 Wishing 2013 is the best year yet! For the past few years, my friend Elaine Coombs and I have gone over our previous year’s achievements with each other; it always feels good to acknowledge our accomplishments. This year, I thought I’d share some professional and personal highlights of 2012 with you. Many of you are aware of my new ventures teaching elementary and high school students; the ongoing transformation of my art studio and new office as well as the creation of my first zine… here are a few other highlights I’ve kept under wraps. I hope they’ll inspire you to take some leaps of your own into 2013…
Networking Up a Storm!
During the summer and fall, I devoted much time to connecting with my list members, fellow artist colleagues and former students. I had many wonderful discussions about art and life over coffee and lunch; visited many amazing shows put on by fellow artist-friends; discussed several potential collaborative art projects and enjoyed sharing in the ongoing creative projects of former students. Engaging with many of you has enriched my life so much! I’ve been a solitary artist for some time… now I’m realizing the benefits of extending my practice beyond the studio.
Facing up to Facebook!
For years, despite the urgings of my art business role models: Ariane Goodwin and Alyson Stanfield who’ve heralded the importance of using social media to foster on-line connections, I’ve avoided Facebook – fearing it would chew up my time! In late 2011 and 2012 however I decided to take it more seriously and after dedicating time to it on a daily basis, I’ve discovered what a great sense of community it provides me with. Through it I’ve gotten to know so much about the goings on and the mind set of my Facebook friends. This year, I doubled the number of friends; among them a whole slew of international artists. If you’d told me a year ago I’d have artist “friends” from many artistic genres from all over the globe I’d have thought you were nuts! But this is my current on-line reality! It’s amazing and dizzying at times! It has brought new vigour to my creative life significantly increasing my networking opportunities; attracting new students and bringing potential exhibitions for me not only in Ottawa but also Europe! I can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner! I joined Pinterest as well and hope to create new networks of followers there, too. You can join me on one or both social platforms simply by clicking on their icons on this page!
Learning to Speak Out
For the first time in my life I wrote a letter to a reporter from a local newspaper who questioned the need for “free” City-run galleries to be granted to visual artists in Ottawa. Here as elsewhere, we artists need all the support we can get with impending city budget cuts continually looming on our horizon. Seeing as I had one of my most successful shows in such a gallery in 2011 (The Atrium Gallery), I was compelled to reveal how much emerging artists derive from showing in these spaces which don’t necessarily come “free” of charge! I carefully and boldly documented the many benefits of showing at the Atrium and what a dramatic impact it had on my art career as well as how it enabled me to positively contribute to a number of communities in Ottawa. Once completed, I must admit, I was afraid to send my letter but eventually I was glad I did. It was such an empowering experience!
Makeup Matters…
On a more humourous note, if you’ve been following my blog, you know that I don’t normally wear makeup. You also know how much I lament my lack of knowledge in this area especially when I have to turn to the help of overly-zealous make-up artists while preparing for a photo shoot or opening. Well, the truth is, I’ve always wanted to learn to apply makeup but never had the guts to do so! Over the years, I’ve had an unfortunate time trying to learn the latter… wasting money on lessons and cosmetic supplies. This year, I took the plunge for the umpteenth time and can now triumphantly say I can apply my own makeup! I’ve even passed inspection by my MAC makeup diva sister Teresa! Thanks to cosmetics consultant Angie for patiently teaching me how to achieve a most “natural” look … as silly at it seems, in my 40’s, I’ve finally found the courage to allow myself the pleasure of learning to do something many girls have the confidence to do in their teens – suddenly I feel so grown up! 😉
My First Live Artist Radio Interview… Coming February 5, 2013!
This December, just as I was brooding about life, a request to be interviewed on Liana Voia’s Blog Talk Radio show popped into my mailbox! As you can imagine I was both ecstatic and paranoid about the whole thing! Could I handle being interviewed on live internet radio about my life and work! Would the interviewer be kind to me or would she rake me over the coals?! I did a bit of research on the subject; talked to a few artist friends and family members about it and then asked myself how many times this kind of opportunity would come my way? So I decided, like Nike says to just “Do it”! Three years ago I wouldn’t have had the confidence to agree to this … now I realize I owe a great debt to Collage Your World for allowing me to become fearless enough to take this leap into the New Year! I’ll be posting the link on my Events Page for you as soon as we’ve finished taping it.
Thanks for taking the time to read my highlights. It goes without saying that your continued interest in Collage Your World also fuelled my energy and confidence this past year – thanks for your support! Like that beautiful song says: “You are the wind beneath my wings!” (As well as my dear hubby Kevin) I hope you too will find some time to write down and appreciate your 2012 accomplishments… even if it’s just one, it’s something to celebrate with yourself and others. If there are things you really wanted to do but didn’t, remember it’s another new year, another blank canvas for you to transfer your dreams to!
