Friday, May 30, 2014

5th Annual Artist Retreat - Day 5, journals

It's Friday morning as I write this post. This week has passed so quickly. Time really does zip by when you're having a truly wonderful time, doesn't it? It's always that way here in Oz. Seems the week has just started when the time comes to return to the airport. That's for tomorrow though - today is another studio day.


Thursday found Pam and I making a few marks - my tiny X's


were added to Pam's splatters (highly technical, that) and O's. 


While Pam stitched a page from painted cotton, 


I took the sheets of Rives BFK


and cut them into 5 inch strips


for use as pages in our journals.


6 sheets in all were cropped and piled together, shuffled and reshuffled to mix them well.
Pam began ritual of picking 


and did a little happy dance when she selected the apex of the wave I'd painted. 


18 pages each - Pam's above, mine below.

 
As we pondered the possibilities and considered which pages would go with which cover,


we turned to view the tags, all 95 of them.


They soon found their way into a bin and were jostled this way and that


so that we could blindly reach in to select one at a time. There were smiles and happy dances (me) and exclamations of delight (Pam) at having selected a favorite.


My group above. Pam's below. It's funny to look at the photos now and realize the tags were already sort of laid out as they ended up being turned into books.



 I sewed the tops and bottoms together


to create a very long accordion book


while Pam stitched the sides.


Surefooted


and stunning in their display, this approach is my favorite.


In between constructing journals (5 each so far), we'd walk into the annex to mark other papers.


I've fallen in love with printmaking paper - with their ability to soak up color and display it so vividly. The tan sections above and below were achieved with black tea. Just black tea.

Oh yes! The ideas are flowing and I can't wait to discover how well rust plays with some of the papers we've used this week. Those experiments will wait until my return to Connecticut.


 One last view before calling it a night...Pam's journals. 


Time to hit the publish button, eat a bit of breakfast and change into studio clothes. Stay tuned!

28 comments:

  1. What a wonderful week this sounds to have been ... how I'd like a week like that ... so inspiring!

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    1. My wish would be for everyone to have a friend and a week like this.

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    2. Oh Jennifer! That is my wish too! How wonderful and FUN!! You two are a pleasure to read about- and I cannot wait to see what's next! Seth Apter introduced you through his blog and I am ever so happy he did! I'll be following along now! ")

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    3. Welcome JackieP! Seth's a dear for including me in Sunday's post. New visitors are always welcome here.

      I'm recovering from last week - or reminiscing/delaying cleaning my studio/stalling/need to buy paper/enjoying spring...take your pick. I hope to be back in the studio by the end of the week. Stay tuned. And visit anytime! Enjoy!

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  2. Love the books, are these just large white luggage labels, I'd love to have a go at those myself. Sounds like a wonderful week.

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    1. Debbie, our tags measure 3" w x 6" h with the corners cut off one end. We used all sorts of papers with them, but I'm thinking of buying a bunch at a craft store to take along during our family beach week to let the kids decorate each day (hopefully). I'll take them home and stitch together a book.

      Such a simple little bit, but the possibilities are endless. Thanks to Karen at Day In & Day Out for using them and posting about them.

      Enjoy!

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  3. Replies
    1. Oh! Thank you Bridgette. Imagine the fun if you'd been here too.

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  4. fantastic! I'm especially loving the random mixed tags - how cool are the results!

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    1. Random seemed to have been the theme of the week and it worked very well.

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  5. What a great idea, must try it some time, also a great thing to try with friends.

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    1. Maybe we should all have a tag swap...just a thought.

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  6. Ahhhhh, what a week! I have so enjoyed tagging along on your ride. Sorry about the pun. I look at those wee books you made and think - why don't I ever zig-zag stitch pages together?!?! They look perfect. Marks make me very happy - and the pair of you are mark-masters me thinks. So glad it has been such a treasure of a week together - until next time...

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    1. Loved the pun! We've been talking to you and wondering what sort of mark you or Susan would make all week...whether you'd rejoice at our marks or simply shake your head in amazement (or disgust) at our naivety...well...my naivety. Thrilled to have been dubbed a mark-master by you.

      Here's to next time...

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  7. Hi J - I know wow doesn't sound much but it does sum up what I think about the abundance of your art during your art retreat. I can now see how you and Pam could easily come to the mountain and do your retreat over here - couple more creatives and wine could not hurt. Go well and continue to enjoy. B

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    1. Barry - When I read Pam your comment, she said we'll bring the bubbly. Be quite happy to visit your mountain and have a retreat there. Of course, you know, you might have to kick us out eventually given that stunning view you have.

      Still...one day we'll come for a visit. Enjoy!

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  8. You two are so in sync! Love how the tea came out on the paper. What type of paper were you using?

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    1. Rives BFK and Kozo and whatever was at hand.

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  9. Hey again- I've been curious...do you and Pam discuss what the "theme" of your retreat will be way in advance? The two of you always seem to get so much accomplished. Love the journals!!!

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    1. Julie, you are too funny. We decided at the beginning of May that we wanted to work with paper this time. All the just happened once we were together. Even then, as much as possible was left to chance. And it was wonderful!

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  10. Your experience...and this post...all seem so incredibly inspiring. I love what you have created but am even more taken by the pure pleasure this week must have been!

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    1. So funny to think that our fun could be inspiring to anyone but ourselves. We simply played off each others' energy and marks.

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  11. So inspiring - I would love to do this!

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    1. Sharmon - I truly hope that everyone has a friend they can do this with, even if only for a day.

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  12. LOVE these prints. Found you via Seth Apter's blog. Were the tags made from large print making sheets? Did you use acrylic ink? So inspiring!

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    1. Welcome Staphanie! It's so nice have you visit via Seth.

      The tags were made from various papers that we had - some print making sheets, rice & sumi paper, sheets out of a mixed media notebook, etc. We used thinned acrylic paint as well as acrylic and sumi inks...I think...maybe even pencil and marker. Just whatever felt right at the time.

      Enjoy!

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