Creating Valentine Card Compositions

So now that 2016 edition of blocks old love are done, it's time to move on to some mail art-Valentines! 

Mail art (also known as postal art and correspondence art) is a populist artistic movement centered on sending small scale works through the postal service. It initially developed out of the Fluxus movement in the 1950s and 60s, though it has since developed into a global movement that continues to the present.

While I was creating the blocks, I threw out some papers, tag board that the print shop below me was recycling, and pages of text saying "love you" in different languages. I  had some fun pouring/ splashing/ spraying on them to use as collage fodder.

When I started screening on text and hearts on the blocks, if I had any extra ink on the screen,  I turned to one of the papers and added it where it seemed best.

this is the poem "how do i love thee?"by Elizabeth Barrett Browning screen in white

This one layers the poem over the pours, then the word love in a different font and color.

Once I had a nice assortment of papers, it was time to turn them into card size collage
compositions.

My favorite ways to do this is to use cropping tools. Even to an experienced eye, it can be overwhelming to select what portions of the piece to work with. I really love creating this way because it allows a very freeing start where you are not necessarily concerned with the overall piece, and are able to totally focus and react to what is going on in the surface. Later you'll evaluate and take what works, and either throw out or rework what did not. I do this on a bigger scale on clay-board and boards sometime. However, it's much easier to work with paper and just cut or tear rather than saw and sand before nailing, gluing and assembling.

At any rate some compositions were very easy-All I had to do was tear out a rectangle, sometimes adding text or a heart, because i had already considered the compositions as i was layering on screens of text,  Others involved a bit of layering and stacking of hearts, and re-working- Il'l go into those next week! 

Meanwhile, you of course want them to arrive in an artful envelope as well- so did a simple spray resist to liven them up. Got some fabulous stamps so just need to address and pop in the mail! 

So here are a smattering of the first batch....

Making Blocks O'Love

I love the LOVE holiday! Smack dab in the middle of winter, I  need a little splash of color and love to get me through to spring. So around this time every year, I change my color palette to magentas, purples, pinks and reds.  Last year I made batik paper Valentines, this time I had more of an object in mind, but couldn't find exactly the right support, so went to the lumberyard and bought the biggest chunks of wood I could find. I came back to the studio, cut them up, gave em a good sanding

  

 and coated with several layers of gesso.  Next -color palette!  I never allocate enough time for this, or realize how much time it takes because it's fun to pick colors!  but it takes time to make the colors in front of you matched the colors in your head, and then to make sure that each type of sprayer, squeeze, bottle, or applicator is working correctly so I can spray, splash, pour, or drip!

I had decided to incorporate some poems and words of love into these, and figured silkscreens would be the best way.  So spent an afternoon playing with type/text on the computer,  and then with ink and japanese brushes making loose hearts to use for my silkscreen imagery.  

Finally, I got to play! i "warmed up" in my art journal first- a safe place to experiment-
  

Then jumped in!  I spent a very fun afternoon splashing, pouring, and  spraying. I made about two dozen so far, too many to go over all in here, so I'll feature a couple this week.

First layer of inks, spray paint and gesso. 

Then I "audition" which screens i want to use by laying a transparency over the painting. 

i ended up going with Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poem "How do I love thee?" for the piece on the right. Once i have it where i want it- i screen it on. 

 

I decided I wanted to obscure the lower right a bit- so went back in with the burst of white. Then I cut a stencil to fill the inside of my silkscreen heart, and spray paint it on, then quickly scrubbed and sanded away to rough up the surface and make it more interesting....

then finally line up the silkscreen, and add the back contrasting heart (painted earlier with Japanese brush, then made into a silk screen) 

Finished piece! 

At this point, this one is still available but they are going fast! 

http://www.cherylholz.com/art/detail.php?artid=1130093

Girls Night Out: Batik Valentines Workshop

Girls Night Out: Batik Valentines Workshop

Thursday Feb.5^th, 6pm

Join me for a fun night of artful experimentation, no previous art experience necessary!  We’ll start off the evening with wine and appetizers while watching a demonstration on the batik process using beeswax, papers, inks and pastels.  Then dive in and create your own keepsake valentines.  Everything included: papers, tools, inks, pastels, cards, envelopes- and food and beverage! Read below to find out more and sign up. Space is limited, so grab a girlfriend and join me at the studio for a different kind of night out!

ABOUT the WORKSHOP:

Batik was traditionally an Indonesian method of hand printing textiles by using wax as a dye repellant on fabric. In a contemporary take on this, we will be applying the same principles on paper to create Valentines!

Don't be intimidated by the description- this class is geared towards those with little to no art background.  The process will be broken down, and you will be guided through the individual steps with a demonstration and individual coaching, if needed. We will be spritzing or brushing ink on papers, then drawing hearts or writing with wax using a tjanting tool or brush. Then finish up the design using either more ink or pastel, and iron out the wax.  You can layer and collage them together, or leave as is. We will be creating matching envelopes for at least 5 of your creations.

All materials included, including the list of materials below. You are welcome to bring your own material to make then more personalized, if you so wish, but it is totally optional.  Think of using copies of old love letters, pages of a book of love poetry, or your favorite quote!  Thinner papers work best.

Included materials and tools:

Various types of Decorative and rice papers

Pages of text

5 Backing cards and envelopes (although you will probably make more than 5!)

inks

spray bottles

brushes

pan pastels

chalk pastels

blending sponges

parchment paper

wax paper

scissors

heat resistant gloves

wax

tjanting tools (to apply wax)

irons and tacking irons

White wine, red wine, water, and appetizers will be available throughout the night. IF you have special requirements, feel free to BYO food or drink.

WHAT: Girls Night Out: Batik Valentines

WHEN: Thursday, Feb 5^th, 6pm-8: 15-8:30ish (we will leave the end time loose)

WHERE: Aurora Art Studios, #201

                 50 E. Galena, Aurora, IL 60505

COST: $50 includes all materials and refreshments.

Questions? Email Cheryl@cherylholz.com

Cancellation Policy- cancel more than a week prior to receive a full refund.

SOLD OUT! 

see above for Wednesday and Friday workshop