Gretchen - Deep Calls To Deep

Earlier today I blogged about the Mail Art I was sending to my friend, Gretchen. And then Lo and Behold, here comes her mail art submission in the mail today. Our Mail Art "Show and Tell" is next month, but since Gretchen is flying off to Argentina soon, she sent her's early so I could photograph it before sending it on it's way across the world to Jo in Australia.

 

 

Gretchen is very artistic, not only with drawing, but also with words. Some of her correspondence was private, but she allowed me to share this part...

 

"In our lives parade a series of versions of ourselves - an entire city filled with various "Me's".

-The child of six

-The working wife

-The so-very-ill woman

-The listener, the talker, the wonder-er, the writer, the woman who studies the horizon, unaware she does so.

If she could write a resume' of her life, it would go on for weeks. If she could count her roles in a single year (or even in the measure of one day)...Well, she just wouldn't be able to."

 

The card has a little slot in the back which helps it to create a small stand-up piece of art.
In addition, Gretchen gave a very full list of ALL elements involved in making the piece of Mail Art, including all art supplies, assorted websites for inspiration and direction, The Emerald City Trapeze Arts Student Show (where she got the inspiration for her drawing), a $2 fountain pen, and "Gazing across the Harbor towards the Horizon".
Thank You, Gretchen for sharing your amazing Mail Art with us.



 

More Mail Art

My friend, Gretchen, is leaving for Argentina soon and I wanted to send her some of my mail art before she lft, so I took pictures of it before I sent it off to her and here it is.

 

 

I used several papers for it. The leopard print on the top flap is actually a recycled paper bag.

 

 

 

I tucked a couple of Zentangled ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) inside for her and did a couple of Zentangle compass stars to tie it together.

 

I cut out a rectangle of cream recycled scrap paper for the address lable and glued on a cut-out of a key from the predominant paper. Pretty simple.





Mail Art

 

So now that my studio is finished. I thought it would be fun to hold inspiration parties there for all my arty friends. So I came up with my first "challenge". There are no winners or losers. It is only for inspiration and fun.

 

 

 



So the first challenge is:

Creative Correspondence

Create a piece of mailable art. It can be a postcard, notecard, letter.....whatever. The only rules are that it has to be mailable and it should be fun to make. Then e-mail pictures to me (my email can be accessed through the "about me" section on the sidebar), and I will post them on this blog. Or, if you live locally (the Eugene, Oregon area) you can email me for directions and times for our in-studio

get-togethers. Here are some photos of one I created, just to get you started.





 



 

I hope you get creative and have fun!

 

 

 



The Studio

Long ago, when I was doing Garden Design work, we built a studio out in the garden as my office. I did a little business and a lot of art in there and I really loved it. But when I got a full time job with the resorts and was no longer working for myself, I used it less and less.
Then my son lost his job and had to move home for a while. I was thinking 3 months. It turned out to be 3 years. But now he is gainfully employed again and living out on his own and I reinherited my studio. But it was a mess! Below are before and after pictures.

The walls were very grimy from candles, smoke, incense and who knows what else. The cork was stained and buckling.

I repainted EVERYTHING! I took off the old cork bulletin board beneath the chair rail and I will create a mosaic in this area. I still have some things to hang on the wall, but it is looking better, if a bit messy. I'm a bit sad when I see a very clean studio. Too often, cleanliness and strict order in a studio mean creative avoidance.

 

Again...Grimy walls, and unpainted bookshelf.

Now everything is bright and cheerful. The toys on the shelf are for my Fairy Goddaughter, Nola, who comes to play while her mum and I create. Bookshelf is painted, all is organized (yet still a bit untidy).

The back wall was a nightmare. Pieces of tape had peeled off the surface of the wallboard. The air conditioner filter had never been cleaned. Yuck.

New paint, cork boards, clean air conditioner...And a mirror for good Feng Shui. The bright orange blanket on the back of the chair is Nola's.

No words needed.

 













I had to photoshop this picture because it was too dark, but you can get the jist of it. Outside of the door is the studio cat, Foos.
I apologize for the big gaps in this post. It has been a while since I posted on my old blogs and things have changed with Blogger. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it soon.

 

 

Welcome!

Welcome.
I seem to reinvent myself every few years and my blogs follow suit. I started out with a blog for my past employers about their resort gardens...

 It was about all things gardenish and the knowledge I had attained over 20 years of horticultural passion.
But then my body couldn't keep up and I settled back into what has always been my first love - Art.

 

I have made altered books, artist's trading cards, shrines, fiber art and more. But my favorite was beadwork. So my next blog was about beadwork.

 

 

 I create beaded brooches... 

 

 

and necklaces... 

 

and barrettes...

 

And I even did some beaded pictures...

 

 

And a clock!

I sell my beadwork at our local Saturday Market and in some galleries and shops. I also have an Etsy shop, but I admit that I don't do much with it. I found that for me I was putting way more time and energy into it than I was getting out of it, but I still have my shop there (Emerald Window) and I keep a few things there. And I have another Etsy shop where I sell bits and bobs and vintage jewelry (Bijoubits).

 

So my beadwork has become my business and my art is my recreation. I muddle around with the artisan crowd and we have little inspiration parties in my studio. I'll be posting pictures of the fun things we all create on this blog also. I hope you check in often and leave comments - I love comments!