blancoart

Bits and Pieces

2012-01-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

Every collage artist hoards bits and pieces of paper, scraps, findings with the hope that some day the moment will reveal itself when it can be used in a collage. During a recent retreat of 18 collage artists I sorted through mounds of bits and pieces and completed 30 individual art cards such as this one. Sometimes it could take weeks before the right assortment of these pieces come together for a pleasing composition. There lies the challenge and the passion.

Freeport Museum Live Paint Event

2012-01-10T19:37:00.000-08:00

It was my pleasure to participate in a live paint charity event to help raise funds for the charming Freeport Art Museum, in Freeport, Illinois last October. My good friend Maureen Gasek encouraged me to participate. I am glad I did. I needed a challenge like that. My painting was auctioned off for the highest amount. It was a mandala inspired mixed media and collage painting. While creating this piece there were some moments of angst. Would the painting be successful by the time the cocktail party began? I was pleased with the result.

Almost A Year since a posting entered.

2011-10-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, it is almost a year since I last posted. Time has truly been passing quickly. So what have I been doing? I have been making greeting cards mostly and taking some classes. I took a great class from Mary Beth Shaw on new mixed media ideas. The result was a diptych. Having recently returned from Florida my palette reflected the blues of the ocean and the circles reflect the moving waves.

13th Annual St Thomas the Apostle Fine Art Fair

2010-11-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

Once again I co-chaired the event and participated. How lucky can I get? I got the best spot of the main room with perfect lighting. Sales were moderate but I got to see lots of my old friends and neighbors who stopped by and some repeat patrons came by to shop for cards. The weather was fantastic this weekend.

Milwaukee Art Museum

2010-08-22T09:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we travelled to Milwaukee to visit friends. Dave and Mary were fantastic hosts. They took us to the art museum where we saw an historic quilt, then we viewed more than 100 of the most incredible prints of Warriington Colescott. He is a Wisconsin based printmaker, who has trained his brilliant artist eye on the fashions and foibles of human behavior since the 1940's. Using multiple ways of creating prints he absolutely blew me away with his skill as a printmaker. Having briefly studied printmaking (etching, dry point and screenprinting) I could really appreciate his skill.

My Canadian Art Friends

2010-08-22T08:28:00.001-07:00

Abstract Play

2010-08-22T08:03:00.001-07:00

Recently I took a vacation to Lake Winnipeg to stay with our dear friends Karen and Gord. It was a much needed rest but the best part was that we dedicated a whole day to art making. Mary, Karen and I visited Karen's sister a retired art teacher and we spent the day in her studio being artists. I just played with my acrylic paints. The first was done on canvas the second was done on acrylic paper. As I Iook at these little vignettes I feel pure joy. No specific intentions or goals with these two playful pieces. I am still thinking that more will be added to them to become a more complex piece. But at the moment I have them in my studio to remind me of the great vacation week in Manitoba Canada.

The Latest Exhibit of the Midwest Collage Society

2010-07-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend The Midwest Collage Society hosted a reception at the Paper, Process and Perception Exhibit at the Norris Cultural Center in St. Charles Illinois. The turnout was good and we had a spectacular table of refreshments. This is an especially wonderful venue with two floors of wall space to hang art on. I have four collages and am honored to have my piece, Remembering Mandala on the postcard that went out to patrons and friends. I was delighted to see my friends, the Craigheads, Julia Thomas ( a patron), fellow art tribe members, Maureen and Cheryl.

This weekend I also attended a memorial service for a dear fellow artist and friend, Nancy Ahlstrom who passed away at 79 from cancer. She was a stylish, friendly, remarkably likable and talented artist and will be sorely missed by many. May she rest in peace.

And now I venture back into the studio to test out some new acrylic painting techniques that I will incorporate with my collage work. I am also working on some art journaling just for fun.

