Tonight: Mini Madness at Brazee Street in Studio 2A

Here's a glimpse of the 5"x5" collages that will be shown at tonight's Open Studio (6-9 p.m., more info here, including directions). Top photo: my paper collages. Bottom photo: painted-canvas collages by Susan Mahan. Nice contrast between the two. Hope to see you later ... (oh, Susan's collages will be up through Oct. 31, and can be seen by appointment by contacting me).

Jane And Isabella Shed Their Inhibitions on All Hallows' Eve

Now what would the genteel readers of Godey's Lady's Magazine make of this reinterpretation of the fashion plate found in the November 1865 issue? I'm not sure. But when I spotted this pair - part of a larger plate in bad condition - their dresses screamed Halloween. So, into the Halloween file they went. I resisted the urge to dress them up more. Keeping it simple allows viewers to focus on the details of the lovely, hand-painted dresses. 5" x 5" on archival mat board. Matted to fit a standard 9" x 9" frame. $75 (SOLD)

Out On A Limb: 4

I didn't plan on creating more Out On A Limb collages, but I've learned that when it comes to making art, the word "plan" is fluid. So, as I dove into a slew of 5"x5" collages for this Friday's Mini Madness Open Studio - with guest artist Susan Mahan - I found myself creating another bird collage.

It's markedly different from the first three, because the bird and branch are not constructed from an array of papers. The bird here was snipped from a recycled publisher's catalog cover and the branch was cut from a photo of a glass sample in a glass catalog that I found in a trash can.  

The background's covered with a recycled piece of vellum imprinted with a pale brown flower pattern. The pattern mostly disappeared when the paper was glued down. Even so, it still added subtle color and texture - and made the pieces placed atop it really pop. I've been experimenting this week with translucent papers, so you'll be seeing more of them. 4.75" x 4.75" on archival mat board. (SOLD)

Read all about it!!

Photo: Kevin Wauligman, Source: Oct. 5th issue of CityBeat. 

Well, here's a peek inside my hyper-organized studio - as well as a peek at me - courtesy of the Cincinnati weekly City Beat. There's a profile of me in this week's issue that I thought I'd share. It reveals much more about me than you've read in this blog.

Part of that is my reluctance to talk about my cancer. The main reason for that is my unwillingness to let it define me. I have it but it is not who I am. Writer Kathy Schwartz was sensitive to that and although the story was bookended by mentions of cancer, the bulk of the piece was about my obsession with paper.

I was hesitant to read it but got over it - and was delighted by what other people said about my work. But I'd add one more thing to the piece if I could and it is this: I would not be here now and in such great shape if not for all the support these past two years from friends, family, acquaintances and even people I didn't know before this. To paraphrase: It takes a village to raise an artist.

Help solve the mystery of an electrifying story

Okay, so while rummaging around that Michigan antique shop last week, my husband found seven French cards about electricity. Normally, he wouldn't step foot in an antique shop, let alone look through its contents. But it was my birthday, so he was indulging me. These excited him, because he was sure I didn't have any like them - he was right - and he knows my affinity for mechanical/machine age images.

As you can see by the numbers, they are part of a large set. The thing is - there is no publisher on them and nothing else to identify them. They are bigger than cigarette cards, don't have the advertising of a standard trade card and, well, they have me flummoxed. I've been searching high and low and across the web to find out more about them. Can anyone at there solve the mystery???