More Crow Tarot

When I first posted 'Crow Girl Tarot'  [3/29/24 post], Rose Guterbock, artist extraordinaire, commented that I should do a tarot series. Tarot cards carry meaning and the specific symbolism of each image in this series have yet to reveal themselves to me.  So for now, they are in the realm of your own free-association.

I came across the yellow feather in my images, so my theme of Crow colors continued. The bold yellow moves me.

Yellow Crow Tarot

White Crow Tarot evolved out of a prompt for the May members gallery at Shenandoah Valley Art Center -  SVACart.com.   I think of them as Crow Sisters.

White Crow Tarot collage

For the gallery show, I added an embellished mat; a theme I am enjoying thanks to my good friend Deb Booth, who passed on a supply to me.

White Crow Collage with Embellished Mat

Apparently, the Multiverse has decided it's time for more Tarot in my life, as I recently inherited a vast collection of Tarot cards from my dear friend Michael, who died in December.  A journey awaits me.

Till another time.

Cedar Key, Florida 2023 ~ Our favorite little Gulf Coast Town.

 From the urban, artsy Savannah vibe to laid-back, 'Old Florida' Cedar Key.  Although Cedar Key sports two art galleries, two lovely gift shops and several restaurants, it's still a place for doing nothing, as it were. Our 'nothing' is long walk-abouts through town and sitting by the Gulf.  Our only 'sport' is bird watching from our deck, although the area offers fishing and kayaking. All the 'Old Florida' architecture and island colors are my muse.

We've been coming here for many years now, after being introduced to it by our friend Donna, who lives in St. Petersburg. We stopped by Cedar Key on our way to St Petersburg to see all the assemblage art on the Low Key Hideaway motel. We liked the town so much, we came back on the way home and then the following year, began coming to Cedar Key.

This mural has been here for awhile and this year looked refurbished. A bit of vintage beach photography highlights the welcome vibe.

Welcome to Cedar Key collage

This little cottage, hidden amongst the trees, is definitely a vibrant island house; named by it's owners as the 'Shaby Shax'.   The vibrant Peony is derived from a quilling-art piece by my friend Deb Booth, with her kind permission.

The Pink 'Shaby Shax' collage

Now for some sitting on the deck.

More in Savannah - Forsyth Park to Betty Bombers

The 30 acre Forsyth Park and it's lovely fountain are a major Savannah landmark. The park is near where we are staying and is a big part of our day.  We walk near or through it to get to most places and we walk to it to just sit and people-watch under the Live Oaks.

 

These lively guys appear to be best buddies and meet up in the park most days. I added a friend to the crew and he  fits right in.

Blue Dog and the Forsyth Guys - Savannah

The gentleman on the bench seemed to be contemplative, striking me as from another time. Our Lady of the Parasol joined him.  The dramatic flower accent is courtesy of Deb Booth from one of her quilled art pieces.

Forsyth Park Parasol - Savannah

Betty Bombers is also in our neighborhood and has become a favorite place.  It is a World War 11-themed eatery [especially love the 40' music that plays] and is uniquely located in the building that houses the American Legion Post 135.  Savannah is famous for being home of the Mighty 8th Flying Fortress B-17 planes during WW11, when the air force was the Army Air Corps. 

My father was in the Army Air Corps and served as a plane mechanic.  I had particular fun working on this collage on my father's birthday and you'll find a little  homage to him in the portrait of the handsome fellow on the right.

 

Betty Bombers - Savannah

When Nothing is Certain, Everything is Possible

Art gives us another window to look through. Creating captures your focus and you enter another stream for awhile.  For myself, 'pushing images' around in digital collage or adding bits and pieces together in mixed-media, lets me move away from the often overwhelming-ness of the world and find a 'breather' in an 'other' world.

Before Covid19, I was working on making embellished versions of some of my collages. I extracted key images and mounted them on foam-core to add dimension and then added a high-glaze finish to each piece.  But when everything changed in March, I just put all creating aside for awhile.  Recently, I re-elooked at the collage and realized it's a perfect message for now.

This is the original collage.

When Nothing is Certain - Everything is possible

and the dimensional version with  embellished frame

Friends of mine are creating these days as well.  I love this reminder from SVAC - Shenandoah Valley Art Center, of which I am a member.

Check out our current Members Exhibit.

I contributed my Covid 19 pieces and this, Frida Kali Kwan Yin

Frida Kali Kwan Yin

My dear friend Deb Booth at Different Light Studio found roosters calling to be quilled. Check out the detailed shots of the quilling.

