Janice

My latest art doll, "Janice," was created with photo printed fabric (from my Golden Maple shattered photo), yarns, sequins and a recycled paper pulp face.

She's a bit different from "Cherish" (my first art doll) who's a bit more serene-looking, and not just in the face. Janice will make her public debut at the Salt Fork River Art Festival at Sleepy Creek Vineyards in Fairmount, Illinois, September 24-25th. I also hope to have with me a few more art quilts, in addition to the matted prints, pendants and the framed layered photos.

To Boldly Go...

All my previous Word Pendants have had a short phrase either indirectly referring to the kaleidoscoped image (or the original photo) or inspired by it in some way. When I found the word "boldly" in one of the books I was recycling, the iconic phrase from Star Trek*, "to boldly go" popped into my head, and I decided to use it, and hunted up the other two words.

It's a good phrase anyway, so even if a Trek fan doesn't snatch it up, surely someone can appreciate the idea.

*The full phrase is (of course): "Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its 5-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before."

Layered Photos

These are some of the layered photos I did Sunday. Had intended to frame them up today, but health prevented it. :P Some of the ones I did I'm not happy with, and will redo. But for now, here's a little eye candy:

Blackberry Lily

Sun in the Trees

Canvas Rose

Coleus

Monstera Leaf

Rose After the Rain (w/ Diamond Glaze droplets)

Snowy Branches

Tigerlily

Trumpet Vine (w/ Diamond Glaze droplets)

Waterfall

White Rose

"Word" Pendants

My "word" pendants are made with small versions of the kaleidoscoped photos, plus an inch-square piece, made with a pieced background of pastel chalk and words clipped from recycled books. Each is unique.

These are part of what I've been up to for the "30 Days of Creativity" challenge.

Matted & Framed

Paper tole: 3D Zinnia, matted and framed. No idea how to price it, but at least it's done.

Paper Tole

Paper tole is not a new idea. I recall it had some popularity in the 1970s, and I remember having a Holly Hobbie plaque or two with this technique. Basically, take several copies of the same image, cut them so you have several pieces you can layer using foam tape or cardboard, etc., so your layers are raised up from one another.

I used what I hoped would be a simple enough image that it would be clear where my different layers were. Since I was just playing, to see if I could make it work, I printed my mandalas (4 of them) onto white cardstock.

I found some foam tape that I was able to cut into small pieces, and assemble, and I started with the smallest (highest when finished) piece first.

One of the mandalas yielded two different pieces: the hexagonal "ring" and the six-pointed central star.

I think it turned out well for something I more or less dashed together. Trying this with photo paper will be next.

Art Quilting?

I've got my photos in a gallery/gift shop, and I'm working on adding other, different things to my inventory. I'm making a small art quilt, using an iron-on transfer of one of the shattered photos, fat quarters, and some other stuff... some of that "stuff" yet to be determined, but one thing will be a nifty little art doll who will hold the haiku I wrote for the piece, stamped onto a copper tag. It's going to be awesome.
I hope.

Mostly, I'm looking at this new creative outlet combining my love of photos with mixed media. But there's also an element of exploration, expansion, experimentation, and excitement. I'm trying to get it done in time for the next "meet the artists" night - Friday, 5 days from now. I've several more planned (sorta) in my head, and I am hoping the process goes smoothly once I get the hang of what I'm doing. Trouble is, I don't know what I'm doing.

My sewing skills are pretty basic, and this is my second art quilt; the first I gave to a friend with love, and hope she enjoys it, simple as it is. I'm trying to let myself forget even spacing, parallel lines, and perfect symmetry, but it's not easy. I've been looking at what other artists are up to, but their vision isn't mine, so it's hard to find inspiration outside of the vague images in my head. I'll figure it out, or I'll get frustrated and quit. It's going pretty well so far, though, so I think I'm on the right track.

How I Spent 2/3 of Labor Day Weekend

Here are the dozen flags, all of them, on the bed. I finished those up Sunday morning.This is the logo flag - whatever other order I put them in, this one will be in the center of the string.
And here's how I finished up my Sunday, matting prints, 44 of them...
I'm not quite done. I still need to come up with something to put the cards in so they're neat and won't get banged up, and I still have the pendants to make... oh what a pain those will be! I could go to the festival right now, however, and still be fine. I have prints to sell, and that's the main thing. I have an eye-catching way to set off my booth (not finished, still working on the how if it) and I will have my books to sell as well. There's still plenty to accomplish before the end of the month, but I can relax a little bit now.

Procrastinating Creatively

I do not enjoy assembling the matted prints. It has to be done, but I don't have to like doing it. Because I am me and put things off until they can no longer be avoided, I have come up with many creative ways of avoiding things I don't want to do. This may be my best yet.

You know that foggy waking dreamstate you have before the alarm goes off, when you're not quite asleep, but you couldn't be called awake, either? This morning I had one of those awesome ideas that come in that in-between time. I could take men's handkerchiefs, make iron-on transfers of the kaleidoscoped photos, and make a string of "prayer flags" to hang from the tent/booth for the art festival -- eye-catching advertising that is also inexpensive. I went today and got the hankies and the transfer paper, and got to work. There were 13 hankies in the package but only 12 transfers (of course!), so I got 2 packages -- which also gave me insurance in case of a goof-up.

Here's the first one I did:
The hankies are considerably wider than the 8-inch print size my printer will do. It's good, but it needs something... not sure what exactly. I ruminated on this while I printed out the others.

