Art x 12 Collaboration-February Project

I can’t believe March is already here and it’s time to mail out my February two-page project for the Art x 12 Collaboration. For those of you just coming to my blog, I am involved in an artists traveling book collaboration for 2019. Twelve different artists have created their own traveling, handmade book filled with blank pages that are mailed out each month to a different artist in the group so that at some point, when the original book of each artist is returned at the end of the year, he/she will have the pages filled by all 11 artists work plus one of his/her own. To say that I am honored to be on this journey with other artists that I have admired for a long time is an understatement. I am constantly inspired by them. The book I received this month was from the amazing Roxanne Evans Stout and is focused on collage and symbols. Along with other fellow artists,  I had the privilege of taking a week workshop with Roxanne and Seth Apter in Taos, New Mexico. It was amazing.  Anyway, here is my interpretation of her theme.

I love adding texture and dimension to my pages. I used thick gesso paste and a seashell stencil by June Pfaff Daley by StencilGirl® to create that concept. A bit of shibori-dyed paper, ephemera and stitchery completed my page.

One thing I know about Roxanne is that she loves nature.  I see it often in her postings as well as in her projects. As it so happened, I was shuffling through one of my vintage books, when this old pressed leaf fell out. Literally. I kid you not! Definitely thought it was a sign so I worked it into my art piece. The ribbon came tied on it so I left it.  Preservation. 🙂

What I love most about being involved in this project, is challenging the boundaries of what and how I create. With each artists’ book comes a unique theme or color palette that encourages me to do just that. Sometimes it comes together quickly and other times, not so much. But growth comes either way and I feel so good in the end. It’s what keeps me in the game of art.  The soul searching, digging deep, problem solving, art of manipulation that is intriguing every single time.

And there you have it. Until next month’s pages…

XO,

Debi