Cay Denise

Love this excerpt from Robert Genn's newsletter today talking about shamanism in art and trying your hand at creating in magical/mysterious ways like: *Making apparitions emerge, dissolve, arise *Making talismanic, totemic or iconic images *Making your passions visible and tangible *Going for materials that exalt and inspire *Conveying your spirit, your magic, your trance *Making meaningful motifs out of slim evidence *Finding reliable order in the midst of chaos *Paying special attention to birth, death, and rebirth *And, if all else fails, telling a tall story If you were to play shaman in your studio today, what would you create?

I went to a workshop yesterday in which Alma de la Melena Cox led a group of students through her Telamadera collage-making process. It starts with a piece of wood and a design. After transferring a design, the wood can be scored with a wood-burning tool if the artist wants to do so. Next is painting the wood and then adding fabric over the painted surface. The next step is to varnish one layer. After this, puff or other 3D paints can be added. To finish the piece a minimum of 6 more coats of varnish needs to be applied for a smooth, glossy finish. The above is almost finished. It has two coats of varnish and needs five more. Overall, it is intended to be a color/depth study. How does it work from your perspective?