Thursday, February 27, 2014

Journal 52, week 8: Found Poetry

Today is Thursday, but I've had the latest journal prompt from Chelle at Journal 52 finished since early Monday morning.  To an altered book artist, this is a technique you might have learned even before you created your first spread.  In fact, it's one of the first techniques that might have brought some modern (as opposed to ancient) altered book artists together.  Although I didn't include it in my Altered Book class I taught over the course of a year on this blog (see my right sidebar for links to the classes), it simply gives you a voice or an outlet to "find" text within the written words on the pages of books you are altering.  There's no wrong or right way to do this, and the sentences don't have to make perfect sense to anyone but you.

I've never seen found poetry quite the way Chelle demonstrated it, because she added artwork on the page, which I have never done.  Normally, one looks for the found poetry, then crosses out the words that are irrelevant.  No artwork is needed, since the page takes on a life of its own.  Having said all that, here is my interpretation of week 8, also known as Found Poetry.

I added the image I found in an old book that I thought went well with the found words I chose.  I did this only because Chelle added art on her page, and the file folder would have been quite bare without it.

A close up shows "Discriminating businessmen split

many craft industries climaxed by naked relations."

You can see where I got a bit carried away and forgot to look for the final word I had chosen.  Those little stamped images on the right side of the page were made by the cap on one of the pens I used to remove the irrelevant words.

I'm sure you will agree that these look like discriminating businessmen trying to split craft industries.  The rest of the wording turned out to be rather "R" rated, which had me laughing and rolling under my craft table.  Note also there are no women in this photo, which was taken from a 1967 school book on tax law.

If you can't get enough found poetry, you can got to this site that hasn't been updated in several years, but is still worth visiting.

You can find Chelle's prompts on Journal 52, but the artists must show their work on Facebook or Flickr, neither of which I'm a member.  So I always appreciate those of you who visit and see how I interpret each prompt.  You are a silent majority vocal minority, and I appreciate your visit.

13 thoughtful remarks:

Monica said...

I finished mine earlier this week. I just started it and so am trying to catch up. this is the second encounter with this idea and ever since then I have collected words and phrases from magazines and flyers. Yours is interesting.

Halle said...

You had me laughing too...Before reading your commentary on the post I wondered if it was an accident or on purpose. :)

Rita said...

Nice! You are all caught up to speed! I am still behind. Got side-tracked again by bookbinding--LOL! This looks like fun doing found poetry, though. :)

Carol said...

Once again I've managed to fall way behind with a challenge...by doing the @9 Faces in Feb 2014 I got pressed for time. I was hoping to be able to combine the 2 challenges and it should have worked ...if my brain was working. I can honestly say that I did have a viable excuse to a degree. I've had Shingles for the past week and a half and it has really zapped my energy levels. Things are improving and the 29 Faces is finished so I should get caught up quickly.

Janet said...

Ooooh, you're gettin' a little racy, girl! Found poetry looks like fun!

Vicki Miller said...

I am amazed not only that you can find something to say in one page of a book (I've tried, I can't), but that you can find a picture that works so well with it!

dawn said...

Hello! I am one of the few who have never done this, heard and seen it before but not done it. I love seeing others do this and want to give it a try myself.

I love this, fun words for you to find and love the picture. I also like that you used different color markers to cross out with.

Good for you staying caught up on this project.

Thanks so much for the helpful links on ATC. Several T readers left me links to check out. Linda and I emailed and are going to trade. So nice of them to help me and be excited on this new adventure.
I just received my first batch of them and love them. So fun to get colorful and fun mail.
It's getting cold here again, below zero this morning and thankfully the wind stopped blowing. The kids will have school, YAY!!
Take care and stay warm!

Darla said...

Although I've seen examples of found poetry I haven't tried creating with it. Like your example with its amusing twist.

Darla

Craftymoose Crafts said...

I haven't had a lot of luck with this type of poetry but I will have to give it another try. I think I look for too much meaning. Yours seems to make perfect sense!

~*~Patty S said...

Pretty funny what popped up :)
Found Poetry is a favorite thing of mine too...I am always amazed at the end result...
thanks for starting my day with a smile !
Happy Friday!
oxo
p.s. I like the pattern your caps created on the border

505whimsygirl said...

I could probably do this as long as I didn't have to make the words into poetry.... maybe a limrick. Well, maybe not....

Happy Friday!

Hugs,
Kay

Anonymous said...

I remember 1967 as pretty fun. I was 11, but those businessmen sure look bleak. Glad you spiced it up! Lol xox

BJ said...

Oh so funny the end bit of your "found poetry", you sure got carried away. I need to do one now for craft club. Amazed you didn't actually mention it during the AB course but to be honest I was doing it naturally from the beginning when we did the pages with tags on. BJ