The Art of Victorian Photocollage

Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage (Art Institute of Chicago)- Elizabeth Siege

The Marvelous Album of Madame B: Being the Handiwork of a Victorian Lady of Considerable Talent- Elizabeth Siege

The Art of Victorian Photocollage

The Art Institute of Chicago
October 10, 2009- January 3, 2010

The Art Institute of Chicago will be opening the most wonderful exhibit on the Victorian art of photocollage. Victorian women in the 1850s and1860s began experimenting with collage for their scrapbooks and photo albums. " The compositions they made with photographs and watercolors are whimsical and fantastical, combining human heads and animal bodies, placing people into imaginary landscapes, and morphing faces into common household objects. "

Superbad Friend

Jessie made this with found tickets in Chicago!

Jessie Smith Larson a.k.a. Superbad Friend

My favorite artist, Jessie Smith Larson is having a contest on her blog. She needs you to vote on your favorite painting by June 30th, please help her out! You will love both her playful style and her dark introspective style. I am a huge fan of her character Martin with his gigantic round head, and Organgedotstickbutt a wonderful big-eyed bird. Jessie works with encaustic paints, metal and sculpture, she is a true Renaissance Woman!!!

The Snoopster

Lulu's Room

Master Bath

Master Bedroom

Deke's Room

We had loads of fun meeting the very lovely Snoopster yesterday! She endured the grand tour of our home and got to see first hand all of the things you can buy for a nickel!!! I envy the Snoopster's job of knocking on doors and snooping around with a camera. I think I am a non-pervy Peeping Tom at heart, and I would love to investigate how other people decorate.
We just painted our bedroom last weekend and didn't have a chance to hang our collection of group photos back up or style the room. Maybe she can come back for before and after shots.

Rolling Up My Sleeves

It's been a very long time since I made a large collage, and I am hoping to change that today.

This photographs does not show you all of the insane layers of this piece, I started by drawing the little girls, painting them and layering bits and pieces of a 1950's travel diary around them. I painted over all of the ephemera and then collaged over the girls with a dress pattern. I could continue to fiddle with this until it's about five inches thick with layers of vintage bits. I need to start a new piece and retire this one.

Snow Dome Collage

This is a snow dome I made for my first swap! I also made a little box out of a Candy Land board game so it will stay safe in the mail.

One World One Heart

There is a wonderful event going on until February 12, scores of talented bloggers are participating in an enormous giveaway hosted by Lisa Swifka from A Whimsical Bohemian.

The event is called One World One Heart
and it is a chance for the blogging community to make some new pals!

This is open to everyone! Please leave a comment on this post and I will enter you in the drawings for my pencil assemblage and my ruler assemblage. If you don't have a blog please leave me a way to contact you. Click on the earth to check out the many participants and their giveaways. I will announce the winners on February 12, 2009.
Good Luck!
Your Pal,
Linda

****2/12/09****
This giveaway is now closed.
Congratulations to the winners Deirdra and Elma

Vivienne Strauss

Ray Johnson

Renee Magritte

Collage by Vivienne Strauss

Collage by Vivienne Strauss

I hate talking about art, it tends to get pretty pretentious awfully quickly. Mr. Man always elbows me when I tell an artist "I like your stuff". I try to keep it simple, like me. I recently told the wonderfully gifted artist, Vivienne Strauss that her work reminded me of Ray Johnson and Renee Magritte. I actually said that if Mr. Johnson and Mr. Magritte had a baby it would be her. Thankfully she took this as the compliment it was intended to be.

Artist, Lee Godie

Painting by Vivienne Strauss

I am happy to report that Vivienne was also quite gracious when I compared her portraits to a homeless woman's art who I passed on the street everyday in Chicago in the late 1980's..

Kitty Carlisle Hart

I also have this highest of compliments to say about her wonderful paintings, I can imagine them hanging in the apartment of the late Kitty Carlisle Hart. Kitty's 5th Avenue penthouse would have been brimming with Vivienne's work!

Paintings by Vivienne Strauss

Please check out Vivienne's blog and many Etsy shops. Perhaps I haven't articulated it very well, but I love her stuff!

Joyeux Anniversaire Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette was born on November 2, 1755 in Vienna Austria.


To celebrate this event I have made necklaces and bracelets from old glass, pearls and crystal beads and chandelier crystals. I imagined that Marie would wear these at her little country cottage on the grounds of Versailles, where she was free from the constraints of the royal court.



Please visit CupidsCharm to see how other people are celebrating the Dauphin's birthday.

Tumble Fish Studio

Look at the amazing gift I recieved today from the very talented collage artist and Etsy shop keeper Marsha Jorgensen!!!
She just recently started blogging and is stocking up her esty store for a Thanksgiving opening. Her collages are lovely and playful, please check them out on her blog Tumble Fish Studio. I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Marsha sent this wonderful gift as some type of thank you, I'm not quite sure I am deserving of it. I marvel at the work of talented people like Marsha and I am amazed that they aren't gushing with confidence! Please tell her how wonderful her work is.
Collages by Marsha Jorgensen, Tumble Fish Studio, 2008
Thank you Marsha!!!!

School Dress

Click on image for a better view.

My new assemblage using vintage school photos, flash cards and a vintage slip.

Ruler Art

I guess I'm in a ruler and pencil mood. I still need to add more doodads and epherma, but I'm enjoying using office supplies as my canvas.

MLK

One of my favorite books is Stride Towards Freedom by Martin Luther King Jr. This is an assemblage I did using his prison photo and his wonderful book.

New Assemblages -The Hats

Click on image


I found these excellent botanical specimen boxes at a church rummage sale. They are perfectly weathered for my assemblages. I am listing these in my etsy shop.

The Latest Stuff

I used vintage baby clothes in these collages, the fabric is so translucent it reminds me of the tissue used in pattern making. It is hard to see the details, but I also used wee little buttons as polka dots. My photos are so bad, I should have my kids photograph them.

Fun With Our Dining Room Chairs