ArtFest part 2

This was the ArtFest bag that was given to all the participants. Isn't it super? Of course I really liked all the different patterns. Although this was only my second year in attendance, I agree with my friend Catherine who said this bag was the best one yet. She would know since she has been 8 times or so. On to Day 2 of classes of ArtFest 2009. My instructor was Michael Demeng who refers to himself as an assemblage artist who has a love affair with rusty things. His class had the biggest supply list of the three classes that I took this year. Aside from various different adhesives and other stuff to adhere things together like wire, we also brought recycled and "found" objects from yard sales, salvage centers, second-hand stores, etc. As I collected all of my treasures throughout the months leading up to ArtFest, husband extroadinare would always ask me what I was going to do with them. What a silly question! After 27 years together, one would think he would wise up and realize just how delightful something like an old electrical fuse can be and that there are limitless artful ways to use one. In addition to the trinkets, we were asked to bring a picture frame which would end up being the primary structure that everything else was built upon. I brought a framed mirror that I found at Tuesday Mornings in their clearance bin. As you can see from the picture above, I adhered some old kitchen drawer handles to both sides and bottom. These were purchased from Urban Ore, a most wonderful salvage yard full to the brim of stuff that other people throw out. I love it! Also the top piece that has a fleur de lis look is from Urban Ore. Next to this piece are those old nob & fuse electrical fuses that can be found in old homes like ours. But I got them at a garage sale because ours have been removed and upgraded so that we can have homeowners insurance. Then in the center where the mirror is, I first layed down some mesh to make it less shiney. On top of the mesh and hanging from a nail is an old metal frame that used to have a ceramic rose adhered to the center of the red corduroy fabric backing. I gleefully yanked off those roses and glued on Shiva & Shakti. In the Hindu spiritual tradition, Shiva represents the destroyer or transformer and Shakti is responsible for creation... quite the power couple, and I write that will all respect. Below them is Ganesh who is one of their sons. He is the remover of obstacles. Lastly there are fine copper wires laced through the top piece and looped around the handles on both sides. They were meant to be temporary while the top piece was being attached but then I decided I like them and now they are a part of the piece. Well, all that attaching and adhering took the whole day for me and that was only half of the process. I do admit that I really liked using the power tools and was more than willing to help my classmates who were more timid about weilding a power drill. Next there is still painting and adding patinas to make the piece look more cohesive... like it is all supposed to go together. But I am glad that I have a picture of it in this stage. Above I played around with the image in photoshop giving it a sepia tone look so I could get an idea of how I might apply the paint, etc. All in all, I am really happy with the piece. It sits right in front of my studio table watching over me while I create art. It is helpful to have Shiva, Shakti and Ganesh there as all their attributes are so much a part of the creative process. And below, here are 2 more pieces of lettering that I did from the first class that I enhanced using photoshop. I am really enjoying marrying the hand done work with the digital. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed it. Next is imaginary creatures!