Friday, July 4, 2008

ABC's of Mirror Unity

Some time ago, I think it was Nov/Dec 2007 I participated in a swap in the Art Techniques Yahoo Group, hostessed by Belinda blog author and artist of The Alteredbelly
It was a collaborative project where we each picked a letter of the alphabet and made 27, 26 for each participant and the extra for submission to Cloth, Paper, & Scissors magazine. Sorry to say we didn't make the submission but it wasn't for lack of trying. Thank you Belinda for trying! This brings me to why I call it Mirror Unity because we all untied our art to make one arty item.

Well for months I was trying to think of what to do with my alphabet. How many times have we been in a swap like this and never did anything but touch, look, ohhhh and awwww at them only to stick them in a drawer or box and forget them. Maybe we go so far as to put them in a little notebook with neat little labels, and tuck them in the corner and someday we will look at them again. Well NOT this time! I wanted to make something out of them, first it was going to be a house, then a frame for pictures, then I was going to put magnets on the backs and use them like a message board god golly miss molly the ideas were flinging back and fourth between my brain cells. So one morning I woke up with this idea!

Over two years ago, and I kid you not, I purchased a mirror from a thrift store expedition. It had an ugly frame that was made of fabric, but I though OH I can do this that or the other with it, only to stick it on a shelf, move it from time to time etc. It was only 50 Cents. So I wake up one morning and my eyes land on just the lower right edge of this ugly thing peeking between frames and booklet of stuff I just may need one day. I say to myself, self - you could always remove that ugly thing and put it with this or that, so I get up and pull it out. Just as I do, I think ABC's, oh I have and idea! and that is how this was born. There are section close ups at the end of this post, if you just want to see the pictures.

So here's the thing... I have all of the names of the artist who made the letters and they are listed below. If you are on this list and I do not have your blog address listed please contact me with your blog address if you want me to publish it on this post. Also if for some reason, you do not want your name associated with this blog, or me, or if the CIA is looking for you let me know and I will remove it promptly. I promise I have no affiliation with the IRS either. I want to put your names out here so everyone can see your contribution to this piece. Below are the artist with blog addresses and the letter they contributed.

A - Chris Tessnear of
creativeinspirations.blogspot.com

B -Barbara Roberts of

flickr.com/photos/craftirn

C - UNKNOWN AND IF YOUR OUT HERE CONTACT ME PLEASE WITH YOUR INFORMATION

D - Joanie Hoffman of - NEED BLOGRESS

E - Elizabeth K of

alteredbooklover.blogspot.com

F - Linda M of - NEED BLOGRESS

G - Peggy Gatto of http://wwwpeggysamusement.blogspot.com/

H - Jan Cregar of - No Blog

I - UNKNOWN AND IF YOUR OUT HERE CONTACT ME PLEASE WITH YOUR INFORMATION

J - Michelle Bonds of

stitchandpaint.blogspot.com

K - Karen Scudder of - NO BLOG!!!! Come on Karen get busy! LOL

L - Yours Truly and your already here!

M - Diana Welte of

Lilyweeds.blogspot.com"

N - Donalda Cox of

donaldas.blogspot.com"

O - Yours Truly and your already here!

P - Michelle Johnson of - http://www.craftedby.us/

Q - Camille C.S. Pratt of - Doll Poetry


R - Raquel Fraga of - NEED BLOGRESS

S - Pamela Martin of -

pamelamartindesigns.com"

T - Linda Hartzig of - NEED BLOGRESS

U - UNKNOWN AND IF YOUR OUT HERE CONTACT ME PLEASE WITH YOUR INFORMATION

V - Valerie Orner of - NEED BLOGRESS

W - Olivia Pratt of - Paper Boquet

X - Kacy Clark of - NEED BLOGRESS

Y - Myrna Bermant of - NEED BLOGRESS

Z - Belinda of Altered Belly

As stated before if you do not want your name here I will remove it for you no questions asked.

So the details of the piece are this -







I started with a piece of the stuff you make walls out of oh what the heck is it called? Plaster board? Wall board? I painted it black, crackled it and topped it with a mossy green. I edge it with some pretty paper that I turned into double stick tape. Then the mirror which I stripped and edged with copper tape, and then added the copper corners. Centered the mirror and started attaching the ABC's. It has a double hanger on the back for steadiness which is glued and nailed in place. It really is quite simple. I was thinking of adding some buttons and wire swirlies here and there but I kind of like it this way as to not take anything away from the actual art of the letters. Each letter is a unique piece of work and beautiful. Don't you think so too?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! It turned out great! : )

Olivia

Donalda said...

I really love what you done with the swap. That is just beautiful

Michelle said...

This is beautiful. what a wonderful piece of art! Thanks for visiting my blog.

Christy said...

this is so much fun. i love that you can look at this mirror and see so many different artists work all at once. the way you have presented them and your copper and crackled paint are perfect.

Pearl Maple said...

How cool, the alphabet swap is an interesting theme but what you have done with the finished project is a really fun peice of art. Well done!

mary schweitzer said...

This is very cool!
Mary