 Wendy Southin in her beautiful country garden… after I snapped this photo, as if on cue, a dragonfly came and rested on her hand... it was like something right out of fairy tale! At last, the highly anticipated second half of Wendy Southin of Dragonfly Dreamers interview…
MC: Wendy, images from nature abound in your mixed media art and jewellery. What attracts you to nature? Does living in the country have something to do with this?
WS: Yes, I think nature influences me a great deal. I can’t imagine not living in the country. I guess it gets into my work without me really being aware of it.
MC: The dragonfly is an important symbol to your brand – what special meaning does it hold for you?
WS: When I named my company Dragonfly Dreamers I wasn’t aware at all about what it meant or why I chose it. I think this is just a reminder that I’ve been living and creating intuitively for some time. I realize now that the dragonfly is about the changes within me that were happening and are still happening. For me it’s about finding my true self, accepting it and letting others see that side of me.
 A beautiful gate-fold book crafted by Wendy Southin… she gives a great workshop on bookmaking. See Other Links below for samples of fabulous books made by her students… MC: Some people feel words have no place in visual art; that the images speak for themselves. Words play a significant role in some of your art. Why do feel it’s important to incorporate them into your pieces? What’s your favourite word?
WS: I think I use the words as reminders to myself and I think others need them too. Words are powerful and if used properly can uplift us or bring us through hard times. My favourite word right now is “Believe” – I always need to remind myself to believe in myself and my dreams.
MC: In terms of a medium or style, do you ever step out of your comfort zone?
WS: I think you always have to get out of your comfort zone. In art I think that’s how you have to grow. When I take a course or workshop it’s about stepping out of my comfort zone and learning a new technique. I recently took a course in torch-fired enamelling – now all I need to do is to push myself to set up my torch! (Laughing)
MC: If you had a dream project, what would it be?
WS: I find I’m always working on small projects with a particular purpose, for example, for a workshop or a show. So I think right now that would be to give myself time to create something new. I would like to create some wild new jewellery design – preferably without a budget! (Laughing) I think ultimately working on a dream project, for me, has to do with having unlimited time to create a project to see where it would go.
MC: What advice would you give to someone entering a creative field like yours?
WS: Be true to yourself. If you’re true to yourself, things have a way of falling into place. And don’t give up. If things don’t work the first, second or third time, figure out what’s wrong and try fixing it until you get it right. Most importantly, if you want to make a living with art, know that making art is a business – it’s not just about making your art; it’s about being able to sell it, too! Take the time to look at the whole picture of what it means to make and sell your art. Find somebody that’s doing something similar to you and begin seeing all the sides of how they set up their business. For example, how they market their art. Ask yourself: are you willing to go all the way to become a working artist? Maybe you’re not meant to make a living with your art; perhaps you just do it for fun, to enjoy yourself and that’s fine, too.
 Wendy Southin's hands… small, delicate yet also strong and agile… these fingers can do the most intricate bead and jewellery work. MC: If you had a superpower what would it be?
WS: To clean the house in minutes so I had much more time to create! (Laughing)
MC: What can’t you do without?
WS: My studio space… having a space that’s always there for me.
MC: What are your professional goals for the near future?
WS: Right now I’m letting things develop as they will. I guess at this point, I’m working intuitively and it feels like it’s working for the moment. Things just seem to be falling into place for me without me saying this is where you’re going exactly. In the last year I’ve been working this way because being goal-oriented hasn’t worked for me.
MC: What’s your favourite quote?
WS: My art business tag line: “Live a creative life.” – it goes hand in hand with my thoughts about living my art.
I’m constantly amazed by Wendy’s ability to be such a multi-talented artist. Wow, what I wouldn’t give to have her superpower too! Geez how would you make that happen, Wendy? – wiggle your nose?! You know, while I always feel a sense of satisfaction cleaning my place, sometimes I sure wish I had more time to simply relax or create. I bet so many of us would also love to have her fantasy of having some quality time with no budget to create something out-of-this-world! I’ve always wanted to make a music video– what about you?! Wendy’s business slogan of living a creative life really resonates with me – I whole-heartedly agree that creativity extends beyond the studio into our lives… into our kitchens when we’re tweaking recipes; into our closets when we’re choosing what outfit to wear or in our living rooms when we’re re-arranging things for a fresh new look. Nurturing our sense of creativity in the studio can enable us to enhance so many areas of our personal lives thus creating an overall sense of well being. Thanks for an insightful interview Wendy! It was such a privilege to learn more about your perspective as a creative. I’m so lucky to have you as a friend and colleague.
If you’d like to reach Wendy Southin to enquire about purchasing her pieces, securing commissions or taking workshops, you can email her at: wendysouthin@gmail.com. If you’d like to learn more about her world, be sure to check out her Dragonfly Dreamers Blog. She’d also love to have you visit her Dragonfly Dreamers Christmas Arts & Crafts Open House on Sunday, November 10, 2013 – a warm, down-home affair with lots of great gift ideas and tasty (healthy!) holiday treats!
Other Related Links:
Interview with Wendy Southin: Living the Creative Life, Part I
Dragonfly Dreamers Gate Fold Book Workshop: Students’ Pieces
 Don’t let Wendy Southin's innocent little girl air fool you… she’s always raring and eager to set her sights on the most challenging creative projects… her big studio reno being a recent one. Wendy Southin lives in Richmond, Ontario, Canada. She makes jewellery, books and altered art. We’ve been good friends for a few years now and have had our share of adventures journaling, creating ATCs and assisting each other with workshops. She’s such an amazing and inspiring person I wanted to do a special spotlight on her so you could all get to know her better as well as gather some insight into the life of a passionate artist and creative entrepreneur. This summer and fall she shared some reflections about living the creative life with me which I’d like to share with you… Part II will follow next week…
MC: Wendy, when did you decide you wanted to become an artist?
WS: I don’t think I ever decided to become an artist. Somewhere along my creative path people started to call me an artist and I finally gave in to it.
MC: Are you self-taught or have you had any formal training in art?
