[art, virtual worlds]

Winter Lights, an art and photography exhibit, has just opened in the Gallerie Octaviana. The show features work from Mad Swiss Cow, Marcel Moré, Sume, Marjie Kennedy, Pirate Johnny, Smiling da Vinci, and Nancy Waldman on the first floor of the expansive gallery space. Upstairs are two new installations of a Circleworks box and a hued light environment.

The owner and artistic curator of the gallery is Annie Octavia.

What you may now be realizing is that Annie and her gallery are located in the magical space of a virtual world called Second Life. Annie is the online avatar of Beth Felice. I interviewed Beth about Second Life, her gallery, the show, and some of the special kinds of creative works that are all the rage in this Other (S)P(l)ace.

Here’s the interview along with shots and videos from the gallery, the installation.

1. For those people who have never even heard of Second Life… can you give us a brief overview of what it is and how it works?

Second life is an example of a MUVE, multi-user virtual environment, a fancified way of saying 3D web browsing. Does it look like a video game, yes. Is there any “game” objective, not really. Who is there? Currently a vibrant world community of about 7 million, including over 350 colleges and universities, NASA, CDC, libraries, museums, both with counterparts in the physical world and those that exist only in second life (sl).

For a presentation I gave in November at the Federation of State Humanities Councils I created a wiki at http://virtualplace.missourihumanities.org/secondlife. You’ll find a nice assortment of articles, factoids and links there.

2. How long have you been involved in SL? How long have you had the Gallerie Octaviana?

I stumbled into SL Labor day weekend 2006. At that time there were about 400,000 users. There was a release of virtual land (512 square feet is included with each paid account) in December of 06 and I staked a claim then, and built the first gallery.

3. Have you had other exhibits?

Yes, I’ve quite enjoyed bringing flickr friends into SL, and hopefully vice versa.

4. Is exhibiting art in SL a good way to get publicity for one’s work?

I’m not sure if you are talking about a subjective or a metric here. In a way, there is a large community of eyeballs, a very organized art community, and the ability to have things on display 24/7. That being said, the most traffic is generated by real time events, openings, artist discussions, etc. I am most interested in this idea of immersion, of being able to walk the representation of self through the art. I am very interested in this intersection of photorealism and illustrative style, and using some of the fantastical qualities, the “magic” not possible in the physical world.

As an aside, I have read that up to 10% (and many believe this number might be higher) of the Sl community is physically challenged in some way. There are some pretty amazing stories about the communities of stroke survivors, wheelchair bound, autistic, and people living with chronic diseases like cystic fibrosis rejoicing in the ability to be “just another” person…or just another person that can fly.

I’m still stuck on the concept of publicity for one’s work. I’m not sure. I think the most interesting work might be that which combines sound, movement, scripting, graphic, and interpretation. And it might exist specifically in a place like SL. Am not sure that work ports straight across from a gallery wall around the corner, into the virtual gallery.

5. I think it’s fairly easy to conceptualize how you put images onto the “walls” of your gallery, but you also have moving 3-d sculptures. Those are a little tougher for me to imagine creating. Tell us about those.

I made a little video, creating an object, and assigning properties and “textures” (graphics). SL Prim-er for Practically Creative Quarter folks

[readers: be sure to check out this primer on prims.
it’s well done and totally intriguing.
also you’ll see the pcq home page on the gallery wall!]

6. Tell us about your alter ego, Annie Octavia. How is she like you? How is she different? Did you have an idea of who you would be on SL or did it evolve out of the experience of being there?

There seems to be an ongoing discussion between immersionists and augmentationists in virtual worlds. Some people want to explore parts of their personality they might not commit to IRL (in real life) and some people see the avatar as an extension of self, trying to make it as close to reality as possible. I remember one of the first librarian meetings I went to, one fellow had made himself into a two story tall dust ball.

There is actually a good deal of scholarly interest in these topics
virtualworldsconnect.com/
edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/06/07/virtual_identity
ibiblio.org/nmediac/winter2004/matusitz.html
gwynethllewelyn.net

Annie began as a representation of self. I’m not much of an actor. Recently a great friend started to explore the visual and creative aspects of costume. Remember, as everything in SL is user created, this includes hair, clothes, etc. A current favorite designer mixes traditional Japanese costuming with a distopian future and goth.

