Monday, January 27, 2020

Ephemeral Conversations - to Stimulate the Universe!

Well, I'm on a word kick. Or rather, an "Ephemeral Conversations" kick.

"To Stimulate the Universe" 11" x 14" “We are poets! Our function is to stimulate the universe, hunting for warped songs and tertiary spacetime music.”
My latest mixed media/visual poetry experiment! This started as a DEMO piece for my materials and process students. It got me all excited to play with materials. ____________________________ I am continuing to work on a new body of work called "Ephemeral Conversations" - A playful merging of mixed media and ephemera that I've been collecting over the years, including images for art collages collected by my late mother who passed in 2011. The themes of the work dive into dream states, psychology and contemporary myth and fantasy.
It is also a play on words. Not only am I using the occasional ephemeral materials from found papers (old pharmacy notes, stamps, pamphlets, bits of wallpaper), but I'm also using words from reading materials. Some of the words are direct and meant to be viewed as a message from the artist to the viewer. Some of the words are subdued and half hidden by other media, meant to add visual atmosphere - reflecting the way you might hear (but not quite understand) snippits of conversation in a public place.
My collection of materials began when I in college. At that time, my mother had boxes of materials she would use for her own collage and assemblage work. She collected old and damaged books on medicine and industry, vintage magazines, childrens books, maps and pamphlets. I witnessed her thought process of during this time of collecting, sorting, cutting up and using these items. When I cleaned her studio after her passing, I kept every scrap she had saved. I have the same desire to hunt for items I can use in art, and continue to add to this collection. When I use materials both myself and my mother had collected for her own art, I feel I am having an (ephemeral) conversation with her spirit as I create.
"The Tempest Whisperers" 8"x8"
I have about 8 of these 8"x8" Ephemeral Conversations now, but I need to get good photos of them! Some of the Ephemeral Conversations (And Much More!) can be seen at the Columbus Learning Center in Columbus Indiana until may 7th. I am currently involved in a show called "A Look at Relative Art; A collaborative family exhibit" with art by my Father Robert, Mother Catherine and Myself.
I really need to make a separate post about this and talk about the art of my parents.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Carousing with Destiny Finally

CAROUSING with DESTINY

I have had this poem made from cut text (various old/damaged book sources) for months. (I think I created it sometime in MAY 2019) I had it sitting between 2 pages of card stock with a book on top to keep it from shifting. Thank goodness I didn't accidentally bump the table it was on or I might have lost this whole thing. (see the picture at the very bottom to see the words arranged loosely on a black piece of cardstock.)

I was waiting for the right surface to put it on. I envisioned a collage where I would paste it. I created the collage I had in mind, but once I finished it, I felt words would only disrupt the imagery I had.

(below is the collage I had created, of the same name)



See? Words would not have worked here. I tend to find success in abstract backgrounds for my 'found poetry'. So I looked through my pages of experimental backgrounds (which generally tend to pile up when I'm having a gelli plate session) - I found one that looked promising, and filled it out with some more colors and textures, finally satisfied with the look.

FINALLY, in October, I HAD A SURFACE.

Below is the poem:
____________________________

CAROUSING WITH DESTINY

The voice of urgency trudged up clouds of remembered intensity

... it flows quite different, 
her depths gleaming, lit by endless fires, 
her place, fern-like in this world - 
this rhyming world.

From the deep valleys to ancient mountains, 
from among the twisted roots to the open spaces 
where anything might be fulfilled.

She heard her escape on the wind
across the maze into the mirror.

Carousing with destiny was like falling into an icy sea. 

That very moment she snapped, and with shaking hands
opened her door to the planet's manifestation of desire
of dreams
and gently rolling S C R E A M S.

____________________________________________

Here is what it looked like when I had the loose words just sitting on a piece of black cardstock.
It can take days for a longer poem like this to fully form.




Sunday, August 11, 2019

August Giveaway

PSSST.... There's still time!!


