CREATE. MAIL ART. Shelby Pizzarro

CREATE - MAIL ART

Working on Mail Art feeds my soul. I have always been the person who eagerly awaited the arrival of the mail every day. Holding an envelope in my hands gave permission to my imagination to meander. Who wrote the letter? How far did it travel? Where did it stop along the way? Did anyone else wonder about this letter as I did?

So being a part of a Mail Art Challenge was exciting for me. I enjoyed producing and giving away the Art as well as experiencing the anticipation of receiving beautiful Art in my mailbox.

I found this quote torn from a magazine:

"Art is a Journey. Embrace Each Step."

It was perfect for the Challenge. I thought of how Art has shaped my life. From childhood to the present, Art and Life have intermingled...so much so that I can't separate one from the other. Nor would I want to. Art has opened door to possibilities I never dreamed were available to me. Art has welcomed so many wonderful people, with so many distinctive points of view, into my life. It has made it richer, more enjoyable, and at times, incredibly challenging. But Art has, most of all, allowed me to be my authentic self...to accept each step along the way to becoming the Artist I am today.

Again, the substrate is a craft envelope. I surrounded the image of the woman with art and handmade paper, wax infused paper which I rubber stamped, postage stamp, clippings from magazines, and joss paper. I finished the envelope by rubber stamping and stenciling with acrylic metallic paint. Then off to the Post Office it went with my hopes that the recipient would be intrigued when it landed in her mailbox.

Are you like me...putting one foot in front of the other passionately following the steps wherever they may lead? Where have your steps taken you?

Sisterhood of the Muse

Sun, Moon, Stars. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

For You, The Sun, Moon, and Stars - ATC 

For quite a few of us on the East Coast of the United States, this has been a glorious Holiday weekend...three days away from the routine of work, wonderful local events to share with friends and family, and best of all, weather sent to us from the Gods.

The ambiance was just the thing I needed to unlock the way to my Muse. Spurred on by my collection of quotes and saying I've collected over the years, I kept coming back to one:

"May the Sun warm you, and the Moon restore you, and Stars light your path"

Sitting under the pergola, listening to the birds sing, caressed by the warm Summer breeze, my Artist Trading Cards took shape. The substrate is illustration board. The background is a mixture of sponged Distress Inks of various hues. I stencilled and rubber stamped the patterns in metallic acrylic paint, dusted with Perfect Pearls to add a bit of shimmer. The inspirational quote cut from vintage paper finished the cards.

How often, we as Artists, look to Nature for inspiration. From the simple elegance of a sprouting seedling to the infinite wonder we experience when gazing at the night sky, it is all there for us. We just need to take the time to stop, look, and listen.

My wish is a simple one. May your Summer be filled with Sunshine, Moonbeams, and Starlight...and those you love to share them.

Sisterhood of the Muse

Happy Earth Day. Chasing Rainbows. Shelby Pizzarro

Chasing Rainbows. ATC

Happy Earth Day! Over a billion people will share in celebration today, the forty-fourth anniversary of the annual day of awareness and action. And yes, this unabashed Tree-Hugger will be celebrating!

There is no question that we all have a role to play in taking care of the Earth. If we even make a small change, each one of us together can bring great transformations.

"Chasing Rainbows" is an Artist Trading Card. The substrate for the card is illustration board. Layered on the card is a combination of different coloured paint samples, handmade paper, joss paper, and a wrapper from a Hershey's Kiss. The quote is cut from an old dictionary. I finished the card by adding a decorative leaf.

But aren't we collage and mixed-media artists living the spirit of Earth Day every time we produce our work? Aren't we staying true to our Muse when we follow the path of nature and inspiration?

Who could not be inspired by all the magical wonders the Earth has to offer? Just think of what life would be like without the vastness of space, the infinite variety of colour presented to us with each sunrise and sunset, the boundless texture and form of soil, the nurturing sensation of rain...giving way to rainbows, when we are fortunate enough to see them.

We mixed media artists do chase our own rainbows in our own way....our mantra "reuse and recycle". And haven't the resulting finished art been incredible!

May you have a wonderful, inspiring Earth Day...each and every day!

Sisterhood of the Muse

Recipe For Two. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

The weather we are having today makes me want to cook some real "stick to your ribs" food. The rain is constant and streams down the gutters. The temperatures are relatively mild compared to what we have been experiencing. But still, there is a distinct chill to the air that makes you want something warm and comforting for dinner.

Looking through a cook book, I found inspiration not only for a meal, but for an Artist Trading Card as well.  Attached to a fragment of a recipe was a photo of two women. Irony, Synchronicity, or Muse...the recipe was "for two"...and begs the question: "What Is Guacamole?"

