Dia de los Muertos - Lakewood style

This was my favorite, one, ladders, branches, birds, nests and these beautiful egg shells (with resin) and flower petals. I am not sure what it had to do with Day O'Dead, but I loved it.These were in a second gallery, in a juried show, they were the runners up and if the art in the main gallery for any reason could not fulfill it's duties, it would get to move over?

Love the hands!

Yaketty, yak, don't talk back, oh wait are they singing to each other?

Could ya dance all night in these?

This was more iridescent in real life I didn't notice the "haints" until I moved and the light hit them.

I like the reflection

These 2 are from the featured artist.

Stephanie posted about an exhibit in Lakewood Co and I knew I was going to be in Lakewood and so pursued my family to take me to the exhibit. It was so worth all the cajoling and begging.. no really, they were glad to go with me, right Steven? Any way here are some additional images from those in Steph' post. I am sorry I didn't get the artists' names or titles. They were all wonderful.

More Seasonings from Fort Collins

The Pope Box - Pamela Milld

Jonny Wright

Corazons - Linda Folkerts

High Fashion - Judy Vandegrift

Prayer box #1 - Jeff Miller

Life's Passion - Christine Webb

Loyola - Sandy Ackerson

Sonadora - Sandy Ackerson

Man of the Earth - Sara Hanlon

Reliquary - Brenda Stumpf

May - Pamela Milld

Amour Eterrno - Paula Giovanini-Morris

My apologies if I spelled your name wrong or labeled them incorrectly!

Tis the season

Skulls and alters and marigolds, oh my!

This is the work of Laurie Zuckerman at the Artist's Nook in Bellvue, Colorado. I love that it is so personal. My mother only tolerated marigolds, thought they stunk and were only for outside color, but my dad would have loved this whole thing, the veggies, the colors, the marigolds. We even had veggies in his casket spray! Daddy thought if you couldn't eat it, you shouldn't grow it but marigolds were an exception since they kept the bugs away from his beloved tomato plants.

I first saw Laurie's work in Fort Collins and Loveland a few years ago and was really, really taken with it. (my favorite one - all pink!! wanna see pictures of that?) Her attention to detail is amazing and each alter is just fun. Wait, can an alter to the dead really be considered fun? I think so, and beautiful and charming and joyful. Postpones that 3rd death! This is the 3rd or 4th exhibt of hers I have been able to see and each one is more intriguing than the next. Her memory jugs are pretty amazing as well.
Christine also has several of Laurie's photographs displayed and many more Day O'Dead pieces (that will be in another post) from other local FC artists. I have had the good fortune to attend many exhibits this year and I am loving it!! They're coming, I'll share, don't worry, you'll get to see what I see, have I ever kept anything to myself?
If you love this kind of art and this time of year, and you live close (relative term - okay so I went 500 miles to see it, well, that and play with my family, and oh to take classes but none the less it is that far away from my house) but driving distance, it would make a great weekend road trip. Last year we went up just to see the Gorey Detales exhibit that Christine hosted so sometimes I make that "sacrifice" just for a show...
Keep watching this space for more Dia de los Muertos fun!

Things are not always what they seem

Another Magdalena image. Can you tell which is real and which is a reflection?

The Textured Surface

Words as texture
Strictly black and white
Texture with 4 digital substrates and only what you had on your table, not more than 5 things
Back side of book made with those substrates and the addition on a sheet of white paper
Working outside my comfort zone - learning about myself and my style and that I really, really don't like working with red, or not having any organic elements
Piled up texture

This was someone's trash pile at the end of the day, too pretty not to share!

This was the class description:

"Texture is a scrumptious element to add to journals and mixed media art journals.

This workshop is designed to produce extremely interesting textural surfaces by using all sorts of materials.

Examine surface design ideas and develop unique surfaces of your own. There is no end to the way materials can be manipulated to create interest and texture in the surface of your artwork.

We will use fabric, digital prints on various surfaces (be sure to bring photographs and prints that you don't mind altering) and an assortment of items.

Discover the techniques that work the best for you and take the time to create your own signature."

How could you pass that up? I couldn't and really enjoyed it, except for that whole working outside your comfort zone part. I really, really like working inside my comfort zone! As my friend used to say, change is inevitible, growth is optional...

Holding on to Autumn

The texture class was great, I'll post the photos later. Just like this lazy yellow jacket, I am holding on to the most glorious autumn colors, time with my family and enjoying almost every color of the rainbow. Not having much luck getting those colors to translate with my camera, so I've stopped taking pictures, but only for a little while! I'll be back in the mood to post when I am back once again in the Land of Enchantment.

KathyAnne White - Day one

We burnt Lutradur (sp?), learned about embedded things in a gel medium skin, how to print on window screen, lace, fabrics and lots of other things. It was fun, exhausting and I see new "tools" in my future.
I also got to take a few pictures in Bellvue, where the wonderful Artist's Nook is now in the most charming house.
This is shadow of a blue glass block on dirt, how cool is that?
Even with this view out the door, I still payed attention...most of the time! Tomorrow? Texture!