Out On A Limb: 20

© Out On A Limb: 20 (2012)

mixed-media collage: antique illustration

 (Birds of New York, Vol. 2, New York State Museum, 1914);

 recycled catalog covers and wrapping paper; watercolor; ink; marker; 

acrylic sealer; acrylic varnish. 6" x 6" on birch panel. $85 (SOLD)

Talk about a struggle. Aieeee. The stormy main section of the background was created with the intention of using another pair of birds - one color, one black-and-white - and some text. I cut, repositioned, painted, cut some more, colored, repositioned again. But it wasn't working. So I set it aside and continued other collages in the series.

Then, I came across these cool falcons perched on rocks. Perfect. After additional background layers and a fair amount of painting on both the rocks and feathers, it was finished. The absence of leaves and trees makes it a departure from the rest of the series - and although it is numbered 20, it was completed after 24.

Shout-outs from CityBeat & Aeqai

© The Grand Tour: One Small Step (2012)

mixed-media collage: hand-painted fashion plate (Godey's Lady's Book, Dec. 1842); 

antique maps (Guyot's Physical Geography, Scribner's, 1872;
Natural Advanced Geography, American Book Co., 1901);

 vintage illustrations (Whole Earth Catalog back cover, fall 1969; 

Harter's Picture Archive, Dover, 1978); watercolor; ink.
 8" x 11" on archival mat board. Framed. Price: $185. (SOLD)

I've been in Philly for a few days now visiting family and friends - and just found some time to catch up on things, including last week's issue of CityBeat and the March edition of Aeqai. Both include flattering - whew - reviews of Expecting to Fly.

"In Expecting to Fly, on view at 5th Street Gallery downtown, Pearce’s whimsical worlds do not disappoint," writes Alan Pocaro in CityBeat. "The mischievous characters that inhabit her small-scale works are always clever but never cloying. In addition to the many series’ curious juxtapositions and sheer visual delight, Pearce’s labels catalog the intriguing origins of her disparate source materials, a herculean task in its own right.

"A quick first take on Sara Pearce’s Expecting to Fly at 5^th Street Gallery downtown shows her a words person as well as a visual artist," says Jane Durrell in Aeqai. "And no wonder; words were her trade during her Cincinnati Enquirer years, when she reported on restaurants, books, sometimes visual arts, and was a features editor. What collages require, however, is a good eye; Pearce has it. If word play is essential in the way she shapes her work, it should be said that her words are sharp, funny and slyly pointed."

I hope you get a chance to stop by the gallery to see the show, which is on view through Saturday April 7. Oh, by the way I'll be there 2-6 p.m. on Saturday March 31 and would love to tell you more about the work - and the papers used to make it!
 

Mad Women: The Gloves Were Off

© Mad Women: The Gloves Were Off (2012)

mixed-media collage: vintage illustrations (McCall's Pattern Book, March 1946;

Butterick Pattern Book, Fall 1953; Picture Sourcebook, Dover, 1974), 

vintage Deutsche Bank calendar (1958), recycled ads and flash card, ink.

 5.75" x 9.25" on archival mat board. Framed with conservation glass.
(SOLD) 

This came about in a more random way than many of my collages. The woman was cut-out to use with a 1950s wallpaper sample background whose pattern I found to be too busy. So, the hunt began for a better background. It took a lot of rummaging before landing on the calendar, which was snapped up at a used book sale for the graphics above the calendar (beautifully printed, stained-glass images from German churches). It wasn't until I looked at it again last week that I realized the year was 1958 - perfect for "Mad Women."

The gloves and "hot" are from advertisements received in the mail. At first, I thought I'd use black & white gloves, but these have more punch. The screw/bolt digs into a block from a flash card set that was a last-minute addition, because I was determined to have her leaning on that screw even though it wasn't long enough.

Originally, she was holding the apron, too - not the knives, scissors, etc. - but when I spotted them, I decided to have her wear the apron instead. Finally, she was tilted a bit to really give the appearance of leaning but also to add a bit of a diagonal to the vertical composition.

Still tweaking

Autumn's Arrival Gave Venus the Perfect Excuse to Cover Up
Before

After: Venus - Emboldened - Finds the Courage to Cover Up
5"x5" - matted and framed to 8"x11"

So, this is what happens when you move your studio, finish work for a few shows and aren't ready to start new work, because you will be out of town for a week: you keep tweaking the old stuff. Well, at least that's what I am up to as I sort things in the studio.

These are simple changes - a caption and title change on Venus that has her taking charge. In the first collage, she was kind of passive. Of course, the caption also elevates the humor.

"Help!" was also retitled - too timid - and the text on the bottom right was covered. Looking at it again, it occurred to me that the phrase wasn't advice like the other text. "Be Zen" struck me as hilarious. So, in it went.

Help!
Before

After: Lettie - Knee Deep in Advice - Stops Listening

5"x5" - matted and framed to 8"x11"

Out On A Limb: 24

© Out on A Limb: 24 (2012)
mixed-media collage: recycled wallpaper sample & publishers catalog;
vintage John J. Audubon calendar illustration (1990); ink; chalk; acrylic sealer;
acrylic varnish. 6" x 6" on birch panel. $85 (SOLD) 

Hmmm. It may be time to stop numbering these and write real titles. In any case, it looks like the series will go on for some time. I am enjoying making these and coming up with new versions of the black & white/color bird combo.

As usual, this changed a few times - mainly the birds behind the cage. What I really like about it - beyond the striking color combination - are the three layers of birds and how they echo one another.