Susie's Muse

Numbers

Numbers is a truly amazing piece of artwork from the hands of an incredible artist. It is worth the time to check out. If you wish to be moved take the time to check out this piece.

Numbers

You will be awed and touched.

New Art Journal

Last night I put the finishing touches on the cover of my newest art journal.

The underlayer of this cover was created using Berh's crackle medium. The top coat of that layer was originally an offwhite with an under color of a deep blue. I painted over that with a sepia colored wash. I then used Golden's crackle medium which is a textural medium around the edges to add another layer. I then used the same sepia wash over that layer then added it's title 'unfinished' When seen in person it actually looks and feels like wood that has been burnt. The back cover is done in the same manner but I left that plain for the time being.

Bright Lights

Last week, I spent an afternoon dying textured papers I had. The paper all used to be white. Some of it is very sheer and some of it is a combo of paper and cheese cloth. I simply created a dye bath in a shallow pallette pan; let the paper get saturated and then carefully remove and allow to dry.

                                                   

ABout that Door

I was remiss in the sharing of my newest artwork; the beautiful door image was shared with me courtesy Kathy Mcelroy who so graciously shared many beautiful images with me that she took on her European holiday last year. Take a trip over to her site. http://kathymcelroy.typepad.com/ The door is in Florence Italy.

Finished, Almost...

Well after nearly a year I have finished a piece I have been laboring over. It's a long story but the piece was inspired first by the lyrics of a song. I started with a layer of gesso and then added some vintage text. I used titan buff and did a wash over the text and used Golden's Crackle medium. It sat that way for a very long time. Eventually I was going to add an image of a bridge but abandoned the whole idea and I let the canvas sit for months untouched. I went back to it one afternoon with a new vision for it. It ended up looking like this which I posted earlier here. Before I added the image of the door. I crackled the mid area with Behr's crackle medium and then added the image of the door.  Again, I let it sit this way until last week. I just started adding layers and layers of this wonderful sepia wash I created with Behr's glaze medium and tube acrylic that I had used on a different piece. I started out with a light wash and then just kept adding layers of color. I then stumbled upon a poem by Brian Andreas that reads as follows;

Opening a door to the mysteries,

hoping to shed a little dark on

all the stuff we think we know

Once I found that poem I knew I wanted this piece to reflect the poem.

It now looks like this. I added 2 hinges from an old barn door and some rusted chicken wire. The last step was to add a key and then the text of the poem at the top. I want those who view it to have to get close enough to it to read the text. I may still add a cool antique door knob plate I have but I am not sure about that yet. For now I am pleased with this. Me and this piece go way back and have quite a history.

Also Check out..

I nearly forgot to share this. When visiting Red Velvet make sure you check out this link on Judy's blog. It's a gorgeous and stunning journal called Of Elephants and Dreams. http://redvelvetcreations.blogspot.com/2007/05/finally-revealing-part-of-visual.html This has got to be about the most amazing hand bound journal I have ever seen.

A Blog Worth Visiting

Every so often I discover a website or blog that becomes an every day visit. We all have our favorite sites for one reason or another but I discovered one through Michael Demeng's site http://www.michaeldemeng.blogspot.com/ that any artist will find amazing art that not only is beautiful to look at but her writing will touch your heart. http://www.redvelvetcreations.blogspot.com/ If you take the time to visit make sure you read some of her older posts. You won't regret taking the time. And by all means if you have never visited Michael's blog and website do so. http://www.michaeldemeng.com/. Those sites should keep you busy for awhile. Enjoy!

Travelin'Muse

I am hosting a Round Robin on the In This House Yahoo group. Each of us has altered a small suitcase, a journal and written a story which we will all alter and add to as the artwork makes it's rounds.

This is the outside of my little suitcase. My story is about finding one's muse.

This is the inside of the cover.

This is the first page of my journal. It opens accordian style and is sewn together with tapestry tabs. Each page has been crackled.

This is the back side of my first page. There is a pocket sewn on each page for everyone's addition to the story.

If you are interested in joining the Yahoo group for 'In This House' the link is below. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inthishouse/