Greece: Journal Glimpse

For the first time, I decided to bring a small selection of art supplies with me on vacation so that I could begin a visual travel journal. I have recently been inspired by many other artists who have done this and by Michelle Ward's Street Team Crusade to create a portable journal kit. I wanted to start the journal while in Greece so that I could capture moments of inspiration while they were happening.




Although I was only able to sporadically work on the journal, I really enjoyed being able to reflect on my experience in the moment and maintain a connection with my artwork while away. I also asked people I met along the way to contribute to the journal. I purposely brought along small sheets of handmade paper which I provided and asked them to complete their own page in any way they liked. I am inspired by these pages and of course will be including them in the journal. In the coming days I plan to continue to work on my pages, print and add my photographs, and bind the journal together. I know I will look forward to reviewing the journal many times in the future as a reminder of my incredible adventure. Here are some glimpses of the pages I completed in Greece:

Greece is the Word

Home. I have returned from vacation with a sense of relaxation, rejuvenation, and inspiration. I travelled to Greece and everyday was a new experience, filled with adventure, excitement, and challenge. Before I left, when I told people I was heading to Greece, every single person remarked..."to the islands?" But in fact, I did not step foot on a beach or in the water. My trip was a trek through the mountains, forests, and ancient towns that represent a different side of Greece. A very special side of Greece.

As I reflect on my odyssey, it seems almost to have been a fantasy or a dream. I flew through the clouds to get there. Along the way I visited Dragon Lake, the Plateau of the Muses, Mikro Papingo - a village with a population of 14 affectionately known as "little" Papingo (and not to be confused with Megalo or "big" Papingo), and centuries old monasteries built into mountain walls and atop mountain pinnacles. The skies were blue everyday. I travelled through emerald green, mossy woods which were somehow magically transformed into fields filled with wild flowers in colors only nature could create. These all of a sudden became densely filled alpine forests and, just as quickly, hills of boulders with not a tree in sight. I walked through the strength and heat of the midday sun, traversed patches of the whitest snow, and trekked on thick carpets of golden leaves, appropriately dubbed "walking on baklava" by a travelling companion. I crossed paths with sheep, dogs, horses, mules, snakes, fish, butterflies, frogs, salamanders, turtles, snails, wild goats, many flies, and people from all over the world speaking many different languages. Ultimately, on the night of the full moon, I climbed to the highest peak of Mount Olympus...nearly 10,000 feet in the sky and the "Throne of the Gods." It felt like a dream but in reality it was a dream come true!

Now that I am home, I look forward to looking through all your blog posts that I missed and will be responding to your comments and emails in the coming days. Thanks to everyone who wished me well on this trip and who welcomed me back. Special thanks to Terry Rafferty, who gave me a "You Make My Day" award while I was away. Visit her blog to see examples of her amazing paintings and sketches. Thanks Terry! Instead of nominating five blogs for the same award (which I have done twice before), I will just suggest that you pick five blogs from my blogroll that are new to you and pay them a visit.

I will be posting about Greece all week so that you can share my journey. For today, here are just a few pictures of nature shots from my dream. As always, click to enlarge.

The world around us, the world within...

It is time for a journey. I will be travelling for two weeks beginning this weekend and will have limited access to a computer. I will get back to blogging when I return from vacation sometime during the week of June 23. No doubt I will be coming back with a head full of inspiration and new ideas...and a camera overflowing with images. I am looking forward to both my adventure and my return home. I would like to thank everybody who visits The Altered Page. And a special thank you to those who take the time to leave comments. I will see you when I return!



...no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within. Lillian Smith

Lucky Number 22

My Memorial Day was made even more memorable when I received an email from Ginny letting me know that I had won her giveaway. To celebrate post #200 on her blog, Ginny's Small Studio, she decided to give away a box full of supplies from her online shop Small Studio Productions. To be eligible, you just had to leave a comment on the post. Out of 71 people who left comments, I was number 22 and randomly chosen as the winner. If you haven't been there yet, click on the above links to visit her blog and her shop. There are great things to be found in both places. Ginny was so generous with the prize too, as can be seen from the photos below. Look for a lot of these items to find their way into my artwork in the next few months. Thanks Ginny!