Other Related Links:
Changing the World One Collage at a Time
Snapshot of Your Life Workshop: Student Journal Pages
Art Studio Remix
 The front cover of Michelle Casey's Zine L'invisible/The Invisible takes the reader through a series of journeys through the artist's mind... My First Collage Zine!
Well, I must say, it’s been nice to be back in the studio this month creating on a more regular basis in between bursts of holiday shopping! Taking the time to exercise my imagination always makes me feel whole again. Recently, I’ve had a chance to work on something I’ve been waiting to do all year – a zine! I’ve never made one before, so it was quite a challenge to take on…
Zinespiration!
The idea of creating a zine arose over a year ago when my friend Diane Salter presented me with a beautiful one filled with her amazing drawings and personal thoughts. I thought it was so cool and brave of her to produce something so unique and personal to share with her friends. Later that year, I purchased a very funky zine by an oh so serious young artist at an art fair – it was filled with images of her personal mementos and reflections, snapshots of her everyday life and even a recipe. I was smitten by the concept of the zine and vowed then and there to make one of my very own!
What’s a Zine?
What’s a zine, you may ask? … Well, I like to think of it as a small, personal magazine which can be filled with your writings, collages, drawings, cartoons, photos, recipes, quotes or poems… basically whatever you want. It’s kind of like the opposite of consumer-based magazines you purchase at stores. The more you personalize it with quirky facts about your world, the more unique it will be. Zines are also a terrific medium to teach and inform others with. Once you’ve made your zine, you make photocopies of it, assemble it and distribute it to whomever you like. Some people sell or trade their zines as well. If you like, you can also donate a copy of your zine to libraries that collect them – allowing a much wider audience to engage with it. Before I started mine, I did some research on the subject of zines and found a great website (Guide to Zine Making) with a variety of simple zine layouts one can draw from.
My Exhibition Zine: L’invisible (The Invisible)
I view my zine as a mini exhibition of works; I’ve entitled it: “L’invisible” (The Invisible). Seeing as I haven’t had a solo show this year, I thought it might be nice to have one in zine form; instead of visiting a gallery, viewers have the chance to hold 12 of my brand new collages in their hands! The imagery in my zine evolved from my childhood and adolescent memories as well as the memory fragments of friends (you may well see pieces of yourselves in these pages – but I’m not saying who!). Other themes contained therein were inspired by a mystery set in Tuscany I’m currently reading (recommended by my good friend Grazia) as well as a few of my favourite fairy tales. It was exciting to let my visions flow onto the pages of my zine… it was very fascinating and rewarding seeing the results.
A Gift for My Subscribers!
This year as a special surprise gift, I’d like to send a complimentary copy of my zine to all my blog and newsletter list members! If you’re a member and would like a copy, please send me your mailing address if I don’t already have it. You can send the information to mcasey@magma.ca. For those of you who don’t want to give out your address, no worries – I’ll be posting the whole thing online for you to see in the near future.
A Gift for New Subscribers!
I’ll also be giving a free copy of my zine to the first five people who subscribe to my blog or newsletter between now and February 2013.
Please Note that I’ll be taking a break on January 6, 2013… I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season and wish everyone a healthy, happy and creative New Year! Thanks for your enthusiastic support of Collage Your World throughout 2012 – I’ve really appreciated receiving your comments and advice – they always make my day!
Other Related Links:
Ontario College of Art & Design Zine Library Collection (Toronto, Canada)
Barnard Zine Library (New York, USA)
Wikipedia Zine History
 My parents (Cynthia & Vincent Serrao) and I, Christmas 1960's, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Today I got a little nostalgic and dragged out the old family album… I found a Christmas portrait of me and my Mom and Dad. I was the first of five children so this picture is a rare and special shot of just the three of us… we seem like such a happy family… it’s nice to look back on the good memories every once in a while.
Wishing all my readers a wonderful and safe holiday season! Hoping that 2013 will be the most creative year for you yet!
Stay tuned next week for news on my new collage zine!
 Collage by Japanese artist duo Wool Cube Wool from "Cut It, Paste It, Sew It..." edited by Chisa Itou I derive a small but divine pleasure that exceeds my own imagination from the process of taking apart something and completely rearranging its components as I see fit. For me, collage is not so much about the art or forms of expression; it is something that is intimately connected to my everyday life. Like making lunch for yourself out of the leftovers from your fridge, it is a very personal experience… (Artist Chalk from “Cut It, Paste It, Sew It…”)
Reading little gems of thought like this makes the collage artist in me smile and say amen! Keeping up to speed with the latest developments in art as well as reviewing the way others are using collaging and mixed media is essential to my growth as an artist. In the hopes that it may do the same for you, I’ve got some great book recommendations just in time for Christmas! Here’s the list and some mini reviews of them…
1) The Collage Workbook: How to Get Started & Stay Inspired (Randel Plowman)
2) Cut It, Paste It, Sew It: A Mixed-Media Collage Sourcebook (Chisa Itou, ed.)
