Vintage Finds.....

This post is short! Just to say wishing one and all a wonderful Christmas.....

Just to say hello.....

I have not posted new work for sometime! Here are just a few things I have decided to share with you. One of my favourite unmanipuated images and a vintage photograph. I am working on a couple of new images at the moment - I promise to finish them soon....

Bunting - Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom

At the moment - I am experimenting with new types of collage, ie. square format and using photographs I have taken with my new camera which is a Nikon D80 DSLR. I have to say I am not finding it easy to use! I am sure with lots of practice I will get used to it!

New Image - First with my new camera

I have had a new Nikon D80 for a couple of weeks now - I have never used a digital slr before - I used to be strictly a medium format devotee - due to lack of processing facilities and the cost of processing I thought it time move onto an DSLR.

Here is a first photograph taken with the nikon! I have tweaked it in photoshop a little bit...

Waiting (Pink)

Just to quick post to show you my latest image - it is infact a re-working of an image I produced last year (in green) - I have been asked if I do it in pink and blue... so here is the pink version. I will also do a blue version very soon!

TTV Dog

Just a quick note to show you this cute dog! I don't know what breed he is - he has a nice face.

This is a faux (fake) ttv.

Little Doves

I have finally finished this image and not before time! I have listed it in my Etsy Shop.

I can now offer prints in sizes A3 and A2. I am also offering FREE shipping at the moment. My prints are a real bargin, I believe. The A2 prints are printed using Epson Ultrachrome Archival inks and the paper I use is the very best - Somerset Ehanced Fine Art paper at 225gsm....oops a sales pitch! Not intended!!

Memory Tree

Memory Tree
Originally uploaded by valentine's attic

I won't say too much about this, suffice to say it is a memorial tree planted in the grounds of the university I attended..... it was a 35mm format I have changed it to a square format - which I believe works better. It also has a magenta colour cast - I decided to leave it.....

More vintage photo's & postcards

Hello,

Just a quick post to share some of my latest purchases. I have lots more to share, however, I need to scan them - which takes time! I am particularly fond of the little german girl with her school satchel - I just love her clothes.

I will list some finished art work this week.

I now am the proud owner of an A2 Epson Stylus Pro 3800 printer - I can offer larger prints for sale up to size A2 - I have one listed in my Etsy shop.

I have also bought a Nikon D80 Dslr camera - I am going to have to learn how to use it - I have mainly used film, as I am a traditionalist at art - but you have to move with the times and embrace new technology!

New work - unfinished!

It has been over a month since I posted anything! At the moment I am having problems with my computer which needs upgrading (or at least the memory does) - even though I use an external hard drive to store my images - my computer still hates me using photoshop! Therefore, every time I use it my computer crashes - I definately need some new hardware.

On that note, I purchased a new printer an EPSON Stylus Pro 3800 - very expensive - when it arrived it had obviously been dropped - after waiting indoors for two whole days and another day for the collection of the damaged printer - I was not happy! I am hoping to offer large prints, as I get quite a few enquiries about larger prints - stay posted and hopefully a new printer will arrive soon.

I have put an image here which I am working on at the moment - it is probably about a quarter finished - so there is a long way to go with it, however, I thought I would post it. I have a least six unfinished images at the moment... which I need and want to finish, so fingers crossed!

Pansy

I have not listed any new work recently - my computer is having trouble coping with photoshop at the moment - even with an external harddrive it struggles! I definately need more memory. However, I digress, here is my latest offering - I have called this image "Pansy" as this was the came on the back of the original cabinet card the girl in the image was taken from.

I hope you like her. I will list her in Etsy today.

Until the next time.

Some new vintage postcards & photographs

Hello, one and all!

I have been on a mad spending spree buying up vintage photographs and postcards - I started buying about six years ago, mainly from Ebay. I stopped for a couple of years - alas, the bug seems to have caught on - everyone is buying, there are a lot more sellers and buyers now and good quality images are getting harder to source i.e. mainly because of price. Anyway, here are a couple of my latest finds.....

Dotty - a new image

Just a quick post to show you my latest creation. I thought my work was becoming very dark! So I have tried to lighten it's mood somewhat - although I must say I do work instinctively, so what happens with an image happens - if that makes sense. I have listed this for sale in my Etsy shop. I am also doing FREE postage at the moment.

New Digital Collage - Adara

It's been a long time coming! I have been going through a bit of an artistic blip, here is the first image I have completed this month. I will list it for sale in Etsy later today (Sunday). The original idea came from the vintage photograph seen here.

