Sunday 22 January 2012

THE ART OF JACK FROST


It is believed that Jack Frost was a Viking invention, that he was the son of Kari who was the God of the Winds.  Jack Frost or Jokul of Frosti meaning icicle or frost has been visiting my windows nightly.   As winter settles in for the next few months, I love to watch its beauty unfold.  Jack Frost has been creating amazing sculptures on my windows.  Every day as the sun rises, Jack’s art disappears, only to reappear at the end of the day.  It is always new and different.  I am transported into gardens, forests and trails of frosty white with hints of blue.  The evening lights reflected on the designs offer a soft glow to the frosty prisms.  I am reminded of carved crystal shining on a dining table with the flicker of candlelight dancing on the edges of beautifully carved flowers, leaves or stems. It is the kind of inspiration artists draw from to create the beauty in their work. 


NEW CREATIONS

I have been working on some new Endearment Book creations over the last couple of weeks.  These two books are encased in a sleeve.  I used wooden print block letters and symbols, which I painted copper.  I recycled pieces of a gold plated and enamel necklace for feet and to enhance the top of the sleeve.  The book cover is paste on Cansom flax paper (paste paper).  It has a nice texture and the colours are variegated from turquoise to coppery brown.  I used a navy blue and silver handmade paper to cover the sleeve. 



The wooden letterpress letters and symbols on the sleeve are R G and !.  They were chosen for consistency in size.


This Endearment Book sleeve was covered with a Japanese paper in fuschia and silver.  It was lined with recycled prints from a Chinese Mythology book.  Crystal beads were used to enhance the top and glass squares to create the feet.  The book is covered with turquoise paste on Canal cotton rag paper and enhanced with blue and gold paper. 


These Endearment Books are covered with paste paper covers.  They each have 60 pages in them and a die cut on the corner of each page.  They measure 2 1/8 " X 2 1/4". 



PUZZLE PURSE BOOKS

These  Origami puzzle purse books are made from Fabriano Sketch paper and decorated with handmade papers.  When opened they reveal the message written inside. 


CAMERA NOMENCALTURE AND STEAM PUNK

I had the opportunity to trade one of my journals for an old camera.  After one blood blister from my needle nose pliers and a bruised palm from my little screwdrivers, I managed to dismantle the camera.  It was an interesting task, as I got to discover how a camera is put together.  What you may ask am I going to do with all this nomenclature.  Well, I am going to venture into the world of Steam Punk and make some sleeves for journals.  I am looking forward to designing and creating them. 


SPECIAL THANKS

Special thanks to Mr. Azzam Zarif from Rivoli Watch and Jewellery at 112 Kent Street, Councourse Level, for the clock hands he gave me.  I have known Mr. Zarif since coming to Ottawa.  He has repaired a number of my watches.

Special thanks to Mr. Tom Steiner at the Camera Trading Company at 368 Bank Street, in the true spirt of trading the camera for a journal.

Special thanks to Jacinta at Holodeck Galleries, www.holodeckgalleries.com/collections/mary-kritz for creating a section in her virtual gallery for my books.








Monday 9 January 2012

A NEW PAGE IN THE BOOK OF MARY


It is already the ninth day of 2012.  Mother Nature has spread her pristine white cloak over the land and brought winter to us.  Her shifts from mild to cold are her teasers that keep us hoping for warmer weather, sunshine, the first spring song of the songbird and green buds popping on the naked boughs of the trees.  The skaters are sharpening their skate blades in anticipation of the opening of the Rideau Canal (the longest skating rink in the world), so they can commute to work, have some fun with the family and enjoy a hot chocolate and beaver tail (a delicious pastry unique to Ottawa). 

I have been busy catching up on my reading - just finished The Golden Compass and making new creations.  Mother Tongue Books continue to carry my books.  I launched my first video, have my art hanging in a virutal gallery and my blog is now part of the Book Arts website at Syracuse University. 

NEW CREATIONS  

Following the Thread of a Thought:  Writer's Primer and Companion




There are three writer's primers in this sleeve.  Original drawings decorate the covers which are constructed of cotton rag Canal paper. 


The companion to the writer's primer is a floweret with a word or the beginning of a sentence on each petal.  This is the starting point for the free writing. 


The sleeve is constructed from book board, wooden letter press letters, spools of thread, dice  and wooden scrabble letters.


When the journals are full, the writer has the complete works in a decorative, protective sleeve.

ART

Holodeck Galleries (http://www.holodeckgalleries.com/) is a virtual art gallery that supports local artists.  My art is now hanging in the gallery. 




WATCHING
Black pigment and Indian Ink on 100 lb smooth Bristol paper


 FLORA DANCE
Black pigment ink on heavy watercolour paper


 RESPITE
Black pigment and Indian Ink on 100lb Smooth Bristol paper

TESTIMONIALS

"On behalf of the members of the Ottawa Book Collectors, I wish to thank you for your excellent presentation on Monday.  We are always most interested in the physical qualities of the book as they developed over time.  And you are the first of our many speakers to assist us in creating our own books.  When showing my friends my miniature creation, thery were most intrigued and were very impressed by pictures of your beautiful pieces."  Bernadette Walker, President

"Thank you for the lovely handcrafted journals, as gifts for speakers, tailored to our event.  Your creative touch has personalized an often difficult item to choose and I know it will be much valued." Tanmayo Krupanszky, Special Events Organizer, Canadian Organic Growers Association, Toronto, Ontario

SPECIAL THANKS

Special thanks to Laura at Mother Tongue Books, 1067 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON http://www.mothertonguebooks.ca/ for carrying my books.

I met Allison, Jamie and Lois this past summer when volunteering with a filmmaker.  They have become friends.  Special thanks to Allison Flowers http://allisonflowers.bandcamp.com/  and Jamie Myland http://ca.linkedin.com/in/jamiemyland for creating the beautiful video for me.

Special thanks to Lois Siegel, http://siegelproductions.ca/, for posting my art and video on her website. 

Special thanks to Kevin MacLeod for his royalty free music "Opportunity Walk" http://incompetech.com/ which was used with the video.

Special thanks to Jacinta at Holodeck Galleries www.holodeckgalleries.com/collections for creating a beautiful page at the Gallery for my art. 

Special thanks to Peter D. Verheyden, Book Arts Web http://www.philobiblon.com/ at Syracuse University  for posting my blog.