IMAGINAL CARDS
MORE ABOUT Materials
Categories of Materials: to evoke memories, longing?
Fresh material and Dry material
Vegetable/Plant material and Animal Material and Stone material
Seeds-pods-nuts (life holders)
Containers-Vessels-Matrixes (backgrounds)
Sticks-jabby-straight things (willow, big porcupine quill, driftwood...)
Shiny things (mirror pieces, copper, mica.
Dull things wasps nests. Things that absorb light or reflect or refract it
Different Shapes: symmetric-asymmetric, big-just right-small-too small
Durable things-Fragile things-Broken Things
Hard Things-Soft things (fabric, sheep's wool, milkweed, old carpet)
Strange Things-Familiar Things
Re-Cycled
From Cultural Memory/History: stamps, coins, labels, books, postcards, envelopes, playing cards
PURPOSE: We are using natural materials as a portal into a pre-conscious state of mind where we then "say" something. As yoga teacher, Patty, puts 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.We are looking for materials from the natural world to help us say something about the interior world, something about the current state of nature and your human nature:
WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? Current Cards Cards from2007
ACTIONS:
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. I use corners of envelopes and band-
aids for this.)
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; Actually, it's a swamp. 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
http://www.imaginalinstitute.com/imaginalcards.htm
