Posts Tagged ‘artist’

Art Imitates Life

Posted: June 1, 2023 in Art, Upcycle
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Webbed Map of Life
(Photo: In the works.)

I don’t have any photos of the beginning of this piece, but I can tell I did not have this end in mind. But, here is a video of the very start.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTREYCYHm/

After I decided to use an old map to tear up, I was thinking of amap of life. Then when I was doing the needlepoint it looked like Morse code, so I decided to sew in words that have to do with living life. I finished the 5 Strips and there it sat for a couple of months. I was in a rut, I didn’t create.

(Photo: What word do you see?)

While we were packing for the move, I packed in the strips along with some supplies. Then we moved and then I was so moved to create again.

(Photo: We make ties to people to places and even to things.)

I needed something for structure and to represent the steady stuff, the structure of our lives. Wood was the strength needed and pink was the perfect amount of innocence and love.

(Photo: Upcycled Art of Life)

I used floss because it has 6 threads that brings it together to be. No one stands on their own.

Ok, and I had plenty of it.

(Photo: We are all interconnected.)

The art piece told me what to do with the hanging floss as soon as I held it up. All the hanging floss had to be connected to each other. Some webs may look chaotic, but there is a method in the madness. Life looks a mess, but maybe that is as it should be.

(Photo: It’s a delicate piece…Just like Life.)

Thank you for visiting My Gnome Little World.

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DABBLING

Posted: August 27, 2019 in Uncategorized
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Dabbling, not to be confused with Dabbing, the popular dance move.

  • Yes, I HAD to use the Rainbow Unicorn as an example!

You know that phrase, “Jack of all Trades”? Well, to me one must “Dabble” first before becoming a “Jack”. Dabbling to me, is when I start doing something new to me creatively.

I checked Wikipedia for the origins of “Jack of all trades” (because I am that person). Although now-a-days, I feel the phrase is a positive description, it started out as a dig to Shakespeare by the writer Robert Green in his 1952 booklet “Greene’s Groats-Worth of Wit”.

  • I dabbled with gifted vintage art supplies.

It wasn’t until 1962 when a version of it appeared in the book “Essays and Characters of a Prison” by English writer Geffray Mynshul. He most likely wrote it when he was imprisoned for debt. I assume he was not a “Master” financier.

  • After my first acrylic piece, I wanted to dabble more.

Which leads me to the added phrase, “A master of none”. This part of the phrase was added later and it was meant as a dig in jest. I also found that there was also another phrase added on to that as well, which I like, “Jack of all trades, master of none, but still better than a master of one”.

I digress, let us get back to my dabbling. In between my musings above I gave you examples of my newest dabble. I am using paints now. I have always used paints but mostly spray paint and paint pens. I did even a brush now and then for furnishings and other upcycled projects. Now I have moved on to actually using brushes and sometimes, awesome vintage water color pencils, for art.

  • One of my paint projects, during my splatter stage.

It all started when a dear friend, gifted a TON of art supplies to my 13 year old artist twin nieces. There was so much product, I kept some extra bits and parts for myself.

My talented nieces lived next door at the time. They came over with their now “tool” box filled of art supplies and we sat down to paint. Here are their paintings.

Olivia’s
Isabella’s

That’s a tough act to follow, so I thought about paintings I had seen in art galleries that I liked. I though Maybe I could do something like this Cézanne.

Or Maybe this Rothko…

Or Maybe not, but I tried.

And so, this is my first Acrylic painting!

I’m not sure it is up there with the greats, but I do so like it. I love the texture in it, that you can’t see here, but I laid it on thick. I love color and I am happy with this piece.

I enjoyed painting so much, I dabbled more. Here is my second acrylic piece. It’s called “Sand, Sea, Sky”, a subject that I have been obsessed with since we move near the beach on a Caribbean island.

It was based on a photo I took on an island off of Puerto Rico, called Vieques. It is a photo of what I love to call “island water”. It is that clear water with sea foam green slowly turning into hints of turquoise.

  • See? Sand, Sea Sky.

I played with those cool vintage water color pencils, that you can see in a photo up above, and created the piece below. I really like this one, almost love because art is so not perfect. I love how in some way the colors blend bleeding into each other, but then I also love how the green left stark lines above the yellow. I guess in a way I was trying to overlap the water over the sand like in the photo. The piece gives you an idea of the photo, but in it’s own way, separately, a piece of beauty.

A birthday card for my friend.

I already have another canvas set out for me to dabble more.

  • Waiting for me.

Who Knows…I may not even use paint. My other newest dabble, Sea Glass! I love hunting for it here where it is plentiful! I wonder often what to do with all the lovely of glass that has been softened into wonderful bits of art.

  • I put the glass on the white canvas to see the dreamy colors of the sea glass.

I am off to play with my photography now. I do dabble a lot.

Thanks for visiting My Gnome Little World. I never know will be happening up in here. Please come back!

  • My Gnome and His Little World…Where I live.

TUBES/TINS/TUBS of LOVE

Posted: January 10, 2016 in Upcycle
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From TubesLove

It all Started with the above tins that my Friend sent me.

You see, many years ago I turned tiny tins into nicely decorated pills boxes for all my girlfriends. I used to make small Christmas gifts for most of my friends every year. I guess she thought I could do something with her collection.

