Art Journal in Blue ...

I've wrapped up my latest contribution to the art journal round robin. The theme the originating artist chose was 'Blue' and, I quickly realized, I don't typically gravitate toward blue hues. The note from the originating artist asked, 'What does blue mean to you?' I wasn't quite sure but found as I worked that I had a sense of Americana when I thought of blue ...

The entire time I was working on this journal, I was listening to Liz McGrath & Morgan Slade's band, Miss Derringer ... that could have had something to do with it.

I alternated between Miss Derringer's first album, from 2004, 'King James, Crown Royal and a Colt 45' and ...






Miss Derringer's second album, released in 2006, 'Lullabies.' The cover features some of Liz McGrath's artwork.

(Be sure to check out Miss Derringer's site and Liz McGrath's site)



So, with Miss Derringer in heavy rotation, I spent the last 3 days working on the journal. Here's the result ...



I created a bit of a journal within a journal so this was the 'cover' ...


And this is from the back. Inside the pocket are tucked scented fabric rose petals and a 'sachet' of pipe tobacco. Every journal in the round robin is supposed to incorporate 4 of the 5 senses so sniff away ...


But the heart of the journal was the spread. The stars of the journal are my Grandma Rose (featured with her sisters, Gram is the 3rd from the left) ...


And, my dad, Arvis, born in 1931 in Muskogee, Oklahoma ... he was probably about 6-years-old when this photo was taken.


I didn't want to do too much so tried to focus on just a few details ... all aged with washes of paint. Grandma Rose was quite the seamstress ...




Dad hustled pool for a living in his younger days and was in the Insulators Union. He enjoyed a good game ...



With as crazy busy as this year has been, I was amazed how time slowed down as I worked on this journal. Maybe it was the reptition of colors, the focus on trying to keep things simple, the repeating soundtrack ... either way, I found blue to bring a bit of calm.

But What Blue?

Working on another art journal for the round robin. This time, the artist has chosen the theme 'Blue' ... blue, great, I can do anything. But when I started to work on it I realized I was a bit stumped. Turns out I don't use blue much ... and while it wasn't a requirement to use the color, I was also a bit stumped on what blue means to me. Should I feature the Blues, blue bayou, the big blue ocean ...?)

So, finally, without a solid concept, I had to just jump in. First thing, get rid of the white page. Opted for some Payne's Grey for my first wash of 'blue' ...


Next up, for another page, a second wash of Pyrrole Orange (just can't go blue alone)


Still playing a bit ... but I think an idea of 'Blue' is starting to form ... the images here are of my dad when he was about 6 years old.


Long weekend coming up and that means time to work on the journal some more ...

Diptych ATCs ...

I was reading the Spring issue of Artful Blogging recently and one of the blogs featured was Think Monday - Think ATCs, a blog featuring weekly ATC challenges. Here are the ATCs I made for this week's challenge: Diptych.


"Change is to give up what we are to become what we could be" ...

"It's the little things that matter" ...

The image is an old family photo ...

Gettin' Ready to Create ...

I'm off to Artfest tomorrow. Once again, the time between registration in September and my flight to Seattle raced by and I find I'm completely unprepared. I had grand visions of creating something for the gallery, finishing lots of inchies, charms and other goodies to swap, and finding the perfect art elements for my class projects. As it is, I'll be lucky to finish a few keyhole charms for my housemates. After a final run to Home Depot on Sunday, I now have all the tools required ... still have to pack tonight.

As hectic as things have been, so looking forward to 3 days of art classes and no discussion of computers, technologies, strategies, dependencies and all the other joy that comes with the day job. This year, I'll be taking 2 classes with Linda & Opie O'Brien (Who's Your DADA and Flat to Stacked) and a class with The Ashmans (Necklace Journal) ... it's all about metal this year.

Catching Up ...Moving Forward ...

I had good intentions of multiple posts about the Oaxaca trip ... tho' was too busy experiencing Oaxaca to post while there and various negative events occupied my brain and energy once I returned so focus was on getting to the holidays and saying good-bye to 2007.

One thing I realized after meeting all the great artists who attended the workshop in Oaxaca - and something that I'm carrying with me into the new year -- is that I'm not the only one workin' a day job. Ok, sure, this may seem obvious to the rest of you - but it was a pleasant reminder to me. It is indeed possible to work and still create. That said, focus for the new year is on making the necessary changes and finding the right balance so I can spend more time and energy in creative environments and creating my own things ... whatever those may be.

So, here's to 2008. On the list, put the final touches on the piece I started in Oaxaca ... just looking for the right word.

Oaxaca Tales ...

It's been a week since I returned home from Oaxaca. Sure, I thought maybe I'd blog while in Mexico but, once I arrived, the experiences trumped all else and the thought of typing blog posts vanished. So, I'll try to capture some of the memories in written form over the next few days.

Traveling to Oaxaca



SJC: I started the journey with an 8pm shuttle flight from San Jose to LAX on Thursday so that I could catch the LAX redeye and, ultimately get in to Oaxaca first thing Friday morning.

LAX: Sitting in the deli bar at the International Terminal at LAX outside gate 121, '70s radio lending to the flashback feel - KC & the Sunshine Band's 'Boogie Man' playing while I take in a cheese pizza for my 11pm dinner. I met some other Oaxaca-bound artists, Syd & Sue, at the gate. As we chatted, Syd remembered my radio piece Stephanie Lee's Plaster Architecture class at Artfest this year. Felt nice to have a piece remembered.

