Do you want to know a secret?
Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. The Pulse is a collaborative project that aims to introduce you to new artists, help you get to know familiar faces even more, and allow you access into the creative hearts and minds of a very talented crew of individuals.
Over 150 (!) artists have answered a series of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. And the first continues right now!
Join the The Altered Page every Sunday for "Secret Sunday." Here the secrets of all your favorite artists will be revealed. It could be a technique, a product, a secret source, a little-known website, a hidden shop, an inspiration, just about anything! If you missed any, no worries. You can find links to all the secrets on the sidebar of my blog.
Today's secret.......Road Trip!
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Deryn Mentock
Blog:
Something Sublime
Etsy:
Something Sublime
Blog:
Objects and Elements
Flickr:
Deryn Mentock
A 6000 square foot warehouse, in Dallas, full of vintage beads, findings, stampings, buttons, clasps....you name it! If you don't live in Texas, Katy Schor has a website:
Beads by Sandy
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Marie Otero
Website:
Marie Otero
Blog:
Lost Aussie...on the Loose
The little Amish man's secondhand shop in Intercourse, PA - great for found object 'treasures' and ephemera of all kinds.
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Nina Bagley
Blog:
Ornamental
A source for mica:
Tar Heel Mica Company
4736 S Us Highway 19 E
Plumtree, NC 28664
828-765-4535
They don't seem to have a website, but do sell mica by the pound. Alllll sorts of mica. In times past, I was told to "ask for jude" when calling. He is the man.
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Cory Celaya
Website:
Art with Moxie
Blog:
Art with Moxie
Etsy:
Moxie Gallery
A little boutique called The Purple Lizard in Phoenix, Arizona and Timeless Creations in Fort Collins, Colorado (art classes and other fun stuff).
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Lyle Baxter
Blog:
Just a Note
Etsy:
Almost Heaven
Website:
Almost Heaven
First City and Country Antiques, a shop for photos and such in Absecon, New Jersey.
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Nancy Neva Gagliano
Blog:
Openings Connecting
My secret: I am so fortunate when I am able to spark the creative fires and to recapture the art spirit by entering into another place, away. Going to my most beloved Taos, New Mexico over the last 40 years always draws this spirit from me. In that light, by those mountains, surrounded by that air and sage and hearts that beat strong, I thrive.
BUT, when I've been a part of Sas Colby's Studio in the Sky week-long workshops at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, I am transformed.
This will be my fifth! summer for this exceptional experience where I rest and I work, am alone and in the comfort of an incredible community of 14 or 15 seekers/speakers/makers of the soul, of art. We are in the care of a master teacher, and the best chefs!! alone and together, we each find our voice, our own secret. We're fed luscious meals, yes, but also poetry and varied instructions and invitations to actualize expression with whatever medium we chose.
The studio is open all night...I can work alone, or with others when ideas and materials are shared, friendships created and the flow goes forth. . . returning home with me.
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Kecia Deveney
Blog:
Lemoncholy's Flight of Fancy
My art secret is going to flea markets. I like to work with vintage or discarded items. I consider it recycling; paying very little for this stuff (and sometimes it is free!). I find it a challenge to go home and turn it into something a little more modern and fresh. I've moved from making mixed media to jewelry with my vintage found objects.
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Jen Crossley
Blog:
A Mark in Time
I love the search for Junk. It is so cool when you find that piece that gives you a buzz or the wow factor. Swap meets are the best places or a small antique shop, Smythesdale Antiques, near where I live. She has cool stuff and is cheap.
There is always something to be found. I never come out of there without buying something.
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Robert Stockton
Artist Portfolio:
Robert Stockton
The people who run a place called Fun Junk at 3644 Mud Bay Road, Olympia, Washington (they also occasionally bring some of their fun junk to sell in Seattle, making it more accessible to those of us who don’t make it to Olympia that often!). Fun Junk, as mentioned above, in Olympia, is open 10 AM to 6 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, only. They sell a multitude of interesting ephemera, including, a variety of paper products.
They have a website on which they sell SOME of their cool stuff:
Fun Junk Online. They may also be contacted at redun@comcast.net or called at (360) 259 1796. You can also follow the Fun Junk blog called
Nancy's Fun Junk. Great stuff!
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by Paul Auster. The book was the perfect size (8 1/2" x 6" + 3/4" thick) and its relatively new, crisp pages made a sturdy base for altering. More importantly, Paul Auster is a favorite author. Like me, he lives in NYC and the city plays a big role in his novels. His writing style is very distinct and there is a magical component to his work, which often focuses on coincidence and synchronicity. There is one section in this book that even describes the quest for a book, coincidentally much like my own search for the right book to alter.
