Here are two new pieces I created for the show.
Here I am hanging the window, such a fun vintage-y space, all my puppets and red striped tenting was a great fit.
See you soon!
Some of the treasures I found at the antique fair in Oregon City on Sunday. Love the compasses!
I found the industrial chic lamp at the antique fair - it is a great fit for my "new" industrial workbench.
Warm:
And earthy:
The design was inspired by this wonderful bag of strips and selvedges that my friend Cindy sent me:
I have bags of strips that I've kept from other projects that I pulled out too. I like the challenge of building something out of such small pieces that might otherwise be headed for the trash.
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| Dragonfly Dreams, II |
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| Dragonfly Dreams, II |
Lorraine:
"Is recycling/repurposing part of your art? " Are you kidding???!!! That's my middle name: Lorraine "Recycling/repurposing-is-always-a-part-of-my-art" Jones.
Yikes. Is it my Yankee upbringing that causes me to be so thrifty (i.e.. cheap)? Is it a fun game to see what I can use again? Is it a challenge to see something in a new light? Whatever the reason, I get the biggest kick out of repurposing things in my mixed media collages. The "free" table filled with everyone's cast-offs is a treasure trove of weird stuff to be used in something! I often don't know why I am attracted to an item, I just go with my gut. And then, lo and behold, a year or two later, that item becomes that certain je ne sais quoi which makes a collage sing. Luckily for me, I have a very small studio with very limited storage space so I cannot collect too much stuff. (I have to admit, I do covet the studios of many of the women in our group- shelf after shelf filled with boxes, jars and bottles of the coolest, wackiest things. Rusty items, doll heads, old toy parts, marbles, ticket stubs, you name it, they have it all!)
Dayna:
I am an avid user of recycled and repurposed materials in much of my work. I do a lot of 3-D pieces, which lend themselves easily to including bits and pieces and scraps of things from past uses. I especially love using found objects -- things I have picked up from the ground or scavanged from the garbage. Even in my paintings, I often use cabinet doors or recycled pieces of wood.
Cynthia:
I really love to use reclaimed and found materials in my art, and nothing makes me happier than to create something artful from what others may throw away. My favorite scrappy experience was picking up designer fabric scraps that fell from Carnival costumes in a parade in Paris which I used in pins and stitched pieces. People who witnessed that probably thought me a bit mad, but I still cherish those scraps.
Suzie:
Not being a 3-D artist, I use little trinkets in collages, in my pendants, altered books and cards. I sure collect a lot of stuff though. One day I'd like to try my hand at "Michael DeMenging" something and when I do I've got lots of stuff to play with. In the photo, the little danglies hanging off the pendants are repurposed jewelry.
Suzanne:
Most definitely! Few things are more exciting to find than vintage fabric and lace-y pieces. I love to use them for my sewing and stitching projects. Retro prints and linens make great bags, as well as pillows. They are a key component of any fabric collage I would create. There's also a small pile of burlap coffee bean sacks in my work space waiting to be re-purposed.
I'm always on the look out for old chain and small metal bits that can be used to make jewelry; old keys and tags are favorites!
Jennifer:
Recycling and repurposing clock and watch parts into my assemblages and found object jewelry allows me to create stories that blend real history, some science and a sense of romance; similar to a historic novel, but in a visual representation. Steampunk has been described as a magical mixture of fun and funky – an altered image of the distant past, filtered through a dream future world that might have been. The term “steampunk” was coined by writer K.W. Jeter in 1987 to describe an emerging science-fiction genre, and has since spread to music, games, the movies and to art. It also has roots in Victorian England, when electricity had not yet been harnessed and steam was a major power source.
My found object jewelry started over 4 years ago as “Heartwings” – recycled pendants that I created from vintage tins. On my treasure hunts for tins, I found myself gathering gears to add to my pieces. The inner workings of clocks and watches have always seemed to have a certain magic attached to them. One day while surfing the internet I came across assemblages created from clock works with the word “Steampunk” attached, and knew I had to add more of the brass clock and watch parts to my creations. My found object jewelry quickly became composed of recycled watch plates, pocket watch gears and vintage watch faces known as “Steampunk Art”!
Sue:
Yes, recycling is part of my art. I have even gone as far as picking up smashed cans along the side of the road on my walks. I haven't decided what I will do with them but at least I got them:)
My "Barbie Gone Wild" piece is made with all recycled objects.
Steph:
Repurposing is a part of my art--
It's not so much a choice to recycle but the call of old things. The items I carve tend to be old tool handles, furniture parts etc. I use mainly old wood for the carvings, they seem to vibrate with a past life, it speaks to me. If I listen carefully, it tells me what it wants to become. Knives and chisels cut away to reveal the faces or forms. I strive for cohesive pieces, finding just the right salvage material to combine with my hand carved pieces.
Laurie:
Most of the covers of my books are made from scrap or recycled leather: coats, chaps, upholstery. The pieces often have “defects” in them which I incorporate in the design of the book. And the feel of old leather can’t be beat, soft and smooth. New leather can be so boring!
