Spiritual Bouquet Card

 

I was asked to design a Spiritual Bouquet Card. I chose to do an accordion fold card with 6 panels. This photo shows the inside without text. I left the upper left and most of the 6th, last panel, for text. The back is blank and will have the list of Masses, Rosaries, Devotions, etc. that the group members will be giving to the recipient. The outside dimensions (including the covers) are 5.5 x 30.5. the covers are book board covered with original monoprints. The closure is a gold elastic string with a bow. For a closer look, click on the images to enlarge.

the back      and   front covers

The Woods at Dusk

This print was created by multiple reprinting over each other.

 

The Crucifixion

This collage came together over September and October of 2021. These simple basic geometric forms create a bird's eye view of the Crucifixion of Christ. It is an appropriate post for Good Friday.

 

Kandinsky Circles #3

Another fun set of squares and circles. This one was roughly based on primary colors.

 

Kandinsky Circles #2

This set was done the same way as the first set. It was a fun color experiment.

 

Kandinsky Circles #1

After studying Rothko I pick up on Kandinsky. I did 4 sets of these and they were great fun. I picked out six different gel plate prints and cut out six squares and then 3 circles to collages on each square.

 

Silk Scroll

 

I printed directly in the book, collaged a square print over it, then collaged one of my oriental brush pine trees on top. It reminded me of a silk scroll.

Off Balance

 

A print with the Rothko influence and a piece of collage from one of my Instax photos.

Open Door

 

untitled

I did a yellow series of prints in the style of Rothko.

 

Fragments

Most years I pick out a couple of artists to study. At the time I did this work I was interested in Rotko's color blockwork. For the past four years, I have been doing printmaking again but placing them in books instead of framing them. Some are prints others are prints combined with collage. Each book spans about one year. But I occasionally go back through a book and add to the images. All are entitled Art Mythos followed by a number. This one is from Art Mythos III. 

 

Steampunk Journal

The Steampunk Journal is a work in progress. I have been collecting items for well over a year and am still on the lookout for any interesting items to add to the collection. It contains 12 signatures which are set up to be used as a one-year bullet journal. Each section begins with a tabbed divider. There are tags, pockets, and numerous tuck spots.  I have added a huge ring to and added steampunk-themed charms. There are lots of blank pages and some really beautiful scrapbook pages. There are maps, dictionary pages, clock images, scientific equipment images, lots of wheels and gears. I really like this fun book. I am planning on using it for my 2022 bullet journal. It is large (9.5" tall by 6.25" wide with a 1.75" spine) but I don't usually take my bullet journals out of the house. My present BuJo is only 5x8 inches, so I will have to see how this works out but it is a pleasure to look through now.

The second signature has a nautical theme inspired by Jule Verne. It contains some of my gel plate prints which have been overprinted with sea creatures.

There is a travel theme running through the entire journal. this includes maps, tickets, and several modes of travel, trains, bicycles, flying ships, submarines, etc.

There are a number of hot air balloons, tickets, and aerial views.

The Kiss

Another imitation of an art nouveau artist, this time Gustav Klimt's 

The Kiss, 1907-08. His original was an oil on canvas. I had read somewhere that you can use acrylic paint as an underpainting for gouache. Somehow I missed the descriptive of "matte". I mixed a matte white and yellow ochre together, then decided to add a pearl acrylic which changed my mixture from matte to glossy. I painted the entire spread in my 5x8" Moleskine. It is a beautiful metallic gold. The next day when I went to add the flesh tones to the sketch I had done on top, the paint just beaded up and sat there. I wasn't ready to give up so I pulled out more acrylic and painted the skin and hair. Next, I laid tracing paper over the page and drew a silhouette of each of the couple's clothing, and cut out two of my gel press prints for clothes. I finished by outlining the figures and adding a bit of detail in black ink. I had a great time doing this one too.

 

Art Mythos I, pages 2-3

This collage print was the first in the book.

LavenderSage Retreat DAY SIX

Friday morning we made fabric washi tape to bind our books with. Then we decorated our covers and began assembling our books.

