Pulp Redux Chapter #3 Alicia's book

Here it is! My promised Pulp Redux Update! Last posting was my freshly completed "Charlotte" page. Charlotte is the secret daughter of Hester. You can read more here if you missed it. The AB follows a storyline and it's be a lot of fun creating the story and setting the scene.

The Imperfect Patch.

When Hester was pregnant with Charlotte she created a patchwork quilt, loving crafted from scraps of fabric and an old cotton dress. One of the patches was imperfect and Hester decided that her unborn child would only have the very best and the patch was put aside. As fate would have it this impefect patch was to play a very important roll as it was to become one of the few momento's Hester would have of her daughter. Hester lived a life of self imposed seclusion, she rarely saw anyone which was why she was able to keep her daughter a secret. When Charlotte was one year old she realised that a life of seclusion was no way for a child to live and she made the heart breaking descion to send her beloved daughter to live with her sister. They made a pact that Charlotte would never know that Hettie was her mother, instead she grew up thinking her Aunt was her Mother and totally unaware that Aunt Hettie was actually her mother. After Hester's passing the old ladies secrets were revealed and this was just one of many...

Charlotte's Pocket.

Keeping safe in this pocket is the imperfect patch, a key to Hesters secrets box and some of Charlotte's diary pages. The pocket is attached to the blue page with Charlotte's photo on the other side and is made from coffee dyed fabric, op shop fabric's and op shop lace. I didn't embroider the rose, I cut it from an old cotten napkin also gotten from the op shop! The top embellishment is a heart I sewed from fabric scraps.

The next page in Alicia's book is Hester's Diary...

I colour photocopied a Thrush nest watercolour from a delightful old book called "A country diary of an Edwardian Lady" and the book is a month by month account of Edith Holden's life in 1906. Fabulous book! I sewed over the nest with coffee dyed thread (the nest is a loooong piece of thread stitched on top of the painted nest.) It took me forever but I think it was worth it!

The cover of Hester's diary. The pages are yet to be written though! The cover is made from velvet (from the opshop ofcourse and bargain of the year!) apricot lace and green stuff that I can't remember the name of! The beads that embellish the lace frame are from an old necklace gottem from...the op shop! This page is made from 99% recycled materials. You probably  guessed that by now!  The ribbon roses I made today, they don't show very well here. I havn't made ribbon roses in years but they were kinda fun to do!The only bummer for me here is the strap which will attach the book to the book. I wish I had spent more time on it and finished it a little better. Never mind! Live and learn (and keep on sewing!)

Coming soon...Take it and Run Update and a new collage series called "Four Weeks in Autumn."

Take it and Run

I stumbled across Richard  Watkins one day while I was commenting on another bloggers post. His blog name "Pen Paper Pause" looked interesting so I dropped by...and stayed! Richard does "Thought Sketches" candid sketches accompanied by only a few words- observations of the world around him, reflections on events or people and short poems. The blog has a kind of "post secret" quality in that you feel like you are glimpsing inside his mind and sharing in his thoughts. His sketches are simple, honest and real. I  recommend you click on over to his blog or his flicker page and check it out. Richard also has lots of good ideas... a physical blog space in a book store was one that caught my attention. Instead of logging on to see a new post you simply walked in and saw the latest entry on a wall. Good idea!

Anyway...I was really enthusatic when I commented and one sketch in particular really clicked with me, a simple piece called Autumn.  When Richard emailed and asked if I'd like to take part in "Take it and Run" I could hardly believe my luck! I felt even luckier when I realised  the piece 'Autumn' was available for me to play with too! This is what he said...The idea is simple. People like you take one of my pen paper pause sketches, and run with it. Using your own individual style, create an entirely different visual execution that still uses the words of the original. The totally new from the old.

Below is my contribution to his project. Thanks Richard!

Lino print leaf coloured with water colour paints and lead pencil.

I adore the bright colours of the leaf but I think the decayed leaf which is just lead pencil and the ink from the print is kinda special too!

Below my finished collage which I have titled "Autumn Too."

Leaf prints, ripped circle, coffee dyed paper, old bridge pad paper, thread, recycled paper. The top piece with all the numbers was found inside a book I got at the second hand shop. I love finding ephemera from the previous owner!

The text is from Richard's thought sketch and it says...

There is a certain nonchalance

to how Autumn leaves fall

as if they are fully aware

of their beauty

as if they are fully at ease

with their death.

                                                                               

Thanks to everyone who popped by yesterday and shared the warmth with me. I love hearing how you've enjoyed  my imperfect leaves...and I love visiting your blogs too!

Coming soon: A pulpy post! My fingers havn't just been sewing paper collages ya know!

The ICE exhibition will be online April 1st (our April 1st) collages sell fast so if you want to grab a great piece of art from any of the 120+ artists participating you better mark your calenders now!

ICE # 13- Ripple Effect and a special GIVEAWAY

I've finished all of my collages for the 2010 International Collage Exchange! I am feeling so pleased with myself! I love the look of the completed series, I love the feeling of satisfaction I get when I look at each one and I am really looking forward to seeing the ICE exhibition on line.  You can see the complete collection on Lucky Dip ICE. You can see number 13 below.

ICE  2010# 13.

Series: Chain Reaction.

Title: Ripple Effect.