ANNOUNCEMENT about my monthly PATREON GIVEAWAY: * I will announce the RECIPIENT of this month's giveaway on SATURDAY AUGUST 24th! * Interesting fact: New signups get charged the moment they sign on. * To avoid erroneous charges, I've decided to announce the giveaway recipient near the END of the month instead of the beginning, so new signups can enter on the month of the giveaway. * THIS MEANS if you wanted to support the studio and have your name added to the hat for this month's giveaway pack... you still can! Anyone who's already a patreon will automatically be entered. International patrons can enter too! * There will be giveaways every month while my patreon is active! * Future giveaways may include 2 pots: one with all names and one with names of those who havn't gotten anything yet. Here's the link!! https://www.patreon.com/lydiaburris Join anytime! Cancel anytime! Your participation, interest and support is appreciated!
**(EDIT: As per the rules of Patreon, giveaways must be open to anyone with no purchase necessary - so this and all future giveaways will include other ways to enter!! Stay tuned for details.) --- CLOSEUP of the ORIGINAL PIECES in this month's AUGUST 2019 giveaway:

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

TRAVEL BUG and NEW BLOG




Greetings Friends and Fiends and Fine Fellows! 

If you couldn't tell, I HAVE THE TRAVEL BUG.

 This summer I am embarking on a 3 week journey that will include California and New Mexico.

My goal is to create a surreal travel journal publication using art, poetry, writing and photography inspired by my adventures.

The stops along my path are mainly determined by friend and family couch surfing opportunities.

I have plotted out open days between stops to allow for whim and chance to lead me on unplanned paths. This uncertanty is part of the excitement of these travels!

I did did a 16 day test run of this type of travel 2 years ago and it was a success. I visited places I didn't even know existed and met new people along my way. I encouraged friends to share with me their favorite local discoveries. I let the whim of exploring winding roads lure me to beautiful hidden places. I never felt more alive than I did on that journey, and it unlocked something within me. Those experiences led me to crave a similar experience, but this time I want to combine it with my art path. Rather than an 'escape' from my life, I am now diving in and making it a part of my *art* life.

I AM STARTING A NEW BLOG SPECIFIC TO THESE ADVENTURES: 
You can go take a look/ follow the new Travel Specific blog at https://madartistlydia.blogspot.com/ .
"Mad Artist Lydia Travels"

UPDATES TBA!!!

There may be a separate go-fund-me page I will create to help me specifically fund THE TRAVEL PROJECT, but support can also be offered through patreon. https://www.patreon.com/lydiaburris * I also plan to publicly thank each patreon patron in the new blog once I get a little more attention to it!

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Tiny mixed media madness!


Greetings Friends!

Here are some fun little framed mixed media pieces. 

But let me explain something interesting about these:

1.) A friend recently brought me a bunch of secondhand little frames. I added this to my growing collection of frames I havn't used yet but it got me thinking: Perhaps its time to dive in and use them!

2.) I always find it a little frustrating dealing with frame glass. I hate cleaning them. I don't like the glare. I'm afraid if I have an unmatted mixed media piece, the acrylic or medium will stick to the glass and damage the art if one ever tries to de-frame it. SO.... I came up with a solution: do the art ON THE GLASS ITSELF. No waste, no risking cutting myself on the cleaning process, strengthens the glass, no fuss! Ok... *LESS* fuss.


PROCESS:

I coat the glass frame with tissue paper - this strengthens the glass and provides a paper-like surface for me to art on. The rest is the art process itself! All of these include some ephemera that came from my mother's collection of art bits. They are essentially part of my "Ephemeral Conversations" series. (Just tiny!)


I have provided a few closeups of the pieces unframed:



The above is an unnamed fae of mixed media. (The plastic art knife under it is angling it away from the light so I wouldn't get a shine on it)



"The King of the Practical Questions was sad"


Thats about it! Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Friday, January 11, 2019

Super Duper Announcements about PATREON and ETSY

Greetings Friends and Fiends! 

I have a few anouncements I'd like to make about Patreon and Etsy!




ETSY
First of all, I have uploaded the remaining works of art I did for the Monster Drawing Rally to my Etsy Page.

The Monster Drawing Rally was hosted by The Sun King Brewery in  Indianapolis, in collaboration with Newfields, the Indianapolis Museum of Art! 

They were all created with speed, to see how many could get done in an hour. (Although we could bring 5 works in - I created these the same way, so I technically made 11 works in 2 hours!) 5 sold at the event, and there are 6 left! They are all 11"x14", and I am only selling them for $50 each plus s+h!

I have have several prints available and lots of original pieces! I am in the process of trying to upload new and older works to have as many choices as possible!

LINK TO THE DARKNESS DREAMING ETSY SHOP


PATREON
I have simplified my patreon to currently include a limited offering of Crazymail mystery letters and Crazypostcard rewards!
What is patreon?
Patreon is a way to support your favorite creators by pledging a monthly payment as either an exchange for an offered reward tier or as a donation. I currently offer physical rewards such as Crazymail and Postcards, but I also offer non-physical rewards in the form of sneak peeks, a first look at special offers when possible, as well as a first look at some new work and videos. I also offer a permanent 10% discount code for my Etsy Shop, no matter how much you pledge. My charges happen on the first of the month and you are free to cancel anytime. If you are interested in becoming a patreon patron, click on the link below!