Cock of the Walk by Deb Booth - Quilling

Black Rooster by Deb Booth - Quilling

Quilling detail

Quilling Detail

 

 

 

My HeartDaughter Mimi is an amazing craftsperson.  Knitting, quilts, lace, crochet and whatever else catches her fancy.

These magical birds were my birthday gift. The pattern echoes Mexican designs.

And a too cute Snow Bird for her friend Margaret.

Quilt in progress

So create! Make Art. Wash your hands. 

Take care. Stay safe. Be safe for others.

In the Gift Shop...

I'm a happy Art Girl.  My Waynesboro collages are on display in the gift shop-docent room for the month of November at the gallery I belong to - Shenandoah Valley Art Center -SVAC .  I  really like seeing the collages at this size, 16x20.  The details pop.  Go big and take one home!  If not, got some 8x10 prints and note cards of them on offer too.

My Art Buddy Deb Booth went with me to get things on the walls.  We had a bit of a search for a hammer & nails, and  Mz Deb managed the tall ladder for the piece hung from up high, but actually, all went smoothly.  We began the day with our usual weekly breakfast at Weasie's Kitchen and yes, there is definitely a Weasie's Kitchen collage in the Waynesboro series.

If you're in town, there is an opening this Saturday of lovely paintings by Joy E Tartter in the main gallery.  Check out Joy and the gallery, with me in the docent room here.

At the Gift Shop - Art Buddies

I featured Deb many a time here, but now she is exploring a new medium - Quilling!  Elements and embellishments made from curled paper to form and enhance images. The 3-dimensional enhancement really catches your eye.   It's just cool. Here are three from her Tiny Dancer series   Check it out  at DifferentLightStudio.com and Deb Booth on Facebook.  And soon, you'll be able to find them at CvilleArts, a great gallery right on the downtown walking mall in Charlottesville, VA.

Prima

Flow

Arabella

Waynesboro's Fabulous Fall Foliage Art Show - October 12 & 13 and I'll be there!

I've been so fortunate to be featured in the Emerging Artists booth at the upcoming Fall Foliage Art Show right here in Waynesboro, VA..   

Bestie Gal-Pal Deb Booth mentored me once again and was the engine behind my applying to be part of the Emerging Artists booth and other lovers of whimsy and oddness at the Shenandoah Valley Art Center agreed and here I am.  Special shout-outs to Piper Groves the dynamic director of SVAC and to Pamela Martin, Exhibits Director.

Deb will have her own booth too, showcasing her wonderful photography and digital images

And a most special thank you to dear Nora, who has volunteered spend two days in a booth at the show with me. Wow!

Saturday October 12 10am to 5 pm   & Sunday October 13 Noon to 5 pm.
Downtown Waynesboro, Virginia.

Free admission and free parking.   150 vendors of all kinds of art, craft, jewelry and more, including music and great food.  Check it out: Fall Foliage/SVAC

I found it interesting to work 'to a show'.  I wanted to make sure that I didn't get into the 'head' of making pieces just for the show, but I did find that knowing there was an upcoming show added an extra energy.

Then there was all the prep for the actual doing of a show.  Although I may not sell one piece, I have to be ready to sell all of them. lol.    New business cards. Thank you & info cards to go with the art. At Deb's suggestion we printed note cards of my collages and some pieces that are not for sale.  Packaging! Pricing! Art pins! And I was able to have printed a fun 6' long banner to hang in the booth. Dennis did his organizational magic, created stands for the display and the first booth set up and on and on.  All this and as it turns out, I'll be traveling in September, so everything had to be done well in advance.   Which I am so happy to report, is the case.  Of course, I have already muttered that I don't want to do it again, but as Deb reminded me, now that I've done all this, the next time would be easier.

Some pix of the 'doing'.

Sample 'set up'.  The Noir & Blanc etagere will be a special feature.

I just love that acid green

Fun Pin Art  for whimsy

Some of the collages printed as blank note cards

The 6' Banner  - ordered from WalMart online Photo Center, of all places! 

Art packaged to go!  I used this method to ship art.
 Place the art in large cellophane 'basket' bags and tie the top.  The captured air in the bag nicely protects all the glued-on embellishments.  Looks cute too.

And now I can relax and wait for the big event.  If you're in the area October 12th or 13th, you'll know where to find me.

