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After only nine days in the Disintegration Project, my bundle of junk mail papers is already showing progress. I promised the coordinator, Seth, that I would post pics of the bundle every weekend.
This is what it looked like on February 19th.
There are at least 70 artists participating in the project. To find out more, visit Seth's blog, The Altered Page.
As I started out on my morning walk today I sighed, wishing I could be walking on a country road instead of the endless cement sidewalks and driveways of our suburban subdivision. How I longed to be close to nature. The air was crisp and cool like an early Spring morning. I visualized walking down a country lane with trees crowding each side of the road, alive with the morning activity of small creatures greeting the day. Then, I heard it; birds were singing everywhere; not just in my imagination, but the air was filled with actual song. I have never heard that much birdsong in our neighborhood before. Suddenly, those cement sidewalks turned into a country lane.
Half way around the block I saw a pair of Blue Jays happily bathing in a puddle in the sidewalk made by a sprinkler. The puddle was so shallow they took turns flitting and splashing in the water. I quietly walked into the street, trying not to disturb their fun.
Such a gift, all these little birds, sent to lift my spirits. I came home, my spirit refreshed and renewed, and started painting this canvas.
The quote is by Henry Van Dyke. It reads: Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no bird sang there except those that sang best.
Here is a new page created today for the Fractured Headlines journal. This is my favorite so far.
The headline is a bit faint. It reads: Life's good working as a Surgical Technologist.
Seth of The Altered Page has issued an invitation to join him in what he is calling The Disintegration Collaboration. Over 50 people from around the world are participating. The idea is to hang a bundle of papers outside and watch how the elements of sun, wind, rain, snow etc. age the bundle by May 1. On that day all the participants will show on their blog what has happened to their bundle.
This is is my bundle, hung today on our one and only, skinny-winny little tree in the back yard. I had no sooner attached it to a branch than it started raining. Yeah! Disintegration already. Of course, you know how I love using recycled junk mail. Yes, that's what my bundle is. But, I couldn't stop there. I also made a smaller bundle of the strips of junk papers torn from the margins of the first bundle to make them fit. Who knows, maybe some birds will find them attractive.
Today I started a new journal. This one will feature some yummy new scrapbooking papers and some fractured headlines.
Sometimes I just can't help it. Headlines applied out of context can be so funny.
Just look at what has arrived at my house! I was the lucky winner of this painting in a draw posted by Julia Lyons in her blog verdigrisrose . Pictures do not do justice to this wonderful painting. Please pop on over to Julia's blog and have a look at her beautiful work. Thank you, Julia for this lovely gift.
In other news...
I am sorry it has been so long since I posted last. I have been working on a commission, and on getting my page done for a Fat Book project for ArtFest .
I had never heard of a fat book before attending ArtFest. A fat book is a hand made book that is, well, fat; in fact, it is so fat you can hardly hold it in your hand.
The fat book I am participating in this year is an ATC book. 30 artists will each make an original ATC to be used as one page in the book. The theme is marine biology, so I did 32 original watercolor painted ATCs of this tropical fish. The extra 2 ATCs will go in books for the raffle and for the retreat coordinators, Tracy and Teesha Moore.
The pages were mailed to the coordinator today. Whew! What a relief. Now, I can hardly wait to see the book on the opening night of ArtFest.
Yesterday I went to my second favorite flea market. This market is located right in the middle of an agricultural area. The parking lot is part of what was once an orange grove.
Orange trees still surround the perimeter of the property and line the lane leading out of the market to the main road.
Across the road from the flea market is a strawberry farm. It is so beautiful. The strawberries are grown in long rows above ground in what appears to be mounds of dirt encased in plastic. Sometimes I see the irrigation system watering the plants with long sweeping arms of misty spray. The arms move in a graceful rhythm that looks like a grand ballet as the water shimmers in the light of early morning.
We have had freezing weather at night for the last few days. The owner of this field was obviously frantic to get as much of the crop picked as possible before the freeze.
I didn't find very many treasures at the market but I did find this...
...for only $5.00. We have been enjoying strawberry shortcake, but it will be interesting to see how many strawberries are in the market in two weeks.
We all had so much fun in Misty Mawn's January journaling challenge that we didn't want to see it end. Misty has asked us to post a journal page every Wednesday during the month of February. Today's assignment was to do a page based on a song.
With all the attention lately on Valentine's day, I have been thinking of love, love, love. The song that came to mind was "What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love." So that is the basis of this page.
The quote reads: "Love talked about can be easily turned aside, but love demonstrated is irresistible."
This was a day of catching up on a few things around the studio. As I was clearing away a bit of clutter, I happened to notice this tray of trinkets waiting on the table. It was like they were calling to me, "When will it be our turn?" and Jesus was there blessing the mess.
I found these vintage playing cards last week at the flea market. Aren't they the cutest? I thought they would be great for ATCs, but so far, I haven't been able to use one. But there were other cards already prepped and waiting for art, so I made a couple of ACEOs with them instead.
I think that little Jesus picture needs to stay on the table, don't you?