WS: I don’t have any formal training per say but I’ve taken a variety of different workshops over the years that have boosted me along the self-learning path.
MC: Some people are reluctant to use the term “artist” to describe their occupation. What term do you use to describe your profession and why?
WS: I use artist but mostly because that’s what people seem to want to hear. I think in my heart I really just think I’m a creative person.
MC: How would you describe your artistic style?
WS: Earthy, vintage and a little steam punk.
MC: What medium(s) do you work with? Which one do you feel the most “at home” with?
WS: I work with a varied number of mediums. I’m never content to just have one or two mediums to work in. Working with metal to make jewellery seems to give me the most satisfaction lately although this is my new medium to date. I’m always fascinated with the variety of things I can do with metal and haven’t found an end to what I want to learn to do with it. A lot of my other mediums have overlapped over the years. I did decorative painting which comes in handy with my altered art projects. I call them “altered art” projects while others call them “mixed media”. In these I can work with anything from paper, to shells, to glitter, to ephemera and found objects. So in some ways there’s no end to what medium I can work with.
 These beads' colours, textures and patterns are so… Wendy! MC: Do you see art as something you do for a living or do you view it as a lifestyle?
WS: Although over the years I’ve hoped to make a living with my art. In the last few years I’ve come to realize, it really is a lifestyle for me and if I can make enough to get by that would make me happy, too.
MC: With two grown sons, I admire the way you’ve balanced roles as a mother and an artist; how do you do it?!
WS: Oh, I wish I had a balance secret. I think I just keep going and try not to drop the balls too often. And when I do drop a ball or two I just pick it up again and continue to juggle. For me it’s not about fitting it in; it’s about it being part of my life. I’ve learned that I just don’t feel well and nothing goes well if I don’t make room for creating most days.
MC: Where do you find the inspiration for your work?
WS: I think inspiration is everywhere, everyday. I’m never really sure where my creations come from. Even when I start with an idea it rarely comes out anything like I thought it would. Lately I’ve been reading about living intuitively and I think that is how I create. I just let things do what they want to and try not to get in the way too much.
MC: Whose artwork inspires you?
WS: I’m inspired by so many artists and non-artists. It’s so easy to get on-line and find inspiration these days that sometimes it can be overwhelming and I have to make myself stop looking and start making. Even when I teach workshops I’m inspired by my students work.
MC: Speaking of workshops… what’s your teaching style? What are the benefits of teaching for you as an artist?
WS: I don’t think I’ve really been aware or thought about what my teaching style is. I think for the most part, for me, teaching is about giving people time to be creative when they wouldn’t otherwise be. When I teach, it varies depending on the workshop and the group. I think as a teacher I’m aware of what the students need which is always different. Some people come to class wanting to learn a technique; while others want to make something they can say is their own. I could probably go on about this! The benefits of teaching are enormous. It makes me feel wonderful to share my knowledge with others and to help them find creativity within themselves that they may not have known was there. I also find it inspirational and uplifting to be with a group of creative people. I’m usually very motivated to create after I’ve taught a class.
 Wendy Southin's studio is a dream come true. Last year she relocated it from the basement to the first floor of her home. It’s a big, bright cozy space for creating in and hosting workshops. This concludes Part I of Wendy’s interview… if you’d like to learn more about her workshops be sure to check out her upcoming Workshops Schedule on her Dragonfly Dreamers Blog. I’ve taken a number of them with much success; Wendy’s a generous, resourceful and patient teacher. You can see the links below for my reviews of her embossing and resin jewellery making classes. As well as teaching adults, she also holds great workshops for elementary and high school students. Her fabulous jewellery can be found on Dragonfly Dreamers Etsy Shop. Stay tuned next week for Part II of her interview and find out why the Dragonfly holds special meaning for her… what superpower she’d like to possess!… advice she has to offer to budding creative entrepreneurs and art lovers alike…and much more.
Other Related Links:
Making Resin Jewellery with Wendy Southin
Embossing the Day Away with Wendy Southin
Student Spotlight: Wendy Southin’s Vision Board Dilemma
 From Mermaid series by Michelle Casey, “Ascension” (detail), Digital Collage, 9 inches x 6 inches (approximately), 2006 “What if …” This is the question that propels my reality as an artist into the faraway reaches of my imagination. I frequent it as often as I can because the feeling of making something real and concrete that’s never existed before gives me a rush like no other. It has the ability to make me feel superhuman for a little while, and, I like that because some days I really feel like a puny, powerless human being. It’s one of the reasons I’ve been drawn to art in all its guises from a young age. Painting, drawing and cutting things up always makes me feel God-like. Growing up and seeing how other kinds of artists were making things real fascinated me even more. As a child I recall obsessively watching the stop-motion animated films made with the vision of special effects expert Ray Harryhausen … it just blew me away that whole fictional worlds could be realized entirely from someone’s imagination on film. Some of Harryhausen’s most famous effects were used in some of the Sinbad the sailor movies* which I loved very much. Seeing the one-eyed cyclops in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) both thrilled and terrified me. Emblazoned in my mind forever is the image of its towering figure roasting screaming sailors over a fire pit! Equally mesmerizing was watching a beautiful Arabian princess being transformed into a miniature version of herself by an evil magician. That the art of film could make these things real made it seem like pure magic for me. Since then I’ve always felt creatives, whether they be film makers, authors, dancers, actors or singers etc. are akin to magicians… and for a long time I knew I wanted to become one of them. I wanted to create worlds and characters that would blow people away… worlds they could get lost in… this is one of my dreams as an artist.
