Nature's Perfection!

Poetry in photo images taken with my iphone in Central Park, New York.

Sometimes, nature is quiet, it speaks to us in whispers- in its own special language,
In Poetry.  

  Shear Bliss...Shear perfection.
Flawlessly exquisite.

FEATURING is here- and What a GIFT!!

The amazing and talented Marit Barentsen has created a gorgeous new International Art Magazine titled FEATURING  that is a polished, smart, page turning compilation of stories and articles about all facets of the art world.  The inaugural issue has just come off the presses and I am thrilled, honored and blessed that an altered book art and poetry collaboration that I completed with Seth Apter from The Altered Page, titled The Gift, has been included.  The article discusses our project, displays select pictures of our artwork and poems and includes an in depth interview  from each of us on our project.  Our altered book collaboration was based on each of us having a book for which the other created poems. These poems were then the jumping point for the others original artwork for each of our books. You must read the article to see the details!

Click this You Tube Video  to see

  the first release of Featuring as the presses roll!

This first edition of the magazine includes all of the things Marit ever  dreamed of- as she says, " articles to READ, background stories, interviews... she dreamed of a  versatile magazine that included art journaling, mixed media, photography, poetry and everything else that would fit - creativity in all its forms." 

And so it is one beautiful

  8 1/4" x 11 3/4"  magazine of glossed beauty!

(Partial view below of FEATURING's cover)
FEATURING can also be followed on FACEBOOK here- with daily previews of first edition articles!

And  for a preview of FEATURING- you can click here which will also show you a preview of

 The Gift!

 Below are glimpses of my art work and poetry which are not included in the FEATURING article.  

"Stacking Souls"

One Season to Another-Mixed Media Artwork

A Poem: Designs in Nature

Mixed Media Artwork

More of  The Gift  in a follow up post. In the interim, 

don't wait to check out 

FEATURING!

Unending thank yous go to Marit Barentsen for accepting our submission for  FEATURING  into this very special inaugural edition and being the very best editor that I've ever known!! I am truly grateful.

Altered Bits' Mixed Media Art Zine has Arrived!

I'm thrilled to have received my copy of the new print zine titled

Altered Bits Mixed Media Art Zine  

 curated by the amazing Alicia Caudle of  Altered Bits. There are 21 talented artists whose works are included in Alica's Art Zine and I'm elated to have my work, Spellbound,  included among those selected.  This zine is a gorgeous glossy compilation of varied mixed media pieces,  assemblages, sculptures, jewelry, stories and much much more.

"Spellbound"

This is a mixed media collage created on a "16" by "20" canvas.  It's built on the foundation of many layers, textures and colors within the theme of the wonderment of ideas and thoughts- how they're formed and created within us.  The focal point - being the pair of eyes, were created from a composite of my own eyes with those on a John Derian postcard and then framed. 

They capture an idea that is so profound, so focused 

So fixed-

It's  SPELLBOUND.

       You can discover a scene from Italy adjacent to an Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem atop a pocket filled with quiet thoughts-- reflections -- communicated through words.  If you look carefully, writings in Hebrew and Urdu can also be found.

 To create the ambiance of a coffee house from days gone by, where writers could play ideas off one another to hone their craft and make their magic,  I included a coaster  from the Cafe Le Victor Hugo in Paris.  As our senses are awakened from the colorful surroundings which abound, I've attached my favorite antique jeweled pen to capture the flow of these inspired thoughts.  And to give homage to intellectual societies from yesteryear's,  I've  included

 a gold encased high school honor society charm that belonged to my my mom.  

Butterflies always seem to capture our faith in freedom.  I created this one with brass decorative tacks to express the stillness of a fixed thought- yet it's equipped to take flight at a moment's notice with layered wings of violet and blue hued material.

Below is a first release stamp pressed under a glass picture frame-

  expressing thoughts through letter writing.  I'm always amazed at how we can read and understand these symbols called "words" within what we call the collective of "language" and then synthesize a meaning from them.

