Found object jewelry

Yes, I forgot my digital camera today. I will post more picts after other people have scanned them and sent them to me. These are the ones that I have done. They are mostly found objects. I cheated a little. The one on top is the finished one - bottom was prelim was. The second one is for a friend. She loves asian stuff. The third one is a bracelet I made with mostly keys. The fourth one is done with black rubber cord and wire. The bottom one was posted before. This is the prelim one - not done yet.

Worm Food

This is a piece that I just did last night. I started out wanting to alter the visible man figure but ended up doing a piece more on texture. The top texture was done with Golden acrylics and fluid acrylics with hot glue and salt. The middle section consists of handmade papers and some book text. The bottom half was done with natural beeswax, Golden's Coarse Pumice Gel, beads, white gesso, and brown shoe polish. I needed something in the middle because it looked kind of stark there. So, I used the fork that I used for spreading the pumice gel as contrast.

Collage RR background using Golden Acrylic Paints

Okay, I did mine a little differently than most people because I am involved in 9 rounds total. 8 of them are using 1/2 sheets of 22x30 cold pressed watercolor paper 140#. The last swap is private and I am using a full sheet. BJ and I are art buddies that see each other for monthly Mixed-Media Artists meetings. We swap sheets when we see each other. I did 1/2 sheets with the rest of the group so that it would be less intimidating and easier to mail. Since I had to do 8 half sheets, I did them all at once. I put out a long tarp in my art loft. I took a jar of iridescent gold paint that only was 1/4 full. I added in some nickel azo gold, interference oxide green, and a few blue shades. I mixed it up in the jar and slathered it on. I like to use iridescent gold as a base (sometimes mixed with other colors) because I like the bright sheen it adds to my work. Parts of the background will pop out more as more work is done to the sheets. Anyway, I just added in different shades of greens, blues, yellows, reds, oxides, interference colors each time until I got a color I liked. I just kept adding the Golden acrylics in the tube and the fluid acrylics. You can see the iridescent gold shimmering through in each pict. This was a very fun mixiong experiment for me. I figured that a lot of the backgrounds would be covered up anyway since each sheet would be in so many different hands. I will scan the one I did for my private swap with BJ and with the first one received from one of the regular rounds of the RR.

Collage RR backgrounds using Golden Acrylic Paints

Feeling my age

I finally had to suck it up and start wearing reading glasses. I am only 42 but my eyes are getting older. I wear contacts and am very near sighted. I am actually legally blind without corrective lenses. They do not have laser surgery for my degree of nearsightedness yet. It is alos not a cheap procedure and not covered by insurance. I guess all those years of reading all the time and especially in dim light has taken its toll on my eyes. Staring at a computer for hours on end does not help either. It is also genetics. Chinese people are notoriously near sighted. Makes our almond eyes look more squinty. I am not looking forward to the day when I will need bifocals. Maybe science will have advanced so much by that time that I would not need them at all. I count my blessings and know that this is one of my lesser chronic issues. Wearing reading glasses makes me look a little bit older and more like a granny. Maybe being humbled once in awhile is a good thing for me.

Many Faces of Jonathan Talbot - Layers

I did this for a challenge for the Midwest Collage Society and decided to turn it into a postcard to send to Jonathan Talbot. Do we not all have many layers and different textures? Do we not want to reach out and touch those layers and feel the textures? Are some of them hidden? Do some of them not want to come out? What happens when they do? Is it those layers and textures within ourselves that prevent us from accomplishing what we want to do? Do those layers fold back in when we desire something but are afraid to reach out and grab it? Do the textures allow us to reach out and take hold? There are many books and cards and other stuff out there aimed at finding our different selves within us. I really wonder though if I really want to know who they are. Do you really want to know what is there if you peeled back the layers?

Back to the postcard, I thought of Jonathan right away when I did this for the challenge. He had a lot of layers that he peeled back and exposed during his workshop.

Altered Cabinet Card postcards

It seems to be all the rage now since it appeared in Cloth Paper Scissors. I had some after doing a project with one of my homebound art friends. I figured I might as well put them to good use. Of course, I put my own spin on it - Zetti style.

