Finding Art Supplies In Unexpected Places.... Cheap!

I feel like art making right this minute. Last week I bought myself, what's called an 18'' in diameter 'table round', but I will use it as strata for my next mixed media project. As I've alluded to in the previous posts, here again circular shapes are emerging. In fact I've been wanting to make a mixed media mandala on wood for a long while. If you'd like to save money on wooden surfaces I strongly recommend visiting a lumber yard of your local home improvement store. In my case, Menard's leaves the competition in the dust when it comes to pricing, not to mention art supplies stores ~ herein lays part of the reason of my postponing this project. I've been romancing a 10" in diameter round wood panel at DickBlick but its pricing close to $40 just made me re-think the purchase until.... I met my un-primed, solid wood 'table round' and was stunned with its unassuming sticker price..... $16.99! for almost twice the size of the one at Blick's.

Here's what I know, for now, about this, yet-to-be-born mandala on wood. I will start with coating it with two layers of black gesso, so the subsequent textures with have well defined shapes....and, as always, the rest will emerge on its own.

Can't wait to see what will happen!

P.S.

What's your latest creative fever? Which paint colors you just can't get enough of at the moment? (I listed my 'Top 3' on Facebook the other day)

Growing...

This piece is going through one metamorphosis after another and I am growing with it. I dare to say it changed 'a bit' since my last post...

I slowly am coming to a realization that creativity is a journey in Growing one's self-esteem and somehow this particular piece explores growth. I started with a neatly arranged elements, but kept on yearning for more depth and uncertainty. I actually hesitated to pour some mediums and colors on the surface to build the layers. A little perfectionist, afraid of making a mistake, kept holding my hand. But the spontaneity-cherishing Self pushed for the unknown...

I believe that this artwork connects with something deeper within me, it feels authentic and I'll gladly sign my name on it once finished.

For now I'll keep on adding layers and elements until I hear an inner prompting to stop.

"Modern Women" Series - An Altered Art Keepsake

The buttons helped me to change direction with this piece. Initially I wanted to use short lengths of ribbon and some stickers, but the bag of buttons kept 'calling my name' and I found a sheet of collage paper from a last year's workshop I took. Once I saw those old newspaper classifieds-style images I laid the stickers aside and pulled the bag of buttons closer...

The image on the piece is an ad for a sawing machine company and I have another one depicting a hair product for women. I want to create another couple of altered tiles to complement the first piece and use similar theme images.Since the size of this altered art composition is only 4x4, a small gessoed board, I think having 3-4 pieces in a series will create a strong theme and bring all of them into a stronger unity.

The entire project has been published on Creativity Portal. See a Step-by-Step instructions here:

http://www.creativity-portal.com/howto/a/tatiana-kuzyk/altered-art-60-minutes.html

Working On The Piece From The Post "Work In Progress"

I was blessed with, a much needed, day off today. I read some beautiful excerpts from 'A Course In Miracles' first thing this morning.... and my day is ebbing and flowing leisurely. Yesterday I 'stumbled' on a big, heavy bag of forgotten mosaic tiles and glass pieces. I bought them over four years ago at my local Dick Blick, and barely used them. Turns out, that the glass pieces are exactly what my work in progress needed along with a beautiful ribbon.




The colors are just jumping off each other and the texture is pretty cool. I started that piece last weekend with an intention for an exploration in textures. I just love the journey.


The gluing of ribbons and glass is very tedious, so it will be a while before all pieces are permanently in their places. The work is flowing, as I found an old CD titled "Forest Piano" by Dan Gibson - HIGHLY RECOMMEND, especially for us city dwellers, it's quiet magical.