Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Creating For Your Own Sake


"Creating For Your Own Sake"
Collage
(Acrylics, Dimensional Fabric Paint,
Rubber stamps, Scraps of Paper
and Mat Board as Backing)

FINALLY. I gave myself permission to pull out a big bag of rubber stamps collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. $3.00 was all I paid for these treasures I found at a September rummage sale a few years back. It was time to play. The ideas brewing in my head for a few days needed an outlet and today was the day.
Recently, I came across some old business cards of mine. I began cutting them up as the e-mail and website address were no longer relevant. But rather than tossing them away into the garbage, I decided to keep the tiny little photo prints for future creations. From what I've read, collage artists never throw anything away. Was I finally embracing some of those very same characteristics myself? Hm. Into a cigar box, still with a lingering aroma, the tiny creations went, perhaps to collect spider webs for a few years, as I'd probably forget I put them there.
Then on Sunday, I felt the urge to use my rubber stamps. After stamping a woman, some butterflies and roses and stems, I grabbed my distress ink pad and began to directly imprint some square shapes around the outside border. In my mind, I was thinking that the shapes were turning into windows/frames. Ah ha, I thought, I'll past my little photos in there. So I did. The woman in the middle who had a Leonardi DiVinci invention feel to her became a central character (I felt a personal kinship) and I squirted some fabric paint around to connect her to the photos. I also painted the woman with some paint to give her a more human feel.
Finally, I felt the urge to put some words down. I've always been intrigued by words in a collage and wanted to try it myself. I pulled out a few "word" stamps but could not read the words on them (they are printed upside down and backwards so the casual observer cannot decipher them). So, I took a chance, and began to stamp them in various random places. I was quite delighted with what emerged. One said "Create Art For Your Own Sake" and the other said "Her Art Disturbed Her". I actually liked these two sayings, seemed to fit my inner art personality just fine. It appeared the universe, and my intuition, gave me a hand here.

All in all, I was happy that I had let some ideas simmer in my head for a few days before I took action. It all fell into place. I also remembered a teacher who had once told me to just put the color down and let the shapes that emerged lead you into your creation. I think I did that with this image, going with the flow, and felt quite joyful surrendering to the process.

Happy Creating!!

7 comments:

Doris said...

What fun! And a delightful image too!

Uta said...

Love it Bev!!! I adore my stamps. They are mostly patterned stamps and really add anothe dimension to my backgrounds. $3, what a bargain.

april said...

Hey! "E" for Excellent! It's wonderful, Bev. A wonderfully exciting composition! Good for you ... and yes, now you've caught the bug of "saving things".

Curio said...

I know I don't comment often but I do check out your blog regularly and so enjoy your creative impulses! I love the way this image came to life.

Carol Anne Strange said...

Your creative energy never fails to astound me, Bev! I love this. And, there's no better way than surrendering to the process. It is so liberating. Much love & light. xx

Laura said...

Play play play leads to a happy life and more play!!! I'm in for it! great piece Bev

butterfly woman said...

Thanks all for stopping by and saying Hi.
Yes, collage is calling to me in bits and pieces every day. It seems to be an expression that still simmers within me, but I can't deny its voice. I suppose the idea that collage/mixed media has so many outlets to explore has me captivated like a little kid, who wants to play and have fun.It's funny, initially I didn't want to get the stamps dirty with paint. That adult part of me is fussy!!
Uta,
I'm going to zoom in on your exquisite paintings to see those patterns. They seem to melt into your backgrounds in such a dreamy way.
April,
In the last year or so, your love of teaching collage and your passion of it has filtered over to me. You seem to have such fun with it and I needed to find out why for myself too.
Carol,
As I explore the many creative avenues there are, my energy seems to lift. No reason to be bored with just one medium, always something else to grab onto.
Curio,
Just your quiet presence here speaks volumes, support wise. Thank you for sharing.
And Laura and Doris,
You two have helped me come so far with your wise words and encouragement.
Again, thank you all for being there.