Many Faces of Jonathan Talbot - Cornell Self

Here is my latest series in my mail art to him. I thought of this after the workshop. He told us so much about himself that I thought it would be great to turn it into a mailart series. During the workshop, he told us about when he first starting selling his artwork. Many of his pieces were inspired by Joseph Cornell. I am a Joseph Cornell fan myself. I used one of those fake frames from a scrapbook store I was in while buying some cardstock. The background license plates are from a sheet that I am using to make faux license plates with copper tape for my found object jewelry. I have to fudge a bit since license plates don't come that small. All the images were from things I had laying around. Check back periodically and I will have more added to the series.

Found object necklace

Okay, so I fudged a little bit. I love the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" little Japanese girls. Most of the other objects are found objects. I put together different pieces of chain that I had left over from various things that I no longer wear. You can also go to somewhere like Hobby Lobby or Michaels and get a chain for about $2-3. I used different jump rings to attach the objects to the chain. I used a Dremel to cut the folding rulers into small pieces and for drilling the hole into the ruler piece. A Dremel is an artist's friend. I don't know how many times I have used it for when I do assemblage. Just be careful because it is a tool that can do a lot of damage to your body if not used correctly. If you are going to do this, then make sure you try it on often to see if you like the placement of your objects. Do not put the objects too high up on either side. I took the wheels and the axles off of the little cars before drilling a hole and attaching. Oh, the patina on the metal objects. Some of them looked too new, so I put them in some salt and vinegar potato chips. If you love metals like I do, then you should take a look at Linda and Opie O'Brien's new book, Metal Craft Discover Workshop...I got the salt and vinegar potato chip thing from them. I sanded the little metal pieces. I then crunched up a bag of salt and potato chips. I put the metal in a salt water solution and then put the metal in a plastic bowl. Cover the metal with the chips. Mist well with water, cover, and let sit for several days. You get the best patina and aging without having to leave it outside or running it over with a car (one of my friends does that). The metal rings and washers looked brand new before I put them in the chip thingie. You may want to do it in small batches because picking out the chips was kind of a pain in my butt. Make sure you rinse it well to get the salt and chips off of the pieces. If you are allergic to mold like I am, then you will also want to make sure you scrub off any mold that might be on the metal due to the moldy, wet chips. I am actually very happy with this piece. Now I will have to make another one for a friend who is an asian fan. After that will be the companion bracelet to this necklace...maybe.

Recognition Self

I got this idea while sitting down and waiting of my allergist. I wrote down all the things I learned about Jonathan Talbot during the 2 day workshop. I wrote down what he told us and things that we did. I was amazed at how much information I had actually retained. I thought that I would send him some mail art in response to what he told us about himself. I thought this would be a really fun project for me because I love doing mail art. I found out that he did, too.

Sometime during the second day, he told us a story about how he started getting depressed on the road. It was about how he worried that he would not be a world renowned artist while still alive. So, he polled some people to name some famous living artist. We all laughed when people named Thomas Kinkade. So, when I saw this piet, I thought instantly of him.

Sad

I was deeply saddened this last Thursday and Friday. I was so affected by what happened that for the first time in 3 years of teaching - I did not want to be a teacher anymore. I have never felt that way before. I have had my share of behavior students. I have never had such a bad problem with stealing before. I had arranged a yo-yo assembly as a drug-free activity. I was supposed to sell yo-yos all last week as a follow-up to the assembly. I found 2 of them missing on Thursday. It had to have been one or more of my students. I searched everywhere and could not find them. I find out on Friday that there was at least 2 separate stealing incidences in my room. I was so saddened that one or more students could steal from me after being in our classroom for so long. We have been together for 8 months now. I spend more time with them than with my real kids. I think I provide an educationally challenging environment. We do many interesting, educational, yet fun activities. I do a monthly movie and snack. I guess it was not enough. Is it a case of more, more, more? It was the first time that I felt such despair. This led me to create this piece. As soon as I saw this pict, I knew that this was how I felt. No matter what I said or did, it would not stop them from doing whatever they wanted. It did not matter what I could have said or done, their characters allowed them to do such a thing. I felt betrayed and deeply saddened. It will be business as usual tomorrow. We are starting on a new writing project. Only this time, I will be more leery and keeping an eye on things more. I should not have to do that. I want to go back to being naive.

