New Workshop in Altamonte Springs

Don't Miss this Wonderful Combo Workshop!

Come out and learn how to create your own handmade collage papers. Learn the art of handmade paper from Judy Segall (see older posts on handmade paper by Judy) and then use those papers in a collage workshop with me!

These are two separate weekend days, January 9 from 10am-2pm for handmade paper making (which needs time to dry) and then January 16 from 10am-2pm for the collage workshop. Both workshops will be held at the studio of Judy Segall in Altamonte Springs, FL

You may take both days for $65 or you may choose one day only for $45. A minimum of 12 students is required to fill each workshop day. Click here for the registration forms.

Email me with any collage questions or e-mail Judy with handmade paper questions

LAST DAY TO REGISTER IS DECEMBER 20

A Bird of a Different Feather

The Cool Bird in Warm Colors is Complete!

20x24 | collage on panel | framed in reclaimed barn wood

Here it is, ready to be included in my featured artist exhibition at the Katharine Butler Gallery in Sarasota, FL which opens on November 20, 6-10pm

I received another shipment of hand crafted reclaimed barn wood frames from my faithful frame maker Owen Tomlin in Kentucky, who makes the most wonderful frames I could ask for! Often times I put Owen and his wife Louise through the wringer, asking for more frames with tighter deadlines! They always take good care of me though. Check out their website, they also hand make turkey calls! Tell them that Elizabeth sent you.

Hand Made Paper by Judy

Paper Heaven!

This week on my way to orchestra rehearsal, I stopped by Judy's to pickup some of the custom hand made paper sheets she had done for me. WOW! was I ever thrilled with the intense colors, textures, fibers and bits and pieces included in her 100% cotton hand made paper.

I thought I'd share with you some images of the finished product, as a follow up to the paper making posts earlier in this blog.

If you are interested in purchasing some of these wonderful papers, contact Judy via email: JudyOrlando@CFL.rr.com

Reusing is Recycling

Starbucks, Anyone?

Cardinal Out on a Limb, Detail | Les Plumes II, Detail | Out To Pasture, Detail

I have been using Starbucks bags in my work for years. Recently they changed their small bags for the holiday season, removing the wonderful grass green I have become so accustomed to using in my landscapes, and golden brown with zig zag pattern I love to use in the bird collges. I am currently working on two cows and when I went to grab my Starbucks green, I noticed that the new holiday bag is teal.

I flipped over the new holiday bag and it says "Reusing is Recycling" along with other verbiage about the many ways you can reuse a Starbucks bag. This stuck in my mind, as did a blurb I read the other day which stated, "Collage is the original form of recycling!"

This got me thinking. Do you think Starbucks might be interested in seeing how I take their bags to the original form of recycled material? So I went to their website, which was very detailed and confusing in terms of finding a place to show them my use of their bags.

So I ask you.... does anyone know someone in Starbucks marketing that I could send my collages to? You just never know, a contact name could be a foot in the door. Do me a favor and forward this blog post around, SOMEONE knows someone I'm sure!

Cool Bird, Warm Colors

Warm Color Experiment in Progress

I have this t-shirt with peacock feather pattern on it, and it's black, purple and yellow. One day that shirt got me thinking about making a collage of a peacock with warm colors rather than the traditional cool blues, teals, greens and yellow greens. It was a challenge to take the peacock and swap out the colors, but it was also a reminder to me of one of my own lessons: It's not the color that makes the subject read as real, it's having the right values.

I tell my workshop students that if they can't always find the right color in their painted collage papers, that's OK. What you need to be sure you have is the right value. Light, dark, medium, darkest dark, lightest light.... that's what makes objects read as real and dimensional.

So, this "warm peacock" is not in its local color (the true color of an object or surface as seen in typical daylight), but the proper values are what makes it work and read as real.

Here I am about half way done, with the tail feathers and the background. the head and neck are still in an underpainting state. I plan to leave the nice drips in the lower left. Did you know that a peacock from behind is totally black and white? That can be seen in the lower right with an area that I created from old library book illustrations...

Stay tuned...

Hand Made Paper by Judy

Judy Segall from Altamonte Springs, FL Makes Paper
Judy makes amazingly wonderful and beautiful paper in her Altamonte Springs studio. I use her papers in my collage work, and over the years we have become good friends and collaborating artists. Judy and I shared a show together at Steinway Piano Galleries a while back. Our work goes hand in hand and shows well together.

This blog post is to show you what a wonderfully artistic process hand made paper really is! Judy shared some great photos with me and I wanted to feature her on the blog and invite you to contact her directly at: judyorlando@cfl.rr.com to purchase papers directly from the artist for your own collage work!

Photos: blending paper pulp and water, much like making a margarita, no?

Hand Made Paper by Judy

Pouring into Slurry and Mixing Slurry

What a lovely green color, on the way from liquid to paper