Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Making old things new again

A few years ago (3 or 4?) I participated in a swap in the Altered Art Obsession Yahoo group. It was a "True Colors 4x4 Swap" . You had to make 9 4x4s, each in a colour that each participant wanted. My colour was chartreuse. The hostess then drilled holes in the corners of each 4x4 and strung them together to make a wall hanging for each participant. I loved the idea, but it never hung properly. Last week I bought a 16x16 canvas and painted it green, then stuck the 4x4s on it. I love it! Each square has holes in the corners, but I don't mind it at all. I made the square in the top left corner. I don't work in this style at all any more, in fact it kind of makes me cringe, but it seems to work in the overall piece.

It's hung in my kitchen now. Yay! I'm FINALLY hanging some art! This is the kind of swap that I like. One that I can somehow join everyone's piece and make a cohesive whole. A collaboration.

Speaking of collaborations -- I've been published in Belle Armoire Jewellery! There are some pieces from Ruth and Kelly's book A Charming Exchange in it and 2 of my charms are on them.
Head on over to the Charming Exchange blog for a great giveaway and a fun how to video with Kristen Robinson and Ruth Rae. In October there will be an auction of many of the pieces of jewelry in the book with the proceeds going to Breat Cancer Research. For more information on the auction, go to the Charming Exchange blog. I'll remind everyone again when the date gets closer!

9 comments:

Angie in AZ said...

Martha, I LOVE the idea of the canvas for the 4x4's! I love anything that looks like a grid. Hey, have you thought of gluing a single bead on each hole? Just an idea. It looks fine how it is but you could also add a bead to each corner too...

me again said...

I love the wall hanging, but I do share your sentiment about having an older style of art making you "cringe". I think we go through so many phases as we grow as artists and -- sometimes -- we look at older projects and wonder where our heads were at that time. That chartreuse colour is gorgeous and, older art style and all, it deserves to be hung and seen!
==lennie==

Talking Horses Arts said...

Congrats on the publishing part and awesome on the pics. Need i say more?
Andrea.

Linda Vincent said...

Chartreuse...my new favourite colour! These are lovely Martha.
Its good to display work - you are right.
Congratulations on being published ...I'm off to follow those links.
Linda :-)
PS Thanks for commenting on Grace...I've finished her now and she looks better. Thankfully.

Joanne Huffman said...

Great idea for your blocks, I have some red panels from a true colors exchange that I haven't done anything with yet. Well deserved congratulations on being published (yet again).

Patti G. said...

Martha, Congrats on being published (no surprise <3) and your canvas of 4x4s looks great!!!!!
You go girl, hang that art!
Hugs,Patti

Unknown said...

Where have you been girl? Congrats on the publication!

Sand xox

Pam said...

Martha, Just wanted to let you know that the prize package arrived in Arizona. I love it. I began a collage class on-line and the papers are perfect for collaging. Of course I love vintage trim (actually vintage anything). Thank you so much.

Congratulations on publication and I love the canvas. I used a similar technique to mount inchies a few years ago and it still hangs in my studio.

Billi Jo said...

I love love love that piece of art! It looks so fresh and great colour! Way to go for hanging it toO!