More on Jonathan Talbot...and me

At first, I was going back and forth about even taking this workshop. I had recently completed an all day workshop with Laura Lein-Svencner. She did a great job showing me the technique that Jonathan uses on his collages. I learned quite a bit from her and it reconfirmed my desire to pursue collage and assemblage. I decided that it was an opportunity that I could not pass up. I always learn something at every workshop I go to. This was by far the most different workshop I had ever attended. I finally figured out that it was because Jonathan teaches to the students that want to do the more fine (higher-end) art. There is nothing wrong with ABs, ATCs, fat books, etc...but you would not take Jonathan Talbot for that. His whole approach was different. I have never met a person with so many layers. He revealed so many of them in the two days we were together for the workshop. He gave me this art project idea that I can't get out of my head. I keep coming back to it. I am going to pursue it. You will see the ongoing results in future blog entries. I think that you should take Jonathan's workshop if you are serious about being a collage artist. I don't think that you necessarily have to use his technique with polymer medium and tack iron. I think that you will come away with a commitment to do more with your art. I know that I have.

I have been vascillating between doing collage/assemblage and continuing with fat books, ATCs, etc...After taking the workshop, I have decided that it is time to move onto the next phase in my art journey and leave the fat books and ATCs behind. I am not saying that I am never going to do them again. I will. I am grateful for all the friends and support I have gotten through the groups and the projects. I am just going to leave them behind as a primary focus. I was getting tired of doing them anyway. I am going to finish off all my current projects and focus on collage and assemblage. I really enjoy doing book shrines and will continue to do that. I will continue to explore my "outsider art" side through collage and assemblage. I am going to try and exhibit more. I have cut down on my Yahoo groups. I am only going to be active in a few of them. I am going to try and get my online business up and running.

I have to tell you that it is not a common thing for me to be so reflective after a workshop. I usually just have fun at workshops, learn a technique or two, and have some "me" time. After Laura's and Jonathan's workshops, I refocused my direction. I feel more centered in what I want to accomplish with my art. Now with the school year almost over (the next couple of months will fly by). I am going to spend my time trying to get some pieces done for an exhibit this fall. I will never give up teaching and sharing online completely. It is in my blood. I am actually more in my groove teaching when I am groovin' in my art.

Back to Jonathan Talbot. He was a very introspective person. You will not be rushed along to the next thing. He will work with you to reach your expectations. The pacing is slower in this workshop than in others I have attended. He supplies top shelf supplies and is not skimpy on anything. He is a great hostess. He provided us with some great snacks. I don't know about the others but I got a lot out of this workshop. I learned quite a bit about technique and about collage. I have no intentions of turning his style into mine. I do want to take what he has given me and turn it into my own by adapting it with what I enjoy doing. I loved that he used quite a bit of Joseph Cornell in his early works. I love that Joseph Cornell used so many found objects in his pieces. The best part of the workshop was when I was kicking out mini collages one after another. I do my best work when I just do it instead of overthinking it.

I do recommend the transfer paper that he sells through his site. The paper is great for transfers and the cloudy film from the paper is much less than with regular paper used for laser copies. I need to get a toner copier for transfers. One more thing to save up for, eh?

Okay, I am done for now. I need to go and get a cup of tea.

Jonathan Talbot Workshop

I need to do this before I forget the details. I was at the allergist's office on Tuesday after school waiting to see the doctor. I took that time and wrote down little notes for myself about what happened and what he talked about. I was amazed how much I learned about him in two days. His demeanor and his personality is so different from other artists and their workshops. I wondered if it is because his day job is being an artist. So many of us have day jobs which are a departure from art. I would like my only day job to be an artist one day.

Jonthan was very generous with the supplies. He also brought things to be sold that he uses in his workshops. He is efficient in the sense that he has everything needed and ready for the workshop. Do not expect him to be one to hurry you along to the next thing. He was also very flexible on time on the first day. He was a great hostess. He brought us snackies for breakfast and for during the day on both days. He also takes power naps to refresh himself while we are busy completing a project.

