My tool for color designing.

Thirty three pieces are ready to hang up May Day tomorrow. The exhibit is dedicated to all those people who think they can't be an artist.

  “Making  Memories” collage and water media paintings expose my creative play and struggles.  I believe even if you do not make the greatest and the most saleable art, immersion in visual language is a rich learning experience and can be a vital part of every aspect of living.

Follow my art journey.   Painting /collages going back as far as 1966 are hung according to how they relate to my development not in linear time. But a sense of passing time can be seen because they are numbered in order and dated.  Each label has a few words on my reasons for making art her life.

Where:   The Albany Main Library second floor

2450 14^th Avenue SE

Albany, OR 97322

When:    May 1 through June

Monday –Wednesday   10:00 a.m. – to 8:00 p.m.

Thursday –Friday   10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday 10:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m.

Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Preparing May and June art exhibit at the Albany Public Library

Being sentimental,  I have titled my next exhibit - "Making Happy Memories".  Not all of my paintings are happy to me.  Some are about environmental issues or other politics.  Some are about angry emotions.  These disturbing images are not to be in the library exhibit.

I am taking the labeling of the paintings seriously. On each name tag I make a short artist statement.   Pictures of book covers are included. Some of these memories are realized in the subconscious with belated recognition..  Also I made, while working, conscious inclusions of books which were favorites from years ago.

My careful labeling with dates is motivated by my desire to share the development of ideas and process.. 

Early glass and tile mosaic and today's paper mosaic repeat shapes and colors

 

I had forgotten that in high school I activated the energy movements between figures. After making a series of collages I looked at my 1960 mosaic of dancers. The above picture is a detail of the mosaic.

 

 

" Fisherman's Cove" 12" square painted paper collage started on a"Color Bridges" ceramic tile and transfered to paper.

 

Art for making visual memories

My May and June exhibit for the upstairs of the Albany Public Library main branch is

" Collages and Acrylic Paintings for Making Memories".  

While preparing works for the exhibit I had some moments of discovery. My feelings for visual colors, textures, shapes and calligraphic lines are connected to early memories.  Some of these visual memories were enhanced by experiencing different art materials.  


Looking at my 1980 cloth collage, I  noticed how similar it is to the illustrations in a book I saved from my childhood - The Golden Circus, a fuzzy golden book.  Other creative experiences important to my paintings include almost all my deliberate choices from writing letters to choosing what to wear each day or my presentation of every day meals.




 Applique on painted silk completed around 1980 36" x 30"

 

 

 



"Falconer"  2012,  painted paper collage 18" x 14"





The biggest surprise came after I started making labels for my pieces.   I had a hunch that the new work was like some of my old favorites.  Then when I pulled the old work out, I was stunned. I can't believe how similar the color selection, shapes, textures and calligraphy are to works in my other media and early memories like book illustrations.  



"Fish Eye on the Sky" paper collage

Just a month ago all the collages were begun on a grid tool.  Some of the grids were on felt or a ceramic tile.  The idea was to stimulate nonobjective abstract designs.  Only partly successful, the collages started to take on the character of earlier works that suggest an object.

The next challenge is to find color combinations reflecting the landscape for acrylic paintings. The collage making might carry over to the painting.

Framing collages for an exhibit

Added a border for the framed piece.



Cropped for the finish 



Added cheeks and glued a piece of paper
 to put the clown on an angle.
 



Made a facsimile letter for "Letter Writing Art"



May and June my collages and paintings will be upstairs in the Albany Public Library.

Color Bridge temporary constructions to completed collages

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abstract Watercolor "Color Bridges" temporary arrangement #4

The box is recycled with my painted papers. Each of the eight sides demonstrate goals for the arrangement of papers on the tile.   Pictured above to the left is a construction showing volume. Right: illustrates a bridge of colors transitioning from green to purple.