Sunday, March 07, 2010

I'm ready for Spring!

Out with the old, in with the new. I've put up a new piece of art on my favourite pole! It measures about 18"x24". So many people ask me why I would put something that I worked so hard on outside, perhaps to be vandalized, or destroyed by the elements. I say "Why not?". Art is meant to be enjoyed. If it makes one person smile, then I've done my job. Is someone cuts it down and takes it home, then, obviously, they need a little colour in their life. This isn't what I consider my usual "style" of art -- but it is my style of public art. My superhero style, lol. Perhaps it's a bit too bright for the drab Toronto pre-spring palette.....For those who have asked: I use rosin paper for the base (it's the red construction paper that Lynne Perrella uses) ; cheap acrylic paint (i.e. student grade); Sharpie markers and a Liquid Paper pen for the white bits. Then I coat it with Liquitex Gloss Medium for added protection from the elements. The last one was up for almost a year (the base was cheap bristol board) It survived a Canadian spring, summer, fall and winter with little damage (and almost no fading) Almost all of the damage that you see here was caused by me trying to take it off of the pole.... (you can see it in it's original incarnation here). The mildew happened in the first few weeks (it rained and rained) and it is between the paint and the packing tape that I use to attach it to the pole. I might make some tags out of the leftover bird art to attach to my guerilla knitting that is still up in the park. Someone has tied some mini liquor bottles to that -- perfect for some spring flowers!! (soon).

Today, the sun is shining, it's warm, the birds are singing. It's a beautiful day (no hat or gloves today!)I hope that it stays this way for awhile. It's my "Spring Break" coming up next week (March 15-19) and I'm going to be at home working on some online classes that I have never finished (a cloth and clay doll, some suzi blu faces, some photoshop and a Remains of the Day journal....) I'm always more productive when the weather is nice!!! Plus I want to take a mini trip to the US to buy some of the new Liberty line from Target.... so please save some for me! (the Liberty launch is on March 14)

12 comments:

Kelly Kilmer said...

This totally made me smile!! :D LOVE it!

me again said...

Love it! I'm inspired to go decorate a hydro pole somewhere :-)
And that Liberty line? Yum!!! Gorgeous.
==lennie==

Unknown said...

I love your Pole Art....it would definitely make me smile and that is what it is all about!

Leslie Jane Moran said...

Superlative pole art. I've seen lots and you excel at this. I bet the neighbourhood can't wait to see the latest edition. Bravo.

Elizabeth said...

Your pole ar tis fabulous and I am so very sure that you ahve already made many smile!!!! I mustget some of that Red Rosen paper but need to find some folks to share it with!!! this is the first that I have heard of the new Target line. If you ahve trouble finding it I can ship you some!!!!
Happy Spring Hugs!!!!!

Lorrie Grainger Abdo said...

Love this artwork and the idea that you share it freely with others. Yeh for you, yeh for spring!

Joanne Huffman said...

I love that you do random acts of public art!

A bird in the hand said...

I love it!

Let's have tea next week since you'll be on March break. In any case I have to call you to pick your brain in the next day or so...

xox

sandee said...

Love the pole art! Only you would come up with that!!!

trudi said...

Elizabeth! The photos of the tea pot, etc. are fabulous - is that the "liberty line" you talked about? I'm only an hour or so north of the USA border - so perhaps I should take a trip to Target....!!!

Anonymous said...

Sorry Martha - I was thinking Martha but wrote Elizabeth... I had just visited her blog before yours! D U H

Trudi

Anonymous said...

well I'd smile if I saw it...
making it last longer too