This website is a portfolio of my work in collage and altered art. ( I usually post once a week on Sundays...but no promises. )
I see beauty in everyday objects from the past and like to re-purpose them in artful ways in my pieces. A trio of old door knobs, well worn from all that opening and shutting, the patina is perfect.An ordinary document, for the sale of a parcel of land, so beautifully written, on parchment paper.
When you have a large package to ship, why not choose Flugpóstur Rhinoceros? No package is to large for this fellow!
verso
The ephemera: original vintage airmail envelope; original vintage postage stamps and stickers; high quality reproduction of natural history illustration of a rhinoceros.
Size: 4 by 6 inches
“Well he certainly changed his stripes!” is what they all said. Sure enough, the gossip was true. He exchanged his striped pyjamas for airmail stripes.
The ephemera: Original vintage airmile envelope, stamps and stickers; high quality reproduction of a zebra illustration.
Little orange fins to propel him.
Swim, swim, swim.
orange fish
the ephemera: decorative paper, handmade paper; school book page from 1800s; high quality reproduction of tropical fish.
Early September, time for the Pinks to run. She was off to join the others, to swim up stream. Watch out for the hipster waders, at the river mouth, with their nets and rods, they may not know about catch and release.
pink
The ephemera: Original book page; antique French document from 1800s, hand made pulpy paper and reproduction of natural history illustration of a pink salmon.
Size: 5 inches square
“Blue navy blue, I’m as blue as I can be, ’cause my steady boy, said ship ahoy and joined the naaaavy. ” Diane Renay 1963
blue fish
The ephemera: Hand made blue grey paper; vintage atlas from 1920s; vintage atlas map from 1933; old French document from 1800s; reproduction of little blue fish.
Here Spotty! Here Spotty! they called.
Spot did not respond. He was pretending to be a fossil on the ocean bed.
Spot
The ephemera: Reproduction of natural history illustration of a fish; old school book page from 1800s on fossils; old calligraphy book page; hand made dark paper.
Size: 5 inches square
He was beautiful with his lemony yellow allure; but there was no doubt about it, he was a bastard; and she knew it.
Yellow bastarda
The ephemera: Reproduction of Natural History illustration of a fish; old book page; decorative paper; antique french document from the 1800s.
Size: 5 inches square.
Fly fish fly, they are right on your tail
And so he flew, his fins acting as a sail
This had always worked without fail
Thus he escaped, not harming one tiny scale.
Fly fish
The ephemera: Old French documents from the 1800s; handmade pulp paper; flying fish reproduction.
Size: 5 inches square
Monsieur Corbeau hopped on his bike and hurried on his way. He was off to l’Hotel de Ville. Monsieur le Maire had things to answer for, and Monsieur Corbeau was not going to mince his words.
Hotel de Ville
The ephemera: Vintage French letter from 1902; vintage UK bus ticket, match book cover from Vegas; old ledger page from 1936, vintage illustration of bicycle; vintage illustration of raven.
Size: 7 inches square
Louis Philippe, en vélo, dévale la côte, et descend vers l’eau. Il était sage, d’apporter sa cage, on ne sait jamais ce que l’on peut trouver. Les marchands de Portobello le séduisent avec leurs belles marchandises.
Louis Philippe
The ephemera: Vintage atlas map of London; antique French document from 1800s; vintage images of bird cage, bicycle and owl.
Size: 7 inches square
He was proud as a peacock, whizzing around New York City on his new bike. It’s handy basket, perfect for picking up all manner of provisions.
Peacock in New York
The ephemera: Vintage map of New York City; vintage natural history illustration of peacock; vintage bicycle image; old French letter from 1852; vintage stamps from Finland.
Size: 7 inches square
GIFTED to Patricia 🙂
They were nesting, buying plants, painting old furniture to make it new again, setting up the kitchen and decorating the apartment with a combination of his and hers. Young love blossoming and solidifying in the give and take of your’s and mine, becoming ours.
The nesting box
The lid
The love nests
The ephemera: old love letters and papers from 1800’s France; natural history plate of bird’s eggs.
The found objects: vintage tart tins; tiny pewter hearts; paper wasp’s nest; small bird’s nests; various feathers; seed pod; antique porcelain doll arms; moth cocoon; vintage anagram letters; antique cigar box with labels.