7. What else would you like people who haven’t experienced it to know about Second Life?

In a way it is a next iteration of the internet, and reminiscent of how you might describe what one could find “online” in the early ’90s. It is a communication tool, a collaboration application. It takes the more singular activity of person browsing web via computer to a social activity.

8. Anything else you’d like to say that I neglected to ask about?

Winter Lights is up through April. Anyone wanting a little help learning the SL environment, please feel free to email. The next project is a more intensive scripting project, coordinating events of sound and image with avatar movement through space, or interaction with other avatars. I also seem to be composing a lot these days, and that happens in a very NON networked world!

A Visit to Gallerie Octaviana

When Beth asked me to be in her show this time, I decided to go visit Gallerie Octaviana. I had never been on Second Life but had heard about it, so I was curious. It takes a little time—but not money—to get set up there. I would estimate that it took me between one and two hours to begin. This included time to register and decide on the basic parameters of my avatar (my name is *Aplomb Pomilio*—you can freely choose your first name but the last name must be taken from an extensive list). Then I went to the orientation island where I figured out how to navigate, use the map, chat and appearance interfaces and so on.

I then set out in the world to find the gallery. Even though I thought I had the parameters, I was not able to find it on my own. Second Life is big! I landed in some pretty amazing places though. Finally, I had to email Beth and ask her to contact me in SL. She pinpointed her spot and I was able to teleport there.

Walking through the gallery with Annie (dressed fabulously!) as my guide, is like being a character in a video game, I suppose, except better because you know no one’s going to shoot at you! I have to say it’s pretty amazing to see my photos and the PCQ home page up on a gallery wall in this other worldly place. Thanks Beth for a fascinating introduction to Second Life.

Here I am in some person’s clothing shop (sorry I am too disoriented in this foreign land to know where exactly I am):

I’m sorry I didn’t turn around to face the camera. I couldn’t figure out how to make that happen. The bird on my shoulder was given to me when I showed up on orientation island. It’s probably a sign of a real n%b*. Anyway, it was a stay-at-home adventure for sure. Cheers!

*Note from Beth:

The bird on your shoulder is not the sign of the n00b, just a gift from someone, who also was once new. In virtual and real world communities, people care about one another, and this just makes every day a complete wonder.

You can find all of Beth’s projects and websites at bfelice.jaiku.com :: Beth is also a member of our social network: Being Practically Creative Come on over and check it out.

February 08: Some of my thoughts and photos on further exploration of Second Life. And on the pleasures of playing dress-up!

[-painting, process, interview-]

Interview with artist, Donna Marsh
by Nancy Waldman

what I’m reading; oil on canvas, 8 x 16; © 07 donna marsh all rights res.

Donna is an internet friend whose juicy paintings have inspired me to begin painting again after a long time away from it. I knew that she had stopped painting for years and has returned to it fairly recently, so I asked her questions that are pertinent to this process of picking up a “lost art” and also ones that her paintings made me wonder about. I share my questions and Donna’s answers with you in the expectation that there are others out there who have gotten away from a creative activity that they love; those who need a push to get back to it.

Whether or not you’re in that situation, I know you’ll enjoy reading Donna’s story, her thoughts about painting and of course, seeing a few of Donna’s more recent paintings. If you are thinking about picking up a lost art, here is your nudge in the right direction.

green room with mirror; oil on canvas, 14 x 18; © 2007 donna marsh all rights reserved

What got you back into painting after a long time away from it?

I was working as a cashier at a grocery store. An old painter who has a name around here started talking art to me whenever I tallied his oranges. He gave me a book of his paintings. I also accepted an invitation to go see some of them. This was really exciting for me because I hadn’t thought about painting in a long time. After two years in a college fine arts program life moved on the way it does and I just forgot about it. I never really decided to stop. I just forgot I did it. When Mr. Nemeth found out I had bothered to study he wanted to see my paintings. I didn’t have any. He said, “But you don’t stop. You never stop. You can take a rest sometimes but you don’t stop.” Then he never stopped asking for that painting until I produced it. He had an answer for everything too. When I told him I didn’t have any paint he picked a day to go downtown and buy some. He gave me brushes. Later on he advised me to quit my job because I wasn’t painting enough.

