Sunday, December 12, 2010

Inspiration Avenue Challenge: Peace

When I think of "peace," I think of doves. Since I had no time to make anything new for the IA challenge this week, I remembered I had this piece, which eventually became the first mixed media piece in a bird series I made back in 2008. If you click on the image, you will see all the texture I created in this piece.


This work is 8 X 10 on heavy board. The bird is made using texture paste and a stencil I made myself. The background is made up of scraps from another project. I colored the doily with gold pigment ink, and wrapped a ball of variegated yarn, then looped it around the page until it "landed" in the bird's mouth. When I made this piece, it was a study in composition, since that is my weakest area in art. Now it is a symbol of peace, something we all hope for at this time of year.

Since I've already featured Lisa, this week's challenge issuer, I am featuring one of the challengers, Amanda at Scrap Panda. I enjoy Amanda's art, her IA challenge pieces, and her "Top 5" lists of gratitude she offers each week. They all combine to make a thoroughly enjoyable read. If you have ever been in an IA challenge, I'm sure you have visited Amanda's blog. If not, please take a look today. I hope you will be able to leave a comment to her, because I was unable to. No matter what I tried, including signing out of my account, I was unable to leave a comment. However, maybe you'll be able to, because Amanda Panda (her nickname) has a great blog and cool art.


EDIT: I am unable to leave comments on any Blogger blog that displays comments like this. It appears that I would not even be able to leave comments to my own blog. I can leave them when the little box next to "comments:" has my name (Bleubeard and Elizabeth) showing, but not on the ones with an empty box. I have been to EVERY IA challenge blog today. I have tried to leave messages at several IA posts and was unable to. For that I apologize. I'll try to find out if it's a blogger problem or my problem. Thanks for understanding, since it's also what I encountered on Amanda's blog.

10 thoughtful remarks:

Kate said...

Very very nice Elizabeth!

WrightStuff said...

Everyone must enlarge this picture to fully appreciate it's loveliness!! So much detailing and texture. Very clever :)

Blogger keeps doing funny things to me too. It logs me out all the time so I'm constantly signing in again. I am having a nightmare building the post to highlight everyone's work later today - formatting is all over the place!

Yvonne said...

Oh, such a beautiful piece, Elizabeth!

Priti Lisa said...

I'm so glad I took the time to enlarge the picture...this piece is incredible, Elizabeth.
Xo

Unknown said...

First I love your piece. And like others have said, enlarging the picture shows all the beautiful details. I LOVE learning from others and your explanations with this piece gives me so many new thoughts and ideas. I love it
Second, thank you so much for highlighting my blog today. I am honored and feel so welcomed here in your blog and on Inspiration Avenue. I am so grateful for such wonderful blogger friends.
Have a wonderful day and until next time, take care. Amanda

artangel said...

Lovely piece!! The background is so multi-faceted, it's gorgeous!

Great to see you feature Amanda too - I always enjoy my visits to her blog :)

craftydvl said...

This is a very lovely collage! The colors themselves are very peaceful, and I love how the dove is a yellow tone, almost like a ray of sunshine. Wish I could touch it to feel all the textures :-)

Unknown said...

I LOVE this- the first thing I did was to click on the image because I could tell that it had so much depth and detail, I'd want a closer look- and it IS beautiful!
And I must appologise for being so bad lately in my blog visiting- everyone in my house has been down with the flu, including me....bleh
But your collage has been a burst of sunshine, really uplifting, so thank you (as always) for the pick-me-up!

Kat W said...

Gorgeous array of textures & lovely composition.

I agree Amanda has a lovely blog.

I had a similar problem with blogger. When it didn't show my name I clicked on the 'post a comment' box an extra time or two and it seemed to work. But you've probably tried that. Blogger can be great but also frustrating. I sympathise also with Lisa WrightStuff's comment because I used to run 13 linked blogger blogs for work and the amount of time I used to spend uselessely shouting at my screen was somedays huge! Hope you get the problem resolved.

Kat X

Robin Norgren, M.A, R-YT, Spiritual Director said...

Hi there sweetie! This peace is so beautifully translated - I adore the burst of yellow. Feels like freedom...