I've made two pieces that are evocative of my walk on the Portuguese Coastal Camino route this spring. They each feature ceramic tiles of designs found on buildings in Portugal, the arrow and stylized shell used to mark the Camino route, and photos I took along the Atlantic coast. Each is 10"H x 20"W x 1.5"deep on a wooden panel. Filtered photos cut into strips, handmade papers and colored pencil.
While walking the Portuguese Camino de Santiago last month, we encountered this open door in a stone wall. It was standing open, inviting us to step through onto the rocky shore for a breath-taking view of the Atlantic Ocean. Don't you want to walk through this door, too?!
I took the original photos while on walks on the island of Curacao. I liked how the plants were featured in front of the plain, colorful walls. In each, I've embedded text or handwriting, handmade papers and shredded U.S. currency. Each is 12"H x 9"W. The shot of them together also shows some fossilized corral from the island.
After being away (in warm Arizona and Florida), I'm back in my art studio. I'd printed out and cut the prints for this piece in January as I wanted to try put pieces of blue ledger paper (from the 1850s) into all the blue sky in this artwork. I was anxious to get back to finish this piece and I'm pleased with the result. Some of the handwriting is readable and says "New Orleans" "Savannah" "loose cotton" -- the ledger was from Suffolk Manufacturing Company, a cotton textile business -- so I've named the piece "Southern Exposure". In addition to the photo prints and ledger paper, I've used some handmade yellow paper and colored pencil in this mixed media piece. 12" x 12"
It's been rather cold in Illinois this January, so I've been making art of warm vacation scenes.
"Blooming Desert" is comprised of multiple digital alterations of a desert photo all cut into strips and combined with colored pencil, handmade papers and vintage stamps. 14H x 11W.
"Steadfast" depicts a view up from the beach at a regal palm tree made of multiple digital alterations all cut into strips and combined with handmade papers, book text and vintage stamps. 11H x 14W.
"Join Me" depicts 4 chairs at Ephraim, WI facing Green Bay. The altered imagery was cut into strips and pieced together with additions of handmade papers, vintage postage stamps and shredded U.S. currency. 10H x 20W.
Despite the increased social activity of the holidays, I did find time to make art for some holiday shows, new gallery inventory, and some 5x7 woven pieces for my Art Sistas. Looking forward to a new year with travel and more explorations in art.
