Collage, paper, acrylic paint on 12x12” canvas. Step one. From the poem by the same name.
‘A dulcet sparrow calls my name,
there’s fury in the sound,
a year from now you’ll find the mottled feathers
on the ground.’
‘a dulcet sparrow calls my name’ #835 v:2 Feb 7 2023
The finished collage, after a bit of painting things in and out again.
Recycled paint skins, collage, acrylic paint, texture medium, on canvas. I’m still working on the background. I’ve had these for a while now. I keep the skins when I clean out my paint containers when they dry out. I hate wasting anything, and I like the way this looks.
A closer look.
The white paint skin cross shape at the center of the collage. I love the 3D shape, and the contrast with the red circle. I used Polyfilla for the background circle shape. Next time I go to the art supply store I’ll get some texture medium. I did have some with flakes in it, which I used on the circle in the bottom left hand side of the collage.
I added some more detail to the background. I’m going to do a layer of spray varnish maybe, then I think it’s finished. I could do small individual ones too. Add it to the list.
Ouija board ‘qwerty’ layout. Just for fun.
Ouija board assemblage for ‘the fat lady sings’ book.
The photograph.
The set-up. I do a good copy of the photograph on glossy photo paper, and then I do another one on thin regular printer paper to use for transferring the image onto the board. I traced the bitmap in CorelDraw to simplify the drawing. I like watercolour paint. It’s so clear and bright.
The painting, so far. I like it. It’s only about 7” square. Most of the rest of the background is going to be dark green and dark grey.
I started the black background. I think the flower needs more definition.
The flower, and the paint.
The inspiration photograph and the watercolour. I added some white to the lower petals to see if I liked it. It adds more detail to the texture of the petals, so I think I’ll add a bit more. The middle of the flower still needs work.
I added some acrylic paint on top of the watercolour to add a few details. I like the leaves and the dark background.
I did some acrylic highlights on top of the watercolour. Not sure it’s finished yet. It might need some more white. I like the leaves the way they are though.
Glass sphere, cube, photograph. For the next book, ‘the unspoken word’.
‘go/no go’ assemblage. Wood scraps, wooden letters, beads, dice, scrabble letter, acrylic paint.
Glass cube, for the poem, ‘go/no go’.
Mirror image hologram glasses.
‘glass cube, carved hand, heart ornament’, photographed in my light box.
Carved hand, heart ornament, photograph.
‘coral, stone, carved stone heart’, photograph.
‘Jo’ - old photograph.
I drop the forgotten umbrella and
twirl,
you, the unbearable terrible man,
and me,
the invisible girl.
‘nosferatu - the vampire with the morel hat’, collage, acrylic paint on canvas. This is just the first step in the collage. I saw the image of the morel mushroom and thought it would make a great hat. The ‘heart’, is actually a large image of an inner ear. It looks like an ancient nautilus to me.
I added a moon, and painted some flames for a wing, but I don’t like it, so I’m going to paint over it, or something. I like the rest so far.
I did some more work on the collage. I still have a lot to do to finish it. Looking for the imagery is fun.
I’m doing a layer of red on top of the black background. Not finished yet. I added a collaged bee to the left-hand side to balance the moon.
I added some curlicues to the fire/vapor/words coming out of the vampire’s mouth, and I painted a layer of colour on top of the moon. I also repainted the flames/wing, and added some black outlines to the heart/ribs. Maybe it’s finished, maybe it isn’t.
‘I tuck in the extra fabric,
sewing buttonholes,
polka-dots and stripes
mixed up in the dark,
scissors trimming the tatter’
‘skin’ #811 v:39 May 16 2022
‘mannequin’, photo for painting. I took this one night when I was in Paris (Ont) walking around doing another photo project. I like the black and white polka dots and the red jacket together.
The image and the canvas. I couldn’t help myself, I had to paint the lips.
A close-up of the lips. Just the dark crimson, and the red, so far. I just like the colours, black and white and red. I have two photographs, the other mannequin is wearing a striped jacket.
The second mannequin. Paris, Ont.
A unicorn mask in a store window in Woodstock. This will be a painting at some point too.