3) Water Paper Paint: Exploring Creativity with Watercolour & Mixed Media (Heather Smith Jones)
4) What It Is (Lynda Barry)
5) Master Collage: Major Works by Leading Artists (Randel Plowman, ed.)
6) Imagine: How Creativity Works (Jonah Lehrer)
The Collage Workbook: How to Get Started & Stay Inspired, Randel Plowman (Collage)
Never have I read a more concise book on collaging than Plowman’s – I read it in under an hour and found when I finished, I was all fired up to collage! It includes wonderful illustrations; an image library to collage with; a thorough but not overwhelming supply list; a brief and useful overview of the principles of design and, best of all, fifty prompts to inspire your collaging! Plowman’s advice to collagists to “listen” to their materials is right on the money! – I highly encourage this approach to collage as well. His recommendation to choose fragments that are “uniquely you” is also a vital aspect of learning to develop and build on your personal collage style. I was also thrilled to see him advocating the creation of 5-minute collages – here I was thinking I was such a task master asking my students to do them in 20-minutes! Be sure to also visit his Collage a Day Blog to find out more about this collage master!
Cut It, Paste It, Sew It: A Mixed-Media Collage Sourcebook, Chisa Itou (Collage)
In North America, our stores are dominated by collage books by western artists, so you can imagine my surprise in finding this little jewel of a book edited by Itou which focuses on a collection of collages by eleven plus Japanese creative entrepreneurs skilfully employing a variety of collage techniques to create amazing utilitarian objects like: bags, notebooks, bookmarks, tags, boxes, calendars… you name it! The book’s filled with striking images of the artists’ works as well as interviews in which they briefly reveal tantalizing bits about what inspires them; their favourite techniques and materials as well as where they travel for supplies. It’s interesting to note that a number of these artists work as duos and also that, for many of them, our old nostalgic magazines and stamps are viewed as exotic materials – what a wonderful switch! While this is not a how-to book, I feel it’s a valuable reference source for your artist library. Because it encourages the use of everyday materials, it’s a great gift for green-friendly artists as well as travellers who’d like to transform their memories into art.
Water Paper Paint: Exploring Creativity with Watercolour & Mixed Media, Heather Smith Jones (Water Colour/Mixed Media)
I’ve been dreaming of melding watercolour and mixed media in my visual journal one day and I believe I’ve found the perfect book to help me! Smith Jones has written a very comprehensive book which along with a great supply list contains instructions for thirty beautiful projects to help guide your creative explorations with watercolour. Because I love knowing why I have to use certain supplies, I really appreciated her sections on paints, palettes and brushes – it’s so impressive to see an artist who’s so in tune with her tools! This book is an exciting addition to any mixed media library.
What It Is, Lynda Barry (Collage/Mixed Media/Visual & Written Journaling)
Author Lynda Barry is a tour-de-force. This comic/graphic novel style text was recommended to me by my good friend artist Diane Salter who at the time was concerned about what determined “good” and “bad” art. Barry’s book is divided in two sections: the first is a cartoon-based collage that captures her creative life as she grows up; the second relays a series of creative writing exercises. Although she doesn’t have a how-to collage or mixed media element to the book, her collaged imagery will blow you away! I think if you take the time to assess it in all its glorious detail you’ll learn hundreds of visual strategies to capture your audiences and make your collages more expressive. One thing that struck me about this book was Barry’s poignant struggles with coming to terms with a world that constantly tried to deplete her creative spirit at an early age. Fortunately for us, she was no quitter! This book is brilliant. Lynda Barry offers workshops and, if I could, I would jump at the opportunity to take one. For now her book is a very precious addition to my library. I recommend this one for both teens and adults interested in accessing their creative, expressive side.
Master Collage: Major Works by Leading Artists, Randel Plowman (Collage)
Plowman makes it to my list again! This one comes highly recommended by my obsessive collage book collector/artist and friend historian Olive Jones. I recently surveyed it briefly and marvelled at the array of fabulous artists and beautifully photographed pieces it features… among them, notable artists from the contemporary fine art and contemporary craft fields respectively such as Jonathan Talbot and Lynn Whipple. While this survey book doesn’t teach you the how to’s of the art, like Barry’s and Itou’s, if you look with a discerning eye to decoding each artist’s individual style you’ll learn a lot about making successful collages as well as developing your own unique visual voice.
