Virtual Tart Graffiti Exhibition

I’ve long been fascinated by Graffiti. For me, good (real) graffiti is equal parts art, soul and rebellion. It speaks to the viewer.Unlike art kept under covers and behind frames with signs that say ‘please don’t touch’ it has a life cycle. It interacts with both man and nature.

My original graffiti pages. These were cut up to become the graffiti boards being exhibited on the Virtual Tart website this month.

Sometimes it’s face is changed by social intervention and the process of life and death are quick. On others mother nature adds her touches, changes colours, washes pieces away, continuous evolution causing the piece to change in relationship to time and climate. Like all good stories there is a start and an end.

 I invite you to be part of that.

A collage of images from my exhibition. Visit the Virtual Tart site to see each image in closer detail. All works are for sale. Email me for more information. To view another series of collages completed by me click here!

Fragements, Vestiges and Remains- Kim Palmer's book

All done! The last stitch is in place and Kim's book is on it's way Debrina! I am pretty pleased with my pages and I'm grateful for all the wonderful and encouraging comments you've left me along the way. You guys rock and  Deb's is so incredibly patient she deserves a medal! I've have had this book a long time with all of the things going on here and Deb's has been without a book for quite a while now!

So, here it is! My tribute to the British Soldiers. I hope you've got a cuppa near by:)

Kim's book has taken on a star burst shape as it bulges at the seams (or should I say spine!) with our contributions. My Maori page opens up vertically to allow room for Lisa Jurist's stunning work to be viewed. In fact, the book is so fat now it's the only way to see it! The photo above shows how 'closed' the book is when my page is folded down, the one below shows how much extra space is gained when my Maori page is open. The British page is the spread which physically attaches my spread to the book.

The close up's......

I like how the pages all have common elements and I enjoyed the rough stitching.

It is about war after all!

One of my photographs of the gate way to the site of the battle as it looks today.

This page is on the back of Lisa's spread and is actually straight! I had to photograph it while it was vertical hence the crooked shot!

Above:

General Cameron pokes out of a pocket. One of the biggest streets in Tauranga is named after him.

Below is a map piece showing the North Island of NZ. The map sits rolled up in the pocket next to the General along side some information about the British attack.

You can see Tauranga (where I live and the battle took place) and Wellington, our capital. It was decided in Wellington that land further up the island needed to be obtained and it was decided to senfd  Brittish troop to claim fertile land in the Waikato (Hamilton area) for the Queen's movement. Part of the reason the battleof Gate Pa took place was to stop supplies getting to the Maori in Waikato. Simply put, supplies were getting to the Waikato maori via Tauranga. The Brittish thought that by taking Tauranga they could hinder the progress of Maori in the Waikato and thus giving them sought after land in both regions. While it is true that the Queen's movement suffered and embarrassing defeat to the King's movment in the Battle of Gate Pa ,the war was far from over and the lessons in this battle where later used to avenge there loss here.

My completed page! General Cameron had gone AWOL when I took this shot, he should be in the pocket next to the flag piece. That aside, this page is finished. I was trying to avoid the use of flags as Kim already used a flag piece in her own spread but now that it's there I am glad it is!

If you're interested in seeing all 3 pages together in the one post please visit the Pulp Redux blog.

I'm blog hopping tomorrow so I hope to *see* you all soon!

Fragments, Vestiges and Remains- Kim's book

Isn't it wonderful when the art drought finally ends? I've been having a great time working on my pieces for Kim's book. I am the 4th person to work in Kim's book. Kim, started it off with touchhing and thought provoking ANZAC themed piece, Alicia was next with a spread on the misfortune of those who found themselves underground in the Portland tunnels. Lisa J was the 3rd person and she created a stunning piece about immigrants coming to Baltimore seeking a better life but instead finding drought and hardship. So far we've each completed a piece about a historical event that took place in our own areas so my piece is about the Battle of Gate Pa. This is one of the most signifcant land battles to have taken place on NZ soil and Gate Pa is about 4 km from where I live. Here's what I've done so far....