I couldn't help but think...isn't everything more intense, more joyful when shared? Problems don't seem quite as unconquerable. Our happiness blossoms. Creativity soars by exchanging new ideas.

The substrate for the ATC is illustration board. I copied the photo of the two women on to newsprint paper. I stained craft paper with tea. The recipe is from a newspaper printed in 1970. Washi tape, sewing pattern paper, and metallic gold acrylic paint complete the card.

Isn't the recipe for a happy life one that includes a mixture of generosity, compassion, and creativity?  We all have the basic ingredients within us. May you find that person who encourages you to explore a delicious life.

Oh, and in the end I decided on slow cooker lasagna.

Sisterhood of the Muse

International Women's Day. Shelby Pizzarro ATC

Life Is A Song  -  ATC

Today is International Women's Day. The theme for the 2014 celebration is: “Equality for women is progress for all”. The day is a clear reminder of how far we have come...but yet we still have a long way to go. When I look back on the opportunities and resources available to my great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother I can appreciate there has been progress. But just not enough, not fast enough, and not globally enough.

"Life is a Song...Sing It", is a passage attributed to Mother Teresa I read in the Grand Circle Corporation book of quotes. It inspired this Artist Trading Card and I feel it is echos the spirit of today's celebration. We all have a unique voice and together we open doors for each other, not only on one day of the year, but every day, every year.

My life is shaped by so many women. I imagine my Muse to be a woman as well. She isn't a singular being, but rather bits and pieces of the women who have influenced my life. She has the business savvy of my maternal great-grandmother; the intelligence and forward thinking of my maternal grandmother; the fortitude of my paternal grandmother; the work ethic of my paternal aunt; and finally the nurturing compassion and sound judgement of my mother.

My Artist Trading Card is a mixture of a vintage photo, Distress Inks, and acrylic paint stencilled and rubber stamped on to the illustration board substrate.

As International Women's Day draws to a close, show your appreciation to all of the powerful, influential women who make a difference in your life. Women are inspiring. Who inspired you in Art and in Life?

Sisterhood of the Muse

Life Is A Dream. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

Life Is A Dream. ATC

I like to dream. I like the word.

Dream.

It rolls, it meanders, it drips off the tongue with power and eloquence and the promise of mystery, moonlight, adventure. It's the name on the door we open to liberate us. It allows us to feel, to imagine what can be, if only we become fully aware.

"Life is a Dream...Realize it.", is a passage attributed to Mother Teresa I read in the Grand Circle Corporation book of quotes. It inspired this Artist Trading Card.

The substrate is illustration board. The background a mixture of Distress Ink and acrylic paint. I stencilled a Nouveau pattern in gold metallic paint. A strip of art paper, the vintage photo, and rubber stamping of various designs finished the card.

Do you dream? Do you close your eyes and allow your Muse to take you to a place your heart knows is flawless? Realize your dreams. Live the life you desire.

Sisterhood of the Muse

Life Is A Mystery. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

Life Is A Mystery ATC 

Mystery. I  love the word. For me, it conjures up images of smoke and mirrors, the positive and negative aspects of religious fervour, the secret of the inexplicable. Was the reason for the birth of the word in the 14th century much different from our use of it today?

Mystery spurs us on, a kind of Muse who quietly nudges us to explore, discover, and find our ultimate truth...in essence, to "know".

I chose to illustrate this line, attributed to Mother Teresa, from the Grand Circle Corporation book of quotes . The substrate for the card is illustration board. Dreamy shades of Distress Inks and acrylic paint set the background. In addition to the art paper and a wrapper from a Hershey's Kiss, I rubber stamped images using metallic acrylic paint. The thoughtful woman pondering her fate was over stamped with a Fleur-de-lis, a symbol representing wisdom, faith, and chivalry.

Our paths are many, but mystery and the search for answers and meaning in our Art and in our life, inspires us all.

Where would you be today without mystery in your life? 

Sisterhood of the Muse

Life Is Bliss. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

Life Is Bliss - ATC

When wandering through my local Salvation Army store a spiral bound book caught my eye. Printed with six words..."At the end of the day..." it's small with a plain ochre cover. And what a find! Each page is a plethora of inspiring, uplifting, or just plain quotes that make you go "Hmmmmmmm...". For a collage artist, a book like this is a gold mine of inspiration.

Published by the Grand Circle Corporation in 2007 it is a collection of readings the founders  thought of as companions on their journey through over one hundred countries. Their hope was that all who read the book received the gift of reflection. I love the line from their Dedication page: "Have you let your light shine?"