Retouching vintage postcards

I spent a couple of hours today retouching an old postcard bought from ebay. On first glance it didn't look to bad, however, once you scan it and blow it up in photoshop, the problems with it were apparent. It was very dirty and scratched. I am going to put this on Flickr, along with the original version.

New Vintage Postcards

Sorry I have not posted any new images - I have hit a creative blip and I cannot seem to finish my of my current images - I am not stressing over it too much and hopefully the creative juices will start to flow again!

I have been buying a lot of vintage photographs from Ebay. Here are some of my finds - I think these are great. I have started to colour one of these in on Photoshop - that is the first image - the original unmanipulated version is below it.

My Print Made it to the Front Page of Etsy!

This is another quick post share some news! One of my prints "REMEMBER" made it to the front page of Etsy today.

More Vintage Photographs

This is just a quick post to show a couple of vintage photographs I purchased from Ebay. I have not posted any art work for a couple of weeks - I am hoping to post a finished piece of work by the end of the week - fingers crossed! I am now putting my prints on both Ebay and Etsy; there is a link to my Etsy Shop on this blog - I haven't managed to work out how to link to Ebay yet. All my prints sell for around £5.00 or $10.00 on both Ebay and Etsy.

Nesting Fairy

Another image which is for sale in my Etsy Shop.

Three Blind Mice

Hello, one and all. I have not blogged for a week or so, I have been very busy - trying to make new work and doing research. Here is my latest offering - I have called it "Three Blind Mice" - as it is my version of the nursery rhyme of the same name. The girl who featured in the original vintage photograph I used for this image was infact blind. Her portrait gave me the inspiration to make this work.

The origins of the tale of three blind mice is taken from English history. The 'farmer's wife' refers to the daughter of King Henry VIII; Queen Mary I. Mary was a staunch Catholic and her violent persecution of Protestants led to the nickname of 'Bloody Mary'. The reference to 'farmer's wife' in Three blind mice refers to the massive estates which she, and her husband King Philip of Spain, possessed. The 'three blind mice' were three noblemen who adhered to the Protestant faith who were convicted of plotting against the Queen - she did not have them dismembered and blinded as inferred in Three Blind Mice - but she did have them burnt at the stake!

Three blind mice

See how they run

They all ran after the farmer's wife

Who cut off their tails with a carving knife

Did you ever see such a thing in your life

As three blind mice

I will in a day or so list this image on Etsy and Flickr and possibly Trunkd.

Vintage Postcards - Before and After

Just a quick post - I thought I would share a couple of my vintage postcards with you - these cards are a great source of inspiration to me. I have about ten of this particular card - on the front is the word "Debauger" and EP. I have made one digital collage using this set of prints - I have posted my digital collage entitled "Sleeping Mermaid". I hope you like it!I think the image I made needs a partner, so I think I will do another one to make a set. I have a lot of unfinished pieces of work at the moment, so it will have to go on my "to do list"!

A Lovely Find - ACEO's (Art Cards Editions & Originals)

I was rummaging through my books today - I have a lot of them.! I found these lovely little cards (I have been told these are called ACEO's (Art Cards Editions & Originals). I purchased these from Ebay a couple of years ago. The artist you made these is called Amanda and her website is http://www.maygreen-fairies.co.uk/.

New Image - Nainsi (Irish Spelling)

Hello, this is just a quick post to let you see my latest digital collage! I have been busy this week and have managed to finish two images. Again, I am working on the theme of human/bird hybrids - I started off with a vintage postcard; the dress was the inspiration for this piece of work - the rest of it just fell into place. I wanted to put something around her neck,; but was unable to decide what - so I have left it for now.

I will put her on in my Etsy shop and on Flickr.

The Mimics - New Image

This is my latest offering - I have called this image "The Mimics" - it is based on ideas which can be found in folklore and mythology pertaining to shapeshifting, that is that animals; in this image hares, are "tricksters" ie. they transform and take on human form. Once again, I am using the Endicott blog for reference - Terry Winding has written a very informative article on this subject (see link). It is worth a read and the images used are wonderful.

I have listed this image in my Etsy Shop - you can also view it on Flickr!

http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/rrRabbits4.html

Wonderful Vintage Postcards

Just a quick post - I want to share with you, two postcards I purchased recently from Ebay. They both have a theatrical theme, featuring boys and girls. To me they are like ying & yang - they are meant to be together! I hope you like them... and agree with me! I am sure they will be inspiration for future digital collages and you will see them in my etsy shop!