Imagine: How Creativity Works, Jonah Lehrer (Art & Creativity)
As an artist I’m very interested in finding new ways to nourish my sense of creativity and innovation. As artists many of us are looking for ways to make what we do unique and different – we’re inventors through and through! In this book Lehrer shares stories about people from various disciplines: the arts, sciences, sports, etc. who’ve made innovative contributions to the world in their own distinct way and you may be surprised to learn how they came about doing so. As well you may also be able to draw on their methods or adopt their attitudes to enhance your own way of thinking about working creatively – by yourself or in groups. It was a fascinating read; I highly recommend it!
Other Related Links:
For more on the artists’ work pictured above see Wool Cube Wool’s website.
Winter 2013 Artist Trading Card Workshop!
This January I’ll be holding an Artist Trading Card (ATC) workshop in conjunction with my friend artist/painter Susan Ashbrook. I’ve been participating in ATC trades on and off for five years now with artist friends or local ATC groups including the now sadly defunct ATC quarterly which was run by artist Ronna of Dunvegan, Ontario – you can view a sample of one of her zines on the ATC Quarterly Website and even order a back issue of one if you like. I really love the sense of community and friendship ATC trades instil in participants. I like too that anyone, artist or not, can start their own ATC group and make it a fun way to explore and improve their artistic skills as well as socializing with others. ATCs don’t have to be art “masterpieces” – as long as they are uniquely “you” they are amazing gifts to trade with others. The ATC workshop will be held on Saturday, January 26, 2013. See Susan Ashbrook’s Events website page for further details and registration. I’ll be posting some information on my Workshops Page in mid December. For more background on ATCs see my blog entry: A Personal Glimpse into the World of Artist Trading Cards.
 Michelle Casey, Untitled Journal Page, Mixed Media/Collage: acrylic paints, magazine fragments, marker, 5 x 7 inches, December 4 2012 Spring 2013 Mixed Media/Collage Journaling Workshop!
Last year many daily ephemera journaling students interested in working with paints and other materials have been clamouring for a mixed media journaling workshop. I’m no Picasso when it comes to painting, but I do have a few handy tricks to share in creating exciting page backgrounds for your visual journals – I know how intimidating the blank page can be! I’ve been experimenting with acrylic paints for several years now and found they can add so much dimension to a page as well as being a great jumping off point into your collage narratives. I’m still debating on what types of techniques to demonstrate… right now, I’m thinking of working with acrylics, of course, and rubber stamping as well as working with printing inks. I welcome any other suggestions! The workshop will most probably be held in mid to late April. Please check my Workshops Page in mid January for further details. Here’s a sample of my latest mixed media journal page (above) incorporating stencilling into the page’s background.
 Exquisite fabric flower pin made by Connie Howes-Davidson Connie’s Gift of Fabric Flowers
In August I had lunch with friends (two former journaling students): Connie Howes-Davidson and Ruby Ireland. We had a great chat catching up on our latest creative adventures since the workshop as well as sampling delicious fish tacos at a local restaurant which Connie had recommended: The Side Door in the Market. While we were there, Connie presented me with a beautiful floral pin collage she’d made. I’d heard that she made them and had pleaded with her to bring a few samples along. These beautiful fabric broaches were inspired by ones her mother wore long ago – such a touching tribute! The black and white one she designed for me worked wonderfully with the outfit I was wearing that day! I love it, Connie! Above is a sample of one of her precious pins – the contrasting textures and fabric patterns she uses are so brilliant! To learn more about her art work see my blog entry: Connie’s Journey from Quilter to Collagist.
 Enigma's Album Cover of "Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi" is also composed of a beautiful collage mix of visuals... The Sound of Enigma in My Art Studio
This week I’ve been back in the studio working on an eight-page collage zine. It’s been great to create in my space uninterrupted by email and Facebook now that I’ve moved my office to the second floor! To further propel my imagination to exciting places, I’ve been listening to some compelling music from my long-time favourite album by Enigma: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi: a veritable sound collage of technological beats and primal sounds from world cultures. The hypnotic “voice” of Enigma is created by Michael Cretu; his fascinating sci-fi, futuristic music always sends me journeying to the far reaches of my imagination. I love getting lost in music while creating. Further, listening to his music also evokes all kinds of memories and sensations within me. Cretu says the “world comes together” through his music and it does so in such a magical way. Here’s a video link of Michael Cretu talking about the way he composed the music for his album… in my collaging I can totally relate to the way he describes the process of “diving” into the atmosphere of his subject matter in order to get to know it better. In the video’s background you’ll also hear brief music samples from the album… it’s so amazing, I had to share it with you!
Stay tuned next week for my top book recommendations for the year – they’ll make great Christmas gifts for your crafty friends!
 Michelle Casey, Mixed Media Copper Jewellery: Necklace made of: resin, magazine papers, beads, charm, December 2012 This Saturday I had a wonderful time at a resin jewellery making workshop hosted by my friend Wendy Southin of Dragonfly Dreamers. And, to think I was so busy this week, I almost cancelled the trip out to her studio. I’m so glad I went; I’m so thrilled with the necklace and pair of earrings I made there!
