Monday 20 November 2017

ACRYLIC, ALUMINUM AND FELT WITH THE ADVENT OF OLD MAN WINTER

 The leaves were a long time leaving this fall, but after a big wind the deed was done.  


Then, Old Man Winter made his appearance this week with a light dusting of snow over freezing rain. 



In October, I added another year to my life and had the opportunity to visit the Butterfly House at Carleton University, on my birthday.  


  
These little creatures, from around the world, don't have a long life span, so it was a pleasure to be able to see them. 


NEW FELT COVERS 

Just finished these two beauties this morning.  The Merino wool felt makes a beautiful cover.   


A couple of months ago I was wandering around one of the farmer's markets in the city and met an Alpaca farmer.  She had a number of felted products at her table and I asked if she could make me some felt for covers.  After a number of discussions and samples we came to an agreement on a felt that works with the book covers.  The felt is Alpaca wool over merino wool.   The first two I made were shades of green, one of which was sold this past weekend and will be making its way to Alberta for Christmas.  


The journal on the right is the one that has sold.  


I found this piece of antler at a health food store and thought it was interesting.  They were sold as dog chew pieces.  I knew I would find a use for it at some point and this journal was the perfect fit.  

The felt was quite long and I didn't want to cut off a piece, so I created two journals in one - the smaller journal has 30 pages and then when opened fully there is the larger journal with 100 pages.  The Alpaca wool is very soft to the touch and the Merino wool gives the sturdiness required to make the cover - a beautiful combination.  

The next piece of felt included silk with the Alpaca and Merino wools making the covers very soft to the touch.  

Last year, at the Selections Art and Craft Show I discovered a lady from Quebec who makes the most interesting wooden buttons.  I picked some up from her this year when she was at the same show.  



The Alpaca button was a perfect match for this journal.  These were shorter pieces of felt so I added more pages to these two journals - each has 150 pages of Fabriano sketch paper.  




The little red bird button had three holes in it, so I added a zircon to one of the holes, adding a little sparkle to the button and book.  


CARVED ACRYLIC COVERS

I'm always looking for new materials for book covers.  This past fall I discovered acrylic and decided to see what they would look like if I carved them.  I am happy to say they turned out beautifully.  Due to the scratch factor of the acrylic, I created covers for the books which will lessen the scratching.  Over time, with use, they will get a beautiful patina on them that will enhance the carvings.  


The spine of the cover is leather and the brass button has an embossed Hermes on it.  I found the button in an antique shop and was told they were off a postman's uniform.  



This is the cover open and the carved acrylic cover of the book.  I painted the back of the acrylic which allowed me to carve from both sides, giving some depth to the carved surface.  


CARVED ALUMINUM COVERS 

Recently, while wandering around my favourite art store I discovered some aluminum panels.  I took one home to experiment with.  I carved the cover and then drilled holes in it for stitching.  All went very well and I now have created two journals with carved covers. 

While waiting for the bus one day I found some ginkgo leaves on the lawn.   I collected a few and used these as patterns for the carvings.  I am quite happy with the final result. 


This was the first aluminum cover that I created.  The front cover has images similar to the acrylic cover. 



The back cover has five ginkgo leaves carved into it.  

The second set of aluminum book covers I made have ginkgo leaves on the front and back covers.  


This is the front and back of the second journal.  I had a great time carving the covers and am very pleased with the finished product. 



Photographing the aluminum and acrylic is a big challenge as they have very reflective surfaces.  

That's all for now.  I'll be at the Shenkman Arts Centre for the BazArt Christmas show on Saturday, November 25th and Sunday, November 26th from 11:00 to 4:00.  If you are in the area, stop by and see these new pieces in person.  They are much prettier in person - ha ha.  

You can also find my books at the Ottawa School of Art at 35 George Street.  Their Christmas fundraising sale opens November 23rd at 5:00 pm and runs into December.  

I am still waiting to hear about the opening of the new Ottawa Art Gallery, where my books, cards and book marks can also be found. 

You can also contact me directly at: bbinder999@gmail.com to inquire about the books.  

Wishing you all a restful holiday season filled with love.  

Mary 

Sunday 8 January 2017

ENTERING A NEW YEAR WITH REMNANTS OF THE OLD



ONE FOGGY NIGHT - November 30, 2016 - MacKenzie King Bridge 

It was rush hour on a foggy November night.  People moved with intention through the fog, seeking the number of their bus ride that would take them home.  While some were oblivious to the beauty around them, others stopped to enjoy the hazy shroud around their city.  



The buses moved quickly, loading and unloading their precious cargo.  They came frequently picking up the new comers and the stragglers. 




Rain fell through the misty haze coating everything with a slick, shiny sheen, adding to the evening's beauty. 




The new Ottawa Art Gallery rising from the old parking lot. This large skeleton, when completed, will  house future art and artists.  It will be opening in the fall of 2017.  

FIGUREWORKS EXHIBIT - NOVEMBER 28 to DECEMBER 4, 2016 

The Figureworks Exhibit is an international exhibit occurring annually in Ottawa.  It is juried and prizes are awarded to exhibiting artists.  The vernissage was very well attended and this year the recorded number of visitors exceeded previous years' attendance.  


This is my artist book in the exhibit.  It is quite a large piece and the curator ensured the piece was beautifully displayed and lit.  We used a plinth and secured a large circular table top to it which was then covered with a black cloth. This allowed us to extend the four tunnels and display the top and bottoms as well.  

One of the visitors viewing the piece, looking at the heart of the work.  His wife, a local artist, expressed her interest in the work as well. 


This painting was exhibited on the wall beside my work.  A nice complement to each other's work. 


This piece was hung behind my work.  A very unique piece. 


These were some other paintings that were included in the exhibit.  Exhibitors chosen for this exhibit came from Canada, Brazil, China and the United States.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA - 150 YEARS OLD 

Canada is 150 years old.  Stay tuned for exciting celebrations and new creations throughout the year.  It should be a very exciting year, especially in Ottawa. 

If you have any questions about my work, wish to enquire about commissioning some work or where work can be purchased, please contact me at: bbinder999@gmail.com. 

Wishing you a happy and prosperous 2017.  

Mary 

NEW BLOG - NEW WORK 

I have created a new blog where you can find my new creations at: www.BookishMary.blogspot.com