Artist Trading Blocks ala Mary Jane Chadbourne

Stencilgirl columnist Tina Walker is full of great ideas. I have participated in quite a few of the group projects she has conceived of over the years, and truthfully, those challenges have sparked me to produce some of my best work. The latest challenge was the Beautiful Minds Inspiration Collaboration: we were to choose an artist we admire or are inspired by, and create something in their style.

My mind immediately went to Mary Jane Chadbourne, whose website is called Desert Dreams Studios. She is an amazing, creative, colorful artist and has inspired me for years. She does all kinds of two dimensional and three dimensional work, but the ones I loved most were the stacking Artist Trading Blocks.

Mary Jane Chadbourne's Artist Trading Blocks inspired me.

I didn't want to wait to order pre-made blocks...I was much too eager. So, I made my own out of 140 lb. watercolor paper. I love building things and doing art-related math, so it was fun to figure out what size blocks to make, how to design them so they folded up into cubes. I made the top cube 2", the middle 3" and the bottom 4". Mine did come out a little wonky, making me think that next time I would order some that were perfectly square and perfectly flat.

Here's how I made the first block. (I used some watercolor paper that I had stenciled and didn't love.) 

Above are six stages in the construction of my small box.

After I had completed the construction of all three cubes, the fun began. I auditioned a variety of stamped, stenciled and printed images for the top, middle and bottom blocks.

Here's some process shots:

Here's the three cubes, piled between layers of parchment paper while the glue was drying.

I "auditioned" all kinds of faces, clothing, and accessories for each block. I used up scraps of painted, stamped and stenciled paper.

Little did I realize, when I started the project, that I would need to create 18 little works of art: each cube has six sides, and there were three cubes! My concept was that the bottom block would have a dress or skirt, the middle would have a face and shoulders, and the top would have a hat or crown on each section.

It is SO much fun to play with the blocks, to rotate them and mix up the different faces, outfits and hats. My Artist Trading Blocks definitely bring out my inner child, and I can't wait to make more!

STENCILS USED:

Nathalie Kalbach, Manhattan

Judy Wise, Judy Judy

Kristie Taylor, Tapestry

Laurie Milka, Pilgrimage to the Renaissance

Tina Walker, October 2020 StencilClub set, small stencil

Gwen Lafluer, Decorative Medallion

Valerie Sjodin, Leafy Doodle Merge

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

ArtTeaLife/One Crabapple

The Graphics Fairy