Sunday, June 21, 2009

mama


This journal page was kind of a result of reading Pam Carricker's article in "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" where she explained that her artwork felt like it was about a mother letting go of her children. Then I came across an image of an oldfashioned mother in a vintage children's book while I was looking for pages to send someone in an ephemera swap. She looked so calm and kind and knowing that I had to cut her out and use her. She was originally holding a door handle, but I put the lovely little bird on her hand instead.
The story it tells is a mother looking away and letting her children grow up and make mistakes on their own. The bird is the child that she is letting free. She has given her children all the warnings that she can, and now she knows that she has to let them make mistakes and find out for themselves. Looks like her son in the background learned a rather hard one!!
The quote is a line from Elvis Presly's song "It's all right, Mama", music and lyrics by Arthur Crudup.
The journal page is done on black paper with gesso and acrylic paint as a background. The collaged elements are a piece of dress pattern and images from three different vintage kid's books. The writing is painted in acrylic paints (it took a lot of layers to block out that bright blue underneath!!) and was outlined with fine black maker. The decoratons were stencilled acrylic paints, fine black marker, and white gelly-roll glaze pen.
Hope you like it!

9 comments:

Artefaque: (är'tə-fākt') * said...

This is very well done thank you for sharing your work :-)

Lynn said...

This is a beautiful piece! Lots of layers and details. I also enjoyed your other journal entries.

Margaret said...

Like it? I love it!! I clicked on close up, super cool background and detail, a great journal page.

Tammy Freiborg said...

Lovely colors and texture! I have to admit my first thought was of Christopher Reeves' horse accident. We all have to really live and accept what may be.

Sally said...

An amazing page. I love it. My kids always complained that I let them make mistakes on their own and didn't keep them in the nest long enough.......Isn't 25 long enough? Oh well they are smarter because of it.

Melisa said...

Great page! Love the colors and I'm always a sucker for vintage kid's book illustrations. I love the way you've combined it all here.

peggy gatto said...

LOVELY!
peggy

Freak said...

How very nice! I really liked your blog. Congratulations!

Debra LeeBerry said...

Hi! This is my first visit to your blog and I found you via the "Blog Hop." What a beautiful journal page; the colors and "letting go" story. I'm at this stage in my life and it speaks much to me. I especially like how you used vintage children's book images. I love vintage books and this is lovely way to combine art with vintage books. :-)