I told him I needed the money. His answer, “The world looks after artists.” What a wonderful way to think. I thought it was a bit nuts but he was born in 1919. He had to know a thing or two.

It was like coming back to life to paint again.

houses, Dorval; oil on canvas, 20 x 20, © 2007 donna marsh all rights reserved

What’s been most difficult about getting back into it?

There was a lot of fear in the beginning. People see paintings. They’re hard to hide. Maybe I didn’t know how anymore and people would see that. I had to get over that “doing things right” anxiety because to get it back and then go forward, I had to be willing to let things go wrong. Also, painting is messy and takes up a lot of physical space. I had to learn how to take that space and defend that space because it was important. The same applied to the time. Defending the time has probably been the most difficult part of getting back into it. In school I was studying so nobody ever questioned it. It was hard to teach others and myself that “I’m home painting” does not equal “I’m doing nothing please interrupt me.”

balconies and fire escapes; oil on canvas, 30 x 36; © 2007 donna marsh, all rights reserved

Do you have any tips for other painters in the same situation?

People actually have opinions about what painters should paint. This can be a shock at first. But if they’re really dying for a certain image to come into being they can go paint it themselves. Paint what you want and don’t worry about it making sense or fitting in with what’s going on at the other easels or even fitting in with what you most admire. Sometimes these things don’t work out to be the same. I can sit for hours in front of large minimalist works that appear to be one grey, taking in the sweep of the brushstrokes and subtle gradations of light on the work. Though it wouldn’t excite me to paint that myself, I’m glad it excited Charles Gagnon enough to paint it. It’s taken me a few years to know what I want to paint. I find if it excites me I’m on the right track. Execution becomes a fascinating challenge.

let’s get lost; oil on canvas, 24 x 36 inches; © 2007 donna marsh, all rights reserved

Do you paint from photos? what’s in front of you? memory? imagination?

I paint from photos and from what’s in front of me. I’m interested in painting more from memory. I think there’s always imagination in a painting. I admit I’ve been working out some guilt over the use of photos. I wasn’t trained that way. It wasn’t allowed. But I like to have something to look at as a starting point and I found the terrain too limited for what I wanted to do if I only painted “in situ”. I still enjoy getting out for some plein air work or I’ll drag the outdoor easel over to something in the house that interests me. There’s a different feeling to translating space that’s all around me and in front of me. I like to stay in touch with that.

a hotel window; oil on canvas, 20 x 24; © 2007 donna marsh, all rights reserved

In what ways has your painting changed over the years?

The big difference between now and then (when I stopped) is that my colours are brighter and I’m less inhibited. I like to feel the paint and really muck around in it. Impasto is no longer a stranger to me. In the years since I’ve restarted, I find my understanding of what I want to paint has become much clearer and the paintings make more sense to me as a group. Also as I gain more control over the paint I get looser.

drive-thru service; oil on canvas, 22 x 28; © 2007 donna marsh, all rights reserved

And now, my turn—why Donna’s work is so inviting and appealing to me.

Part of it is what Donna talks about when she mentions Charles Gagnon. Often what we like is something that we would never choose to paint ourselves. I am drawn to Donna’s urban and suburban landscapes because I wouldn’t think to paint them but I like seeing them. Her use of thick paint and bright colours for these seemingly drab subjects makes me want to re-think them. It makes me believe that I haven’t really seen what’s there.

I am also drawn in by the energy in these paintings. The brush strokes, the lines drawn into them, the runny paint, all impart the bodily energy that Donna uses when she paints. The paint may have dried and hardened but the energy is still there as I look at them.

I also notice space, or lack of it, in Donna’s work. In ‘houses, dorval’ we get a long wide open view. The paint is applied going away from us, stretching out in response to the scene. In ‘balconies and fire escapes’ the lack of space is part of what makes it all so effective. The representation of over-lapping structures makes me feel the crowdedness of a city.

Being representational scenes, there is also light to consider. With Donna’s paintings, the light is conveyed through colour. I don’t get the feeling that there is any separation as she paints, between the objects and the atmosphere and quality of light that is with them. This gives the a glow to the work that seems to radiate from within.

Energy, colour, looseness, inner light. It’s not ’safe’ painting and, for me, that’s why they work.

Thanks, Donna for sharing your work and your thoughts with us. You can see more of Donna’s paintings at her flickr site. Donna lives with her family in Quebec, Canada where she just manages to carve out time and space to paint.

