Black & White tiled mirror

Here's my latest in my tiled mirror series. This one is actually my favorite. Can't explain why, as I am so in love with color. I suppose it's the graphic elements that I admire. This will be my last of these for awhile, as I must now get down to business in making a few more altered books for Gallery Ten. And also come up with a resume and artist statement. That will be much more difficult than producing the artwork!

Free slideshow created with Smilebox

Book in a Handbag

This is a miniature purse--no larger than 4 inches long, I guess. It's adorable all by itself.
So you open it--oh! There's something inside. Wonder what it is?
I pull it out, and it's a strip of paper, folded accordian-style. And it says something.
It says: "It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are." e e cummings. Hmmm--one of my favorite quotes.
But there's more! On the flip side is a pictorial of a little girl (yes, me), who grows up and ponders life's mysteries, and finally metamorphoses into a butterfly--and then she gets her wings and flies--and now she's a Queen--and one last burst of energy, and she's all that she was meant to be.
This is my Book in a Handbag--just finished it today. It will be one of my pieces I show at Gallery Ten in Door County. Hope someone relates to its story and buys it.

WooHoooo!!!

I'm going to have my art in a gallery in Door County!!

Last Spring when Phil & I went to Door County, we visited several art galleries. One of them, Charlene's Gallery Ten, in Gills Rock, was especially interesting because the art was quite funky. This is a photo of the exterior of the building, with a large canvas sign attached. In talking with the gallery owner about the art there, I mentioned my love affair with books and that I altered books. She took my card (I had just recently had cards made up for my first art show), and said she'd contact me this year. I was pretty excited about it, but then over the winter I figured it was just a nice gesture on her part, and I probably wouldn't hear anything--that old inner critic taking over.

Well, last week I received a letter and contract from her, asking to send or deliver my art! I am feeling honored, excited, scared, affirmed, cautious, and amazed. So now I'm wondering if I should send my art in the mail or deliver it myself. Any advice on that? I will have to go up there and retrieve any unsold art in November. But perhaps it would be worth doing two trips; not sure. Especially since this is my "first time."

Again, my inner critic is at it: I won't sell anything; she'll change her mind after she sees it; blah, blah, blah. But I'm doin it anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. At the very least, it will be something to put on a resume. Oh--that's something else I have to send her: a resume! What do you put in an artist's resume?! I have no idea. Guess I need to research that.

Photos of Key West

Here are some of the more artsy photos I took while in Key West last week. Talk about inspiration! So many art galleries--I even talked with an artist while he was painting a wine bottle, and he gave me some ideas to try--and the scenery, and just the whole "free" mood of the Keys. My art cup is brimming over..
The water is always an inspiration for me. It is just so elemental, and basic, yet so awe-inspiring. Just to look out at the ocean and breathe in the freshness is so good for my soul.
I was also very much into the trees, and not just the palm trees. Some of the old trees down there are just magnificent. This one, at Blue Heaven Restaurant, reaches up and spreads out so beautifully, and yet some of its base trunk is wound around an antique oven that has been there forever. Such strength.
This door, too, was at Blue Heaven (loved that place--cats and chickens just walkin around, while a lady in a panama hat strums the guitar and you sip on tropical drinks at the outdoor bar while waiting for your outdoor table under the trees.) This door and its color just epitomizes Key West: old, funky, so much character.
These were along the roof line of a patio area where they have music (still Blue Heaven). Love the contrast of green and blue, the glassy color, the pattern and rhythm of the bottles. I have no doubt that all this visual stimuli will be showing up in my art!