Sea Angel - Barbie Redux

It took me a long time and many, many washes to get her face just right. That “Barbie” look does NOT want to leave easily. I underlaid with some golds – bright and cheapo shimmer craft paint – to give a bit of iridescence which certainly doesn’t come through in the photo and very subtly in RL.

And she kept staring at me blankly. I knew I needed something for her face/eye. I tried mirror and bead and coin and glass but I then stumbled on these stud-type things. Perfect size. Perfect shape. A swash of paint or two, to really build foundation and Voila! Perfect.

I’m pretty pleased with how she turned out and now she’ll be heading to the West Coast for the Barbie Redux show at the Ten Women Gallery.

On another note, BIG thanks to Sally for emailing me photos from the collaboration book. Here’s my part in its entirety. The scan was low-res so I’m sure it looks much better in print!

Deryn Mentock Collaboration

Collaborative Book by L.K.Ludwig

I’d just about forgotten. Don’t have a clue what it’s going to look like – how they portrayed it – but I guess I’ll have to BUY a copy to find out. The downside of submitting work to these things. Not only do they get your work for free but you have the “honour” of paying to see it in print. I dunno. Something’s wrong with this picture, don’t you think?!? Still. Your work in colour. For all to see. The posterity of the thing. I guess.

Heh! And I just realized, this is the only photograph I have of the project, the rest died with my computer. And this isn’t even the finished product. I really must remember to store photos on the server. *sheesh*

Work-in-Progress: Sea Angel

What’s kinda cool about this angel is her “tail”, a piece of sun bleached bone. Or shell. I’m not really sure. I’m pretty sure it’s either a lobster claw or a twisted jaw bone.  (read: not a CLUE!)  Anyway. I’d created the “angel” part before Christmas and when I saw this piece of detritus I knew it’d fit. And it did. With a squeeze or two of Dap. This is only the first coat of wash (mars black/quin gold) and has a long way to go. But I love that *swoosh* form!

Bridgette's book - Spread 1

Bridgette’s book – The Book of Trees – is made of plaster pages folded around low gauge wire (I’m thinking coat hanger wire but I could be wrong). They are both pliable and stiff if that makes any sense at all – more pliable than rock hard plaster but less pliable than paper. Bri and I have had many chats over the last few years about crackle paste – my frequent use of it and her love/hate relationship with it – so I knew I wanted to incorporate some in her book. Also, the idea of using this spread to do a small tribute to Mama Ash – our glorious multi-centenarian tree we had to have removed last November – seemed fitting given Bri’s theme.

Mama Ash

I had a piece of her that I included on the left side of the spread along with a photo I’d taken at ArtFest last year of the tree in front of the haunted house. On the right side, I added crackle paste which didn’t quite take the way I thought it would. Gotta love the vagaries of materials, huh?!? I had to liberally lace this side with gel medium in order that it would stick to the plaster.

Bridgette's Book - Right side detail

In the end the “craters” left by the crumbling paste, created opportunities to add another element. And I couldn’t think of anything more fitting than a heart as an “Ode to Mama Ash”. And next time I get my hands on this book, I am SO playing with those wires!!

Seth's Contexture

Seth’s book presented a whole other kettle of fish. The signatures are multi-paged held together with eyelets in each corner and the paper is old, thin, brittle and just DARING you to try not to crumble in your hands. LOADS of potential. LOADS of sweat to keep it together! Good thing I thrive on challenge! I inserted some cardboard into the center of each signature in an effort to give some stability … I wrote about this before … and once the crackle paste dried it became evident I’d have to haul out Ye Ol’ Gel Medium to keep everything intact.

Seth's Contexture - Left side detail

In Seth’s definition for Contexture, in part, it stated: “Interconnecting text and texture.”  I knew I wanted to incorporate some written words – not hard for me anyway!  – but I wanted it to be subtle, show the graphic nature of words rather than have something literal. I had some old french handwritten text as a transfer kicking around so I added that almost first thing, just after my liberal sloshing of Quin Gold/Mars Black to soak into the crackle paste. Nothing ages like that combo! Layers and layers of dark then light, then dark then light. Sloshes (read: washes) then drier paint applied with fingers to bring out all that scrumptious texture. In keeping with the metal bits’n'bobs from Seth’s cover (go look, I’ll wait), I added a rusty washer. Loves me them circles!

Seth's Contexture - Right side detail

The right side got more depth, more darkness than the left. Sometimes it works out that way. I added a copper punchout that had been patina’d adding another punch of verdigris colour to the overall spread. And of course, the three teeny dentist drill bits represent the three of us. I really was worried all that texture might flake over the miles but Seth assures me it has remained intact.

And now I’m off to “Oooh!” and “Aaaah!” over my glorious metal flag book while I contemplate what’s next. Don’t forget to visit Seth and Bridgette! I know you’ll be as blown away over their pages, as I am!

Ah! Collaborations! SUCH fun!!