2010-06-25T05:13:00.000-07:00

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My heart soars when I am surrounded

2010-06-25T05:08:00.000-07:00

My heart soars when I am surrounded by my art supplies, inspirations, books, pieces of collage materials. I have made it a goal to get into the studio daily. I depleted my inventory of cards so I have been recycling old watercolors into new collage cards. The studio is so full of possibilities. These 4X6 cards represent an opportunity to experiment, with no fear of investing too much time and the feeling of completion at the end is healing to the soul who has been crying out for time to create.

The Studio

2010-06-23T05:08:00.000-07:00

During the last few months I have not been active in my studio with creating because I was very much occupied with preparing, organizing and putting out fires for the wedding of my daughter Victoria. During the first week of June the studio also became a dormitory for visiting young people as they slept in blow up mattresses and sleeping bags. There were 5 in a section of the studio. Yet, my brother's partner, Michelle came to the wedding from Philadelphia and insisted on seeing the studio so as artist to artist I allowed her to enter my private space which I don't easily share with others unless I know that they will not judge me on my chaotic ways. Here is her review of my studio.
"The moment I entered Tania Blanco's studio I felt the powerful pull of a woman who congers magic out of chaos. Everywhere I looked in the studio there were projects in motion, surrounded by myriads of textures and colors, a tantalizing alchemy of gold and silver shimmering through oceans of visual vignettes, tattooed by a calligraphy of organic symbols and rhythms. I was dazzled by Tania's ability to reach in to this treasure trove of the human spirit and weave her consciousness into a harmonious tapestry of radiant transcendence. In her collage workshops which were set up on large tables in the studio she has the rare gift of inspiring other women in the ways and rituals of releasing their own powers of creative expression. Tania Blanco is an artist who understands the universal and archetypal temple of her soul and choreographs for us with the force of her vibrant heat, the dance of her visual poetry, that continues to inspire us all with the wise and wonderful woman that she is."

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Back to the studio

2010-06-16T05:22:00.000-07:00

Wonders in the woods, the Trillium

2010-04-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

Reconnecting with Nature

2010-04-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

The spring like weather is a big tease after a long and cold winter of mostly indoor living. My inspiration comes from those walks in nature parks. On Easter Sunday I strolled through the paths of the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. The magnolias were in full bloom. The aroma was intoxicating. Even the high winds could not deter my resolve to walk the paths.
On Easter Monday I took a lunch break at the Lincoln Marsh in Wheaton, Il. It was a feast for the senses. Birds accompanied the acappela chorus of frogs in the marsh. The browns were in full force. Light brown from the left over stalks of cattails and dark brown from the controlled burn. All in all it was a diverse collage of plant and animal life. The trees showed their skeletal compositions which soon will be covered in shades of green. The first sightings of spring were my very favorite: trillium leaves with specked green . Soon these plants will show their chocolate brown flower. The possibilities of renewal are inspiring.

Memories of Dancing Days

2010-03-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

This is a collage I had exhibited at Mays Lake in Oakbrook, Illinois.It is a combination of papers, acrylic paints and image transfers onto a canvas measuring 12* X 12".Every time a look at this collage I get a happy feeling. I guess it is because I love to dance and don't get to do it too often.

Winter Wonderland

2010-03-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

As much as I am quite tired of winter, there are days that make it worth the discomfort. Occasionally I take a walk in a nature preserve about 1 mile from my office. It rejuvenates the soul.

An award for Kaleidoscope of Memories

2010-03-06T19:01:00.000-08:00

This is a collage painting created for the Memories exhibit for Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oakbrook, Illinois. It is a collage on canvas, measuring 18 X 24. The Midwest Collage Society of which I am President had over 90 pieces of art on exhibit for two months. Today was the closing reception. I was delighted to have received an Honorable Mention Award. The judge's comments: "I love the writing against the defined circles, there is a balance of what we 'say' speaks to the universe."

2010-02-23T16:58:00.000-08:00

Second Place

2010-02-13T12:24:00.001-08:00

This is a photo of me standing next to my acrylic on Yupo paper entitled Fugue. This was one of my early attempts in working on this interesting artificial paper called Yupo. I recently had it shown in a church lobby and it is currently on exhibit at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois. It used be called the Chiropractic College. Well the good news is that this show was judged last week and I received 2nd place award. That is always exciting. This piece will then be eligible for another show entitled Best of the Best and will be on exhibit in April. I hope to have 3 entries at that show. Only art that has won an award in the last year can be shown.

