Case-Notes from the Artsy Asylum

Memorial Day : Honoring the Fallen, and Those Who Risk their Lives

It's people who were probably a lot like Navy mechanic Anthony Gonzales that we honor this weekend. The difference is that Gonzales is not present just in the memories of family and friends, and his life is not marked today with an American flag placed on a grave.

While you read the story of this man who like many others risk their lives to protect our freedom, remember those who did not live to see home again, whose lives and service we honor on Memorial Day. There's a special download for you below as well. Use it with pride.

It's likely that Gonzales thought that whatever contribution our service men and women make is a valuable one. But for his part he just didn't want to tell his grandchildren that his time of service during the war on terror was spent working on engines in Hawaii.

 

Apparition: Angel or Devil?

.... read on for a download freebie

Procrastination is my downfall. Can you even believe that I totally skipped Illustration Friday?  Especially when the topic was: "Angels and Devils" - I mean c'mon!

Since I already had something that I could use - Yes - you guessed it. Instead of having the topic on the back of my mind all day wondering what to submit, I didn't give it another thought. And as a result totally missed adding my entry on Friday.

It's even worse when you know that most of my blog readers have found me as a result of seeing my work in Illustration Friday. And it's by some outrageous margin like three times more than the next highest ranking referrer. What a doofus I can be sometimes!

BUT better late than never - my "Angels and Devils" is a three dimensional art  piece that was part of a story in Somerset Studio Magazine. It's a take off on the Flat Stanley books by Jeff Brown.

My "angelic" Susan was one of three "flat Susans" created for a Christmas theme for a December publication date. Shown here as "Christmas Future" I present myself as an angelic spirit who hangs around to check on what's going on, keeping the same funky flowy feel I like in the here and now.

"Fat" Blooms on Illustration Friday

When I first saw that the Illustration Friday topic "fat" - well my inclination was to submit a piece of fancy chocolate with arms and legs - a walking fat bomb as it were.

But when I was working on ideas these plump juicy blossoms kept popping into my mind.

Designed in 2006 specially for the British Columbia Art Teachers' Conference, until now this artistamp has been exclusive to that group.

After all, Nick Bantock was speaking - we had to give the teachers something to take back to their classes to help them create imaginative correspondence!

In the end - after multiple other ideas had come and gone, I made a change to the border and a few minor tweaks - so the BC Teachers still have something special and exclusive to them - and I decided to submit the bursting blooms to Illustration Friday.

Illustration Friday - Under the Sea

After last week's Illustration Friday topic - also known as the "Scary Robot Episode" it was a relief to get today's subject assignment:
     Under the Sea

It gives us a welcome chance to think about summer, suntan lotion, and boats coming out of winter homes to slip onto sparkling water.

My entry recognizes both the hard labor and exhilarating sport of things Under the Sea.  

Click on the image for a larger view of Ephemeria Poste's Issue #2006.04.10. You can also find the 4 sheet download packet at the download portal at Lulu and check here for ideas for how to use artistamps

Internet Chicken Pox : Your Secret Weapon

Did the photo-montage and green "play" button get your attention? It's one of those ideas that is captivating; a lot like my seven year old granddaughter. And that comment fits the theme because she was vaccinated for chicken pox . . but has a lovely case of them nonetheless.

It's so contagious that her doctor was afraid to let her walk out of the office through the waiting room. An interesting idea can be just as contagious.

How YOU Showed Me the Way to Artistamp Camp

Great fun is happening with the Artistamp Workshop  this week online.

And participants are telling me that it should be a more regular thing.

That idea is just beginning to gel in my brain but the potential to help more and more of you make wonderful creations is really appealing.

For example the nostalgic and romantic card "Paper Roses" at right which is one of the things illustrated in a "how to" for in this session.

The feedback about the system for getting the downloads of images to participants is great and it looks like the mix of images in this class packet is really working very well.

There Was Always Ellen - includes "Jay's Century" artistamp download packet

It's interesting to be in a group of creative people talking about their muse. What gets a writer in the mood to write or what speaks to an artist; what gives one the impetus to make art?

Sometimes what sparks the creation isn't important. Then at others, understanding what's behind the art is something in itself.

What spoke to me today came from a voice inside.
---------------------

There wasn't really room in his life for much more. After all - or perhaps before all - he was in love.

And first in his mind and heart, there was always Ellen.

He was the child  who did math in his head for fun; a branch off two well known families with roots in the earliest colonies. She was the laughing eldest daughter of an Irish immigrant and his Brooklyn-born wife.

He had met Ellen in kindergarten (God bless public education) in the horse drawn kid-hack that carried them to school in Lake county Ohio.

The class distinctions didn't interest him.

This girl was nothing like his sister or his cousins. And she would break out in song as often as she'd shoot him a dark look. Decades later his eyes lit up when he told the story.

And at least his shenanigans got her attention.She may have rolled her eyes. She may have turned away. But she laughed.

A World War he was too young to go off to got in the way of his fixation on the girl.

A Gift or Two for Saint Pat's

Sure and begorrah, 'tis Saint Patrick's Day, and therefore the best day in all of the month of March to wish you and all yours Many Blessings, Much Cheer, Food and Drink Aplenty,

. . . and a road cleared of rocks - or at least boulders.

And what better way to mark the day than with a wee gift download of 2006.03.10.patrick.pdf ,  yes, you've guessed it - Green Artistamps.

furthermore . . .

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

 

May those who love us love us,

And those who don't love us,

May God turn their hearts,

And if He doesn't turn their hearts,

May He turn their ankles,

So we'll know them by their limping.

 Irish Prayer

And a little something to leave you with, for I'm surely more than a wee bit third generation Irish and so can make fun of me and me own
View Media File: IrishSobrietyTest.wmv

  

Shhhhh - Blog Readers Special - Our FIRST Online Artistamp Workshop

Please Note: there is a Limit of 20 tickets for Blog Reader Participants registering for the April Workshop
 

What?

Susan Reynolds and Ephemeria's Bureau du Poste is excited to announce that registration is open for a virtual workshop!

Why?

• to help beginners start to use artistamps easily and quickly or
• to help those familiar with artistamps get the most from them and get easy ideas for new projects using the stamps
• to share ideas and show off your creations!

When?

The first session will be offered April 17th, with a follow-up virtual meeting on April 24th.

SIX New Artistamp Designs & a Special for Blog Readers

Do you know people who are especialy productive when their internet connection is down? It's true with me.

As a result of some internet down-time I have about a dozen new artistamps nearly ready to roll out just in time for Spring.

On Saturday March 11th 2006 I'll be releasing a number of Collections of artistamps designs. Each collection in this release will be made up of three designs on one theme.

And I've got a special treat for blog readers in some bonuses I've put together so that you can download, print and use the stamps.