Thoughts from Alison that might at least entertain you!

Pockets of Beauty in Chaos

Some flowers currently housed in the kitchen at Prune Ridge for you...  And some insight as to why I haven't been collaging in a while.  I can't get to the table!  Granted, the drying rack is temporary and appears when I do laundry, but still.  As of this afternoon the table is a bit more accessible, the clothing seen piled on it in this picture has been moved (for mending), and a few collage ideas are swirling.  I need some fairies or elves or something to do these sort of things when I'm not looking.  Just imagine how much more productive I would be if I weren't my own obstacle!

Bits and Pieces of Art, etc.

I can't remember the last time, practically, that I actually worked on a collage.  I rearranged my collage space a few weeks ago, sorting and cleaning a bit as I went, but I still haven't ploughed into anything new.  I'm not sure exactly what the holdup is.

Things I'm "working on" on some level (but not any actual activity for ages) include a gift for friends of my mom's, a piece worked around some friends' wedding invitation (the wedding was in January '07), and my Sun piece that was damaged and needs to be re-framed.  Also in my thoughts is a piece based on a line of hymn text I love.

A bit of my mind is waiting to re-focus on collage work when we settle into a new home.  A bit of my mind also knows that I might just be avoiding the commitment to it by saying that!

It occurs to me that I probably need to have a more consistent, or at least "more planned" outlet for the pieces I create in order to keep making more.  They're only so wonderful if I keep finishing and then storing them.

Now She Thinks She's A Lyricist

So I find myself writing a new verse to an ages-old folk tune.  It's for a collage piece I'm just conceiving - a commissioned piece!

I'll share the new verse here eventually if I decide it's a "go."  What's funny to me about this is that I'm writing a verse for "This Land Is Your Land" - and what in the world makes me think I should screw around with that classic?!?  (Thank you, Woody Guthrie!)

After

Just an update here:

You can see the "Before" pictures from a few days ago.  I have actually made good headway this afternoon in cleaning up my collage space!  Most of the clutter is back in a home, my very original piece is hanging on the wall (for the first time since we moved into this house 2+ years ago), and a magnetic dry-erase board is up now too.

Now to make the time for new work!

Before

This is supposed to work as motivation for myself:

Here's the collage room before I force myself to get up there and clean it.  What in the world has happened in there?  On the one hand, you might be thinking "well, it looks like and artist's space..."  On the other hand, you should know that I don't keep my space like this!  It gets a little out of control while I'm working on a piece, but I haven't done anything new in a while.  So here I go - off to try and make a difference.  I'll report back when it's better!

Peace, Dear Friends!

The Original

I decided to share a photo of this collage.  I realized a few weeks ago that it's my original piece - even before I took the workshop that "got me started."  This came from a class I took while living in Boston called "Building Your Spiritual Home."

I haven't quite figured out how to take a picture of a framed piece without the glare from a straight-on shot.  Sorry for the angle!  I left John's name tag hanging on the edge on purpose - He being an important part of my spiritual home at this point!

First Show!

Good evening, Friends!

John and I spent the day in Toledo, starting off with hanging my small collage show at Georgette's Grounds & Gifts in Maumee.  There are a few pictures here, but consider stopping in to Georgette's this month to see my pieces if you're in the Toledo area!

I have 6 pieces on display, 4 of which are  for sale.  I'm interested simply to see what kind of feedback I get from a little public showing.  As most of you know, this is the first time I have shown several pieces together like this.  2 of the pieces on display are not for sale, but I'm hopeful that they might generate a little interest in what I do.

We rounded out the day by purchasing a bike lock for me, visiting the Old West End Festival (a quick visit since the weather became scary-looking), and yummy dinner and desert with my mom and Bernie.  A longer day than usual for our laid-back weekends, but all fun and good!

Peace to you all this first weekend of June, Dear Friends.  Be Well and Be In Touch!

Joy in the Garden

Greetings, All!  I hope this holiday Monday finds you rested and well.

This is a new collage piece I've just finished (in less than 4 days - a new record) as a donation for Food Gatherer's annual Grillin' event auction (in less that 2 weeks!).  Joy in the Garden is the first piece I've done that is almost entirely one media - paper.  There are just a few stones.  The pictures may or may not let you pick out the stones.

I'm pretty sure this piece has come out of my vision of greatness for my measly planting (container planting) efforts undertaken this past week.  Maybe in a few months my porch will look like this garden? 

Ok, maybe not...  but I can dream, right?

