Power of the Sun

I'm so tickled that I made this print using the power of the sun and a few weeds!  

I've been mesmerized by the art of Linda Clark Johnson for quite some time. When I first explored her work I disappointed when I discovered she used cyanotypes (sometimes called sunprints). The last thing I needed was more craft supplies and a new hobby....and I was intimidated by the thought of using chemicals and just assumed it was expensive and difficult.

Linda makes beautiful cyanotype prints on paper and fabric and turns them into beautiful little art quilts and collages. I am in love with the inky blues.

Check out Linda's Instagram page and scroll through her amazing work: https://www.instagram.com/lindaclarkjohnson/

Every time an image came across my screen I loved it even more. So I did a little research....watched a few videos and realized it wasn't as scary as I thought.  

So right before my trip I ordered the $13.99 pack of powders I needed....and finally started playing around with this facinting process using the power of the sun. 

The chemicals come as powders A and B. I filled the bottles with water and shook them up and after 24 hours they were ready to use. The magic happens ONLY when you MIX the two together.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010MN312S?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

In their own bottles they have a long shelf life, but mixed together they are good for only an hour or so. It's quite an interesting process....and there's certainly a learning curve.  

Over the next several days I'll share my process and what I've learned from my mistakes. I'm still trying to absorb it all.....my first couple tries weren't all that successful...but I'm figuring it out! 

Theses are just weeds from around the pond.....a couple teaspoons of magic potion...and the power of the sun.

Joy!

Leaves

Every once in a while I check out how my posts look in email form....and oftentimes I am surprised and a bit dismayed at how out of proportion some of the photos are...throwing off the formatting. I don't know why this happens....but as an artist...it does bother me.

I carefully format my posts and try to make them visually appealing. So if you follow by email and find this distracting...please click on the title of the post...or the "link to the blog" at the bottom of the email and it will take you right to the blog where you can view the post in the way it was intended. 

If it doesn't bother you...then carry on! Thank you.

Last evening I was drawn outside to look at the sky and the magnificent clouds. 

Pause to look and soak it in.  It's always worth it!

Using the colors that were on my palette for my in progress blob painting....late last evening I played around with leaves inspired by Karen Elaine.

I wasn't sure it was all that successful when I went to bed....but in the light of day I was pleasantly surprised. It's not that bad.

I'm going to take another stab at it during the day sometime...being more careful and creative with my leaf shapes and  doodles.

Lacey Blooms

There are lots of changes in the gardens and around the neighborhood pond....and I've soaking soaking it in on our walks. I was smitten with this Queen Anne's lace....especially this unusual angle.  The underbelly was so graceful beautiful...and there's just a glimpse of the pond in the background. 

I included it into a little montage with some of the other lacey blooms that I sent to Alyson this evening...and also sharing it with you.

Speaking of Alyson....this is the photo montage she sent me last night...and I couldn't love it more.

It reminded me of the blob watercolor I've been working on the last couple of evenings. I'm having fun with this one. 

Compare Notes

It's always interesting to me how long I anticipate and plan for a trip or an event....then it comes and goes in a flash. It felt like I was gone a long time...but it's already behind me and I'm easing back into my everyday routine. 

After I wrote this post....I realized how confusing it all sounds. So if you aren't interested in gelli printing...I suggest you just move on with your day. But it's more interesting than my unpacking...laundry...and other chores of the day.  

When I was at Becky's we spent a little time playing with her small gelli plate. I showed her a few of my favorite techniques using a tight color palette so the papers would coordinate.

We made a big mess...but we had a good time.

Not every print is great...but there are pieces and parts that are wonderful...and there's lots of ways they can be used.

Here we taped the paper down to the table then took a print of some grasses from her yard. 

We carefully lifted the paper so we could remove the grasses...then put the paper back down pulling the ghost print of the grasses to fill in the negative space.

Here we used my favorite technique of letting the ghost print completely dry.

Then we rolled on fresh white paint and pulled up the print. The white paint blended with the bits of paint on the gelli plate to create a pretty light blue background.

There is so much detail in the ghost print...and this method is the best way to pick it all up.

This next photo is probably the first print from the above photo that created the ghost print. 

We started with a light aqua background and pulled the print of the fern using dark blue paint. The first pull is gives more of a stark outline of the fern...the wonderful details were captured underneath from the imprint/ghostprint of the fern. 

We wanted to soften the print a bit so used a stencil to add some dots.

When we pulled up the stencil we were left with this ghost print of the paint trapped underneath. 

  We let it dry completely on the gel plate.

Then we rolled a couple of darker colors over the dried ghost print and picked it all up.  

We liked the bubble effect...and it's much prettier in person.

Here we did the same thing with another stencil...and it kind of happened by accident. We had a pretty imprint from this stencil on the plate...too dry to pick up.  So we let it dry even more and picked it up with a layer of white paint.

We both think the ghost prints are often more interesting than the initial print of a leaf or a stencil....they have so much more texture.

If we had more time...we might have played around with these papers a bit and created a few collages. But hopefully Becky will play around with hers...and I'll play around with mine...and we can compare notes.

Perfect Passtime

I had a long layover at the D.C. airport....and I wasn't looking forward to it.  

And although the airport was bustling with people and activity....I was quiet in my own thoughts...observing what was happening around me...reflecting on what had been....and scheming about what's to come. It actually was a nice transition.

And...Becky gave me a "Color in Reverse Watercolor Florals" book that I luckily packed it in my carry on bag.

The book is filled with loose watercolor images ready for doodling and embellishing.

It was hard to make the first mark....but it quickly the perfect pastime activity. 

I may add a little more detail with a white pen and maybe some color...but here's where I left it at the airport.

It's good to be home....with Paul....and all my craft supplies!  

Travel Day

What a wonderFUL and joyFUL trip this has been!  I have things to share...but they can wait.  

Tomorrow is my travel day (July 4th)....it's time to go home.

Pockets of People

The days are just packed!

Having spent time with family....then friends who are like family....then today with amazing and creative art friends....I am keenly aware how fortunate I am to have all of these pockets of people who bring me such joy.

There are frightening things going on in the world and our country right now...but as Mary Oliver so eloquently said:  I've been willing to be dazzled and cast aside the weight of facts and float above this difficult world. 

More and more....we will need our pockets of people to help us all through it.

Today Becky and I got together with our art group...and we all agreed it's time for another art exchange project.

July!

And just like that it's July!  

Right before I left for my trip...and sticking with my theme of whatever is on my table....I stitched part of my recent blob watercolor to Becky's July calendar page.  

These next few days in Madison will be filled with time with dear friends.