The first day started out a little slowly for me. He spent a lot of time getting to know our names and to find out what we wanted to get out of the workshop. We started out working on mat board and created collages using polymer medium and a tack iron. Putting the polymer medium on was kinda messy work. Some also did transfers. Polymer medium and heat is a great way to do transfers. I really recommend getting his acrylic image transfer paper. The back of the paper comes off easily and there is way less residue than with other kinds of paper. I did one serendipity collage where I will cut it into smaller pieces. Jonathan was nice enough to cut small mat windows out for me. I will scan that and put that on when I am ready to cut it into smaller pieces. Some people stayed very late that evening. I went home pretty early since I had not seen the kids all day. Cindy and I were pretty tired, too. I had been sick the night before and was still feeling pretty bad throughout the day.

The second day started out kind of rushed. I woke up feeling much more human. I got up at 6 am feeling like I had all the time in the world. I sat down to check my e-mail and saw that it was 7 am. I forgot about the time change! I ran around and got ready. I called Cindy and then rushed out the door. We finished up the collages from the first day and then did mini collages on watercolor paper. Instead of it being just collage, we used paint and other elements. I did mine with "line" in mind since I was doing a line exercise in Collage Explorations this week. In between, we did a composition exercise. I also brought in my mail art collection so other people could see what mail art was.

Out of the two days, I enjoyed the second day more. I like the mini collages more because I can do them quickly and without too much thought. I like to start several at once and see where it takes me. I found out how much I like the gold foil. It really adds to the finished product. I went a little nuts with it in one of my collages. I think that I will have to cut that down.

Was it worth it? Definitely. I had taken a similar workshop last month learning this collage technique last month at Artful Gatherings. I still wanted to take this workshop to meet Jonathan Talbot and to see what I could learn from him. I learned quite a few new things. Some art related and some not.

Second day at Talbot workshop

I was pretty sick on the first day of the workshop and did not absorb as much as I would have liked. I felt much more human on the second day. I will have a more complete review of the workshop when I have some more time. Need to go and organize my tax stuff and get ready for school.

What do I want to be known for?

I thought about a lot of things after going to the Jonathan Talbot workshop. During the workshop, he brought up how he would like to be remembered. That got me to thinking about how I would like to be remembered. I had always thought that it would be great if I became a famous artist. Okay, that is nice, but in what context? Would I be famous all over the world or just in the art world that I exist in? It was all so relative. Kind of like how art is relative. Well, I gave it more thought. I think it would be great if I could sell my art as quickly as I could make it. That would not be realistic though. I would love it if people would enjoy my art enough to purchase it.

I would like to be remembered as a teacher who made a difference. I want past students of mine from so many years ago to come back and tell me that being their teacher made a difference in their lives. I want to know what things they learned that helped them to become the person that they were today. I want to be remembered as a good mom. Most of all, I want to be remembered as an artist who shared and tried to help other artists reach their potential. I have gone through many phases with my art. I now feel comfortable enough to sell my pieces and to begin to exhibit them. Even though I have gone on to a different phase in my art self, I keep coming back to the Yahoo groups. I continue to start new groups and cannot completely separate myself from them to concentrate on my art.

Once a group gets going and self-sufficient, I start another Yahoo group. I know that I count on them for friendships with people I have never even met. I know that I look to some of the groups for affirmation and support. I just did not realize until recently that perhaps this is what I was meant to do. Maybe there is a reason why I am so drawn to sharing techniques and teaching in this virtual world. I spend most of my waking hours hours helping my students reach their potential and to discover what their talents are. That is just extended to the Yahoo groups. I depend upon the artists in the groups for support, affirmation, and information. I have an access to a world that would otherwise be unable to me if I did not have a computer. I have only begun to realize how much my art self has grown since I have been doing different things in the groups. I have developed friendships locally that I otherwise might not have, since it was through a Yahoo group that got us meeting together in the first place. I would not have been able to cultivate friends and contacts that I have today. Now, I can turn to them for the support and affirmation that I need.

I wonder how many others are like me who depend on the Yahoo groups for support, affirmation, and information. I know that many artists are quite isolated by location or by circumstances. Some are retired. Some are disabled. Many have multiple chronic illnesses. Some don't have access to local art supplies - not even a Michael's or a Joann's. Does art take away their daily stresses? Does it make them forget about their arthritis or pains for just a little while?