The Queen's movement vs. The Kings movement. Maori intelligance vs British artillery. This is the Battle of Gate Pa.

My spread is not yet attached to Kims book but the work so far is largely secured to the backing cloth. As you can see I am working on the Maori part of my book and this will be followed by the British story and lastly by the story of Archdeacon Brown and his wife who befriended both sides.

The blue face is a Maori design from a silk scarf. It's non-traditional in colour but I loved the fabric so much I had to use it. The blue face has been stitched around in black thread. I didn't intend on doing so much stitchwork when I first decided on the silk but I took it with me to the hospital and had plenty of time on my hands! I am quite pleased with the results as I was trying to reflect the tribal war and wanted rustic looking detais for the page. The face piece doubles as a book cover which you can see open above.

    I was incredibly pleased to find the leather offcut with wonky eyelets in the scraps basket at a second hand shop. It was meant to be here! It was a pale (ugly) grey so a bit of black shoe nugget was dispatched to give it an older mottled look.

The Maori design at the bottom was black and white originally so I gave it the coffee treatment to stop it from being so bright. I was at the 2nd hand shop looking for appropriate Brittish piece when I came across a tatty tourist tea towel. Perfect! I really wanted to incorporate traditional Maori art on my page but it is perfect in design, symmetrical and lovely even lines. Not my strength at all. Thank goodness for tatty tea towels!

The photo to the left shows the fabric flaps lifted up to reveal  the area where I envision the factual information will go. As you can see from the pic I've already made a start on the inside of the book cover.
 It wouldn't be my blog post without the close up photos...

Thank you again for all the well wishes recieved.I've just started visiting a few blogs again and hope to visit more tonight and tomorrow. I miss seening what everyone's been up too! My son is still unwell but well enough to be home. I'm learning to balance my time better and channel some of my energy into my artwork. It's certainly proven to be a sanity saver for me this past week...and surprisingly productive too!

The Museum of Forgotten Things part 1

Here it is! Part 1 of my final posting for Alicia Caudle's book "The Museum of Forgotten Things." I enjoyed getting it out of it's box today and seeing all the fabrics and beads again. It was like meeting up with a friend after a long time away...which is what it was if I consider the 'friend' to be my artist self, the 'friend' whose company has been sorely missed!

Things are still not improving for my son but I have decided that I really need to start reclaiming some of my art time back! It's not a lack of time that's prevented me, we've been home a lot, it's been the lack of head space. It's all doctors, sickness and housework lately. I realised today (while doing housework...) that I've been reluctant to sit myself in a corner and get into 'that space' because I know it won't be long until I get pulled back out of it again. I don't want to just visit 'that space' I really need to become lost in it. No interuptions, no distractions, nothing but creative flow and discovery! I also realised that if I wait for that time to come I am likely to be waiting a while...so tomorrow short of someone being hospitalised or a natural disaster I will find 'that space' and create something. I've no idea what yet but it's exciting to know the time is near!

Alicia's book is a mysterious story of love, secrecy, betrayal and passion so five hearts and better than one!I can't take the credit for this one, I found it at the second hand shop and repurposed it for the book. It's wonderfully old and just perfect for the pocket I made for Hester. I think it used to be a scent pillow that was hung in a cupboard to ward off the smell of moth balls once apon a time!

I made this heart and the one similar from a product like fimo. You may remeber the post although it was months ago!This one sits on the 'blue page' as a weight holding the pocket flap down.The heart below is similar to the heart above, both are made from recycled fabric and thread. The one above sits above Hester's pocket and the one below is from the 'imperfect patch' she made for Charlotte.

This heart and the one below are made from recycled fabrics and thread.They're fiddly but enjoyable to make so I think I will be making more of these!

The heart below is on the 'imperfect patch' Hester made for Charlotte.

Charlotte's pages are the 'blue pages.' I am not sure why I chose blue but I was really pleased I did when my son bought home the fabulous blue hair clip he found at school. It was just what my page needed!

