Experimentation & Discovery

Between a few brief trips out to town to visit family, and time spent with my grandkids, I haven't been super productive this past couple of months. Lately the heat has been keeping me indoors and in the studio.

I've been having fun experimenting with some new techniques, and printing collage papers.

At the end of May I taught another of my mixed media collage classes. It was a small class and we had lots of fun. I was very impressed with finished collages that my students created.

In June I hung my work at the Ethical Society of St. Louis for my solo exhibition. The opening was June 29th and will remain on display until August 16.

I've created a few small collages in which I've been experimenting with using more transparent papers. The collage on the left, Intersections, includes painted papers and book pages, as well as stamps printed on tissue paper.

Each Leaf Tells a Story, the piece on the right, was created on a painted background using a leaf print and gel printed tissue paper.

Thank you to mixed media artist, Jackie Bernardi at paintedpaperstudio.com. I followed her lesson on creating transparent and translucent papers using painted or printed tissue paper along with gloss medium and water. I love the technique!

I've also had so much fun incorporating a variety of different media with my collages. I created a couple of landscape pieces using acrylic ink and paints, pastel, and gel printed tissue paper. I love the textures and layers that add depth to the pieces. I'm still experimenting and trying to loosen up but I’ll keep making more of these! Thanks to lessons and inspiration from mixed media artist, Marabeth Quin.

The piece on the left is, Surrounded by Blue. It’s 8.25”x3.75” and mounted to 12”x8”. The piece on the left is, Take Me Home. It is 9"x12", mounted on a cradle board and in a floating canvas frame.

I also recently completed my abstract collage, The Space to Dream. There were several fits and starts with this piece. I had sections of the piece arranged and kept adding and removing papers, but couldn't make the composition work. Finally, I cut apart the pieces I'd already glued together, moved them around, and ultimately achieved a composition with which I'm quite happy.

And finally, I'm pleased to announce that I will, once again, be part of the Fall 2025 Queeny Art Fair here in St. Louis.

The art fair takes place on August 29-31, 2025 at the Greensfelder Recreation Center in Queeny Park. I'll be in booth 301. Hope to see some of you there!