While it would be great to sell my pieces, I want to be remembered as an artist who helped to bring out the potential in other artists.

These are the two collages that I did today in the Jonathan Talbot Workshop. The collage against the black looked too stark, so I put on white gesso on all. Quite different, aren't they? I am going to use the left one in my line exercise for this week.

I am lovin' this fish. I used the medium sized one at the workshop. Well, I ordered all 3 of them - the same fish! I got it in small, medium, and large. I embossed first and then used the color wash. Just used cheap white cardstock. Loved the effect. There is a little something extra you need to do to get that matte effect. Notice how it does not look raised and shiny like embossing usually does. I like how it takes on some of the color.

This is the backside of the postcard sized white cardstock. Obviously, cheaper cardstock. Loved the effect it had since I embossed first. 

To Evie

Evie, got your comment. I am not sure but I think the answer to your question is in his new DVD. If it is, then I don't want to post it. I will be glad to share with you what I did if you e-mail me privately at alteredbelly@hotmail.com Crazy Art Girl

Comment about my day mistake

Okay, so I got the day mixed up. I kept thinking it was Saturday because I usually don't get the day off for workshops. What is the big deal anyway? The reason I write about my workshops is because other people cannot get to one and would like to know about them. It is very nice that you have been lucky enough to be in his workshops for years. Some of us have not had that opportunity because his workshops have filled up quickly or cannot afford to go. I thought an hour and a half each for lunch and dinner were too long and not necessary from my viewpoint. Maybe they had a reason for it. I was saying that I thought it was too long. That was my opinion! You did not have to shout when you commented on my blog. So, I was mistaken. What?! You've never made a mistake? The workshops were on Thursday, March 9th. There, ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?