There are dreams but then there’s also reality. Lately my worries have been devouring me and I long to find that place of solace and magic again. Some days it’s been hard to concentrate long enough to channel my creative spirit into venturing into “what if” land. It’s times like this, when I’m just trying to survive, I wonder what crucial role, if any, art serves in my life. For me, it’s always when I’m seconds away from falling off the mental cliff in my mind that art in some incredible form or another makes its serendipitous appearance. This month it happened when I re-discovered the awe of making things real again as I did with those old Sinbad movies. While watching TV the other week I caught a preview of a documentary: Mermaids: The Body Found (2012). Being a great fan of these mythical creatures, I felt compelled to watch it. The documentary claimed that a biologist, Dr. Paul Robertson, had discovered the remains of what he believed might be a real mermaid; piecing together a plausible theory of their existence with the help of other esteemed professionals, he posited that mermaids did indeed exist in the icy waters of our coldest oceans! Although I missed the live segment, I found it on Youtube; I sat riveted to my laptop watching it… forgetting all my life’s worries, intent on discovering that in this crazy mixed up world if there might really be evidence that one of my childhood fantasies really existed!
Now, I don’t want to give the film away, so I’ll let you discover the outcome of Dr. Roberston’s find for yourself. Here’s the link to Mermaids: The Body Found if you’d like to watch it. It’s about an hour and a half long – great for whenever you decide to declare a movie night. If you’re a fantasy fan like me, I guarantee you the time will fly by at the speed of light leaving you hungering for more. Should that be the case, you may be elated to learn that there’s a follow-up to it: Mermaids: New Evidence. If you have a chance to watch it, I’d love to know if it made you believe in the possibility of mermaids. It worked it’s magic on me and made me realize whether I make art or share in the pleasures of what others create and whether what they make is true/real or not, one of the things I love about art is that it gives me faith in the impossible… and it’s one of the things that inspires my sense of creativity as well as gives me strength to hope and carry on in troubled times.
When I first started experimenting with collaging in Photoshop, one of the first series I made was one inspired by mermaids. Naturally, films like Sinbad drove my desire to bring these fictional beings to life through my art. Have you ever created any fantastical creatures of your own? If you have, I’d love to see them and learn the story behind their making.
* Note: As a kid growing up in the 1970’s, Sinbad movies were akin to more contemporary ground-breaking visual effects films such as Star Wars and Avatar.
PLEASE NOTE for October and November 2013: We’ve finally sold our home and are in the midst of packing and moving from now until early December 2013. There may be times when I post only every other week. So don’t worry, I’m still around and haven’t forgotten about you… I’m just tied up for a bit… rest assured I’ve got plenty more great blogging stories and tips to share with you in between.
Other Related Links:
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) Trailer
Little Mermaid (A short film from the Vancouver Film School)
Imagine: Making Your Dream Real
 Michelle Casey, “The Secret of Life”, Collage/Mixed Media, 7 inches x 5 inches, 2011, Upper text: “The secret of life is to dare”; Lower left text: “Imagine” Last week while savouring a cup of coffee during a rare peaceful moment in my life, I began thinking about lists again. Posting my Gratitude List the other week evoked such a warm response from some of you, I wondered what other inspiring, uplifting and, perhaps even (heaven forbid!), thought/action provoking lists I might also share with you…
Lists are great for those of us who have trouble trying to figure out what to write in our journals. You don’t need to be an eloquent writer to put together a list of items related to your life. Lists, even the most basic ones like your grocery list, can reveal so much about your character, concerns and lifestyle – a psychologist, detective or even historian would have a field day reconstructing just who you really are from the discarded lists you leave behind! I’m always elated to find the odd one left in a shopping cart at my local grocer’s. Ever wonder, for instance, what might be on Batman’s favourite reading list or Jane Eyre’s bucket list?! I remember a while back when Oprah Winfrey wrote her “bucket list”; I though it was such a great idea. There’s nothing like putting together a list of longings to make them concrete. Making a list like Oprah’s means there’s also the possibility and the desire to make some or all of our wishes real to whatever extent we can*. There’s nothing like rising to the challenge of a personal dare … especially if you share your list with others**. I’ve always wanted to write a bucket list, but haven’t dared until now. You know, it’s your presence here and now that gives me the courage to finally write mine… so here goes… (Naturally, I’m only giving you the first ten items (in no particular order); as you can imagine a wordy writer/thinker like me has at least a 100 items on her list!)
My Bucket List:
1 Learn how to sew collages
2 Make a really cool art video
3 Start an art school for underprivileged kids so they can learn how to creatively foster change and bring hope to their communities
4 Learn to play the guitar and sing again
5 Learn how to skateboard!
6 Publish a story about my father’s life
7 Get my driver’s licence (again!)
8 Open up an art boutique/gallery/workshop
9 Take dance lessons
10 Visit my friend Gillian’s B&B in the UK (by the sea!)
As I wrote my list, I could already begin to imagine the sources that could help me: the store I could check out for sewing lessons; the shop that gives skateboard lessons I heard about on TV and a neighbourhood where I could set up my art boutique. In seconds I could also envision aspects of these activities: what my first video might look like; the cover of my newly published book and the elements I’d like to stitch into my collages (old clothes labels, glittering sequins, a drawing of anatomical heart)… these imaginings gave me hope. The humble act of recording our own meaningful lists can give us the ability to awaken and transform our humdrums lives if we dare. You know, when it comes right down to it, even if I could do only a few things on my bucket list, it’d give my spirit such a lift! As they say we only have one life to live so I always feel why not make the most of it!
As well as a bucket list there are many other kinds of lists to draw from. While surfing the internet I found Demanding Joy’s site which features a 50 ideas for list writing. I’ve selected ten of my favourite items from that list to spur you on…
10 Inspiring Ideas for List Writing:
1 The most beautiful things you’ve ever seen
2 All the compliments you’ve ever gotten
3 The best days of your life
4 The best advice you’ve been given
5 Things that made you laugh until you cried
6 What would you do with the power of invisibility?
7 People who’ve influenced or inspired you
8 Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?
9 Occupations that you’ve wanted to be since childhood
10 Favourite gifts you’ve received
Wow, some of these list ideas are so intriguing … I love the dinner party and the invisibility ones! One day I’ll share my thoughts on those with you! Now go to it! Write your list and remember to share it with a friend or two. You can even build a collage around it and frame it to remind you of its potential impact on your life. You may want to consider devoting a whole journal just to list making – wouldn’t that be exciting! If you want to know what the other 40 items on Demanding Joy’s list are be sure to visit their website (see link below).