That afternoon was free. Fran and I had reservation for the 3:30 pm tour of Georgia O'Keeffee Home and Studio, at Abiquiu (2 hour drive). It was only an hour tour but well worth the trip.

all photos on the 2 above pages are by Herb Lotz from a Georgia O'Keeffe Museum brochure

Another one of my Gelli plate prints using a real leaf as a mask. The Margaritas and chicken enchiladas were very good. My appetite seem to be returning some what. I actually lost weight on this trip.

LavenderSage Retreat DAY FIVE

In the morning Jane showed making envelopes from our Gelli prints, watercolor cloud painting, drawing with a Tombow brush pen on her "rain page". We continued to work on the lessons from the previous days.

The afternoon we were scheduled to plein air sketch at the San Franciso de Assis Church in Rancho de Taos then on to dinner. Unfortunately for me, my rental car battery was dead. By the time I finished with the Hertz everyone was already at the restaurant. So I grabbed a burger and called it a night.

An award I wish I had not qualified for.

Another Gelli Plate print I had sewn into a signature of my book.

LavenderSage Retreat DAY FOUR

In the morning we had a fun messy time doing Gelli prints with our small 3x5 Gelli Plates.

Gelli print using a real leaf.

Foam stamp printed over a Gelli plate print.

In the afternoon, Jane demonstrated using freezer paper to cut stencils and mask to use on the Gelli
Plates.

I stayed in the Frank Waters room, #4 in Juniper house. On the wall was a quote by frank Waters.

Life is a Great White Stone

Entiende, Muchacha? I will say it again for you simple ears. 

Life is a great white stone. You, a child, stare at it and see only one side. you walk slowly around it. You see other sides, each different in shape and pattern, rough or smooth. You are confused you forge that it is the same great white stone. Gut finally you have walked all around it, stare at all of it at once from the hillside above. Verdad! Now you see it: how it has many different sides and shapes and patterns, some smooth, some rough, but still the one great white stone: how all these sides merge into one another in distinguishable: the past into the present, the present into the future, the future again into the past. Hold! They are all the same. With wisdom who knows one from the other? There is no time, which is but an illusion for imperfect eyes. There is only the complete, rounded moment,which contains all.

––Frank Waters

People of the Valley

1941

LavenderSage Retreat DAY THREE

Tuesday morning we had the option of starting off the day with Yoga Class before breakfast. I went and the instructor was very good. But sadly the altitude sickness was taking a toll on my energy so I didn't go back Thursday or Saturday.

In the morning we made stamps from soap erasers and fun foam. I had carved stamps before but never used Fun Foam before.

I carved a seed pod on one side of my eraser and two square to paint inside.

 landscape with colored pencils



















I printed my foam stamp the the adobe archway in front of the studio. I cut it out and hinged it at the bottom of the colored pencil landscape.




















Tuesday afternoon we took a 2:00 tour of the
Harwood Museum. Then spent a couple of hours
sketching in the museum. We all like this framed
quote on the wall by Mabel Dodge Luhan.

The museum provided some educational handout 

on the life of Mabel Dodge Luhan which

 we all incorporated into our books.

Below is one of my large Gelli Plate prints I sewed into one signature of my book.

Book Binding

I have been busy making sketchbooks. The three in the top image are for my trip to Taos. I used my Gelli Plate prints for the covers and included the rest in the text blocks. I will be taking the one with the dream catcher (detached) with me and one other, probably not all three on my retreat trip to Taos NM. The bottom image shows the 4th book I made. It is a gutted and filled $1 library book. I spray painted the outside and add silk book cloth to the spine. I used purple print old scrapbooking paper for the end pages.

Gelli Printing Party

Spend yesterday afternoon making Gelli Plate prints to use for book covers. I have enough text blocks for 4 case bound books. Sewed one together last night. I think I have enough prints for 3 of the book covers, end papers and pockets. The color choice was based on what I consider a Southwest color pallet. I am making one to take on my trip to the LavenderSage Retreat in August/September.