Saturday, December 15, 2012

Message From a Dream - finished

I have completed the last piece I was working on for the "In Your Dreams" exhibit which is coming up in February.

Message From a Dream
 ingredients: vintage book covers, vintage Japanese envelopes, stamps, vintage book pages, image transfers, graphite drawing, watercolor pencils, metallic oil crayon, mica, feather, stitching








I've also revised the two "language of earth" pieces I was working on, thanks to the valuable opinions and advice you all gave me when I was stuck. It really does help to have some fresh eyes on work that you've been staring at for so long that your perspective is all skewed and wonky, don't you think?  I decided to ditch my original idea of connecting these together as one piece, as it seems they will each work better on their own.  If you want to see what these looked like before, click here.


 The Earth Sings

 As someone had suggested, I tried to connect the sections of this piece a bit better so that it's more integrated, and flows better from one section to another. I added brads to the compass, and spread the hydrangea petals from the top left into other sections of the piece; the stitching has been extended into the bottom left part where the globe is.




The Earth Speaks


On this piece, I just added blue stitching to the metal object plus a little more connecting it and the map, as well as to the ash seeds at the top.  I'm actually pretty happy with the way this one turned out.


I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season, and not getting too stressed out.  I will be trying to do the same. 



22 comments:

  1. I love all three of these! Shouldn't have checked blogs while organizing my studio--this makes me want to work on art, not finish my cleanup!

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    1. Thanks, Deborah; I consider it a great compliment if my work makes you want to work on art. I hope you were able to finish the cleaning and have plenty of time left for the art-making.

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  2. Yes The Earth Does speak...in this piece I have found peace on our nation's sad day! I wish you peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

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    1. Mary Helen, thank you once more for your kind and encouraging words. Wishing you peace and art, on this day and always.

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  3. The the Earth Speaks pieces have their own distinct vocabularies and rhythms made visible.
    I think your Message From a Dream composition is stunning! I love how the smaller book covers are contained within a framework of larger covers and how everything just flows. The details are lovely. There's a balance and movement here that makes me want to linger with this lovely piece of art.

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    1. Lynne, I appreciate your very expressive compliments; thank you! To know that someone wants to spend time looking at my work- that makes me feel I've succeeded in creating something that touches others.

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  4. Wow - great pieces. The kind of collage that keeps me looking and looking again. They work so well as individual pieces, but as a group, they really sing together. Happy holidays.

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    1. Hi Annie; I'm so glad you enjoy looking at them. I feel that I'm finally moving in the right direction, and becoming more comfortable with the collage process in general. I wish you a very happy holiday season.

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  5. Sharmon, these are really great pieces! I especially like the color palette that is stringing throughout all the pieces. Great job! Merry Christmas!

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    1. Thanks, Michael. I think I'm finally starting to get a handle on these collages. "Message from a Dream" made me think of you, because the drawing of the girl's face was the start of the whole thing. Once I did that, it just sort of took on a life of its own and grew from there.
      And the colors- kind of shockingly un-bright, huh?

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  6. Oh these are all totally fabulous Sharmon! Best Wishes for the Solstice, the Silly Season & much wonderment in the New Year!

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    1. Thanks, Mo, and I'm wishes those good wishes right back at ya! I like that name, "the silly season"; is that an Australian thing?

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  7. Sharmon, I love your creations. the natural and the spaced stitching. Beautiful mixed media.

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    1. Gwen, I'm so glad you like them; thanks for stopping by!

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  8. Great to see these pieces and it must feel great to see this through to completion. Each one stands on its own but together it is complete. I like your attention to detail and find myself moving around and back again...plenty to see. Great job!

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    1. Thanks, Mary Ann; I'm pretty happy with the final products, and have certainly learned a lot while making them. Happy holidays!

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  9. Sharmon, I LOVE these pieces, they really speak to me, the stitches are just superb...
    wishing you a beautiful holiday season as well, and thanks for stopping by... x

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    1. Thank you, Cat; your opinion means a lot to me, as I admire your work so much. Have a nice blogging break! xox

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  10. Sharmon- These came out wonderfully. Such texture for visual wandering- your incorporation of recognizable bits make them seem familiar yet and at the same time very old. Hope you have wandered into the New Year with your creatively in tow. xo teri

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    1. I hope so too, Teri; the school stuff I'm towing right now makes it hard to tow anything else, but I'm trying! Thanks for visiting, and for the good words! I hope your new year is starting on a good note as well. xo

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  11. Dear Sharmon, I have missed a lot here, this new series of paintings and collages is so beautiful. I am in love with the first, "message in a dream." The stitching that goes through the woman's hair and swirls across the page is gorgeous.
    And the colors, and everything!
    roxanne

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    1. Thanks for the good words, Roxanne- so glad you like it! I am pretty happy with the way this one turned out, myself. xo

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