Take care, Friends - May your roots reach deep and your branches high.  And may your fruits not go unappreciated!

Meet Harold

Here he is, the latest addition to our home/yard/family.  This is Harold the Heron (yes, I named him myself).  How could I resist that weathered wooden face?  And that neck?  He bobbles in the wind perfectly - AND he's a fair trade item from Georgette's!  He will be joined at some point by a similar-but-shorter Sand Piper.  Have to figure out how to keep him from toppling over, but I think a few well-placed garden stakes at his feet will do the trick.  He won't live on the teeny porch (where he's pictured), but somewhere down in front of it I think.  I'll report a bit more after his friend arrives.

And this is the latest addition to my collage work.  I dropped this piece off at the Saline Picture Frame Co. today as a donation for their fund raiser "Circle of Art," which benefits Food Gatherers!  The frame shop takes donations of artwork (from more than 200 artists!), and then auctions the works with all proceeds benefiting Food Gatherers.  The auction is on May 20th, with bidding having already begun online.  My piece probably won't be on the site for a few days yet, but then you can peek and see it in their listings here.  There are pages and pages of artwork to click through, and I'll probably be at the end eventually!

Along the same line, my first donated piece (the Masterworks collage) will be auctioned at our concert next weekend, May 12!  I guess now I should start thinking about moving toward actually selling pieces, eh?

Take care, Friends.  Be Well and Be Enjoying Spring!

Welcome to you, you welcome weekend

Oh, weekend it is!  This felt like a very long week and I'm glad to see the weekend arrive.  I'm looking forward to a weekend of nothing on my calendar, although I've already identified several things I'd like to do this weekend, and I'm sure there are other things brewing in my mind that I haven't identified yet.

A few things I think will be a part of this weekend:

• I plan to collage a bit.  It feels like I haven't collaged in ages at the moment.  I have a specific piece I plan to start this weekend - but can't provide much detail on the outside chance that the folks I'm planning this piece for might happen across this posting!  I'm excited about it because I have a silly idea for this one that I haven't tried yet in a collage.  I'll report back after an attempt and let you know how it goes!  (How's that for vague and mysterious?)
• John and I will probably see a movie tomorrow, although we haven't sorted out what we might want to see yet.  The list keeps growing for me - this always happens just before the Oscars.  All of a sudden, I feel like I haven't seen a movie all year and I need to see them all - NOW!
• I will spend a little time bidding and trying to win an auction on Ebay.  There was a sad event recently at my mom & Bernie's house - it didn't involve either of them, or even the dogs (who are usually involved in destruction), but it led to the demise of a beloved teapot.  The teapot was a beautiful British antique Sadler piece, and it belonged to Bernie's mom.  It is no longer listed in the category of "things that hold water," but mom found an identical piece on Ebay.  My assignment is to bid aggressively (but not too aggressively) and get the replacement!
• Above all, I am looking forward to spending time with my husband.  John and I have both been bringing home lots of fatigue lately.  We are, if nothing else, good at relaxation and recovery together on the weekends.
• Oh - and did I mention I plan to welcome spring this weekend?  I'm working at "mind over matter" now.  If I wish it to be spring, maybe it will just happen, eh?

Regarding our quest for a movie this weekend, and current movie "buzz" in general - have you seen Little Miss Sunshine yet?  If not, I strongly urge you to rent it this weekend, or as soon as possible.  It is the first movie in ages that I (and John) have seen twice in the theater.  And we bought the DVD.  And it is just as perfect a film every single time.  It only gets funnier and more touching every time I see it.  Please see this movie!  www.foxsearchlight.com/littlemisssunshine2

Be well and be keeping warm, Friends.  Peace to you as spring approaches.  (I promise!)

One more collage

In honor of Masterworks' recording session earlier today for our 35th season CD, I just finished this one this evening!  I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet, but this is a collage using the images from our new Masterworks Chorale season brochure.  (With permission from our outstanding graphics/design guy, Steve Wipfli!)  There are also two pictures of the same piece in the collage album.  One is quite dark, but gives a different impression of the piece.  Next step - framing with mom! 

Peace and Good Things to you all, Friends!

New Photos

Just a short note - there are two new photos in the collage folder.  I've just started photographing my work in the last couple of months, so there are many pieces out there in the world that I don't have pictures of.  If you have one and would send me a picture, I'd love to add it here!  In the meantime, just a couple of new ones added today - my very original piece (see below) and a gift for John from a few months after we started dating.  Thanks for looking at my stuff. 

Take Care and Be Well, Friends!