TropicSunset

this is the card i traded for Kent's card (below.) i wasn't going to part with it 'cause i spent hours on it and i really love it. but he wanted it and when i saw the card he made for me i just had to give it to him. i know he'll appreciate it!


TropicSunset

crows and skulls...

...two of my most favorite subjects are captured in this outstanding card recieved in a swap from Kent Turner.


Field of Valor

for onyablue

i've just joined a swap of 2nd generation ATCs on ATCards forum. that's a swap where you send in a number of cards you've received in trade but are ready to pass on. sometimes you get them in a group swap or people send you extras and they just aren't the style of art you're interested in. i'll get the same amount of cards in return from people who are also culling their collections. it will be interesting to see what i get.

part of playing in this particular swap is to make a card for the person after you on the sign up list. i made this card for a guy who lives in australia and likes fishing. it's printed on an excerpt from a book with a hand carved rubber stamp that i made.


TheManWhoWalkedThroughTime

Collage and Texture

these are two very different cards, both using detailed, creative collage techniques. unfortunately, the part you can't see from this digital scan is the wonderful texture on each of them. they are exquisite! thanks for the trades!!


King of Hearts - Taska


Ananse Atonton - Jan

Abstract Portraits

here are three cards i received from a new on-line swap buddy named Susan McAllister from Berkeley. the red and black one is titled "Self-Portrait as a Cockatiel in a Tomato Bush".

Digital Art

i have to say, although i find it entertaining to play with digital manipulation of my photos, i rarely think of it as "art". i feel the same way about others' digital manipulations. it's not that interesting, fun things can't be created with digital manipulation it's just not "art". here is a signifcant exception! a beautiful, magical creation i received in a 1:1 swap.


Tut Funeral Mask_KJ McLean

Crow Swap

here are the three cards i received in a swap hosted by Alter My World on Nervousness.


"Night Watch"_Wendy Klassen


"The Watcher"_Jacey


"Death Came Calling"_Alter My World

fun with ATCs

i've received some wonderful new ATCs in trade this past week. below are three from Dela Dejavoo. i'm always on the lookout for new, original, creative art in the form of those little cards. let me know if you're interested in a trade!


Room for 2 More?


The Way Things Turned Out


Small Men Make Green Bot

in like a lion

well, March is here and it's nearly spring. trees are in bloom and the crocuses are up. and, true to the saying, it has been very stormy here in the northwest with winds, rain, snow, ice, thunder, and hail. i can't say it hasn't been exciting! i've also done some spring cleaning in the process of downsizing my studio and that feels really good. i like my new space, though i haven't had much time to work in it yet. i look forward to some good "art time" in the next week. in the mean time, here are some new ATCs i've received in trade recently. remember, you can see my art and availble ATCs at the link on the left.


The Square Root of Pi_Marti Thomas Hamilton


carnival_vlad (vitamin joe)

beyond The Scream

i don't know about you, but i'm fascinated by the visionary art of tortured souls. Edvard Munch was one such artist. he lost his mother and favorite sister at a young age and was, himself, plagued by illness and insanity. you can read a fascinating article about him in this month's Smithsonian Magazine here.

international art

i'm back from a trip to warm and wet Hawaii and practically feeling like i never left. getting back into the stress of work and still hoping to make time for art. i'm in the process of moving into my new studio space and looking forward to getting settled in and hanging out there. i've made some recent trades with a cool artist from Manchester, UK who goes by Vitamin Joe. i especially like the "untitled" one that was inpired by the work of Viktor Vasarely.