Robin:
One of my favorite things to do is scour Goodwill for old interesting bits of fabric that can be used in my art. At first I was looking only for interesting prints that you can't buy in the stores. But once I started dyeing my own fabrics--a whole new world opened up to me. Now I love to find old linens, chenille bedspreads, worn cotton curtains, you name it, they all get transformed in my dye pots. I also continually work with smaller and smaller bits of fabric, building up new fabrics by putting together little scraps and selvedges, which means I hardly throw anything away. To my delight, I have very generous friends who pass on their fabric scraps.
Sandy:
Always. I was raised by Depression babies and most of my beautiful handmade clothes were made from leftover remnants or re-purposed garments. Both of my grandmothers made quilts from fabric scraps. They would be very confused by the "quilt" industry today with all the coordinating fabrics and fancy pattern books.
I keep every scrap of fabric and paper, and many times they become the inspiration for something that I wouldn't have imagined...out of thin air.
I'm always attracted to broken jewelry, stained linens, tattered lace, and worn-out clothing, especially if it has special trim or buttons. There's something very satisfying about giving new life to the remnants and castoffs of yesterday.
Tory:
I think I have always used recycling in my art, from mud and sticks to macaroni on a string, in our house it was always an acceptable form of art. Today I teach others the value and beauty we can find in cast off items. Some items are free from the street or provided by nature and others are antiques that I try not to spend too much for. Where ever it comes from, I love the challenge of working it into a piece of art that others might enjoy. All you have to do is look down to find a piece of rust or an interesting twig that could be the beginning of your next fabulous art project.
1. What are the main mediums you use? What do you find satisfying about them?
Paper, and all sorts of paints, inks, crayons, and markers. I love trying new ways of "making marks on paper", and putting layer upon layer upon layer. I like that I can get my hands dirty, and there are no rules. I don't have to color within the lines or have everything match perfectly. My favorite kindergarten activities!
2. If someone were going to get started in those mediums, what suggestions would you give?
Get your hands covered with paint, and smear it on paper, or fabric, or whatever you want. Play with kids and paint, and see what happens. I love taking classes with teachers like Traci Bautista and Roxanne Padgett.
3. A perfect art day would look like_________
A perfect art day is anytime I can "PLAY" with my art friends . . . I love it whenever we can get together and work on our own projects, and visit, and laugh, and play. I am very fortunate to get to have these "perfect art days" frequently.
Earlier this year I got to play at a friend's pottery studio. We had a lot of fun, and I made some little clay houses. Also this year, I have been fortunate to play with friends at the beach, and our annual spring trek to the Menucha retreat. Good times, and lots of fun. Thanks to all my art friends!
4. Do you have dedicated studio space? Give a brief description of where you work.
Yes, I have a double car garage that is my art studio. Since I am "organizationally challenged", much of that space is usually devoted to storage. I often end up working in the house on the dining room table. Whatever space I work in usually gets smaller and smaller as time goes on, so (like many of us) I end up working in a 2 foot x 2 foot space! LOL.
5. Favorite place you've visited or lived?
I don't think I have been there yet! Right now, my current favorite place is a drive down NW Cornell Road, from NW Skyline Blvd. to NW Lovejoy, through Forest Park. You drive past the Audobon Society and Macleay Park. We have had such a wet spring that all the trees are covered with moss and ferns. There are two tunnels and lots of bridges over deep ravines. This was the way we always drove into Portland when I was a kid. It brings back good memories, and I love the lush green surrounding . . . feels like our own rain forest!
6. What inspires you (or are there recurring themes in your work)?
I love COLOR, and I love the multitude of combinations of colors !!! I enjoy seeing the surprises when I put different colors on paper next to each other. A few years ago I bought an assortment of various colored wash clothes and hand towels. I continue to be intrigued when I put them together, and find new color combinations. I know this sounds like such a simple thing . . . but color combinations sometimes just take my breath away!
7. I still struggle with________
Easy one . . . organization! What to do with all this "stuff" !! LOL
8. I'd be lost without________
My family, my friends, and my kitty Cooper!
9. Favorite dessert?
Berry cobbler. Although, it's hard to beat a freshly picked ripe tomato--just as good as a dessert.
10. What's on the horizon?
I have been applying my painting techniques to fabric, we'll see how that goes.
Zentangles are fun, and have inspired me to do some doodling . . . of course I have to add some color.
I've been sewing lately, started on a wall quilt and table runner. I am always wandering from one thing to another, and enjoying every step of the journey!
BILL PARKS shared his painting techniques and demonstrated how drawing becomes painting. He works in many layers of paint, repaints and paints again adjusting color values and contrasts. I really appreciate how his work with monotypes influences his paintings- the depth of line and value in black and white, ways to soften or distress edges and the effect of wiping away paint. He firmly believes that it's the process that makes painting interesting not the final product.
We worked in Boyden studio. The first day we drew with charcoal and added white acrylic to explore values in black and white.
Then, we added color. The above piece transformed from a fern painting in black and white into a cornstalk. I love the variation and gradation of the background colors.
One afternoon after class, we climbed Cascade Head. The view of the Salmon River estuary on the left and the coastline is spectacular. This is one of my favorite coastal hikes.
Here's an abstract painting that needs more work.
These trees developed after painting over an abstract painting created the previous day- wiping paint away, adding contrasting colors.
I highly recommend the Sitka Art Center workshops. The staff is friendly and helpful and a variety of workshops from experienced artists are offered. Check out the Sitka workshop Dayna Collins attended with Lori Latham last week HERE .
