A Testament to Friendship

I received Veronica's book on friendship- and like many of us, all my original thoughts on how I would proceed changed when I received it. There's something so special about holding the book, feeling its essence, and then gently turning each page with such delight and amazement.

The process of developing friendships is one that takes time, effort and a special devotion that feeds the friendship - allowing it to grow, prosper and flourish. I dedicated my work in Veronica's book as a special testament to the friendship that the six of us - Seth, Veronica, Supria, Roxanne, Rita, and myself have formed.

There's such a special excitement and magical element of surprise to see what works of creativity will find it's way into our lives. More of my pages can be seen here. Thank you Veronica for choosing this theme and planting the seeds for these pages.

a glimpse...

I've spent the past few days working on Supria's book, On Paper Wings, about Helen Keller - funny how the ideas that I have in mind before I receive the books change once they arrive. Some of the elements remain, knowing a quote that I wanted to include which I had gathered months ago, an old photograph, of course integrating wings somehow, and feathers, and flower petals - things of nature. The way Miss Keller was taught, through touch and the natural world, and though I know she couldn't see, I'm certain her inner world was filled with colour. This is my final book, and though the parting of it, along with the parting of this group project, will make me sad, I do look forward to seeing my own once again after such a long trip and so many magic hands have touched and altered it. Once all of the books are back in the lovely hands of their owners, I will post all the photos of the pages I created. Though parting is such sweet sorrow, the journey has been an expanding one, for my heart, for my mind, and for my creative soul. For this I am grateful to Supria...and thank you all for embracing me on these travels.

Distressed Elements

Today was spent working on Seth's book "Oracle Night" by Paul Auster. Seth's theme is Distressed Elements and I've really enjoyed working in it. The book arrived to me already thick with artistic interpretations done by Seth himself, Veronica, Supria and Roxanne. I thought I'd interpret the theme by using words that come to mind when I hear the word distressed. I've used papers that I've painted and distressed myself along with some ephemera and found objects. Oddly enough, I've used the concept of time again here as I did in Veronica's book theme of friendship. Hmmmm, time must be on my mind alot these days!!

Patterns in nature are like songs to the heart

For Jill's book, "Designs in Nature" I decided to try something new...dipped paper..a technique I learnt at the Third Annual Encaustic Conference...Here is one image of the work I completed..more images can be found on my blog here!  

For me I chose the theme Patterns and Symmetry...For I so adore the patterns all around us in nature, from the spirals in shells to the patterns in butterfly wings...Mother earth has given us many magical creations with designs and patterns to inspire...so in my pages I decided to include some of these elements embedded into the dipped paper.

Song by Amy Lowell

Oh! To be a flower 

Nodding in the sun, 

Bending, then upspringing 

As the breezes run; 

Holding up 

A scentbrimmed cup, 

Full of summer's fragrance to the summer sun. 

Oh! To be a butterfly 

Still, upon a flower, 

Winking with its painted wings, 

Happy in the hour. 

Blossoms hold 

Mines of gold 

Deep within the farthest heart of each chaliced flower. 

Oh! To be a cloud 

Blowing through the blue, 

Shadowing the mountains, 

Rushing loudly through 

Valleys deep 

Where torrents keep 

Always their plunging thunder and their misty arch of blue. 

Oh! To be a wave 

Splintering on the sand, 

Drawing back, but leaving 

Lingeringly the land. 

Rainbow light 

Flashes bright 

Telling tales of coral caves half hid in yellow sand. 

Soon they die, the flowers; 

Insects live a day; 

Clouds dissolve in showers; 

Only waves at play 

Last forever. 

Shall endeavor 

Make a sea of purpose mightier than we dream today?. 

the sound of silence...

I've been working on Roxanne's 'Earth Tones' - what a lovely surprise this book has been. I have gathered items throughout these six months as I've been working on the different books, and the inspiration for each one seems to come more quickly. My focus this time is not only on colour but on the sounds, both tones, of the earth. Silence is something I try to get more of in my life...to silence the man-made - traffic, television, radio...and to begin to listen to the sounds of nature. Leaves rustling in the breeze, birds speaking with one another, water moving against rock. The book itself is a treasure, and the addition of each artist's work makes it more so. Over the years my own work has been quite focused and though I've ventured out of my box in the past three years, mixing media, trying new subject matter, I think I've become more satisfied with the original work because of these great leaps of faith. I feel more grounded, more connected to this earth, and realize that my contribution adds value not only to others, but to myself. And that I can contribute to this silence with a visual story that touches another soul.

Earth Tones

Roxanne's book, Earth Tones, has arrived and moved on. The book structure that she is altering is quite unique. The pages that had already been added when I received the book were inspirational and I know she is going to love them. Her theme completely spoke to me. In short, working on this altered book was a pleasure. Below are some glimpses of the three pages I completed for Roxanne. You can also click here to be taken to my blog, The Altered Page, to see an image of one completed page.

Leaves were twinkling in every wind that blew...





Embroidered over with millions of silver flowers...




Precious stone...

You Gotta Have Friends

I had a particularly wonderful time working on Veronica's book. Her theme "Friend" is near and dear to my heart. Perhaps you read this post on my blog. In preparation for working on Veronica's book, I went through many old photos of friends and used some of them in my pages here. I also used the words to the song "You Gotta Have Friends". My favorite version is with Bette Midler singing the song She's divine!