Fleur de lis

2010-02-10T05:27:00.000-08:00

2010-02-10T05:26:00.000-08:00

Celebrations

2010-02-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

There are lots of reasons to celebrate. This week New Orleans celebrates a Superbowl Victory. These are 4" x 6" collages that were inspired by a co-worker of mine whose husband is from New Orleans.

Happy and Sad

2010-01-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

I am both happy and sad today. I am visiting my daughter Victoria in Minneapolis this weekend which makes me very happy for the one on one time we are sharing. We talked about so many things yesterday and watched a movie and reviewed wedding plans and shared an excellent Chinese meal. Today there will be more fun things to do. She and Andres live in a sweet little apartment overlooking a quiet snow covered street. The view is very calm and peaceful on this sunny winter morning.
And now for the sad part. I will miss being at the Midwest Collage Society exhibit reception tonight for which we have been preparing for so long. There are 90 pieces hung. I have 4 on exhibit in this show. The title of the exhibit is: Memory and it is hanging in a beautiful mansion called Peabody Mansion in the Mayslake Estate in Oakbrook, Il.
Sometimes our lives get so busy and so many difficult choices to make. This is one I had to struggle with. I wish all of my fellow artists in the show a great time at the reception.

Old Becomes New

2010-01-11T04:46:00.000-08:00

I have tons of old artwork that never stood on their own. The watercolors I produced fill two bins. On occasion I look through and try to find some inspiration in them. This particular one was a large experimental piece using the wax resist method I was in love with at one time. The watercolors were bold, and I think I even experimented with gouache with this one. At any rate, it was fun but not an award winner by a long shot. It spoke to me as a dessert-like hot environment. The horses seemed to fit in. Only 4X6 I was pleased with the result.

Simplify and Expand

2010-01-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

It is the first day of a new year and I am taking time to reflect the past year and to make some determinations of intentions for the coming year. Last night as the clock turned from one year to the next I stood outdoors for a moment to contemplate the beautiful full moon, the blue moon. It held so much promise and magic. I was surrounded by my immediate family and my good friends, Marsha and Austin. We remembered the challenges we overcame last year and shared fortune cookies to bring good fortune into the new year. This morning I committed to simplify some aspects of my life and so I went to the studio and looked onto my collection of over 1,000 books to see what could be donated or gifted to friends. The first book I touched was Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro. The marker was set to page 138 where I read the following prayer:

Peace and love, O Lord, I pray
Shower on this friend today.
Heal his(her) troubles, bless his(her) heart
From the source of strength and love
May she(he) never have to part.

As for Expand, I aim to expand my creative endeavors by learning new techniques and making my work larger.
HAPPY NEW YEAR

Color is Personal

2009-12-17T17:29:00.000-08:00

I have been working on creating some holiday cards to have available for my patrons at work this week. I remember distinctly that one patron who looked through my cards last year saying " I don't buy Christmas cards that are blue. I like them to be red, green, gold, etc. but not blue. I don't relay to blue as a Christmas color." It was a comment that challenged me away from making too many blue cards which is what I seem to relate to. I feel that angels should be in a blue background. The sky looks bluer in the winter after a snowfall. The night with stars is blue. The shadows on the snow appear blue. So my personal preference seems to be to use blue. I cannot explain why that is. But to my surprise this same patron chose my cards with blue this year. She could not explain it to me. Is she evolving a new taste in color???

My holiday message

2009-12-15T04:52:00.000-08:00

I believe everyone chooses their own message, symbols, etc. for the Christmas season. I have spent the last week or so looking at commercial cards. There are lots of messages out in the world. So when I focused in on my personal choices for symbols and messages, it always comes to basically one word, P E A C E. So many of my cards voice this message. I wish everyone to find peace in their midst, wherever they may be.

