Wings of Paper

I am continuing to collaborate with Supria, Jill, Rita, Veronica, and Roxanne on our Inner Works project. We have each created an altered book and selected a theme, which one by one, all the artists will interpret in each book. We are nearing the end of this special adventure, which began back in January 2009. I just completed my pages in Supria's book and have one more book to work in before I receive my own, no doubt bursting at the seams with creativity.



Supria's altered book is entitled "On Paper Wings" and it tells the inspiring story of Helen Keller, well known to just about every one. I've included some peeks here but I do not want to post the pages in their entirety until after Supria gets her book back.



Helen's story is really one we all could take a lesson from...


thriving despite obstacles...



seeing hope where others may have seen despair...


(eye image created by Lynne Hoppe - thanks Lynne!)

meeting challenges with dignity and grace...



battling against the odds...



and ultimately achieving and surpassing her goals.



Please click here to be taken to the Inner Works blog, which highlights all the books in this project.

Chinese Checkers

I had the pleasure of being able to take a one-day workshop with none other than Lynne Perrella this past weekend. It was a rare opportunity, as she does not often teach on the East coast. The class was called Chinese Checkers. The specs: East meets West, as we spend a full-day exploring the dual themes of Asian images and classic grid compositions. Sounds good, right? But what got me was the next line: Create a lavish, heavily-layered, elegant/edgy surface! She had me at layered!!

Class started with laying gesso and adding texture, texture, and more texture!



While the gesso dried, we all participated in a very revealing art exercise...



...that just got better and better.



Spent most of the day adding layers. Paint. Portfolio crayons. Water-soluble wax pastels. Fiber. Altered images. And more.

My piece before collage...



Ultimately we had the choice of keeping our piece as a large artwork or folding it into book form. Guess which I chose? Both actually. I cut off a strip to make an Asian scroll (in progress)...



And folded the rest into a book. Here are some close-up shots of the book pages in progress...






I ran out of time before I was able to add many collaged images. But I look forward to taking the techniques I learned from Lynne and finishing both projects. And when I do, you can be sure they will find their way into a post.

And I will end with a personal favorite shot from the workshop that sums up the fun and abandon that is art: Violet's Hands...

Contexture Continued

I continue to work on my collaboration with Bridgette Guerzon Mills and Jen Worden. Each of us created a unique structure to pass back and forth. Bridgette's Trees is a handbound book of plaster pages. Jen's Shine is a series of metal sheets that will become flags. And my piece is a handmade book called Contexture. Think context, texture, and text.



Here is how my book is looking now...



And here are some photographs of the most recent pages I made in my own book...

Waste Not, Want Not

There is an incredibly fascinating and rich exhibition going on right now at the Museum of Modern Art called Waste Not. In his first solo museum show in the United States, Beijing artist Song Dong created an installation piece consisting of the entire contents of his mother's home. Every item, most being utilitarian household objects, becomes meaningful given the context of the Chinese concept of wu jin qi yong, which translates to waste not.


As stated in the accompanying artist book "Not long ago, because of the shortage of goods, the anxiety instigated by political instability, and the traditional virtue of frugality, people saved everything for future usage, including junk and rubbish. Bits of fabric left from making clothes or dust-covered bottles and jars, brick and timber from demolished houses or yellowed magazines and posters from a bygone era --- these objects were gathered piecemeal with insistence and determination. Day after day, year after year, they gradually formed a particular kind of family property, filling the limited space of a household and setting the physical surrounding for a family's day-to-day activities"


The exhibit is set up so you are able to walk through the contents of his mother's home and view close-up the objects that represent a life. The exhibit runs through September 7.

Lucky Number Seven

Pasticcio Quartz Issue 7 is now on sale. This Quality Art Zine is the creation of the always amazing Sarah Fishburn and equally amazing Angela Cartwright. With every issue they continue to publish one of the most varied and jam-packed zines out there. If you have ever seen an issue, you will know what I mean when I say that Pasticcio is about so much more than art. And if you haven't seen an issue yet, what are you waiting for?


Issue 7 highlights graffiti, illustration, and stencil artists. I am happy to say that it includes my artwork in the Palais du Art section. And the issue also includes an original article that I wrote based on the following 1908 postcard that I was lucky enough to find quite a few years ago.





Click here to be taken to their studio storefront where you can purchase any or all of the 7 issues!



And while we are talking zines, Alicia at Altered Bits is preparing her next issue of The Altered Bits Zine, an online publication that keeps getting better and better. Each issue is themed and the next one is Black and White. She is accepting submissions through September 1. Click here for more info. Come on...you know you want to be in it!

Open for Business

Back to blogging! And what better way to return from a blogging break than with a giveaway. Thanks to everybody who commented on my last post and was automatically entered into my giveaway celebrating two years of The Altered Page. This journey has been such an adventure so far and I am looking forward to many more posts and many more years to come.




So, on to the drawing. Drum roll please. Congratulations go out to:



Pam Huntington












Dayna Collins











Both of you will receive a copy of my zine from The Pulse artist survey. Please email me your mailing addresses and I will have your packages in the mail right away.



Two of my pieces in Etsy will be expiring this week and will not be relisted. Please check them out in my Etsy shop before they disappear. They were both highlighted in this post earlier this year on my blog in honor of Earth Day.

Now we are Two

We interrupt this blogging break for a special announcement: two years ago today The Altered Page was born. For me, birthdays are always cause to reminisce and my thoughts have led me back to my first post. At that time I wrote:

"I have 3 goals in mind for this blog. First, to share my art and receive feedback in return. Second, to share artists, websites, stores, books, ideas, and creations that I have found. And third, to share great art finds from the museums, galleries, and streets of New York."

These goals continue to provide direction for my blog. However, I would add that The Altered Page has become the vehicle for so much more than I could have ever even imagined. It has been the catalyst for and force behind my ongoing artwork. It has led me to develop connections with all of YOU - creative, generous, energetic, and loyal art bloggers and blog readers. And it is the fuel feeding my creative soul.

So how about a small giveaway to celebrate and to say thanks to you all. Please leave a comment on this post and you will be in the running to win a copy of my zine: The Pulse Artist Survey.


You can read more about my zine here. I will be giving away two copies, one to each of two winners. Winners will be announced on Monday August 17. Please be sure I have your email so that I can contact you. And feel free to leave a comment even if you already have a copy of the zine -- they make great gifts!

Good luck and thanks for being part of my journey!