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! 


  

A Collaboration of Poetry and Art to create "Hooked On Love!"

Here is a mixed media work that I recently completed- made on a hard resin material

topped with 3 ceramic hooks I purchased on my last trip to Sedona. This is actually a functional work of art- as it's hung in my bedroom and is used to hang things on! With in this work is a poem from an 1866 book set that my mom had given me titled, "Poems- by Elizabeth Barrett Browning" published by James Miller.

The book that I took the sonnet "How Do I Love Thee" from is Part IV of the 5 part book collection put together after Elizabeth's death. Here are three of the books. Notice that the binding indicates the author's name as

Mrs. Browning.

Inside the cover is a portrait of Elizabeth with a tissue paper covering.

And the actual page that the poem came from can be seen here.

To see the rest of the poem, written in courtship to her future husband, poet Robert Browning, as well as a brief history of Elizabeth's life, look here.

In a recent Facebook post by Seth Apter of

The Altered Page, he included a fascinating article which you can see here titled "Viewing Art Gives Same Pleasure as Being in Love". It's a fascinating topic- one that I would tend to agree with.

Find something in art that connects with you - and who knows, you just may find your own love connection!