New mixed media collages on etsy

I've had a little time to create and put some new items on my shop at etsy, with more to come. Here's one of the new items!

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

It's not easy waiting to hear from someone who may or may not have been through a tornado. My husband and son are in Barnstead, NH right now (sleeping in tents at boy scout camp) and although I know they are OK, yesterday I wasn't so sure. A tornado went right through Barnstead and surrounding communities. At least one person died and there are several people who lost their homes. So I'm thankful that they were spared, and very sad for the people who are facing a struggle there now. This is a digital collage I did while waiting to hear whether Joey & Ken were okay.

Barcelona Digital Painting

Well I guess I've finally recup- erated from the Europe trip. It was SO interesting to see the highlights of the cities I visited (Barcelona image above is a digital painting I did from one of my photos). This is available as an 8x10 print on my etsy shop.

But back to reality.

My grandmother (step-grandmother actually, but she has been so good to me since I was 5 years old, the "step" part doesn't make much sense) was hit by a car the other day and has been in the hospital. Seems like it was a head-on collision and her arm is broken in four places. She is mending, but did you know the gasses in an airbag can burn your skin, like, off? I didn't. So that complicates things. And the fact that she is 90 doesn't help.

I have been whining to myself that I haven't had much time to create, and I think her accident puts things a bit more in perspective. So no more whining, and I'll be happy with the fragmented time that I can find to make new art.

Evening in Paris Digital Collages

I created these digital collages from several of the pictures I took while in Paris. I loved the textures of all the old buildings and walls, the posters for various concerts and happenings, the people, the lights, you name it. I wanted to capture the spice of life, and the hazy sort of memory one has of visiting a place (real or imagined).

I prepared textured substrates on which to print these collages (very carefully, over the course of two days) but when the prints hit the substrates everything worked out wrong and for some reason I just could not get them to play well together. So frustrating, considering it is the same method I have used on several other pieces in the past.

So this post is just for me, to remember not this failed art experiment, but to come and visit my hazy memory of Paris as I have imagined it.

Queens in the Castle

Sometimes you're in the right place at the right time, and you don't even know it. During our Europe trip, we saw the changing of the guard, which was very formal, very British. Our tour guide informed us that the queen was in the castle that day (indicated by a flag raised over the palace) because they were hosting Nelson Mandela on his 90th birthday. "Neat," I thought. Well, last night I watched the concert for Nelson Mandela, which occurred while I was in London, and Queen (the band) played. Queen was the first concert I ever saw, with Freddie Mercury in all his glory. It would have been awesome to see them in London, but without Freddie it's not the same. But it sure looked like a good time!