[-crackles!-]

Today is the second full moon of June if you live in the Eastern Hemisphere. For those of us in the Western Hemisphere, it was May 31, 2007. Since I seem to have missed it last month, I’m celebrating it with those of you in the other half of the world. Either way, we both get a full moon [just barely] in June [except Aukland and thereabouts!].

The second full moon in a month is called a Blue Moon.

Blue Moons come around every 2.7 years or 41 times a century.

Even rarer is a year with a double Blue Moon. Those only occur 4.5 times a century or every 19 years or so.

The last Blue Moon was in July 2004.

The next Blue Moon will be December 2009.

Blue Moons have nothing to do with the look of the moon, though on a gorgeous summer night in June we might be excused if we imagined a special hue. Moons do spur people to be creative:

Movies:

Moonstruck
Joe Versus the Volcano
Paper Moon
Apollo 13
Man on the Moon
Walk on the Moon

Songs:

Blue Moon
Moon Over Miami
Moon River
Moondance
Moonlight in Vermont
Dancing in the Moonlight
Moonshadow
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
Moonage Daydream
There’s a Moon in the Sky
Dark Side of the Moon
Bad Side of the Moon
It’s Only a Paper Moon
Harvest Moon
Song about the Moon
Ticket to the Moon
Heading to the Moon

Open your curtains as you sleep tonight and let the light shine down upon you. Maybe you’ll feel more creative because of it!

My Blue Moon photosandwich above was made with the help of hypergenesb who allows his photos to be used under a creative commons license. Thank you! I had a fun time playing with your beautiful photo. On his flickr page, hypergenesb has fully annotated his moon. Click the image to see it and his other photos!

[-essay, self-evolution, process-]

by Nancy Waldman

I make marks, therefore I am.

Durham Dr. & Center St. (Houston, TX)

Originally uploaded by Mr. Waldo.

Since the days men lived in caves, human beings have demonstrated the need to make their mark on this world.

From those cave paintings, to the tick marks on a prison wall, to Kilroy was here! during World War II, to graffiti through the ages and up to today, making marks is a way to say, Look at me! I was here! I am special! I exist!

Making these kinds of marks is pure self-promotion.

I picked this illustration of a lively painted Waldo by Mr. Waldo out of the Practically Creative flickr pool because it is a wonderful photograph (from a city I lived in and know well) that illustrates perfectly this rather strong desire that people have to make their mark.

In common language, we also talk about “making your mark” as meaning gaining success. Whether that means being famous, getting rich or being respected in one’s field, it is often referred to by this artistic metaphor. This metaphor not only works with the achievement of success but also with the process of seeking it.

Self-promotion is a necessary part of gaining any kind of success in the arts. It’s also something that many creative types do badly or not at all. We’re often uncomfortable putting our work, ourselves, out there. We all know people who are natural self-promoters. Sometimes these people over promote themselves. Everything they do self-generates a spin that makes that endeavor the best, the most, the tops. Whether it’s deserved self-congratulations or not, these super-promoters often grow tiresome. Because of this, the rest of us may come to think of self-promotion as the last thing we want to be associated with. But this is a mistake.

When the graffiti artist (please note the emphasis on artist) makes his mark on the storefront wall, he is putting his work out there. It’s a step way beyond doing art in his school notebook or in his room at home. He’s self-promoting just by the act of creating. When the artist takes his portfolio to art galleries or the photographic journalist to a newspaper or magazine, it is necessary self-promotion. When the writer sends and re-sends (and on and on) her short stories or novels out to agents, publishers, new markets, she is self-promoting.

Once we admit this to ourselves, we may also want to admit that other kinds of ‘marks’ may be admissible and helpful. Having a web presence is a perfect example. Those of us who were around long before there was an internet grew up believing that we needed permission from someone with power before we could call ourselves artists. Because of this, there can be sheepishness about claiming space on the internet. When you buy your first web address—yourownname.com—you may feel that it’s not quite proper for you to have a personal web-site because you haven’t published anything yet or you don’t have gallery representation or a record label.

Get over it! It’s a new age. The web is littered with self-promoters who’ve garnered well-deserved attention that would not have happened under the old system.

Make your mark whether it’s exhibiting in a local art show, entering a contest, getting a myspace account or making your own fabulous web-site.

