New Work: 12 x 12 x 12 September 2017

The inspiration in creating 12 x 12 x 12 September 2017 was the busy hurricane season the US has been having recently, as well as my interest in incorporating construction fence imagery in my artwork.

It was created with a piece of fabric that had monoprinted "holes" in a large square shaped construction fence (as opposed to the texture of the grid of the fence which I usually do), collaged acrylic skins of photos of the top of a roll of construction fencing (the swirling round imagery), and paint.

I've been working on my 12 x 12 x 12 series since January 2007. It has given me time to create one 12" x 12" x 1" piece on board each month, no matter how many other things are going on that month. It's a wonderful opportunity for me to experiment with an idea or technique or a combination of both. This series is really about experimentation and creating something on a regular basis, no matter what else is going on in my life. Sometimes I like a piece, and sometimes not.

More Work in Progress: Dates in a Life Project

Because milk expiration dates have gone from August into September, here's an update on my Dates in a Life Project, documenting the expiration and purchase dates of my family's milk purchases in 2017. 

The written dates are the expiration dates of our milk bottles.

The white painted lines in-between the stitching mark how many bottles of milk were purchased that day. If we bought one bottle there's white below the day. If we bought a second bottle, there's white to the left of the day, and if we bought three, there's white to the right of the day.

The white dotted lines connect the date we purchased the milk with the expiration date. 

The empty squares in the Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday columns show the expiration days of the milk company we commonly buy our milk from. 

The dotted lines not only help to explain this project, but design-wise, the gridded "calendar" is now an abstract design because this is an art piece, not just a research project.

Check back for more updates through the end of 2017. I am looking forward to adding more as we need more milk.

New Work: Autumn Photos and Fences #1-8

The Autumn Photos and Fences series incorporates photos of the ground in Autumn in Massachusetts with colorful textures of construction fences. The paintings include a combination of monoprinting, painting, and stitching, with acrylic skins of the photographs collaged on top.

Autumn Photos and Fences #1

mixed media on cradled board

22" x 10" x 1"

2017

I started this series over a year and a half ago, and then didn't touch it until this summer, when I finally had the time and inspiration to finish it. It was supposed to be the second of a four-part series that incorporated acrylic skins of photos from nature collaged over monoprints from construction fences. In 2015 I created Bubbles and Cracks on Ice on Fences series, Street Ice on Fences series, and the Skating Marks on Ice on Fences series, which I was very happy about, and now the Autumn Photos and Fences series. I have since decided to not create Spring and Summer for many reasons. I may or may not consider it at a later time.

Autumn Photos and Fences #2

mixed media on cradled board

22" x 10" x 1"

2017

 

Autumn Photos and Fences #3

mixed media on cradled board

22" x 10" x 1"

2017

Autumn Photos and Fences #4

mixed media on cradled board

22" x 10" x 1"

2017

Autumn Photos and Fences #5

mixed media on cradled board

22" x 10" x 1"

2017

Autumn Photos and Fences #6

mixed media on cradled board

22" x 10" x 1"

2017

Autumn Photos and Fences #7

mixed media on cradled board

22" x 10" x 1"

2017

Autumn Photos and Fences #8

mixed media on cradled board

22" x 10" x 1"

2017

New Work: 12 x 12 x 12 August 2017

12 x 12 x 12 August 2017 was created with a piece of monoprinted construction fence fabric, fabric paint, acrylic paint, pencil, and layers of leftover pieces of acrylic skins of autumn photos from a new series of paintings I am about to complete.

I started out with a plan about how to create this piece, and while I used the materials I planned on using, it came out entirely different than what was in my head. I think it's OK, but at the moment, I don't love it. Maybe it'll grow on me over time. Or maybe not.

I've been working on my 12 x 12 x 12 series since January 2007. It has given me time to create one 12" x 12" x 1" piece on board each month, no matter how many other things are going on that month. It's a wonderful opportunity for me to experiment with an idea or technique or a combination of both. This series is really about experimentation and creating something on a regular basis, no matter what else is going on in my life. Sometimes I like a piece, and sometimes not. 

"An Aggregate of Forces: 60 Women Artists Over 60"

Check out "An Aggregate of Forces: 60 Women Artists Over 60", one of whom includes me and my most delicious work of art, my 60th birthday cake!

Thanks to Joanne Mattera for including me in the list and also to Liz Berman AKA The Sleepy Baker for the cake decorating opportunity!

More Work in Progress: Dates in a Life Project

I've been working on my Dates in a Life Project, documenting the expiration and purchase dates of my family's milk purchases in 2017.

The written dates are the expiration dates of our milk bottles.

The white painted lines in-between the stitching mark how many bottles of milk were purchased that day. If we bought one bottle there's white below the day. If we bought a second bottle, there's white to the left of the day, and if we bought three, there's white to the right of the day.

Last week, I added white fabric in the empty squares in the Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday columns, the expiration days of the milk company we commonly buy our milk from. 

This week, I added white dotted lines to connect when we actually purchased the milk and what the expiration date was. 

I think the dotted lines are not only helping to explain this project, but design-wise, the gridded "calendar" is now becoming more of an abstract design.

After being pretty uncertain about where this was going, I really like how it's finally taking shape now. Not to rush the end of 2017 too soon, I am looking forward to adding more as we need more milk.

Check back for more updates.

Work in Progress: Dates in a Life Project

I'm past the halfway point working on my Dates in a Life Project, documenting the expiration and purchase dates of my family's milk purchases in 2017.

The written dates are the expiration dates of our milk bottles.

The white painted lines in-between the stitching mark how many bottles of milk were purchased that day. If we bought one bottle there's white below the day. If we bought a second bottle, there's white to the left of the day, and if we bought three, there's white to the right of the day.

I recently added white fabric in the empty squares in the Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday columns, the expiration days of the milk company we commonly buy our milk from. 

I'm considering adding lines of thread or thin yarn to show when we actually purchased the milk and what the expiration date was. The lines in the photo above were added in Photoshop as a sketch. They are not actual lines. I haven't made any definite decisions about adding them yet. 

Check back for more updates.