Dried Crackle Paste

The problem with crackle paste is that you never know how it’s going to turn out.

The beauty with crackle paste is that you never know how it’s going to turn out.

Two sides of the same coin and I’m likely not going to stop using the stuff anytime soon just BECAUSE of its unpredictability. However. I must admit that I generally apply it to a much stronger (read: inflexible) substrate than ancient book pages so it really was a leap of faith in applying it to Seth’s book Contexture. As you can see from the above, still a work-in-progress, photo, It crackled phenomenally. Some might say a bit TOO phenomenally. But I love it when my materials give me added grief challenges.

So what DO you do when your crackle paste “outperforms expectations” (my Coach’s fave expression!)?? You slosh on some acrylic washes, damp dry using your heat gun, put a piece of non-water permeable paper in between the pages and weight down. Those lifted crackle pieces uncurl and lie flat and behave themselves. Once all the top “stuff” has been added, being sure to weight down overnight when not working on it, I also coat liberally with gel medium. I’ve found that it’s pretty good at acting as a sort of flexible finish coat. I hope!

Seth's Book - Contexture

It’s a dreary albeit Spring-like day outside. I’m waiting for it to stop raining so I can get out for my run and thought I’d start my spread in Seth’s Contexture. I usually think on my approach before putting “pen to paper” and this thought process might go on for days, weeks even months before I get started. Once started however it might only take me hours to start …and finish… a piece. Drying time not withstanding.

Such is the case for this spread.

I knew I wanted to add crackle paste to Seth’s pages. But how? Given that the signatures were quite fragile as Seth used old book pages joined together with 4 eyelets in  the corners. I tucked and glued cardboard into the center of each “block” of pages giving me enough rigidity for the crackle paste. That’s the theory anyway. We’ll see how they hold up once dried!

Here’s the book drying …

Drying with Skull and Birds

On another tack entirely… is anyone else out there an Improv Everywhere fan?? Perhaps a little known historical fact, but I used to be a Drama Queen. In high school I had ambitions to be in theatre, going so far as to audition for the National Theatre School in Montreal. I bombed miserably but I still have a soft spot in my heart for improv.

The latest mission, Subway Art Gallery Opening, hits all the right notes for me on this grey day. I love how something that started as a simple prank turned into such a philosophical debate on “What is Art?” At the very least providing a smile to those who “got it”, at the most a deep and thoughtful treatise on “Art in the Every Day”.

Viewing the Art Exhibit

Be sure to read the descriptive placards for each “art piece” … wouldn’t I love to have HIM write up my next show! And, if this is your first trip to Improv Everywhere do NOT miss The Moebius. One of my all time favourites!! (Charlie Todd is a God!)

The first challenge? Create a book structure and come up with a theme. I’ve been generally moving away from mixed media and I knew that both Seth and Bri’s books would likely be more in that vein anyway, I decided to create mine from metal. I thought it would provide a nice challenge both for myself and my co-collaborators.

Collaboration - Shine

Also, I wasn’t married to the finished product as a book structure.  So while I did bind the metal pages … loosely … using eyelets at the top of each “page” secured with ball chain … my eventual plan is to hang each of these horizontally as a sort of metal prayer flag string.

Shine - Collaboration

I used a number of different types of metal thinking that should Bri or Seth not want to go the “full metal” route, they would provide more options for mixed media type applications. So included are some copper mesh pages, lighter tin that can be more easily manipulated, along with heavier vintage tin ceiling tiles with cool arch detailing. I can’t wait to see what they come up with. And I hope I haven’t provided TOO difficult a challenge for them. Somehow, knowing their abilities, I don’t think so!

My theme, SHINE, is based on my word for 2009. So what better icon for the front than that of a raven … they … WE … love shiny objects!  I had one head left over from a series of bird assemblages I did last year. I chose this tile, one I purchased from Judy’s etsy store just after she first opened it … what last year? Two years ago? Time flies! I love it’s crusty, used, patina. Though I have to say I was a bit worried as I hammered and wired and attached that there wouldn’t be any paint left!

Right around this time I visited Richard Salley’s site wherein he was showing how to create a “trap bezel”. I hadn’t anticipated using the technique but hey! the muse had other ideas. Mine isn’t nearly as well implemented but it was the perfect way to keep that clear marble in place and the focal point, and meaning for “Shine”. Thanks Richard!

The other elements, wings, hexagonal “frame”, round filigree fell into place. But the balance was out of whack. TOO much metal can end up being cold and this was moving right down that track. I thought of adding bird’s feet (read: Artist shows and collaborations and contests … oh my) but was concerned they’d get tromped given the back-and-forth mailings in its future. I thought … beads? Meh. Chain? Too much metal. I need… something tail-like … ah! Feathers! If they don’t survive I can easily replace them while giving me that “natural” balance I was looking for. Perfect!

Collaboration - Shine

Sneak Peek

I actually made something last week.

I know.

Don’t faint!