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.

Mixed Media and a little Madness

I was trying to write a simple fb status update and I realized I had waaay too much to say right now, so I wiggled my typing fingers and moved from my phone to my computer.
So. First: I am REALLY enjoying my dive into mixed media. There are so many things I've played with this week, and more things I plan to play with in the coming weeks. I'm switching back and forth between 2D and 3D, and I'm interlocking so many mediums together - one informing the next.
Another joy is the fact that I have learned so much from my students as well. This semester I taught a class that involved a lot more process and mixed medias. I came up with lessons that would allow the students to stay within the perameters of the assignments, yet explore and bring in new mediums both familiar and unusual. I encouraged experimentation and new pathways. I assigned projects that got me SO CURIOUS to see what they would come up with - and I was not dissappointed! Along this path, they invariably use materials I had not considered - and I was able to add to my own arsenal of mediums and ideas. I'm proud that I had such a great group that encouraged eachother creatively - pushing to new levels with each project.

Back to my own mixed media experiments, let me run down a list: This week alone I have played with magazines and collage, oil paint, acrylic paint, watercolor, digital, tissue paper and acrylic medium, modge podge, mixed media paper, duralar paper, tone paper, hot glue assemblage with 3D pieces, tubing, nails, air dry clay, fabric scraps and stablizer paper. I've gessoed many surfaces, I just bought new air dry clay to try, as well as a green metallic lustre wax finish, tonight I'll use the sewing machine and try to bake some fimo pieces that have been waiting to add to a doll I'm manipulating. I've worked on 2D pieces, added to a shadowbox relief, and worked on some full sculptural pieces. I've rearranged parts of the studio and stared at the walls. I even got giddy when I found some lettraset in the basement. I could use those in my mystery letters!

I chatted with someone earlier - a friend at the art store - he asked what I've been doing lately/ what I'm up to and words just tumbled out of my mouth. Teaching, (almost finished - just gotta grade then I've got summers off from that!) getting prepped for my most intense convention ever (an actual big booth at GenCon!) and my mixed media explorations, my scavanging and estate/ garage sale hunting for my junk booth, and how I want to create a book - but I've only got till August - and how time is fleeting! I also have my patreon and mystery letters which I thoroughly enjoy putting together. ITS LIKE ALL MY ATOMS ARE VIBRATING SO FAST I'M GOING TO DISSOLVE INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION. Hopefully all this effort will flower into something kick butt.

SO. Wish me luck folks! I'm going to stick not just my nose to the grinder but my whole face. Aside from a small trip I want to make in mid June to CA, I'm going to just lock myself in create mode. I might need someone to drag me away on occasion just so I can get some basic human interaction before I forget how to speak without mumbling into oblivion. Much love all around! 

Memories Madness and Marvelous flavors

Where to start!

Lets start with memories. 

I have been reading about the artist Remedios Varo (wiki link here), a wonderful Spanish surrealist woman who lived in Mexico. Reading about the artist today reminded me that I would someday like to write a book about my own artist mother. I wanted to gather stories about her from other people, so I have put a call out to people who remember her to share their stories and memories - These stories can be recorded on a form I created on google docs.
If you have any memories you'd like to share about Catherine Burris, please feel free to do so!
{INSERT MEMORIES HERE} Refunds are not given on lost memories.

_____________

FOOD...ISH.



Its here its here!! I found a company that sells Dutch candies in the USA. I ordered some Tyrkisk Peber in the hopes of making my own Salmiakki Koskenkorva (salty black licorice vodka) - According to my own authentic bottle of Koskenkorva, one can "Experience the Spirit of Finland and taste the Finnish Folklore"



(....Now, 2 bags plus shipping = about $25. Plus the vodka I need to buy. I still think I'm probably saving money seeing as how it would be quite pricy buying the alcohol from Finland, if its even POSSIBLE to send it officially. ) ...

_____
ALSO, we were recently given some awesome pickle seasoning by my friend Taylor, the Indy Magic Monthly producer. He makes great pickes. :)

_________________

ARTI...ISH

Here are some recent things from my sketchbook.



FUN
I MADE a FUN video involving DOOM and a MAZE and SILLY.
{CLICK HERE for Doom and Maze and Silly}

____________________

INSPIRATION

ITS HERE ITS HERE!!!
The DEVIL'S CARNIVAL Ringmaster Edition DVD!! 

Apparently the picture I painted is shown when they feature the fan arts.
I'm about to go find out!

___
LO PAN STYLE
If you are a fan of LO PAN... you must watch this video. Love Love Love!!!
{See the awsome...}

Day 9 and 10 - mostly white noise, some humor

After 3 weeks of no working and staying up to ungodly hours in the morning (5, 5:30, 6...) - I had an 8am work day. There was no way I was going to go to bed early ... so I decided to just reset by staying up ALL night, and going to bed early tonight so I can get back on a more regular schedule.
Its working. Its midnight and I'm exhausted finally.
Unfortunately, I didn't make any masterpieces.
Over the past 2 days, I did make some doodles in my sketchbook not really worth posting but I will anyway, was inspired by some hats (a friend of mine has gotten into millinery - check out The Deviant Hatter on Etsy), and created something humerous in photoshop not to be undone by lack of art for these 2 days.
Enjoy:



Sometimes I wish my toes could chat with me.


And then some sketches where I've been writing some notes.


The notes talk about some ideas involving an Magician Tarot card commission for a friend, and a wedding portrait for some other friends, and a random doodle inspired by elements from those hats I saw.