The May Day Basket of Iris's

A couple of weeks ago Lynda and I decided to take a class being offered at Collage called Representational Collage - Floral. We were told to bring a picture or pictures of our favorite flowers. I decided to bring a picture of the flowers that Cliff had just given me.



Told it would probably work out better to just start with a single flower, I chose one of the instructors...an Iris.



Listening to our instructor we both began our masterpieces.






And while creating our masterpieces, I began to tell Lynda the story of why I love iris's so much.

It was May 1st and I was in the 4th Grade. Coming home from school with my May Day basket of flowers I had made for my mother, I noticed these wonderful tall purple flowers across from our house. Even though they were in other people's yards, I decided to pick a couple of them and make May Day baskets for the two houses that had elderly ladies living in them. I remember sneaking up to pick the flowers and hurrying back to my house to make a paper basket to hold them. I then went back out, left them on their porches, rang their doorbell and ran.

Well.....both houses paid a visit to my house when my Mom got home from work that night. The first house told my mother how awful it was that I had picked some of her flowers. The second house told my mother what a touching and thoughtful action I had performed (because even though this lady was in her 60's, her mother in her 90's lived there and received this May Day basket). That moment held a life lesson for me.





So everytime I see an Iris, I remember back to that day. And I remember those two totally different takes on the same situation. There has never been a flower in my yard that was too beautiful that a child could not pick it. Iris's will bloom again, a child's spirit may not.

"Then She Got Better"

I got a call about a month ago from my BNF Lynda asking me if I could teach/facilitate an art class for Kay's birthday. What....me? I knew immediately what I would want to do. It was a class that I have taken from the wonderfully creative Dayna Collins. It is called Collage Up A Storm and I have taken it three times from her (that's how much fun it is!).

Tuesday night when I met with Dayna for our Vein of Gold meeting she had ready for me the recipe for "Stone Soup" and the instructions from Sally Jean Alexander's book, Pretty Little Things.

Everyone was asked to bring two baggies full of precut vegetables. When all had been added to the brewing pot, Amanda put in the stone. The afternoon of fun was about to begin ~ a group of lovely funny ladies ranging in age from 14 to 74!!




I gave them the easy to follow instructions for the day.....It's called "Abracadabra....Just Do As I Say".
With a blank canvas in front of them, I would pull a word out of the bowl which would tell them what they would be doing for the next five minutes ~ Paint, Scratch, Ink, Text/Words, Pastels, Chalk, Charcoal, Pictures, 3-D, Smudge (my favorite!), Sand, Stamp ~ and so on.



For the next two hours they eagerly followed each command....










Their collages finished, it was now time to savor our delicious Stone Soup. But before we ate, Amanda read to all the story about how Stone Soup came to be.




Every one's collage turned out perfect! (I even heard Aislinn say that this class was more fun than any art class in school...pitter pat went my heart!).








As a thank you, Lynda had brought me a bottle on wine knowing how much I love the name on the bottle and a tiny heart to keep in my pocket!




Such a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, smudging and getting hands artfully dirty....



....with a group of amazing and VERY funny ladies.



I think the words Kay used on her collage apply to all that come to her with an ache or pain. She is that tiny portion of people in the world that will always take the time to sit and listen and cheer you on....until you get all better!

Happy Birthday Wild Woman!!

A Lamp Post and Coffee with a new Art Inspiration

A couple of months ago I joined a group of international collagers called The Collage Collaborative. Created by Nikki Soppelsa, it is a wonderful group of people who love paper and glue and the art of collaging. Each person was to start their own personal collage and then it would be sent on, until finished, with five peoples artistic touch added. I felt excited, but very intimated.

I started mine very simple, leaving LOTS of room for others to add to. I did not like what I first sent out, but on its way it went. I would like the adds I did to others, but my initial start just bugged me.



I would be sending/forwarding my finished pieces to Michael, a wonderfully gifted and talented artist. Once again I felt very intimated even having to send him anything I had worked on (he's that good!). Sometime in-between the art forwards I got an email from him. He used the word "lamp post" and asked if I liked coffee....coffee shops. He had a CD of coffee songs that he had put together if I was interested. I replied with a big Yes!!! Weeks later and several collages sent on I received a wonderful package in the mail.

My coffee CD and other artful Michael goodies!!!!




His "roommate" would become a cheerleader of my collage work. The two of them (much like Dayna Collins) would inspire me to try, to keep on, to do with their words. They could have been art snobs, but instead chose to empower. Such a lucky person I am!

My 1st collage returned home.....the additions made it perfect! (Michael added the fish eating the etc.)



There would be the start of a second round.....and this time....I absolutely LOVE what I started with.



I don't feel as intimidated as I did in the beginning. I love the Coffee CD (let me know if you would like a copy of it ~ it's fantastically great!). And once again I am reminded just how powerful a few words can be.

Thank you Coffee Messiah!