Music has its own powerful auditory and tactile way to communicate and connect with us -

As does poetry 

Where all of our senses seem to become heightened - transporting us to another place and time.  

How do you express your ideas and thoughts?

 Publicly? Privately? Through your art?  Writings?  Communications with others?  Find your colors, your music, what brings you peace, awe, wonder. What inspires you?
What triggers you to think?  
 Find what brings creative drama into your life,
 And once found- savor it.    
 Always know you have a voice   
  And with this voice, you can reach as far as you allow your mind to think.  


Thank you again Alicia for enabling Spellbound to be a part of your beautiful Art Zine, to be my "voice" among the works of such talented artists. 
  I will always be grateful to you! 


  

Collections Fest-Come Feast Your Eyes!

Seth Apter of The Altered Page has been running a Sunday series of posts from his Collector's Edition - (the fifth installment) in which artists have shared their favorite collection or obsession.

(picture by Seth Apter)

Seth has put out a second invite to collaborate in his super series. I participated in Seth's first roll call - which can be seen here in his chapter 2 edition on his blog.

This next collection of mine to showcase will be on this post today, with a link to Seth's blog here.

It was difficult to think of a collection that I wanted to spotlight- that has meaning to me and is truly a collection of mine. The dictionary defines the word in the following way:

Col-lec-tion- Noun

1) the act of collecting

2)something that is collected; a group of objects or an amount of material collected in one location

3)the various holdings of an art museum

The following is a poem I wrote in response to the selection of my first collection for Seth's blog.

Collections

Can't get these collections out of my mind.

Are they singular items you just find?

Or are they calculated searches to acquire

The items of your heart's desire.

Can you collect and not have a collection?

Do you need to make a specific selection?

By calculation, is there a specific equation

To feel that amazing "drawn" in sensation?

Do you need a collection for a gratifying affection?

Are collections things you need to hold?

Never to allowing them to ever be sold?

Only for us to keep- sacred and blessed for us to behold.

Are collections always kept within our fold?

Must they be only special unique items- not made in a mold?

To warm the heart so we are never cold?

Collections- on reflection- they're our cherished items

For any purpose

We each define them for ourselves

They are our " priceless gold".

Here are a few of my collections- items that I have gathered to use in my art.

This case that holds these items is a collection now of

"one"- but hopefully, not for too long!!

It is an old Chinese medicine cabinet purchased last year to help organize some of my art books and supplies.

Well, even a cabinet of collections considered "priceless gold"

ironically holds some priceless gold!

While the "hunt" in looking for items for my collections is certainly fun, the greatest joy is in selecting just the right piece to incorporate into my mixed media artwork and seeing it within the context of my art.

Thanks so much for visiting my newest collections post- please go here to see all of the fabulous collections from other artists on Seth's blog!

Sharing Our Friendship: Chapter 2

Here is the second of my 6 posts showcasing our Innerworks Altered Book collaboration.  It's time to share the artwork that Veronica  Funk of Simple Pleasures and I created in each other's books! Veronica discusses  how she began her pages   here.  They are so graceful, overflowing with beauty, the poetry that it speaks and the endless dreams in nature's delight.

Here are close ups of the beautiful paintings above.

Thank you so much Veronica for these flowing pages of nature at its very best!
                                                            
                                                             ####

And here are my pages in Veronica's touching book on Friendship!

  Here, I celebrate the friendship that has formed among  each other in our Innerworks Collaboration. I've made miniature replicas of our altered books on one side, and as you can see,  pictures of us on the other side so you can meet the artists!

True friendship involves the merging of energies between two people, trust and tremendous and unending courage  to reveal ourselves - not just our outward best, but our vulnerabilities, our fear,  and our insecurities.

 The very best part of friendship is when love develops--with understanding and patience,  with the need to accept differences, conflict, imperfection in one another and the ability to challenge each other to develop our "moving" best.  We all must change- just as each day brings new experiences to us,  to enhance ourselves to continue to expand what we see, how we view our world, and the colors that we create within it.   Friendship is like a breathtaking rainbow!

Never wait to tell someone you love them. 

 Happy Valentine's Day!