ETHNIC PATTERN STUDY

Zig......

zag.....

repeat......

Circles......

triangles.....

repeat again.....

Thinking of mud cloth and meditating. 
Both pieces are 8"x10" . Made from copper that has been embossed, painted with acrylics, stitched, and mounted on handmade paper.

PAPER 53

All I can say is that love at first sight truly does exist. I HEART Paper 53 a new drawing app for ipad.

PATTERN- AN ELEMENT OF ART and a BOOK SIGNING

Been playing with ethnic patterns these last few weeks. These are interpretations of the ikat pattern. Each piece is approximately 8"x10" .Heavy stock cream colored paper is the base. I draw the patterns on copper, add collage elements, add more color with acrylics, caran d'ache, and colored pencil. Finally, I add stitching and vintage fabric.           

April 14, 2012  at 11AM
I would love to see you at the Barnes and Noble in downtown Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square. I will be there with Seth Apter artist and author of The Pulse Of Mixed Media. Also joining us will be artist Leslie Marsh. We will have artwork from the book and discussing the "secrets and passions" of mixed media artists. More HERE.

PULSE -THE RYTHMICAL THROBBING OF ART-ISTS

 " A book is a part of life, a manifestation of life, just as a tree or a horse or a star. It obeys its own laws, whether it be a  novel, a play or a diary. The deep hidden rhythm of life is always there, that of THE PULSE, the heart beat."                     - Henry Miller  

                                       

I am thrilled to be a part of the launching of Seth's new book "The Pulse of Mixed Media". He has truly redefined what it means to be an art/ therapist.  Stellar job putting it all together, Seth. There it sits above, in my studio. Thanks for including me in this project.......and speaking of including things......below are my pieces that appear in the book. Check out the "secrets and passions" parts of the book and you will find  the meaning behind what you see below. You can see them in person on March 31st at the Ink Pad's panel discussion with some of the featured artists, that will take place at the Westbeth Center for the Arts in New York City.

"I AM" Mixed Media Self Portrait  24"x30" - Cradled board, copper sheeting (drawing and painting into the copper), twinrocker handmade paper,  Golden Heavy Gel Medium, vintage fabric, stitching, acrylic paint.

"Secrets at the Beach" Mixed Media - 22"x26"-  same materials as above, except for the cradled board.

"Homage to Seth's  Making Waves Series"-    Any idea what the hands are doing? (answer at the end of the post) Thanks to my husband Bob for being my "somewhat willing" model for the hand sketches.

Guess who ? Check out the guy in the mirror. That is Seth holding that old brown bag. Why is he holding it and why is someone taking his picture?  There we were, having a nice lunch in Chelsea before going to see the Anselm Keifer  exhibit at the Gagosian Gallery. My friend Elizabeth mentioned that she had passed an old velvet bag a few blocks back next to a trash can. So? Seth decided to go back and retrieve it. It was a "keeper".  So........question to Seth, can you just tell us ONE place in New York that you would say would be the best place to find" hidden treasure"???? Putting you on the spot here?

First meeting. Me, Seth and our talented aussie friend Judy Wilkenfeld in New York a few years ago.......and speaking of Monsters of Art.......another question, Seth. Being an art critic for Nearsay New York, do you have a favorite venue for art gazing?
Seth answers some questions!~!!!!

Hidden treasure in NYC? Where do I begin. For hidden treasure that I cannot afford I head to De Vera Objects. For hidden treasure that that I could actually take home, I make my way to Obscura Antiques. or Kiosk.

Favorite venue for art gazing? Hmmmm....that would include Pavel Zoubok Gallery (not for the space but for the always-sensational exhibitions they present), MoMA (for both artwork and their 'new' building), and Sotheby's Auction House (I think the art world's best kept secret as anybody can go in free of charge and view the exhibitions before every auction AND see unbelievable art that might never again be exhibited).

Looking forward to the answers from someone who is an expert on the art scene in the "big apple" and it would seem on everything else he touches, including his incredible artwork.


Answer to what the hands are doing- sign language spelling... P-U-L-S-E!


The dictionary says the definition of the word PULSE - The rhythmical throbbing of ART-eries produced by the regular contractions of the heart......or in this case, the regular CONTRIBUTIONS of the ART-ists.

FEEL THE BEAT- MARCH 16th- RIGHT HERE

Sneak Peaks Below- 31 ARTISTS 31 DAYS -with Seth Apter at the Altered Page--- I am artist  # 16

WHAT'S OLD IS ........NEW

Taking some old things apart and putting them back together. RE-ASSEMBLAGE,  if you will.

