Thursday, April 30, 2009

crows, what do they know? 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

I love the bird in this piece--sketchy. The copper background shimmers through the splattery blue. The crow is fashioned out of vintage cookbook paper painted black.


generosity plywood bird 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from a comic illustration of A Christmas Carol, and on the bird's body is a excerpt about Scrooge's new generosity. The illustration is from a vintage book.



blue monday bird 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

How does it feel? This poor little friend is fashioned out of an illustration of a European cottage from a vintage book. When I stepped back to look at this completed piece, one of my all time favorite songs came to mind--Blue Monday by New Order.



bulls eye bird 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

This bird is made from a comic from a vintage book, and if you look closely, you can see people dressed as bears--curious, and makes one wonder what the story was.





fried prawns party bird 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is created from a photo of a party table from a vintage cookbook about foreign party food to impress your guests.

Friday, April 24, 2009

3rd bird has the key 2009 8"x 10" mixed media

The birds in this piece are created from a page from a vintage cookbook that is entitled something like foreign food with flair. The key is an actual key, like that of a cheap diary, which may explain the meaning of this work. It's funny, but a piece like this is just as mysterious to me as the random viewer. Sometimes when I'm finished, I realize an unintentional story has come to fruition, although I usually don't even know what it is. This piece, for instance, evolves through color and placement--a bird here, a bird there, then a key to fill a void, and Voila! When I step back I realize, something is going on between these 3, but what?


windmill bird mini framed art 2009 4.5"x 5.5" mixed media

This little painting has a rather drab title, but for practical reasons I wanted it easily understandable for those shopping in my etsy store. It began with my love for this thrift store found vintage frame. I intended to open it and fill it with new art, but when I popped the original art out, I found it charming. It looked to be a snippet out of a vintage magazine, possibly a photo of an original, printed in a magazine. I decided to add to it instead and draw from its charm. I put it all back together and sealed up the back--ready to hang.


cathedral canary 2009 5.25"x 7.25"

This is a marriage between things I love: upcycled pieces (like the frame) + vintage (like the European 19th/20th c postcard) + my art. The upcycled element brings a tacky frame to relevance, the postcard brings character and history to the entirety of the piece and my artistic addition brings new life to once forgotten pieces. The postcard is one of many I've collected--mostly from a particular girl who went on a European holiday at the turn of the century (20th).



bon voyage blue bird 2009 6"x 8" mixed media

This piece also incorporates an upcycled frame, a vintage postcard (from Astoria Oregon) and one of my birds (fashioned out of vintage sheet music), with a background of recycled cardboard that used to line my work space, so it's basically a history of colors and materials I've used in various projects.




country cottage bird mini framed art 2009 4.5"x 5.5" mixed media

This piece is also made from a vintage frame purchased at a thrift store, adding to the art that was already inside. The bird is made from vintage sheet music.

Monday, April 13, 2009


love triangle 2009 16"x 20" mixed media

This painting features my two favorite birds sitting on a branch contemplating one another, but in this piece, a third bird has come into the mix. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe it's a relationship between the 3, or maybe it's merely because I thought it looked empty without the bird peering down.




just before the wish 2009 8"x 8" mixed media

I love wishes. Had to paint one in it's most optimistic point in time.




menage et trois 2009 16"x 12" mixed media

Again, three birds that are related no more than by aesthetics--or perhaps not? The birds are fashioned out of a story told in comic form from a vintage book for girls.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

curious feather friend 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from recipe from a vintage cookbook.
recycled material birdie babe 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This and the piece below are fashioned from the cardboard that used to line my workspace. I painted it and mounted it on plywood.



cardboard blue bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The backdrop to this piece is the cardboard that lined my paint workspace for a very long time. It gathered lots of paint and material over time, and when I pulled it to replace it, I thought it contained history and beauty, so I've worked it into some projects.



seven little friends 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The birds in this piece are all adorned with rhinestones as eyes--brilliante.




tiny tim bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from a comic of a Christmas Carol, and if you look closely you can see tiny Tim.

no bird 2009 4"x 4" mixed media

This miniature painting is meant to inspire (ha ha). The bird is fashioned out of paper from a vintage cookbook.


i cup bird 2009 4"x 4" mixed media

Juvenile, but funny. I decided to do i cup, because when I asked my daughter what information I should put in the "about me" portion of this blog, she said "i cup." I thought it was funny and it's been stuck in my mind since--well actually been stuck in my mind since second grade. The bird is made from a recipe from a vintage cookbook.




eat dirt bird 2009 4"x 4" mixed media

Truly inspirational, and meant to impart a feeling of warmth to all who look upon this piece. The bird is made from a recipe from a vintage cookbook.