I have spent a good part of the morning making vintage-style postcards. For me it’s a good way to use up old supplies, get my fingers inky and brain into art mode, and then I’m inspired to write to people using my new postcards . Talk about win-win!
I try to write a few letters a month, with a fountain pen and awesome ink colours (currently using Lierre Sauvage), because so many people only ever receive bills in the mail, and email is so transient.
I’ve been looking at recent work and thinking about what I do, and don’t, like. About colour, shape , texture, line, tone…all the things that combine to make an image we love or an image we end up gessoing over and redoing! One thing I have noticed is that the recent patch of terrible weather has impacted on my colour choices. I’ve also noticed more of a tendency to take things a step too far then not like the result – I seem to have lost the ability to know when to stop. Interesting…
In my last post I mentioned that I need to make 20 A4 size mixed media pieces for a Pecha Kucha presentation I’m doing at the LIANZA Conference in late September. I’m almost at the half way mark and having a great time. I’ve stencilled, stamped, painted, weaved paper, cut, glued, ripped … and, as usually happens, I forgot to put gloves on before I got started. Here’s the evidence:
Chooks and roosters are a recurring theme, more so in my photographs than in my paintings – but they do appear here and there on a semi-regular basis. This morning I have been playing with some photos sent to me by best friend, photographer Sandra Robinson, as well as some old photos of roosters I took a few years ago now. I’m playing with combining images and text, in preparation for 20 mixed media works I need to completed in the next few weeks. The works will include photos, collage, text, stenciling, and wet & dry media. I’m looking forward to getting started on them.
A few posts back I advertised a mail art swap – I’m really looking forward to seeing people’s envelopes turn up by the middle of July. Last Wednesday night I had a car accident; a drunk driver pulled out to pass a car, straight into my path. I almost managed to get out of the way, so things could have been a lot worse. Anyway, I’ve had a few days off work because I ache all over, and have limited movement in my shoulders. Trouble is, I hate having nothing to do … hmm?
I know – decorate envelopes. Something I could sit quietly and play with at my own pace, and not needing much shoulder movement. Excellent! Hauled out some art supplies – ink dyes, sprays, acrylic paint, gel medium, Copic pens, collage papers, stencils, foam stamps – and sat myself down in the sun Here’s a few of the 20 or so I’ve made so far. Letter writing will ensue 😉
Cath Sheard Art 