The first layer of paint. I did it faster than I usually do. I mixed the colours, then painted over top of the projected image, mostly to figure out where the shadows and highlights were.
I did a bit more work on the face and neck. I did more this morning, before I’d even had any coffee. Photo to follow.
I did some more work on the face and the top. I like the shadows.
Working on the jacket now. I don’t imagine it’s going to take me long to finish it now.
Changed the lip shadow, and did another layer of cranberry on the jacket. Is it finished? I think so. I have started the next painting, so probably. I usually look at it for a few days and if nothing bothers me, then I say it’s finished.
The drawing on the next canvas.
The photo for the next painting.
I started the next mannequin painting last night. So far, so good.
I finished the first layer of paint. The face is mostly done, but the nose still needs work. I like it so far.
My studio with the two ‘mannequin’ paintings.
I’m still working on the bottom right-hand side of the jacket, but it’s looking better now. I still need another layer of black on the background too.
The next ‘mannequin’ painting, from a photograph I took at a cool store in Port Hope.
3/4 view of the mannequin. I love the open mouth.
Trying to finish the ‘mannequin’ striped jacket painting. I’m working on the shadow on the right hand side now. I still need to do another layer of black on the background.
I did some more work on the right sleeve, and added another layer of black to the background. It could be finished. I’ll sit and look at for a while and see if there’s anything that bothers me.
I think I’ve finished painting the right hand sleeve, and the face. I’m going to look at it for a few more days, but it’s 99% there.
I decided to do some more work on the face and neck areas. I like it better now.
‘nosferatu - venus purple haze’. Collage, acrylic paint on canvas, unfinished. I painted the arm and the body, but I haven’t started the face yet. This is 20x16”. I got a 5-pack of canvases at Michael’s to do some small collages on. I’m working on my self-portrait too, and since it’s already entered into a juried show at the beginning of November, I have to finish it first.
I added the pink ‘halo’ behind her head.
‘Jo - the girl with the pearl and abalone necklace’, painting, acrylic on canvas, 30x30”. Unfinished. I took the photo in front of the mirror in the hallway. It’s kind of a reference to Vermeer’s painting, ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earrings’. I’ve only just started, but I like it so far.
The original photograph. I use a projector to draw the image onto the canvas, then start painting. This time I did the painting while the projector was shining the image onto the canvas. I wanted to get some of the light and dark areas established first.
Close-up of the left side.
Close-up of the right hand side. I got two pearl and abalone necklaces from Michael’s. One of them has darker colours than the other one, but I liked both of them, and there was a 2 for 1 sale, so I got them both. I have an ammonite necklace that I like too. It’s 55 million years old. That just hurts my brain.
Up until 3:30 a.m. working on the painting. So far, so good.
The painting on the easel with the reversed image of Vermeer’s painting. It’s more of an inspiration, than an image to copy.
The photograph I took, and the painting. I finished the first layer on the towels, now I can start the next layer.
The first layer of the painting done. I can start the next layer and add more subtle colours. This layer just has the main light and dark areas. I like the neck on the left hand side though. I like colours that shift from one hue to another.
I thought the shadow on the face looked like a butterfly, so I added some scrolls. I like it a lot more now. I added some subtle scrolls to the right hand side too. I’m still working on this painting. I have a lot more to do still. I really enjoy painting, it’s meditative, and I’m so focused I don’t feel anything like hunger, or fatigue or pain. Sometimes when I stop, I realize my right foot is almost asleep, because I forgot to move it.
A close-up of the butterfly pattern.
I added another layer to most of the faces. Each layer looks smoother and richer than the one before. It’s all about eliminating the brushstrokes and unevenness. I say every painting is my favourite, but this one is turning out as well as I hoped it would. Add it to the top ten list.
It’s almost finished. One or two more layers on the black shirt, and some more shadows on the left towel, and I think it’s done. One can never tell for sure.
Finished and varnished. I’m entering it into a show on Sunday. We’ll see if it gets accepted or not.
Not. Well, better luck next time.
‘anti-social media’, where you only post positive messages. No trolls, only zombies.
I added this to my ‘New Products’ page here on my website. 16x20” from Printful. $25.00 + shipping.
