Using Found Text

I'm back in the studio for a bit making some new collages. These are made using junk mail and discarded paperback covers (well, I scanned some of the covers and printed them out so I could use them over and over again). They are influenced by two artists I've recently discovered on Flickr, Melinda Tidwell and Kurt Nimmo, both of whom use various forms of found text to make brilliant collages. I also posted these on The Sketchbook Challenge blog as my contribution to this month's theme, Everyday Objects. Paperbacks and junk mail seemed appropriate materials for this theme.

Cultural Literacy

Cultural Literacy 2

The Shape You're In

Chapter 5 in Collage Journeys is about using text in collage, a subject I'm recently revisiting. I will be offering a class locally here in Vermont on the use of text and image in collage, and will also be offering a version of it online starting in October. Don't worry, I will scream and shout about this new online offering - on the blog and e-mail - as soon as I have it nailed down. Thanks for visiting!

Collage Journeys 2011

I've just had a fabulous week with my Collage Journeys in Vermont workshop here in Rupert. What a great group we had, and a great time! We used the fire hall/community center for our studio, so we had loads of space - an eight foot table for each student, and extra space for letting pieces dry etc. Thanks to the Rupert Volunteer Fire Company for the use of the building. Students stayed at the guest house just down the street from the fire hall and next door to my house, so everything was walking distance. The weather cooperated again this year (thank you!) for some lovely walks after lunch. Here are a few pix:

Susie's barn:


Naomi in the back (from TX) and Sue (from Indiana) working on multiple pieces:


A few of Mary's collage (Mary did MANY MANY pieces!):


Helle's tounge-in-cheek piece on framing:


Susie with her grid collage painting:


Naomi's worktable (Naomi did GORGEOUS pieces!):


More of Naomi's hand-painted papers:


One of Margie's gorgeous hand-painted papers:


Mary at work:


Helle and Margie at work:


Thanks to all of you who participated! You all worked hard and created beautiful pieces.

Art Unraveled in Phoenix

This was my first year at Art Unraveled, and I had so much fun!! The students were great, super creative, and a blast to be with. I met other teachers, some of whom I know in cyberspace, including Jane La Fazio (one of the Sketchbook Challenge sisters) and Ingrid Dijkers, whose gorgeous art dolls appear in my book Adventures in Mixed Media. I also met Gail Russakov, who introduced herself to me via e-mail beforehand, and was a great help in getting me oriented to Art Unraveled.

Without further ado, here is some eye candy from the experience:

A couple of collages from Deborah:



One from Meredith, Deborah's daughter:


The above collages were done in my Scribble Collage class, in which we painted papers all morning and made collages all afternoon.

In New Dimensions in Collage we made house-shaped dimensional collages using foam core. Here are a few samples:

Ingrid's house in progress. LOVE that red!


Debbie's house piece:


And Michele's:


And a couple of people shots:


This is a super well-organized event, so everything ran smoothly. The venue, the Embassy Suites, was luxurious and also very affordable for Art Unraveled participants. If you are looking for a retreat for 2012, consider this one.

Collage Journeys in Vermont

It's August already! What happened?? My Collage Journeys workshop here in Rupert is coming up in a couple of weeks, and I just got TWO CANCELLATIONS!!! - Yikes!! - due to life happening the way it sometimes does. Surprises, crises, the unexpected. So.... I have two spaces available now, both including housing.

We will do this:

And this:

And this:


And this:

And this:

And these (visual journals):
And lots of messes:
And get silly:
And take walks:

Come join us for a relaxing yet inspiring retreat in my peaceful little town.