17.

Hi.
I made this card for my friend Emilee to congratulate her. I chose a matryoska doll because she and I both enjoy them.

'congrats'

assorted papers, ink, lace.

*gmb

15.

Once upon a Wednesday night.....

We made hair decorations!

tuck your hair!
turkey feathers, peacock feathers, pheasant feathers, button.

untuck your hair!

wear it on the side!
peacock feathers, pheasant feathers, some standard feathers from some standard bird, ribbon, flair.

wear it in the back!

ooooooh boooy!!!!!

*gmb and cmn

14.

INSPIRATION ART

Week Seven
(c.n*)
april 27, 2009

the inspiration:

the result:

"nelle nubi: in the clouds"

wooden frame, paper, ink, paint, twigs, pine cones, grass, pebbles, satin flowers, beads, ribbon, tulle, plastic leaves.

A lot of my friends have expressed interest in helping choose the INSPIRATION each week, or they suggest certain images or themes. Some have even emailed me images that they think I will enjoy (and I certainly do). This week, I let my roommate, *Caitlin Nadeau choose Inspiration. Pasta. I immediately saw the birds nest shaped pasta and thought 'nature'. I thought it would be an easy task, but it took me three weeks to finally settle on something. I originally tried to transfer images of fern onto an Urban Outfitters bag, but it adhered too well and I had trouble getting the image to show through. I held the frame vertical at first and used leftover fern paper and cut out large block letters that read "NATURE" and used the pebble idea with cheesy red flowers at the bottom, painted the frame this purplish-pink-gray color and let it sit for two weeks. I also tried to crackle the frame using a base coat of gold and an overcoat of the purple concoction. I used Elmers clear glue and it didn't work to crackle the top coat. I have used carpenters glue before and it worked wonderfully....didn't have that on hand, so I used what I had and it failed. Now I know. The clear glue created dried paint and glue globs so I sanded it down, turned the frame horizontal, used different flowers, painted over the gray-pink mush and changed the background paper.... and I am okay with it. I made a girl flying out of the nest and wrote the text in Italian because of pasta. It reads, "Nelle Nubi: in the clouds" Put some pine cones in the nest instead of eggs and away we go!

**gmb

13.

INSPIRATION ART

Week Six
(a)
april 06, 2009

the inspiration:

the result:

front
('embrace')
back
('HUG')

wooden shadow box, moss, dried flowers, ribbon, wire, sticks, pearls, doll arms, wooden heart, textured paper, ink, paint.

tell me 'bout it: I was originally going to try to create a sculpture using a comb and some wire, and then I was going to try to paint with a comb (comb because the boy looks like he could use one). I settled on another shadow box when I discovered I still had one hanging around. I tried to create the field with the moss and the long grass with the dried flowers. The doll arms and the tangled wire represent the embrace between the two, and the crocheted pieces are clouds. It might be easier to see the smaller parts if you click the picture to enlarge it. This way you can clearly see the asian newspaper layered under the textured paper with leaves in it and the stamped word 'embrace'. On the back if you zoom in you can see how the box is painted with layered gray and metallic red.

*gmb

12.

in the meantime....

I'm not finished with this weeks INSPIRATION yet, but I wanted to post this little do dad I did a few months ago. I was at a flea market and saw some degarotypes (deguerrotype)...which led to me wanting to make my own version. I bought a frame at the flea market aaaaannnndddd....

metal frame, clay flower, metal hangy, glitter, rub on (that I kept the backing on so it wasn't so transparent), pearls (that aren't quite pictured, but I assure you they are hiding behind that flower).

Very simple. Kinda cute on the wall. My degarotype.

*gmb

11.

INSPIRATION ART

WEEK FIVE
(g)
march 18, 2009

the inspiration:
the result:

front

back

blown out side

tin box, nails, paint, beads, paper, dried flower, metal cross.

on the piece: The inspiration is a picture I took at the Boston Public Library. I looked past the lights and focused on the wood. It reminded me of the ceiling in the Worcester Art Museum that was in the medieval dated art room. This led to me thinking of a shrine. I researched shrines and came across 'nicho's', which are traditionally tin or glass cases that hold images of saints, or ex-votos (devotional paintings of thanks) for household alters. I distressed an altoids tin and a metal cross and ran nails through the holes that used to afix the lid to the box. I created a 'steeple' on top and did a tape image transfer of mother Mary over text. Before I decided to make her a tape transfer, I colored her lips and cheeks. The color remained even after I rubbed the image and set it in warm water....I thought that was neat. I thought I had a really fun idea to begin with, but it turned into a headache when I really wanted it to look a certain way, but didn't have the resources. I don't feel as if it is completely done, but it's good enough to post for now and I'm sure I will find a seashell or acorn...or a baby's sneeze and glue it on there to finish it.

Amber is taking a break from this little project due to her taking an altered arts course that has become quite involved, but she will continue to send me a picture when it is her turn.

*gmb

10.

INSPIRATION ART

Week Four
(a)
march 1, 2009

the inspiration:

the result:

front cover
'memento'
inside
inside left
inside right
back

small tin, doll arms, string, moss, mirror, clock parts, beads, embellishments, assorted papers, paint, tulle, ink, glitter spray, sticker.

on the piece: I immediately knew I wanted to use a container. I also knew I didn't want to use stamps, but wanted to maintain the travel theme. Trinket, souvenir, memento, memories......time travel! The trinket box came together as I sat and stared at it. It was a lot of fitting and gluing and ripping off pieces and walking away and eventually it came together and I was sufficiently satisfied with it. It's a trinket box from the fourth dimension, which I slip in and out of from time....to time.

*gmb