I shot some more images of the ruby slippers.
Ruby slippers, Paris, Ont.
‘We’re wearing shoes we can’t afford, desire needs a spark, but baby, this is Paris and we’re fearless in the dark’. from the poem ‘Paris’, verse:1
‘nosferatu’ ‘circus juggler/acrobat’ acrylic/collage on canvas 24x24” $600.00
‘nosferatu - two jugglers and an acrobat’ acrylic/collage on canvas 36x36” $900.00
‘nosferatu - the vampire’s circus’ book available on amazon. Paintings/collages, and poem.
069 ‘the satanic parsnip’ acrylic paint/collage on canvas, 8x10” $100.00
068 nosferatu dancing skeleton, acrylic paint/collage on canvas, 8x10” $100.00
011-2 ‘circus horse, striped tent’ acrylic/collage 10x8” $100.00
011 ‘winged horse star’ acrylic/collage on canvas 12x9” $130.00
022 ‘acrobat doll’ acrylic/collage on canvas 9x12” $130.00
026 ‘rainbow juggler’ acrylic/collage on canvas 9x12” $130.00
055 ‘ruffled dress skull clown’ acrylic/collage on canvas 10x10” $125.00
054 ‘winged blue icon wolverine’ acrylic/collage on canvas 10x10” $125.00
041 ‘nosferatu’ vampire clown skull acrylic/collage on board 8x8” $75.00
042 ‘the body is a puppet’ acrylic/collage on board 8x8” $75.00
018 ‘doll acrobat yellow orange hair’ acrylic/collage on board 8x8 $75.00
036 ‘nosferatu’ ‘winged man’ acrylic/collage on canvas 6x6” $45.00
087 ‘nosferatu clown skull’ acrylic/collage on canvas 6x6” $45.00
030 ‘hands up’ acrylic/collage on canvas 6x6” $45.00
045 ‘burning angel’ acrylic/collage on canvas 6x6” $45.00
076 ‘blue skull clown’ acrylic/collage on canvas 7x5” $45.00
075 ‘blue clown 2’ acrylic/collage on canvas 7x5” $45.00
016 ‘leopard skin doll’ acrylic/collage on canvas 5x7” $45.00
112 ‘winged magician’ acrylic/collage on canvas 14x11” $140.00
071 ‘floral clown’ acrylic/collage on board 9 3/4 x 8” $100.00
049 ‘clown hat 1’ acrylic/collage on canvas 6x6” $45.00
050 ‘clown hat 2’ acrylic/collage on canvas 6x6” $45.00
‘dragonfly winged doll’ framed print 10x12” $30.00 I have several different paintings done as framed prints, with the verse.
The poster for the show Amy and I did this June.
‘mighty aphrodite’, hand-painted collage on canvas. I thought it was finished, but now I’ve decided to keep working on it.
I worked on it some more. Maybe it’s finished now.
Me, with the listing for our house in the real estate office window in Paris.
My studio, cleaned up and organized. There must be 30 boxes in the garage with my stuff though.
‘burning angel’ in progress. I’m going to add a left arm. Painted printed paper on canvas.
I photographed my left arm and hand, then printed it and collaged it onto the canvas, then painted it. It looks more balanced now, but it’s still missing something.
I worked on it a bit more, so now I think it’s finished. I’ll look at it for a while longer, and see if anything occurs.
Collage on canvas, 12x16” ‘nosferatu - the bride of frankenstein’. I’ve only just started it. It goes with the text from the poem ‘flowers fade’. ‘Across my throat and down my chest, they’re stitching up the seam, a bride to your monstrosity, I sleep, therefore I dream’. #822 v:11
I painted the figure, now I have to think about the background. I started another layer of a light buff colour, but I’m going to think about that for a while. I might want to go black instead. I just read a book by Michael deMeng, called ‘Secrets of Rusty Things’, which I loved. I love his work.
What’s not to like? Rust, paint, objects, myths and stories. Everything I love.
Working on the background now. I worked until 3 a.m., then went to bed. I like to finish things, so it’s hard to stop, but I can’t stay up ALL night.
