The "studio table" norm

Achieving normal on a work table takes time and effort. The put-away neat stuff is easy. Just put things back where they belong. But a table surface built in the heat of creating is a one-of-a-kind, hard fought, creative mess! (Be sure to check out the inspiration for all of this - The Altered Page blog)

Many hours of work (really? work?) passed between this and this...

which grew into this...

 and grew some more to become this.

I figure when I have to search for every tool, it's a very productive day. Yesterday was very, very productive.

I now have, ready to use, my pigeon  - made entirely of  gelli printed papers, then embellished with paint and ink.

 

 Look at the texture these collaged papers add. I am just loving this!

And for the road trip on Thursday? I have 3 pieces of guerrilla art. Oh yeah. This is a wonderful way to make a mess.

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8

Show me your studio table

The challenge was thrown out by Seth Apter  nearly 2 weeks ago - show the world your studio table.

So, I added my name to the list and on Thursday, I'll show my work space. Before that could happen however, I had to find the surface of that table. I picked up, put away, taped lovely clean white paper (my paint catcher/stamp checker/color tester) in order to show that there actually was a table in the room!

all nice and tidy

The first project to hit the sparkling clean table top was a shadow box that is to be filled with military memorabilia - medals, ribbons, etc. It isn't a messy job. In fact, it's a very precise art in itself. I'm learning a lot of trivia regarding military honors... my respect for the men in my life who have made it from the swearing-in to honorable-discharge has grown immensely.

This is what the surface looked like a couple of days later. Turns out I spent more time researching than actually creating. Still pretty tidy... aren't you impressed?

Stay tuned. The show-and-tell comes Thursday.

Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth. Psalm 115:15

Gelatin prints made useful

There are a million things I should be doing, but those million things are always pressing. so rather than neglect this blog of mine any more... here I go.

A few months ago, under the influence of gelatin printing joy, I made a vow to myself that I would not do any new gel printing until I had used the huge stack of already printed papers sitting at the end of my worktable. I have kept my vow. What a journey it has been.

I scanned the best pages. I cropped and saved. Papers were then rotated, cropped and saved again. By the time I finished cropping, saving, rotating again and again, I was not only dizzy, but my files were full of amazing backgrounds just waiting for something interesting to happen.

For instance, from this (obviously printed on a scrap of paper) ...

 the lower right hand corner was cropped and became the background for this ...

which was printed and attached to note cards that I love. (A bit of bubble wrap stamping and some black, blue and white paint at the base of the lighthouse were also added.) And this is just one of the crops!!!

I just love when things that are fun also end up being useful. There has been so much progress made on the stack of printed papers that I am almost ready to start printing again! Life is good.

Jesus said - I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 1:8