* Note: With regards to a bucket list, sometimes we don’t always have the funds to make our actual wishes come true; but there are always alternative solutions… if you can’t go Italy, how about going to the best Italian restaurant in town or perhaps visiting your local Italian week festival to get a flavour of its spirit.
** Note: With regards to a bucket list, if you share your list, there’s always the possibility someone you know can help you realize a dream on it. The more people you share your list with the higher your chances perhaps of achieving your goals!
Other Related Links:
50 Lists to Write to Lift Your Spirits (If you want the other 40 items and can’t access the site, you can email me and I’ll send them to you.)
Benefits of a Bucket List
How Writing Can Inspire Your Collaging
My Father’s Hands: Writing, Collaging, Commemorating
Collage Tip #8: Collaging a Dream Journal
 Detail of my uncle's photo collage. Top left and four images to the right are of Doug; the one on the bottom right is his mom. Sometimes the impetus for a collage comes from my need to elaborate on a character who’s currently affecting my life. Since February I’ve been dealing with a temperamental old ailing “uncle” of mine. Although he’s given me plenty to complain about, when I think of what a colourful character he’s been in my life, it always makes me smile…
A Most Unorthodox Gift…
A car mechanic all his life, my Uncle Doug was my father’s good friend for decades in Pakistan and Canada. I only learned several years ago that he wasn’t an actual blood relative of ours. Proud of his bachelor status, and having mysterious ties to his real family, he treated my sisters and I like his very own nieces lavishing us with gifts on special occasions. He had a penchant for giving the most unorthodox ones too… on my first Holy Communion, for instance, he gave me an elegant Timex ladies evening watch with a beautiful blue velvet strap – it was so grown up, I loved it! My aunties who presented me with holy rosaries, bibles (as well as “holy” earrings, “holy” purses!) scolded him for getting me such a sacrilegious gift! But, at age six, I thought it was the coolest present ever! Even today, I love to remind him how happy it made me. Doug’s devotion to our family knew no bounds. He helped us settle into life in Canada; drove my expectant mother (in labour) to the hospital in the middle of a winter ice storm and he alone heard my father’s last words… which he tells me he will never EVER reveal! Why? Because when Doug keeps a secret, he keeps a secret! Damn him! 🙂
The Temper of a Gunfighter…
Although a gentle soul at times, even at age 91, my Uncle Doug has the temper of gun fighter! No kidding! No one dare cross him… or his friends. To the optometrist who informed him that folks would laugh at the cheap frames he’d chosen for his glasses, he gruffly replied: “If they do, I’ll punch them in the face!” And he meant it! Doug always loves to add to his dubious personae. Last month he informed me that as a teenager he had a gun custom-designed for himself by shady men who lived in the hills of Peshawar, India! When I asked why he needed a gun, he said it was to protect himself from the (East) Indians some of who also packed guns (like us he was part of a small, often despised mixed Indo-European Christian community living on the subcontinent). Asking him how he felt now, without his gun, his steely reply was: “Naked.” As well as being an outlaw in spirit, my uncle was a debonair man … a fashionable dresser who could turn the ladies’ heads! His looks reminded me of Hollywood stars like Kirk Douglas and Robert Mitchum. To my surprise I learned one day that Doug actually met one of my favourite actors of old Steward Granger at a hotel bar in Lahore, Pakistan. Granger was filming a movie* about Anglo-Indians (people like us) and Doug thought the movie (Bhowani Junction, 1956) was a “load of rubbish”; he refused to get the actor’s autograph for his disappointed gal pals. As handsome as any actor, in his head, through his tall tales, he was always the star of his stories. Ones in which if anyone questioned his authority or integrity they were duly set straight. If they threatened his friends he was willing to fight to the death for them! Each time I sit down with him, he shares a similar story. One in which, just before he gets to its dramatic ending, he stops for a long pause, bats his eye lids several times then delivers the exciting climax! Always finishing with (while pointing his finger at me) … “And there’s no BLOODY way in HELL, they’ll ever talk to ME like that again!” … his fiery blue-brown eyes piercing mine! In a bar, on the battle field or in the convalescent home, my uncle is always the victor.
A Baptism of Fire…
Many of us go through situations that define who we are. For Doug it was a baptism of fire; one that nearly devoured both his hands. For a man who earned his living repairing engines this might have spelled disaster, but not for him. After much therapy he regained the use of his hands and was back at work in no time – it was a great testament to his will. It’s only been since his late 80’s that his health began to wane, and sadly, this year he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He’s such a package, my uncle, it’s hard for me to imagine him as somebody’s little boy. But he was. An angry gun-slinging teenager who ran away to join the British Indian Army to serve as a Royal Mechanical Engineer during World War II** … all because his wife-beating father kicked him out of the house. His mother died not long after and he laments her death to this day. “Home is where your mother is…” he once told me “when she’s gone, then you have no home.” Estranged from my own mom, his statement holds much resonance for me. When he found a second home here in Ottawa in the 1960’s, he only periodically visited his actual relatives in England and Australia. I guess because his connection to them was geographically constrained, they haven’t ventured to visit much but they call and send him presents. For his ninetieth birthday they sent him a photo collage of his family! He was overjoyed to see images he hadn’t even known existed. There were 15 photos in all of the family in different stages of their lives… his young Scottish mother (as light-skinned as he); his very stern father (an East Indian from Holland with dark features**), his brother, sister, nieces, etc… and a young Doug looking very spiffy in his military uniform and dress suits. He prizes that gift so… it’s his own personal time machine and his sense of home away from home. As he proudly displayed it to me, I was amazed at how art is capable of touching our lives on such a deep level. That collage is now the heartbeat of his life.
What’s Your Story?
