Voice...SAQA Auction Donation

This is my 12" x 12" donation for the SAQA 2010 fundraiser.

The background is done in acrylic paint, on the inside of a recycled tyvek mailing envelope. The center section was designed on the computer using QuarkXPress, and printed on Avery printable cotton.

The message is both personal and universal. It is about me, finding the courage to speak up and voice my opinions (though many people who know me now might not believe it, I was a verrry shy child, and I have been fighting anxiety issues and panic disorder for years).

It is also a general idea about saying what you think, using your voice to vote and work for change rather than grumble and complain about life. Additionally, it is a comment on and for women, who often smile and keep their mouth shut to keep harmony in their personal and/or professional life.

I am planning to make a series of 12" x 12" art quilts with the VOICE theme.

Up-cycling Coffee Sleeves into ATCs

Cousin of recycling, up-cycling is taking something most people would throw away and using it again, but making something better than what it was to begin with. In that thought, I have been collecting cardboard coffee sleeves that have a cool design embossed in them, really pretty gum/candy wrappers and used coffee filters/tea bags (minus the grounds/tea).

I made some ATCs (artist trading cards, 2.5" x 3.5") this weekend out of my upcycled materials. I painted coffee filters and coffee sleeves with Lumiere acryllic paints and cut them into off-kilter strips. I did a random, abstract multicolored painting on the coffee filter, and cut it into wedges. After pieceing them together, I added little pieces of gum wrapper and stitched.

I liked the effect so much that I started cutting bigger pieces for a larger up-cycled work.