And if your thing is public art, perhaps you can, as Mr. Waldo has done, make your mark all over the globe and become a legend just as Kilroy did.
Thanks Mr. Waldo for letting us use your photo.

Please click on Mr. Waldo’s image to see more of his work.

See these other posts on making your mark:
Graphic Reminder
Art Tutorial

[-art, photography, poetry-]

NightSchool

Originally uploaded by MontanaRaven.

Today’s image comes from Maureen Shaughnessy, the talented photographer and artist who has been a frequent contributor to The PCQ. She continually explores deeper and deeper into the possibilities of photographic/drawn art alterations.

I asked Maureen about this image and she said that she took a painting of a “normal, boring fish” and digitally altered it giving the appearance of perspective and swimming in different positions…” Maureen was working with the idea of “taking a flat…almost cut-paper or 2-dimensional tapestry gradually…transforming into a 3-dimensional dream image as you go right.”

I love not only the image she came up with, but the visual, design and metaphorical exploration behind it.

To accompany her image, she includes the following:

Linking literary works to art - whether they are your own words or someone else’s - can add a further dimensionality that enhances both.

thanks, Maureen for an inspiring alteration.

This image is part of Maureen’s Alterations and Digital Collages set
Here’s a link to Maureen’s blog, Raven’s Nest
All Maureen’s articles on The PCQ.
Here’s a PCQ science article on Dimensions

Originally published in the original Practically Creative blog, March 2006

[-photography, how-to, art-]

Words and Images by Angela Petsis

Polaroid Transfers are a fun and creative way to elevate your photography to a whole new level. The most important thing to remember when starting out in the world of transfers is to have patience, and be open to experimenting with different transfer methods because what works for one person will not necessarily work for another.

antique store still-life © 06 - 07 all rights reserved angela petsis

Angela says,

This image was taken on a sunny afternoon in St. Augustine Florida. This is a great example of an image I felt would benefit from extra alterations after it was dry. The colors were added using colored pencils, but you could use any type of paints, crayons, even markers – the sky is the limit! Make sure to wait at least 24 hours before making changes because transfers are very delicate when wet.

To begin, a Polaroid transfer is made using specific Polaroid films. These films are instant color film; when you take a picture using this film you wait about 60 seconds, and you get a color picture that’s ready to go into a photo album or scrapbook. The beauty of the Polaroid’s ER line of pack films is that if you disrupt the development process at just the right time –and your photograph can become a whole other work of art. The two most common and least expensive of these ER films are type 669 and 690. They are 3.25 x 4.25 inches. There are larger formats, however these require more elaborate equipment and money.

polaroid daylab copy system

In order to create a Polaroid transfer you must first have a method of exposing the film. You can do this several different ways, the most popular being either a slide printer or a Polaroid Daylab Copy system. The slide printer takes 35mm slides and prints them directly onto the Polaroid film – the great thing about the printer is that everything is handled neatly without a darkroom, and you need very little space to work. When I used a slide printer I worked right off of my kitchen counter. The Copycat system (see photo) uses 4×6 prints instead of slides. So you can take your digital pictures or film, print them out, and copy them right on to Polaroid film for a transfer!

Once you have a method for printing your photographs onto Polaroid pack film, you are ready to start making transfers. Your work area needs to be flat, and accessible to electrical outlets (working in a kitchen or bathroom is probably easiest, so you can have access to hot water as well).

You will need at least two 8×10 photographic trays, a receptor (such as paper) to place your transfer on, tongs, and a drying rack.

Transfers are made by interrupting the development process of the film; instead of waiting 60 seconds to have a fully developed print, you will pull apart your film after 10-15 seconds and throw away the actual print.

By disrupting the development processes, all of the dyes have not had a chance to move over to the print itself – much of the dyes have remained behind on the negative. It is the negative piece that will be placed on top of a new receptor to create a transfer. Experiment with different materials – the most common receptor sheet is hot or cold pressed watercolor paper; but you could also use silk, handmade paper, even papyrus – the choices are endless.

I like to dampen my watercolor paper with hot water before placing the negative on top. This technique is the wet or heat transfer method.