I’ve wanted to work with resin for a while but as someone with an extremely sensitive nose, I tend to stay away from materials which I think are toxic or bring out my allergies. Last fall, I attended a resin demonstration put on by a local art shop and discovered it was odourless and not as harmful as I thought. Using resin is a wonderful way to give your collage and mixed media pieces a brilliant, detailed glossy surface. While the demo whetted my appetite for wanting to work with the medium, I was still afraid to use it on my own. So you can imagine how elated I was to discover Wendy was offering a resin-related workshop of her own.
My necklace pendant (above) is made of copper, a few beads, a charm and a mini collage made from magazine bits. Although the collage looked a bit piece-mealy when I glued it together and coated it with gel medium, after I applied resin on top of it, it smoothened out the image’s surface and beautifully magnified small details in it. In the workshop we worked with Ice resin. Wendy recommends this brand as it doesn’t yellow with time as other resins do. It has a 45-minute open time for working with and takes three days to cure (to harden). It was equally eye-opening to work with soft copper wire to make the circular frame for my necklace. I discovered copper is a naturally soft metal that must be hammered to be hardened so it doesn’t break. Hammering not only hardens copper, it can also be used to give the metal amazing textural effects. Wrapping and shaping copper wire with various jewellery pliers to form the shape of my necklace was very challenging! I felt like I had two left hands. Believe me, I’ll never take for granted the fine dexterity required to work with wire! Any troubles I had working with it, however, where alleviated by Wendy’s help and gentle guidance. I had a fun time with my fellow classmates: Robbie, Heather, Olive, Charlotte and Sharon who each created stunning pieces of their own. Best of all, I arrived home fired up to try working with resin on my own! I’m always preaching that art is a good healing tool for the body and mind and it truly is – taking this workshop was a fabulous way to end my busy week. It’s always so fulfilling to conjure up something real from your imagination!
I highly recommend workshops with Wendy. They’re a great way to ease yourself into learning new mixed media techniques. Wendy’s other popular classes include book making and metal embossing. As far as I’m concerned, she’s the Queen of rubber stamping and creating great textural effects with ink-related supplies. If you have any further questions about using resins, don’t be shy to drop her a line at Dragonfly Dreamers.
Other Related Links:
Embossing the Day Away with Wendy Southin
 Michelle Casey, Journal Page, "I am Feeling...", Collage/Mixed Media: acrylic paint, magazine fragments, pen, 8.5 x 6 inches, June 16 2010 (See bottom of page for text from journal page) Its funny how every so often when I’m feeling depressed about choosing the artist’s life, the universe seems to give me a sign that my struggles are not in vain. Here’s a great example of one such experience…
Last week I was sitting at Tim Horton’s having a coffee feeling very miserable. I’d been sick for three weeks and, as well as taking a bit of time to rest, I’d also been doing a lot of work. Unlike my old government job where I got paid for sick leave, my art business doesn’t allow me the privilege of taking time off to solely recover. In some cases, I can control deadlines and in others I can’t. These are the days when I really regret leaving my cushy government job. Back then some of my work was even done for me! As an artist/entrepreneur, the work just piles up!
Anyway, while I was sitting there brooding, I couldn’t help but overhear a conversation between a couple. The middle-aged woman’s impassioned voice was the loudest while the man beside her spoke in whispers. By his thoughtful nods I sensed he was a close confidante. Holding back tears, she revealed she would soon be retiring from her office job and had recently attended a seminar on philosophy and life. Through it she came to the realization that her life had no meaning or purpose. She admitted while at times, her children had given her a purpose, she felt there was more to her than just being someone’s: mom, wife, daughter or sister. She recalled a time when she was just a little girl; then she felt special — like she was pre-destined to do great things… yet as she grew older she settled into a very ordinary existence. At this age, not knowing her purpose was eating her up inside and further she didn’t know how she would go about finding it…
I wanted to jump in, give her a hug and tell her she could journal or make a list of goals she’d like to attain and try vision boarding, but I didn’t want to appear nosy so I resisted the urge and hoped her good friend would give her some guidance. Letting go of my self-pity, I felt much empathy for her situation. Over a decade ago I felt a similar way about leaving my government job; if my plans as an artist didn’t pan out, what would I do? I realized how lucky I was now, despite everything, to have the chance to live out my dream of being an artist… to have found the guts to follow a path that’s not neatly laid out for me; to have the financial and emotional support of my partner and the encouragement of good friends to spur me on. I thought: Wow, I have a purpose! Something this woman would probably kill for right here and now. As I explore the different aspects of myself through art, each day brings a keener sense of self-awareness, clarity, and purpose. In the end, I don’t think all hope is lost for this woman because, even though she might not realize it, she has already embarked upon a potentially incredible journey by asking herself this important question.
