I'm moving...

It has been an eventful year and in anticipation of things to come, I am now blogging here.  

Lovers Lost

"Though lovers be lost love shall not."
                             - Dylan Thomas

My newest piece is a tribute to lost loves.  I have been contemplating the twists and turns life takes and the loves left behind.  This year has marked the passing of many loved ones and although they may be physically gone, the love lives on.

Like many artists, I enjoy the story telling art allows.  This process can be very cathartic as the collage materials that accompany my pieces are very carefully chosen.  This contemplation can bring out feelings that were buried and although the viewer may not know the entire back story of any piece, I hope my work elicits an emotional response.

 While the main image may initially grab your attention, my hope is that the selected collage imagery will give rise to further reflection.   For me, the collage process can take almost as long as the creation of the subject.

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monday, monday

I am finally back on track and excited about my newest pieces.  The above piece is entitled Gypsy.  As you can see, I have included tarot card images from a 1918 book.  Often I will use vintage pages pulled from tattered and time worn books, but this first edition was in such wonderful condition that I didn't have the heart take my exacto-knife to it.  I photocopied the images onto vintage dictionary pages instead.  I still haven't signed this one as I feel perhaps some additional embellishment is in order.  Soon.

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I do have quite a horde of vintage ephemera to choose from and recently found this sweet vintage piece to help me stay organized.

I also snagged this vintage purse.  I love the beading and look forward to carrying it with me on my next dinner date with Arturo.  We do try to make a weekly date night.  It is one of the secrets to maintaining a good relationship.  You cannot forget the romance!

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I was pleasantly surprised by the double yolker I cracked open this morning for breakfast.  I take this as an positive sign for the week ahead.  I plan on working double time in the next month or two to prepare for my second show.  I will post details as the date approaches.  Hi Ho!

a week in autumn

Introducing Grover Hayes!  I completed him this week and he is ready for my upcoming solo show.  Mr. Hayes was a featherweight boxer in the early 1900's and although he was small in stature, he was a force to be reckoned with, hence his nickname "The Battler."  He is the newest addition to my sports figures series.

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In other news, the little jester spent several days with me this week.  He participated in a Halloween Parade as his favorite character, Pooh bear and even ran into his friend Tigger...

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As the days shorten and the air chills, we enjoy the antics of our feathered friends.  Below is an image of one of the robins testing the maturity of the tiny crabapples just outside my kitchen window...

Not yet, little one!  You must wait until they ripen and turn red.  Come back for a delicious mid-winter snack.

anna's dance

Above is my piece entitled Anna's Dance, an image of Anna Pavlova, engaged in her Dying Swan pose.  I have to say I love this piece.  As I mentioned in my previous post, she was donated to a charity auction at the Starry Starry Night Gala to benefit the Future's Foundation.

Above is the second swan image in a very similar collage.  I wanted to create this piece in order to include her in my upcoming show.  The quotation is reported to be the last words Anna Pavlova spoke before she left this world and I feel it fits well with the subject.  I am still in the process of finishing this piece and will most likely tone down the quotations.  I have been playing a little with embossing this time around and have many new ideas to bring to the table.  

two swans in process

To follow, without halt, one aim: that's the secret of success. 

- Anna Pavlova

I am in the process of creating two new pieces.  One will be donated for a silent auction for the Futures Foundation, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of people with disabilities.  My dear aunt Carla, who passed away earlier this year, was never happier than when she was attending one of the many dances they hosted.

The second piece will be  part of my next solo show which is slated to begin December 1, 2011 at Lennon Photo in newly revamped downtown Lake Orion.

While both swans are nearly identical aside from the colors, the backgrounds will be unique to each piece.  The original photo is of Anna Pavlova.  Below are close shots of some of the ephemera...

The music score is from what I believe to be a student's hand written note book.  I found this treasure at a open air flea market in Sienna, Italy.  The paper looks to be quite old and is thick with wonderful deckled edges.  

This page is from an old Italian religious book dated 1764.  Frankly, it is in such terrible shape that I have absolutely no regret about using it in my collages.  The pages have a high linen content and are almost impossible to tear.  I love to use various types of papers in my collages as they take paint differently and add interesting texture.

I will be finishing these pieces by week's end and will post the finished work.  

In other news, the above piece entitled Idol Love received an honorable mention at the Orion Art Center Portraits & Pottery Show.  I am delighted,  as the artwork submitted by the members of my community was impressive.  

idol love

Mixed messages are often a component of my pieces.  I find the concept of celebrity an interesting phenomenon.  In this piece, entitled Idol, I have included various ephemera that, to me, illustrates the impermanence of fame.

My pieces, when viewed from afar, look to be almost photographic.  By the addition of printed material, I attempt to draw the viewer closer to evoke contemplation.  I believe this is the piece that I will enter into the Orion Art Center's Portrait and Pottery Exhibit opening October 10, 2011.

In other news, I am planning another one woman show in December.  Details to follow.

Have a great weekend.     - Laura