An Inspiration Visit

2009-12-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was fortunate to drop by the Art Institute of Chicago for a few hours of artistic inspiration. The new Modern Wing is always exciting to walk through and I paid special attention to some of the artists work that inspires me: Joseph Cornell, Juan Gris, Paul Klee. I was paying extra attention to Juan Gris's work and discovered some details in this artist's work earlier this year when I was in Madrid. I always enjoyed the cubists but I never delved into the work Juan Gris as much as this trip. Yesterday I found myself looking closely at a few pieces at the Art Institute. I was especially focusing on the diagnals in his work.

Towards the end of my visit I found the work of another artist that inspired me as a collage artist. There is currently an exhibit of the work of James Castle. He is an artist from rural Idaho who, despite undergoing no formal or conventional training, is especially admired for his homemade quality. He was born to be considered deaf and never gained a language. More recently it is believed that he might have been autistic. He never learned to write but instead copied from commercially produced objects. He created small books using whatever cardboard, twine, string he could find. I was so shocked to see what could be create with just a little soot and spit. Many of his works are very small and use whatever paper he found from packaging, newsprint etc. It's really worth seeing. And now I feel like I should run to the studio and make some art.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-08T04:56:00.001-08:00

Sometimes special orders bring new challenges

2009-12-08T04:53:00.000-08:00

I had a special order for some equine cards. One for a birthday and the other for Christmas. I had a real challenge there. Can't draw a horse but I love the silhouettes so transfers saved the day. I was quite pleased with the results. I hope my patron likes them as well.

Where has the time gone?

2009-12-04T05:15:00.000-08:00

I just noticed I hadn't posted for some time. What have I been doing? Well for starters I have been doing more exhibits and sales. Marketing took up much time. Some new requests came in for cards. I have an order for 20 Christmas cards. Just a sample of my order for you to see.

My Studio is an exploratorium

2009-09-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

I rose early in order to be able to drop into my studio again this morning. There have papers drying from coatings of acrylic medium. Once dry these little gems are ready to mount onto a card. So far I am keeping my daily visits to the studio that I committed to for the next month as I work on material for the upcoming shows.

My studio is really an exploratorium. I am borrowing this word from a recent blog written by a terrific artist in Vancouver Canada, Robert Genn. You can see his website for lots of interesting things about art, including an extensive list of quotations. This is the link: http://www.painterskeys.com/

I love the sound of the word and it describes by studio to the T. I have such a collection (not terribly well organized but I am working on it) of materials, supplies, paints, etc. On any day I might want to work with found papers, make surface design on existing bad art, or just read my collection of art magazines or art history books. I never know when an idea will strike me to catapult me into a new direction or an old one I have nearly forgotten.

A co-worker and new patron of mine commissioned me to make some cards for her nieces (4 and 5 years old) with butterflies. I don't always enjoy working on commissions but this one is so sweet I feel I can make a whole series and then there will be leftovers for those other cards.

Under the Fall Moon

2009-09-12T12:57:00.001-07:00

Morning Work Studio

2009-09-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

Having been away from the studio for several weeks, I can finally say I dedicated 4 hours to serious creative work. Completed two 4 X 6 cards. Framed one also and reorganized one corner.

Fall flower was a watercolor that needed to be recycled. It has a little glitz and glitter. It just needed something extra to sparkle.

A Season for Art Fairs and Exhibits

2009-09-12T03:58:00.000-07:00

Although my participation in art exhibits has been limited to group shows with the Midwest Collage Society of which I am President for the second year, I am heading in other directions this fall. In the last half of October I will be part of a group exhibit in downtown Naperville with my Art Tribe. I have been a member of this wonderful group of art girlfriends for the last eleven years. There are eight of us. We meet every 6 weeks approximately to brainstorm marketing ideas, share personal successes and challenges, exchange ideas, test our new directions, etc. etc. This will be a great exhibit and I am so looking forward to it. Our newest member, Maureen, created a fantastic Supersize postcard to invite everyone we can think of to attend the reception.

