First Round Complete

First round of my collaboration with Seth and Bridgette is complete so I can do a Show & Tell! First let me say that you need to go over to each of these brilliant artist’s sites so you can see what they created in my metal flag book. OMG! Truly. Stellar.

Bridgette's book - Spread 1

Bridgette’s book – The Book of Trees – is made of plaster pages folded around low gauge wire (I’m thinking coat hanger wire but I could be wrong). They are both pliable and stiff if that makes any sense at all – more pliable than rock hard plaster but less pliable than paper. Bri and I have had many chats over the last few years about crackle paste – my frequent use of it and her love/hate relationship with it – so I knew I wanted to incorporate some in her book. Also, the idea of using this spread to do a small tribute to Mama Ash – our glorious multi-centenarian tree we had to have removed last November – seemed fitting given Bri’s theme.

Mama Ash

I had a piece of her that I included on the left side of the spread along with a photo I’d taken at ArtFest last year of the tree in front of the haunted house. On the right side, I added crackle paste which didn’t quite take the way I thought it would. Gotta love the vagaries of materials, huh?!? I had to liberally lace this side with gel medium in order that it would stick to the plaster.

Bridgette's Book - Right side detail

In the end the “craters” left by the crumbling paste, created opportunities to add another element. And I couldn’t think of anything more fitting than a heart as an “Ode to Mama Ash”. And next time I get my hands on this book, I am SO playing with those wires!!

Seth's Contexture

Seth’s book presented a whole other kettle of fish. The signatures are multi-paged held together with eyelets in each corner and the paper is old, thin, brittle and just DARING you to try not to crumble in your hands. LOADS of potential. LOADS of sweat to keep it together! Good thing I thrive on challenge! I inserted some cardboard into the center of each signature in an effort to give some stability … I wrote about this before … and once the crackle paste dried it became evident I’d have to haul out Ye Ol’ Gel Medium to keep everything intact.

Seth's Contexture - Left side detail

In Seth’s definition for Contexture, in part, it stated: “Interconnecting text and texture.”  I knew I wanted to incorporate some written words – not hard for me anyway!  – but I wanted it to be subtle, show the graphic nature of words rather than have something literal. I had some old french handwritten text as a transfer kicking around so I added that almost first thing, just after my liberal sloshing of Quin Gold/Mars Black to soak into the crackle paste. Nothing ages like that combo! Layers and layers of dark then light, then dark then light. Sloshes (read: washes) then drier paint applied with fingers to bring out all that scrumptious texture. In keeping with the metal bits’n'bobs from Seth’s cover (go look, I’ll wait), I added a rusty washer. Loves me them circles!

Seth's Contexture - Right side detail

The right side got more depth, more darkness than the left. Sometimes it works out that way. I added a copper punchout that had been patina’d adding another punch of verdigris colour to the overall spread. And of course, the three teeny dentist drill bits represent the three of us. I really was worried all that texture might flake over the miles but Seth assures me it has remained intact.

And now I’m off to “Oooh!” and “Aaaah!” over my glorious metal flag book while I contemplate what’s next. Don’t forget to visit Seth and Bridgette! I know you’ll be as blown away over their pages, as I am!

Ah! Collaborations! SUCH fun!!