Text from Journal Page (above): Today I am feeling a little depressed about things. Wondering where my art career will go. It didn’t help that I saw a show about Van Gogh last night. This morning I didn’t know if I could make any art. But when I went down to my subterranean studio and put on my favourite playlist the images started to come to me as they always do. Creating gives me hope.
Other Related Links:
Imagine Making Your Dreams Real
 Michelle Casey at Nancy Halpin’s “Out of the Window – Photographic Impressions” Exhibit at Centrepointe Gallery, Ottawa, ON, November 2012 Love at First Blur…
Like so many great photographer friends I know, on the outside, Nancy Halpin is a quiet, unassuming soul. On the inside, however, she has amazing visions brewing! Currently in the process of reviving her career as a fine arts photographer after spending time away from the medium raising her family, Halpin now has an exhibition on at the City of Ottawa’s Centrepointe Gallery. It was only last year that I first discovered her work at Memories Cafe, a favourite haunt of mine. There, her photo of a young woman holding a luminous pink umbrella walking over a bridge: “Memories of Florence” caught my eye. Gesturing to the photo I said to my husband, “One day that piece will be mine! Puzzled, he looked at me and said: “I don’t know if you noticed, but it’s kinda blurry.” To which I replied: “Why, that’s the very reason I want it!” I love the visual language of the blur in Halpin’s photo; it evokes memory so beautifully as well as giving it a wonderful painterly edge. Through these romantic elements, I found myself immersed in a dream world. As well, seeing as it’s the closest I’ll ever get to Italy, I definitely wanted a piece of this fleeting moment to call my own…
 Nancy Halpin's "Memories of Florence" caught my eye last year...  Nancy Halpin's work is located on both the upper and lower levels of the Centrepointe Gallery Painting Landscapes with her Camera…
Many are unaware that the nineteenth-century Impressionist painters turned to inspiration from the camera to help them capture and render what was invisible to the naked eye in the real world. Their focus on the play and movement of light on the landscape was inspired by then-current photographs as well as new scientific theories related to vision/eye sight. Moved by these discoveries, artists such as Claude Monet created his infamous hazy/blurry visions of the French countryside. Inspired by the Impressionist painters before her, today Nancy Halpin paints landscapes with her camera. In a similar spirit, traveling the highways of Ontario and Quebec, she immortalizes our own Canadian landscape. Taking photos from a moving vehicle with her camera set at a slow shutter speed, she produces blurred images which she further alters using digital software. By enhancing their movement, colour and contrast she in turn emphasizes certain line qualities, patterns, textures as well as imbues her images with richer-than-life hues. In naming her pieces, her poetic use of titles such as “Feather Flurry” and “Venetian Glass” underscores their amazing surface qualities which mimic: feathers, fabric, embroidery, glass, painting, pastel and even etching! Underneath their stunning veneer, her images: “Ghost Trees”, “Natural Symphony” and “Dreams of Red” call to mind other-worldly, idyllic and dream-like spaces. Harkening movement, Halpin’s titles:” Fly Away”; “Shattered Greens” and “Ablaze” also evoke their dynamic qualities. As a lover of textures, I found it difficult to tear myself away from the precious surface qualities and jewel-like tones of her images. Through her exhibition “Out of the Window: Photographic Impressions”, Halpin’s brilliant photographic vision captures fleeting, fluid, fugitive landscapes in a manner that’s absolutely fascinating to behold! I highly recommend a real or virtual tour of her work; I must confess, however, seeing them in person really does them much more justice. For those of you who can’t make it, I’ve included a few detailed views of her photographs above. See Nancy Halpin’s website for more on her work. If you’re in town, be sure to visit her exhibition which runs through to November 28, 2012 at the Centrepointe Gallery.
 Texture detail of Nancy Halpin's "Venetian Glass" (left) and "Standing Still" (right)  Texture detail of Nancy Halpin's "Still of Night" (left) and "Ghost Trees" (right) The Blur Reader Challenge!
Some imagine the role of photography/photographer as having to produce the truth and nothing but the truth so to speak, but the technical language of the camera can allow us to express so much more as photographers and other artists, particularly painters, have discovered since its birth in the late nineteenth century. Like Monet and others, their experiments have stretched the possibilities of visual language so much so that photographers like Nancy Halpin are inspired to play with them by transforming her photos into painting-like hybrids and more! The movement away from fixating on the realistic qualities of the photograph is what makes photography so exciting to me. As a collage/mixed media artist, I’m always on the lookout for images through which photographers are re-presenting their subject matter in innovative ways… this in turn never fails to inspire my own work and technique… and it can inspire yours as well! If you have an SLR camera, like Halpin, try playing with the shutter speed. If you don’t have one, scan your analogue or digital photos and try manipulating their qualities through digital imaging software such as Photoshop using the Image (Adjustments) or Filter menus. Here you can play with the “Layers” menu as well choosing to blur a layer in an image you create. No access to a camera or software? Try collaging with beeswax to create beautifully blurred and textured surfaces on top of your mixed media art work. I’d love to see what your future experiments yield and will happily share mine with you! If you have any further suggestions, I’d like to hear your ideas, too.