Inspired by Fall

2009-09-11T05:11:00.000-07:00

I believe there is plenty of truth in artist being influenced by their environment. The colors of fall and harvest are coming quickly on this September morning in the Chicago area. My passion for gingko leaves inspired this 4X6 card. It sat in pieces for over 6 months on my studio table until this morning when I had that AHA moment.

A new home for Whispers

2009-09-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

A recently completed collage painting "Whispers in the Meadow" was purchased by a patron of mine, Kathy, which she will donate for a fundraiser to be auctioned off. Blessings for my loyal patron.

My art display 2007

2009-09-07T13:09:00.001-07:00

This is how my display looks each year at the St. Thomas the Apostle, Celebration of the Arts Fair.

Upcoming Exhibits

2009-09-07T12:53:00.001-07:00

I am dedicating a few hours each week to prepare for an exhibit I will be joining my "Art Tribe." We will exhibit in the studio/gallery of my good friend and art sister, Cindy. October's date is coming quickly, October 15-19. I hope to have a few new pieces ready for the show.

Simultaneously I am preparing for the annual art fair at St Thomas the Apostle in Naperville. Each year for the last 8 years I have had a booth for the fair. I also will do a demonstration of a technique. I haven't quite decided what technique to demonstrate. In the past I have done a wax resist demo, a monotype demo and a watercolor demo. I love doing the demos because I have a desire to engage people in conversation as I work. My best time is when a child comes up to see what I am doing. I just want them to jump in and play with me. Sometimes they do. I always have a Zen board for the kids to "paint" on. This is the most wonderful thing in the world for budding artists to try. It is a special paper board that one can paint on it with water and the image comes out black. One uses a chinese brush and if feels wonderful to paint. Within a few minutes the least parts of the painting begins to disappear as the paper dries. The opportunity is there to keep painting again and again. No waste of paper.

Dry spells and Patrons

2009-08-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life takes a detour from making art for me. Family, work, organizations, obligations.
Well the last few months have been on fast forward. Since travel was in the mix I have been reading some books that inspire the artist in me and are helping me reflect on how my art fits into my life.

I am reading Beyond the Flower by Judy Chicago. Her second autobiography. Worth a read for anyone who is an artist.

The previous blog of June 24 is a little card I created from an old monotype I experimented with and added a transfer of the birst onto it. One of my colleagues at work just loved it and purchased it. She sits a few cubicles behind me and whenever I go to her cube to consult on a work related topic I get to see it. She is a patron since she has purchased several cards from me and also a framed 8X10 which hands in her cubicle. Thank you Lisa.

During the two weeks in July while I was in Ft Lauderdale, I got to see my patron extroardinaire, Karla. Karla purchases my cards a dozen at a time several times a year. The theme she orders most often is hearts. She sends my cards to her friends and new aquaintances. Karla is all about love. I love her for it. Thank you Karla.

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Making art again

2009-04-27T04:58:00.001-07:00

After many months of stagnation due to a variety of family issues and complications I am once again completing work. Through that period I would experiment with all the supplies, techniques and possibilities but nothing seemed to come together. I organized another art therapy room at the workplace during Valentine's day and it was a success. Since then I have sold the odd card at work. But spring has come. Once again inspiration is percolating and I am committing some more time to the studio.

Everything I do seems to ultimately lead me....

2008-11-23T11:16:00.000-08:00

Everything I create in the studio seems to ultimately lead to the next thing. During the past few weeks while recovering from surgery I have spent several of my awake hours playing around in the studio. Some of the pieces have been crappy pieces. I am realizing now that it is still important that I do these because they may be helping me work through ideas. Perhaps if I didn't make the crappy pieces, I wouldn't be doing what I would consider strong pieces. I have been using stuff that would otherwise be thrown away, and I really like the idea of giving it a new life. I love it when I can have moments of fearless creating with no preconceived valuation for the final outcome.

