Tag: Collage Art

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 6 Comments on Pandemic Road: Second Chances and OMG More Holidays!

Pandemic Road: Second Chances and OMG More Holidays!

Happy New Year all you dear readers! With Covid still at the top of all news cycles, I actually do have some good news to begin with for my first blog of 2022. You may remember that at the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, I had a piece of collage art work that was accepted for exhibition at Rice University. I was thrilled. I was delighted. When everything shut down, I was devastated, disappointed, and forlorn. There was a virtual reception of the art, but there was no public showing.

Well, flash forward two years and the exhibition is on again and my art work will be displayed during the Spring Semester which starts on Monday, January 10th. Be still my fluttering heart! It will be in the Peter T. Brown Gallery on the first floor of the Anderson-Clarke Building on the Rice Campus. I can’t wait until I go see it! Also, while I am there, I may actually be able to walk around the campus like I haven’t done since March 2020. I’ve missed looking at all of the art that is spread around the campus and I am proud now to be a part of that.

I was flying high on my happy emotions, but then I walked into a big store. I will not name the store, because I don’t want to bring shame to their name. However, if you wanted to shoot an arrow at the big red dot, you might be able to figure it out. What did I see? Red, red and more red. Valentine’s Day Red. On another aisle, there was the color green as in shamrocks and St. Patrick’s Day decorations. Now I know you have heard my rants about Halloween and Thanksgiving being swallowed up by Christmas. And unlike Halloween when decorations are taken down right away to make room for the jolly red fat fellow, Christmas decorations are still up in many places. Of course that’s all right because there’s not another holiday for a long, long time. What’s the rush?

What’s the rush you ask? This premature display of hearts and flowers is all ready beginning to crop up. It’s just as if Cupid was hiding behind Santa’s sleigh holding on to his bow and arrow just waiting to jump out and start working his love magic. Good grief. By the time Valentine’s Day actually gets here, I am going to be quite sick of all the red and pink decorations. At least I haven’t seen any goofy decorations popping up in my neighborhood.

At some point I am going to call a meeting of all the holiday witches, skeletons, both Santa and Mrs. Claus, Cupid and a few Leprechauns to discuss this ever increasing blending of holidays. The phrase that comes to mind on this topic is “Stay In Your Lane!”

Contemplating this conundrum and planning my future meeting, I went to the Arboretum to receive some solace from nature; including trees, squirrels, and turtles. I found that solace, but also found a path where apparently the armadillos had enjoyed a dance party the night before. Obviously they hide out during the day to rest up after all of their raucous partying.

I promise to keep you posted about my plans for a Holiday Coordinating meeting. I wonder if the armadillos would like to be invited?

Until next time.….

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 2 Comments on There’s Always Another Art Road

There’s Always Another Art Road

This past Tuesday, I walked into the Anderson-Clarke Center on the Rice University campus pulling a cart filled with collage supplies. This building is home to the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies where I am enjoying taking a course on collage art. I am learning quite a bit from instructor and artist Ellen Orseck. I got on the elevator and thought about the day’s assignment on the way up to the second floor. However, as soon as the elevator doors opened, I saw a group of people working on an art installation. Actually there were two different works of art being installed. I quickly learned that this was part of The Sol LeWitt Project. This particular piece is called “Wall Drawing #869A.” I found out that the people working on this line drawing include both Rice University students and faculty, as well as Glasscock students and faculty. Also contributors to this piece on the second floor will include Susanne Glasscock among other patrons. I heard that this is the first time this particular work has been installed anywhere in the world.

After leaving my supplies in the classroom, I returned to the ground floor, where I observed draftspeople working on another Sol LeWitt piece, “Wall Drawing #1115: Circle within a square, each with broken bands of color”. While the line drawing is scheduled to be completed this week: the larger circle mural will be completed by the middle of November. The artists who are reproducing both of these conceptual creations are following detailed instructions left posthumously by Sol LeWitt so that others can continue to enjoy his work. Except for the fact that both of these works are going up on white walls, the process involved in each is quite different.

Returning to the second floor, I looked down at the work space being shared by the the draftspeople. Very organized and very well laid out.

Observing from this vantage point, one could almost reach out and touch the draftspeople; however, there are signs asking you not to do that. Take pictures and observe all you want, but don’t interrupt creativity in process.

As my collage class began, Ellen Orseck explained the project to us and told us about the conceptual artist, Sol LeWitt. We even walked down to look at the processes involved. Ellen explained that later that evening she would take her turn working on the line drawing.

She also has a painting in the lobby of the second floor. It is included in a collection of art works by instructors for the Glasscock School.

It is a real treat to take an art class in this building. I get inspired just walking through to get to my classroom.

The Wall Drawings Installation Opening Reception is scheduled for November 18th, 5:30 — 7:30. I can’t wait to see it. To learn more about the Sol LeWitt Project you can go to glasscock.rice.edu/lewitt. Or you can visit the Anderson-Clarke Center and see it for yourself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Until next week.…..

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - No Comments on The Art Road

The Art Road

What to do during these last few warm days in Houston? Tomorrow we are guaranteed cool weather. A 30 degree temperature drop. I can’t wait!

But last weekend it was still warm and I was restless, so I decided to head over to Sawyer Yards and stroll through some art. Sawyer Yards is a collection of industrial warehouses that have been converted into a thriving creative community with building names like Winter Street, Silver Street, The Silos, among others. It is not unusual for them to have market hours during the weekend when almost every artist is in their studios showing off their work. I have never been able to make it through every building in one evening. There is just too much to see and experience.

Last Saturday evening, I made it through both Winter Street and The Silos. My first stop was at the studio of Marsha Glickman who does a lot of collage work. I was very impressed by the wide variety of materials that she used in her pieces.

Collage is a new artistic passion of mine. I am having great fun taking classes and visiting studios to see how other artists are doing this. There is no end to the types of materials one can use. Magazine pictures, found objects, beads, etc. are all fair game with collage. Here are some examples of Marsha’s work:

Then I made my way to Josena Arquieta who is a painter. Josena and I have teamed up to prepare a study in “Compassion” that will be presented next June at the Holocaust Museum Houston. She will make a visual representation and I will provide an essay.

Here is another example of Josena’s work:

So many talented artists! Never enough time! Never enough money! Never enough art supplies!

By the way, next Tuesday, October 15th, The Women in the Visual and Literary Arts (WIVLA) is hosting a pop-up market at the Printing Museum. WIVLA is an organization where creative women can meet and network. Throughout the year there are art shows, poetry readings, and various collaborations among both the literary and visual arts members. At the pop-up market you can find works of art by a variety of members. There will be a raffle and all types of artisan goods. The Printing Museum is located at 1324 West Clay. The pop-up market will run from 5:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. I hope you can join us!

Until next week.….

Posted on by Ellen Seaton - 1 Comment on Women Artists On The Road Together!

Women Artists On The Road Together!

On Wednesday of this week, I finished an 8‑week collage course at the Art League Houston. It was taught, lead and inspired by Sasha Dela. Here is my final 3‑D art piece which of course shows Halloween art, because I love Halloween! As much as I love it, it pales in comparison to the works of my classmates. We were a class full of women all interested in expanding our artistic knowledge and experience. They were all wonderful and I learned so much from every one of them. So, in honor to my wonderful classmates and artists, here is the work they showed on the last day of class. All of the pictures were taken by me. They were sometimes taken at weird angles during our class critique. Please forgive my photography and I hope you enjoy the art as much as I have.

What a great group of artists! What a great group of women! I was so fortunate to spend my summer with them.

Until next week.….