LINK TO THE LYDIA BURRIS PATREON PAGE


Thank you so much for your time and interest!

Monday, March 12, 2018

Day Trip to Northern Indiana, and the silly things I see

4:50 PM 3/12/2018

I took a day Trip to Northern Indiana to visit my cousins. Of course, I forgot to take any photos with them, because I was too busy enjoying my time and having great conversations! But... this post is about other things.

Whenever I leave the house, I make it goal in life to pay attention to the fun and funny little things
I encounter, and not to let them pass by without note, as is so easily done with moments of delight

Sometimes its billboards that make me laugh (like the "Tripple X 'Family' restaurant", and a sign that said "SPACE AVAILABLE" next to a picture of a Saturn. *cackle*) And other times its the unusual pieces I find in rest areas and towns.

The first thing I encounter is the mysterious water pump at the rest area.
A hot pink questionmark demands answers, but only results in more questions.
Why is it there? Why is the sidewalk rusty? Are they renovaing the rest area? Is the question mark code for something specific?
I'm assuming its part of a renovation project, as there were several other hot pink sprayed dashes and exes throughout the property, and a shiny new pipe ready to go in the ground, as well as little pink flags in the dead grass warning of underground pipework.




Before getting on the road, I checked the internet where I chuckled about a MEME questioning whether doritos are merely a 'tiny' version of some larger more legendary "DORO" snack.
2 minutes later I was on the road again and encountered some of those legendary DOROs myself on the side of the FIRST SEMI I SEE: a dorito truck! Serendipity!



So I'm driving along on my total 2.5 hour trek (destined to be longer due to my relaxed attitude at pit stops and food runs) I have about 20 minutes left and my bladder is starting to whine at me. I *could* hold it, but I'd rather be comfortable. I decide to stop at the next exit with a gas station. I'll grab some skittles and go to the loo. I see a sign for Speedway and take the exit.
Suddenly I find myself in the ghetto. My luck has led me into Gary, IN. I know this because there was a (possibly abandoned) Gary Library building on this road.
I drove about 3 blocks but did not see any Speedway gas stations. I saw 2 sore and broken looking gas stations. Almost every sign on this road was hand written, and when I took a side street to go around the block and turn back, I saw that ALL the buildings on this block were burned out and broken down. I took a few quick snapshots because these things fascinate me.



I proceed to have a conversation with myself.
"Maaaybe I shouldn't pee here. It could be dangerous."
"Dude, am I really too good to pee in Gary? Surely I can relieve myself here and not get in trouble. Don't be swayed by the negative stigma!"
"But... this is Gary. And all those gas stations looked really scary"
"Check the ones on the other side. If they look as bad, lets move on."
(I drive past the exit)
"There - look at that gas station, its not so bad."
(looks at gas station. Its not as bad as the others, but its still pretty bad)
"Look, your home in Indy sorta ghetto, this is nothing."
"You're right! What the hell. Lets go pee."

I park. Some nice gentleman holds the door for me. Ok, so far so good.
I walk around. There are some workmen drilling into under a counter fixing something. I smell sawdust in the air. I find skittles but I do not see a bathroom. I ask the clerk as I buy the skittles and he points behind me. There, half hidden by shelves is the magical white door to the toilet.
Inside its a combo between storage and bathroom. Its unisex and there is a dingy un-flushed urinal. Yuck.  The toilet looks similar and *doesn't flush, but I'm at the point of no return now so I do my thing and go to wash my hands. NO WATER.
Of course. * The workmen. *  They must have shut off the water. I look for hand sanitizer to buy, but there is none. >_> Thankfully I had my own water in the car and was able to wash my hands.

So, there is my March 2018 experience of Gary. However, I would not take it back, for without that little detour, I would have missed out on the best ever hand written mural advertising this car wash as....



The Best Hand Job in Town!

----------------
And finally, on the way home, I thought I had fallen into an alternate space dimension.
I stopped at a rest area that looked almost exactly like the one from earlier, down to the pink flags and new pipe waiting to be interred into the ground.
Remember that questionable pump earlier in my post? Yeah. There was another one.



I got back on the road hoping I was going in the right direction, and eventually made it home safe and sound.