Fly Me To The Moon

Fly Me To The Moon Collage

My creative verve has returned with great joy!
I have begun making the collages necessary for my next artist's book edition, "Creation". This is the first of 7 collages that I hope will be made over the next two weeks. Each of these collages will be scanned and printed to serve as illustrations in the small edition of 7 copies of the book.

These collages are 9" x7". Each illustrative element comes from my print "morgue" of samples. The page is assembled using semi-gloss gel medium and PVA glue on an acid free board.

I have yet to decide how to add the 2-3 lines of text per page, but am leaning towards letterpress.




Over the past year I have been working to finish my first artist's book edition,  The Abecedarium for the Makers of Artist's Books. I have posted a link on my page to the slide show of the images for this edition. I need to gather signatures and begin to bind this edition soon.

In addition to working on these projects, I have a blank book on the sewing frame today, and am finishing work on Almost A Nun, my unique artist's book.  I can work between all these projects as glue and glazes dry.

I am missing items for the Abecedarium edition,  and need to start going through all the tubs to find them. Moving has stressed my organization in the studio to the max. I am hoping to spend part of the day organizing all the materials storage in the grotto in between gluing and glazing. I have been frustrated as of late not having exact places for everything, so cleaning the closets and going through plastic tubs will help me order my world a bit.

My daughter Kristin Mortensen (an artist) is always telling me that my organizing of all my materials is part of my work process. She is continually telling me to stop organizing the stuff and make art! I find, however, that in order to organize the composition in the piece I am working on, I must organize the materials, equipment, and objects around me in my studio space. A place for everything, and everything in its' place, as my mother used to say.

More and more, as I work in the studio daily and I become absorbed with my work, I realize that I have dreamed it all many times over. Each morning I come to the studio and dutifully write my "Morning Pages" (Julia Cameron-The Artist's Way- would be so proud of me!) and complete my morning prayers. I open my heart and soul to God and listen for what messages the angels bring to me. As I pray, I become conscious of the dreams from the night before and how they relate to my creative process. The THIN-NESS between this world and the next, the dream and the reality, becomes ever more present with each breath I take and each stroke I make.

Each studio day also brings a great appreciation for the abundance in our lives-our faith community, the wonderful home we own, and the wonderful peacefulness that surrounds us living in Deep River, so close to the Ottawa River and our beloved cottage. The scales of modernity continue to fall from me and my soul relishes the peace of having this wonderful studio and all the materials and equipment to work with here in the grotto.

All will be well, and all will be well, and with the grace and glory of God in her heaven, all will be well.



Thanks for reading!