On October 8th, I did 16 cards with a theme based in RED: a recently ripped favored shirt, parts of my old stamp collection and a recently encounterd creature. I added some ink. Here are four of the sixteen:
Early October, after I found my First Communion prayer book from 1955. I ripped the pages from it to work with:
Hmmm, why I did I become a Woodworker?? Do I look like this??
Eight cards made during a workshop, September 25
These two cards were made from a Christmas card from an estranged part of the family 9.25.09
Mid September 2009: Dried hibiscus flowers, snake skin sheds, wisteria seeds, old postcards and envelopes, and reds
Early September 2009
Four cards from the Bulk Work, then a photobooth photo from 1981, dried Japanese maple leaves, dragonfly wings, paints and a fingerprint
Late August-Early September 2009
September 6, I had a gallon of Chinese Red paint from an old job... I ended up doing a batch of 45 cards to keep working on. Take a look:
a few details:
September 1-5 Black, paints, tissue, feather
August 29-30 threes cards with old camp blanket, dried irises, japanese maple leaves
August 26-28: 5 cards with sketelized leaves, canvas tape measure, paints, labels, maple seeds
August 21-22 at the Woodlanders Gathering
REVISITING What these cards are for...
PURPOSE: using natural materials as a portal into a pre-conscious state of mind where we then "say" something. As yoga teacher, Patty, put it: "Express and Release" and my friend Judd, the fishing guide, puts it: "Catch and Release". We are not making "art" but looking to catch and express and release something through this card-making. So don't get stuck on the techniques of this right now. Gather your glue, markers, papers... and start to compose.
THEMES: We are looking for materials from the natural world to help us say something about the interior world.
MATERIALS: mostly natural materials, some recycled paper, markers, charcoal, postage stamps...The materials we choose to work with should somehow be related to the natural world in color, origin, texture, smell, etc... and most importantly, evoke some memories of the natural world. The Cards them selves can be anything. Playing Cards, corners of envelopes, sized-down postcards...
SIZE: 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" cards with images or materials on them... small collages on cards that say something about nature and human nature
WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? 2007
OTHER THEMES to Start the Imaginal Trading Cards:
Muse Cards: See which Muses stir some response in the form of a Card
Spices Cards: Start with a smell or color or texture
News Cards: something in the daily news that upsets and touches us. Start there
Archetype Cards: What do you know about the archetypes?
ACTION:
Do several cards at a time. That way no one card becomes too important. The process is protected
First, an ID... Make an object/Card that IDs who you are. What do you know about your prominent characteristics that you can realise in an object or a card?
Second, another ID... what aren't you telling us? What's that part that's deferred, tucked away. I suspect your first card/object may have been flattering or celebratory. Good! ... And, now? What else?
Third, tell me about your family, birth or mated.
Fourth, tell me about your clan. What you know or feel of your ethnicity?
ONE POSSIBLE WORKING FORMAT:
Mark off 1/3 of it for an icon/image of You in the World: what you do; what you are proud of what you are recognized for
This is your name tag. People will recognize you by this
Fill the other 2/3s with materials to express some of your "other" characteristics:
Something about your family, your clan, your country
Something about your shadow: your fears, secrets, shames (these can be hidden and covered over, if you want)
Something about your future and your past
Something that you've discovered, learned, hard-earned about life
COMMENTS
Making these cards is like being in a pool. This is not a lap pool, or an Olympic pool; (maybe a cess pool?... well, a swamp, then).
It requires patience with your self, with all your voices. It may require a accidental or coincidental contact with someone, some place, some thing... that scratches you into a new awareness... We are looking for portals that are never in the same place. Alertness is your ally.
MORE:
http://community.livejournal.com/artist_cards/
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/newstuff.html
http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/
http://www.europeanpapers.com/ supplies, papers, sleeeves for Cards