A new life for an experimental painting session

2008-11-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

Last week I surveyed my paints in the studio and found I had quite a variety of paints in various forms. I decided to get crazy with the paints creating textures with unconventional tools like old hotel key cards, old combs, and I smooshed and basically played to my heart's content making big sheets of expressive marks in a variety of palette combinations. The blues really came out very exciting. I chopped up the big sheets of painted backgrounds and this card was one of the results. Oh what fun is to be crazy with paint and tools.

2008-11-14T15:02:00.000-08:00

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Thank you cards

2008-11-14T07:28:00.001-08:00

There is always a reason to send a thank you card. I like to do mine uniquely and creatively. Recently I had a commission for some and it got me started on recycling those little bits and pieces I had kicking around the studio. I make them smaller than my usual cards: 4.34 by 5.34 inches.

2008-11-14T07:20:00.000-08:00

Experiment Plus Recycle

2008-11-14T07:02:00.000-08:00

I am currently in greeting card making mode. After surgery I am tackling small commissions for original one of a kind cards, some of which are for the coming holiday season.

So where to begin was my thought. As I searched through my studio I encountered several experimental pieces. As a work of art they didn't quite make it. In my mind I either lost interest, failed to see a future in them or just felt ambivalent and needed to purge. But years ago my art teacher told me never to throw any artwork away because it stood a chance of being reworked, recycled, chopped up and reused in collage.

So that is what I did. I started by cutting up pieces of work into 4X6 pieces. And some pieces got chopped even smaller. There are so many ways to renew a piece of paper. This is the very essence of my passion for collage.

Anthropology

2008-05-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

When I first graduated from college and got my bachelor's in education I was excited about having accomplished this goal. At the same time I was worried that my mind might turn to mush if I did not attend any more college classes. So after a 3 month tour of Europe which ended in Greece, I decided to take random classes of interest just for fun. Still one of my favorites was Anthropology 101. We studied African tribes and their customs. We explored communication of various cultures. Every once in awhile this interest in other cultures pops up in my collage work.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2008-05-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

THis is a tribute to my Mom. Here she is as I saw her in January with her great grandaughter, Zoe. I just love this photo. She probably would have an issue with her hair. But I see the beauty of the link between generations in their eyes.

I made my goal - 50 cards by Mothers Day

2008-05-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

I worked daily to produce the cards for my goal of 50 by Mother's Day. I worked at 6 am on those days I worked. At 10 pm I would do a little prep work for next day's assembly. By morning the coated pieces would be dry enough to assemble into a card. And so the goal kept me focused. And when I presented the collection to my coworkers, they had this to say: "I can't decide, they're all so wonderful." Sometimes you just need to hear that from someone else. At the same time I was producing my cards, one of my coworkers e-mailed us and said she was raising funds to do the Avon walk for breast cancer. I offered to donate $1. for every card I sold. I hope it inspired some of my coworkers to choose a work of original art over a hallmark card. "Make it special, I said."

Inspired

2008-05-07T05:05:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took a workshop in embossed papermaking. It was a great opportunity to try something new. This card is made from the embossed paper I made. I like the texture that is so subtle.

Celebrate

2008-04-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

With some true signs of spring in the Chicago area, I feel like celebrating. My goal of 50 flower inspired cards is getting closer to completion. I have 38 done. Setting goals really pushes you forward. Even with only smidgets of time I feel extra motivated to keep on going. The studio is a mess but I can still crank out some cards. Those remnants of old work can still be re-used, recycled or reworked and altered to a fresh look. I feel energized.

Musical Inspirations

2008-04-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

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Rolling along with the goal of 50

2008-04-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

Not all my cards are collages. Sometimes I am in the mood for a spontaneous watercolor. Florals lend themselves to working in watercolor. I feel a sense of freedom when I paint in watercolors. There is never an intent to recreate a botanical image. The genus and species are yet unknown to man with the florals I paint.

Another recycled watercolor

2008-04-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

2008-04-09T19:00:00.001-07:00

More Cards for Mother's Day, Weddings, Etc.

