A last maxim and final medieval...for a time...

I'm going to take a summer holiday from making art and from posting to my art blog.  My sister is here at my home on the east coast of Canada, visiting from the west coast for a couple of weeks.  We'll be tootling around on explorations and adventures and then will fly back to Vancouver together. I'll be out there for all of July and probably into August. (I don't have a return ticket yet!)  Will be visiting family and friends; possibly posting to my "home and away" blog, Décolleté,  from time to time if you want to stay in touch.  I may pop up for visits to see what you're up to, and may even surprise myself with some instant art while away that I'll certainly share with you. I wish you all a happy season,whether it be summer or winter where you are!  See you in September...if not before.

Fed up with the pressures, politics, and petty power plays of her executive job, Candace packs up and sets out to find freedom, hitch-hiking across America.

Maxim:

(S)he who fights and runs away 

may live to fight another day.

***

The fifteenth and final college in my Medieval Collage Series

c.2013 L.Ciacco, Dame Nature, collage on paper, approx. 8 x 6 inches

PS. I have posted a separate page of the Medieval Collage Series that you can access from the tabs bar at the top of this page so you can see the whole collection together.

BURIED TREASURE: Paint and Paper Surprise

Seth Apter of The Altered Page has invited artists to dig through their past posts and come up with a piece of "buried treasure" that they feel should be in the spotlight again.  It's also a great way to find other artists hidden away on Blogger. Seth will be posting the links to all the participants on June 12, and it will remain on his sidebar indefinitely.  Happy digging!

I'm reposting "Little Queenie" as she combines my love of mixing collage and painting, and flying by the seat of my pants, expecting the unexpected.
(originally posted in June 2011):

***

It's been awhile since I've painted.  I'm trying to sneak up on it, I guess.  Yesterday I put together a collage of various papers.  Today I decided I didn't like it so might as well smear some paint over it.  I wish I'd have followed my impulse to scan it before I started in with the paint, because you would never believe how I got from there to here...

©2011 L. Ciacco, Little Queenie, collaged papers + acrylic paint on paper, 7.5 x 6 in.

 I had no preconceptions or expectations when I grabbed a tube of unbleached titanium acrylic paint and began slapping it on.  The collage was just random papers--no image.  Many times I thought I'd lost the whole thing and was about to end up with nothing more than a muddy mess.  But gradually this little lady made her presence known.

 I hope you, my blog friends, 

are connecting with your creative powers 

much as the the little queen in the picture 

is growing into her own.

Mo' Maxim and Medieval Moments

Well aware of his girlfriend's tendency to arrive late, Mo hopes he can make his beer last until she shows up.

Maxim:

The glass is either half empty or half full.

c.2013 L.Ciacco, La Séduction, Collage of torn calendar pages,
art papers on vintage book page, 8x6 in.

***

Maxim and Medieval Combo

Seems these days I can only manage to post one day a week here so here's another combo for you.

Your Maxim of the Week

Marissa's favourite moment of the day was kissing her baby's sweet little toes after bundling him up after his bath.  Her second favourite was when he went for his nap.

Maxim:

The best things in life are free.

***

Medieval Collage Series (#13)
(click on the above link to see the previous installments)

c.2013 L.Ciacco, Mon Seul Desir, collage on vintage book page, 8 x 6 inches

Mon Seul Desir...my only desire...

not sure what the lady has in mind...

Late out of the gate!

I had the best of intentions to get a post up for you to enjoy with your Sunday morning coffees, but was flummoxed to discover that I didn't have a new maxim on hand!  Better late than never?

Connie didn't mind at all being stuck way out in left field.
In fact, she hoped that darned baseball would never
come anywhere near her.  

Maxim:

It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.

I can relate to that!  I always hated having to play sports at school.

And here's something else I can relate to...

Found this on the web...sorry I can't remember where to give credit...

How about you?

***

Also mustn't neglect getting another installation of my Medieval Collage Series posted...

c. 2013 L.Ciacco, Masquerade, Collage on vintage book page, approx. 8x6 inches

Looking forward to getting caught up with your blogs as soon as the dust settles around here...

Medieval Series--La Dame aux grands yeux

There must be an interesting back story to this scene.  The lady is clearly surprised or shocked by something she's looking at...  Any suggestions?

