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Bantockish 2 -

"Bantockish 2 - A Hard Pill to Swallow" - digital approx 8x12 inches

These exercises are helpful in understanding Nick Bantock's approach to composition and color.  The postal stamp is a scan of an old alcohol ink collage I did a couple of years ago as an ATC. The collage is a take off from one of Nick's collages "The Peacock Feather".  In it I am trying to represent a fallen angel, a pill -  the Venus of Willendorf --representing fertility and the notion of a woman's responsibility to  give birth to , raise and care for her children, and yet give them back to the world when they have matured....the empty nest syndrome, and, yes - the feather represents the nest.      And, if you care to look very carefully, you'll see the silhouette of the musculature of a throat.

Bantock Impersonation

Bantockish - digital 15 x 10 inches

Nick Bantock has been one of my favorite collage artists for years.  Ever since the publications of the Griffin and Sabine Trilogy.  In 2007 and 2008 I attended workshops with Nick in his studio in Salt Spring Island, one of my most favorite destinations.  The 'ground' and 'mountains' of this digital collage is from a photograph taken by Donna (with her permission - thanks Donna!  Her blog - Layers.

Digital Boomerang Experiment - The Recollection Parlor - "The Hat Haiku"

This is a sneak preview of one of five "Digital Boomerangs" created by a group of artists at The Recollection Parlor. Look for the entire collection in March 2010's Somerset Digital Studio magazine. For a large version of this slideshow, click inside the slideshow frame.

Below is a list of the other participating artists and their personal blogs or photosites.

Debbie Mihalick

Michele Jackson
Abby Lazar - picture trail to follow

Sija Teijgeler

Red Scott

Another free mini-card or gift tag

I don't know about you, but I always seem to run out of gift tags when I am wrapping presents or need a little tag to attach to a hostess present. Although I usually buy my tags from UNICEF or Ten Thousand Villages, this year I've decided to make my own. So, just in case you run out, now you won't have to run to the store, you can just run to your computer and print these.

As per usual, double click on image to enlarge, and then RIGHT CLICK "Save As".  When printing, choose the horizontal layout and print "TO FIT SHEET".  The cards end up being about 2.25 inches square.  The larger single card is 4 x 4 square.

More experimenting....with Half of a pencil sketch... and digital altering

This was originally a graphite pencil drawing I did about 2 years ago from a magazine dog food advertisement.  The ad only had half of the dog photographed.  I scanned it into the computer and then duplicated it to try to represent the full face of the dog.  I've also been  manipulating the colors from  what began basically as a graphite tonal study to what you see above.  I then played with some of the proportions of the face attempting to decrease the symmetry so it may actually look like 'the whole face' as opposed to two sides mirroring each other....but now see in viewing it here that it continues to be very Rorschach-ish doesn't it? 

Experiments with Light and Dimensionality

"November 15"  17 x 10 inches

Finding JOY - The Giving Tree

Yesterday, I was invited to participate in a Secret Santa.  I hesitated.  Last year my daughter was hospitalized over the season, and this year my father-in-law will be as he is losing a battle with cancer.  I realized for me, this season accentuates emotions, both of joy and of sorrow.  My Mom also passed away on December 1st, 2000.  I still can't believe she's been gone that long.  So, my reaction to this invitation initially was one of sadness.  Until,  I brought forward a memory of my Mother-in-law who for me, embodied the spirit of the season and the joy of giving.  I decided I owed it to her and to myself to focus on continuing her legacy hoping I may infect my own family and friends...and even perhaps YOU.  Because....happiness is a choice we make every moment.   

Thinking of both my Mom and my Mother-in-law, I was  reminded of Shel Silverstein's book "The Giving Tree".  I decided to then create my own "giving tree " as a way to pay tribute to my DECISION TO EXPERIENCE JOY and to my special angel "Mom's". 

Please take this little collage sheet I made with the wish that you TOO will find some JOY that I believe this season was intended to bring.   LEFT CLICK on the tree top star to enlarge the image, and then RIGHT CLICK "SAVE AS."