Optigan 1

Lunar Polar

Untitled

incoming art

i'm off to hawai'i on friday for 12 days so this is just a quick update.

i've decided not to give up my studio altogether. i'm just gonna downsize to a smaller place and concentrate on mail art for a while. it's a compromise for now. the workload in my day job isn't getting any lighter.

i also wanted to share a couple of great (and very different) ATCs i've received recently:


Marti Thomas Hamilton


Matthew Moore

Aloha...

the new year

well, it is the beginning of another year and a time when many people evaluate the past year and make resolutions for the coming year. i usually begin this process around Samhain and continue it through the beginning of the Gregorian year. i just looked at my Solstice wishes and resolutions made last winter. i made a resolution to make art and work on integrating with an art community. i also wished for Peace through the end of divided communities through openness and acceptance. i'm happy to say that i do feel like i've made some progress and am contributing toward that lofty goal in my own life. i have enjoyed being part of a few on-line communities sharing art across the globe. it's both a connection with real people and the act of sending a little piece of myself out into the unknown. it's quite rewarding.

on the other hand, i have also come to a place in my (real) career where i have had to make a decision about whether to commit to the demands of my job for a time or leave it for something simpler and less stressful. i've decided on the career path for now. sadly, with that decision has come the realization that i must give up my studio. i've had a separate space to do art for many years and i've enjoyed this space for over 5 years now. i love it and will miss it but i am in the process of packing it up. i'll be keeping some things available for small mail-art projects but much of it will go into storage for later when i can have more time and energy to devote to it.

but, on a lighter note and in keeping with the goal of supporting Peace through art, here are three ATCs i've received recently from Leah Felicity in PA, Katie in MO, and Mindy in NV, respectively. Great work, don't you think?

the benefits of on-line trading

i'm a sometimes member of a few on-line forum communities who exchange art and other things through the mail. i had (have) some things to get rid of and offered them for free on one of the sites. i ended up sending a few tubes of acrylic paint to the artist, Amy Kollar Anderson. in return, she sent me these three ATCs, which are trimmed-to-size from other paintings. i love them! hope you enjoy them also. you can see more of her art here.

linda needs

here's an odd little 'google' game...

enter your name + "needs" (linda needs) and record the first 10 entries on the list:

1. linda needs to be a part of a loving, committed marriage
2. linda needs the following donated to the WorldHeart Foundation for future disaster relief
3. linda needs sleep
4. linda needs to rest her hands from all the orders she has had to make these past few months
5. linda needs to have one program for capturing customer data
6. linda needs a new best friend
7. linda needs some help with her appearance
8. linda needs to be bright, lighting on the LCD screen
9. linda needs to be gone after
10. linda needs to get Kerri the registration dates for Spring and Summer activities

now, it's odd enough, these random bits of internet advice coming from the ether, but what is odder still is the source material that produces them...

check it out, and have fun. i think i'll go get some sleep.

Winter Solstice

Shortest Day, Longest Night
From the Dark Into the Light...

it is nearly Winter Solstice, one of my top two favorite holidays of the year. here in seattle, the days get noticeably shorter in the winter. it's dark when i leave for work and dark when i come home. it's also been a very cold winter so far, at least by our standards. fortunately today and the rest of this weekend will be sunny and bright. and soon the sun will begin it's journey back to the north and our days will begin growing again. here are a couple of new cards to celebrate the season...

Outstanding Art!

i recently participated in a 3 for 3 swap on Secondary Nervousness on the theme of The Day of the Dead. here are the 3 absolutely fabulous cards i received in return. i must say, i think i got the better end of the deal. i love all three of these.

they are made by stellaluna, altermyworld, and Carol Dellinger, respectively.

More Gel Point ATCs

i'm still having a great time with this newly discovered technique. as with any attempt at artistic expression, one has successes and failures. some of these are obviously better, more interesting, or more beautiful than others but they're all fun to do. i just need to keep an open mind about the process and know that every attempt doesn't have to be perfect. since each one only takes about an hour to complete and is a relaxing process in itself there's nothing lost in working on it. and besides, they are all done on recycled card stock! you can see all of them at this link: Gel Point ATCs

Fun in ATC Land

i've just discovered this wonderful expressive technique for ATCs. each card takes about an hour to complete. the results are mixed, so far, but i like the "doing" of it so much it doesn't really matter. i feel like i could sit and do this for hours. it seems like it could become an obssession. if anyone ever looks at this blog i'm curious to know what you think.

more cutouts

here are a few more tissue paper cutouts inspired by Day of the Dead flags: