This is a good time to be going through all the shelves in my studio to just see what is there. Surprise surprise ...I have sooo many more of the big sheets of paper than I remember. Putting all the like kinds together so I can find big black when I need it and printmaking paper when I want that. Opening up cardboard folders I found some pastels that I finished many years ago and I guess have been sitting here just waiting to be found. When i first started back doing my art in 2005 I thought I wanted to do pastels because of the bold vibrant colors. I soon learned I really liked texture better and it is hard to get texture with pastels . That is when I started experimenting with the molding paste...pastels do not stick to molding paste.
I like these pieces but they seem a bit flat to me...tried adding yarns as that is my go to nowadays but...didn't like that either. So, I am leaving as is and saying ..yes, you are done.
Our small art group decided to make nests in March, but we had no idea just how we wanted to make them. I went to Youtube to see how others make them. There were several approaches; I combined a couple ideas and set to work. I wanted something that could be done in a few hours and was not really messy. The brown paper bag starter fit the bill. Start with several small paper bags, crumple, cut fringe and you have your base. Between the layers of brown bags I laid out my cut strips from Gelli printed papers and the photo transfer papers I had just completed. Spritz it with alcohol or inks...and these strips crumple up nicely. Photo below is the nest at this stage..oh..add yarn! I always add yarn and flick paint! Then I decided it needed o attache to something as it was just a flat bottom nest and boring..I found a branch that forked nicely and attached my nest with masking tape...after I had enlarged it a bit with newspaper crushed all up and held together with tape. It now had become a paper mache project.....covered with more of my special papers I have created ...tape, mat medium, paper.....attached to two branches. Now all it needed was more brightly colored strips from the same papers and...a dried out old tea bag..round....for the inside nesting materials to rest on....and it was done. Each layer was held down by the bag on top or the teabag! Filled it with acorn parts and put one of my acorn people on the side!! Placed it in a lovely tall vase and there you have it!
Helen's Originals showcases abstract acrylic mixed media, printmaking with monotypes, dry point and gyotaku, figurative collage, and informative blog entries.