Oh- I think I'm catching the spirit!  Are you?  Here's another one (they are folded 'baby joy cards') :

One more NEW Ready Made Blog Banner with Buttons

 Available on Etsy here

New Blog Banner with Sidebar Buttons

                   

I decided with Christmas just around the corner (where did the time go?) it was due time I created a few new ready-made blog banners.  Wouldn't it be fun to surprise someone with their own ready to go blog? Both available on Etsy here.

As requested - more pages from "All Things Poe" Traveler's H'art Halloween Deck 2009

Click on image to view large  *NOTE COPYRIGHT*
  click here to visit Capolan

"Got Milk" - Unplugged - Sent to Yvonne as Blog Draw Prize

I hesitated to post this, since I've already posted the digital and the cloth versions of this same collage.  I promise this is the final version!  This is the 'paper, scissors and paste' version with an embossed, stamped and painted background.  I still wrestle with numerous comments I see posted on other sites regarding digital versus cut and paste collage.  I printed the images one by one, cut each of them out, created a textured background to adhere them to, and added Swaroski crystals as buttons, and sewed on  a vintage optometry lens.  Apart from the embellishments, and  a few of the clumsily cut edges, the essence remains the same.  Theoretically, it does however become one of a kind.  Thanks for indulging, yet again. 

"The Duck Whisperer " - Unplugged

Transition from digital to cloth -

From the flat blue screen to 3D with beading and embroidery floss

My first attempt at making french knots -

The bird cage - with a button as the door -

Embroidering "leaves of grass" -

Almost ready to mail - :0)

This morning's digital musing -

"The Star Collectors" - digital  7.5 x 11.25 inches

Credits:  Dover Publication Free Images

Here are the six images I used to create this collage - the earth, stars and moon are all brushes, and I digitally painted the colors -

Maude, the Grandpuppy and Jillian in Banff

If you look very very closely, you can see Maude...oh and, ya, my daughter, Jillian., she's the bigger of the two.  I can't imagine what I might be like if I  ever have a real grandchild. I'm quite happy with this arrangement for the time being.
p.s.  Now, isn't this just the prototypic and stereotypic Canadian photograph - snow, mountains and a Kokanee beer?  I'd be more inclined to be inside the lodge  snuggled under a down-filled quilt with a glass of hot-mulled wine...looking at photos of frozen waterfalls.  

Sunday Post Card Art - "Crackle"

Below,  my entry for this week's Sunday Postcard Art where the 'application' is "crackle."   My hat goes off to those artists with submissions of  the real 3D crackle technique - I've taken a FAR less time consuming approach  here with a simple digital crackle brush overlay.  Underneath, is a 4 x 8 inch rendition of the same images.

Sunday Postcard Art - 4 x 6 digital

"Guess Who" - 4 x 8 digital

Nette - The Duck Whisperer

"Nette - The Duck Whisperer" - 4 x 8  inch digital on cotton

Credits:  Paper Whimsy, Two Peas, Dover

Traveler's H'Art - ALL THINGS POE Project - Bound Book and Page Selections

Above, the wonderful outcome of a  Halloween project involving 32 artists and hosted by  a master of collaborative artistic projects - Red Dog Scott.  The artistic interpretations of various literary works of Edgar Allen Poe are bursting with imagination, ingenuity and creativity!  A treasured book to add to my growing library of one-of-a-kind  and original works.

My sincere thanks to:

Deirdre Abbotts

Boscographix

Jeanne Cavanaugh

Ari Cury

Anna Ely

Ex Fast Posto

Sharon Fraser

Ellen Gray

Matthew Howden

Llynn Huntley

Joan of Art

Colleen Kent

Rue Kroch

Abby Lazar

Marina Lenzino

Lunaea

Kathy Martin

Wendy McGowen

Nancy Meyer

Lynne Miller

Megan Murphy

Terry Owenby

Sue Pierson
Pat Pleacher

Plumb Crazy

Pamela Joy

Red Dog Scott

April Soncrant

Julie Stiller

Marjorie Tomei

Cynthia Weed

Maude - my new grandpuppy!

My daughter Jillian caught the "Yorkie-bug" last weekend while she was visiting here and today at 12:30 pm she picks up "Maude". Can you stand how cute she is? She was born August 23rd, is 3 pounds right now and will be between 5-6 pounds full grown. She is a cross breed Maltese-Yorkie.

Another Dreamscape

"Soul Passages" - digital - 29 x 21 inches