Mini French Journals

Mini, mini, minis,

you know how I love them

and I was inspired by 

the 

French Journals 

that I saw at

Restoration Hardware

some time ago...

and so I was determined to make some

minis..

however..

you could actually make a full size journal

using this technique

so I hope you play with it

and make a few for yourself...

and yes it is time for a break..

I need to rest and enjoy summer a bit, 

not going anywhere... 

but I will be working on some new ideas 

and 

of course getting some work done

in the studio..

Be well gentle readers and viewers..

and be safe,

our country is tearing apart

but I have faith it will come back together..

xox

The Plague Doctor

seriously..

gentle readers..

in all my born days,

I never thought I would have any use for this

image..

it was archaic, ridiculous and medieval ...

I got sick a couple of days after my birthday

in January..

and when I say sick 

I mean I thought I was drowning..

fatigued ..

out of it mentally..

chills came and went..

but the cough

lasted for a good 5 weeks..

it was only later 

that we realized that we had both 

probably had

covid-19..

unsuspecting

at the time

we just thought we had had bad colds..

so the idea of creating a shrine

to celebrate 

our health and survival 

seemed quite appropriate.

this personal shrine

has a hidden receptacle

as the image is glued to a box top and the bottom

box is adhered to the shrine.

I am collecting small things to represent this year..

and the hardships that we continue to endure.

our death toll increases daily

and people are so divided about what they believe and 

all I can think about 

is that if what I had was

corona virus..

I will gladly spare everyone that 

experience by wearing a mask in public..

If you watched the video

 then you know I was still deciding whether to

bead the corsage I gave the plague doctor

and 

in the end I settled on French knots and threads..

and I like the loose threads

and see them representative

of all the unknowns still haunting us 

with this 

virus.

I have not made a shrine in years..

 this one honors all the lives lost

and the ones spared..

it marks a personal passage

as well as a collective 

transformation..

and what comes in the near future?

only the plague doctor

knows..

xox

Mixed Media Art-Part 3 Collage on Assemblage

Ciao, dear ones..

well it is Filming Friday 

and I hope you enjoy

this little video..

I wanted to come up with an idea that you could easily 

recreate in your own studio or work space

and can use it for a variety 

of 

reasons..

I love the plague doctor 

and thought it would be a perfect image to mark this 

extraordinary year...

As always

thank you for watching, and for your constant support..

I hope your weekend is healthy and happy..

xox

April Art Journal Pages

Ciao, dear readers..

I have finally finished my

April 

pages..

and I love how this works, 

I start with

 an idea in mind for my pages..

and my idea was that 

I was struggling with the garden..

with critters eating everything..

or 

digging them up..

or knocking them over..

just your basic attachment issue

for any gardener..

eventually I realized that I had to let it all go..

and just find a sense of peace..

 I settled on 

an image from a book

and I decided to try drawing on antique tissue paper

which was very interesting

and lead to its own challenges..

and 

when I finished

papering the pages, 

I saw that it was from a copy of

War and Peace..

of course it was..

Ingredients: Antique paper ephemera, black wing pencil, antique image

This is probably one of my simplest spreads

and yet it is one of my

 favorites..

Sending my kindest wishes to you all

for a healthy and happy week.

xox

Part 2 Collage with Paper

Well...

 I have to say it is very interesting making demos

on video

and 

trying to make decisions quickly

about 

what elements I want to use.. 

I had a rough idea 

and 

thought I would use

butterflies on each piece..

but changed my mind as I saw how the last piece

on book cover

was turning out..

(oops spoiler alert!!)

Enjoy the video 

I am now at work thinking about 

Part 3..

and

I am

wishing you all a magnificent 

weekend..

C4N!

March Art Journal Pages

We all remember 

March..

It was the beginning of a 

new way of 

being..

and I translated it as 

an interruption of 

Flow..

Two page spread, March 2020 art journal pages

My pages changed several times..

I was simply never satisfied with them..

they just did not adequately describe my feelings

I am not at all sure it completely

visually 

represents 

the 

incredible month that March was..

 for me.

"The True Artist, capable, practicing, skillful, maintains dialogue with his heart, meets things with his mind. The true artist draws out all from his heart."

Hafiz

Right

 now...

all we can really do is find a way to 

to redirect the flow..

of our attention...

our love,

our creativity 

and channel it

into things that make us feel better...

that bring pleasure...

and placing our attention

on those things,

will create at least a happy

NOW 

moment..

Ingredients: Collage and Decollage, acrylic paint, mono prints on tracing paper. 

In the studio

I am working on so many things..

paintings

collage

new inspiration kits

April journal pages

and 

ideas for the next video..

I send you all my heartfelt wishes

for a happy and healthy week..

xox

Part One, Mixed Media Collage on Paper

Let's collage..

this pandemic 

gives all

so much 

time...

and make some lovely collage pieces..

Today I thought we could begin a 

3 part series on Collage..

Next time we will work

on fabric and paper collage 

and the third segment will be

collage 

on 

Assemblage..

and

 I am so looking forward to sharing some ideas with you

about both..

we have so much time right now to

create...

to make ..

to chew on ideas.. 

and to visually

manifest 

our future..

Ciao, ciao!