Scissors, rock, paper

Scissors, Rock, Paper (2012)
mixed-media collage: antique illustration (Delineator, April 1894),
vintage paper doll (Fashion Paper Dolls From Godey's Lady's Book, Dover, 1977),
recycled Champion paper sample kit (1989), title page from a discarded library book,
recycled invitation, handmade paper, ink, marker. 5.5" x 11.5" on archival mat board.
Price: $125 (matted, unframed).

Okay, here's the first piece in the new series Scissors, Rock, Paper. Yeah, you probably guessed that was what I was up to if you looked at last week's photos closely. Right now, there are four collages, but I'm considering a few more.

I've been possessed for weeks by the idea of Scissors, Rock, Paper collages, but envisioned something much different and a bit more abstract. Rocky landscapes. No people. Then, I hit on the idea of using vintage paper dolls as the "paper" and they began to fall into place.

Each of the first three has a background that speaks to the winner of that round, in this case, paper. Alice stands atop the scissors and rock in triumph. I wanted the layering to reference how players layer their hands during the game.

Just when I thought I was done, I came across the piece of paper on the bottom. It's from a discarded library book and the library stamp seemed like a great way to add another reference to paper. Still not satisfied, I went back to the paper doll book and found her hats. This one, with its black center really helps draw the viewer up the page.

Stay tuned for the others ...

A new series in the works

Here are views from opposite ends of my work table showing a new series of collages I've been playing around with this week. I'm not giving away the title ... yet. Look closely and you'll probably be able to guess it.

The photos offer a peek at my process: preliminary layouts, a mat as a cropping device and little bags with each collage holding snippets of paper identifying where they are from (which is how I can write those detailed labels).

I'm on the fence about the backgrounds and some have changed since I snapped the photos yesterday afternoon. We'll see what happens when I get back in the studio today. It's exciting to have pieces on the table ready to be worked on when I walk in the door.

Loon Lake

Loon Lake (2012)
mixed-media collage: antique map (Natural Advanced Geography,
American Book Co., 1898), vintage illustration (Birds of the World, Golden, 1961),
recycled travel brochures, ink, marker, acrylic sealer, acrylic varnish.
 6" x 6" on cradled birch panel

Sometimes, a piece just comes together. That's what happened when a friend asked me about making a collage on spec featuring a loon. After finding the perfect trio of loons - I had no clue what one looked like and was afraid these were really some other birds, so I double- and triple-checked - the piece fell into place within a few hours. Even so, I let it sit overnight just to be sure I was happy with it.

The map in the background refers to the annual trip my friend makes to Vermont and the top loon was placed so that it's beak would point toward New England. The map is covered by a piece of vellum from a recycled travel brochure. The goal was to tone down the map and inject some dusky colors. I've had mixed success with vellum but used PVA to glue it down and it went on flat, flat, flat without a single air bubble.

After scanning the image into the archive and sitting down to write this post, it dawned on me that I couldn't make the piece part of the Out On A Limb series - the original thought - since there isn't a limb in sight. So, that's why it's titled Loon Lake. Hope she likes it!

Note: the birds are a Black-Throated Diver, Great Northern Diver and Red-Throated Diver.

Mom, you've got mail!

My love of paper began when I was a kid and whiled away hours in stationery and office supply stores. But it didn't really kick into full collecting mode until I began making holiday cards with my daughter using images from antique postcards sent to my husband's family. 

Eventually, we needed fresh images and the hunt lead to an even more expansive search for all kinds of antique paper. The collection is a mother lode for my work as a collagist. Yes, the postcards are used in my collages, but only cards in bad condition go under the X-acto knife.  So, these are safe. Well, the one with daisies might be a goner.

All were printed in Germany and they're part of a series of "dear" postcards that's become yet another obsession. There are cards for just about every family member, as well as for lovers, friends, pets, you name it. The postmarks on these range from 1908 to 1913. I wish I could tell you that there are fantastic messages on the backs - which are scanned into my archive. But they're mostly along the lines of "thinking of you," "miss you," "hope you visit." Come to think of it, those are fantastic messages!

Am I blue?

© Out On A Limb: 30 (2012)
mixed-media collage: antique engravings (Chatterbox magazine No. XXI, 1879; People's
Cyclopedia of Knowledge, vol. 3, 1881); vintage illustration (Birds of the World, 1961);
hand-marbled paper; recycled art catalog; ink, marker, fluid chalk; acrylic sealer & acrylic varnish.
 6" x 6"  on cradled birch panel Price: $85.
(SOLD)

Yes, I'm blue. But it's okay. hue: blue opens tonight (6-9 p.m.) at Brazee Street Studios' gallery One One during our Open Studios' event. There are five new/newish Out On A Limb Collages in the show, including the one here. I must say, the gallery looks fantastic. There's something utterly refreshing about a sea of blue - especially when you're 12 hours from the shore. Well, my shore - the Jersey Shore.

But back to the collage ... I had been wanting to use the text on birds nests since finding it; luckily, there were plenty of black-and-white nesting images to choose from. Needed a b&w one to continue the pairing with color images. The twiggy bit at the bottom was cut from a much larger piece that I wanted to put down the right side. But that made it too dominant. So, I kept moving it around and cutting away at it.

Here's the cool thing about the twigs: they were cut from a page in the spring catalog for Vosges - the amazing Chicago chocolatier. Trust me, its catalog is as inventive and stunning as its chocolates. Yes, source material is everywhere!