©2013 L.Ciacco, La Dame Aux Grands Yeux, collaged scraps of calendars , lace, art paper, wallpaper on vintage book page, approx. 8.5 x 6 inches

One "trick" I like to do to make a face more intriguing, and also to avoid copyright infringement, is to incorporate features from one face into another.  Of course it works best if they're of an appropriate size, but slight differences of proportion can make a face or body just that little bit more interesting.  Gluing in a set of eyes upside down (the collage bit, not yourself!) also produces a slightly odd, but engaging, effect.

This is the tenth collage that I'm showing in my Medieval Series of which there are a total of fifteen. 

Medieval Series--Le Printemps

It seems that spring has been an extra-long time coming for some of us this year and we are very relieved to finally be catching hints and breezes, and maybe a few allergy sneezes, now that spring is finally in the air.

c.2013 Lynne Ciacco, Le Printemps, torn calendar pages, textured paper, wallpaper, lace, on vintage book page, 7.5 x  5.5 inches

With the butterflies, ladybug and dragonfly, the tender posies, and the puffy eyes, this collage speaks to the sweet season of spring.  

Medieval Series--le Magicien

There are only a couple of male figures featured in my Medieval Series, largely because the calendars I used as fodder had "Medieval Women" as their theme. 

In addition to the ripped-up calendars, I used scraps of lace and fabric, painted paper towel, a textured art paper, torn piece of wallpaper sample, with a vintage book page as the support.

The man seems to be wearing a crown, as indicated by the lace,

so perhaps not a magician but a prince? 

 However, the hand is holding something mysterious,

which seemed to have magical properties to me. 

Also the fabric with the stars seems to imply the mystical. 

Thoughts? 

Another title?

Medieval Series: L'échange

Collage of recycled calendars, commercial paper, art papers,
on vintage book page; 8 x 5.5 in

Not sure just what`s gong on in this little exchange.
Something like "A penny for your thoughts?"

Also not altogether certain of the sex of the person on the balcony (I deliberately created this ambiguity by pasting the feminine features over beard-shaped hair).
Perhaps a bearded lady that passers-by pay to view?
A young lad making himself available for a price?"

What think you, good folk of Blogland?

Medieval Series--La Liseuse

Another collage from my Medieval Series.

Collage of recycled calendars, art paper, vintage book page, approx. 7.5 x  5 inches.

I call her La Liseuse (The Reader)

Have been doing a lot reading myself, lately.  As I work "on call" at the village library, it's rather an occupational hazard.  I've always been an avid reader, but did get away from it for a time.Am happy to back between the pages.

Just finished reading The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan (a Canadian author).It involves Degas, ballet, Paris and three young, impoverished sisters. What's not to love about that scenario?

Medieval Collage--Les Demoiselles

Another in the ongoing Medieval Collage series.

created from torn-up calendars, art papers, wallpaper, and text from a vintage book page;

approximately 7.5 x 5 inches.

Maxim and Medieval

What Pat appreciated most about the pets was how they couldn't care less whether their owner was a man or a woman.

Maxim:

All cats are grey in the dark.

****

And because I neglected to post one of my Medieval Collage Series mid-week,

here's one, belatedly.



Medieval Series, Deux Chevaux

Another collage from my Medieval Series, made mostly from torn-up calendars.

In this one I also added a piece of cotton lace, a shred of polyester curtain , a wallpaper scrap, and some textured tissue paper.  All other elements are from various pages in 4 different medievally themed calendars.
I put the image on a black background here so you could see the irregular border of the collage.  Each collage is glued onto a page from an old home-decorating book, some of the text showing through into the composition.

Prioritizing

It's well beyond time to priortize and get my Christmas baking, house decorating, gift wrapping in order.

But most of all, it's well and truly time to bid the little band of bloggers who sometimes or oftimes visit my virtual studio here at Ragzedge a most joyous holiday season, full of good cheer and culinary treats, peace of heart and mind, along with good company--even if it be only your own.

May the joy and good will that fills the air at Christmas linger through the long cold nights of winter and spread its warm embrace through the New Year ahead!

(thanks to Kim Klassen for background texture and Shadowhouse Creations for brushes used to enhance the digital edition of this Christmas card originally made with painted paper towels torn into shapes)

***

The Maxim of the Week is taking a little break but will have an epiphany on January 6, 2013.