With this book in mind I entered into an Artist Trading Card swap. But which quote to use! I let my Muse guide me, closed the book, and randomly opened it. There it was, just what I was looking for on Page 78. The chapter is on "Blessings". Although sources say the quote is falsely attributed to Mother Teresa, I find it inspiring. It starts with "Life is an opportunity, benefit from it".  I chose seven of the twenty lines to illustrate.

The first card in this series is "Life is bliss, taste it". I found a lovely photo of a saucy woman holding cherries between her teeth. Perfect! The substrate is illustration board. The background is a mixture of Distress Inks. Acrylic paint is rubber stamped or stencilled on to the card. In addition to the photo, I also attached handmade and art papers, finishing off with a French postage stamp.

And as the year quickly draws to a close, what a wonderful motto to hold close to our hearts as we welcome the New Year. My wish for you is that you find your bliss by tasting all the flavours life has to offer. And why not let your light shine and share your unique self with those you meet on your journey?

Sisterhood of the Muse

Dreams Start Here. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

I couldn't stop thinking about the "Flood the Streets with Art" project. This Friday, Black Friday, artists around the world are making a piece of art to be left anywhere they wish it to be "found".  It is a gift to an anonymous recipient.

Everything about it captured my imagination...it was like a message in a bottle...mysterious, brimming with hope, anticipation to the extreme.  But, what to create...and where to "drop" it...that is where I let my Muse give me a nudge in the right direction.

 My local library, the Dillsburg Area Public Library, has an "adopt a shelf" programme under way. A small fee provides you with an engraved brass plate the Library places on a shelf for a year. You can have anything you wish on the plate, providing it fits within a set amount of characters.

My love of the Library and books goes back as far as I can remember. I was fortunate to have two very insightful parents who nurtured a love of learning in my brothers and me. My Mom and I would visit the Brooklyn Public Library every day, six days a week. It became a place of wonder for me...a place where the answer to anything and everything was possible if you were willing to discover it.

My brass plate is now on a shelf in the Junior Fiction section of the Library in Dillsburg. It is engraved with the words: "Dreams Start Here".  

The substrate for the  ATC is an old library card catalogue card. I altered it with Distress Inks, rubber stamped the word "Dreams",  and stencilled stars with metallic acrylic paint. I added pieces of hand coloured ephemera and handmade art paper...and finally the words "DREAMS START HERE".

I will be leaving this Artist Trading Card in a book on the shelf entitled The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan.  It is the story of a young boy who hears the call of his inner Muse and believes in himself enough to trust his vision.

I hope whoever find the card is inspired to dream…as big and as far as they can…and to let their own personal Muse lead them on a journey of discovery. And I hope that journey starts for them, as it did for me, at the local public Library.

Sisterhood of the Muse

Happy New Year. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

Happy New Year. ATC

As this year draws to a close, I can't help but wonder...where did 2013 go? It flew by for me, with numerous changes: some major, some minor, and with the eternal promise of new opportunities for the coming year.

With these thoughts in mind, I sat down to work on a list of fifteen Artist Trading Card challenges developed for my Creative Collage Class with Sue Marrazzo at the Mechanicsburg Art Center.

"An Asian Inspired" ATC is Challenge Number Two. I started by looking through my box of Asian papers and ephemera. Right on top was a New Year postage stamp. Muse..or Synchronicity?

The substrate is mat board. I sponged on several colours of gold acrylic paint. When it was dry, I rubber stamped part of an Asian image stamp to the card. As plum blossom signify being lucky, I tried to keep them within the live area.  I then added the postage stamp, mulberry paper with gold foil, and pearlescent liquid acrylic paint. I coloured the edges of the card with red Distress Ink.

Although normally filled with an even amount of money, keeping with Chinese tradition, I will give the card away in a red envelope. I love the idea of sleeping on the envelope for seven nights to bring good luck to the recipient.

January 31, 2014 ushers in the lunar Year of the Wood Horse. According to Chinese lore, the year will be one unexpected adventures, surprising romance, sudden and swift victories. Decisions should be made decisively and quickly. Distant travel is encouraged and will be auspicious.

Although the New Year is a few months away, I think it is never too soon to wish you all happiness by following your Muse...your bliss...and greeting the New Year with enthusiasm.

Sisterhood of the Muse

ATC Challenges By Sue Marrazzo

Here are a few collage ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) that are part of my Creative Collage Class. These are the first three and there will be 15 in all. I will post more soon. These were created with all found papers. They are fun to do and trade with other artists. 

Take a look...