More black on the background. Still not finished. I added a glass heart to the chest. I think I need more black swirls and less white and brown. It’s getting there. She’s pretty masculine, but then, she’s made from leftover parts. I like ‘s/he’ instead of ‘they’. You can’t tell there’s a forward slash in the word ‘she’ unless you read it though. It’s like a contraction of ‘she’ and ‘he’. It’ll never catch on.
‘the bride of frankenstein’, finished. I added blood dripping from the heart. I’m still working on the poem. I want to do a version of me as Vermeer’s ‘the girl with the pearl earrings’ painting next. I also need a painting for a spot on a wall in the basement, maybe 12 x 24”. Something without bones and skulls, since I’m trying to sell the house.
The pencil drawing.
My friend Bev and I did a plein-air watercolour painting day on Saturday with the Paris Sketchers Club. I’ve never done this before. I had a good time. We sat in the shade, and painted. I would definitely do it again.
A photo of the scene we painted.
Bev’s painting. It looks really good.
The group’s paintings and drawings. Such a good day out.
I did the minimum amount of packing that I could. I used an old luggage rack with wheels, a folding chair from the bathroom, and a skull bag I got at Halloween.
The back of the set-up.
From Pinterest. So cute.
I took my watercolours with me when I went to Powell River, B.C. I painted some oyster shells that were attached to rocks for fun.
Me at the beach, Powell River, B.C.
The two finished works. I only have another 120 small collages to turn into big paintings.
The small painted collage, and the drawing on the canvas of the larger painting. This might work, it might not. It might lose something not being a painted collage. We’ll see.
A closer look. It’s hard to photograph the pencil drawing on the canvas. My studio doesn’t have enough light at night. I’ll take a better photo in the daylight. I painted a layer of matte medium on top of it to seal it, so I wouldn’t get carbon on my hands when I’m painting it. This also makes it nicer to paint on. The matte medium makes a smooth slightly absorbent surface, which I like.
I stayed up way too late painting the red circle and the moon, and the heart. I started the black and white arm, I think it’s going to be o.k.
A close-up of the left hand, and the moon.
I’m trying to get the base coat of paint on the Venus. I like how the arms look. I was worried they wouldn’t look as good in paint as they do in the collage, but I think they’re o.k.
I finished the first layer of paint on the venus. I’m going to start the background next. It’s working so far. I might add text to this, since it’s so big.
I painted the dark grey scrolls on the background. I can do the black background colour next, then I can go back and do the next layer on the venus. She looks good, I have to say.
I started painting the black background, and adding highlights to the scroll shapes. One more day to finish it? Two? Then I can go back and add the second layer to the red circle background, and the Venus.
I couldn’t watch TV last night, so I painted instead. I worked on the red circle, and the lower part of the body.
I finished the black background. It needs another layer, but I like it.
It’s finished. I have to let it dry, and varnish it. I’ll do another photo with the small original collage. I like the way it looks. I’m starting a small painted collage of her face next.
‘venus headspace’, painted collage. 91/2 x 12”, unfinished. I started this painted collage because I have a few more small canvas I bought to use for the ‘nosferatu’ series. This counts as part of the series, even though the poem is written, and the book is published. I like the imagery, and the process of painting over a printed image. I’m probably going to do a few more. The bottom of the sculpture is loosely painted, but I like it. I’ll probably do another layer though. It’s called ‘venus headspace’ because it’s of the sculpture of ‘venus’, but just her head. I just added space to head to get headspace. Well, I have to call it something.
airdgallery.org online collage show. My collage ‘blue dog balloon’ is included in the show.
‘blue dog balloon’ from the ‘nosferatu’ series online through www.airdgallery.org
‘blue dog balloon’, collage, acrylic paint on canvas. 8x10” Online art exhibit, October 2022, John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto. $225.00
The book ‘nosferatu - the vampire’s circus’.
Available on Amazon. ‘nosferatu - the vampire’s circus’. Also, ‘dancing down entropy street’, and ‘echoes in the void’.
Me at the art show this past weekend. I had a really good time.
Amy’s paintings of Paris. So beautiful.
The poster for the show. It looks good.
