Cay Denise

After making a couple of zines recently that involved experiments with paper strip weaving, I just completed this one.  It has the weaving over the entire substrate (black paper) followed by decorating it with conplementary-colored painted paper circles and glitter glue.   This was my first arty zine (without words) using the black paper as a substrate, and I love how the colors "pop" because of the contrast.  It wouldn't look nearly as good on a white background. That said, thumbing through the folded zine, the page spreads are pretty.  But I actually prefer looking at the flat version because you can see the weave in full.  Isn't it fun?

This zine incorporates painted paper strips (curvy and random) assembled in a basketweave design.  It's cool to look through the folded version.  But to see the actual basketweave design, the piece needs to be unfolded.  The cover (second page from bottom left) has been modified slightly by adding the green and blue circles to unify the piece. I would say this zine conveys a sense of tranquility.  While there is some movement, that movement is at a slow pace.

The paper for my last five zines and this one were pre-folded and had a cover with recycled art from unsuccessful work that had been cut-up.   This piece has an orange cover (lower right).  There is yellow and/or orange in each one of the abstract pages though there is more experimentation in the range of color and element use.  In fact, this one has one abstract that is a paper 'weave', another has a collage bit/watercolor combination, and some pages have rings of glitter glue added for zing.   It is really clear after five zines that circles are the shape I prefer using in my work.  

The last couple of zines I've made plus this one, contain an unintended series of small abstract pieces - eight to each zine.  In looking at them chronologically, the small pieces symbolize a progression in feeling, complexity, and the combination of materials.  One big achievement for me in particular was sacrificing some work I planned to save -- that the zine abstracts have benefitted from.  I learned that it wasn't as hard to sacrifice work I like as I thought it would be.     Not knowing where this creative zine-making phase is leading, I'm enjoying the mystery.

Today's zine was made from cut-up paintings, watercolor-patterned paper experiments, and decorated fiber leaf petals that would otherwise have probably been disposed of -- at some point.   This new zine -- strictly an arty one has all three elements.  I'm including a video zine walk-through (no audio) in addition to a photo of it so you can see it even better.   It has been a good challenge (made to myself) to use the color or pattern of the cover abstract art as a jumping off place to guide selections for completing the blank zine pages.  Beyond that, it's delightful to see the results of how playing with those selections can create something quite unified even though the parts are disparate!

Of this zine's eight pages, the cover is the image on the lower right.  The rest of the zine pages travel up, to the left, down, and back to the right ending with the page containing the patterned circle framed in black. I didn't include any writing in this one.  The content is primarily watercolor remnants and pen work.  What I like about it -- is thumbing slowly through the pages as they are.  It is like a visual meditation. Similar to the one I completed and posted about yesterday, this zine's cover was created last year some time.  It was part of a much larger unsuccessful piece that was cut up for reuse.  With no idea what could possibly go with this particular cover, I consider this a delightful surprise. If you were to add writing, what would you want to include?  

Since just before the new year, a dear friend has been struggling with her health after contracting a serious case of bacterial meningitis.  After doctors gained control over the infection and many surgeries later--she is recovering.  That means she is having to relearn everything we take for granted e.g. moving, speaking, reading, and writing.  Can you imagine one day you're ok and one or two days later--you no longer seem to be you?  All you can think of is how much your head hurts.  Maybe your words and/or thoughts are a jumble too. I haven't been able to process my feelings about the situation through visual art until this week. My idea was to do a story about a flower that has become ill and is trying to find it's way back to full bloom.  This zine is the result of that effort.  

I first learned of Lorie Siebert through an article in the 'What Women Create' magazine.  So, I looked her up and learned she has a class in making her funky birds hosted by Jeanne Oliver's website.  The course information can be found at this link: Lorie's Artful Junk Birds course hosted by Jeanne Oliver's website These recycled bird creations are so whimsical and fun.  But they take time and diligence to make, especially when you have to wait for clay to air dry or for glue to dry before you can move on to next steps.  That said, I have two almost done.  They need to be glued to some form of stand -- maybe a thick tree branch or atop a rock, because they won't stand up on their own easily.  Lorie uses vintage tins as her perches.  While I love them, I don't have any to use for my bird figurines.  So, while I look for and decide on alternative bases, here are photos of the two awaiting their landing places.   (Paper cup used to support bird ...

Krys Kinsel (@kryscolour on Substack) recently challenged readers to create and post a mini zine about oneself.  It could be made in any form: story, comic, mixed media, etc., but should be general in terms of information shared.  This challenge peaked my interest and arrived in my feed at the perfect time.  So, last night I had some creative fun! From my stash of folded blank zines that have recycled art on the cover, I made this.  It has intimations of the various creative activities I've done over the years...some of which I still do. If you were making a zine to tell others about who you are (keeping it general), what would you include in it, and how would it look?