Another new cast of characters, Italian-style

A few weeks ago I wrote about a food-related collage that I was struggling with. It was a commission loosely based on a piece created for an exhibit earlier this year. A print of the original would have been fine BUT I had forgotten to scan that collage into the computer. Well, the final piece - above - came out fine, even though I had to take it apart to get it there.

An armored knight was central to the earlier collage, as well as this one. The difference though is that the first one was a black-and-white engraving of a standing knight, while this one is a splendidly-outfitted and beautifully-colored knight and horse.

The image is from Costumi Dei Secoli, a spectacular book of hand-painted engravings published in Florence, Italy, in 1837. The two-volume set is falling apart and heavily foxed, but the prints are in remarkably fine condition once you get past the edges.

The art details costumes worn by people depicted in well-known paintings, sculptures and monuments of the time - and each is accompanied by a description. In Italian, of course. I've been scanning the images into my archive - there are close to one hundred 8.5" x 12" plates - and wanted to share a few that you're sure to see popping up in future collages ...

A new cast of characters with special meaning

I've raided my ever-growing stash of Victorian photos and am working on a series that continues my exploration of gender roles. But, this time, it's men who are undergoing a gender bending.

I wanted to explore the stigma attached to being gay during the Victorian era, but do it in a humorous way. For example, the titles on the pieces above are "Geoffrey believed in the power of accessorizing"(left) and "Charles wondered whether the sleeves were a bit much."

The series is tentatively titled, Victor Victorian and is dedicated to my late brother David, who would have been 58 today. He was an early AIDS victim and one of the warmest-hearted people in the world. I've written about him in the past, noting that the drawing table in my studio was a gift from him when I was in college. The plan is to donate part of the money from sales to Aids Volunteers of Cincinnati (AVOC).

I know these new collages would have made David laugh. Out loud.  

Traveling clothes

Well, here are the three latest The Grand Tour collages that I've been writing about, all framed and ready to be shown at Saturday's 7th Annual Art Affaire show on the grounds of the Promont House Museum in Milford, Ohio.

They are my largest pieces yet. When having them framed, I picked the same molding in different shades and opted for "museum" glass, which cuts down on reflections and glare. The glass is pricey but worth it, because it lets viewers see all the details. They even look fantastic in this low-res photo.

I'm showing in the dining room, which I set up early this evening. Just a few little things to tend to before the show opens at 11 a.m.

I'll be there until closing, which is at 5 p.m. And in addition to the Grand Tour pieces - there are 3 more - I brought along collage tags, and flock of Out On a Limb collages and three shadowboxes.

Two more calendars in the works

Wrapping up all the calendar master files this week, then, the printing begins. These two join the Food Colors and Grand Tour calendars that I wrote about a few weeks ago. They are the same size - 5.5" x 8.5" - and as with the other two, I plan to offer a special deal for advance orders ($12), after which the price will be $15. More as soon as they're printed ...

Time is on their side

The Grand Tour: After Much Tinkering, Rosa, Viola, and Cora 
Traveled to a Place that H.G. Wells Had Yet To Imagine: The Future
mixed-media collage: antique hand-painted fashion plate (Peterson's, Feb. 1887);
vintage diagram (Switching Locomotives Operating Manual, General Motors)
and illustrations (Audel's Plumbers and Steam Fitters Guide #1 and #4, 1925;
Architectural Forum, July 1960); recycled book proof; marker, ink, watercolor
and acrylic sealant. 9.5" x 12" on acid free mat board. (2012)

This collage - the last of the new ones for Saturday's Art Affaire - began with the architectural illustration. When I spotted it, I knew the Grand Tour women would travel to the future - and so they have. But it took some mechanical ingenuity.

I've always been a woman with a tool box. One of my first purchases when I left home was an electric drill. After all, I already had my mother's Sunbeam mixer. So, tools have become a recurring theme in my collages and greeting cards. In the collages, I tend to pair oversized tools with 1950s-era women as a symbol of role reversal and empowerment. They function in much the same way here.

A few words about Mr. Wells: his novella, The Time Machine, was published in 1895. Since this fashion plate is dated 1887, my women are far ahead of him and have made time travel a reality. I like to think their trip inspired him.