Many thanks to Nancy Halpin for discussing her work and techniques with me; providing me with detailed shots of her pieces as well as giving me permission to photograph her work. Nancy, you’re such an inspiration – I can’t wait to see what you do next!
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Characteristics of Impressionsim
 Michelle Casey, Collage Letterhead 1, 5.5 x 8.5 inches, Photocopy: magazine images, stickers, November 2012  Michelle Casey, Collage Letterhead 2, 5.5 x 8.5 inches, Photocopy: magazine images, stickers, November 2012 And The Winner Is…
In September as I was cleaning out my studio, I ran across some old collage stationary I made for a friend and decided to give you some cool tips on creating your own in several easy steps (actually less!). See my blog Collage Your Own Stationary for more details. As well, I mentioned giving a copy of my latest stationary design to the first person who responded to that blog. Congratulations to the winner, Annelies Kerkhof, who wrote to me from Holland in the Netherlands! It’s so wonderful to know that Collage Your World can touch lives so far away! Annelies thought it would be a great idea to make some for her sister who lives abroad. Although email is a quick and easy way to communicate with loved ones the world over, receiving a custom-designed letter can make someone feel very special! I hope Annelies that you’ll send me some images of your very own stationary design! For you my dear readers, here’s a peek at my latest two-page collage stationary. Annelies your copies will be in the mail this coming week!
Free Collage Stationary Give Away!
I was just thinking that I haven’t had a chance to dream up a title for these pages based on two lovers separated by the sea, so if anyone can suggest one for me I’ll be happy to send another copy of my stationary pages to the first person who suggests an intriguing title. I look forward to hearing from you! Have a great week.
As we reflect upon Remembrance Day today … thanks to those war veterans, like my Uncle George, who defend(ed) our freedom during times of war.
 Sharon Michaelson (left) and Toni Newman (right) working on their journal pages, October 20, 2012. I had a great time with students Toni Newman and Sharon Michaelson in my October 2012 collage journaling workshop. Toni, a professional speaker who specializes in innovation as a competitive advantage in business, wished to expand her creative side to include visual journaling. An experienced journaler and budding artist who’s dabbled in mixed media, she describes herself as being both an organized and creative spirit. Although she had never collaged before (except on Pinterest: a great collaging tool), I instinctively felt that she would be a great collagist because of her skill set and personality. Sharon, a former bookkeeper, also a very creative soul, knit the very socks she wore to class! An experienced collagist and tole painter who also works magic with colour pencils, she’d never journaled before and was interested in learning more about the craft as well as loosening herself up artistically.
 Toni Newman proudly displaying her first collage journal page. The Benefits of Timed Journaling…
One of the biggest beefs about journaling I encounter is how little time students have to incorporate it into their daily lives. So I feel it’s important to show them just how much they can accomplish in a modest amount of time. During the workshop students made two collage journal pages with daily ephemera materials they’d collected. I timed the creation of each page; one at 30 minutes and the other at 20. Limiting time for the creation of a page is a great way to challenge one’s sense of control; in split seconds one must choose key images, arrange and adhere them … there’s precious little time for over-thinking composition. I’ve found the best strategy to deal with this is to totally trust your gut in helping you to create. Going into a kind of “stream of consciousness” style of choosing and laying out images and words will also help. Letting ideas spew or “spill”* forth from yourself is totally the aim. Far from being an exercise in perfection; this method tests your faith in yourself and your ability to trust the knowledge and experience you have hidden inside. Now it’s true, that this may not always result in a “masterpiece” of a page, it will most certainly expose precious insight into your psyche as well as your ability to express yourself. The best part of the process, as many of my former students inform me, is the feeling of satisfaction they get upon seeing their completed journal pages and personal stories emerging from them. Now on to Toni’s and Sharon’s pages!
 Toni Newman, 30-minute journal page (Flashback), 5 x 7 inches, October 2012 Flashback…
I was worried when 20 minutes into our 30-minute session, Toni hadn’t even begun to assemble fragments onto her page! When I informed her she’d better get some composition going, she dazzled me by instantly corralling some fragments together. Toni’s love for warm colours shows through the pieces she’s chosen as does her vibrant, inquisitive personality through the words (“who knew what?”) on a florescent green tag. The latter, along with the bird’s head peeking through, and the play of letters of the word “Flashback”, also reveal her brilliant sense of humour and wit. Giving the piece a personal edge she included an image of a rubber-stamped butterfly, a symbol of her late father (she told us a beautiful story related to this) which completed the page. This latter element, along with the nostalgic image of the man unravelling the woman’s skirt, made me ponder what personal stories lay behind the dynamics of this blast from the past. It’s a wonderful first visual journal page.
