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.

*****

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.

*****

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!

*****

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!

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

A quick note

I wanted to take a moment to share one of my newest pieces before I get down to work for the day.  This piece was inspired by my trip to the Uffizi Museum in Florence.  The Catholic girl in me was drawn to the beautiful religious artwork and I decided to attempt to reproduce this image taken from Agnolo Bronzino's Madonna & Child.  It was fun to recreate a figure from a painting and I may work on more of these images in the future.

Viewpoints

I wanted to take a moment to elaborate on my piece entitled Larry's girl.  While it was created as a memorial piece for a friend, the message in the piece is also important.  This piece was created as a remonstration on the persecution of individuals who choose a path that differs from the society in which they live.  This particular piece references religion.  The veiled image is self explanatory and was chosen as a religious representation.  Closer inspection will reveal images chosen to rebuke individuals and government who attempt to snatch religious freedom from the individual.  In naming this for my friend, I am also making a statement regarding the way Larry, who was an unconventional individual was, therefore, unfairly judged, and often felt ostracized by society.  Many of my pieces represent my respect for the individual who stays his course regardless of public criticism.

This piece follows along the same line.  I believe nearly every individual has experienced some form of oppression.  We also, unfortunately, are capable of assuming the role of oppressor.  It is my hope that the viewer will relate to the duality of the human experience.

This piece speaks for itself.  The pavers were created from vintage food advertisements.  Click on the images for a closer view.

exhibition news

(My newest piece)

I am still floating on air after my first solo-show at ArtCapsule Gallery in Oxford.  The night could not have gone better.  I received a ton of positive feedback regarding my pieces and this feedback was bolstered by a good number of sales.  Many of my original pieces sold on Friday night as well as several of my Artist Proofs.  This show will run through July 28th and I hope others will check it out.  I welcome all comments and questions.  Feel free to post them on my blog.   For now here are a few pics.  

My dad & mom attended 

(Smile mom!)

Susanne & I

(Can you tell we're sisters?)

Going in for a closer look.

Robb, the owner of ArtCapsule,  had my piece entitled Willa enlarged for the front window and as a special touch provided a pen for patrons to express themselves.  

To read more about this event and for more pics. visit the gallery's blog,  where Vickie has recorded the highlights of the evening.  

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. 

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.

Who's naughty?

This piece is nearing it's completion.  I feel she still needs a little tweaking but I have a few ideas up my sleeve.  I do like the quote and feel it fits in nicely with the piece.  


I do have some exciting news to share soon, but I am not at liberty to spill the beans just yet.  

recreating my dream

I have vivid dreams and I almost always remember them.  I will not trouble you with the details of my latest - I have been on the receiving end of a dream story and it is almost never possible to relate the emotion of a dream experience to another.  I, however, was so very impacted by the imagery in this dream that I took it to a digital level.  Below is the image - straight from inside my head.

On another note, I am still working diligently and daily on a new high-impact piece.  It is a slow process but I hope it will be worth the wait.  I have decided to post another piece that has not been previously posted to the blog although it is on my artwork page.  

I do so enjoy finding unique pictures to incorporate into my Shadowplay pieces.  I have recently been mixing characters from several sources to create my pieces but the above piece was recreated from a vintage shower scene and to me embraces the parallels in us as well as our individuality.  

I have not been very attentive to this blog of late.  I have, unfortunately, been nursing a rotator cuff injury that has put a crimp in my artistic endeavors.  Physical Therapy starts tomorrow.  But, I now know which of my pieces has been juried into the Michigan Fine Arts Competition.  The opening artist reception and awards ceremony will be at the BBAC (Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center) on April 1, 2011 (hopefully this falling on April Fool's Day is not a bad omen).  I look forward to attending.

I am S L O W L Y finishing another provocative piece that will (hopefully) speak for itself.  I hope to finish it this week and present it soon.

On a Lighter Note

The tenor of my art changes frequently.  After I create one of my fiery pieces, I often feel the burden lift and change gears to create something more amusing.  I have finished the subject for my next piece and am nearly done perfecting her stage.  

I only use original vintage postcards, copyright free pages from well loved books (they are often falling apart as I cannot bring myself to savage a usable volume) as well as pre-1925 ephemera taken from old publications.

I have also been playing with hard molding paste which is what I embellished this bottle with.  It is difficult to see in the above pic but it brings an opaque sheen to the bottle, giving it an interesting appearance. 


I will finish this piece this weekend and post it soon.

Fighting the Winter Doldrums

I'll admit it.  I have been suffering from a sense of stagnation when it comes to accomplishing my artistic goals during this long, cold, seemingly-endless winter here in Michigan.  But then I am reminded that things could always be worse...

I have managed to nearly complete my most recent project entitled Legacy.  This is my most challenging project thus far.  I made the paper used for the smoke and clouds in the upper portion and painstakingly applied layer after layer until I was satisfied.  I know, it's rather depressing, but it fairly reflects my present state of mind.