I'm not loving the photo but I am loving the collage! I'm loving the ripped circles and just know that you'll be seeing more of these! I uses various sized bowls and lids to rip around so it's just like ruler ripping but round. Why havn't I thought of that before?? I was so involved in making sure I got the series completed last night (co-incidently 3 months to the day from when I started. The 13th collage was also completed on the 13th day of the 3rd month...anyone here into 3's? )

I've wandered off...sorry. Ripple Effect is one of the first concepts that I came up with when I originally brainstormed the ideas I had for the series. We all create ripples, some fade away quickly others are ever increasing. They are the chain reaction. As I've said so many times before we all need to act respectfully and consider the chain reaction of each of our actions. They all count. Our planet and our own survival are dependant on it. We are imperfect beings, I don't claim to be otherwise. I drive a car, I smoke(!) I create rubbish each day I'm alive...but I try. I try to change what I can and have the smallest footprint I can and hopefully it's enough. It's what we do collectively that counts and I think my series has reflected that. I am happy and I hope you've enjoyed the journey with me. I have certainly enjoyed having you all along on it!

To celebrate I've created a small collage titled ' Ripples" which I am giving away to one lucky visitor. All you have to do is leave me a comment here or on the Lucky Dip ICE blog before the 23rd (another 3 in the 3rd month of the year...what's with these 3's!?) and if your name is randomly chosen  (a lucky dip of course) it's all yours!

I've used many of the same elements that I have in the other collages, just smaller. This piece is 14cm x 12cm, the rest are 30cm x 21cm. Come celebrate with me!

If you havn't done the exchange before but have been thinking about it I fully reccomend giving it a go. 13 collages sounds like a lot but you have until March 2011 to get them done for next years exchange so it's not that big a task really:) If your still not sure then please check out my Lucky Dip ICE blog and see the slideshows of the collages I have recieved in the past 2 years. You know you want some too:)

ICE # 9 Ironic

International Collage Exchange

Series: Chain reaction

Titile ICE 2010 # 9: Ironic

Teasel linocut printed on serviette using  my H.A.T method, thread, handmade paper (white) and handmade paper using onion and tea dye pulp, recycled book text and image, paper scrap.

I really enjoyed making this collage. The textures are beautiful to touch and I really enjoyed stitching it, each stitch being a process of theraputic mark-making and not simply a functional way to hold it all together. The bird featured in this collage is a Sparrowhawk. Beautiful, skillful Hawks similar to Peregrine Falcons. Sparrowhawks prey primarly on small birds like sparrows, thrushes, finches and quail but they're also capable of hunting bigger birds such as pigeons and partridges.

Humans have long had a love/hate relationship with the Sparrowhawk. Their feeding habbits have made them unpopular with many humans, particulary poultry farmers who have blamed the loss of chicks on the Sparrowhawk and with Pigeon racers who fear the loss of birds during races. Studies have shown that while Sparrowhawks can and will take these birds they're not as 'guilty' as first thought- but that hasn't improved their popularity within certain circles! Studies have also shown that humans are responsible for more Sparrowhawk deaths than the hawk is for chicken or pigeon deaths.

It was for this reason I titled the collage "Ironic." It's ironic that humans can dislike a bird for it's natural predatory nature when we are actually more of a threat to songbirds, farm birds and many other families of birds than the Sparrowhawk ever will be! Dislike of the Sparrowhawk has led to hunting them to reduce their numbers and attempts at relocating the birds to more 'suitable' homes. It's also ironic that those who breed birds (who eventually become our own meals) can dislike another bird for much the same thing!  many have failed  to realise is that Sparrowhawks are an asset to our environment, helping to keep populations of fruit/crop /insect loving birds at healthy levels and maintaining natures natural balance. When we take the Sparrowhawk out of the equation the chain reaction is that of increased populations of other bird species resulting in the need to seek solutions to deal with them. We also resort the use of chemicals to deal with increased populations of the 'pest' insects the smaller birds prey on. Ironic isn't it?

We're going away for a family wedding in a few days so this will be my last post for a wee while. I'm hoping to do a virtual tour of the globe first and I will (of course!) be looking forward to seeing what you've all been up too when I get back! 

Oh, and last but not least! Please follow the new  "Barter Circle" badge on my sidebar to Debrina's blog she's got a the beginnings of a great project going on over there and it's worth the click:)

Take care and happy creating!

Balancing Act ICE # 6

International Collage Exchange 2010

Collage series: Chain Reaction

Collage title: Balancing Act

Number 6 in my 'Chain Reaction' series is ' Balancing Act' and I've drawn from 2 places of importance to me. Nature is one (of course!) and the second being my theory of scoiety being a nest (which was the theme of my first collage exchange series.) School's have a lot more responsibilty apon there shoulders than to 'just' educate our children. They have a responsibility to provide a safe environment (nest) for the education to take place in, a place of hope, emotional wellbeing and joy. If our children are fortunate school is a great place and it's a time of good learning and personal developement but sadly, in the case of some schools there are many children (baby birds) that fall from the nest and are left with the inability to fly as far as they could have. It's a balancing act. In nature us humans often upset the natural balance of life, we take to much and give back too little. The scales are tipping and a chain reaction is set  in place. Each day we have a responsibility to make decisions that help to keep the balance right and when we do that nature takes care of the rest,which I think is the most important balancing act of all.

School book image, NZ King Fisher and NZ's smallest Wren, library issue slip, thread, recycled book text and scrap list paper.

Below are the other 5 in the series so far. There will be 13 when the series is complete and number 7 is currently under construction! I had the idea playing in my head, inspired by a comment Seth made on a previous post and then when my husband bought me home not one but two more nests I took it as a sign! I am so lucky to have these nests and I love each one of them... I will post photos of the two new additions when the collage is completed. If you want to join the exchange get your skates on and visit the virtual tart website for more info. Dale Copeland does a fantastic job of hosting and co-ordinating this exchange and I recently came across this interview which was filmed in her studio. Just awesome!

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!