Grow Old With Me Collage

Here is a journal page I finished yesterday.  It has many layers.



It is inspired from the book Journal Fodder Junkies by Eric M. Scott and David R. Modler.  The support is a piece of watercolor paper.  It features watercolor paint, collaged found papers, watercolor pencils, a packing tape transfer, Sharpie paint marker, and a little bit of gold paint pen.  I stamped some circles using a beer muff, a wine cork, and some utensils from the kitchen drawer.

I had no theme or idea in mind when I started. I started the background in the mountains last weekend. I made a stencil from a piece of waxed paper for the word LIFE. The small red squares were stamped with a silicone potholder that had a grid of some dimensional squares .

It was looking very blue and purple, so I added the neutral colored sea turtle (upper left) and the older couple (bottom center) from a magazine.  That gave me the idea of a couple contemplating growing old together.  The clock was an obvious symbol, and the Adirondack chairs represent a phase of life when there is more time to sit back and enjoy!

I think this looks a little busy.  It will take some practice to improve my compositions when just adding elements to a collage.  Perhaps I will cut this up into smaller sections and matte and frame them.



Painting backgrounds is one of my favorite pastimes!  Here is one with green and yellow acrylic paint.  I stamped some bubble wrap to add texture.

This background has some dimensional texture.  I applied some gesso before painting with acrylic paint.

This one looks like a dreamy landscape.

We are still wondering if Hurricane Irene is going to have an impact on central North Carolina, where I live.  Of course we are worrying about our barrier islands, where it looks like the brunt of the storm will pass.  Between the hurricane and the Virginia earthquake that rattled my windows the other day, Mother Nature has provided an interesting week.

Tonight will be a Quilty Night.  One of my groups, the Cyberbee, is meeting in Cameron Village.  Several of us are meeting for dinner.  I am looking forward to it!