Easy on the Eyes

This is just to let you know that I'm stepping away from blogging for a little while.  We're off to Quebec for a few weeks, to visit family and take care of this and that.  I'm going to take advantage of this time away to rest my eyes as I'm continuing to have trouble with my vision.

c.2012 Lynne Ciacco, Aerial View, collage and paint on magazine paper, digitally altered  

Before leaving, I thought I'd put up another page from my art journal.  I'm not bringing the journal with me but I am bringing my watercolours  with the intention of keeping up the production of the maxims.  Alas, I won't be posting any while I'm away, but I've already got plenty up my sleeve  for when I get back.

See you soon...hopefully a little more clearly.

Lynne xo

Dragon Breath

Vancouver has a very large Asian population and while I was there this winter, I took advantage of the many newspaper articles about the Chinese New Year, clipping images and words to make a collage in my art journal.

"According to the Chinese Five Element Astrology Calendar, 2012 is the Year of Water Dragon  . The color of Water in Five Elements system is related to Black. Therefore we can say 2012 is a Black Dragon, Water Dragon or Black Water Dragon year.

 Dragon contains Earth, Water and Wood. It's a source of Water and It is also called the Water Dam in Chinese astrology. Since Water  of 2012 comes with Dragon. it implied Water from the sky makes a dam overflow. Therefore 2012 is a strong Water year.

Dragon is a legendary animal and it is symbol of emperor in China. Since the Dragon is coated with mysterious color, Chinese consider that the dragon is unpredictable, untouchable and people cannot see its head and tail at the same time. Therefore, we might see something unexpected happening in 2012."

(text from www.chinesefortunecalendar.com)

Something unexpected?  Seems many interpreters of the Mayan calendar are in agreement.  Could be a tumultuous year...if not the end of the world (at least as we know it)!  I'm hoping for something more along the lines of breathing in some of those profits the dragon is purported to breathing out.

How's the "new" year going for you thus far? 

 Any unexpected arisings? 

 Profits coming out of the yin yang?  

Dragon breath blowing hot and cold?

Have the floodgates opened in some way for you?

Or has it just been a soggy spring?

May we all live long and prosper!

Rainy Day Woman

Remember in the post before the last maxim I said there was plenty of good stuff to mine from a double page spread in my art journal?  (You can click here if you don't, to see what I'm referring to.)

True to my word,  here's another nugget I dug out.

The big red shape at the top reminded me of an umbrella and I began to discern a lady striding happily along through the puddles.

With a few lines digitally drawn in using Photoshop, I emphasized the shape of the umbrella and woman.  Turns out she's a black angel come to earth to sample the weather.  See the wing shape I outlined on her shoulder?  And is it my imagination or is she being followed by a big white French poodle?

• Does anyone else see what I see?
• Do you prefer the painting with or without the drawn lines to suggest the figure?
• Now that I've shown you the umbrella-toting angel, can you still view the original image without seeing her?

I hope wherever you are, you're having a heavenly week, no matter what the weather.

Not So Simply Red

Here's another double-page spread from my art journal.

There's a lot going on in these two pages.  I used cut-up bits of other peoples' art work from the magazine, Arts Canada, then slathered them with an off-white dollar store paint to integrate them into a cohesive whole.

Overall, they make me feel happy.  There's so much action and colour and movement suggested.

There are a lot of interesting areas to mine from these pages, which I fully intend to do over the next few weeks here.  I think we're all longing for spring, if not summer (well, perhaps not my friends from down-under who are heading into autumn) so I thought I'd start with this one, which reminds me of red sands, grass-covered dunes, and fluffy white clouds floating through summer blue skies.

At least that's my take on it. 

 Perhaps your impression differs?

Sneaky Pictures

Sometimes a picture just creeps up on you, like a little blue cat on silent feet, and jumps into your lap.

©L.Ciacco 2011, Girl With Blue Cat, acrylic, graphite, found text on paper, 7.5 x 5 in.

I keep small pages of watercolour paper on hand and use up left-over paint on them, building up layers and textures, drawing into the wet paint without paying much attention.  Until one day, the page starts to "speak" to me in some way; some aspect of it catches my attention and I begin to see an image coming through.  I follow this ghostly presence and see where it leads me.  And thus a picture gradually unfolds.

I think this Girl With Blue Cat is a message from my subconscious about the recent disappearance of my little grey kitty.

No More Waiting

Today I got out my glue stick and my envelope of magazine rippings that I'd packed to bring with me to the west coast and put together a quick collage.

The Myth That There Are No Quick Fixes

You’re thinking about your health:

We never know which comes first,

tomorrow or the next life.

No more waiting:

Do it yourself--

focus on balance.

Learn to breathe sublime energy.