Later, I realized what was needed was a border. Fortunately for me, the hankies have a design woven into them, making a nice-sized border and guidelines for where to paint. Here's one half-done:
Finished:
And a close-up of one corner. I coordinated the paint to the red in the photo. These may need a second coat of paint; the cotton-poly was pretty thirsty.

As I mentioned, there are 13 of these, 2 of them have my logo for Shattered Photos on them, though one of those is crooked and I don't think I could stand to look at it knowing that it's off. Haven't decided yet how to make a string of them, though I'm considering several things, but when finished, it will be more than 12 feet long, and the tent I'm borrowing is 10 feet square -- making my length of flags just about perfect for hanging across the front of it.

Once I finish painting all these (each one will have a different color-coordinated border), I'll be out of excuses (theoretically) and will have to start assembling the prints. Unless I decide to go shopping for the boxes I need to display the cards... hmm...

Why People Like Me Shouldn't Do Art Shows

Last fall, I visited a winery very near where I grew up, Sleepy Creek Vineyards. They were having their 1st Annual Salt Fork River Art Festival, and Mom, Melinda and I wandered among the artists exhibiting, and I tasted some wine (delish!). We were kinda scouting for Melinda, a bead artist, but I saw one of the photographer's works and knew I was better than she... minor daydreaming occurred, thinking about having a booth in the nebulous future, showing my own works. I signed up to get the email newsletter from the winery, some of which I barely read, and months pass.

Thursday, I get their newsletter, and something in this one catches my attention: Now calling all artists for the 2nd annual Salt Fork Art Festival that will be held here on Sept 26 - 27. I email the contact listed, and receive an e-flyer with more info. Immediately I start thinking and my brain slips into hyperdrive...

Hey, only $40 if I can come up with a tent (I think a friend of mine has one I can borrow, maybe). Crap, it's juried. Hey, will be down there this weekend anyway, I can take some of my stuff. Quickly firing off an email. Crap, they're busy with the harvest, oh! but he'll accept a website or e-files for the jurying. Quickly firing off another email with the link to Shattered Photos. Waiting, waiting for the reply, I'm in! My work looks "interesting" he says and should be a nice addition to the show. Go to class, friends are ridiculously supportive of this whole idea, and offer a tent I can use before I can even ask. [Friday morning] Crap! how much am I going to need to take with me? Get on the phone to bug Mom for advice. She doesn't know either. Artists are required to be there the whole time both days (total of 13 hours), how much can I possibly sell? What if I sell everything on the first day, then have nothing to show on Sunday? What if I invest a bundle, and no one buys anything? How many cards? Cards are inexpensive, people will buy those (order 100 more, and the poly bags to put them in). How many 5x7s? Uhhhh... Should I order 8x10s? Yes, but only a few - those get expensive. Looking at photos, looking at prints, making some more of the kaleidoscopes, uploading, ordering... scouring online for a coupon code. w00t! here's one for 20% off the order! Still haven't ordered the show kits [mats, backer board, poly bags all included]. The investment for the show is already adding up. Crap! where are the pieces-parts to make more of the pendants? Digging, rummaging, aHA! I can make these while I wait for the other stuff to show up - those cards take forever to assemble, what a PITA that will be. Gotta order the mats. Gotta pay for the space. Can I get an electric hookup (how much)? Yes, dunno cost. Need my netbook, can use it to keep track of sales and get names/addresses. Hey! I can use it to play a slideshow of the photos I used to make the kaleidoscopes! [pre-dawn Saturday] Brain clicks on: I can use my netbook to play music for me... Crap! what kinda music should I play? Funky mix of stuff I like? Nah, might turn people away... Classical? Nah, my stuff doesn't look like classical music... I know: bond! Yeah, that's it! It's classical, it's funky, it's perfect! OK, that solved, I can go back to sleep. Crap. No I can't.

So here I am, sharing where my brain has been for the last 65 hours or so. Sun's not even up yet... *sigh* Yes, I know I overthink everything. Yes, I know this doesn't have to be stressful (too late!). Yes, I know (sorta) that everything will be fine. But, but, but... it could be a disaster, it could rain, people could hate them, people could say they wished I brought my "real" photos, people could say "I could do this" snarkily under their breath, I could invest all this time and money and not make a dime... and this is why people like me shouldn't do art shows.

Holiday Cards!

Good grief, it's getting to be that time of year already... Because of a really good deal with a film-processing company, I made up some kaleidoscoped holiday cards. 

I don't think I'm going to attempt to get these on the website - too much work. I think I'll probably just make them available where I take my belly dance classes. I'm pretty happy with the results. These (and the other 4 designs) will be affixed to the beautiful Strathmore Photo Mount cards. It's labor-intensive, but the results are really wonderful.

Limited Edition Prints at Etsy!

I finally got them up: 8 limited edition prints, all of them #1 of 10, matted, signed and numbered. Shattered Photos at Etsy is LIVE! Huzzah!

Half the money I earn from the sale of those prints will go to Autism Speaks.

Bachelor button

Almost a Commercial Venture

Well, I suppose it's a commercial venture already, because I have sold a few cards already. Now, however, I have the right size bags, and the nicer cards, and the matted prints. I will work on the pendants tomorrow and get them done. I have a website, I have inventory, and I have a primo opportunity this weekend in the form of a good friend who has offered to set up that inventory when she vends at a good-sized event this weekend, up in Wisconsin - the Northern Lights Bellydance Festival (wish I was going...).

So I'm getting Shattered Photos off the ground, and will soon have the things I ordered for the Etsy for Autism and get those listed. The response from friends has been enthusiastically positive. I'm guardedly optimistic. We will see. If things go well this weekend, I'll have a much better idea of the commercial viability of this whole thing.