She's an Open Book

Not only is she an open book but she got

mentioned...honorably!

The guild where I paint had decided to have a self-portrait show.  I had a

previously done one under the bed so I decided just for fun to try

and execute an idea I had been toying around with for a while in my head.

I wanted to make a book-like painting.

A painting that was acceptable on the surface but then opened to

several more possibilities.

So this is the result.

I've been working in black and white for a bit so I kept with the theme (and

those who know me well know that adding a little red reveals my interior and

wardrobe colors!)

I used two deep cradled wooden panels and gessoed them well before painting.

The insides were a bit of this and that collage, after all this was just an

experiment.  After adding two hinges ( harder than it sounds) and an

appropriate lock (a real brain teaser) here is what I had.

The left side, below, represents my first 50 years of life: yep, a bit of a loud

mouth, an organizer, someone who wanted to lead.

And the right side of course symbolizes the next fifty years: much more of a

seeker, a follower, trudging uphill and enjoying the adventure of it all.

Well, I had no illusions of a prize with such an irreverent piece but I was tickled that

the judge insisted on awarding an honorable mention as he

found it too creative to ignore.

With that bit of encouragement I have additional more art books on the drawing board...and

this time I will have the kinks all worked out.

p.s. everyone should do a self-portrait, it really makes you think about

yourself and the image you project versus what you wish you

projected....hmmmmm

need I say: this piece is NFS!!

From Britian to Brevard: Altered Books

 An old, small book of Keat's poetry came to me from Britian before Christmas via artist Paula Steere.

Paula was organizing "From Britian to Brevard: Altered Books" and I had agreed to

participate.  I have never done such a project and was at first overwhelmed with

the variety of information and a ton of ideas.  Then reality sunk in and

I realized I had to narrow my options or I would never make the deadline.

Book alteration is definitely an engineering feat - so much more has to be considered when

you are working with many pages, all potential pieces of art, all stuck together in a

definitive binding and already possessed of subject matter.

It was a very time consuming project but one I enjoyed.  A week from tonight, Tuesday, March 6 at 6:30 pm, the Satellite Beach Library will host the read and review party for the public. Please

consider yourself invited.

 After that the 15 (+/-) creations will be on display in a library case

before they find other venues.

I was really inspired to see what the other artists all came up with....such a great

variety and so many approaches to the same project.

While these books came from a project center in Britain, it seems these days that public

libraries have a lot of discards that are free for the asking.  Wouldn't

this concept make a great project for kids of all ages?  One inspiring artist

chronicled all of the states she had lived in using maps, envelopes with photos,

souvenirs and the like...gorgeous. And it would

be fun to make a journal or storybook out of one as well.

Just sharing an idea and hoping you will be moved to "rescue" a book sometime.