For the life of me I can't get these photos to display in the correct order! I had great ideas about displaying these as the page opens but blogger has other ideas... this photo should be below the photo that has the cross.As this photo shows the cross on the pocket lifts up to reveal the crushed velvet bag containing treasures from Hester's past (military buttons left behind by a secret lover, dolphin teeth...) It is impossible for this pocket to sit flat and it distorts the material a bit. None of the 'pulpers' seem to be able to work flat!

The pocket seen in the first photo is also a door which lifts up to reveal Charlotte's face and the 2nd door/pocket with the heart to weight it down. That pocket holds Charlotte's diary notes.

The last photo shows Charlotte's blue page with both the upper and lower doors (with pockets) folded back to reveal  that  fabulous hairclip my son found at school. It's perfect for Charlotte!

Blogger gremlins certainly has been having a field day with this post so I hope your able to make sense of it. My next post will be the back of the 'blue page' and the second piece I did for Alicia's book, the piece I originally thought was going to be a diary is now something much different!

Home Sweet Home!

Check out the names on the issue slip...I wonder who 'lover boy' is?

It was a great relief to have my son finally discharged from hospital after a long 11 day stay. Unfortunately he's still unwell and at home. This sure has been a long road! Thanks to all of you who sent your well wishes, they are really appreciated and much needed! We've got another appointment with the Doctor tomorrow and we've started my son on a gluten free diet (I'm gluten and lactose free) so hopefully it will do the trick and we'll back on the road to recovery in no time. Here's hoping!!

I haven't done any art in ages and the call of my papers and threads is getting deafening! All up it's been about 4 weeks of no play and I am seriously craving some quiet time lost in the textures and colours. It's hard to find the balance between family and art.Actually, I've come to the conclusion that sometimes there is no balance. Sometimes the needs of one quite simply outweighs the other and nothing can be done to balance them out. I must say though, that even though there's been no play it doesn't mean no fun. I've managed to visit a few blogs (literally a few! please don't feel left out if I haven't made it your way yet!) which has been refreshing and inspiring and the postman has been bringing me wonderful mail!

I took a few photos of some of the things a blog friend, Danit sent me. She has just shifted back to Israel and I was lucky enough to be sent some of the things she needed to find new homes for!

This image came from a wonderful old first aid book. I'm already planning the collages for next years ICE and I think this book is going to be very useful! The image above is also from a book Danit sent me.

Old wooden stamps. They are a wonderful mix of old and new. Aged wood and rubber with glitter-ink remains on them!  I am really drawn to the old wood and text I am not sure if I should use them or display them!

Wooden bingo numbers. Off centre and quirky- just the way I like them! I had actually received a few of these before in an art swap with Danit but I've used them so you can imagine how happy I was to see these in the mail!

Look what else arrived! No wonder I am itching to play! This is Kim's book for the Pulp Redux Collab  (see her blog link on my side bar) and the pages you can see are Alicia's and Lisa J's. Their links are also on the side bar if you're curious! I still have Alicia's book here (remember Charlotte?) and my next post should be the final installation for my part in the "Museum of Forgotten Things" story. It's been painfully close to finished for what seems like forever now! Watch this space:)

Pulp Redux Chapter #3 Alicia's book

I've been busy working on my blue 'Charlotte' page. When I last posted about this page I said it was unfinished and I needed to work out what it needed. I sensed it was somethingewhite..but it turns out it was white, blue and brown! Here's how it's looking now....

I created two fabric pockets that fold back like doors.

The cross lifts up to reveal a pocket which contains some 'exhibits' from Hesters life...and loves!

Exhibits: buttons left behind by a Military lover Hester gave shelter too, a pen nib, a piece of chain from a necklace given to Hester by the Military man sits along side the dolphin teeth (yes those are real dolphin teeth...strange but true!) he gave her.....who is that boy? That secret's still to be revealed!

The flap on the pocket lifts up to reveal some diary pages and the secrets they contain.

