Exhibition

As promised (and only a day late), here are the details of my upcoming exhibition.  The QR code on the back is active and will take you to the my artists page at Artcapsule. 

I have been super busy preparing for my show at the Artcapsule Gallery in Oxford next week.  I will take a sec tomorrow to post the announcement but for now, here are a couple of pieces that will be included...

She is an one of my earlier pieces but still, one of my favorites.  

another early piece (gearing up for the Dream Cruise).

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I will also have a small number of prints available.  

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Broken

The original has found a good home but I will have several limited edition prints of this piece available.  

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I really think my work is best viewed in person.  The three dimensional aspect of my pieces is difficult to fully capture in a low-res photo.  With that said, I hope to see you all at the gallery.  - Details to come.

Supper Time

 Asparagus and strawberries are in season right now in Michigan and I was very pleased to find locally grown, organic produce at the farmer's market.  They seemed like the perfect accompaniment to the fresh tuna steaks I picked up.


I marinated the tuna for a short time in a mixture of olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice.... 

while I roasted the asparagus in a drizzle of olive oil.

After roasting, I added a shaving of fresh Parmesan...

tossed fresh greens with the strawberries, a sprinkling of pine nuts, a little pomegranate vinaigrette...

and don't forget the fresh country bread.

Yum!

my first solo show!

For some reason, the recent announcement I posted regarding my upcoming show at the Artcapsule Gallery has mysteriously disappeared from the blogosphere.  The artist reception will be held on July 8th and the show will run through July 26th.  This is my first solo show and I am very excited.  I have been working on new images at a feverish pace and hope to have many new pieces to show.  There will also be prints available.  


Recently I have been experimenting with unusual ways of including pressed images into my pieces.  In the above piece, I used flocked wallpaper to create the background on the canvas.  I am pleased with the results.  A closer look...

I am also finding time to feed my spirit by enjoying the beautiful weather here in Michigan.  The abundant spring rain has worked its magic on my gardens and produced a glorious display of colorful blooms.

 My old fashioned peony pilfered from my brother's old farmhouse 

many years ago.

A closer look at one of the blooms.

An old fashioned rose bush flanked by a Miss Kim lilac.

The perfumed blooms are intoxicating.   

This clematis is a a relatively new addition.  Only two years old, her feathery blooms are profuse.

Happy Anniversary!

I have to take a moment to wish Arturo a Happy Anniversary.  We headed north to Petoskey for a romantic weekend.  Our stay at Stafford's Bay View Inn was memorable.  It is a lovely place and the staff is very, very accommodating.   

and of course, the view...

The inn was built in 1886 and is very well maintained.  It retains it's quaint Victorian atmosphere.  Below is an image from the early 1900's.

On our return ride home, we ventured to one of my spots to treasure hunt - Bay City.  The waterfront is home to several antique stores, including one antique superstore.  Here's what I picked up...

I picked up this little book out of curiosity and was pleasantly surprised when I leafed through the pages.

The front page told me I was on the right track.  I choose items pre-1925 for my collage in order to prevent copyright issues.  Continuing to flip pages I knew luck was with me.

Someone had been using this small pocket-size book to collect and store four-leaf clovers.  There are almost a dozen, most still in excellent shape.  I have to figure out how to include them in my collages.  It was my lucky day!








I also happened upon this large letter set.  I love using lettering in my images...

This boy may be practicing a Michael Jackson move.

This cat is looking to be included in a Halloween piece.

Saving the best for last - my favorite find(s) - 

These vintage wooden printer blocks will come in handy.  I'm off to the studio to play.  Will share more later this week.  - Laura

Hello again

It has been far too long since I have posted but I have been very, very busy creating new pieces for my upcoming show.  I also have several submissions due in the near future.  I am just taking a moment to show a few new pieces along with several details.  I have been taking many pictures recently and will make an attempt to post several times a week.  

I am finding I love to use texture in my recent pieces.  Dry brushing paint over dimensional paper creates an interesting effect and works to draw the viewer toward the imagery.  My pieces really do resemble photography from afar so drawing people toward the image is important to reveal the Shadowplay of fabric values.

This piece is open to interpretation.  I realize as I create, I carry an undertone regarding human rights.  Some of these pieces, I'm sure, will be unsettling to the viewer as they contrast completely with my upbeat imagery.  My conflicting moods are showing....again.

I utilized many, many, many vintage advertisements to create the bricks underfoot.  The effect is a bit dizzying.