Hold the Stars

Her hands helped hold the stars in place, and encouraged me to reach...

(maggie pittman)

Sign Language

To sign or not to sign. That is the question. For many artists, signing their work is a question of pride, integrity, and ownership. For other artists, a signature is like a period; a statement that the piece of art is completed. There are some major artists that sign all their work, usually in the bottom right corner. Their signature becomes an integral part of the artwork. Some artists seem to sign some works and not others. And there are artists that never seem to sign their work at all. My choice has been to sign all my work, but on the reverse side for 2-dimensional pieces and on the underside for assemblage and sculpture.

The Art of the Signature

Jackson Pollock

Roy Lichtenstein

Robert Motherwell

Jasper Johns

Alexander Calder

Christo

Willem De Kooning

Andy Warhol

Franz Kline

Robert Rauschenberg

Jean Dubuffet

How many of you sign your work? How many do not? And where? And why?

Paper Dreams

Paper Waffles

The Color of the Clear Sky

Paper Steps

Turn the Page

357

Sideshow

Behind the Scenes

Painting behind the scenes tonight. I am working on a lot of projects that I am very excited about but none that I can show you...yet!

A New Chapter...

As I say goodbye to 2010...

I think about the many moments that I have known this past year...

I think about those times where I aimed for the stars and soared passed them...

I think about the everyday miracles that I tend to take for granted...

I think about the times of darkness that took the colors away...

I think about the flashes of synchronicity that seem to seek me out...

And I think about the possibilities that have yet to unfold and of what the future may hold...

Thank you all for being there with me on my journey this past year. I look forward to all the places we will go together in 2011.

A happy, healthy, and creative new year to you!

A Frank Discussion

Grab a mug of coffee...this is a long one.

I received a comment on my recent post Hand to Mouth from an anonymous reader. It said...

"Finding your hands and now heads getting a bit stale. I assume you produce for resale on Etsy and as long as there are buyers you make what you can. I imagine a more impactful work would be a collection of many hands/heads in one piece but then you would have to charge more and it may not be as profitable. Aren't you getting bored? Please forgive my frank opinion, I only happened upon your blog due to book reviews. I haven't researched your bio, other work, and only see what you post here. Enough said, everyone has to make a living."

While I do not imagine that the person who wrote this comment is likely to be back to my blog reading this post, I do feel compelled to respond. While I absolutely do make art to sell, I am not the least interested in the philosophy "as long as there are buyers you make what you can." Those of you who have followed my blog over time know that I have had very good success with my Etsy shop. I feel extremely lucky about that and do not take it for granted. If in fact my motivation was as "anonymous" suggested, I would still be making the exact same pieces that originally sold well in my shop when it first opened back in 2008.

My work is often based in series. The number of pieces in each series has varied greatly. I do not stop or start a series based on how well or how poorly it sells. When my creative energy and interest in an idea runs dry, I stop. When I have said what I need to say through the artwork, the series ends.

I thank "anonymous" because this comment gave me the opportunity to review the different series I have created. And because I cannot seem to put up a post without images, I get to share them with you too. So take a walk with me down memory lane...

Solstice Series

Revolution

Hearts

Mountain Series

Desert Series

Iconduits

Book Marks

Text Tiles

Zen Series

Melts

Making Waves

Headliners

Anonymous asks "aren't you getting bored?" No way, no how! I am still passionately inspired by these hands and the Making Waves series. And I feel excited about the shift in direction that has become my Headliners series. Hands and heads...they are a big part of what makes us who we are, both as people and as artists.

This comment also has me thinking about "blogland", which I see as a very unique and special world unto itself. It is a place filled with support, reinforcement, compassion, and positivity. This world is often far removed from the "real" art world, especially in NYC where I live. All anybody has to do to get a sense of this is to watch the critiques from one episode of Bravo's "Work of Art."

Needless to say, I think most comments we all receive can be characterized as positive. That is true for myself too. I have on occasion read comments left on a few other blogs that were mean spirited and personally insulting and usually the blogger responds with a post. I will admit that I was initially taken aback by reading the above comment left for me, as it is so unusual for comments to be critical. However, I do not consider it negative at all. "Anonymous" has every right to feel that my work "is a bit stale." This is just one person's opinion. And in fact, that this comment has led to this posting and an opportunity for discussion is nothing but a good thing.

Sense of Wonder

I always appreciate when I receive feedback that something I have made has inspired others. My artwork is nearly always visual in nature. But occasionally I feel the need to express myself in verse rather than through images. The following poem, which has been previously posted on my blog, has provided an instance where my inspiration has been paid forward:

After The Storm

When the thunder ends and the rain stops falling

When the sea is calm and the birds start calling

The clouds will part like a curtain drawing

Promise of an open door

When the air is clear and the wind stops blowing

The sun reappears and the earth starts glowing

A light so strong as if all knowing

Sense of wonder to explore

In that window, in that time

A clearing of a cluttered mind

A ray of hope, it all takes form

In that moment, after the storm

When this poem was first posted, it inspired this companion poem by Jill Zaheer from JazWorks:

It took me on a journey

Which I read to be my own

Visually traveling to another place, another time

Yet in my own home.

The picture was a visual visceral rendering

Of the traveling of my soul.

It was mesmerizing, calming, captivating,

Transporting me, transforming me,

Making me whole.

Within that magical moment described,

After the Storm imparts a miraculous, new ability to see,

After the Storm ...........

Is now a special part of me.

And more recently, it inspired JoAnna Pierotti from Moss Hill Studio to create this beautiful artwork:

If you know Jo and her husband Ron's story, you will understand why this meant a lot to me. Click here to read Jo's post about this piece. While Jo initially gave this to Ron, she ultimately and generously decided to send it to me instead. She assured me that Ron did not mind at all.

So thank you Jill and Jo, for what you each created has inspired me in return!

As Night Falls...

As we leave 2009 and the first decade of the 21st century and enter into 2010, I want to take this special moment to thank everybody who has visited The Altered Page this past year. Thank you for stopping by. Thank you for leaving comments and sending emails. Thank you for participating in my online projects. And even thank you for lurking. I appreciate each and every one of you!

In deciding what to post tonight, I looked back on my New Year's post from one year ago. It still seems so applicable and is one of my most favorite posts. So...I am taking the liberty of posting it again this year.

As night falls on 2009...



I remember the positives...



and the negatives...



the highs...



and the lows...



the moments of contemplation...



and moments of pain...



feeling calm...



and feeling alive...



climbing to new heights...



and being heard...



taking a chance...



and realizing the sky is the limit...



and throughout it all...



Wishing you all a happy, healthy and creative 2010. May every dream come true!