Cleaning....Setting up.....

Today was the first  in I can't tell you how long that I was able to actually go down in my room and do more than just dash in and out.   There was an accumulation of things that needed to be sorted, and homes found....  I guess an ever ending story for most people who are art inspired....  Totally ME time seems hard to come by.... even when you are retired.  Same things need to get done in the house, but I have been REALLY lax so I have to get myself in gear and CLEAN... YUCK.  Not too bad if I can periodically run downstairs for 15 minutes to add to my project trays.  I LOVE winter, I LOVE the cold and I am blessed beyond belief.

Nearly two weeks ago I got to visit and tour a mixed media/assemblage artists' home and now that the scope of everything I was trying to "take in" is settling down (STILL inspired),  I have a real appreciation of her art.  There are so many aspects of preparation for a piece.   I was headed in the right direction or down the right road so  today I was able to set up "project piles", and have elements out where I can see them...  Terri's art is coming from the heart and soul and many pieces she declares "she will never sell" because they are a part of HER.  Therapy art, heirloom type art, art that can tell a story.
The story could be told by the artist or by the person who is moved by the art and make it "her own".
Mixed media and assemblage is hard to teach because it is so individualized, personal, unique, one of a kind and is a communication between the artist and the viewer.  It is neat to know how the the artist felt when she was creating the piece....her story...  Maybe art should come with "a story" be it fact or fiction.

For some reason my first piece is going to be one of skeletons, skulls, bones, etc. and it is going to be interesting to see how it "becomes" as I begin.  I have a lot of different thoughts.  The anticipation of beginning is almost like apprehension ... the feeling of the first date, first child, first grandchild,  etc.  

New beginnings.  Skeletons could mean ghosts in the closet, bones or structure whether internal or external, colors (which I am seeing more of a neutral scheme coming into play as I add items to the tray.  So maybe this is "my style" or is it just going to be for this piece?  One wonders.  So this pile is Skeleton related....we will see when I am done what happens.  The neat thing with this type of art is it is pretty hard to duplicate so it makes the "piece" a one of a kind item which is really neat I think.   I prefer to make as many items as possible when I do assemblage or use one of a kind items.... Many use Tim Holtz and that is fine....just not my preference although I love his inks, papers, etc.  Same with papers.  I won't be "sure" from where they come, because I buy what "I" like.....with no thought as to if it is "name brand".  I have a handpainted feather by my friend and fellow artists Ely Kahn who amazes me with her one of a kind pieces.  She has started to sell companion feathers which are just the icing on the cake....so this feather will lend the color to this piece as it progresses forward.  

And this pile:

This is the start of a little girl or boys' denim pocket.  As I found things I might use I put them together.   A leaping frog piece of jewelry,  feathers, , poppy pod, tree bark...  It will be fun to see what happens here.  What else would a child have in his pocket..... Girl, or boy, age? etc.






The final pile for this post:

These two elements are "it" so far; but I will add more "things" as the days pass.  I am pretty sure this is going to develop into a piece of jewelry in either a necklace or a bracelet, but who knows it could change as it progresses.

This is the fun of art.  Sometimes, most times; I have NO idea where I will end up....and as I have heard other artists' say: "It is the journey that is important" the life of the piece.



I also have a painting or two that I am working on..... so that I can move between projects so that they transpire slowly.....but then again they may just flow together and be done in a day....one just never knows.  When I paint I don't work from a pattern, I free hand as I go and the pattern develops after I am done.  I use reference photos for color,
placement of details,  watch for balance, depth, etc.  as one does with just about any piece of art.  Using that third eye... 

There are a lot of techniques I want to try on these pieces ....  I have the products and now to use them in the way that inspires me and believe that it will come together as a special, one of a kind, piece of art.