Inspiration, Creative Finds and Recent Projects

Reading

I've been continuing to enjoy the work of John O'Donohue, a poet and philosopher. Some of his writings focus on blessings, and here’s one of my favorites:

I give thanks for arriving safely in a new dawn,
For the gift of eyes to see the world,
The gift of mind to feel at home
In my life.
The waves of possibility
Breaking on the shore of dawn,
The harvest of the past
That awaits my hunger,
And all the furtherings
This new day will bring.

— John O’Donohue, To Waking, To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings

Creative Finds

In previous posts, I spoke about discovering some very creative ‘little free libraries’ and outdoor murals during my city walks. I reflected that once you start paying attention, you notice more of what you’re paying attention to. Perhaps it was synchronicity, but on a recent trip to Haliburton, Ontario—a scenic, rural area dotted with lakes—I unexpectedly came across two of the most unique settings for little free libraries I’ve seen yet. One was tucked away on a quiet rural road, while the other—surprisingly—stood just 50 feet from the water near a marina. There was something special about finding these artistic creations which share the love of reading in such a special setting, reinforcing the idea that creativity can appear in unexpected places.

A Coptic binding with collage covers, 1) front cover 2) back cover 3) inside back cover

Accordion books with collage and Frottage details

A Coptic Binding 1) front cover 2) inside back cover

Creative Projects

My recent work has focused on experimenting with book structures, incorporating collage on the covers and painting details on the spines of some Coptic-bound books I’ve made. Taking two collage courses this past summer has broadened my approach to the creative process of making books. While I’ve previously experimented with painting techniques such as paste papers and traditional marbling, expanding into collage has given me a new perspective on both my own work and that of other multimedia artists.

I’ve always enjoyed making and receiving handmade cards, which feel like small pieces of artwork wrapped in a package with room for a message. Often, I add a folded paper signature sewn with a pamphlet stitch for an extra special detail. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with frottage—a technique that involves rubbing graphite, crayon, or pastels over paper layered on textured objects. This simple method creates unique patterns that can stand alone or be used in collage designs. My favorite so far is using stencil letters.

At the Rails End Gallery, I came across the work of Patsy Telpner, an artist who started in ceramics but transitioned to painting and abstract art. There’s a nice video of Telpner giving a painting demo, which you can view here: Patsy Telpner’s Painting Demo.

I’m currently experimenting with new techniques in card-making, so stay tuned for some samples in a future post!

Experiments with collage and Frottage details

Inspiration

While researching multimedia and collage workshops, I came across Fibre Arts Take Two—an amazing site and resource that offers online workshops in textiles and multimedia. Their lineup of talented artists and community-centered approach makes them stand out as a great place for learning and exposure to creative makers. One of the artists I discovered through this site is Claire Benn, a textile artist from the UK. Her work is organic, featuring soft, earthy tones influenced by nature and her surroundings.

In one of her blog posts, Benn reflects on her experience during a two-week residency at a private studio in the Sierra María-Los Vélez Natural Park in Almería, Spain. Situated on an old farm, the retreat provided a setting where she could experiment with new work and techniques, and draw inspiration from the landscape. Benn describes how the natural environment—its colors, textures, and solitude — played a significant role in shaping her creative process during the residency. She's captured her experience and a selection of her work in a curated catalogue. To read more about her time at the retreat, visit her blog here: Claire Benn’s Blog