Recycle Art

The print I showed you a few weeks ago.

One of my art processes is to recycle paintings and prints to use as grounds for Artist Trading Cards. I started doing so about three years ago and have cut old, usually unsuccessful paintings into cards 2 1/2" x 3 1/2". I've then printed, collaged, drawn, painted or all of the above in many different ways. About two years ago I started making tiny floral works on the cards. To do so, I refer to old floral studies, some made about seventeen years ago, others newer, and make the cards. I set out a group of cards and using a variety of pens, make tiny pieces of art. Using my computer I color print them and mount them on pre-cut note cards that I send to folk as short letters or gifts. 

When about four months ago I began playing around with GELLI print plates and produced larger monoprints. I realized they could become grounds for more of these floral prints. Printed on all kinds of paper, for instance, like the page from a magazine shown above, I realized they could serve as grounds for more floral pieces. I hope to make greeting cards with them and mixed media pieces to frame. Of course the larger format presents challenges, one I am just beginning to meet.

A few weeks ago I posted one of the monoprints and suggested I would figure out just what floral thing to do with it. One of my friends said she looked forward to see what I would do. Well, here it is well on its way but still unfinished.

Claret Cup Cacti, white ink on monoprint made on magazine page.
7x5" by Phillip Hoyle

I'm sure these red spots will become the red flowers but haven't quite figured out how. And I'm sure you'll get to see the end result. 

Denver 2015

More Bear Prints

I printed yesterday. Bear images.

I have no idea where these images are going! I made fifteen or more prints, a few paws and quite a few bears.

Still I am hoping to get something together for an upcoming art show at CORE New Art Space, their annual WOW! show. They want different, unusual, edgy pieces for this show. So I'll do what I can and want to do it with a Bear! Probably something that uses these small prints in a collage. Time will tell! 

This piece holds promise. It's a little out of focus but
not much. It just printed up that way. Who knows?

I hope you and I both have happy art weeks!

Denver, 2015

A Touch of Pink

The summer hailstorms pretty much devastated our front yard. Trees and bushes were stripped of many of their leaves. Hostas were shredded like lettuce even though they were ready to bloom. Some English ivy plants were pounded so severely they had no deep green leaves left. Some plants died. There was a lot of cleaning up to do, but as we did it my partner and I noticed new growth. The magnolia bush on the parking not only got new leaves but also two new, out-of-season blossoms. That seemed very nice. The ornamental grasses began to recover. Before long we saw beautifully shaped leaves on the Eastern Redbud tree.

The cone flowers recovered quickly--they always seem to do so no matter what happens. I noticed some delicate flowers I didn't recall seeing before: some pink and some light blue blossoms. Jim mentioned one weedy-looking new growth wondering if it might be a cosmos. He'd never had any but hoped this plant might grow. His guess was right. We now have a pink cosmos. I suspect next year we'll have several. 

This past week I worked several times in the yard and have enjoyed looking at the process of recovery underway there. I like the clusters of color, especially the new pink flowers. I suspect I'll have get out there with my pad and pencils and begin drawing. The leaves and stems have great shapes and the flowers are actually very simple. Then I'll have to make new paintings and prints of the things that once again abound in the garden.

Denver, 2015

Inspiration

Ancient traditions of varying cultures assert that artistic gifts come from godly sources. It's in the language of inspiration, the muses, and the artist being gifted. I've thought about those symbols for my whole adult life and wondered at the history and interconnections of the metaphors. Then I finally decided not to worry myself over details and simply say I'm thankful for the gifts--large or small, real or imagined--that allow me to do art. It began with music and before too long expanded into writing, visual arts, multi-media, and so forth. I was mostly just doing a job or several jobs, ones I enjoyed and continue to enjoy every day. I'm not particularly pious, at least by some people's standards, yet I do recognize that in art something has to arise from somewhere to make possible the creation of beauty. May it be the god from within or without. I say this with a deep sense of humility and thanks.

A few days ago someone saw in my studio the crucifix pictured above. He was very enthusiastic for whatever reasons and made over what he described as the wire sculpture's beauty. I was a bit embarrassed. I made the piece decades ago in a workshop in which I also wrote a poem, probably the first one I ever wrote. Certainly it was the first sculpture I attempted. Only many years later did I work with visual artists to learn techniques and the like. I keep the spontaneous piece visible to remind me not to shut off whatever gifts or natural abilities I have in my work. And each day I do my artwork with a sense of thanksgiving.

I must add, just in case you are interested, I did not make the metal saints. They are New Mexico Hispanic pieces of Saints Maria Magdalena and Rafael.

Denver, 2015

Denver County Fair 2015

Yours truly trapped like a fly in a spider's web so enthused I was at the fair.

I'm posting some photos taken at the Denver County Fair this past weekend. I'm adding just a little comment hoping you might get some of the flavor of the event in its fifth year. I look forward to next year's event. Attending the fair was great fun, a time of activities, entertainment, rides, contests, with both common and unusual people, and so much more.

Hundreds of visitors visited the art gallery where among other art were
several Artist Trading Cards.

On Wednesday I went to the fair to enter my Artist Trading Card pages and one mixed media print with collage. On Thursday I went back to help set up the booth for making Artist Trading Cards. I also assisted hanging the ATCs in a section of the Art Gallery.

I entered three pages of single cards, each card a separate piece of art: two pages of florals and one page of drums. 

My newest page of florals was prepared specifically for the show. The backgrounds were made as monoprints using a Gelli printing plate. I finished them by drawing with various pens rather abstract flowers that don't show up so well in this photo. 

The ATC Pavilion where adults, teens and children spent time making Artist Trading Cards. I felt lucky to get
to talk with people of all ages while we made cards together. Interesting people; very interesting cards.

I visited the fair with a friend on Friday. We looked at many entries--traditional things like baked goods, candies, quilts, and knitting. We also enjoyed Peeps displays, the Geek Pavilion, the Cat Pavilion, and many people we got to talk with. Food was good. Special shows entertained. I'm pleased and plan to return next summer. Plan to join me.

'Old Grizzly' was my entry to the mixed media portion of the show. It is a
monoprint with collaged map with a bear relief print mounted  with glue.