Inspired by "Transparent Art"

It's dark and rainy, a perfect day to play in my studio. Here are the Befores & Afters of two collages I did today. Both pieces were done by painting the back of an ink-jet transparency as well as adding decorative papers behind the images. Both images were scanned from the collection of treasures Carmen loaned me. I still can't believe she actually had a cabinet card where the girl is already a butterfly complete with wings (left). As you can see, the wings were sheer and barely visible in the original, I added the fern leaves. The little baby in the second piece looks so worried.

If you don't have Transparent Art from Stampington in your library yet, but would like learn more about working with transparencies, it's a great resource with step-by-step instructions.


(Hat tip Jennifer Duncan for her technique pp. 26 - 32)


I have been on a book buying binge. I eat them up!

It was dark, but officially Jan 7th

Two tiles from 4 am-ish.

Tiles for yesterday & today

Twofer Thursday

I tried something new today with my tile -- I made the one on the lower right first. I enjoyed that one so much I did the other. I will be playing with this technique for a while.

Oh, and Trumpet thought y'all might like to see this: Gone with the Hounds.

About 9" square, it's a collage I did last week. My friend, Laura, transferred on to fabric. It is the Dachshund Club of Metro Atlanta's entry that will ultimately be part of a quilt to be auctioned off at the National Dachshund Club of America's annual specialty show.

It represents the three doxie coats: smooth, long and wire. Trumpet likes Miss Scarlet best, as he is partial to redheads.

Frankly my dear, I don't give a bone.

Did you ever move as a kid?

I did. I moved a lot. A move was always bittersweet -- filled with the promise of new beginnings as well as sorrow for friends and familiar places left behind. Today, my dear friend and next door neighbor, Carmen dropped a bomb on me: she's moving.

Carmen is one of the most generous, gracious and genuine (though perpetually cheerful) people you'll ever have the good fortune of knowing. She's the call-at-three-am-neighbor, the one in whose kitchen you cry, the great mom, the good wife, and the on-par with Martha Stewart hostess that I used to think only existed in 1950s TV shows.


This evening she called and asked me to come over and give her an opinion on the granite she's chosen for the counter tops. I set the stew meat to thaw in the microwave, grabbed what was left of the Tequila she "loaned" us and ran over through her garage. The granite is perfect, of course, but that was just a pleasant pretense. I asked, "Are you getting ready to put the house on the market?" and she simply said, "I am." And then I cried in her kitchen, as I have many times before.

"The Carmens" as Reese calls them, will be leaving in a few months when school is over. I didn't have an answer for Connor when he replied to the news -- "But what if we run out of vanilla?" I don't know. I don't know what we'll do. I suppose we'll just be without vanilla or tomato paste or half a dozen other staples mid-recipe because no matter who moves in next door, they won't be Carmen. I miss her already.

Day Two and all is well

Here's the "tile" for today. I consulted with Debbi, as well as renown wordsmith and Daily Art regulations expert Cate Prato at CPS, and there is no working ahead. Their decision is final. Everyday must have a new creation. What if I am working on something else? Does that fulfill the daily requirement? Sheesh!

The project at right that I am calling "13:13" was photographed by the speedy and talented Walter Kirk at Winward Photography. (Click on the image for a larger view.) I am submitting it to a juried book and hoping that the patron saint of art dolls smiles on me. Does that face look familiar? It should, the same face was the subject of today's tile. Here's a quiz: any guesses as to what the 13s signify?

I started this project after devouring Lynn Perrella’s Beyond Paper Dolls. I was especially inspired by Laurie Mika’s doll – we’ve since become cyber pals. Laurie was so gracious and encouraging that I was compelled to give the paper sculpture thing a shot. It's my first effort, but I am anxious to do more.

The body is Paper Mache finished to resemble rusted metal. I made the armature from a decorative wire mannequin dress form with a cut up shirt box stapled around the waist in a cone to shape the skirt. The head was made separately over a ceramic egg and then attached to the body.

The doll’s main face image is scanned from a cabinet card my neighbor bought at an estate sale in the UK. (She let me scan a whole box of such treasures!) There are actually three faces: one in the lens in her hand, another in a wreath on the branch, and the main oval face on the head. If you look closely you will see that her hat says “Elpeezo” in Greek which translates to “I hope.” The hat-thingy is finished in an iridescent green to play off the same in the turkey feather wings and the egg. The epaulets on her shoulders are two pennies with crosses punched out of their centers.

Back to work, school, and overall reality tomorrow. We'll see how this resolution holds up when life restarts at dark-thirty tomorrow morning. Anyone else going to jump in and do this 2007 thing with me? I think the judges would grandfather you in if you act fast.

Happy New Year

I hesitate to even make this information public because then someone will be an absolute pain and actually hold me accountable, but I would like to create -- no strike that -- I am GOING TO CREATE some small piece of art everyday a la Daily Art Diva Debbi Crane. That woman has her 2007 goals posted already, including a mini marathon! Nobody likes a show off.

I racked my brain on what could be small enough and doable enough for me to stick to this thing for a week or so....I mean a year. I considered doing ATCs but even that seemed too daunting. (I know, I'm a wimp.) So here's what I have decided: I am going to make a 1.5" game square collage on every day in 2007 ending in y.

I went a little crazy today so here are the squares I have done so far for 2007 (Deb: does this buy me eleven days or do I have to do one tomorrow? Is there an official ruling on that?) They were all made using the contact paper transfer technique. Some are family members and ancestors -- my mom is the little girls on the sage green. Some are illustrations from Hardy Boys books. (I used my new Xyron to adhere the collage to the chip board. That thing is so cool.) Seeing them all tiled like this makes me think that maybe I will put them all in a mosaic? Don't know yet.

At right, a shot of aforementioned Daily Diva's "Seriously Limited Edition Christmas Card Book." I am so stoked that I actually merited one of these little gems.

Oh, and the count down has officially started. In 47 days I will kiss my 30s goodbye. Yikes.