Midsummer Thoughts

It's been a busy Spring and Summer here. As it is for everyone - I tend to get

lost in the details and lose my overall focus - making sure I keep a presence

in cyberspace. I've felt like being quiet which is definitely bad marketing.

These months have been bountiful. Four grandchildren marked another birthday.

On Friday we welcomed our seventh - a beautiful little boy, Matteo David. He's

healthy and doing great. And I love that name. As our 7 year old grand Ella says -

" His name is Italy-ish." Italy-ish fits right into a family whose ancestors carried

the names Antonucci and Arcidiacono.

Tomorrow I leave for our annual family reunion/celebration. I feel so blessed.

I have work that I love and a happy healthy family that wants to be together

whenever we can. After the tragedy in Colorado I am more grateful than

ever for my ordinary life and all it's blessings. Grateful for my little wings

 that work hard to keep me aloft.

Decatur Arts Festival

Both of these collage pieces sold this weekend at the Decatur Arts Festival.

Despite the 90+++ degree heat, it was a great show. I got to meet lots of

interesting folks and see old art friends. The image below is a 40th anniversary present for someone's parents who are 70. They must be pretty hip. I love knowing who is going to live with my art. 99% of the time I think the art and the buyer are a perfect match.

This jpeg is a detail of the collage that I titled " The Proposal".

It was gratifying to sell a bunch of the collages. They're a little quirky but

Decatur gets quirky. I love doing collage. It's even better to know that

I can SELL collage. I'll be setting up shop at the Virginia Highlands Summerfest

on Friday. Another very hot weekend to come. Looking forward to the fun. It's a

great show in one of my favorite Atlanta neighborhoods.

Back on the Road Again

Leaving on Friday for Chattanooga and Who Fest. This is my first time at this show and I am excited about being there. Never been to Chattanooga and I hope I get some free time to explore the city a little. The show is set up in a waterfront park - how could it be bad?

I am so ready to get on the road! I missed the Gasparilla show when I got sick the day I had to leave. So the art is still packed up, the tent is at the ready - I just have to pack my clothes and sunscreen.

So much art to show - for the first time I'm not worried that I don't have enough work for a show. Finally, I have too much. I can't wait to get some feedback on the new collage work and my beloved tarpaper art. There is nothing like getting out of the studio and my comfort zone. Hanging the art outdoors and waiting for buyers to show up is what it's all about.

New Possibilities

 I have a new obsession. Thank God. I was feeling very stuck in my painting. Thus, many collages were produced. (Not that that's a bad thing...) Collage was much less confrontational than the painting. And I love the images that were created.

Then came the Golden Workshop with it's brain-bursting curriculum of possibilities. They even sent me home with a goody bag full of product I never would have bought.

The instructor spoke of how the gel mediums can act as
protective barriers. I still had a roll of roofing paper collecting
dust and cat hair in the studio. I wondered what would happen if I sealed the tar paper with the gel medium. It was awesome. I got a textured surface to paint on without losing the rough canvas-like surface of the paper.  Oh, my goodness. You can scratch into it. You can sandpaper it.
You can cover mistakes in a heartbeat. I am in love.

This is my first painting - "This Is Your Brain on Art".
It makes me so happy to look at. It's everything I was trying for - on wood or board.
 Looser, more nuanced color and a sense of whimsy.
The image at the top is the last one I finished. Love it.


And now the challenge is presentation. I cannot figure out how they look best.
 Nailed onto painted plywood panels?
In a frame, mounted on matboard with a plexi cover?

Presentation has never been an issue for me and right now that's what I'm wrestling with.
I will figure it out.
Maybe an online contest for best look would be a
good idea.

Right now I am just in love with roofing paper and it's possibilities.

Cutting and Pasting

The studio  has been cleaned and rearranged for maximum

creative output. I hope. It sure looks better and I can walk

around without getting bruised by something. More shelves

are up and it's easier to access all my collections (junk).

Pictures will be posted when it looks like I want it to look.

I did make great curtains out of old linens that I love.

My painting style is changing and making me uncomfortable.

I don't even want to talk about that until I can figure out where

 me, my paintbrushes, gel mediums and graphite are going.

Right now the combination just makes me unhappy.

The junk collections never fail to inspire me. I got a pile of new

frames from the ever-inventive Philip. They begged to

have some paper and pictures laid down on them to tell a story.

The stories pour out with no fuss. I love how they

pass thru me onto the surface.

This is " All You Need Is Love" - above and detail below.

 A yummy vintage lime green bookcover, map,

 printer's type and a picture to warm or break your heart.

 Not sure.

I'm signed up for two workshops this week. I am

so excited. I've wanted to learn about encaustic for

years. And a Golden Artists Colors Workshop on

using their different mediums. This will either open

the gates of painting again or make me crazy.

I'll let you know.

At the very least, I think the workshops will be perfect

for some inspiring Instagram moments.

The Honey Bunny

Mr. Honey Bunny. Man of my dreams.

I brought two new collage pieces to one of

my mentors. She was in love with them, much

to my surprise ( as always.... questioning

the work in my head ).

 She encouraged me to make more, make them bigger.

 Just to fly with it.

 Which, of course, is kind of paralyzing for me.

So Mr. Honey Bunny is small and took forever

to finish. I like him, though.

Trying to think and imagine BIG. It's like

running a 5K after spending months in a

gym lifting weights. The 5K muscles are

really sore and you thought you were

in good shape....

My BIG collage muscles are just puny.



I believe that artists are extremely susceptible to new toys and media.

For sure this artist is.

Not the information kind of media - the kind that you can play with.

Gel medium, modelling paste,glazes and some awesome soft squishy stuff

that can substitute for a hard linoleum block. I found these neat

rectangles at my favorite place to browse - Dick Blick.

 ( How lucky am I to have a Dick Blick in my town?)

 I know they must have a name but I don't know it.

 They're gray, pliable and only $1.69 for a 4" x 6".

I love the look of block printing - the primitive and handmade

qualities. I tried carving a couple of traditional blocks. My hand hurt

and they didn't print very well. These gray babies are easy, fast

and print like a dream.

I've started with words. That's where I always start - whatever the

project. I have 6 images that I'll be posting on Etsy. This was my first

one. It's for Ella, who fervently believes in the existence of fairies.