Seeing my uncle so many times this year has made him an eligible candidate for one of my commemorative collages. I hope I can find the right pieces to give life to the quirky character he is. Writing up an account of my thoughts like this always helps me to envision what imagery I might want to use to describe him. When I think of composing it… I see hands, a tattooed arm, fire, a kitchen, a young mother as well as architectural and symbolic references to England, Holland and Asia. I hope he will live to see it finished so he can finally understand what it is I do! He tells me he’s still got a few good years left and I believe him – even Death will not defeat my uncle until he is ready. Do you have a colourful relative like Doug you admire that you could commemorate? Who are they? What did they do to impress you? What images and symbols would you use to depict them? Would your piece be a photo collage, collage or a mixed media piece? All are equally challenging and fun to create. If you’re willing to share, I’d love to hear your story about an unforgettable friend or relative. And, if you make one, I’d love to feature it on a future blog!
Note*: This movie was called “Bhowani Junction” (1956). It was set in post-Partition India and centred on a young Anglo-Indian woman, played by actress Ava Gardner, who was torn between her love for India and England. In the end of film, she chooses to stay in India rather than move away with her British lover. This annoyed Doug because most Anglo-Indians left India and Pakistan in droves to move to England which they considered their true “home”.
Note**: He garnered three medals during World War II.
Note: *** Although his father looks typically East Indian, Doug always refers to him as a Dutch engineer. It’s so curious that he refuses to acknowledge his father’s East Indian origins.
Other Related Links:
“Mrs. S” a Commemorative Journal Page
Ruth Ann’s “Gifts from Heaven & Earth”
Exploring My Family Curse
 A magnificent piece: "Triple Goddess" by my good friend Irene Rafael. Hello! Today I’d like to spotlight the blog of my good friend Irene Rafael. For those of you who aren’t familiar with her, she’s a special virtual friend of mine from The United States. We “met” while partaking in Kelly Kilmer’s on-line journaling courses some years ago and have stayed in touch ever since. I was always wowed by Irene’s fabulous journal pages! She’s an amazingly talented mixed media artist, painter and writer. This week she very generously featured me (Michelle Casey Interview with Irene Rafael, “Without Realizing”, Thursday August 22, 2013) on her blog! I invite you to review it and discover more of my deep, dark creative secrets! 😉 I encourage you to linger a little longer on her site; it’s filled with beautiful imagery (see her piece above), poetic language and thoughtful musings! Every time I visit it, I learn so much!
My deepest thanks to you, dear Irene, for taking the time to expertly edit my wordy interview and for rousing up questions that really helped me to contemplate my art process, work and gather further insight into just what it is I do as a creative soul! Collage Your World looks forward to featuring YOU here too in the not so distant future! xoxo
 Lisa Creskey, “Mirror” (detail), 2012 (Image used with artist’s permission) It was such a happy accident that I discovered the work of local ceramic artist Lisa Creskey. A couple of years ago, I mistook her for another artist colleague with the same first name. We emailed back and forth until one day I realized I was “talking” to the wrong “Lisa”! Nevertheless, I was intrigued to learn that she’d be incorporating collage elements into her latest work so I made a point of visiting her next group exhibition. Coming face-to-face with her art was mind-blowing. There were 26 artists featured in the show, but I only had eyes for Lisa’s unusual pottery-like ceramic pieces upon which she had painted animated drawings. Every one, no matter how small formed a character or story that held me spellbound. Hybrid human/bird-like creatures and ancient settler-like natives seemed to be fighting for their very lives against the forces of nature… people being tossed upon the sea in boats surrounded by exotic northern sea creatures evoked memories of myths and legends I’d read as a child. Her pieces were so infused with emotion and vitality, that I felt like I could practically hear the cries of these souls from the past and even the sounds of the sea and natural world that enveloped them. It’s rare that a work of art strikes me so… the energy breathed into these pieces by the artist resonated long after they had been birthed in a kiln.
Lisa Creskey’s unconventional pottery reminds me of what it means to be an artist; an expressive soul; a life-time explorer who can’t ignore the cries of the world around them. After I saw her work, I wanted to learn more. So this summer I was all ears when she gave a talk at the Karsh-Masson Gallery here in Ottawa in conjunction with her exhibition “Pole Star Drift”. Here are some of my reflections from that event…
 Lisa Creskey, “Hydra” Series (detail), 2012 (image used with artist’s permission) A Personal Archaeology…
What I loved about unearthing the facts surrounding Lisa’s work is how much its origins are enmeshed in her personal life and passions. Growing up and living in the countryside, Lisa developed a special fondness for the natural world. The daughter of a mother who is also a potter, she acquired an appreciation for the medium at a young age. Her layered, paper thin pieces of clay come together to form bowl-like vessels and a variety of organically and geographically inspired two and three-dimensional pieces that result in objects that hover between the worlds of fine art and craft. They’re a captivating fusion of pottery, painting, drawing, sculpture and even animation. Some mimic mini dioramas and also, I think, children’s pop up story books. These fragile works, I hear, are a challenge to produce so that the very fact that they exist for a time as one solid piece is amazing in itself and a testament to Lisa’s great skill as a ceramicist! For her they’re a permanent record of her personal archaeology and feelings towards particular historical events and other subject matter that strikes her heart. Using her senses to connect with her materials, she draws and paints frenetic lines on clay to describe her characters and scenes. She uses earthy monochromatic colour schemes to tease out the emotions behind her subject matter. Her approach is an intuitive one in which she communicates with the characters she creates allowing them to guide her in the construction of her work.