 "Branding" by Sue Marrazzo

" Pretty Pumpkin" by Sue Marrazzo

 "Fortune" by Sue Marrazzo

All Three ATC's

CAREER DAY ATCs BY SUE MARRAZZO

On Friday, Oct. 4th I spoke to a group of 8th graders at Good Hope Middle School. This is my 2nd post about this, but I wanted to share some photos with the DPP Community. Here are some photos of the student's work. This is just a few COLLAGE ATCs that they created...All were done with found papers on bristol paper ATCs. I received an e-mail yesterday from the school CAREER DAY organizer asking if I will come back next year...YES! 

It's very energizing and inspiring to be around Young Artists!!!

                                   

Ethel Sings. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

Ethel Sings ATC

I recently took part in another Artist Trading Card swap. The theme was "Stormy Weather".

In a way, this card is an homage to my Dad as much as it is to Ethel Waters and composers Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. My father was a great music aficionado. Jazz was his Muse. The voices of Ethel, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Peggy Lee flavoured my childhood. I loved hearing about the concerts in clubs in Manhattan that ran from Friday to Sunday with one band after another taking the stage. My heart skipped a beat hearing about Gene Krupa and his glow in the dark drum sticks. Swing, Big Band, Progressive Jazz, even Scat filled the rooms of our home.

So when I heard of the swap my thought was of the beautiful vocals of this song first performed by Ethel Waters in 1933 at the Cotton Club in Manhattan.

The substrate is illustration board. I dyed it using Bleeding Art Tissue. I enhanced the photo of Ethel with Iridescent Medium. I added metallic and distress inks. I altered the music with Glimmer Mist. The final touch was handmade paper using a variety of inks and acrylic paint.

Can a Muse be passed on from one generation to the next? In this case, I think it was.

Sisterhood of the Muse

Make Your Own Kind of Music. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

Make Your Own Kind of Music. ATC

Art, Dance, Literature, and Music is the language the Muse uses to speak to me. It could be seeing an inspired piece of choreography, an extraordinary painting, hearing a moving piece of music, or reading thought-provoking passage.

I recently took part in an Artist Trading Card swap. The theme was "Red". I found the photo of the woman in my collection. Her auburn hair was perfect for the challenge. I had the TV on while looking through my photos and heard a phrase from Cass Elliot's song, "Make Your Own Kind of Music". Synchronicity again...or just a nudge from the Muse?

The substrate is heavy watercolour paper. I started by dying the paper with various shades of bleeding art tissue. I then rubber stamped the card with sheet music for the background. I added the main image next followed by a French postage stamp, art paper, handmade paper, and more rubber stamping. To finish the card, I added Distress Inks to the edge and sprayed the card with Color Shine "Sweet Cherry" to complete the aura of "Red".

The lyrics of the song keep rolling around in my mind..."make your own kind of music...sing your own special song...even if nobody else sings along." Being true to yourself in Art and in Life is the easiest way to be your most authentic self. And your most authentic self is the greatest gift you can share.

Sisterhood of The Muse

Home. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

Home Is Where Your Story Can Begin. ATC

Today is the opening of the Second Annual Artist Trading Card Show and Swap at the Carlisle Arts Learning Center, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Up to one hundred cards will be on display. The theme is "HOME".

My second entry is "Home is Where Your Story Can Begin". When I think of "Home" more often than not I think of moments and people, rather than buildings and objects. I think of stories I am lucky to have passed down to me from my parents and grandmother...and stories about my grandfather passed on to me from my Mother.

Looking through my collection of photos I came across this wonderful group shot. I thought it would be perfect! I decided to use a page from the telephone book as a background. The Muse was working with me again...I opened the book to a random page. It fell on the page with my Mom's entry!

The substrate is illustration board. The photo is circa 1920. I also incorporated hand made paper. The photo was altered with Golden Interference Fluid Acrylic paint. I love the purple shimmer it gave to the photo. I added Distress Inks to the telephone book paper and then covered it with Golden Interference Gold Acrylics. I wanted a "warm and fuzzy" feel to the card. The final touch was the quote with words cut from an old dictionary.

If you are in the Carlisle area do stop by. The show runs from today until October 12th.

Who says unlucky things happen on Friday the Thirteenth!

Sisterhood of the Muse

Whispers In A Dream. ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

Whispers In A Dream ATC

One hundred sixty-five years ago today, the Pre‑Raphaelite Brotherhood was founded by John Everett Millais, William Holman Hunt and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Their movement was dedicated to producing compositions with grand complexities, vibrant colour, and copious detail. They had the gift of talent, technique, and the unbridled enthusiasm that only youth can enable. Reading their history was like fondly remembering an old friend. I too had the proverbial "fire in the belly" during my time at the York Academy of Arts. Rules were made to be broken. Debates were heated and passionate. Art was everything.

