Tiny butterflies

 So...I keep saying (to myself) that I'm not going to carve any more new blocks for the pseudo-tapestry.  There are many blocks to work with already...and yet...

This week, as I continued sewing elements onto the ground, I thought "wouldn't it be nice if there were some butterflies." (Honey Wonder-pup and I have been seeing lots of butterflies recently on our adventures). I have lots of insects - but (surprisingly) no butterflies. Sooooo, now I have 5, a variety of sizes, views and wing patterns, (and a beetle).  

Of course, I couldn't decide before seeing them in the composition what colors I'd need, so I printed a variety.

a preview of what it might look like (once I decide on the final location, I'll tone the extra paper to match the background)

Remember how I said last week that I (thought) the front layer was finished...
I realized this week that I forgot about attaching the chain to the ground.  I decided it needed a ground stake, so I carved what is possibly the most random block ever.

pseudo-tapestry in progress - since I'm adding tiny elements and trying to make the stitching as unobtrusive as possible, I feel like it pretty much looks the same now week to week.

 In addition to carving, printing, sewing, I also had some studio organization projects - I got a piece of pegboard cut to fit an old frame I had and mounted it above my inking table.  I also put together a sorter for paper (pats self on back - I learned from experience and ordered 2 O:) ).





I also took a field trip with friends to Troy, NY to meet with other artists and see a show at The Arts Center of the Capital Region and a new gallery, Scarlet Seven Gallery.  An excellent adventure!

We stopped at St. Paul's church.  It had been a while since I'd been there (I think the last time was April 2014) and seeing the stained glass was a good opportunity to take another close look at the way the landscape elements are put together. (pictures for comparison)

"Kingfisher," by Eli Merritt

I also went to open studios events by Eli Merritt and Mary Anne Davis.

Lots of art adventures! Honey Wonder-pup and I went to see more waterfalls (look at her in her adorable new cooling bandana :) )

 And in the garden - lot of flowers and the first berries of the season!

frog, lizard, waterfalls

 A busy week in Artlandia!

First, I cut out and collaged together the rose branch and roses (and felt vindicated - it was worth it to re-print the roses 3 times to get the marbling and ink colors juuuuuust right - thumb up!)

Then, I started sewing together the pieces then sewing them down to the ground of the pseudo-tapestry.

This is a good example of sewing the parts of the plant and any rocks and/or animals touching it together.

Then the whole thing gets glued, ironed, and sewn down to the ground.

 Oh my.  I've finished (*unless I add anything) the first, front-most piece.

I've started gathering and positioning the pieces on the second horizontal band, and, of course, I decided it needed just a little something.

First, I carved this adorable little frog (and then re-printed it on slightly "less cyan-y" paper when the color didn't work out the first go round (doh.))

I did end up using the frog, but it wasn't quite right for the spot I was thinking...

Then, I thought of one of my favorites - Martin Schongauer's The Flight into Egypt, and it's awesome lizards. I suspect Durer liked the lizard too - to me, the lizard in his Knight, the Devil and Death, 1513 looks similar.

Martin Schongauer, The Flight into Egypt, 1470-90
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Martin_Schongauer_The_Flight_into_Egypt.jpg

Albrecht Durer, Knight, Death and the Devil, 1513
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight,_Death_and_the_Devil

For comparison, with the Durer flipped 

(since copying from a print onto a plate 

would result in a mirror image)

Schongauer top, Durer below

So I made a tiny lizard in tribute :)

Because so much time this week went to focusing on the miniature (tiny stitching, tiny blocks), Honey and I went on an adventure to see something big - her first trip to High Falls! She really seemed to enjoy it (look at that happy face!)

 

 And in para-art news, I think the garden might be at maximum bloom:






















And! Last, but never least, I had excellent feline assistance (not one, but two kitties on the press bed - Eep!)

branch and flowers

A busy week in Artlandia - I printed the rose branch [thumbs up].  I started to lay it out with the turrets ( my Princess helpfully providing a sense of scale.)






















































I want the roses so be in color, so I marbled some paper and printed them...and then decided the paper isn't the right color. I marbled different paper and then tried again...but then decided the ink wasn't the right color...then marbled more paper and tried again.  I think the third time was the charm.

 I also made a new bug block and started to print the bugs

Jr. also helped 

 

 I started sewing the parts down on the bottom layer of the pseudo-tapestry.

Honey and I went to the park to research the colors of mushrooms. 

and we looked at the flowers
for marbling inspiration too