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.
Swimming in the Salish Sea, the whale, the whale the seal and me.
We frolicked in the swirling tides with stars and sun as our guide.
Heads or tails, fur, feathers, fins or scales.
Differences matter not, when you are happy with your lot.
details: atlas map waves with encaustic wax.
The ephemera: original atlas map snippets from the early twentieth century; high quality reproductions of an antique star chart and natural history illustrations of sea creatures.
Size: 14 by 18 inches
Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main;For many a stormy wind shall blow, ere Jack comes home again!
-Godfrey Marks
Encaustic Collage
The ephemera: old atlas maps from the turn of the last century; letter from the 1800’s, vintage stamp.
The found objects: antique watch movement.
Size: 6 inches square
A pair of night owls, out star gazing until the wee hours. Charting their collection of constellations, comets and stardust for future generations.
The ephemera: original star charts from 1930’s atlases; original french document from the 1880’s; high quality reproductions of natural history illustrations of owls.
Old World Brains stuck in their old stereo-typical patterns, hiding behind borders, focusing on what makes us different rather than that which unites us.
The ephemera: Original Atlas Map from 1930’s; high quality reproduction of natural history illustrations of human skulls.
Size: 8 inches square
SOLD to Darcie
He kept all of his brains on pedestals. It was the only way he could compartmentalise his new world thinking.
The ephemera: original vintage atlas map projections; high quality reproductions of vintage anatomy illustrations and decorative columns.
Ohé Ohé matelot, matelot navigue sur les flots.
The ephemera: Various original letters and bills from the 1800s to early 1900s. Various original snippets of altas maps from the 1940s and earlier.
The found objects: One half of a papier mâché globe
Size: 22 inches by 30 inches on wooden cradle. Encaustic wax and cold wax finishes.
This was a challenge to myself to create a large piece. The composition changed as I began working on the piece.
I started with the boats..I adore making them and have become obsessed with them.
Next came the water and waves. It was quite challenging to get it right. I am not sure I am there yet but will make more in the future.
Finally the composition with the boats, birds and tiny globe and a top coat of wax on the waves.
Papillon, parfumé, pernicieux, particulier, pénétrant, palpitant et peut-être prédominant.
the ephemera: original page from 1889 French school book; high quality reproduction of a natural history illustration of a butterfly.
The found objects: vintage zipper part; antique royal typewriter key; old watch parts & antique stopwatch face and workings.
Size: 6 inches square
He made a fine watch guard, with his quartz crystals ready to hand and his super sharp pen nib in his back pocket. Hooligans beware.
Pen and Ink Butterfly
The ephemera: Original French document from the 1800s, high quality reproduction of a natural history illustration of a butterfly.
The found objects: vintage watch face and parts; vintage pen nib.
Size: 6 inches square
Whirling, twirling, fluttering and churning he was determined to make the most of the last dog days of summer.
Churning Butter..fly
The ephemera: original ledger page from 1912; high quality reproduction of a natural history illustration of a butterfly.
The found objects: antique small key; various bits and bobs from an antique pocket watch.
Size: 6 inches square
At the end of June I retired from my long time teaching job. My wonderful colleagues gifted me the old card catalogue from our school library…Best retirement gift ever!!!! They filled the drawers with all manner of curiosities for me. The card catalogue was a little worse for wear so I decided to give it a make over. It is now finished and is a wonderful reminder of my years at Duncan Elementary School and my crazy colleagues.
Our school.
Best retirement gift ever! 
Needs some TLC
Removed the handles and after soaking them in vinegar and sprinkling them with salt, I popped them in a hot oven for 20 minutes…Presto beautiful patina.
Then I took apart the cabinet and sanded off the varnish using a palm sander…60 grit so it is rough enough to take the stain. (Had to do it twice, lesson learned) Also needed to brush on a coat of water to raise the grain so it would accept the stain.
Stained the maple cabinet and all 30 drawers with Cherry stain and then 3 coats of polyurethane with a light fine sanding between coats…Lesson learned…first two coats should be gloss and last coat matte or satin.
Huge improvement!
Printed off labels on 200 year old paper.
Filled the drawers with all manner of curious art supplies…
And voila the big reveal…my beautiful gift from my treasured friends and colleagues.
She kept her spare parts, neatly organized on the shelf, just in case.
One of my first attempts at assemblage box, years ago. Gifted to my sister.
The ephemera: picture of a stone angel, vintage sheet music, snippet of reproduction of a plan of the Vatican, fragment of an old love letter.
The found objects: broken cherub, vintage watch parts, crystal and an antique door pull.
She fiercely defended her right to rule over them all: the earth, the moon and skies and even time itself, for these were HER realm. Woe be to those who would oppose her.
Queen of the Night
Queen’s Head
Queen’s feet
Queen’s Edges
The ephemera: Original ledger page from 1926; original vintage city plan from 1928; original antique bill of sale from 1800s; original world analysis from 1930’s atlas; high quality reproduction of natural history illustration of an owl from the npl collection; reproductions of lunar illustrations and other antique atlas offerings.
