Art Journal

An art Journal is the perfect way to combine my interest in mixing visual images with the written word.

These pages concentrate on found objects, and female imagery.

Art journals are a great way to expand your skills and techniques, because they usually remain private, and so, more experimentation is possible.

Some more mixed media.

These examples all use found materials, including paper napkins, wallpaper samples, paint chips, and an Altoid tin.

Altered/ Mixed Media

A new area that I have just recently been exploring is mixed media work. I am working through the ideas of family, friendship and the past.

Mixed media is a great way to explore creativity and different imagery. I find that I often explore very feminine, vintage images.

The mermaid won an online contest. She is made from a "Laughing Cow" cheese tin, a vintage stamp, wallpaper samples, shells, buttons, shaped confetti, and patterned paper. There are a few ink techniques, including the use of alcohol inks.

Scrapbooking/ Cardmaking

I am addicted to this craft, and I love the materials. Stamps, paper, card stock, paint, ink. I LOVE IT ALL!

I like making paper dolls, and they quite often show up in my work, with my own head attached! People really tend to get a kick out of these; they like the sense of humour.

Painting

I completed this painting when my son was about two years old. I hadn't done any painting since second year university.

I am emotionally attached to this painting, because it captures a moment that was special to us. However there are so many technical mistakes, I am actually loathe to post it here.

I have found that having to teach tempera painting to grade nines, and oil painting to my grade eleven students has actually made me a better painter, but I still want to learn and practice.

University Work

One of our projects in second year was to mimic another artist, but to work in a different medium. I chose Robert Bateman's "Canada Geese Nesting", and worked in graphite pencil on paper.

This second piece is an engraving of the Lorne Bridge in Brantford. I think it is from first year.

Early Sketches

These are some of my early sketches at the start of high school. I found them when I started teaching art back at my high school. I use them to demonstrate that the only thing separating what my students can do right now, and what I have trained to do, is practice, practice, practice. Sometimes students get frustrated with their skill acquirement because I can come along, and seemingly, show them quickly what went wrong. They say, "You make it look so easy!" I tell them only because I have thirty years extra practice on them!

Indeed, when I show them my high school work, we all have a good laugh, because they know what my comment as an evaluator, to myself as a student would be:"more contrast required"