art junk girl

"Artist's" that *really* inspire me~

Every once in a while, I am asked where I get my inspiration. I would like to share this with all of you today. The long and the short of it is that I am inspired by memories of childhood and nostalgic images pertaining to that time. As far as tangible things (the here and now), I am inspired by both the simplest and most complicated. The good, the bad, the ugly. Sometimes I'm drawn to what is thought of as ugly, sad, unwanted, and in need of love. Sometimes I can see so much beauty in what at first glance may seem like something one would rather ignore.
I am often drawn to vivid color, delicious words, phrases, quotes, and humor. Sometimes it's a song I hear (or ensuing message), often it is something that an elderly person has twirled and weaved words about. A realization, a discovery in ordinary life and time. Oh, how I love to hear stories from elderly folks. Have you ever walked up to an elderly person, sitting, almost "comatose" like in their wheelchair, waiting for their guardian or child to come out from the store, or bathroom or what not? They look as if they are in a trance, but try to strike a conversation up with them and you will literally see them come alive and animated, almost like a puppet on a string. Their eyes will come alive and they will talk as long as you will sit and listen. First it will be about their beloved, and then the good part: their feelings, perceptions, wonderful words (free of political correctness, free of the 'fear of being judged', just honest, pure, real words). I remember when my mother was in nursing/rehab after her accident a few years ago. I will never forget how sad I felt to see elderly people pushed and pulled aside, hidden, and ignored. Sure a few "good men and women" were there for them, but most were abandoned in their room, writhing in pain, ignored and abandoned.
I don't know how I got off on this tangent, for I was going to speak of many artists whose work also inspires me a great deal...but I suppose I just did. Everyone is a creative being. Everyone has a light. Everyone has the power and ability to inspire. I am thankful to those who have inspired me. I am thankful that I have learned, especially from my late father, to find this inspiration in the most unpredictable places. After all, you cannot tell a book by it's cover, you gotta stick around long enough to see what lies inside.
xoxoxo lia

Favorite Supplies?

wip's...., originally uploaded by artjunkgirl.

Email states~

Hi Lia,

I love your artwork! Can you please in an upcoming post talk more about your favorite art supplies? I specifically want to know more about what kinds of pens and glue you use. Maybe you can do a blog post on the contents of your messenger bag?

-w.
*********
Answer:
Thank you for writing.

Short answer (the babble free version):

Glue sticks (3M scotchbrand is fave)

Pens:
gel pens, micron .05 pens, sharpie poster markers, paint pens, ball-point pens

Lots of scrappy paper of the leftover variety. I keep little bins and boxes of them and then grab them when I'm ready to work.

watercolor paper, 140 lb. cold press

cheap acrylics: I do like the apple barrel kind alot

GESSO for thin pages

What's in my messenger bag:
~one or two art magazines
~a spiral notebook for notes
~glue sticks
~scissors.
~an envelope of scrap paper for journalling on the road
~my moleskine
~pen pouch with my minimum supplies: pencil/pen and gel pens
~starbucks card

Longer answer:
to be continued.....

Art junk Girl's Collage Un-tutorial

Hellow Friends and Lurker Bees....
I got a wild hair yesterday to do another little mini-tutorial/info post on making 1" squares and collage in general. Why you ask? WEll, for one, I've recently become aware that more than 5 of my regular readers actually like my squares, and two because I just like to talk, teach and glue things. I've come up with all sorts of arguments to the "usefulness of collage"(or making inchie collages) and decided that my hobby is in fact, a fun, useful and fulfilling quest. No one asks an avid golfer what he's gonna do with the 9 hours he just spent on the golf course! So, I make stuff. It's fun. Now, let's collage (in this case, make some inchies!)
I took pics while making my latest collages and due to the fact that they are totally unstaged, unscripted and a bit messy, I named it my un-tutorial.
So, without further ado, here's collage, the artjunkgirl way...

First. Get out your fave beverage. Have it close by (important: not where it will spill on papers).

Now..arm yourself with a collage artist's must haves:
paper, glue of choice (glue stick is great) and some scissors (pronounced skizzors..).

NOW, that wasn't so hard, was it? You didn't have to go out and buy any equipment, pay tee fees or scream "fore" after cutting! Ok, so the next step...

If you are new to collage, I have news for you. You have everything you need right at home to start. You don't need fancy paper, Oh-no~ you can just peruse today's mail for some collage fodder. Furthermore, using junk mail will surely keep your inner critic at bay. We are just "practicing" here...trying to find your own personal groove, ok? Now, let me say that even though artjunkgirl likes junk mail, ajg does NOT think that all junk mail is made alike. Just like clothes...there is "designer" junk mail and trash. AJG is gonna let you know some of her fave, quality artjunk mail! Yes, indeedy, for not all junk mail is made alike. no siree....

My 2 very fave catalogs are Nordstrom and Anthropologie. I collaged a frame this past winter, with squares cut from the luscious colors and prints of a anthro. catalog.

And Norstrom has luscious, shiny pages as well. Speaking of shiny...shiny is usually something to be leary of with collage as shiny usually means, "no gluey" but in this case it's kind of a shiny thick matte finish. Targey also has Great catalogs for collage. So, where were we?

Ok, so, just grab a magazine. What I do is start perusing through (then take a sip of my tea) and start cutting images that appeal to me. I have to like it. If me no likey, me no cut it. After all, eye candy is what it's all about with collage...cutting away the junk you don't like and then re-gluing everything you do like into one cohesive, cool piece. To me, it's total nirvana. It's like getting to go to the store and only leaving with what you like! (but it didn't cost as much...lol).

Ok, got your drink, your scissors, check, glue? Ok, you can't find the scissors you say? well, I tie a piece of yarn to mine so I can find them under the mess. If for nothing else, that little tip will make reading this useless diatribe worth your while....

Now, let's just cut stuff up and put it in a pile.

Now, let's start arranging stuff..no, not that, the other piece over there...that's better....

You get the picture now? Are we there yet? Ok, you're having fun aren't you? Either that or you think I'm totally crazy or you are just reading this to avoid doing your laundry. WEll, stop right there! You are going to make a collage TO-day! yes, this is the day!

Ahhh, that's better.