Altered Bits' Tallest Handmade Book In The World Collaboration!

 Famed Alicia Caudle, from Altered Bits  has created "The Tallest Handmade Book in the World"  project which I'm so excited to participate in.

Anyone wanting to join just lets Alicia know and creates a

 6" x 4" folded artwork that Alicia can bind with a needle and thread on the fold.  Then send it to her in the mail. Full instructions are on the project link above. Once the book is complete, Alicia will have it exhibited and will  auction it off with the proceeds sent to a  non-profit charity to create "art for a cause". 

Below is my submission. My cover page was based on a scene I made for the talented Roxanne Evan Stout from River Garden Studio 's  InnerWorks altered book.  It occurred to me that the theme Earth Tones has ART at its

 core. With this in mind- I wanted my work to connect to the world around us. Layers of cloth materials and acrylic paint were used and then sandpapered to attain an earthy texture. See if you can see part of a postage Love stamp that I also attached.

The left side of the inner page was made from layers of cloth material, piece of a design imprinted paper towel, part of a postage stamp, acrylic paint, gold leafing, an attached faux leaf  and script nature writings of my own in the background.

 The right side of the inner page was created using a section from a small gift book I have with the words:

 "The best things in life are not things" ...

 One of my favorite sentiments. Gold leafing, acrylic paint, rubber stamping and a black sharpie were used.

Using acrylic paint, I created the theme of a country nature scene on the back side. It contains a postage stamp and a cut out vintage picture of a woman on a bicycle from one of my desk file folders. A tiny section of a musical score was attached as part of the ground to provide additional texture.

Thank you Alicia for all the inspiration you provide to everyone around you! I'm so grateful to be part of this project and appreciate the generosity you have in that huge heart of yours.  I hope everyone reading this post tells all of your friends and family about this project. Anyone can participate- no matter how artistic you think you are!  

 Who knows, you may just be part of:  

The Tallest Handmade Book in the World!"

Playtime In a New Art Journal!

     The divine and talented Ms. Alicia Caudle from Altered Bits indicated in her recent post that she's been going collage crazy.  I too have been in a frenzy of activity   creating in a new art journal. (Alicia and I have started a new art collaboration together which has put us both in a buzz of energy)  Alicia though has  an even greater reason to be high in the sky happy these days since her brilliant new Print Zine titled Altered Bits Mixed Media Art Zine: Themed Notorious and Letters and Symbols has been published and is available for sale here at Amazon and here at Lulu.  I am so proud to be a contributing artist in Alicia's Zine and will write much more about it in a future post!
     I never worked in an art journal before so thought it was time to take a spin. I selected a handmade paper book

 which I thought would be great, being of a thick rough texture. But after trying out a few pages, I realized that it was difficult for many mediums to adhere to the surface.  My acrylic paints- which have been a main stay for most of my paintings-  seemed to just disappear within the paper regardless of how many layers of paint I put on.  Perhaps it was meant to be- since so determined was I to make this work- I looked around for other kinds of mediums to paint with.  I found a box of Prang Sketcho oil crayons which indicated it was for sketching and painting from the American Crayon Company,  a box of Pastello - pastel-like chalk crayons from the Dixon Ticonderga Company, Pentel Pastel Dye Sticks as well as a host of pastel and watercolor pencils.   With backgrounds of rubber stamps, stencils, my own drawings, photos and artwork printed out,  here is a sampling of some of my works in progress!

Printed from an old portrait I painted many years ago.

And below is  my personal favorite - 

A simple ink drawing.

I  will continue to work on many of these "works in progress"  - some used as backgrounds for new works of art,  others as artworks unto themselves, and still others as further playground for experimentation!
 Challenge yourself to do or create something outside your usual comfort zone - Whether in your home, at work, in a relationship
 Or in a new artistic endeavor!
ENjoy!

Special Thanks to You Alicia Caudle!

A few weeks ago, the amazing Alicia Caudle from Altered Bits' Altered Blog had a "give a way" and I was one of the incredibly lucky winners! Here are the beautiful items she sent - which included 3 large patterned pieces of material, 4 buttons, 2 vintage photographs from the 1800s, her infamous poison bottle (yes empty of course!) a beautiful tiny brass frame and my very favorite- a large frozen charlotte!

Thank you so much Alicia for this generous and creative collection of goodies!

Alicia is also one of the many artists sponsoring the One World One Heart 2011 extravaganza so check out her site here for a chance to win a super drawing - with the added gift of meeting people from all over the world!!

And to all who have been so supportive to me during this most challenging year,

Wishing you a very Happy Valentine's Day!!

Be who you want to be

Live how you love to see yourself

Become what you imagine and dream of!

Take the TIme to Stop and Stare- Be Blissfully AWARE. Be In Awe...

It's one month today since my surgery.  My life is a mosaic filled tapestry of every site, scene, emotion, color, feeling and thought I have.  Filled with such a display of layers and textures, there is resilience, strength, growth, creation and a power so great that anything visioned can be possible.  Since posting about what has happened to me,  I have seen such an outpouring of support, kindness, extravagant giving and  open armed compassion that I've never seen or felt before.  It's a new type of connection that's somehow ethereal.  It's a oneness bond that is           so unique-  a oneness with everything around me. It's a new type of energy that feels limitless-  one that I hope to carry with me forever.

 I received the most beautiful package from the sweetest, most creative and gentle soul  of Alicia Caudle of Altered Bits.  She sent me a beautifully decorated envelop filled with the most gorgeous hand sewn  leaf journal adorned with the most precious Anais Nin quote, a bag of rainbow filled jewels with a special crystal healing pendent  inscribed with the most soulful healing words.

Alicia's hand sewn Leaf designed journal book.

And  to  be gifted again by a wonderful surprise, Alicia just sent me this follow-up  breathtaking  photo from above the clouds!

From my dear Danish "adopted" family I was blessed to be matched with over 30 years ago while studying  Danish design and the Danish health care system  at the University of Copenhagen, I received this beautiful photo from their gorgeous  garden in  their small home  town called Frederiksund.

The talented and most generous soul of Nancy Neva Gagliano of  Openings Connecting just got back from Taos and sent me these magnificent photos below.  

And  from my dear talented friend, Frithioff Johansen, who is the most amazing international  multi media artist,  I received this most magnificent rainbow photo taken in Jutland.

And, then there is Seth Apter,  my dearest cherished  soul mate friend  of  the altered page,  the most  genius mixed media artist, writer, photographer, innovator  and gifted spirit, I must express my  unending thanks for his daily inspiration,  support,  encouragements and hand holding.  Last year, Seth made me this beautiful journal  - hand made and bound- that was called The Voice of JZ.  I kept a folder of my favorite blog postings  which I planned to incorporate into the book.  

It is only now, after this miracle has happened, that I can really hear and feel my inner voice- connected to everything and everyone around me. 

With a new energy and spirit, I am so blessed and in awe to be alive. 

What a  treasure  this  has actually been- my angel wake up call. I  am so appreciative to everyone for their open hearts, their generosity and outpouring of love.

 I aM EternalLy GRATefUL.

With what seems like a TrAgedY, We CaN see Renewel, a RebiRtH of wHat waS--- to New Depths and HeightS GreAteR Than AnYthing we ALone could EvEr Have Imagined.

The decayed beauty transitions itself into  a  another form, like the beautiful cocoon to a ravishing  new born fluttering butterfly and the crying rain that transforms itself into the most stunning  masterfully glowing  crystal light filled mystery  rainbow to shine for all our souls to see.