Combining drawing, painting and collage.
 On brown paper.
In a tropical mood.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 Old school collage. In my opinion, it's the best kind. It's a careful composition of paper elements to create a whole. 

Then there's mixed media collage which I also like to practise. While watching  a segment on youTube, the artist created something that delighted me, then proceeded to paint over it, add more bits of paper, and paint over that..... I was so disappointed. Gone was that delightful image. Some people I've discussed this with tell me it's to create depth. But you can create depth with one or two layers...it's all in the composition. There's really no need to glue things down and paint over them, then do it all over again umpteen times.

In my opinion.








Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 So far, October has been sunny and warm but with a distinct autumn scent in the air. May it continue.
Someone called me fearless when it comes to artwork, but that's the only way I can explore and discover. I'm not concerned whether it works or not; the important thing is to try. I like mixing it up to see what happens. So when this painting was going nowhere, I changed directions.

Be fearless, my friends!


Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 When I first started doing collage, Lenore Tawney was a huge influence. She collaged postcards with old papers and drawings and mailed them off to her friends. As a result I have a pile of antique papers that I collected over the years. Yesterday I pulled them out, asked myself why I wasn't using them, and started tearing.... old school collage, there's nothing like it.

Postcard from the Bird, 4 x 6 in.

 
Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Sometimes I like to paint backgrounds that are more than just colours for my collages. I painted an abstract landscape on a large sheet of heavy watercolour paper and cut it up into sections. This was the smallest section and I thought it was finished when I added the butterfly. But -- going through my box of trimmed images, the bunny jumped out. It's oversize, so I let it sit on the painting for a while.I usually do that when I'm not sure. This morning I was sure.

SOLD

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Greeting the dawn.
Grateful for a new day.
Grateful for another chance to do things right.

 

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

It's such a beautiful day that the running around I did was actually a pleasure. There is nothing like the scent of freshly cut grass and damp earth (from yesterday's rain) to make me feel alive. After my errands, I walked in the park where I helped a little boy who was scared of a squirrel believing it was a raccoon. Now he knows the difference between the two.

Back at my work table, I sorted a few things out and realized that I haven't made artist trading cards for a long time. I love working on these little works of art.

 Friday three.


 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

It's Victoria Day in Canada and we're enjoying the long weekend, with beautiful weather.
Having taken two walks with my guest-dog, I've spent the day puttering around in my studio corner.
The portrait is of Dante, the 13th-century Italian visionary poet. I studied his work at university. I can still recite lines from Inferno by heart, in the original. There was one passage that I learned by heart, just for the heck of it, and it was the one passage that came up for identification and analysis in our final examination... the Examination Angels were surely looking out for me.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 C for colour, C for collage. And then, there are my initials...

 Have a happy day!


Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 I was pushing scraps of paper around, and almost threw this one out. I used it to try out a new blue acrylic paint, and before I knew it, I was dabbing Distress ink on it and stamping with the rubber stamp that I was about to put back in its place (one of the several boxes that hold my rubber stamps).
   Now what? I tore the paper in two. Then I went to the kitchen to put the kettle on. When I got back, my eye fell on a piece of cardboard that I'd painted and put aside. Out came the glue. And this is the result.
   Now isn't that the perfect excuse to hold on to your scraps!

 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 What a difference a day makes...
Sunlight, blue skies, and a benign air. Truly mood-lifting. I'm grateful for days like this.
Today, I stitched paper.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 I've spent the last few days mostly indoors nursing a cold that came on suddenly and mercifully is almost gone, leaving me tired. Armed with herbal teas and occasionally hot chocolate, I've whiled away the hours making little things.

This is still my favourite face (thank you, Teesha Moore).

 And more cardboard art.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 Different techniques require different times.

A collage might take me several days, like this one

Or a matter of hours, like this one

In other words, when I paint, I can't stop until it's finished. All I need is a paintbrush, and paint of course. With collage, I go back and forth; there are so many more elements involved and I need time to decide on composition before I glue anything down.

 
Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Work in progress

I'm beginning the week with a clean slate. I decided I didn't like this, so I scrubbed it and began again. This time I used water-soluble NeoColor wax crayons for the background and began collaging it. The effect is smoother, without the grainy look of the original (which I really didn't like).

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

I rarely have a plan when I paint/draw/collage. I just pick up a brush/pencil/pen and go.
On those rare occasions when I do have a plan, it's more of an idea, a flash of something, an owl's face perhaps. The rest follows naturally.

Frazzled Owl No. 2, available in my Etsy shop

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 Cut and paste Tuesday.
Strange-looking creature because I cut the paper free style. I like seeing what happens...

paint and collage on cardboard

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

The Dog and I are well. Anxiously awaiting the Computer Genius next Thursday to set up my new laptop.
Meanwhile, my de-cluttering has come to a halt. I'm thinking it will resume only when the Doglet goes home in two weeks.

Paper and stitch

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 My Irish in-laws in their youth.

Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper.

The clan has grown since they've been gone. In two weeks I'll be there doing the rounds in Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin.

  
Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 Tags have been temporarily set aside as I go through a small collage phase.
Strike while the iron is hot, I say.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

Time is going by too fast. In barely 3 weeks, I'll be travelling again. I'm trying to stay in the present moment; maybe it will slow things down...

A feather in her cap.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown