Two Mixed-Media Projects That Are 'Light' On The Wallet...

I'm working simultaneously on three pieces today, but the two of them are particularly fun for me. I decided to make a mixed media and a simple collage projects that are cheap, or cost little-to-nothing to create. In my post from 3/21 'A Mundane Subject Matter' I wrote about my delight in Trader Joe's paper bag and that's the collage piece. It's not finished yet, but the background containing cut-outs from TJ's bag is finished. I couldn't help myself to not to add a handle.... it actually looks like a shopping bag now.

Untitled

Collage On Canvasboard, 9x12

The second piece is titled 'shRED' and it's also in progress, I must finish both of them tonight, as they'll be submitted to Creativity Portal by tomorrow (my deadline is April 1st). For this mixed media work my inspiration came from trying to convey the idea of recycling-reusing, though that's a real message of the first piece, at least the writing on the bag. I shredded 10-15 pages of Christmas Macy's catalog that were bursting with reds and other high-octane colors. Next I mixed soft gel with Iron Oxide, Black, and Iridescent Gold (fine) across the surface. I wanted a nice, thick layer of paint-gel mixture, about 1/8'' and put lots, and lots of shredded catalog pieces.... THAT WAS FUN, FUN, FUN. I begun to work it into the gel with a palette knife and, at the same time I added a top layer of soft gel mixed with Iridescent Gold on top. I kept on pressing and pushing until the surface was relatively flat, just with enough texture, and then I scraped the remaining gel off.

'shRED'

Mixed Media On Canvasboard, 9x12

So, aside from gels and paint, which I had already used in numerous projects before, the main design elements, a shopping bag and a free catalog, the gross cost of these two pieces totals to $0!!! I also like the fact that instead of sending those two items, the bag and the catalog, straight to the recycle bin, I re-used them. And what's more, now they're not only esthetically pleasing, but also have a chance to inspire someone to find their own ways of perhaps turning mundane into profound....?