MEXICO CITY: Now I remember how much I hate flying through Mexico City. It's always chaotic. This time, thanks to misdirection through immigration, instead of simply turning around and re-boarding our flight to Oaxaca, Syd, Sue & I ended up in the main terminal. A porter offered to help us with our bags and lead us to the domestic boarding area. Unfortunately, we no longer had full boarding passes - just the stubs from our original flight (same flight number continued to Oaxaca). 90 minutes later, passports flying, new boarding passes in hand and multiple trips running back and forth to find a security gate that would let us through, we arrived at our gate at the exact departure time. The one woman remaining at the gate shook her head, no. Our porter started talking quickly, sweaty and out of breath from carting our bags back-and-forth. The woman got on the radio, asked for our papers, and I happily paid the porter in $US dollars as we boarded the plane. He earned it. We would have definitely missed the flight had it not been for him.

OAXACA: Arrived at 8:00 am on Friday morning. Let the relaxation begin ...

The Journal Challenge ...

Journal number two arrived and had me stumped for ideas. Each direction I started to go didn't seem to lead anywhere so I just kept pushing through. Now, I'm late for the deadline to mail the journal to the next artist but I think I'm calling this done.

Blank pages are always a challenge. So many possibilitites. This time it was even more challenging as it was the first time I was working in someone elses book. I want to do right by the artist & owner of the journal ... ack, the pressure.


I thought about using some texture. I have this wonderful vintage Japanese grass cloth that my neighbor gave to me and have been looking for the right project to use it ...


Finally couldn't take the blank page so hit it with a wash of color. I had to start somewhere ...


I had a picture in my mind of yellows and geens conjuring up a '60s feel but after the color wash and playing with the grass cloth I hit a mental block (again). So, time to push on to something else ... words. Found these in a 1951 Beauty magazine ...


Once again, a bit challenged as to where to go next. I added a bit of turquoise glitter to the edges for color and for texture ...


Finally decided to key off of the 'Stag Line' and 'Pretty Foot' text and, thinking of the journals theme, thought of old friends coming together because of their common love for something ... in this case old ladied lovin' to put on their dancin' shoes. Welcome to Aunt Helen and her friends ...


Some 'journaling' of sorts came next ...

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one."
- c.s. lewis

This is nowhere close to the journal spread image I had in my head when I started but just went with it. I feel like maybe the page still needs something but I don't know what and since I tend to do a bit too much at times plus it's past due to go to the next artist and the next journal has arrived ... I think I'm calling it done.

Come Together or Later ...

Went to see "Come Together" - the artwork of John Lennon - last night with my good friend & fellow Beatle junkie. Afterward, we went to the Long Life Noodle House for dinner where I was treated to this in my fortune cookie:

COME BACK LATER ... I AM SLEEPING.
(YES, COOKIES NEED THEIR SLEEP, TOO)

Either the fortune cookie masters are trying to appeal to my sense of humor or this is a way of telling me I should get some rest.

Artfest 2008!

I'm in! My Artfest 2008 confirmation packet arrived yesterday and it looks like this time it's all about metal ... tin, copper, various bits of wire ...

On Thursday, I'll be taking Who's Your Dada with Linda & Opie O'Brien and on Friday I get to see the O'Briens again for Flat to Stacked. I've been wanting to take one of their classes for awhile and bought their book Metal Craft Discovery Workshop at Artfest earlier this year. So now I get to look forward to not one but two Linda & Opie classes.

Saturday, it's a Necklace Journal class with Tom & Ramona Ashman. (Tom Ashman made a great goat head in Liz McGrath's Mounted Monsters class in 2006 ... same class where I made The Bartender.) Of course, this means packing a drill in my suitcase but, hey, if I can cart around rusty nails and a bowling pin, a drill should be no problem.

Maybe this year I'll actually make something for the Artfest gallery ...

Secrets Revealed ...

When the 'straight job' takes over and there doesn't seem to be enough time (or energy, or brain power, or whatever) to create, I make sure I'm at least reading a good book.

The latest? Totally hooked on 'The Secrets of Rusty Things' by Michael deMeng.

I pre-ordered a copy (sight unseen) after taking a class from Michael at Artfest earlier this year ... so worth the wait!

I've always been a fan of mythology. When I was a kid, and it was time for our class to visit the school library, while the other kids went for the latest on sports or ponies, I went for books on mythology (Greek, Roman, Norse ... whatever I could get my hands on) or books on the Beatles (but that's a different post). So, imagine my joy to get a book full of insight into using found objects to create cool things inspired by various myths and legends. Not to mention the fact that the artist has a great sense of humor and it surfaces in his writing (ah, pop culture references, thank you very much)

It's late, I have work tomorrow ... time to go read more secrets ...

(you can also find 'secrets' on amazon ... but you won't get the extra cool goodies you'll get when ordering from The Artist Nook)

Bring On the Altered Curiosities!

Last year, I was lucky enough to take a 'Tainted Toys' class from Jane Wynn at Artfest. So imagine my joy today to see that her first book, 'Altered Curiosities: Assemblage Techniques & Projects' is being published ... and available for pre-order! Already ordered my copy, of course.

My 'tainted toy' from Jane's class, Artfest 2006 ...