Collage Art

In October 2006, I participated in an Altered Vintage Nude Swap hosted by Evie Zaccardelli through the art-e-zine site. Here's the call, and also what I created!

Alter your images (tasteful images only) with any mixed media techniques, painting, rubber stamping, transfer image techniques, stitching, adding fabric, vintage ephemera, use your artistic inspiration. Size - postcard size (6 x 4")
Make 3 for 3
Sign up by - end of September
Due date - end of October

looking for more art-e-zine art? Click on the link below:

Here is the front and back cover of a Blank Board book I created in April, 2006 with images, papers, collage items and the blank book all from: Alpha Stamps!

Click on each photo for a full-size picture:

The back cover of this blank book shows an Alpha Stamp collage sheet image of Corticelli Spool Silk (The Nonotuck Silk Company). My great grandfather, Ira Dimock, was President of this company for over 40 years! Ira was father-in-law to William Glackens. What an amazing coincidence that Leslie Elledge, the owner of Alpha Stamps, chose this ad from an old book circa 1885, to make into a collage image. Then later she asked me to create a sample with it -- without even knowing my family history! wow. ~ Lenna 4/17/06 . . . Find cool stuff to create with at alpha stamps - click on the (alpha) stamp!

In March 2006, Maija Lepore wrote to me and asked if I could donate my art on a playing card that she would send me. It would go to her friend Bernie Berlin towards her cause of saving stray animals. Bernie is building an animal shelter called "A Place to Bark" and is planning on hosting a charity auction to raise funds in order to make the shelter happen. I created two "Place to Bark" cards for the Artists' Deck of Karma Cards. We had the theme of 'passion' and the size of the cards is an oversized ATC: 3-1/2" x 4-1/2 ". Here is what I created:

The card on the left reflects my passion for Art. That's me creating an Altered Book while vacationing in Canada! The card on the right reflects my passion for my husband, our dogs, and beautiful Wolfe Island, Canada. I wish Bernie the best and give thanks to Maija for helping her out! ~ lenna 3/16/06

Iphigenia Collage

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A close up of my finished and framed collage, a mixed-media piece that was accepted into 2 Art Shows during 2006-2007. First, the East Granby CT 'Friends of the Library' Juried Art Show (Jan. - Mar. 2006) and second, the West Hartford Art League's Juried Member's Show - February 17th - March 10th, 2007. I titled this piece Iphigenia, after the name on the old original print that I worked on top of. Iphigenia was a Greek Goddess, daughter of Agamemnon. The fabric collage images on the top and bottom left are from Alpha Stamps!

For Inspire Me Thursday, I am showing how this collage was first started in 2003 during a class with Claudine Hellmuth, below. I liked it, but felt it wasn't finished (bottom left). It was the call for the East Granby juried Art Show that enticed me into working on it and finishing it so I could enter in their juried show. I am so glad I did, as this collage has been accepted into TWO shows now!

2003 2006

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Above is a collage finished in January 2006. I started it in November 2004!! That's very unusual for me to have an unfinished piece hanging around for so long. I painted a background, picked out photos and copied them, and even went ahead and made a somewhat similar collage for my parents on another canvas that I gave to them in 2004 (I started 2 at the same time). The photos in the collage below are of my mother, my father, his mother (my Nonie) and many of me. I think because this piece was something I was doing purely for myself - instead of for a swap, a collaboration, or anything else, I kept thinking I could do it "later". Recently, I began doing even more art with my husband Steven and realized I should make the time and do this for me -now, instead of later! I'm so glad I did!

What got me started on this piece was the photo of myself in the top left corner & the photo of my mom in the bottom right corner . . . such similarities, but also different; just like us! One of my favorite pictures is the one of my mom holding me as a baby, at the top in the center of the piece; I have used it a lot in my art. In fact, you can see the same photo below on a Deco Tag page with a black & gold background. This family collage was done with acrylic paints, oil pastels, fabrics, trims and Lumiere paint. The white triangle of a handkerchief on the left under the photo of my Nonie was actually her handkerchief. Little brass gears, Gold mesh ribbon, watch face charm, Rick Rack are from www.artchixstudio.com. The small square stamped clay piece (with the dog & the text) was made by my friend, Ann Peterson. I was very happy to add that to this piece - it was perfect! (Thanks, Ann).