I'm preparing to finish up a new piece. Here's the deal. I had two paintings that I disliked a great deal and decided to try and splice them together rather than simply painting over or chucking them both. So I cut one up and attached the pieces to the other one after doing some glazing. Now I'm taking my ink to them both. It's been quite a liberating experience if I do say so myself.
Here's the good part. It's starting to look kinda cool. Not my usual style at all, and probably not something I'll replicate in the future. However, it is just another reminder of how to take things that are of no value and recreate them into something aesthetically pleasing. That is how I got started with my fiber creations, too. Finding or being given wool items that are downright ugly, full of holes or stains, shrunk, or otherwise boogered up. Further shrinking the wool to a thick felt, cutting it up into usable pieces, and sewing them together to make wearable art. I have lots of these items in my etsy.com site. My shop is called Earthworms Woolens. Repurposing (called upcycling) keeps precious natural fibers out of the dump. Can you imagine a sheep seeing the fleece that she spend so much time growing in a pile of rubbish? Truly upsetting.
Anyhow, lots going on around here, so I'll post photos of my new mixed media trash to treasure piece of art tomorrow. I've also got another painting started, and two huge canvases ready to go for a fall show at West Annapolis Artworks. I was invited to join several artists to create a tribute to trees. Something that will (I hope) come easily as I live on a lot that was a tree nursery for thirty years. Also, I have a birch fettish. I know, scandalous, but I love birch trees. I take photos of them whenever possible, and those photos became the ugly paintings that I spliced together and now can tolerate. Anyhow, I'll post pics in the morning.
More excitement! The fall show for Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) is coming up. It's held at Circle Gallery in Historic Annapolis. I'm hoping to have at least one piece chosen for the show. Wish me luck.
Lastly, the MFA's annual Collector's Choice Event is coming in October! I'll again be donating an original piece of art for this event. Every ticket holder will go home with a piece from an artist member of MFA. Great deal for only a $185 ticket! That includes food and drink, an evening with the artists, and a piece for your own collection. Check it out. MFA provides gallery opportunities for living artists in Maryland. And interaction with living artists is much easier and enjoyable than interaction with dead artists. Although, I could be wrong.