2008-04-09T05:09:00.000-07:00

Between Obligations

2008-04-09T05:02:00.000-07:00

In recent weeks I have been creating Mother's Day cards of a floral nature between family obligations and work. The joy comes from taking old watercolor paintings, experiments etc and recycling them into another kind of art. Here is an example. I am hoping to have 50 cards done by the end of the month.

I really appreciate all the positive feedback. I feel blessed

2008-03-08T17:35:00.000-08:00

I just had to share what a client wrote to me.
“I just saw the cards and they are absolutely gorgeous. What a talent you have! What beauty they represent. They are the best expression of Irish culture I think I've ever seen.”
M. Thomas

2008-03-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

The St Patrick's Commission is Completed

2008-03-08T17:11:00.001-08:00

Today I delivered 25 St. Patrick's Day cards to my client, Julia. She had only ordered 20 but when I presented her with 25 so she could select her favorites, she could not choose and decided on all of them. I was thrilled that she liked them. One is never sure how the client will react to the finished project. I took the cards to my work one day earlier this week and the reactions were so positive that I was confident that I was on the right track. Three cards were bought at the office which only inspired me to dash home after work and create some more designs. I was on such a roll that I could not stop. The ideas just kept coming like an avalanche. It was the most exciting feeling. I have a new appreciation of the many variations of green. Some preliminary research on the symbols, customs and history of St. Patrick's Day really helped me generate ideas. I remembered that a friend once said: There are two kinds of people in the world: The Irish and those who wish they were Irish.

I am in love with Irish Blessings

2008-03-03T17:58:00.001-08:00

I never knew there were so many shades of green

2008-03-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

Green Power

2008-03-03T17:35:00.000-08:00

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Shamrocks

2008-03-03T17:19:00.001-08:00

More Irish Inspiration

2008-03-03T17:14:00.000-08:00

The Process of Creativity

2008-03-03T05:06:00.000-08:00

The process of creativity is often mysterious. Sometimes when you come to the table you have a plan for a project or assignment and you jump in. Other times you have no agenda and simply begin by getting warmed up with a favorite color or a color you never seem to use. I have always been drawn to red but for the last three weeks I have been focusing on green as I worked through a commission: 20 cards for St Patrick's Day.

Here's one I think fits into the theme of Irish.

New Project Begins Today

2008-02-16T06:31:00.000-08:00

Now that Valentine's Day is behind me I begin another project that is both challenging and probably a little fun too. I have been commissioned to create 20 cards for St. Patrick's Day. I have begun my research on themes and ideas. A box of different kinds of papers are already sitting in a pile. I have accumulated a huge assortment of green swatches. I can't wait to see what comes out. I will keep you posted.

One more Valentine

2008-02-16T06:20:00.000-08:00

Life in the working world keeps me busy

2008-02-16T06:12:00.000-08:00

The working world keeps me so busy helping senior citizens with resources that time for art is limited. However, this week I decided to bring the art to work. There is a section on our floor at the government offices that is empty temporarily. The rooms is large and has several large tables. I brought as much of my studio as humanly possible in two shifts and set up a workshop for making Valentine cards. I e-mailed my co-oworkers to drop in at lunch or break and create a card. All the necessary materials were on hand from cardstock and envelope to wide range of adhesives, and every imaginable "junk" that included scrabble pieces, playing cards, failed watercolor paintings, monoprints, fancy scissors, and glitter. I created a handful of samples for everyone to view and off they went to the races. It was very rewarding to hear the comments of folks who admired my work but more rewarding to hear them comment on their gratitude for the experience since all of them seemed to think they had no creative bones in their body. They told me they are craving art therapy in the line of work that we do. I agree. I am so happy going to my own studio on weekends or evenings when I can carve out some time. I offer you a sampling of some cards that served as inspiration for others.

Madam Butterfly

2008-02-10T21:26:00.000-08:00

This collage was created about two years ago and I just entered it in the Lombard Art Coalition's members show. It is a quirky piece but occasionally I enjoy working on something whimsical.

