Spectrum Live! - Traditional to Digital and Digital to Traditional

Grants.  Many artists use them to fund a project or idea.  In prior years I have received grants from either Moore or Uarts to attend Illuxcon.  This past year I received grants from (no name) Art Group and Moore for Spectrum Live.   One covers hotel stay with partial entrance fee and the other covers materials, partial entrance fee and travel.  

Red Riding Hood Illustration done several years ago in paper and oil paint

This gave me the additional money and goal to do something that I wanted to do for a long time.  Go back to collage.  Traditional collage. 

I created "Protect" for (no name) Art Group as part of a grant contest.  The only prerequisite was prior participation in charity events and the image of a hand or hands.  I'm a sucker for ornate & intricate things (see my about section on my website) so after thumb-nailing I decided on the use of henna.  

This research also took me to a page on hamsa.  I took the inspiration of hamsa and it's message of protection into my sketches which created a new focus.  A focus that I felt emphasized the spirit of (no name) art group.  Care and protect.  Sherry Berger is the driving force behind the group and an amazing charitable person.

So I drew the image out with graphite, scanned in the drawing, created numerous color studies in photoshop, painted the image in Corel Painter, printed and mounted the image on raised masonite, and repainted in oils.  But the kicker was the collage and additional elements.

I gold leafed my heart out.  

I purchased several shades of sheer ribbon and cut them down into small pieces.  Using tweezers and transparent glue I fastened the material over the image.  

I placed it in a floater frame and treated the edges with a gold and bronze rub that my mother use to use on her ceramics.  Talk about exhausting all of your resources!  

Now all I have to do is wait for the Galkyd to dry and fasten the frame.

Tomorrow.... Jewelry!

Visit me at Spectrum Live! - Corner Booth 220