Facebook ad for the show. My little wooden dice collages, and Amy’s Paris painting.
The table set-up at the art show. Lots of little collages on canvas, and some altered corned beef tin lids.
…and more collages.
‘nosferatu - the vampire’s circus’ painting/collage at the show.
‘nosferatu - the vampire’s circus’, ‘two jugglers and an acrobat’ painting/collage at the art show.
I had some posters made for the show. They’re $30.00 each, the black background looks like velvet, it’s so black. I love it.
I uploaded the book to go with the collages. Available for purchase now on Amazon.
My copy of the book, with the original collage. I like it. I couldn’t get copies in time for the sale on Saturday and Sunday, but I thought I could at least show people what it looks like, and they can go online and order one for themselves. I got it a day earlier than I was supposed to, which was great.
‘nosferatu - two jugglers and an acrobat’, 36x36” paint, collage on canvas. It’s almost finished.
I made a banner for the show. I like it. I just have to figure out how to hang it. I’ve also entered two collages into a show in Toronto. Maybe they’ll like them. This makes me want to do larger paintings from the small collages. I have two 36x36” canvas I could do.
‘the magician’s wife’, paint, collage on canvas. From a vintage photograph of my mother’s mother. I keep altering it a little. I think it’s finished now.
‘swan’ collage. Collage, acrylic paint on canvas, rhinestones. For ‘the vampire’s circus’.
Collage of my dad, Ron Small, with a dog. I added the image of the dog on the left side. Collage on canvas, paint, rhinestones.
The collage of my mother, Trudy Small, from a vintage photograph.
I’m doing another collage of my mother. The original photograph was taken through a window, and there is a reflection of what looks like an advertisement with a woman’s face in the glass. I painted that, and the man standing in the background. I altered it a bit, and it looks weird, but I like it.
The finished collage, with the painted reflection, and the man standing in the background.
I’m doing one of my mother, Trudy Small now. It’s not quite finished. I like the hat. For years I’ve looked at this photo and thought the white collar was a collar on her dress. Looking more closely at it now though, I think it was her apron. She was working in a restaurant when this photo was taken.
The two paintings hanging in the front foyer.
‘nosferatu’ icon. paper collage, paint, jewels. ‘wolverine icon’.
‘nosferatu’ burning tiger and butterfly. Collage, paint, jewels on canvas.
I’m not doing these in order. This is my latest collage. I like the dog, and the horse. The tents look like mushrooms.
‘nosferatu’ angel with butterfly wings. Collage on canvas.
‘nosferatu’ fairy skeleton on a jeweled horse. Collage on canvas, jewels.
‘nosferatu’ jeweled horse and collage.
I got a little carried away, as usual. Circus juggler with mushrooms. I painted two circus tents in a previous collage, and they looked like mushrooms.
I have a ‘mirror’ setting on my camera. I took this with it. It’s interesting. I did a great portrait of myself with it too.
A mirrored image of one of the collages. I could do a larger painting of the collages. I’ve only done 82 of them, so that wouldn’t take long, would it?
‘nosferatu’ - the clock. Unfinished. I need a bit of wood to fill in the gap behind the clock mechanism, so the hands are at the right level. I looked, but I don’t have anything in my studio that will work, so I’ll have to slide into the garage and see if there’s anything the right height out there. Collage, paint, jewels on wood. I got this and another clock body at the thrift shop. The other one is a heart-shape, so it might be a bit harder to do. I haven’t started it yet.
‘nosferatu - Jo, mirrored clown image’. Collage on canvas. I’ve only just started this one. I don’t think it will need too much. This might make the cover of the book, instead of the icon image.
‘nosferatu - skeleton pegasus’. The painted image and the painted canvas.
‘nosferatu - skeleton pegasus’. The image cut out, and taped to the canvas for the photo. I like the shadows. It could be interesting to do something with that.
The baby clown shoes I made a while ago. They fit with this poem, so I’m going to use them in the book. They go with the painted photograph of me when I was 1.
Hand-painted photograph of me when I was 1.
‘nosferatu’ - Jo, mirror-image clowns. Collage on canvas, paint, rhinestones, heart jewel. I like this one a lot, it might make the cover of the book.