 Toni Newman, 20-minute journal page (A Dream), 5 x 7 inches, October 2012 A Dream: Real or Imagined…
During her 20-minute session, more acquainted with time restraints, Toni swiftly chose several elements which “spoke” to each other brilliantly. A photo of two dreaming children**; a map fragment; a stamped dragonfly tag; a postage stamp; a luggage claim ticket and foreign texts, all work to indicate an intriguing journey of some kind… whether this journey is real or imagined I don’t know… perhaps it’s a dream… or a dream within a dream. I wondered if the children referenced her own. I love the way the pieces at the bottom of the page encircle the dragonfly tag below them … and the way the arrow-like map drawing signals the children (the heart of her tale) out as her focal image. Toni describes herself as a story teller and I feel this second page, created in virtually a blink of an eye, shows she has the skills and the intuitive sense to be a great visual story teller. I really felt a kind of stream of consciousness style at work in the making of this page.
 Sharon Michaelson, 30-minute journal page (A Lover's Retreat), 5 x 7 inches, October 2012 A Lover’s Retreat…
In Sharon’s 30-minute session, I learned she was a daring journal maker! I admired her for choosing fragments not only from her own collection of daily ephemera but also some challenging ones I’d included for students. Using commercial and natural elements (a leaf she’d pressed), she melded the two into an intimate space. Her use of the image of embroidered lettering added a soft, feminine touch to her page. Sharon’s strong composition skills are also evident. Note the way she beautifully integrates not-so-romantic textural fragments like a grocery bill and the inside of an envelope into her piece… leaving spaces for the eye to rest and consider the idyllic scene. She skilfully uses the image of the angled bench to draw the viewer’s eye into her romantic vista. What pleases me most about this page is the story behind the making of one of its elements. The fluttering butterfly in the top-right corner emerged from a mistake Sharon made. Her first stamped impression of the insect didn’t take. Instead of lamenting this mishap, she decided to double-stamp the image. Now rather than being static, the butterfly appears to move giving the page a spark of life. It was such a dazzling move on Sharon’s part! It’s in moments like this, when we realize every mistake is an opportunity to try something new, that we can begin to grow creatively. As we reviewed Sharon’s finished page, Toni and I noted the elegance of her imagery and compositional style… her second page further revealed these as being important markers of her visual voice…
 Sharon Michaelson, 20-minute journal page (Timeless Beauties), 5 x 7 inches, October 2012 Timeless Beauties…
Sharon’s 20-minute page yielded another wonderful lesson. More accustomed to working at a slower pace, carefully considering cutting, tearing and composing each element on her page, I felt the shorter time limit proved challenging for Sharon. Deciding to work with a few images, she spent the bulk of her time re-positioning them in interesting ways. A stunning trio of beauties; bits of hand made paper; fragments of an Asian newspaper; a strip of artificial green diamonds and a rubber stamped star design convey her theme of pin-up girls through the centuries. When the session was over, however, Sharon felt something was missing from her page so we three brain-stormed what that might be. I mentioned it might need a good pop of colour… perhaps red? We all agreed. Toni handed Sharon a red sticky star which Sharon reluctantly picked up… let’s face it – we don’t always think of the sticky stars we got in grade school as precious imagery we’d use to accent eternal beauty! But, one had to admit, its red hue was alluring. The wheels in Sharon’s brain turned; she picked up the star and had a rush of insight… she placed it at the centre of her rubber stamp design completing its star shape – giving it a nice modern edge! The ladies high-fived each other in triumph while I watched happily, regretting I hadn’t captured that beautiful Kodak moment on camera! This is why I promote journaling in groups – we can learn so much from each other and become more daring with the gentle nudges and quirky creative ideas of fellow journalers.
 Toni Newman (left), Michelle Casey (centre) and Sharon Michaelson (right) celebrating the end of the workshop! It was a great class – I learned much from Toni and Sharon and look forward to seeing their future journal pages! Thanks too to Toni’s urgings I’m now finally on Pinterest… I invite you readers to join me there as well! Yay Diane and Wendy – I finally stopped procrastinating!!! My Pinterest Page
Bonus Messy Tip: Loosening up takes time and much courage to develop, so I suggested Sharon read Keri Smith’s activity book “Mess” along with recommending workshops with one of my favourite expressive visual journaling artist Juliana Coles.
* Note: Diana Trout also uses the term “spilling” in her book: Journal Spilling: Mixed-Media Techniques for Free Expression… lots of great ideas in this one.
**Note: This stunning image is from a postcard of Jonathan Hobin’s “Attic Urchin’s” Exhibition held in Ottawa in the fall. For more on this see Jonathan Hobin’s website.
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