 Lisa Creskey, “Alien Landscapes”, Ceramic bowl, 2011 (Image used with artist’s permission) History on a Dinner Plate…
Lisa’s enthralled by utilitarian objects such as bowls and plates which have been an integral part of art and the earth’s history since the dawn of civilization. She particularly values them for their role in commemorating historical events and serving superstitious/spiritual ceremonial functions. During her talk she reveals images of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mum) on a special anniversary dinner plate as well as a mysterious and extraordinary Iraqi bowl upon which is inscribed an incantation for invoking the dead! My favourite pieces of hers were inspired by her fascination with Canadian history and her need to investigate and question the historical narratives of our nation’s past and present. Entranced by the drawings and maps she saw in her 1950’s school history text books; she incorporates their contours, terrains and stories into her pieces. I was struck by an account she mentioned (Skirmish at Bloody Point, 1577) in which explorer Martin Frobisher, while charting the North, mercilessly mistreats the northern Inuit peoples. I was moved to see Lisa incorporating positively-themed portraits of our northern peoples into her personal vision of that space. Another striking element in her work is the seemingly raceless group of people that inhabit some of her historical imaginings. Similar in appearance and dress, they resemble Egyptian mummies or even astronauts in space suits! – they’re truly compelling characters. Turning her eye to the present through another piece, she fashions a board game whose chess-like pieces consist of tiny boats*. This work is her personal apology to Ashley Smith, a teenager who tragically died in prison while guards watched her commit suicide refusing to come to her aid until it was too late. As a mother, Lisa laments young Ashley’s death and informs us that the girl’s first “big” crime was to steal an apple which eventually led to a downward spiral of unfortunate events in her life. Her use of the symbol of the boat in this piece reminded me of Egyptian mythology where they were used to transport the souls of the dead to the next world. Hopefully, Ashley’s journey to the afterlife will present her with the peace and happiness she was denied in this one.
 Lisa Creskey, Ceramic Artist Art as Confession…
Lisa might have easily chosen to relay her historical concerns through text. Unlike a book, however, clay’s ancient, tactile, visceral and malleable skin-life surface allows her to imbue her work with powerful emotional qualities that instantly seduce viewers. I find it quite a refreshing way of encountering and re-telling history. Her three-dimensional pieces especially lend themselves beautifully to discussion; in their presence, one is continually discovering new elements of her stories with every slight turn around her work. I can envision them in a museum surrounded by school children who unravel their stories with the guidance of a teacher. Lisa mentioned she felt was making “fake artefacts” as well as a “new anthropology”; I agree. I feel, in responding to historical events that matter to her, she creates objects of the here and now to come to terms with the past; in doing so she reinvents the Canadian landscape and its peoples suffusing it with her unique sense of inner geography. She shares a favourite quote with us by author Albert Camus that “… a work of art is a confession.” which is very telling. For me Lisa’s “confessions” thoughtfully acknowledge the sometimes bloody stains of Canada’s history in an attempt to redress the wounds of our nation and its peoples as well as proclaim her own personal stance on these issues. It’s a very courageous thing to do creatively and is the reason, besides her amazing story-telling and collage-inspired skills, that I admire her so much as an artist. I’m looking forward to the next exhibition, Lisa!
For more information and images of her work be sure to visit her exquisite website: Lisa Creskey Ceramic Artist.
* Note: Birds, nests, animals (i.e. polar bear), boats, canoes, mother and child imagery are recurring symbols in Lisa’s work which effortlessly blends the worlds of humans and nature.
Other Related Links:
The Artful Blogger… Lisa Creskey in a class by herself…
A Tour of Jonathan’s Haunting Exhibition
Painter Helen Gregory Breathes New Life into Death
Nancy Halpin Looks “Out of the Window”
 Michelle Casey, "untitled", Collage/Mixed Media on Vellum, 8 inches x 6 inches, 2013 These last couple of weeks, I’ve been feeling like life has sucker-punched me. I’ve been in a place where I might have normally let myself fall into an eternal downward spiral of doom and gloom. Today, however, I decided to count my blessings for the past week and found there’s plenty to celebrate and be grateful for. Just looking at this list makes me smile at the riches I have in my life. Because of the way our brain works, it’s far easier to remember the unhappy things that touch our lives. That’s why it’s so important to take the time to write down those fleeting happy moments of the recent past to draw strength from in the present. Writing a gratitude list is a great way to beat the blues; I don’t think I do it often enough. I remember reading somewhere that the happiest people keep gratitude lists to remind themselves of the good things they have going on in their lives… and apparently (oh, I’m such a sceptic sometimes!), it really works to boost their optimism and success in life. So, here goes, if it works for them, I want a piece of it, too! Thanks to Oprah Winfrey whose own gratitude list in the July issue of O magazine inspired my own.
This week I’m grateful for…
The warm sun shining on my shoulders.
Chocolate cherry mania gelato from Truffles & Treasures (hey you locals, it’s in the Glebe… they make great sugar-free chocolate too and their fudge is to die for!).
Finding an AMAZING book to read: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Having a surprise coffee break with my husband.
Receiving a beautiful painting from my friend Bernadeta who lives in Poland.
Getting a couple of heart-warming emails from CYW list members.
Being able to spend Saturday morning at the spa treating myself to a manicure/pedicure. BTW, OPI’s “Aphrodite’s Nightie” is a gorgeous pink for the summer!
The calming sound of water trickling from my neighbour’s fountain.
Seeing my new Salsa Red Echinacea plant bloom for the first time this summer!
Finding two bright red cardinals hanging out in the oak tree in my front yard.
Falling in love with a new musical duo: The Civil Wars… you have to check out their version of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”. (I think he would be proud!)
Being able to take long meditative walks in a beautiful, peaceful neighbourhood.
The first drops of rain on my face on a hot muggy day.
Seeing three new lilies bloom in my tiny backyard pond.
Buying four rolls of a cool new patterned MT washi tape for my supply stash… and actually making use of it!
Hearing the crickets chirping on my nightly stroll.
Being able to see the stars from my office window at night.
Having so many supportive and wonderful friends come around when I need them most.
Quote: “Beauty brings us back to the here and now” by Allan G. Hunter, Gratitude and Beyond: Five Insights for a Fulfilled Life
Hope y’all have a great week!
 Michelle Casey, "Fukushima, Hiroshima, Nagasaki", Collage/Mixed Media Journal Page, 8.5 x 6 inches, April 2011. Photo of woman by Teneshia Carr in Noise #26, UK, 2010 During my first “Pieces of Me” exhibition, a visitor enquired where I was in my journal pages. “I kept looking for you!” she said. I told her I was there almost everywhere in them… in fact, many female figures whether they be young or old, carried some aspect I wished to embody. Thus far, I have enjoyed being the madonna-like figure in one collage; the disillusioned blue-haired punk rocker or the noble-chinned Joan of Arc in others. I feel it would be so boring if all the images of myself looked consistently like me. For this and other reasons I relish making a whole series of mutable “me’s” through my journal pages.