Busy weeks and finally an art day

2008-02-10T21:12:00.000-08:00

These last few weeks have been hectic with work. My exhibit at the National University of Health Sciences came down at the end of January. To jump start the creative juices I decided to participate in a few workshops. I attended a workshop on mixed media at the Addison Art Guild. This was my first experience with a few materials like scratch boards, plaster gauze on canvas and modeling paste. I even managed a couple of baby pieces.

Some photos from my reception with my Art tribe sisters

2008-02-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

The November 2007 Art Exhibit

2008-01-28T21:36:00.001-08:00

The Support of Fellow Artists and Friends and patrons

2008-01-13T18:29:00.000-08:00

Today I had my reception for the solo exhibit at the National University for Health Sciences. Even though the weather was a little uncertain with snowflakes covering the roadways, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many of my fellow artist friends, past patrons, and coworkers come out to support me. A few faces from the past and some of my husband's associates came as well. The positive feedback I received was inspiring and certainly boosted the ego of an artist putting out some work that not everyone has seen before. Seeing one's body of work is a feeling of accomplishment and validation. I cannot stress how grateful I am to all who came to see my work.

Beneath the Surface

2008-01-07T18:17:00.000-08:00

This is the title I gave my solo exhibit at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois. It is the first solo exhibit I have done since 2000. There is a certain sense of accomplishment when one can assemble a body of work and step back and look at it. This particular exhibit is the culmination of several years of work and the evolution of an artist who painted and then moved on to mixed media and collage. The ability to combine media, to experiment and to reuse parts of older work really appeals to me at this stage of my art making life. I hope to have a good reception this coming Sunday.

My entry for White on White exhibit

2008-01-07T18:15:00.000-08:00

A stolen moment......

2008-01-07T17:40:00.000-08:00

And I took a line for a walk.

One more meditative scribble

2008-01-07T17:36:00.001-08:00

Mini moments for mini Art

2008-01-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

The time between Thanksgiving and New Years always presents a time of frantic activity with no time to meditate or create art. Yet this year I worked hard at making doodles like this just to keep a sense of sanity. My goal is to keep a stash of these squares and some pens in my purse at all times so when a few moments present themselves I can put them to special use.

Where did the time go?

2007-12-15T22:34:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I have not posted anything since October. The days have blended together so quickly. My news is that I have been busy with several exhibits. I participated in the annual Celebration of the Arts at my church, I entered several pieces in the Midwest Collage Society Layers II exhibit and won an honorable mention and I put together a solo exhibit at the National University of Health Sciences entitled Beneath the Surface. Thirty pieces are hung in the clinic and I will have a reception in January. The bulk of my art-making has been working on greeting cards. This last month I made holiday cards of which some are watercolors and others are collage and mixed media. Working full time has cut in on some of my time for creating art. Holidays require attention also but I am happy to say that I still get some work in on the weekends. This week I have been commissioned by a former patron to do 20 cards for St. Patrick's day. This is a new theme for me. But I like the challenge.

A trip to Iowa

2007-10-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

During a trip to Iowa to visit my daughter Victoria, I was inspired by the vast sky and the incredible colors of fall.

A whole month gone by

2007-10-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

A whole month has gone by without a word about art on my blog. I am working full time and the time is so limited and the energy low as I learn the new tasks. Trying to get some kind of balance in place is the name of the game. I was able to do a little doodling during lunch. Then other things crept along that needed my attention. I am currently preparing to participate in an art exhibit and sale at the St. Thomas Church which is what I do every year. It is a great time to talk about my art, to show a little demonstration to patrons and to sell some work. Soon some photos will be posted.

Fragments

2007-09-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

Some days I feel like I am doing fragments of activities. A little here, a little there. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for fragmented days. Is it attention deficit day? Is it caused by distractions of things we have no control over? Is it angst? Is it lack of a plan? Or is it catching up day? Maybe it is a day when I have a need to tie up loose ends, to aleviate clutter of personal space, or of the mind. Here is a piece of art that illustrates the kind of day I am having today. There are some good things planned but I am feeling jittery.