‘nosferatu - winged horse skeleton’, collage on canvas. I like this one too, but then, I like them all.
The back of the clock. I haven’t finished the front yet.
The background for the next painting. I got the already-painted canvas from the thrift shop. I’ve left the coloured stripes and some of the blue in the sky. I’m going to do a juggler, and maybe some animals in it ? I don’t know yet. It’s the moon, shining in through the top of a circus tent, for ‘the vampire’s circus’.
The juggler, for the painting. I don’t think I’m going to use the zebra as it is. I might redo it, as a collage element, or paint it directly onto the canvas, I haven’t decided which one yet. I added shoes to the juggler, I really like them. They’ll all have them after this. I’d really like a clown costume, so I could photograph it. I might have to find or make one. The pants, at least. I do have clown shoes, but they’re baby shoes.
The baby clown shoes, for the poem. I’ve got half a book out of this one poem, so far.
A closer look at the deconstructed juggler. The circles are from my friend Cher, who does resin projects. I don’t know how they’re made exactly. I’ll have to ask her.
‘nosferatu’, juggler. Circus tent. It needs something on the left hand side now.
I printed the image of the horse, then painted it, then I cut it out and glued it to the canvas. It’s easier to paint before it’s glued down.
I added a two-headed horse, and a ball to the collage. It’s still not finished. I need something on the left hand side still.
I added a fairy ballerina/juggler to the two-headed horse. It still needs more work.
I signed it, so it must be finished. I’ll have to just look at it for a while. It has to be varnished still. I have to either start a 36 x36” painting now, or go to the store to buy more small canvases. I haven’t decided which yet. Sometimes it depends on the weather. It’s grey and wet out today, so I don’t feel like going out. I’d also like to wait for a week or so and see what happens with the no mask thing.
So I added a bit more detail, and some more rhinestones. It’s varnished, so it must be finished.
Assemblage, corned beef lid, paint, beads, eye.
XYZ assemblage. Corned beef tin, paint, beads, domino, text from a fortune cookie. These will be for sale. They may or may not be included in the book.
A photograph of a bowl of water in the rain, for a verse from the poem ‘the vampire’s circus’.
‘nosferatu’ circus horse, dragonfly wings.
‘nosferatu’ winged torso clown, butterfly.
‘nosferatu’, doll collage on canvas. Paper, acrylic paint, metallic paint, rhinestones.
‘nosferatu’ - burning angel. Paper, acrylic paint on canvas, small playing cards, rhinestones. This is turning out to be the longest poem I’ve ever written. I’m up to page 102 so far. I’d like to do 125 pages at least.
‘four of hearts’, collage on canvas, small playing cards, rhinestones, acrylic paint, glitter.
‘the card-player’. Vintage photograph, small playing cards, paint, rhinestones on canvas. 9x12”. My dad used to play solitaire at the dining room table. That memory inspired this collage.
Jo - Clown with ball. Collage on canvas.
Blood’s a sweet elixir on
the slither of the tongue,
‘there must have been a bee’, you said,
the canky ankle, stung.
nosferatu - leopardskin girl. Collage on canvas.
nosferatu - mom with butterfly wings, collage on canvas.
‘nosferatu - magician, cards’. Collage, paint, on pink glitter canvas. I have a blue glitter canvas I’m working on as well.
‘blue glitter canvas magician’. collage on canvas.
‘doll’, not finished. Kind of has a Marilyn Monroe hairstyle. 9x12”.
Finished collage.
The next collage. Not finished. I like the wet-on-wet paint muscles.
First I paint the printed image, (bottom), and paint the background on the canvas. I cut out the image and glue it to the canvas after it’s painted, (top).
‘Dreams will be forgotten in the unrelenting heat, you stood beside the mad magician, roses at your feet’.
Unfinished, ‘burning tiger’ collage on canvas. I like it so far.
The finished collage.
‘blue dog balloon’, paint on paper for collage. Not finished. I do love the balloon dog.
The painted image glued to the black canvas. Not finished.
The finished collage. O.k., so every time I finish one, I think ‘this is my favourite one’, but really, I like this one a lot.