I found the round piece at the top in a trash can at the Jersey shore that was old, rusty, full of water and this bag of "We Love Brigantine" buttons, that had the amazing patina that you see here. Don't you just love when that happens?  I have used them in a number of pieces since I love it. Almost out.

Even though this glorious old doll is battered and torn, it still looks happy. perhaps because it is becoming a component in this new piece. Te two items on either side are linseed oil and turpentine cans that I found along with a well used wooden palette in a Paris flea market. Sometimes paint is superfluous.

EYE HEART YOU

To all of you that have ever read Artsortments , left a comment or just checked things out.......I offer my sincere gratitude and appreciation.  Through this amazing world of blogging, I have met the most amazing people. I thank you all from the bottom of my HEART. So HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!

"Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart." - Anne Frank

"Write it on your heart that everyday is the best day of the year." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

IT"S RIGHT HERE IN BLACK AND WHITE

While visiting the Riviera Maya region of Mexico this past week, I spent time on the beach working on more circular mandala designs with the black sketch book and white gel pen that traveled with me.

I spent a bit of time looking at the Mayan calendars form so long ago......you know, the ones that say it's time for us to go. I don't believe it and neither do the Mayan people with whom I spoke. They believe everything is circular and keeps recycling. In other words, things will keep going. What do you think?

Did a few sketches ....played golf, went diving in a cenote( underground cave), zip lined, saw the ruins at Tulum, and repelled down a tower.  Gotta keep these old bones lubricated.

FOCUSING ON THE MANDALA

Made from scraps of photos of old pieces of work, painting and stitched. Still playing and focusing.

ELECTRONIC ART

"Technology, like art, is a soaring exercise of the human imagination." - Daniel Bell

I just returned from Las Vegas and the Consumer Electronics Show. Some of you may know that besides trying to find a moment to be creative, I also work with my husband in our electronics business and the CES show is our big trade show of the year.

Usually I marvel at the newest in TVs, stereos and anything else that I pass.....however, this year, much to my surprise, a few vendors had artists sketching people on their new tablets. Needless to say, I was dying to try it out.

The image at the top is one that I did from a photo I took of some showgirls (I did not draw ON the photo, I drew this from the photo). I used my Kindle Fire, my finger and an amazing application that I actually purchased before I got to the show. It's my first attempt and without a stylus, it's a bit rough. I had seen it being used at an Apple store. It's called........

Drawing Pad

When it comes to drawing applications for the Honeycomb devices, there are quite a few names in the market but none of them really impressed as much as the Drawing Pad. So what is so different about the Drawing Pad, that is the question. Well, this fancy drawing application has a very adorable interface, unlike most. Selection of all sorts of drawing tools seems very life-like and really infuses a wonderful experience. Having said that, if the user wishes to paint using a brush a drawer opens that contains various color-daubed brushes. Likewise, upon selecting color pencils, a drawer full of color pencils opens up before the user. All in all, the layout is pristine and adds the element of fun and excitement to drawing.

While walking past the Casio booth , I couldn’t help but notice a photo of a dog with a snout that stuck out of the frame.
It wasn’t 3D – the snout was literally sticking out of the frame. Apparently the company now has the ability through a complex software engine called “Relief Transformation” to take a two dimensional image or photo and transform it into a three-dimensional work of art.

Some of the examples had very subtle texturing, but then there was that  dog snout sticking way out. There’s no plans to commercialize this tech yet. Though, I gave them my card and told them to let me know as soon as it is available.

I had visions of photographing my own art work and.....well, it would seem to me that the sky is the limit.  What do you think?

HOLIDAY INSPIRATION

Once again, I was in New York at the most glorious time of year, the winter holidays. If there is any doubt in your mind that there is no holiday spirit......I was there( the I have no holiday spirit part).....just visit New York, smell the chestnuts, see the crowds, look in the windows, go to the open air holiday markets and be with good friends.

We saw the amazing windows at Bergdorfs (always the best, in my opinion), and went to a number of art exhibits and the Fashion Institute of Technology to see the Daphne Guiness exhibit .The Bergdorf windows always inspire me.( I was just glancing back to last years post at this time and I created some work in response to what I saw in the windows then.) I was intrigued this year by fashion as art and the people that are drawn to it. I have been experimenting with water color paints and yupo paper and found that using fashion and portrait paining lent themselves very well to the medium.

 

Portrait of Daphnie Guiness from a photograph

Window inspiration

Photo from a Chanel advertisement.......I was terrified to try to draw the perspective of the angle of this model. Is she super thin or is it just the camera lens?

My interpretation

Bergdorf window with "distorted model".

Happy Holidays ...from this crazy window gazer to you. May you find peace, joy and beauty in everything around you.