Copyright: All artwork/content protected under ©2007-2011 Lynne Ciacco

All content herein copyright © Lynne Ciacco


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Art Journal

What's this?  A new painting?



Well, you should know me better than that by now!  This is a digitally "enhanced" version of a collage I recently made with magazine papers, acrylic paint, and pastels that I slammed together in my (sadly neglected) art journal.

Rumours of my having run off and joined the circus are highly exaggerated.  I'm still here visiting the old homestead on the west coast and, as my time here winds down, I'm beginning to panic and have an irresistible urge to make some markings in the art journal I started several weeks ago.  When my morning at the breakfast table begins with tearing out pages from art magazines, a day of collaging is bound to ensue.  This is an example of the result.



Here's a double-page spread, not necessarily meant to be "read" together or taken as one "canvas" but I find that one page tends to play off the other.  It shows my brain at work, I guess, making associations of colours and shapes.  On the left (Art=The Bitter Truth), you see the basis for the image at the top of this posting, which I think could translate to a very good painting on canvas at a future date.  Maybe.  Meanwhile, it's great to be able to "paint" with the very limited tools and space that I have on hand.



 "ART enjoy:" is certainly a more upbeat message than that of the left hand page.  Both messages hold truth, though, don't you think?


Of course, I couldn't resist doing a little Photoshopping with this page as well, cropping it and adding an underpainting filter.  Again, could be fodder for a future canvas.

If I'd had any idea that an art journal as a place to experiment would be so engaging (I almost glued my fingers together with all the collaging) I wouldn't have neglected it for so long.  But then, the "muse," that irresistible urge or need to make some sort of art, doesn't always strike when we want her to.  All we can do is welcome her in when she shows up and provide her with our undivided attention.  I think that's the trickiest part...cultivating the time and space that allows concentrated attention to flourish. 
Supper?  Not tonight, dear. 



14 comments:

  1. I like both pages. I'll spend my time trying to enjoy the bitter truth.

    I am happy that you are back to the journal and deciding to stick to it (so to speak).

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  2. DCW,
    With my departure east imminent, it's more like becoming unglued. Rather like the old hit tune from the 60s, "I'm in pieces, bits and pieces!"

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  3. I can feel the focus! You are so right about these pieces easily leading to work on canvas but in the meantime I'm liking all that is here...photoshopping has a wonderful way of clearing out and again 'focusing' on the best bits.
    Always fun spending the rest of the afternoon pulling glue residue off the fingers!

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  4. Blue Sky,
    I see you know whereof I speak. That acrylic medium would be a great way for people with nefarious aims to rid themselves of their fingerprints! I haven't yet done a painting based on a digital or collage "sketch" but I really am intrigued by the new avenues such experiments open up. I love the possibility of one form of expression feeding off, or into, the other.

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  5. Excellent and interesting abstract creations, I really like.

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  6. an art journal and collaging seem like a great way to keep the hand in when away from home. And a journal can been look through for years to come for ideas. Oh and thanks for the warning re: no WV. I have recently been typing away long comments (on other blogs) then being frustrated at finding the prove you are not a robot feature in effect. On my browser I there are no words showing in the WV box so it is impossible.e Argh. Anyway that didnt happen here. Yeah.

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  7. Leovi,
    Oh yes, you are all about abstraction! I'm happy that my own attempts please your eye.

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  8. sukipoet,
    So true, what you say about an art journal being a good source of ideas for years to come. Especially if it takes years to fill it up in the first place.
    I'm glad you took note of the no WV invitation to comment. I was recently frustrated/flabbergasted when I came across Google/Blogger's introduction of the double-whammy-impossible-to-decipher-code-wv so immediately removed it from my blogs. I'd rather put up with clearing out the old spam box from time to time than missing out on cherished comments.

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  9. You're right, cultivating the time and space is the trickiest part. I think it's great that you allow your self to play in your journal, and your photoshopped versions are real art to me- whether you paint them or not.

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  10. Shredding up a storm I see while sniffing glue, no wonder you almost glued your fingers together ! Party on ! Lovely to see these creations, straight from the mind's eye. And here I thought you'd been cavorting with lions and tigers and bears in the circus... funny how rumors like that can fly far and wide... :-)

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  11. Sharmon,
    Ah, your comment about the digital versions of my experiments being real art in themselves is balm for my soul, music to my ears, a sweet sight for my eyes. Thank you for such encouragement!

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  12. Owen,
    And I heard that you'd left Paris for the funny farm! But here you are, and such a sight for these sore eyes. Sore from peering at small bits of paper spread all over my work table, floor, clothes, in my socks and...well, I'll let you imagine where I might uncover that missing link for the image emerging on the page. My glue of choice is acrylic matte medium and if I tried sniffing that (which would be a scentless thing to do) I'd only end up with my nostrils glued together. Picking dried glue off one's fingers is one thing...but from the nostrils? Certainly not a thing to be done in polite company at any rate.

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  13. I love what you did with the first image, which I have dubbed, "Exploding Crucifix."

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  14. Stickup,
    Exploding Crucifix?! Wow-that is one loaded name for a painting. I could do a whole exhibit with that as a theme and I'm sure it would provoke quite a lot of attention
    ...hmmmmm...As they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity.
    ;-)

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