‘rhinoceros’ collage, unfinished. I painted the rhino orange and yellow to go with the butterfly wings. It’s from a photo of a plastic rhinoceros toy I made into a fairy rhino for my fairy garden.
The toy rhino, with glass fairy wings.
‘nosferatu - rhinoceros’ collage on canvas. I might do a little bit more on this one, but I like it.
…then again.
‘nosferatu’ clown, unfinished. I printed 3 different images for this collage. I’m adding a left arm to it. It has an egyptian vibe.
and the finished collage. I like the rainbow.
‘Magician’, fire hands. Collage on canvas, small playing cards, paint, heart jewel.
The eighth circle of hell, with the collages.
‘high-five dice’, collage, paint, on scrap wood.
‘high-five venus’, unfinished. I’m going to add the moon collage piece to it.
I added the moon as a separate piece. It’s finished now.
‘high-five venus’, take two. Paint on paper. I’ll cut it out and collage it onto a painted canvas next. The moon is integrated into the image, so there’s only one layer of paper.
‘high-five venus #2’. Collage on canvas, paint, rhinestones, recycled heart earring. I like this one.
‘blue baby butterfly’ collage on canvas, paint. I took the photograph of the baby through a window at a medical office. There are images I’d like to have that are hard to make. I have a couple of good shark photographs that I took when we were in the aquariums in Toronto, and New Zealand. I love it, but that’s as close as I’d like to get.
‘the house of nosferatu’. Paint, collage on canvas.
‘The house of nosferatu rises slowly
from the sea,
‘we’re home’, you said, but I believe
the road remembers me.
The beginning of the next collage. It looks like Princess Leia’s grandmother. It’s actually my grandmother, on my mother’s side. The paper image is painted, now I have to glue it to the canvas.
The finished collage. I like the colours. I did a bit more work on it. She looks better now.
‘swan’, print on paper with the verse from the poem, on my writing clipboard. This might be a good way to show them.
‘the lighthouse keeper’, collage, paint, on canvas. Sold.
Tiger, for collages.
‘tiger’ #3, in progress, and some really big playing cards, with some regular sized playing cards.
‘doll’, ‘two hearts as one’, paint, rhinestones on canvas.
‘venus’ orange hair, collage on canvas.
‘winged magician’, paint, small playing cards, jewels, collage on canvas. 12x14”
I got a couple of small easels to put these collages on. I’d like a lot more of them. I’ve also got two sheets of thin styrofoam to use as display walls so I can hang the collages on them. They have to be covered in paper or painted (or something) next. They’re very light, so they should hang from the tent structure without being too heavy, (finger’s crossed).
‘mirror image circus horse’, paint, collage, rhinestones on canvas.
‘tiger tiger’, paint, collage on canvas. I’m starting a 36x36” canvas from one of the collages next. I haven’t picked out which one yet. It has to be a square format, so that will limit me a bit, but not much. I have a lot of square collages I really like in this series. I’m not sure I’m going to get it finished in time for the show on the 18th, but I’ll try. I have to finish the book and get it printed next. That usually takes a long time to do, but I’m hoping this one won’t take forever, since it’s just one poem.
I did some small collages on some wooden blocks I got from the trash can. Imagine throwing something out?!? Never in my world.
The backs of the wooden blocks. They sit on a surface, so they won’t need hangers on the back.
Small wooden collage, star, domino, die, rhinestones, paint on plywood.
Small wooden collage #2, domino, die, bead, paint skin, paint, crackle glaze, rhinestones on plywood.
I ended up painting the doll. I like it better this way. I’ve started a 36x36” painting of one of these images. I have two large canvases, so I’m going to try to do one for the show on the 18/19th. I’m not sure I’ll have time to finish it, but I’ll try.
‘nosferatu - two jugglers and an acrobat’, paint, collage on canvas. I have to print the images on separate pieces of paper and then paint them, and cut them out. I can only print 8 1/2 x 11”. I’m adding another figure to this. I was just going to do a painting from one of the collages, no paper involved, but instead, this happened.
The acrobat, taken from an image on the internet, altered. The arms are from a medical textbook.
