You Were Loved

 

My husband, Tim, succumbed to his long term illness on Monday, July 9, 2024.  Tim was an amazing man who was so considerate and loving to others.  I will miss him very much.  Rest in peace Tim.

I will be taking a leave from my blog until I feel like I can again share my art.  Right now I am not creating and am trying to make sense of the loss I feel.  I will return but not for a while.

Using Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 10

Just plain works for me.

Using Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 09

What a fun challenger to cream from arms length.  That is what happened here again.

Using Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 08

 

Going through boxes and boxes and cleaning out is cathartic.  I found a background that I never did anything with….the woman in this case.  I added a few things and voila there is a postcard.

Using the Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 07

 I am so glad to get this piece out there.  I did the background well over a year ago and it, too, has been hanging out on my desk waiting for the right images to add.

Using the Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 06

 The woman figure on the right has been appearing in many of my art pieces recently.  I wish I knew why she is so sad.

Using the Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 05

 The papers used in this piece are mostly suminagashi papers I made a few years back.  The white and red paper in the center is tissue from a gift most likely given to me on Valentine’s Day.

Using the Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 04

 

I think I will use this one for my black and white plus one color to send off to one of the Collage Society members.  Last summer I took photos of flowers in a pea patch garden in Everett, Washington.  I manipulated the colors in PhotoShop.  I need to do ore of that soon.

Using the Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 03

 

I particularly like this postcards depth.  There is a story here.  What do you think it is?  Narrative art is just the best in my opinion.

Using the Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 02

 Some of my backgrounds have been sitting around for a very long time.  Time to clear them out with additional layers.  I a a bit bothered with the geisha’s clothing.

Using the Ephemera That I Have Postcards - 01

 My latest postcard series totally uses ephemera on my work table within arms reach.  The background varnished piece with black comes from a Japanese umbrella.  

All My Tiny Journals…Well, Most of Them

I brought all my tiny journals to the ocean to ponder over while I make more.  All of them are here with the exception of the one that is in New Jersey for a show later this summer.  It was the black and white one which was difficult to give up but I did.  I will never see it again in person as it is suppose to go to some permanent exhibit once the show is over.

ATCs Second Quarter 2024 - International Group

 

The theme for this quarter’s ATCs was to create one that expanded to a larger size than the usual 2.5 x 3.5 inches.  I hinged two cards together and then created a clothes line effect to the collage.

Just Another Postcard - June 2024 -02

 

The summer activity for the NW Collage Society is to create a postcard using black and white and a pop of another color.  I did a laser transfer using my gelli plate and then decided to add some pansy ephemera that just happened to be on my work table.

Just Another Postcard - June 2024 - 01

 

Sometimes when times are busy like this past week I just need to make some art that is frivolous.  I ran across some ephemera that I had not seen for a long time while searching through some boxes.  All systems stopped and I started to create.

ATCs -Theme BINGO

The theme for the 2024 second quarter is BINGO.  We were wide open on how to use that theme.

 

June 2024 - Mini-Journal Video

 

June 2024 Mini-Journal - Spread 07

 Spread 06 peeks through onto spread 07.  The video is tomorrow.

June 2024 Mini-Journal - Spread 06

 

This spread opens up to give more real estate.

June 2024 Mini-Journal - Spread 05

 

This might be my favorite spread in the journal.  There are so many vintage items and they all seem to work together.

June 2024 Mini-Journal - Spread 04

 I have quite a stash of vintage photos.  The two guys in these photos are the same guys.  The photos just happened to land on my workspace next to each other.  It worked out perfectly.

June 2024 Mini-Journal - Spread 03

 

I have had several ladies handkerchieves for quite awhile and did not know what I would use them for.  I cut out part of one to add to this spread.

June 2024 Mini-Journal - Spread 02

 There is quite a bit to take in.  There are so many found items including buttons, fabric, paper ephemera and thread.

June 2024 Mini-Journal - Cover and Spread 01

 I started this journal awhile ago and set it aside.  Once I started back to it I went quite quickly, maybe three days all told. 

Random Postcard - 04

 

I do not even remember working on this piece.  It is good to go through and cull ones’ ephemera,  It just collects and collects and either needs to be used or tossed.

Random Postcard - 03

 

I used part of an envelop of ephemera that Jacki Long sent me years ago.  She had decorated the outside of the envelope and one of collage items was this man.  Thanks Jacki.

Random Postcard - 02

One might say that this postcard is rather random in its composition.

Random Postcards - 01

 In my cleaning up I found partially finished postcards.  As I find them I am finishing them.

Black and White Plus Red - Video

 

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 10

 I just love the face on the gentleman on the left.  There is a bit of yellow in his face but I went with him anyway.  His hat had yellow where the band of red is now.  I covered it up.  Tomorrow is the video of the journal.

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 09

 When I add a piece of ephemera to a spread in a mini journal I add to one spread and then maybe another spread rather than just working on one spread to completion.  Seems to work for me.

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 08

 

I like trying out using a variety of materials in the mini-journals.  I suppose it is a way to audition for larger pieces of collage.  The fabric and buttons have such a different feel than just paper.

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 07

 When I began the black and white plus red journal I searched high and low for those chosen colors.  I ended up with a large amount of ephemera that fits that criteria.  So why not make a second black and white plus red journal.  Or choose another color for the pop of color.

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 06

 Of course this spread is with the right hand closed over some of the previous day’s blog entry.  Note what I call map lace on the right hand section.

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 05

 I love folds outs in mini-journals.  Lots of diverse ephemera in this spread.  Lots of movement.

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 04

 The netting came from a sack of mandarin oranges.  I know that the photo on the left is more sepia than black and white but I am including it anyway.

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 03

 

The black and white photo image in the background on the right is one that I took in a pea patch garden last year.  I removed the color in PhotoShop.

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 02

 

Several years ago one of my students made a comment after I said that a bit of one color makes a spread jump.  I specifically said a pop of red.  The student said to her table mate, “Who the hell is Poppa Red?” I have had a good laugh over that one for the years since.

Black and White Mini-Journal with a Pop of Read - 01

 

I am in love with the idea of black and white with a pop of red.  It just works so well.

Black and White Mini-Journal - Covers and Standing View

Since I sent off my black and white mini-journal for a show in New Jersey I decided I had to make another black and white mini-journal.  However, this time I wanted to have a pop of red somewhere in each spread or page.

 

Postcards From the Edge Part II - 12

 

Sometimes when I look at this postcard I do not see the bird and then all of a sudden it is there.

Postcards From the Edge Part II - 11

 

I did not like this postcard for the longest time until I found the butterfly to add to it.  Complete now.