CappuccinoandArtJournal

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Showing posts with label collages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label collages. Show all posts

Friday, March 13, 2015

Collage Class -- Part two


An embroidered postcard I fell in love with at the wonderful show
Secondhand
at Pier24 Photography. If you live in the Bay Area I recommend you stop by. It seems many people don't know about this wonderful photography resource.
Free -- but you must have an appointment. Just check out the website.
The show was so interesting and I took so many photos, I may have to do a post about Secondhand.
Many of the photos in the show were altered in some way, like the embroidery on this card, which may me rethink the definition of collage/altered art/assemblage. 

I collect embroidered postcards and have made some mail art by sewing on photos so it was fun to see this in a museum.

Collage classes continued....
One thing I have realized from this class is that the definition of collage -- or simply collages themselves -- is much broader than I had realized.
For example, looking at this photo, I see a collage. And it may not be permanent but it existed in the moment and the photograph is a record of it.
Maybe that's why I have always loved taking photographs like this?

Here's another......

I also realized my Stamp Head series on vintage photos are collages too.
I never thought of them as collages but they are...

collage: 1. a kind of surrealist art in which bits of flat objects, such as newspaper, cloth, pressed flowers, etc., are pasted together in incongruous relationship for their symbolic or suggestive effect. 2. a picture so made  --- Webster's Dictionary1960

A collage attempt -- not entirely successful. I find, when given a  topic or told to do something in a certain style, I really freeze up. I'm used to working on my own.
But I'm trying to just open up my mind and try things without really worrying how they actually turn out.



Previous week's collage...

After some slides and pointers the class gets down to work....it is really lovely to see how quiet and engrossed in making collages everyone gets....
Here's a link
which goes in to a bit more detail about the definition of collage. And, by the way, it was pretty obvious by the work in the class that collages don't have to be flat works on paper.
Times change.
Quite a few folks made three-dimensional pieces -- very cool ones. 
(I didn't think I should show other people's work).


Matt Conzalez Collages at Dolby Chatwick Gallery
(all sold out -- amazing!)
We are having crazy weather in the 70's so I am out going for a lot of walks (and you know I am picking up a lot of paper ephemera) -- and I am seeing wonderful street art and collages out there on the streets. Someone made a wonderful group of these right down the street from my house.
This looks nice and layered and collage-like to me too...

There are times I really get frustrated -- all the links I put here have just disappeared -- and it is a lot of work -- Blogger can sure be annoying. I will try again.....

There are some interesting shows to check out here in SF at the moment --

Secondhand at Pier 24

Matt Gonzalez at Dobly Chatwick gallery

Melinda Tidwell
At Andrea Schwartz Gallery

The photos are messed up and out of order but I give up --  who says there is a right order anyway?
I am posting this and hitting the studio and getting to work -- and taking another walk on this beautiful day.
I'll will think about art on the walk.




Monday, February 2, 2015

Can't Seem to Stop

I'm still in Lunar New Year/Joss paper mode and I can't seem to stop.

On Friday I took two of my mail art pals around Chinatown for a personal tour of my favorite joss shops.
One of my favorite spots is closing and I was sure to pick up some of the vintage papers they had sitting around....last call.....like these old and charming tiny red envelopes...
and a whole pack for .70 cents?
I don't even have to feel guilty.

I do have a rule though...if I buy stuff I've got to use it....

I added a few finishing touches to my little zine....I definitely think the face on the cover is a nice addition...

Worked on making more cards using my photos....

OUTGOING
Lots of mail going out. And not much coming in.
Ahem.

OUTGOING
Some collaged postcards...

I am getting lots of use out of my postage template from the USPS...

Yup -- this envelope makes the cut -- passes the minimum size test.

OUTGOING
I had twelve outgoing today and another thirteen went out on Friday....

I picked up this vintage Chinese ruler on Friday too....so cool. It is printed on cardboard.

The Studio Worktable
As soon as I clear a spot to work, it gets filled again...oh well....long as I am making things I guess it's all good.
I mean, really....how can I resist?

I break for cappuccino -- of course!

Next time I will post about something other than joss paper and lucky envelopes but I have a feeling I'll be playing with these papers for a while.



Oh -- and the name that got pulled out of the hat? That would be (drumroll)
cjsrq
Please leave me a comment with your address on that previous post (I won't publish it) and I will send you your copy of the zine.
Thanks and Happy NewYear to the rest of you too.
Some of you I already trade mail with and you'll be getting a copy too.

Now....what shall I work on next, I wonder?
Any ideas for me?
All you folks on the east coast (of the USA) stay warm. Looks like an awful lot of that white stuff you've got back there. 

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL

Friday, October 24, 2014

New York, New York

New York, New York....
.....it's a beautiful town. I have always loved NYC. OK, maybe not so much in the 80's when things were kinda nuts there -- but before that and after.
And now.
NYC here I am!
The Ink Pad? Junior's?Some plays?MOMA?
You bet!

Every time I visit I make collages and keep a little travel journal. I found this one from the last time....

....and got inspired to make a little booklet to collage in this time...

Here's the start of it -- doesn't look like too much now so I will show you when it's filled up with ephemera from The Big Apple. I prepped the pages (inspired by my pal Dori who showed me all her prepped pages for her Japan journal). Nothing too fancy -- just some watercolor washes and some rubber stamps....
Ok, so then I decided to make a separate travel notebook too -- here's the cover! I am going to cover it with some paper ephemera/map I pick up in NYC.
I always take a pencil and stick it notes so I can mark the journal with notes about what photos I want to add in later on and leave room for them....

This time I prepped the journal pages a la my mail art pal Dori Singh.....and of course I just happened to have quite a number of NYC postcards at the ready...

...another prepped page.....

When I think of NYC I think of Yellow Cabs!

Need to tuck a few things into the mail art travel kit.....colored pencils? black Micron markers?
Glue stuck?

These cool little ABC stamps (thank you, Miss Polly!) fit snugly inside an Altoids tin.



After my last NYC I made a large origami folder and tucked in ephemera that might come in handy this time, like subway maps. and take-out menus...

It's fun to make an origami folded for each trip -- maps are good for this since they are large.
I like to fill the folder with ephemera that didn't fit in my travel journal. All of this stuff is a handy reference for the next trip or for a friend who is traveling to the same spot.

All prepped and ready to go....

Only I will be home by the time this post is published and you are reading it! Maybe you'll get a postcard from me.
Next up -- I'll show you some NYC sights and scenes.

The Ink Pad? I think so.
Some deli sandwiches? You bet?
Tearing and pasting in a hotel room -- now that you know will definitely be happening.

What has everybody been doing while I've been gone?
Do tell.
Happy Mail to you all.

SEND GOOD MAIL ---  GET GOOD MAIL


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