did I do the same for the person behind me.  No, but I will one day.  What I did was allow someone to go ahead of me in the grocery store line as he only had few items compared to my cart load.  I like the MacDonald's version of paying it forward.  I wish we had more of it.

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Steal Like An Artist: Austin Kleon - a TED Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oww7oB9rjgw

wX3

wX3

The postcards that I have been working on were rather quick to complete once all the components were gathered.  I used a gelli plate to paint.  I added sewing pattern tissue and I stenciled a bit.  I then made mini collages to fit inside the tea bags.  Voila!

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Design Art ................ Filtre Studio...

http://abduzeedo.com/amazing-graphic-design-and-cgi-work-filtre-studio

M7

M7

Have you read the Number One Ladies Detective series?  I love it!  They drink a  Rooibos tea at teatime in the books.  I really like it and recently found some at the Cascadia Art Museum in Edmonds, WA.  This piece was influenced by the tea and also has an Asian feel to it.

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Street Art.....You will be amazed here......

http://unurth.com/

W12

W12

Up next is a series of postcards that I completed a bit ago.  I used tissue paper, gesso, acrylic paint, and teabags along with the ephemera that fits in the bag.  In several of the postcards I allowed some of the cereal box to show through.

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Willard Wigan - micro-sculpture......  The example below is of President Obama and his family sculpted in the eye of a need.  The TED talk is well worth listening to.  Mr. Wigan is not only talented but has a great sense of humor.

https://www.ted.com/talks/willard_wigan_hold_your_breath_for_micro_sculpture

Red Series No. 2 - 40

Red Series No. 2 - 40

This is it!  The final piece in Red Series No. 2.  Something that I really like in this collage is that the soft lines of the car are mirrored with the soft lines of the rabbit.

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BIG BANG BIG BOOM - the new wall-painted animation by BLU



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuGaqLT-gO4

Red Series No. 2 - 39

Red Series No. 2 - 39

I love the expression on this soldier's face.  I have certainly felt confused in my life from time to time. I remember one time in Tokyo I was trying to find a location.  The signage was in Japanese and English but I just could not figure out where I was going.  As I found out later the numbers on buildings on a street are added when the building went up and not in sequential order.  Number 1 could be at one end of a block and 2 at the other.  I learned to travel relying on landmarks.  It made my life easier.

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Ariana Grande - Into You -   

Another senseless act of terrorism....this time in the UK.  When will it end?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ekZEVeXwek

Red Series No. 2 - 38

Red Series No. 2 - 38

I am not sure why but I love making backgrounds.  For me, there is something satisfying about it. Middle grounds and foregrounds are more difficult.  Sometimes it takes a long time for me to finish a piece because I am just not feeling what needs to come next or I have to have just the right piece of ephemera.

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Basquiat painting sells for $110.5 at auction a few days ago.

 YIKES!

http://basquiat.com/

Red Series No. 2 - 37

Red Series No. 2 - 37

Closing in on the end of the red series....   Oops!  I forgot to post yesterday so today is a two-fer again.

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This Is What You Came For  -_Rihanna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOkQ4T5WO9E

Red Series No. 2 - 36

Red Series No. 2 - 36

This past winter I attended a retreat for collage artists.  It was a very productive three days for me. During that time one of the artist Anne La Fever gave me monopoly paper.  I had forgotten about this gift until yesterday when Anne mentioned seeing a part of it in the Red Series No. 2.  I loved playing monopoly when I was a kid.  There was something about handling all that money and owning real estate that I loved.  The only part of the game I did not love was how long it took for a winner to come about.  I have not played it in decades.  Yikes!  That is harsh.....decades.....the truth hurts because I can now talk about decades!  OMG! :-)

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Keith Urban Falling Apart on Kelly Clarkson's Emotional Performance On Idol

I understand that American Idol is returning next year.  I do miss the show.  For some reason I forget to watch the Voice but I never forgot to tune into American Idol.  I am looking forward to the return.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlksZfgduPY

Red Series No. 2 - 35

Red Series No. 2 - 35

Another robin!  I could do a whole journal on robins.  I have always been partial to robins and crows. I always thought robins were the first bird in the spring.  I was told they stay around all year now and although I don't seem to see as many in the winter I have seen some.

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If this does not make your eyes moist .........

Andra Day - Rise Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwgr_IMeEgA

Red Series No. 2 - 34

Red Series No. 2 - 34

Anything with birds catches my attention and this robin image certainly did.
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Valerie June - Pushin' Against a Stone (2013) - upbeat and catchy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUmvKuz26mo

Red Series No. 2 - 33

Red Series No. 2 - 33

There is something about the balance on this one that I particularity like.  Maybe it is the boy leaning in.  My eye wants to make an X ....boy to cowboy and 14 filler stamp to red dot surround by white.  Much movement in my way of thinking.