Both flaps fold back to reveal Charlotte who you no doubt remember as being Hester's secret daughter!

The following is an entry from Charlottes diary, whose just discovered her real identity. Charlotte's diary pages are kept in bottom pocket (visable in the 4th photo.)

Dear Diary, the reason for my lack of entries here is most unexpected. I recieved a telegram telling me of my Aunts passing. This however, was not a great surprise to me as she was old and some-what unwell.When I heared that Aunt Hester had passed on I set off to take care of her affairs. My own mother was poorly and unable to do so herself. I noticed her great reluctance for me to attend to the estate and I was left with the feeling that there was something I didn't know...as if for a moment she wanted to tell me but then pulled back and could not. I know now what it was she would have said had she found the courage to do so. I was in for a great shock. A surprise of the most confusing type. It was the most unexpected thing and I am still reeling from the shock of it! Oh, diary! What shall I do? I don't know who I am anymore! It would appear my life is a lie! What is it that could cause me such unrest? Oh diary, I write this through my tears for I've just foiund out that my Aunt Hester is not my Aunt, she is my mother! I was a secret child, born from an affair! The shame, dear diary! I cannot begin to describe. Me! Born out of wedlock and hidden away for a year! How could she? Oh faithful diary, if there's any hope that I cling too now it's that I will discover who I am through the exhibits left here, in the house that has become a museum  of forgotten things...

Next pulpy posting I will reveal the secret of the boy in the photo, as discovered by Charlotte. Watch this space!

There's a lot more pulpiness to come as we near the final weeks of round three. Debrina's ahead of all of us and has finished her spread in Lisa J's book. She even managed a video clip of it so we can all see how the pages fold and reveal and change and move...it's great! Please click on over to the Pulp Redux blog to check it out! Way to go Deb's! My book is now in her hot little hands but if you wondering what's been going on with it and didn't catch Kim's posting here it is! I can't wait to see this in 'the real!'

The Museum of Forgotten Things

As most of you will know I currently have Alicia Caudle's book 'The Museum of Forgotten Things" with me. What a huge honour it is to be able to take part in the awesomely, fabulously, wonderfully great Pulp Redux Collab! Here's what I've done so far...

My son found that fabulous blue hair clip at school..I couldn't believe my luck when he pulled it out of his pocket and proudly presented it too me!

I decided to make a fabric 'scroll thing' for the page. The idea is not all that original, I was avoiding it for that reason an  there are already several in Alicia's book.. but I like the way it helps keep the flow going from Alicia's pages to Debrina's and on to mine.It was also fun to make!

What does a handy piece of mutton cloth, some beads, thread, lace and coffee dyed 2nd hand shop fabric make when it's all stuck onto the surface of some painted, textured foam board?

I'm pleased to be introducing Charlotte to you all! Charlotte is the secret daughter of Hester.

Hester or Hettie as she is known, is the main character of Alicia's book. Hettie's first love died in a nasty barn fire that Hettie herself was to blame for. She arrived home one day and caught her husband in the arms of another woman . Poor Hester! She threw a lantern to the ground in a terrible burst if hurt and rage setting the whole lot alight. As she was never suspected of being the cause of the fire the incident was declared an accident. Hester went on to live a life of guilt and seclusion...with the exception of a few secret lovers and a secret daughter- Charlotte.

The page is not finished yet, I need to find the perfect bits and pieces to add to the page but so far so good! I am quite happy with it although it dosn't fit onto my usual 'style.' I've never worked with images of real people before and I don't usually work in blue or on foam board! I was so pleased when my son gave me the blue hair clip and to see how perfectly it sits on the page. What luck! I feel confident that I can continue on Charlotte's story while keeping true to the flow of the book and my own personal style. It's good to move around and explore a bit!

You can find the links to the Pulp Redux Collab and all the artists involved in my side bar...I've just rearranged things a bit to make them all easier to find. I am sure you will find plenty of inspiration over at their blogs so make sure you've got your cuppa at the ready!