Ginny sells stencils that are really unique and creative and I was lucky enough to receive 7 different ones. I have used one to create the primary image in the piece below.



Ingredients: watercolor paper, acrylic paint, dry transfer, rub-on letters, pigment and dye ink, uniball metallic marker. 5 3/4" x 4". Please click image to enlarge.

Rust Never Sleeps

Dan Eldon

I have always been drawn to the story of Dan Eldon, and to his photography and journals. **Dan Eldon was born in London in 1970. At the age of seven, he moved with his family to Nairobi, Kenya. At an early age, he accompanied his mother, a journalist, on assignments and soon began taking pictures. At about age 15 he started to keep personal journals, filled with photographs, drawings, and collages. He spent much of his youth aiding others, raising money for charity, and when he graduated from the International School of Kenya in 1988, he won the International Relations and Community Service awards. In 1992, after travelling extensively, Dan went to Somolia where a famine was raging. He was hired by Reuters based on his photographs of this tragedy. He continued to track this situation into 1993 during the escalating violence. His photographs began to be featured around the world. The horror of the situation was extremely difficult for Dan but he agreed to stay on to cover the events. In July 1993, Dan and three colleagues went to photograph a bombing and, in the ensuing confusion, all four men were stoned to death by an angry mob. Dan was 22 years old.

Dan accomplished so much over the course of his life. Although nearly 15 years have passed since his death, he continues to touch so many people in so many ways. To learn more about Dan and to read the entire story which **the description above is based on/copied from, please go to The Dan Eldon web site. It is part of Creative Visions Foundation. CVF was founded by Dan's friends and family following his death. CVF supports Creative Activists: people like Dan Eldon, who use media and the arts to raise awareness about critical social, environmental, and humanitarian issues impacting the world today and thus catalyzing positive and lasting change.



I was recently reminded of Dan's inspiring story and his journals when a permanent exhibit opened in New York City at the Candela/Decker Gallery. I have been lucky enough to have visited the gallery twice and highly recommend it. Dan's work, including his journals, is exhibited there. Seeing them in person was quite moving and inspiring. Many of his photographs, cameras, handmade postcards, and other personal items are on view. I found the people working there to be incredibly welcoming, knowledgeable, and helpful. Below are just a few of the items on exhibit.




In addition, the gallery also sells many unique and beautiful pieces sourced by the owners. The objects are international, unusual, often distressed and rusty, and arranged in interesting vignettes. I captured a few below:





They sell a book about Dan -- The Journals of Dan Eldon: The Journey is the Detsination, which is widely available for purchase. It is a moving tribute to an amazing man.









His journals are a site to behold and no pictures do them justice. But I will leave you with this last image anyway...

Billboard Three

BILL: a written or printed public notice or advertisement
BOARD: a flat surface, as an object of rectangular shape, on which something is posted
BILLBOARD: mixed media book inspired by old, neglected, and distressed billboards

Page 3 in Billboard





Ingredients: altered paper, ephemera, acrylic paint, dry transfer, pigment and dye ink, packing tape, found builders tape, pen. 6 1/2" x 3 1/4". Please click images to enlarge.

ABCs

In this previous post from my recent NYC art tour, I showed a series of photographs I took at ABC Carpet & Home. More than a place to shop, this is a place of endless visual inspiration. Check out their website to get a small taste of the experience. Their larger displays and smaller vignettes are constantly changing and sometimes they seem to manage the impossible by moving entire departments seemingly overnight. Several people commented and emailed about this particular picture from the post:


I wish I knew more about it. It was a large piece that I was unable to capture fully in a photograph because of the way it was displayed. The background was collaged with ephemera, sheet music, an old flower print, a vintage postcard, and real pressed flowers. It was overlayed with what-I-can-only-describe-as golden hued cracked glass. It was quite beautiful. And luckily I have a few other shots of details of the piece.