Lipstick Pens! In the Studio and Fall Foilage Arts Festival

Sometimes the internet is just too cool.  So awhile back I bought a lipstick pen at Michael's.  A great shiny plastic pen that looks like, you got it, a lipstick without it's cap.  I found it a great element in a piece I having going.  So great, that I decided I would like to use these pens as one of my 'feature' items, like shoes and doll hands, etc.  So hello ebay.  In less than a week, I had a whole supply direct from China for very little money.  I am a happy artist.

Lipstick Pens!  I ordered red only but these pink ones arrived as well.

Here is my first lipstick pen and apparently, a self-portrait in the mirror as well

I've been busy in the studio, with several pieces going at once.  Thought I'd capture some 'set ups' shots.  'Set ups' is the term I use when I begin to layout out the possible arrangement of a piece.  I have some sticky tack that I use to temporarily hold pieces in place.

A pink lipstick may have found her place.

One of the giant baby heads finds his box.  The bottles is full of tiny doll arms.

These heads are so wacky!  And they definitely belong in a polka-dot box.

And very exciting for me, I just learned that I have been accepted to participate in the Waynesboro, Fall Foliage Art Festival, as an Emerging Artist.  This is such a great opportunity.  I'll share a booth with other artists and get to share my art for two days.  So the studio lights will be burning.  A special shout-out to Mz Piper Groves, director of SVAC - the Shenandoah Valley Arts Center.

The Fall Festival is an annual event, the 2nd week of October, filling the streets of downtown Waynesboro with fine art.   This year the dates are October 12th & 13th.  For many years now, we have helped my dear pal Deb Booth, of DifferentLightStudio set up her booth.  We'll be double busy this year!  Come see us.

Shenandoah Valley Art Center in Waynesboro, Virginia

Thanks to the exhortations and support from my buddy Deb Booth, I've become a member of the SVAC.  Right now in the main gallery there is an excellent show of quite large and dramatic wood cut prints.  The hall galleries has contributions by gallery members on the subject of 'green' - which brought entries of green colors, green as natural, as in art done on or with wood and green as eco-friendly, with recycled materials.  

I contributed two green pieces - Dunton an altered-doll elf and Dorothea a color-green-themed altered doll and find I am excited about being part of a collective environment once again.  Piper Groves is the dynamic gallery director and I really look forward to getting to know her better and work with her.  I also discovered that there is a pottery studio and kiln open to members and am happy to be able to consider working in hand-built ceramics once again.

Dunton-Woodland Elf, Altered Doll, Mixed-Media 12"high

Dorothea Altered-Doll, Mixed-Media 10" high

In the area? Check out the gallery.   Enjoy lunch around the corner  at The Green Leaf Grill on Main St.

Healing Arts with Deb Booth - DifferentLightStudio.com

Deb Booth is a dear friend, but also an art colleague and collaborator. Deb is a glorious photographer who finds the heart, the 'different light' in what she sees and creates vibrant, unique images.  Together we have also explored digital collage together.  

Deb is currently part of a moving show - Healing Through The Arts - at Oasis Gallery in Harrisonburg, Va, where is she a co-op member.

Each artist prepared a book in which they talk about their art and process.  I particularly like how Deb shared her perspective on the theme of healing.

• Healing through the arts.... what does that mean?  Well, for me - it's a dual process.
• When I create art, I'm healed.
• There is a spiritual connection for me, when I'm focused on my art. 
• I have always said that getting out and taking photos of flowers, plants, trees, clouds, etc., is my form of worship service. 
• It's my way of touching something Divine, and remembering that there is more to this world than what I can see or perceive.  A reminder that there is something holy and eternal  in the curves and curlicues of a fern unfolding.
• Getting back in touch with Spirit / God / All That Is is a healing thing for me.  Touching the wellspring of timelessness when I'm totally involved in capturing that bit of Nature is when I'm feeling most creative.
• Creativity is inspiration in action.  And when I'm caught up by my 'play', I am in The Flow.  The Zone.  I am at peace with, honoring, and working beside, God.  I am being healed.  

These are some of my favorite images and I love how she shares her collage approach.

If you're in the area, check out the show at  

               click on the logo for the website 

The show runs through May 30th     Oasis is at 103 S. Main Street in downtown Harrisonburg, VA, at the corner of Water Street.    540-442-8188.  

Otherwise, check out all of Deb at  

 click on the logo for the website

collages copyright of Deb Booth