The found objects: original antique watch parts, original vintage alarm clock face; antique royal typewriter parts; tiny vintage light bulb; antique pen nibs; old watch movement; vintage military brass button: vintage house number.
Size: 14 inches by 18 inces
Raven is calling, you can hear the clicks as he croaks out his message: See Warning A. Disused Ammunition Dump. Bertha Island. Fog Sig. Pirate Rock. The warning is clearly encrypted, but as you well know, when Raven calls, you had better listen carefully.
Raven Calling
The ephemera: Vintage Marine Chart 3590 belonging to my father; photograph of a raven printed on 100 percent rag paper; high quality reproduction of type writer keys.
The found objects: vintage rotary telephone dial; vintage red light bulb; antique key hole; vintage watch casing; tiny vintage watch gear; old parts from a 1920’s royal typewriter; vintage fishing lure attachment; vintage red cross pin.
Size: 9 inches by 12 inches on wooden cradle
It is always Crow Time, even when you find yourself in other parts of the world.
Crow Time
The ephemera: Old Atlas Page from early 20th century; old measuring ribbon bit; textured paper; photo of a crow.
The found objects: reproduction of a radio tube on wooden; original vintage watch face
Size: 3.5 inches by 12 inches
Joséphine was always “à la une” with the latest trends of fashion, but had she gone too far this time.
Joséphine
The ephemera: Original document from 1800s; handmade scrap-booking paper; high quality reproduction of vintage portrait.
The found objects: antique key; antique typewriter key; vintage pen nib; antique key hole; royal typewriter parts
Size : 7 inches square
Mysterious Theatre with Vincent Twice, Vincent Twice.
This week’s episode The Tale of the Man with the Shrinking Head.
Will we ever unlock the solution to this puzzler?
The ephemera: High quality reproduction of damaged vintage portrait; vintage book cover.
The found objects: vintage brass drawer plate; vintage decorative key hole; toe bone of a deer
Miss Cummins was the lamplighter. She illuminated young minds, showing them the way to self-realisation. She continued thus until her disintegration. Eventually all that was left of her was her fancy hat and legion of followers.
The ephemera: vintage book cover; damaged vintage photo.
The found objects: tiny vintage automotive light bulb; unidentified seed pod from central america.
Raconte-nous vos mystères cher Molière. Plume à la main, il dévoile l’histoire de Delphine qui disparaît devant nous yeux.
The ephemera: Vintage book cover, dammaged vintage photo.
The found objects: antique pen nib, peacock feather, old game pieces.
Cold wax collage
Westward Ho! Charles shouted, his enthusiasm for adventure overtook him, as all the possibilities created cracks in his conventional veneer, letting his inner most thoughts seep through, overwhelming him. Go forth Charles, meet your destiny!
The ephemera: dammaged vintage portait; vintage book cover.
The found objects: tiny gears from antique pocket watches; vintage brass key.
Make believe
‘Let’s put on our glass helmets and pretend we are in the transporter on the Enterprise. You can be Spok and I will be captain Kirk. We can beam down to the planet surface and have an adventure.”
The ephemera: High quality reproduction of vintage portrait of fanciful children; antique book cover.
The found objects: bit from a vintage slide ruler, vintage pressed flower found in old book; vintage glass lenses
Media: cold wax collage
“Martha has the ideal family life” so it was said about town. “She is the perfect homemaker; tidy, krafty, organized, respectable and reliable.” This was certainly the outwardly appearance, what one saw at first glance…but the cracks were beginning to show.
The ephemera: Handwritten recipes from the 1940s by my mother; vintage book cover; reproduction of dammaged vintage photo.
The found objects: old nails found while renovating my house; paper wasp nest; vintage buttons; vintage furniture tacks.
Zoom Zooming: His party hat firmly planted atop his head, his bionic wing for steering and his vacuum tube for zooming he set off zoom zooming.
The ephemera: Original French Document from the 1800 s; high quality reproduction of a natural history illustration of an owl.
The found objects: antique typewriter parts; antique watch parts, old broken bull clip; wooden reproduction of an antique vacuum tube.
Size: 7 inches square
Fourrages et pailles et tout autre besoin pour la construction des nids …foin naturel, avoine … je vous offre un prix spécial et mes assurances de première qualité etc. etc.
Jean Belzon
The ephemera: Original Bill Head 1904; high quality reproduction of a natural history illustration of an owl.
The found objects: antique pen nib; antique watch casing and parts; vintage can opener bit.
Size: 7 inches square
Under starry skies,
He sat and contemplated life.
He let go of the lies.
He let go of the strife.
Now wiser than before,
Ready to face the night,
once more.
SOLD
The ephemera: Original French Document from 1822; Original star chart from 1933; high quality reproduction of a natural history illustration of an owl.
Found objects: bird’s nest; twiggy branch.
Size: 14 by 16 inches