It was with pleasure that I saw a post by Sue Marrazzo about an ATC exhibit. The Carlisle Arts Learning Center, is hosting an exhibit of ATC's with "Home" as the theme. They are hoping to get one hundred cards to exhibit and trade. As I was looking through all things Pre‑Raphaelite,  a quote from William Morris got me thinking:

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

I suppose as the Seasons change and Halloween approaches, I decided to take a rather macabre approach to the ATC. I have always loved William Holman Hunt's "Isabella and the Pot of Basil". The work is inspired by a narrative poem by John Keats. The ghost of Isabella's murdered love comes to her in a dream. She retrieves his head, buries it in the pot of basil, and pines for her lost love.

Whether encouraged by a ghost, a Muse, an anniversary, a Season...home and beauty...it's all in your point of view.

Sisterhood of the Muse

ATC Exhibit and Swap by Sue Marrazzo

Here is one of my ATC entries for the upcoming 2nd Annual Artist Trading Card Exhibit and Swap at CALC, The Carlisle Arts Learning Center. This exhibit runs Sept. 13 - Oct. 12, 2013. The theme is HOME. This ATC was created on an ATC using a ticket stub, a dictionary page, tissue paper, hand made gesso paper, junk mail, and a design magazine ad. These are fun to create in my 

Creative Collage Class that I teach.

The photo could be better...

but the look is that it would be from a MODERN HOME.

Title: Keep the Chair

Size: ATC/2.5" x 3.5"

Substrate: Vellum Bristol Paper

Medium: Collage

Artist: Sue Marrazzo

There Is No End. Artist Trading Card. Shelby Pizzarro

There Is No End. ATC

The closing of Summer is bittersweet. Days infused with an unrelenting heat slowly melt into clear, crisp nights and frost covered mornings that welcome the start of Autumn.

It is on early Autumn nights that my eyes gaze skyward. I always find something magical about the night. There are so many curiosities to discover. Night sets the unconscious free. To quote Vincent van Gogh: "I often think that the night is more alive and more richly coloured than the day."  I find the inspiration I need, and very often over look during the busy hours of the day.

I recently took part in an Artist Trading Card swap. The theme was "Circles".  Staring at the sky brought back memories of one of my favourite paintings, Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night. Seeing it for the first time at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan took my breath away. But it wasn't until I made my pilgrimage to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence that I fully understood the inspiration that motivated Vincent.

The substrate is a standard manila ATC card. I found a print of The Starry Night to use as the base of the work. I am a great lover of Chinese food, and with Chinese food comes fortune cookies. The messages in the cookies are a treasure for collage artists. I pulled one from a bag of saved fortunes. It read:

"There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life."

Perfect. Was it a lucky pick or did my Muse guide me?

I followed Vincent's mystical arcs and rolling curves with the fortune. I added handmade paper and stencilled circles from a template using metallic acrylic paint.

The ATC challenge came at the perfect time. The circle moves on. Seasons...Change...but it's the passion we bring to the circle that truly imparts meaning to this thing we call "Life".

Sisterhood of the Muse

"I Was A Love Cult Priestess". ATC. Shelby Pizzarro

"I was a Love Cult Priestess" ATC

Such drama...such intrigue...The Roaring Twenties. It was a time of change from the dramatic acting of the "Silent Movies" to "Talking Pictures"...an innovation that could make or break many a career.

Looking through an old magazine from the 1920's I came across this vintage photo. It was quite daring and I felt she need to be in an equally daring setting. From the various art and handmade papers I had on my work table, thoughts of Sheena, Queen of the Jungle raced through my mind.

That "come-hither" look, the exotic papers, it all directed me to a design of a woman who was "brave, bold, and brilliant".

The image was perfect for an Artist Trading Card, also known as ATC's. For a collage artist the ATC concept is fantastic! First exhibited and traded in Switzerland in 1996 by artist M. Vänçi Stirnemann, ATC's are an extremely popular method of trading art.

My Card is on manila stock. I used hand made and art papers, tissue paper, inks, and dyes. The text was cut from various sources.

The Twenties, like today, was a time of innovation and striking change. Thankfully we have the Muse to nudge in the right direction.

Sisterhood of the Muse

Daily Painting Daffodils Under Weeping Cherry by Mary Beth Brath

Daffodils Under Weeping Cherry by Mary Beth Brath

Acrylic on 2 1/2 x 3 1/2" ATC Card

Daily Painting created in July. More vibrant in person.  ATCs are fun quick studies to use for larger canvases.

www.marybethbrath.com