ArtSnark's Artifacts

1/19/09

Monday's Muse - Happy Birthday, Mr. Poe!

Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night. - E.A. Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was born 200 years ago today in Boston.

Poe's Muse - Digital Collage

Many cities are having celebrations this month - there's a good calendar of events here. The Post office has issued another stamp. (I also found this one from 1949.) The NY times blog has a slide show of portraits, text & original writings here.

Sometimes referred to him as the father of the detective novel & one of the initial contributors to the science fiction genre, Poe's influence extends beyond the written word. His works have inspired artists, Filmmakers (Hitchcock), musicians (including Debussy & the Beatles)

(Can you find Poe on this famous album cover?)

Even scientist have been influenced by his works, including Eureka, A prose poem

I've enjoyed reading Poe as far back as I can recall & he shows up in my art from time to time. (see above collage of Poe & his wife Virginia)

(and the mini watercolor pendant Annabel Lee)

If you need a further dose of Poe today, a good site to visit is edgarallanpoe200.com - or just enter Poe into the search at Etsy to see the many creations there.

“It is by no means an irrational fancy that, in a future existence, we shall look upon what we think our present existence, as a dream.”

1/17/09

Andrew Wyeth, American Icon

“I put a lot of things into my work which are very personal to me. So how can the public feel these things? I think most people get to my work through the back door. They’re attracted by the realism and they sense the emotion and the abstraction — and eventually, I hope, they get their own powerful emotion.” - Andrew Wyeth

I read about the passing of Andrew Wyeth in the New York Times this morning. In addition to the well written obituary , there's an article about the continuing debate over the quality of his art, For Wyeth Both Praise and Doubt. Both pieces are worth the read; just follow the links if you have the time.

Earlier today I thought I'd write a bit about growing up in Maine where it seemed there were Wyeth prints in almost every home by 1970s. How his art, so popular when I was a kid, was considered bourgeois by teachers & students during my 1 year of art school in the late 80s.

I grew up viewing his work in prints & books, as well as original paintings at the Farnsworth & Portland museums and other places. My mom also took us on trips to Monhegan Island, where I learned more about the 3 generations of famous Wyeths. Monhegan is also the place where I first harbored the idea of Artist as Professional. I remember thinking how cool it would be to live away from the rest of the world & be left alone to simply create...

Hmm..I'm rambling....There was a lot I thought I wanted to say...but I can't quite put it together now that I'm here....

“I think the great weakness in most of my work is subject matter. There’s too much of it.”
-Andrew Wyeth

What I took away from Wyeth's paintings over the years was the light, the ambiance. Also, the idea that art didn't have to be pretty. That it could have a quite power. And it wasn't until reading of his death today that I even realized the extent of his influence on my pencil pushing...

1/13/09

Random Tuesday & Giveaway preview!

Looking for info on the Grand Opening Giveaway?

I won't force you to scroll through my rambling today. To celebrate the opening of my etsy Art Supply shop I'm doing a random drawing on Jan 19th. 1 person will get a package of supplies. Just leave a comment this week to be entered. I'm adding stuff to the package as I destash. Here are a few photos :

1 mounted rubber stamp

300 faux rose petals
(I'm sensing a valentine project theme here)

2 metal heart tins with clear lids

There will be a few more items as I keep stocking the shop. There's a heart shaped paper punch & some cool scrapbook papers around here somewhere... Keep peeking back this week to see what else turns up.

I so love Random Thoughts Tuesday.... I like to pretend it justifies my babbling.

1st of all what is it with males & Sponge Bob? If it's on TV my 5 yr old, his dad (& any other guy passing through the house) become zombie couch potatoes. Mostly I find it annoying. Tho I have to admit I was totally rooting for Plankton while doped on cold meds the other day!

Am I the only 1 who is digging the steampunk feel to this season of Backyardigans?

Think I've been watching too many cartoons? Me too

Why is it a battle to get my son in the tub, unless it's my bath? Then the little pest runs ahead of me & jumps in! Tonight I'm going to use this weakness against him...muhahaha

Oh, And I'm madly in love with google books....It is a fabulous source for obscure stuff like forgotten 18th century poets and other wonders.

And lastly, a shout out to the Fun & Fabulous artist Suzan Buckner. Creator of stunning collages, paintings & other wonders, she's been getting published left & right lately.You can also enjoy her latest thoughts & art here! Check it out - fun colorful pieces, a good read & even free downloads - woo hoo!

1/12/09

Monday's Muse - Words & Worlds

Keep thinking today about maps, globes & poetry.

I've always been fascinated by all things travel related. Globes, maps, steamer trunks, stamps, passports, the list goes on & on....When I was a kid I'd waste hours imagining what was happening right then on the other side of the world. Now you can just pop onto the web & find out. I will confess to bookmarking webcams in Venice, Rome & other spots so that I can escape at a moments notice. If you get the urge to see what's going on, there's a lot of live images "out there". One good place to start is earthcam.com

A couple of days ago the wonderful collage artist Nancy Lefko mentioned sending her latest custom pieces to Sweden. She writes in her blog "It is always fun for me to think that my art will visit countries that I probably will never see myself. The internet has, in many ways, made the world quite small." (Please stop by her blog & etsy shop if you get a chance, you'll be glad you did)

I have to agree. There is something very cool about sending an item you've made out into the world. I just sent Cognition Girl off to Norway

And an ACEO went off to Ireland last month. Any sale is a good sale but there is just something extra special about those international collectors. Perhaps it is the idea of connecting, even for a moment with someone so very far away.

To escape the hectic & mundane, I've been traveling through time as well around the globe. (gotta love the internet) Spent a while with Christina Rosetti and Charles Cayle before returning to the day's madness.

Despite the eloquent phrases I absorbed today, I seem to be stumbling here...Heck, I've rambled so much I see it's now 12:38 on "Random Tuesday". Since my brain is mush, I'll end this chatter and leave you with a thought from Ralph Waldo Emerson :

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.

1/8/09

Attention Fabric Addicts!

If you're anything like me, you've got yards of unused fabric that you "just had to have". Wouldn't it be a blast to create with fabrics you design?

Now you can get your awesome ideas put on custom printed fabric at Spoonflower.com - how cool is that! Just read about this nifty website in the NY Times . Their site looks easy to use with a simple tutorial. No minimum order. $18 a yard or $5 a sample swatch. They also say they have fast turnaround time & a satisfaction guarantee.

They've also got a blog where you can vote on "fabric of the week", as well as an etsy presence Spoonflower.etsy.com.

Now if I could just learn to sew..........

1/7/09

Couple Of New Pieces

Carved some time out tonight to finish 2 new pieces.
Second Grace is an ACEO

Icarus Who? Is a Mixed Media Collage.

If you're curious,this one had a bunch of steps. After making a polaroid transfer of a leaf, I decided to play with the the negative image. (This is the trash part but I like like the funky abstract look so I usually mess around with it.) First I used water color pencils. I wanted more POP so I scanned the piece in & saturated the colors in PhotoShop Elements. Then I printed this out twice.

Next I colored both prints with watercolor pencil & markers. 1 became the background & the other got cut up for wings/flames. I then scanned an old sketch (for a painting I sold a few years ago). Stretched the figure a bit more in PE & added golden tones for a mythical feel. Printed & trimmed this figure. Glued it all up. Played some more with the pencils & added a double beveled black mat. Though I liked the drama, it looked like a big black hole so I used the pencils on the mat too. The whole thing then got a coat of UV-resistant spray.