100 Days of Collage

I decided to participate in Stephanie Levy's group "100 Days of Collage".  Each day we are supposed to create a simple collage and share it on a private facebook group.  I like participating in these groups because there is great inspiration and I feel like it holds me accountable.  I have tried to keep up but went on a short trip with only my journal, a glue stick and a few papers so grabbed some travel brochures from the resort lobby and tried to piece together a few things just to keep creating or as my fellow vacationers said,"ripping and tearing".

Back home and in my studio I caught up by doing these.....I'm using a journal
I purchased at GoodWill which was intended to keep track of books.  But the

pages are nice and thick and hold up well to layers of paper.

Of course after all this my worktable was covered with scraps and I just wasn't ready to call it a day.

 I decided to do an exercise from Randel Plowman's book, Collage a Day Workshop.  He suggests using 5 pieces of 3x5 cardstock, grabbing some scraps, setting the timer for 5 minutes each and see what happens.  I had some 3x5 index cards already background painted.  I keep them nearby when I'm painting or journaling so I can throw leftover paint on them or scraps.  I also decided to use some duck and bird pictures as the focal point.  That's the only prep I did.

Here's what happened...........

 It was fun and much harder than I expected.  Of course that made more of a mess but it was a fun day in the Treehouse studio and that's what matters.  Looking forward to each day of collage and I have some new on-line classes coming up.  What are you up to?

True Confession....Uncensored and unedited

I have long been wanting to revive this sad little blog of mine and this seems like a good opportunity.  I love Seth Apters blog and a few days ago he asked artists to post their studio space and work tables just as they are...kind of like those old come as you are parties.  I have company coming and was about ready to tidy up today when I decided to take the challenge and post my messy studio space.

So here's the thing.  If a studio and work table are messy it can only mean one thing-creative things are happening there.. paint is being splattered, paper is being ripped and cut, scissors and paint brushes are flying, ink is flowing, etc., etc., etc.  As I looked thru the links on Seth's blog I realized I am in good company.  No matter how much space, how much storage, how many or how few art supplies (though most of us have many!) studios where artists are showing up and doing what they love are messy.  And beautiful!

And here's another thing.  I doubt that many of us would photograph and post our other messy spaces and we all have them.  Dirty dishes in our sinks and on the counters, unmade beds, dirty laundry, dusty furniture, grimy ceiling fans, unswept carpets, etc., etc., etc.  But we love our creative spaces and we love to share them with other artists because we know they get it.   And if they are like me, love the mess, feel safe in the mess, know where everything is in the mess, find serendipitous discoveries in the mess, breathe and relax in the mess, and most important find ourselves in the mess.

Yes all this time I have been away from this blog I have been creating a mess, almost daily and I have loved every minute of mess making.

baskets full papers

wet table-used for painting

view from the steps up to the studio

works and journals in progress

baskets full of collage materials

antique drawing table for dry work, drawing, collage

stuff

stuff

favorite things
reading materials

folding screen to hide the mess

other side

two collages for 100 days of collage

comfy chair to relax, read, and get inspired

Thanks for visiting!

Gratitude

November already......yes I have been absent way too long but am happy to be back and filled with gratitude.  As always I am pressed for time but here are a few looks at some collage work I'm doing for a class with Stephanie Levy, 30 Days of Collage.  Going way out of my comfort zone but after a lot of painting in September I was burned out.  Started tearing, cutting, ripping, gluing,  anything to stay creative so when the Universe sent me this opportunity the timing was just right.  The pictures are a little blurry due to some scanner difficulties but if I wait 'till everything is perfect..... well, you know, it never is.  So embracing imperfection.....

First assignment-Black and White Collage

This one I decided to do on a black background-an old book cover

warm color collage with some painted papers

 

cool color collage

then on to cool colors-we started the class with painting our own papers with different techniques and then used them in these collages:

and then mixing cool with a touch of warm.

And finally using textiles-really outside the box for me but interesting.  Will definitely consider doing this again.

Keeping it real.....and Spring

Robin's nest on my deck

Spring has finally arrived at the Treehouse art studio....and it definitely seems to be affecting my journal pages today.

Helping myself to lilacs on my morning walk....

Watching mama robin patiently nesting and guarding her
eggs.....trusting....knowing what to do....hoping.....








There are two work tables in the treehouse studio and I would love to say that they are both tidy and organized....but that is not usually the case.

One table is an antique drafting table that is beautiful-if you could only see it!  I use it for what I call my "dry" work-sketching, drawing, constructing books, cutting collage materials, etc.  So usually only items used for these tasks are kept there.  but every now and then items seem to stray...?

Another table, is an art table my son used as a desk in high school, more years ago than I care to remember. It has a laminate top which is better suited to "wet" projects,painting, collaging, etc.  This is by far my favorite and the one I use most.  And like the other I try to keep supplies related to these projects on this table.

Actually although it tends to get messy it is "organized chaos".  And sometimes when I'm in a creative rut, all I have to do is start to clean up and suddenly I'm working again....which of course makes another mess!

handmade papers for collaging and postcards

but that's okay...I love creative messes... and I love this little space in my world!

                                             

the eggs hatched today!

sorry for the blur-wanted to get a quick picture before mama came back.

                                                      Hope spring is being kind to you.

Playing when it snows....

making bright pages in an altered book titled "And Spring Shall Come" when outside it looks like this.....

I head on up to the treehouse art studio and start playing.

 I make collage backgrounds from old bookpages and ephemera,

  I get out some bright acylic paints and create some handpainted papers for use in furture collages

and make envelopes to send messages of encouragement to special people.

and then make more papers.......

I see a lot of collages in my future

Now I'm making backgrounds on the pages of my altered book.........

and hoping that Spring is coming soon.

well, one can hope.......