Travels By Train

I came across photos of a train trip from Chicago to New York in another era of my life. They brought up all the feelings of adventure and the uniqueness of traveling on a train; including an unplanned stop lengthy stop in the farm country outside Chicago not long after we began and the fun of photo-booth pictures in the station.

She Was Often Gripped With the Desire To Be Elsewhere collage

The title and quote in the collage is inspired by a postcard sent to me by my friend Francine many years ago as well.  I've used versions of this image is other pieces.

Original Photo by Marcia Resnick

A  photo of a jacket with a postcard on it which led to our Traveler here. I added some of my favorite destinatuions. Surely she would choose to train! And then perhaps the yellow car once she got to the City?  And our Lunch stop is from a photo by old friend, Frederick 'Ned' Whiting.

Travel On collage

LUNCH - photo by Frederick 'Ned' Whiting

Till another time!

Crow Sisters

Traveling is in my future, but Crows have my attention at the moment.  After the first two Tough Girls collages,  I had a dream about Crow Sisters.  And it seems, these ladies are of the Tough Girl ilk as well.

Crow Sisters collage

Off I shall go...

She was moved to travel - mixed media assemblage  9"x8"x4"

Travels and Found Art

The month of February my husband and I had a lovely meandering trip through Florida, heading off via Savannah, Georgia.   My eye is always drawn to signage, murals and other found art wherever I go.  This trip, though, I actually had two destinations in the itinerary because of their art.

My old pal Donna, who lives in Florida, sent me an article about off-the-beaten-path places which included a piece on the Low-Key Hideaway motel in Cedar Key.  This is a funky, old 50's 5 room motel that the owners have transformed into a magical place.  Pat Bonish transformed the outside and grounds with an explosion of assemblage, including bottle walls, bicycles on the roof, dolls on the walls and the amazing Tiki Bar.  Cindy Bonish decorated the rooms with a comfortable eclectic mix.  For me, it was a wonderful stay in an art installation! Everyday I discovered one thing after another. I had found some great black & white dotted shoes in a 2nd hand store in Savannah and made some photo set-ups with them here, as it seemed the perfect place to do that.  

Cedar Key itself, by the way, is a great 'old Florida' town that, although it has its touristy aspect, is wonderfully laid back and still has a clam and fishing industry. Some of my own photos are below, but you can check it all out online at http://www.lowkeyhideaway.com/   By the way, we liked the Low Key Hideaway and Cedar Key so much that we went back for a 2nd visit during our trip.

   

  

In a book called 'Weird Florida' [and yes, it is a whole series of books about weirdness through the U.S.] I found out about The Bowling Ball House in Safety Harbor,  so this became another destination. Todd and Kiaralinda began this art house 20 years ago after discovering some free bowling balls.  They now have this house creation and garden, a guest house across the street, art cars and are just about to open an art center in downtown Safety Harbor.  When we were there, Kiaralinda and three women were making mosaic panels which will cover the exterior walls of the new center.  She also told me that they had just been filmed by HGTV and eventually their segment will appear on Extreme Homes.  Their garden has previously been featured on Outrageous Backyards.  I purchased their children's book about their art for my granddaughter and made a photobook of my own photos for her as well. Check it all out, including their art, restaurant design and more at http://www.kiaralinda.com/

Crazy art and signage is everywhere and I am always catching it in photos.  Travel is great.  Life is good. Art is alive.

Booked In Paris

This piece came together from a couple of fun finds.  The 'book' box was found at Michael's and offered a perfect medium for collage and assemblage.  On sale too - so naturally I've picked up a couple.  The wood-cut figure and the odd clock-faces came from a favorite online source of mine, Artchixstudio.com, hailing from Victoria, Canada and the inspiration and work of the oh-so-lovely Helga.

Add some of my favorite themes - travel, shoes, hands and an odd bit here and there and it comes together nicely. The 3-dimensional suitcases were created by collaging over wood pieces and the map embellishments were also collaged on wood.. It was said to me that this was a 'sweet' version of my usual work, but hey, I do enjoy a piece of white chocolate on a regular basis, so why not!

Booked for Paris mixed-media assemblage

Inside Detail

Back View

            

Book box

Art Chix Wooden Flappers 

                       

She was often gripped with the desire to be elsewhere

Travel - just love it and am fortunate to have it in my life.  But when I'm not traveling my art often expresses it in one way or another.  'She was often gripped with the desire to be elsewhere' came to me on a postcard  from my friend Francine which she sent to me in 1982.  I came across it this year, altered it with amped-up color, and it has inspired several pieces and the image and sentiment has become part of my repeated image repertoire.  The black&white photo on the original postcard is credited to photographer Marcia Resnick, who I was most pleased to discover anew on the web.

This assemblage includes many of my repeated features - collage, doll heads and parts, tiny globes & compasses, alpha blocks and the usual this and that.  Big Ben and a replica vintage box camera make an appearance.  And the vintage travel posters and luggage stickers in the collage naturally include many places I have actually traveled to.  You might note that Audrey Hepburn is traveling along on the wonderful Vespa she made famous in the 1953 film, Roman Holiday, with Gregory Peck. In this piece, Gregory makes his appearance with Audrey on the Vespa on the side.

 I don't know when I actually saw Roman Holiday for the first time - probably on television - but I definitely remember coveting a Vespa thereafter.  Not to mention thinking of my own trip to Rome one day.  Audrey on that Vespa was truly an icon of the free spirit to me.

Gripped with the Desire To Be Elsewhere
Assemblage

Inside View

Back View

Audrey & Gregory zip on the Vespa