Art Books.. Gallerie!

Art Books!!

Yes... there is a new gallerie for 

my art books...

giglio gallerie art books

Shipping is free in the 

continental US

 

 

and there are a few choices..

but don't worry

I will make more!!

We hope your holidays were wonderful!!

Thanks for your consideration!!

C4N!!

Cardboard Book and What it's Like Being an Artist

What is it like?

to be an artist..

I was asked that once in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean

and I shrugged it off,

by laughing..

"How much time do you have?"

I mean where do I start?

there are so many things

that set us apart ...

I thought about that last week as I was 

stitching together 

my cardboard book,

I ordered a single book from Amazon

and it arrived in one of those 

cardboard box dealios..

you know what I mean..

cardboard wrapped around the book..

and when I looked at the remains of the cardboard..

after I enthusiastically ripped it open to free my book...

I thought, 

I could cut the flaps and make a great book

out of it..

and I realized that that is what it is really like to be an artist..

at least, it is my experience, 

but I know I am not alone..

Cardboard book in process, stitching signatures, Caterina Giglio

I see possibility everywhere..

even in

 trash and debris..

I am definitely an up cycler..

recycling is my nature..

Old lost buttons find their way to my

studio..

a onesie, scrubbed clean

and 

serving well..

It is so rewarding to 

create..

Cardboard book, with jute closure, Caterina Giglio

something from nothing..

Hand stitched mixed media book, Caterina Giglio

making beautiful pages

from turmeric..

and images from onion skins...

Hand dyed pages, onion skin and avocado, Caterina Giglio  

using up

bits and pieces of string

and upholstery threads...

Onion dyed page in Cardboard book, Caterina Giglio  

and the more things I create,

the more ideas

I seem to have..

it is an endless flow..

one idea gives birth to another..

For me,

being an artist is freedom..

freedom to create whatever I want..

experiment and try new things..

and speak authentically..

Cardboard book, mixed media, Caterina Giglio

now, 

off to the studio..

I am working on my journal pages

and Part 4 of my Art Journaling Process

for filming this week..

thank you, gentle readers...

C4N!

Hand Dyed Paper for Mixed Media

play..

is highly underrated

in the studio..

I think the best obsessions

begin with play..

and this one, 

started so innocently.. 

with a little

bottle of 

Turmeric..

Turmeric dye on a variety of papers, hand dyed with natural dyes.

I was interested in writing with the Turmeric dye..

and used an applicator bottle and a nib..

Turmeric dye on tracing paper, with hand dyed turmeric papers underneath.

which turned out well,

and then I experimented 

in dying the papers twice.

Tracing paper dyed twice using the first dye bath and a day later using the dye saved from the day before.

to do that,

I made the dye baths on one day.. 

The strength of the dye bath, vibrant yellow orange..

and then dyed the paper,

in this case I used tracing paper..

Tissue paper with dye bath, using a brush.

and let it dry..

while resting the bath overnight in my refrigerator...

Turmeric twice dyed on sketch paper using a brush and applicator bottle.

the next day

I used an applicator bottle to re-dye

the papers..

and I adore the way they turned out...

and then I read about 

avocado skins and pits..

the article said they 

  made a beautiful shade of pink..

so I HAD to try that right?

Assorted papers dyed with avocado skins and pits, yummy pinks!

I love the assortment of pinks..

and the more skins and pits you have

the darker the pink...

Mixed media paper hand dyed with avocado skins and pits.

you can save those skins and pits

put them in a baggie and freeze them...

to use when you want...

and 

from there I used red onion skins..

I did use the dye bath on some papers,

but the most interesting thing..

were the prints I made using the skins

which look a lot like wings on some of the prints...

Red onion dye on tracing paper.

The dye bath on the red onion skins

changed color when I used 

different papers..

which was thrilling...

Red onion skin dye bath on tracing paper.

it was greenish on the tracing paper,

Red onion skin dye bath on sketch paper

and brown on sketch paper..

above which I adore..

Red onion prints on wrapping paper.

 but I think pressing the prints was even more fun..

and I am going to play with this a bit more..

I am a little obsessed now..

they are so fast and easy and very cool..

If you have not seen my 

YouTube video

on how I created these,

just scroll down to the last post..

and ...

I am off to the studio to work

on June Journal pages

as I am woefully

behind..

Ciao, ciao!

The Naturalists' Notebook

well gentle readers,

the show is finally finished and I will be packing shortly..

but I wanted to share a few things with you..

it all began last summer..

The Naturalists' Notebook, Cosmic Butterfly, top, L-R Let There Be Light, Flowering and No. 73

It was the sort of charming shop
that might just disappear if you turned away for too long.
It had a magical aura. I waked in and thought I saw an old woman
sitting at a desk, she smiled as I walked past but continued to read her book.

There were stacks of old papers, manuscripts, music and assorted documents in faded brown long

hand and old photos scattered everywhere.

Pots and pans were filled with lace trims and an old settee

called my name.

I sat and began to look through a dusty album,

the naturalists' notebook...

Perfect, I thought ... I had been looking for just 

such a something.

I paid the woman, who poked the money into her book and continued reading.

The notebook was a puzzle, there were no notes of nature, nothing scientific but instead, there were

drawings and paintings on paper...

And then I realized I had found an artists record of a natural adventure..

Each drawing labeled as Fig. corresponded to a work of art

and suddenly

I woke up...

Yes, 

the idea for the notebook came to me in a dream....

Artist Statement

The Naturalists' Note book was born in a dream, following an illness that left me unable to create. I spent many days watching birds, butterflies and dragonflies. My love of nature assisted me in my healing and followed me back to the studio. My aim has always been to bridge the gap between realism and abstraction, to illustrate relationship and to convey hidden meaning through symbols.

My mixed media pieces always elevate the mundane, celebrate the antique and express in rich layers. In this collection, I strived to create a sense of magical realism, where butterflies form mandalas and crows stand ready to perform magic. Though this is a documentation of personal growth, it is also a map of universal discovery.

Inside the Naturalists' Notebook.. Caterina Giglio

and I was excited to 

create something that held the inspiration

for each piece of work..

You can take a video tour

of the show below..

I had two antique journals, one was the Antique periodical holder

and the other one was a handmade book filled with pressed flowers.

They fit together as if they were made for one another..
fortunately there were many blank pages left in the flower journal,

and I began to fill them following notes in my studio journal...

 I created my first inspirational piece, or Note below

the finished board is on the left.

Cosmic Butterfly, on board left and Notes on Cosmic Butterfly right, above.

as I worked, I thought, 

why not put the notes in the show as well..

so this collection offers you a clear idea of my inspiration, as well as the finished piece..

 L-R bottom, Rooted, Endless possibilities and Freedom

I have been working daily on this show since 

December 

and I am ready for a break

so I will be taking 

a blog and Vlog break 

but will be back soon..

We will 

live stream on FaceBook

May 5 

at the show,

 7pm MDT

and for those unable to make the show on 

Friday night we have a 

matinee scheduled for Saturday the 6th

The show is now open for 

Pre Sales 
and you can look at each piece on the
Gallerie Page.

As always, I thank you in advance of your kind comments..

you continually bless me with your support..

xo