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 Paper Specs.....This artist has some cool paper folding techniques.....  paper engineer/illustrator Simon Arizpe

http://www.paperspecs.com/gallery/uncategorically-good-stuff/the-wild-pop-up/

Red Series No. 2 - 32

Red Series No. 2 - 32

I have been working on a book arts project the last few days and my fingers are sore, especially three fingers in my right hand.  I did not use a thimble which I probably should have done.   I finished the book which was motivated by Margo who taught a tacket binding workshop in Newport in April. She had used fish in her book.  I offered to buy the book but she said, "You can make it."  I took the challenge and did indeed make it.  I will share it later this month.

Last night I attended a meeting of the Book Arts Guild which meets at the University of Washington. I had wanted to go for some time but never did.  I am glad that I went last night because the owner of 23 Sandy, a bookstore for hand-made books in Portland presented many of the books in a show at the store.  It was well worth attending.  I actually had seen the show last month on my way to Newport for the book arts fair.

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Beware.................There are some heavy references in this video......mental illness, suicide and a sexual predator reference.  It is also heartwarming how others take an interest in others in a meaningful way.

The John Show

Synopsis: Graphic designer Brett Yasko wanted to save his friend John’s life, so he asked every artist in their town to make a portrait of John. The result is the 2016 art show “John Riegert” – a funhouse containing 250 portraits on the titular subject, with John himself acting as tour guide. This heartfelt story chronicles the making of a singular exhibit and the mental health struggles and personal triumphs of its subject.

Directed by: Julie Sokolow
Produced by: Olivia Vaughn, Ryan Loew

https://vimeo.com/187418097

Red Series No. 2 - 31

Red Series No. 2 - 31

On the home stretch with the final ten.

Today I got an idea of what to do with all those deli papers that I have been keeping for so long.  I have stenciled on them and now I am adhering them to watercolor paper.  I will make them into signatures for a book I am making.  Stay tuned.

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The Power of Concentration & Balance - Woman with Feather

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KVPA-9hofw&feature=youtu.be

Red Series No. 2 - 30

Red Series No. 2 - 30

It's a rainy Sunday here in Seattle, a good day for art.  I am thinking of doing some more book binding and finishing up some almost done projects.  It seems I never have time to twiddle my thumbs.  Happy new week! :-)

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Red Series No. 2 - 29

Red Series No. 2 - 29

Yes, I forgot to blog yesterday.  So here is a second collage meant for then.

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Red Series No. 2 - 28

Red Series No. 2 - 28

Sometimes my life seems so busy and a general necessity to lessen that busy excess is desired. That is the way of it at the moment.  When I look at my calendar and see it jammed packed it seems overwhelming.  And to think that it is my own doing.  I can't say  NO!  What I have to do is X out days on the calendar just for John.  Although I do some art everyday, the X-ed out days are all art days.  On those days I try to focus only on what I am presently working on.  Blocking out the rest of the month takes willpower though.


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Red Series No. 2 - 27

Red Series No. 2 - 27

I don't have much to say about the Red Series after all here is No. 27 of Red Series No. 2.  So how about something more about Yellowstone National Park?

I am thinking that bears must have a better sense of smell than they do hearing.  The reason I might think this is because the one black bear that we watched for about 30 minutes seemed totally oblivious to us and there was plenty of noise and tourists watching him.  In fact, one "volunteer" kept trying to organize the "crowd" and he was not quiet about it.  But then again we were very close to this bear and he certainly should have been able to smell us.  Perhaps the bears in Yellowstone know that they are safe from humans.  Maybe it is in their DNA that all is well in the Park.  I guess I will have to look up bear senses and find out.


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Red Series No. 2 - 26

Red Series No. 2 - 26

Just returned from a vacation in Yellowstone and the Tetons.  Such beauty!  We saw bunches and bunches of wildlife.  Exciting to see such in a natural setting as opposed to a zoo.  We were lucky enough to see two black bears.  One bear was very close, about ten feet away and down a gully.  He was just munching away on new grass along a stream.

There were plenty of bison, elk, moose (less so), and white deer.  Old Faithful is still doing her thing. I highly recommend that if you are desiring a trip to the parks that you go this time of year.  It was not crowded at all.  Not all the roads were open in Yellowstone but we did not feel that we missed out.  I hear that 2 to 3 million people visit Yellowstone each year.  The park looks pretty great after having that many people around.  One really does not notice the visitors except at Old Faithful.  The parking lot is huge and I mean huge.

I had not been to Yellowstone since I was a kid.  It is one of those experience I had not forgotten but when we were there this time, it was like a new experience.  I am glad to be out of the car as we drove over 2000 miles.   So glad we went though.

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Red Series No. 2 - 25

Red Series No. 2 - 25

This is another two-fer day.  We are just home from our vacation to Yellowstone and the Tetons.  More on that tomorrow or the next day.

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Red Series No. 2 - 24

Red Series No. 2 - 24

To me it is as if the birds are watching over the little girl.  Funny how that was not the intention but the outcome works.

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Red Series No. 2 - 23

Red Series No. 2 - 23

I hope you are enjoying this series.





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