Labyrinth AB- Finished!

I'm all done! I've completed the last few things I wanted to do in my book and now it's in a box waiting to be posted later today (to Kim of Merlin's Musings in Australia.) It's quite exciting on one hand to look at this formerly unloved book and to see what it is now but on the other hand I feel a little sad to see it go! It's been a big part of my thinking time and art time lately! However, this books journey has only just begun and not only will 4 other fabulous books make there way into my home over the next 7 months or so I will also have the excitment of it coming home again! I am very sure it is in good hands!

Above: The sign in pages on the left were created using vintage photo album pages and the the collage I kept from the series shown last post. This pic helps to put the size of them into perspective and helps me to see how they tie in with the rest of my book, the colours etc are very me! The right hand side of the top photo shows a partially bound signtaure and my note to the other artists. The copper piece is actually a plant name tag on a wire 'stake' of sorts. I picked up a packet of 6  in the supermarket for only $3.00! I love finds like that!

Above:  My visual diary pages for this book. I've just realised that I have completely missed photographing one page...opps! I  like this page because it really shows the difference my h.a.t print makes to the final look.( The h.a.t print is almost a Ghost print but not quite! thanks Mick for the info!) The actual cut is quite plain and not all that clever, it's the transformation that it undergoes with the h.a.t proceess that makes all the difference. Most of the library issue cards have poetry in the background. The words of the one shown here are in a pic below which you can enlarge to read if you wish!

I was never quite happy with the blank area above the nest on this page but a few lines of simple writing took care of that! I'm happy now:)

The company was gathered, and Life the auctioneer, stands up before the bidders, his hammer lying near.

"Lot One" he cries 'I offer is Time that's passing on, an Time my friends remember, is going, going- gone!

Two bidders fight to buy it, but not with Gold Accurst, they offer all their effort, their hunger and their thirst.

One means to use it  nobly, the other for his boast. The hammer falls, he had it, who longed to get it most.

Click the photo if you want to read the rest of the poem, it's a a lovely poem I found in a child's encyclopedia and didn't want to cut up!

So that's it...I hope to put a slide show of my section together when I have a little more time (ironically) and ofcourse you can always see more of this book and the others on the Pulp Redux site. Check out our new banner too...created by the clever Alicia of Altered Bits!

Library Issue

I have been busy secretly working away on a small set of collages to celebrate/commemorate  the Pulp Redux collaboration!  Being an Altered Book Round Robin I couldn't think of anything more appropriate than a 'library issue card' and a special edition lino cut! All of the background papers are recycled or from the paper stash that I got from Deb.

Collage 2, if you look closely has the words 'tatters patiently rewoven' in green. The poetry was mostly obscured under the layers but it said " All our raveling tatters patiently rewoven, I surrendered pipers cadence for children's moans. Ungazed my mirror was mazed with frosts" thanls Deb for including that cool piece of text!

I've shown them here in the order that I created them and all though I wanted to keep the continutity I didn't want to make them the same! I have my favorite of course but overall I would have to say I am quite pleased with them. I also discovered why thimbles were invented! I havn't done that much sewing in ages!

In true LUCKY DIP style I have wrapped these all up in brown paper with a few other goodies and each player will randomly pick one to keep. It's not a swap, it's a heartfelt thankyou! This swap has already exceeded my hopes and wishes for it and we're still working on our own books!  Mine will be going postal to Alicia of Altered Bits tomorrow or the next day.

I made 5 collages so I could have one too, I even made myself do a little lucky dip so I couldn't be biast...and I got collage number 4. It's actually been added to my book but more on that tomorrow!

 The technique I used for the linocut print was the 'happy accident technique" which will be forever dubbed the h.a.t print (atleast in my mind!) unless someone can tell me if it actually has a name...they're made my wetting the inked lino cut and pressing serviette/tissue paper into them. The serviette's absorb the ink from the low points and wider high points and the water gives it that aged look. I discovered it by accident but that dosn't mean it's original!