I don’t know about you, but when I was young, and even now, I envisioned myself as the lead figures of my favourite cartoons, novels, films and even paintings. Whether it be the winter-white, ruby-lipped princess Snow White; the plain, austere Jane Eyre; the buxom, athletic “Tomb Raider” Lara Croft or the tragic medieval Lady of Shalott in William Waterhouse’s famous painting – at some point in my life, a part of me has retained a small fragment of their beings within my soul to this very day. As you can imagine, this naturally makes for a very schizophrenic visual existence imaginatively! Stereotypes or not, these images of women have had a profound effect on my being. I love that my collage stories allow me to physically manifest these invisible sources of my spirit; after all, they’ve determined how I perceive myself and the woman I have strived to become (or not). Oddly enough in the past when I viewed these revered female role models, in my imagination, I always managed to block out that I was a browned-skinned, mixed race girl/woman in reality. In effect, I became a chameleon willing to take on the characteristics of whatever media type was presented to me… for a long time, I allowed myself to believe I was white.
Although some of the characters in my collage journal pages may be white and beautiful as the interviewer Liana Voia pointed out in her January 2013 interview with me, I always work hard to find a wide variety of character types for my journal pages. I’ve rustled through more than a hundred magazines for weeks and months to find them. Throughout these searches, I’m continually surprised to find very few models of colour. There continues to be a prevalence of white models or white models portraying woman of other ethnicities in them – it’s quite a curious thing. While this glaring absence continually thwarts my efforts to include women from around the globe in my work, it has also given me the opportunity to be more creative and made me more persistent about finding them. I’m always thrilled to uncover that coveted image of a model who looks like she may be of South Asian, Japanese, Chinese, Middle Eastern, African, etc. descent. I especially love it when I find a model who appears to be a hybrid of many cultures – after all, we’re all genetically-speaking from the same family!* Each time I find a model of colour I save her for a special role in one of my collage narratives. Here are a couple of stories I’d like to share with you …
 Michelle Casey, "Supreme Beings", Collage/Mixed Media Journal Page, 8.5 x 6 inches, July 2011. Photo of girl by Doug Inglish, The Block, #22, Summer, 2010 A Supreme Opportunity…
“Supreme Beings” was a story I really wanted to explore through collage. You may be aware of that saying that to some people, all people of colour look alike? Well, I had this idea in mind when creating this piece that dealt with my becoming part of Diana Ross’s famous musical group the Supremes. When I was young, it never occurred to me to compare my two younger sisters and I to Diana Ross’s musical Motown trio. In fact, during the time we had to portray them (the mid 1970’s), we hadn’t even known of the group or heard their big hit “Stop in the Name of Love” which we had to perform! But our local priest and some female church goers involved in our drama club sure thought we were a shoe-in for them! Because we didn’t want to disappoint them, my sisters and I reluctantly agreed to portray the singers all the while feeling the impending doom that comes with stage fright! I only realized years later … oh yeah, we were like three mini Supremes to those kindly meaning white folks at our church! It’s a good thing that we hadn’t realized the extent of Ross’s super stardom because the pressure to perform would’ve been even more excruciating! Another funny thing about this piece is that I always have big debates about who the model in this collage is. Many think its super model Naomi Campbell, but honest to God, it’s not her all! In perusing fashion magazines, I’ve discovered the creative ingenuity of photographers who have this amazing gift (like the great painters before them) of being able to present just the right model who’s able to evoke multiple female archetypes in one character/shot. This can stir up so many interesting histories and connotations within a viewer; it makes a story so much more exciting. I look for these kinds of characters when I collage, too. Anyway, it was great to uncover this 1960’s musically-inspired photo shoot focusing on a woman of colour.
A Ghostly Blast from the Past…
“Fukushima, Hiroshima, Nagasaki” (see top of page) , took me six months to complete because I had a hard time finding the right woman for the piece. At first I found a wonderful image of an old Japanese lady I really wanted to use but I had difficulties integrating her into the piece. I wanted her for the part because I felt I required a character that looked like she had survived the atomic bombings. I believed it would lend a more poignant air to the work. The young pensive girl I eventually chose, and initially kept disregarding, was on my work table for months until one day when I began to view her in a new light. I loved that her white face makeup echoed that of the traditional Japanese Geisha. It lent her both a contemporary and classical air thus making her a product of both the past and the present. I liked too that the makeup made her look ghostly pale as though she was an apparition from the past sent to warn us. When I placed her amongst the surrounding fragments everything seemed to fall into place.
This piece is very special to me. As a young girl, I was devastated to learn of the World War II bombings of Japan. To me it was simply inhumane that the powers that be would premeditate such a ghastly act upon another culture. When a twenty-something friend of mine pointed out she’d never learned of this war time atrocity at school, I was saddened and outraged. Some people say the past should be left alone… but remembering can also be such an important learning tool. While creating this piece, I hoped that it would strike the hearts of those with Japanese ancestry as well and also wished that it would spark discussion of the eeriness and irony of the present-day Fukushima nuclear disaster. If only I could tell you more right now of all the changes the dropping of those atomic bombs made on Japanese culture even aesthetically – it’s so profound. During my latest “Pieces of Me III’ exhibition, I was touched when the first visitors to the show were two elderly Asian men… one dragging the other by the arm, hobbling into the exhibition space and heading directly towards this piece where they stopped to reflect; exchanged a few words and then quietly left. I wish I knew what they said. It made creating the piece so worthwhile for me. It was a sign that what I made mattered to someone.