Three images on the canvas. I’ll paint the pink background black, probably, yet to be determined.
I finished the acrobat, and the two moons and the balloon dog. Now I can start the background.
Layer one on the background painted. I like the colours.
I finally finished the background, now I can glue the figures down.
I had some new business cards printed for the show. My two favourite clown paintings.
Tiger and tiger collage. Two different tigers, of course.
The tiger in the collage. I added glass fire wings for the skeleton fairy garden. He needs to be fixed now.
Some of the collages on the display board. Getting ready for the sale at Amy’s on Saturday and Sunday the 18th and 19th.
I’ve glued down the jugglers and the acrobat onto the canvas. It needs a few more details added, but it’s pretty much finished now. I do like it, but then, I like them all.
The ‘circus’ painting on the new easel. It only took me 2 days to put it together.
…and that’s a wrap folks. Packed up and ready to go. Three small corned beef tin assemblages. Paint, dominoes, beads, found objects, jewels, wire.
‘venus headspace’, acrylic paint, collage on canvas. I have a few more small canvases to use, so I’m doing some more collages. I really like doing them. Small letter earrings from the thrift shop spell ‘vnus’. There were no letter e’s.
‘venus’ ouzo bottle from the thrift shop. I’ll definitely do something with this.
‘tinman’, photograph for the next painting. Plastic doll, plastic funnel, mirror spray paint, heart-shaped earring with glass rubies, and ruby rhinestones.
‘tinman’, painting, altered doll, photograph.
‘tinman’, the whole image. Not finished yet.
The torso is done, except for the heart. It’s been smooth sailing so far.
The whole image has the second layer of paint now. I can do the background next, and tweak anything I don’t like. Then I can add the text.
The ‘tinman’, almost finished. I added the earth, (for ‘there’s no place like home’), and a rainbow (for ‘somewhere over the rainbow’), and I’m going to add a spiral yellow brick road to the bottom right side. I did one, but I didn’t like it, so I painted it out. I still have to add the text.
The left side of the painting, with the earth.
The right side with the rainbow.
A tiny drop of ruby blood
congealed around your heart,
remember this, when love forsakes you,
‘beauty dies for art’.
the butterfly’s calamity #803 v:14
The finished painting with the text. I attach a hanging label to the back of the paintings with the text and the poem number and verse. I also sign the side of the painting, and the back. I still have to varnish this, but I like to be sure I have a really good photograph of it before I do that. The varnish makes it harder to take a picture of, because of the reflections.
Drywall patching compound on a plastic pear I got from the thrift shop. It’s about 6 inches tall.
Phat Pear painted, photographed on a black satin background. This could end up being a painting.
‘blue light’ self-portrait. I took the photograph at night, outside under the blue strip lights on the grillzebo. I really like the hair, so far. This is day one.
The photograph I’m working from. It took a few nights to get a photograph I liked enough to use. I love the colour.
Layer one done.
I’ve added some details to the jacket. I still need to do more work on the hair on the left hand side, and the face, but it’s coming along.
The original photo with the blue strip LED lights overhead.
Mostly finished. I’ve added the word ‘blue’ to the upper right-hand side with a small stencil. Photo to follow.
I added the word ‘blue’ to the painting. I cut the stencil for the lettering with my Cricut Maker. I used a black stencil material and it worked better than the other clear vinyl I’ve used before. It stuck to the canvas a lot better.
‘Jester’ T-shirt design without the date.
‘Paris Coffee Roasters’ t-shirt.
‘the dancing skeleton’ t-shirt.
Me, with the ‘hyacinth’ painting, and the t-shirt.
Brenda with the painting ‘entwined’, and the t-shirt.
‘a wolf among the darling lambs’ t-shirt.
‘Alternative Artefacts’ t-shirt, Jo.
‘blue glass skull’ t-shirt.
‘alternative artefacts’ t-shirt. (It’s the alternative spelling of the word ‘artifacts’).
The photograph for the next painting, ‘two blue pears’.
Layer one of several layers to come. This just gets the colour onto the canvas in approximately the right areas. I like it so far.
Almost finished the painting. The background still needs another layer of paint.
The finished painting. Signed and varnished.