I am working on a collage at the moment; again it is on the using a hare - I am looking at the symbology of three hares in mythology and shape-shifting. Look in again and I will post the finished image.

The Gothic Hare

I finished this image this evening so I thought I would share it with you. I have added a link to this post to http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/rrRabbits.html. They can explain the sybmolism, mythology and folklore associated with the beautiful hare. Visit this wonderful website has there are some interesting interpretations on the theme of the hare.

One interpretation by Carl Jung (Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious) in his theory the "hare" symbolises the archetype (universal images) of the "mother". A Cornish (my part of the world) superstition says a young girl who dies after being abandoned by her lover will turn into a white hare in order to pursue her faithless love. The hare is associated with the cycle of life, birth, time and ultimately death. My interpretation is to do with expectations (no pun intended) birth and fertility. I hope you like it.

Under the Purple Sky

I thought I would share this image with you, I finished it today! I spent a lot of time over the weekend looking at the Surrealist movement. Half way through this image, I nearly deleted it, as I wasn't sure of where I was going with it. I decided to persevere....

Surrealism - Inspiration

I'm not going to say much here; for those of you interested in Surrealism - take a look at these wonderful and inspirational paintings. The first image is by Paul Delvaux - The Crucifixion (1952). The middle paintings are by Dorothea Tanning, The Birthday (1942). The second image by Dorothea Tanning is Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (1943). The fourth painting is by Leonora Carrington, The Inn of the Dawn Horse - Self Portrait (1936/7).

BIRD SYMBOLISM

http://www.brigids-haven.com/bos/info/birds.html

For those of us who use the computer to manipulate and make art, then reading the book "Landscape of Dreams" by Maggie Taylor, this beautiful book is a must. The ISBN number is ISBN: 321-30614-7. Maggie Taylor, uses vintage images, anthropomorpology, bird nest, eggs, wings, masks, rabbits etc. in her work.

The American Artist Joseph Cornell often worked with birds in his assembelages. He was, in my opionion, one of the great artists of the 20th century. His work was considered "Outsider Art" - and outside the realms of the art establishment. The second image above is called Hotel Eden.

Portrait of the Artist/Maker as a Bad Character

I spent much of yesterday warding off emails from a group of fellow image makers/artists on Etsy and Flickr. Even though my images have been in "cyber space" for a couple of months, I have suddenly been accused of plagiarism. My immediate reaction was to retaliate, which I did, albeit, briefly. However, the debate of plagiarism has gone on since men/women were drawing on cave walls. However, one's natural instinct is to defend... who am I defending myself from? Faceless, virtual bullies... Is there such a thing as original thoughts/ideas?

Going forward, if my work appears on this blog or on another internet site, please feel free to ask questions about my work. I believe I have been open about my sources, if you read my previous blogs from last week, you will see where the idea for the image Peek-a-Boo came from. The original idea was from a vintage photograph, as is my image "Twilight Oz Fairy" - I have shown before and after images. As my tag is Valentine's Attic - I use the symbol of the heart, both in my image making and also in my jewellery (jewelry) making. The heart is a motif that transcends time and will be used after the trace we leave have gone.

I have debated about intellectualising my work, as my aim when starting a blog and trying to sell my images was purely to make a little pin money from Etsy and other internet platforms and possibly bring someone, somewhere, a little joy through my image making. Sometimes simple intentions have a way of backfiring. As you will see from my Etsy shop - I have sold 3 images in 3 months - hardly a roaring success!

I have given a lot of thought to how fairy tales, folklore and myths, are interpretated in contemporary art and to how in the 21st century we use iconographical motifs vis-a-vie birds, masks, horns and dolls etc. to tell a story. Over the coming weeks, I intend to "refocus" and do further research on this subject and by doing so, hopefully share some of my findings with you. Looking at not only how but also why we use these universal symbols.

I have taken solice from my degree work entitled "Look at Me". Two of the images are above.

Cynthia Ozsick, who wrote "Portrait of the Artist as a Bad Character" - see the irony. One of my favourite quotes is from her:

"What we remember from childhood we remember for ever - permanent ghosts, stamped, inked, imprinted, eternally seen."

Some further reading:

http://www.artsjournal.com/aestheticgrounds/2007/04/public_art_plagiarism_vernacul.html

http://quote.robertgenn.com/getquotes.php?catid=228

http://publication.nodel.org/Utopian-Plagiarism