I had recently moved right into the inner city of Chicago. Along with the Skyscrapers, great views, museums and awesome restaurants there are also people down on their luck. I had not been in a living situation in a long time were I saw people who were homeless, out of work and/or sick asking for money in my neighborhood, every day, every where I walk. My heart was breaking for them.

I came up with the idea to use the tins to decorate and insert some  money and small things for these people, my TINS of LOVE! Then I realized they were way too small for what I wanted to do.

From TubesLove

I was saving Toilet Paper Rolls for Art projects. When I realized the tins were too small, I looked at a roll one day and thought this size would be better, my TUBES of LOVE!

From TubesLove

The plan was to start handing them out right before Christmas and throughout the winter for as long as I had supplies.

I had already been collecting 1 dollar bills and quarters to put in my TUBES of LOVE. I told a few friends and family about my plan. My Mother Inlaw, who collects a lot of stuff, sent me a box of stuff to stuff in my TUBES of LOVE! I also bought big multi-packs of gum.

From TubesLove

After Halloween, I collected leftover single wrapped candy from my neighbors and bought bags on sale for the TUBES of LOVE, for a bit of fun.

From TubesLove

I made a list of all Shelters, Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens and Warming Centers in Chicago for each one of my TUBES of LOVE.

From TubesLove

On the Sheet of Paper, I wrote a Note.

From TubesLove

I thought of items besides the money and candy, and thought soap and aspirin could be helpful. I had some hotel soaps and shampoos. The little bars of soap were too big, so I started to cut them down to a size that would fit, wrapped them in clear cellophane and labeled them.

From TubesLove

I also divided a large bottle of acetaminophen into packs of 6-8 pills each too.

From TubesLove

I had to cut the sheets of info down to fit better inside the tubes.

From TubesLove

The plan was to roll it all up and then stuff it in the TP Roll/Tube!  Yes, All of the below would fit into One TUBE!

From TubesLove

I started with rolling the items up in a dollar bill.

From TubesLove

Then I would roll that up with candy on each end in the folded in inforamtion Sheet.

From TubesLove

Easy Peasy!

From TubesLove

It all Fit Perfectly!

From TubesLove

But just so stuff would not fall out when it was opened, I put a small piece of tape at both ends.

From TubesLove

After I stuffed around 30 Tubes, I then decorated each TUBE of LOVE.

From TubesLove

Just Basic Decorating, as I was going to Wrap them as well.

From TubesLove

First Round of TUBES of LOVE Ready to be Wrapped!

From TubesLove

Fun and Light-Hearted. Literally, there are little hearts on them!

From TubesLove

Stuffed with Love!

From TubesLove

Part of the Idea for TUBES of LOVE is Recycle / Upcycle. So along with all the other items I saved, I also saved paper bags. I cut the bags up to lay out flat.  I painted it all

From TubesLove

I had 2 sessions of fun using paint and markers.

From TubesLove

I wrapped them “candy” style using string at each end. The First Batch was Done!

From TubesLove

They were all handed out before we left town to have Christmas with out family. During the time away I got my nephew and nieces involved with making more TUBES of LOVE! We also handed some out in Sacramento, CA, where they live. The rest I brought back to Chicago with me. Below is two of the TUBES of LOVE my twin nieces Stuffed, Wrapped and Decorated.

From TubesLove

 

an

From TubesLove

I received 3 boxes of supplies from friends and family!  I was overwhelmed and very happy.  After exploration of these boxes, I realized many of the items were over-sized for the TUBES of LOVE.

From TubesLove

So I went bigger, Bigger TINS, that is! It all started with tiny tins and now I was back to tins, but bigger and better! I went to the Salvation Army Outlet Store here in Chicago. I bought Tins, and Socks as I learned they were highly needed. The women checking me out, actually gave me a better deal on the items after she heard about my TINS of LOVE project.

From TubesLove

So Much More Love Stuffing! The tins I used would vary in size, but I do not want to go too big as I need carry them as I give them out.

From TubesLove

I still decorated the TINS of LOVE like I did for the TUBES of LOVE, but since many of the TINS were already nicely decorated, I now do less decorating and more stuffing!

From TubesLove

At Top of the Above Photo, on the right and left, you will see TUBS of LOVE. Yes, I have expanded to using Plastic Tubs/Containers/Jars as well. Happy to recycle/upcycle as much as I can!

The TINS of LOVE above are my current batch.  I am down to just a few more as I handed some out the other day.

I have supplies to make more, but I need more containers!  I will do another batch of TUBES of LOVE before I get more TINS/TUBS. I am going to Cleveland soon and will see if I can give away some of the TUBES of LOVE there.

From TubesLove

I will hand them out for the rest of Winter or until my supplies run out.

If you have any questions on how you can do this as well, please comment below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.  Or if you want to donate any stuffing items to my TUBES/TINS/TUBS of LOVE Project, please comment as well and leave your email address for private communications.

By Education, I am a Recreational Therapist. I have worked with Youth a lot in this position and my favorite activities were art related, if I could include a lesson that made the project even better.  I would love to do this project with more Children. I can volunteer with programs within Chicago if you would like me to lead this project at your program!

Thank you and I hope you Enjoyed this project of mine!

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