Some people will use a hot plate or blow dryer once the negative is in contact with the receptor sheet, to help the dyes migrate to the paper properly. I like to gently roll my image with a brayer to help insure that the image will be evenly transferred. Leave your negative to develop for about 60 seconds.

This is the time you could place it in a tray of hot water, or on a hot plate, but you can also let it sit until you are ready to peel off the negative. I like to peel my negative off the receptor under warm water as it seems to prevent any of my image from lifting off and helps to avoid any damage to the image.

Once your transfer is complete, let it sit in a tray of gently running water for several minutes, and place on a drying rack in a safe place until completely dry. Never stack your images or place anything on top of them while they are still wet, or they will be damaged.

Once they are completely dry you can use watercolor paints or colored pencils to enhance the look of your image, or use them just as they are. They look wonderful framed or in a scrapbook. Have fun and enjoy!

More Information: Polaroid.com
Essential book:
Polaroid Transfers: A Complete Visual Guide to Creating Image and Emulsion Transfers by Kathleen Thormod Carr

Supplies:
Daylab - a Polaroid company that produces everything for image transfers; the slide printers, copy systems, film - daylab.com

B&H Photo (has the best prices) - bhphotovideo.com
Freestyle Photographic Supplies (Excellent source for those readers on the USA West Coast)- freestylephoto.biz

Dick Blick – they have the best art supplies at the best prices (the only place I use for buying different kinds of papers/receptors) - dickblick.com

Definitely search for supplies on line auctions as well. A slide printer or copy machine (the basic models) is going to cost about $200 new. You can get them off of Ebay for half that price, and every week there are at least 5-6 listed.

all words and images by Angela Petsis - © 2006 - 2007 all rights reserved

See more of Angela’s Polaroid transfer artistry here.
Angela wrote this and took the images for The PCQ. Thanks so much, Angela! We appreciate the great tutorial!

About the author/artist:
Angela is an artist/photographer who has recently relocated from Florida to Washington state. Please feel free to direct your Polaroid transfer questions to Angela at venusthemuseatyahoo.com. Her beautiful new website: angelapetsis.com

Originally published in the April 2006 issue of The Practically Creative Quarterly, theme: alterations

[-photography, poetry-]

by Nancy S.M. Waldman

it is, afterall, all about the sky

Originally uploaded by nuanc.

I took this photo last Sunday as I was pelting through New Brunswick trying to get home as fast as possible. Since I was driving and it was raining, I didn’t take time to compose the shot or focus it or choose it with care. The taking of it was as much about entertaining myself during a long drive alone as it was about trying to capture something of the amazing sky and the New Brunswick landscape.

When I uploaded this, I was immediately struck by two things. The proportion of sky to land and the tiny angled snippet of road in the lower right corner, with the even tinier cars and their miniscule headlights - all lost in the vastness of that sky.

It’s inspired this haiku:

I travel again this weekend.

take care, all

Originally published June 2006 in the Practically Creative blog

[-art, alterations-]

by Nancy S.M. Waldman

scroll/reset

Originally uploaded by Mary Bogdan.

I have boxes on my mind.

This week, I covered a small cardboard box in old photos and gorgeous, vintage gold paper I found in my late father’s art supplies. I lined the inside with beads and feathers. Fun!

That little project got me going on containers. Now I’m working on making a box out of a couple of my paintings that have been in a drawer for a decade or more. In bed last night, just before sleep, I came up with an inspiration for a see-through lid so that the painting-lined interior won’t be hidden. This is fun stuff and all inspired by our recent issue on Alterations.

Our image today is from assemblage artist Mary Bogdan. You can see more of her work here in our on-going look at Alterations.

Mary collects boxes and more boxes to use in her constructs. This piece, entitled “scroll/reset” is 19″w x 14.5″h x 6″d. This is what she has written about it:

Well, Mary, I wish I could touch it, look in that cigar box, ruffle the pages. It’s so *FULL*.

I ran across a fun site yesterday called Box Doodles. Whoa, is this ever right down The PCQ’s alley. On this site, people are encouraged to make quick things out of boxes, but that hardly begins to describe the outcomes. Take a look. You won’t be sorry. The box doodles and Mary’s decidedly more sophisticated box assemblage can’t help but inspire!

Here are photos of the boxes I mentioned above. The first is a craft store box that I covered with vintage paper and old photos and lined with beads and feathers.