Tim Holtz workshops last Thursday

(Click on my picts if you want a larger view) I spent an entire Thursday at 3 Tim Holtz workshops. I have to tell you that I had a lot of fun. I don't do some (okay, a lot) of the stuff that was shown but I went away learning quite a few things. I got my hands dirty and I got to play. That was the most important thing to me. Please remember that this is just my opinion. I do encourage people who have never gone to his workshops to do so. Tim Holtz is very personable. He kept the workshops moving along. His assistant, Mario, was excellent (even while dining on Chinese carry-out). He showed me how to use some of his stuff - which I ended up buying. I was groovin' on a nifty Fred Mullett fish stamp all day. I will end up getting it. I also liked a library card stamp from Stamp Camp. Anyway, Tim kept the workshop moving along. He answered all questions very nicely and gave some very good tips. He was pretty well organized with a lot of the stuff in plastic bags with a supply list of what he used for everything and written instructions. I liked the written instructions part because many people forget something once they get home. This way, I did not have to write anything down. He supplies everything you might need during the workshop so you don't need to bring a thing. The first workshop was called "washed in color". It was all about using Adirondack spray washes. The plastic gloves were a waste on me because I can't wear them. My hands need to feel what I am doing. Getting them dirty is nothing new. The first thing we did was using the color wash like watercolor using stamps. I had seen that in his first video. He has a brand new one out which I have not seen yet. I do watercolor and I thought that was fun. Don't make cards anymore though. Most everyone did flowers and made them dainty. I put fish on mine! One of the first things he said to me, "You aren't a scrapbooker, are you?" I stared right at him for a second - very amused. I replied, "No, I am a mixed-media artist. I do more the DeMeng type of stuff." He just nodded and walked away. Gee, I wonder how he knew that. Could it be that I was spraying away and experimenting? I had no hesitation. If I did not like something, I just covered it up and did it again. People at our table talked a little bit about it. They talked about how structured they were in real life and art let them let loose a little. I said that I was also very structured in many ways but not when it comes to my art. I guess it is a matter of degrees. I "let loose" a lot more than some of them. Guess that is one reason why I don't do scrapbooks. The second thing we did in the morning was the tags. I have done tags like that before but not the way he did it. It was fun that way. I did get aggressive with the color washes though. I liked the 3rd project of the morning the most. I could have used the images for mail art postcards but cut them up for the book we would do in the afternoon. I really liked the colors in the page with the fish embossed on it. The one underneath got muddy and I could not save it for the life of me. Tried the wipes, drying and then layering more colors. I just got mud. I did like the embossed images though. I had recently bought some of Tim's embossing inks and powders. Loved the matte effect he showed us how to do. Will be doing that in the future. I had actually learned about the color washes a long time ago from Mary Jo McGraw. She used it in an altered book. I have a small hardcover book with all the backgrounds done in color wash colors. You can spray color wash on the pages, press them together, and they will not stick when dried. I loved that when I did it. I then just stamped my favorite stamp images in it. I did molding paste covers. It is still one of my favorite ABs because of its simplicity. I will have to do another one to include my new favorites. Anyway, I digress. We then took an hour and a half break until the afternoon class. I did think that breaks were too long. I don't know if that was the store or Tim's request. Originally, I was on the wait list for the afternoon class and got in at the last minute. I was not too groovin' on it because I don't do clay. Like I need one more thing to do. It was actually very interesting. I loved learning how to mix Perfect Pearls to get the metallic colors. It was very fun to play. It is like UTEE for me. It is a little more work though. I do like the flatness of the images and they are thinner to me. Texture is different. This will be a great thing to do with my class or art club. I did not know that I could bake my clay in the melting pot. I have two, so I can bake my little heart out. Loved making the fragments. My favorite were the fish and the tickets. The tickets came out great. I am not sure that I would ever weare them, but I would definitely use them in my art as a 3D element. Fireless Raku was very interesting. I would use this more with my class or art club than for myself. I think that I could get a similar thing with UTEE. It was fun to learn how it was done though in case I want to do it again. Also, I think the micaceous iron oxide is the thick kind and not the fluid. The stuff we used was in a jar and it was thick. You need a small, stiff brush to put it on or you will lose the fine detail of your what you imprinted with your clay. The evening class was called "breaking al the rulez". Tim provided us with two covers and stuff to fill it. We distressed the pages and started working on a few of the pages. He showed us how to use some of his embellishments. What I loved most was the little edge distresser/shredder. It is actually a thread cutter that you scrap along the edges of your paper. It is made by tonic studios. It comes in two different models - one for paper and one for card stock. The other cool thing that he showed us was the scrapper's block. This block distresses paper without shredding it like regular sanding blocks can do. It is by pm designs. Hey, I am not ashamed to say I use some scrapbooking stuff. I do like the Adirondack inks. I like them because they are earth tone. I use the acrylics all the time because they are metallic-y and they dry dimensionally. I use them a lot for my matchbook art. I love the alcohol inks because they are great for aging my shiny metal pieces. I have the Distress stamp pads in all the colors. I have a lot of the Adirondack dye stamp pads. I just got a few of the embossing inks and powders. Will need to try those. That's about it. Oh, need to mention that my art friends, Cindy Kotora and BJ Kennedy were there. They made it so much more fun to be there. BJ was taking Tim's roadside necklace class the next day. I was SOOO jealous. Need to do stuff for school. Thanks to Tim and Mario for a great time at the workshops.

Breaking all the rulez part of workshop

Back cover and some pages from the workshop. Tim did show us how to do some nifty thing with his embellishments.

Breaking all the rulez part of workshop

Here are some more pages from my book from that workshop. These are unfinished pages. This is mostly what I got done during the workshop. Did not have time to put on my 3D stuff yet. The funny thing about it is that there was someone sitting near me who was stressing about doing the stuff during the workshop. She did not like working in a different environment - wanted her stuff there. Then she got tired near the end. I got a little tired, too. This had been going on since 9:30 this morning. It was funny to me because I think that the unstructured part stressed her out. I thought that this was a little too structured for me. I usually create books from hard covers or board books. I usually do not use one single background even when it is painted. Everything was already there for me. I am so used to hunting for everything. I would not have half completed all those pages. I would have done all the backgrounds and then worked on a few pages at a time until they were all done to my liking. I would have spent forever finding images, cutting them out, doing placement, and then adding 3D elements to it. I just got a whole stash of skeleton keys that would work great with this. I think that best part of this book was the faux rulers and the hardware that kept it together. Love hardware!

Okay, end of review. Remember, it is only my opinion - what I thought. All the stuff shown here was done by me.