This website is a portfolio of my work in collage and altered art.
( I usually post once a week on Sundays...but no promises. )
All art work is created by me (Unless otherwise indicated)
and I hold the copyrights
Use of my artwork, without my permission, is prohibited.
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.
manuscript notarié dated in 1800s found at les puces de Vanves, Paris
A trio of 8 by 10 encaustic mixed media collages feature vintage atlas waves.
Green Waters
The deep green waters soothed Monsieur’s soul.
Trois Matelots
Trois petits matelots naviguent sur les flots.
Whale Watching
Who was watching who?
The ephemera: original vintage maps and charts from the mid 20th century; natural history illustration of a whale; old letters and receipts from the 1800s; vintage stamps.
The found objects: antique watch faces and mouvements.
These pieces will be available at my up-coming studio tour and sale April 23, 24, 25 10 to 5. See http://www.cowichanartisans.com for map and details.
On the one year anniversary of the World Wide Pandemic we all be ….like this!
The ephemera: Old Book Cover by Robert Louis Stevenson; Original plate from 1930’s botany book; natural history illustration of an owl; vintage face; vintage postal stamp, vintage post mark 1965 Three Hills Alberta; Muybridge’s dancing lady. Top Coat of cold wax.
Sans souci, ils ont pris la plongée au coeur de Paris, le centre du monde.
La plongéee
Small Collage on Old Book Cover
The ephemera: Fly leaf and book cover of Plan de Paris from 1947; Original vintage map projection; small diving figures from vintage Larousse dictionary, original vintage airmail sticker.
Taking the Plunge
One after another they decided to take the plunge. The world was their oyster.
The Plunge
Collage on Old Book Cover 8 inches by 12 inches
The Ephemera: Vintage Book Cover from old Atlas; Original Receipt from Paris, 1902; Original map projection from Vintage Atlas, Diving figures from vintage Larousse dictionary; photos of poppy seed heads from my garden.
It is always about the eyes, don’t you think? … emotion, intention, distinction, contrition, inebriation, determination, reflection, nutrition, animation, affection, jubilation.
Blue Eye SOLD
Dark Eye
Green Eye ( SOLD)
A trio of mixed media collage eyes, featuring original vintage maps and found papers and images. 8 inches by 8 inches. Enjoy the surprising details.
Witchy woman process shot of hand cutting pieces from original vintage atlases to form the features of the portrait. Messy and time consuming, but great fun to see it come together.
Corazon was cloaked in the wisdom of the women who came before her.
Tradition, Heritage, Strength.
Corazon
The Ephemera Original french document from the 1800s, original dictionary page 1937, original receipt from 1920, original atlas maps and star charts from early 20th century, old photographs of 3 women, Muybridge’s naked skipping girl, various decorative papers, natural history illustrations of flowers, original postage stickers.
She was striving to remain calm amidst the World wide turbulence.
Calm in the Storm 10 inches by 10 inches 150 CAD
The ephemera: Western Hemisphere Map 1950s; decorative paper; high quality reproductions of 19th century bird engravings; photo portrait credit pexels- breston kenya creative commons licence.
She started cooing and they flocked to her without hesitation.
“I am a pigeon whisperer” she laughed.
My little Pigeon CAD 150 Size 10 inches by 10 inches
The ephemera: Plan of Paris title page 1947; ledger page 1917; decorative paper; high quality reproductions of natural history illustrations of pigeons; photo portrait credit pexels-ksenia chernaya creative commons license.
New set of 4 Birds on Bikes available for purchase in the Studio. They measure 10 inches by 10 inches on wooden blocks.
Fleury
Fleury was in a flurry , in a hurry, time to scurry. The market would be opening soon!
Cycling Over Seas
She was cycling over seas, on her way to the continent with her nest egg in tow.
I went to le Market
SOLD 😄
I went to the market, mon petit panier sous mon bras and the first girl that I met was la fille d’un avocat. I love you, vous ne m’entendez guère. I love you, vous ne m’entendez pas. – Gilles Vigneault.
Grande Culture
SOLD 😄
Il tournait bien des têtes lorsqu’il longeait le Boulevard de la Liberté. Il était doté d’une grande culture, respectueux de l’environment, socialement responsable, non-partisan.
Due to the Pandemic we are using a new format for the Artisans’ Tour by appointment only, to ensure a safe viewing and shopping experience for everyone. We have extended the tour to the entire month of November.
Studio Open by Appointment. email millettea@shaw.ca to arrange a visit
A visit to my seaside studio is like stepping into a cabinet of curiosities, you will be intrigued.
Commissioned for dear friends Laura and Dawson. May you weather life storms together.
Heading into the Wind ; encaustic mixed media collage
The ephemera: Receipts from Béziers, Languedoc; vintage french stamp; vintage atlas maps of Laura’s favorite places: the Queen Charlottes, Tofino, the Philippines, the South of France ; Comox; Vancouver Island, the Coast of California.
Summer by the seaside with brightly coloured beach huts ,ice creams, sandcastles and the unreliable British weather. What could be better?
Encaustic mixed media collage 6 inches by 12 inches.
Details of some of the original papers I used in this piece, a letter from 1917; a ledger page from 1916; a cancelled check from 1934; and snippet for a Paris guide 1947 listing les grands magasins.
Down by the sea, we dug for buried treasure, just you and me, we didn’t mind the weather.
Bathing HutsBathing Huts inspired by the seaside beach huts on the coast of England
The ephemera: original papers: 20th century vintage atlas maps; old papers from the 19th and 20th centuries..receipts, adverts, dictionary pages,envelopes; ledger pages; original vintage labels, tickets and stamps; old board game numbers; three natural history images of gulls.
A Parliament of Owls, perhaps we should send them to Ottawa…they would likely make wiser decisions than the current gaggle of geese or the previous conspiracy of crows.
The ephemera: Original Ledger Page from 1917; photos of poppy seed heads from my garden; high quality reproductions of natural history illustrations of owls and vintage book image of the moon.
Le directeur du laboratoire, M. Julien G. Éprouvette, disapru à Paris le 31 mai 1901. Un mystère jamais résolu.
Did he go back to the future to prevent the discovery of plastic?
Did he go back in time to find a power source that did not involve fossil fuels?
Did he go underground, hoping to find a way to prevent the Spanish Flu?
Perhaps we will never know.
NB Shhh! This is a cadeau for my son Julien about to start the last year of his Chemistry Degree. C’est un secret.
Julien Eprouvette au LaboratoireLe laboratoire
The collectionJulien Eprouvette
Les eprouvettes
Les éléments
Le lab a du courant
The ephemera: Vintage Periodic Table; vintage receipt from a Paris Chemical Laboratory, various old papers.
The found objects: Vintage Test tubes, typewriter parts from a 1920s Royal Typewriter; tiny vintage glass bottles, vintage light bulbs (that work!), vintage switch (that works too!) , ceramic insulator tubes, small antique school ink bottle, vintage vacuum tube, wire, vintage gage,vintage tart tin, vintage typewriter bell, vintage thermometer .
Credits: Merci à mon mari Michel who helped me with the wiring so that the vintage light bulb switches on using the vintage switch and a very modern battery hidden, from view.
I am pleased to announce my August Solo Show at Excellent Frameworks EJ Hughes Gallery in Duncan, BC. Due to the Pandemic there will not be an official opening night but I am happy to arrange socially distant, gallery meet ups for small groups. Pandemic hours are Wednesday to Saturday 11-3
