Art X 12 Book Collaboration-March Project

Can’t believe it is time to post another Art x 12 Book Collaboration. As I sit and write this post, I couldn’t help but notice that each month I appear to get a tad further away from the beginning of the month.  LOL.  Hoping to get on top of that next month. ( I see the procrastination already, ha!). Anyway, this was another very special book to add art to because it was from artist extraordinaire, aka, Mary Beth Shaw.  I will admit I was nervous.  I may have “played” a little bit first before actually working in her book. ;). And perhaps (don’t tell her), I actually did the art on some vintage ephemera and then adhered it to the pages. (Our little secret).  On occasion, some doubt entered my mind and I wondered what in the heck I was doing.  Anyone been there? But as all art goes, it is always a progress.  I just kept going until I liked it.

The beginning looked like this…

Layering more ephemera because you know, more is more…

And then there was kind of like a Big Bang theory that just happened. Lots of gesso, a little paint, some Distress Inks, a little more ephemera and some stenciling. (It’s a Small World Latitude  and Mini Map Symbols stencils are by Mary C. Nasser for StencilGirl®).

And I added some dimensionality by using Tim Holtz’s Bigz XL Word Play Letters and Number Die set. And of course some of Rae Missigman’s Repetition stencil. I would like to thank whom ever gave me that bird napkin at the StencilGirl® and Friends Retreat last year.  You never know when something like that will change your art. :). It became my focal point and really my starting place.

As mentioned often, I rarely leave home without my Tim Holtz Cracks stamp. It is the perfect background and filler. (See above and below).

And of course I added string. Kinda my signature piece.

I think the thing I discovered this time around was learning how to ground my art. Though the colors worked well together in the beginning, they didn’t seem to have enough depth to them to draw me in so I used a dark charcoal pencil to add more definition. In some areas I went back in with darker distress ink too, as seen on the world stencil. I made sure to include that darker color in the numbers  so that the eye floated all the way around and through my page.

And just like that, I was done.  So until next month…when I procrastinate and/or get nervous about doing art for another amazing Artist’s book yet again, I leave you with this two page spread. The personal growth that occurs in this challenge is what keeps me hooked every time. And there is no scooting by for me. I have to go all in and dig really deep. That’s where the growth happens.  What about you?

XO,

Debi