As usual, I’ve gabbed over my blog page limit! I hope you enjoyed and were inspired by this brief interlude about how I select characters for my pieces. I was wondering too, if you pick characters from magazines for your visual journal pages or collages does their physical type or social or cultural history matter to you? Do you pick ones that stand in for you visually now (ie. same age, physical type, etc.) or do you choose ones that are more ideal looking? Or perhaps you choose them for other reasons… some of you may avoid choosing people altogether! Whatever you do, I’d love to hear your strategies, too.
* Note: Confused about her family’s mixed race (Eurasian) origins, in her book: “The Juggler’s Children” author Carolyn Abraham uses the latest DNA technologies to determine who her ancestors really were. The juggler in the title refers to one of her great-great grandfathers! It’s an absolutely fascinating, insightful read.
PLEASE NOTE: From time to time, I may be posting my blog on a Monday instead of Sunday. Things are getting a bit hectic around here on the weekends with house showings (we’re selling and moving!) hence the delay… my apologies for posting a little later.
 The top portion of “The Curse” (Michelle Casey, Collage, July 2013)… veering away from the rectangular format this piece’s outer elements defines its shape. These past couple of weeks, I’ve been working on a collage about my family curse. If you’ve been following my blog lately, you’ll know about this and the three miracles that rocked my world in June. I was just telling someone that the day I posted that blog, I was afraid some of you might think I was crazy for talking about this bizarre aspect of my life. But I took a chance on speaking my mind and happily it resonated with some of you. In fact, it’s the blog I’ve received the most comments on. I was touched by those who shared their own stories related to this theme and others who sent me positive thoughts and even freshly created poems from the heart. Thanks so much… they gave me both comfort and hope.
Our Great Family Divide…
You know, on both sides of my family there’s been such a rift between relatives. Some days I imagine our clans completely disintegrating and losing touch altogether because of the petty rivalries, jealousies, hatreds and our all-powerful ability to hold grudges against each other (for decades)! It’s interesting too that I found these traits were most prevalent amongst the female members of my families. I grew up an anomaly, wanting nothing to do with these shenanigans; wishing everyone would get along. For the better part of my life I was like a one-woman United Nations representative trying to hold us all together; I tried to open up the lines of communication and dispel the lies and hatred that existed among us. But it was a losing battle. In my 40’s I gave up and granted myself permission to concentrate on my own life for once.
Despite giving up on it, this family stuff still rattles around in my soul, so I thought it might be productive to channel this negative energy from my curse into something creative. This is what I love about art making it gives me a reason to speculate and use my imagination to explore the aspects of my life I don’t understand.
 The bottom portion of “The Curse” (Michelle Casey, Collage, July 2013)… many pieces in this work are mounted on thick mixed media paper so they appear raised. The Veiled Lady Denied Us a Home on the Subcontinent…
My collage, “The Curse” (shown in parts above), has two main characters this time: a young girl who purposefully gazes out at the viewer and an intriguing, bare-breasted, veiled woman with bold eye makeup. For me, the veiled lady echoes stereotypical notions of woman as exotic seductress/enchantress, evil stepmother and a dark Madonna-like figure… her veil echoes that of a nun’s habit as well. She’s my sinister representation of the East… the one who placed that ancient curse upon my family. Why you may ask? Well, because we were of mixed race – Eurasians who refused to give our loyalty to the people of India but gave it the British instead. Britain was the hand that fed us so to speak, so what could we do? This seemed a good enough reason for the curse to me. I’ve always felt guilty about this, but there’s nothing I could do given my place in history, that my ancestors chose to make this decision. And thus, the veiled lady denied us not only a home on the subcontinent of India but also within our own families. There was never a more tragic curse. I remember a close family friend telling me long ago that his sense of “home” lay with where his mother was, not any geographical location. Since his mother had died, he said he no longer had a sense of belonging or of home anywhere. Taking it to the extreme I imagined the curse ensuring each successive generation of women in our families would never become nurturers who held their family together; instead they would lose their ability to love their children and become responsible for causing great rifts amongst their progeny… dividing and scattering their families in time over the centuries because of their inability to build cohesive family units and give their children a sense of “home”. As I began to reflect upon this figure over the week, it scared me as I realized not only did this woman represent India for me; she also symbolized my own mother and her mother before and so on. Wow! My imagination had taken me on such a journey through the creation of this collage. It also opened up new aspects of my life to explore through the medium – always a bonus.
Redemption through Art…
One more interesting thing it did was alert me to something I often repeat but have never come to terms with before. If you look back in my Portfolios I, II and III (see Other Links below), you’ll notice religious themes play an important role when I speak of my family life. In this piece, I felt compelled to include a religious portrayal of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (upper, left corner of top collage). As Roman Catholics, the image of Christ dying on the cross was in every room of our home. It was a reminder that without pain and suffering there was no hope of redemption. While it was obviously a symbol of sorrow, it was equally a symbol of triumph and power. As I began to reflect upon why religious imagery is so important to me I realized that perhaps that’s why I’m drawn to creating such tragic visions… as a fallen away Catholic without the drama of pain in my life and creative musings there would be no redemption for me. For me, making art is definitely a kind of redemption. It allows me to acknowledge my fears. With every little bit of understanding I derive from making my art, my fears lose a bit of their grip on my soul… this is a good thing.
Fear & Imagination…
All this talk of using creativity to address fear makes me think of a wonderful video I saw recently by the author of Age of Miracles, Karen Thompson Walker. Be sure to check out her Ted Talks video on how you can use your fears to productively imagine your life – I think it’ll really inspire some of you.
Your Turn…
What does my collage reveal to you? Everyone brings their own perspective to an artist’s work. I’d love to hear your thoughts about “The Curse”. BTW, I still feel it’s a work in progress; I’ll be adding a few more elements to it in the future and will share it with you again.
Please Note: I’m gifting myself with a week off from blogging! I’ll be back on July 29, 2013. I hope you have a great week!
PS My apologies for not wishing my American friends a very happy Fourth of July. Hope y’all celebrated in style! Also, to Jeanne-Sylvie Bellet – Joyeux Quatorze Juillet!
Other Related Links:
Prodigal Son
Losing My Religion
Modern Day Saint
The Devil and the Darkness
Black & White
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