The studio tour was a great success with 21 sales, 1 commission and my workshops fully booked. Thanks to everyone who came out. 😊😊
Studio tour on this weekend.
For the first time, I am opening my studio to the public, as part of Visions Artists Studio Tour and Art Sale. There are 27 artists showing at 19 studios in this free open house tour.
Come out and support the Arts in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island.
Visit the website for more information and map.
Rainy day, nursery games. Banished to the nursery, the sisters had oodles of time to play games. Unbeknown to the parents, poker was fast becoming a favourite when nanny was on her tea break.
The ephemera: vintage bingo card, various bits of vintage paper, high quality reproduction of vintage photo of young girls.
The found objects: clay poker chip, vintage lotto game piece.
I recently found a beautiful library card, with due date stamps from the 40’s inside an old book entitled Friend of Marie Antoinette. I could not resist imagining some friends for the beleaguered Marie. So voilà my new favourite book mark has come to be.
Front side: Get thee to a nunnery Marie. Back side: Marie and her friends were all in time out for not sharing.
The ephemera: Original 1940’s library card, fiscal marks from old French documents, high quality reproductions of vintage photos on 100% rag paper.
He had read all the rules, and according to Hoyle, he had played his cards right.
So why was he still playing the field? Why was still going home alone every night?
He looked like an angel with his colours so bright.
I guess he had just not got the point of the game quite right.
SOLD ( at Bound to be Different)
The ephemera: Torn Spine from Card Game Rules By Hoyle; original French legal document from 1800’s; original vintage book page on design and drafting; high quality copy of natural history image of an angel fish.
Size: small 5 inches square on wooden block
Yeah, you know I’m all about that bass, ’bout that bass, no treble!
All about that bass, ’bout that base no treble (X 2)
Yeah, it’s pretty clear, I got more arms than two
But I can swim, swim, like I’m supposed to do
I’ve got that boom, boom that all the fish chase
All the right tentacles in all the right places!
Sorry for the poor parody Meghan Trainor
SOLD 🙂
the ephemera: vintage music card; antique French document from 1840; antique paper; high quality copy of natural history illustration of an octopus.
size: small 5 inches square
He battled a steady stream of barbed words. Navigating this river of miscommunication was not going to be easy.
SOLD 🙂
The ephemera: hand made paper; old book page; original French document from 1890; high quality copy of natural history illustration of a snapper.
Size: 5 inches square on wooden block
‘What a fine fellow you are little blue bird,’ she whispered. Flattered by her words, he decided to stay for a while.
The ephemera: Original French document 1879; high quality copy of natural history illustration of a blue bird.
Size: 5 inches square
Perché sur le pavé, il est parfait, ce pigeon de Paris.
The ephemera: hand made paper from 1899 ledger; original French document 1879; original vintage mail sticker; high quality reproduction of natural history image of pigeon
Size : small 5 inches square
Head out on the highway, looking for adventure
and whatever comes her way…
yeah darling gone make it happen,
take the world in your loving embrace…
Born to be wild.
-Steppenwolf
The ephemera: Natural history image of chicken, Mississippi flood plain map, vintage French letter, image of vintage bicycle, bird’s nest illustration.
Mixed collage Size 7 inches square
SOLD
He was off on his own Tour de France. He would camp on the banks of the canals and eat fromage and chocolat, savouring every minute.
The ephemera: Vintage map of France; old image of bicycle; vintage bird cage image, natural history image of crow; antique French legal document.
Mixed collage: digital and traditional
SOLD
What came first the owl or the egg?
Well it depends on which direction you are travelling.
The ephemera: vintage letter from 1822; image of vintage bicycle; reproduction of antique map of japan; reproduction of natural history illustration of an owl, vintage image of a bird’s egg, vintage French stamp.
Size: 7 inches square
SOLD
“Hurray, road trip!” she exclaimed, “I’ve got the map, I shoddy the front seat”.
“Hold on,” he replied “curb your enthusiasm, so we get there in one piece” as he applied the breaks.
Inspired by a recent holiday with the mister. This is how it goes down for us.
The ephemera : Ledger page for 1901; map of Scandinavia 1933; photo of tree in winter; vintage bicycle image; two pictures of ravens. Encaustic wax top layer.
Size: 12 inches square on wooden cradle.