This one is literally made from one of my paintings (acrylic) bent into shape and glued. The lid is made from a web of machine-sewn threads (done on tissue paper and later removed) sewn onto more of the painting paper with embellishments of beads and lots more thread in the corners.

thanks, Mary.

See all our Alterations articles
See New Again, an Alterations Challenge
- with more photos of my boxes -
See more of Mary Bogdan’s art: The Tide Series
See all our Collecting articles and surveys

Originally published March 2006 in the Practically Creative blog; edited slightly for re-publication

[-practically mperfect, alterations-]

by Nancy S.M. Waldman

I missed a day (or was it two?) of posts. Some days I just don’t have *it*, you know? I’m busy shovelling out my workspace as it has gotten overwhelmed in the last two months.

When I get inspired, I start pulling materials out of the closets and can’t even think about putting any of it back because I might need it! Since my work room was such a mess, I started working in the tv room and several other rooms of the house. Whoa. Creative energy has a way of spreading, sometimes taking over not only our minds but whole rooms. *grins*

Anyway, it’s time to get things under control again. So that’s what I’ve been doing… as well as working on several small projects - all over the house!

Emma’s robot

Originally uploaded by Lockwasher.

Today’s image is charming, isn’t it? Lockwasher does these great sculptures out of found objects and metal do-dads. Each one has such personality and the craftmanship seems meticulous. I’m very impressed.

I chose this one because it’s made from a fancy tin. And, well, yeah, maybe because this one has a heart. Click on the image to see more of Lockwasher’s bots and rockets. They’re simply wonderful (and inspiring).

Must go work on my space.
Happy Sunday, all and thanks, Lockwasher!

Here are more wonderful robots that lockwasher has created.
See all our Practically Mperfect articles
Here’s a wonderful article on the process of creativity and how clutter enters into it: Mind Space
See all our Alterations articles
See our New Again, an Alterations Challenge
Here’s an article on our human need to GATHER things
(with links to the fun results of our Collectors Survey)

First published on March 5, 2006 in the original Practically Creative blog;
Re-published as written as an informal Practically Mperfect article

[-photo essay, art, alterations-]

images and words by featured artist, Cynthia Korzekwa

That is, the formation of taste comes from the home. From homemakers. From our mothers. The way they feed us, the way they dress us, the way they decorate our homes. The way they care for us. Housewives are our first trendsetters. Because our childhood follow us throughout our lifetime, like Proust’s madeleines.

The domestic arts, the so-called applied arts, were really the first arts.

beer can purse, © 2004 - 2007 cynthia korzekwa

soda can purse, © 2004 - 2007 cynthia korzekwa

When art was based on everyday objects, art existed every day.

“la seine” - recycled box and paint brushes cynthia korzekwa © 2005-2007

Domestic habits have changed and so have we. Art for housewives is an eulogy to the housewife and to the aesthetics she’s helped us create.

plastic bag crocheted table covering, © 2004 - 2007 cynthia korzekwa all rights reserved

Transformed by need

magazine roll trivet, © 2004 - 2007 cynthia korzekwa

bathroom pockets cynthia korzekwa © 2005 - 2007

Bricolage is taking something old and, via context, turning it into something new.

recycled bucket decorated with paper rolls, © 2004 - 2007 cynthia korzekwa

Bricolage, a form of recycling, is thus about transformation.

“kadette”- embroidered photos framed with plastic bottle rings © 2004 - 2007 cynthia korzekwa

Bricolage is a creative response to changing conditions which recycles elements to adapt to their new circumstances.

pizza box bead necklace, © 2004 - 2007 cynthia korzekwa

Thus bricolage is, in some ways, a form of evolution. It assembles and constructs that which is needed from that which is available.

iris, “they had secrets to share” -painted embroidery with crocheted frame © 2004 - 2007 cynthia korzekwa

“sometimes you catch, sometimes you throw”
ball point pen drawing with a paper bead frame
© 2004 - 2007 cynthia korzekwa

all images copyright © 2004-2007 cynthia korzekwa - all rights reserved

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Cynthia says of herself:

Visit Cynthia’s sites,
korzekwa | flickr site: los ojos | art for housewives | blog: paros | blog: ikastikos | email: cynthiak at tin dot it

Originally published in the January 2006 issue of The Practically Creative Quarterly, theme: alterations