Mandala Artist Trading Cards

Mandala ATCs by Phillip Hoyle 2016

Last week I made Artist Trading Cards to the theme Mandalas. My background related to the form came from an educational workshop I attended in the East Texas piney woods and was led by a Catholic theologian. The mandalas were an activity we engaged in for self-reflection. I realized while doing these ATCs that I didn't have to use the religious theme for reflection but could do anything I wanted. 

As a result I made circles and four-section marks on old paintings to see what they might suggest. As you could guess I did end up using quite a few religious symbols, especially Medieval ones. The cross shape was difficult to get away from, especially for someone who has two degrees in theology and ministry. I simply played into while seeing to go somewhere beyond it. My greatest success in going beyond was the use of designs on the airline baggage ID from my recent trip to Missouri! In some reflective way it had emotional content but the design pulled me far away from that. It was the final piece I made in that group of 18 cards. Now I wish it had been my first one. Who knows what I would have discovered in the form.

Mandala ATCs by Phillip Hoyle 2016

The workshop and Trade was rich with socializing, laughter, food, and art in a wonderfully stimulating art studio setting. I hope your art week was as satisfying as mine.

Denver, 2016

What Art to Do?

 I must still be in trip recovery mode because outside of beginning a group of Artist Trading Cards, I've accomplished almost nothing in my studio in nearly two weeks. I have projected some projects but have made little progress. One of my objectives it to keep an Artist's Journal of flora and this week decided how to approach it. 

In summer 2009 I took many pictures of the plants in our yard, plants Jim had taken care of; I got to enjoy them. I kept a photographic record but an unkempt record. This year I will make a purposeful photographic record and will draw the same plants over and over at different stages of their development. 

You get the picture, so to speak, from several photos of the ostrich ferns that always make the yard look good. Before long I'll show my drawings and mixed media pieces that I will be making in my Flora Art Journal 2016.

Denver, 2016

And of course there are always attendant birds in the garden

Valentine Art

Valentines by Phillip Hoyle, 2016

I suspect my strong Reformed traditional upbringing has made me suspicious of Saint Days. More than that my rocky relationship with romance has made me shy away from Valentines. Also I never liked those hard candy hearts with the stamped messages like BE MINE or I LUV U. They didn't taste good! I got closer to Valentines Day when I got adult rich chocolate candies. 

ATCs by Phillip Hoyle 2016

Looking from an artistic point of view, making Valentines was okay. I'm sure it was my introduction to collage art although my approach has never been Victorian, trimmed in lace and sentiment. 

This year I made Artist Trading Cards using hearts and zebra stripes. What? Safari Love? Who knows. Shiny hearts in almost holographic paper. Printed craft papers. I moved away form the sentimental towards design and had fun. I used some of the ATCs to make greeting cards for Jim and Ruth. 

I didn't get to the ATC swap at CORE on Saturday to see what others were doing. I'm sure most of the cards traded probably were related to the theme of Star Wars. Still I hope my designs will be seen as strong enough to get traded sometime next week.

ATCs by Phillip Hoyle 2016

I do hope you had a happy Valentines Day.

Denver, 2016

On Vacation

Lichens on Missouri Tree. I took this photo last year
later in the season, well into spring. This past weekend I
walked by this same tree with my son on the way to move
cattle from one pasture to another. Of course there were
no leaves. Still the lichens were beautiful.
Photo by Phillip Hoyle, 2015

My intention for today's blog that is already nearly a day late was to post something about writing. I've failed to do so because I have done so little writing on my vacation as to seem pitiful. Actually I was surprised by my lack of writing or even feeling like doing so. My only satisfying explanation is that I am on vacation--a trip that ends soon. When I get back to my regular habitat I hope to resume my regular habits of writing and doing art work daily.

I am fairly certain I will get back to work quickly, and when I return to this part of Missouri in a few weeks, I'll begin drawing springtime flowers and plants and surely write about the experience. The mild weather we had last week has been replaced by true winter. I'm ready to return to Denver.

Mid-Missouri, 2016

Artist Trading Cards: Geometric Shapes

Geometric Shape ATC
Phillip Hoyle 2016

I wasn’t present for the trade myself, yet I did send cards with my artist friend Sue to the Swap/Make/and Swap Artist Trading Card workshop last Thursday evening. As soon as I get back to town I’ll see what happened. Other participants can select one of my cards and then select one of their own in trade! I wanted to share some of the card images with you in this blog to give you an idea of the process. And I want to express how much fun the whole process is for me, both making and trading cards.

Geometric Shape ATC
Phillip Hoyle 2016

I don’t know what the next Swap’s theme is for the second Saturday in February, the one at CORE New Art Space, but I do hope to have some cards ready for then. In the meantime I hope your own art interests are proving inspiring, your projects engaging, and I hope, if you have an art blog, that you will let me know!

Geometric Shape ATC
Phillip Hoyle, 2016