Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Souvenirs

I just cannot tell you how completely engaging and satisfying it was to make two bookmarks recently—during a whopper nor'easter, no less!

In the kind of story you've heard from me before, with slight variations, when I woke up on that Friday, no bookmarks, and no intention of making any. Zero.

I got up, exercised, prepped some food, scrubbed the downstairs bathroom, met with friends for playgroup, went to the library to collect two books on reserve.

Two books: different authors, different genres, different settings, different cover artists.

Same color palette on their covers.

And me with no bookmarks in that color palette.

A day later, it was as though I'd invented two new countries and put them on the map. I certainly traveled somewhere wholly new while creating—I picked up the tools of my trade and a piece of 3x6" cardstock, started painting, and moved through that tiny 18-square-inch portal out of the universe in which I usually reside into a fully different universe just as vast.

And returned with souvenirs of startling beauty.

I'll feature one today, the other tomorrow.

book from library
Summer Hours
1.5x6"; acrylic, India ink, collage, and oil pastel on card stock
abstract
2018
match made in heaven



10 comments:

carol edan said...

What a gorgeous bookmark! Always amazed how someone can design in such a small space. Love those reds!!! The background is similar to my new start. Posted yesterday!

Sheila said...

I bet the authors would be thrilled to see your creations inspired by their book. I know they usually don't have much say in how the book looks. Still...
I love this Dotty, the black marks are so organic. Make me think of branches dancing in the wind. And the red "berry" patches. Well, they make me think of cobbler. LOL :) Enjoy dear friend :)

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Thank you, Carol. Glad you see 'gorgeous' here! The small-space phenomenon continues to amaze me, too, as you can tell from my post. When I 'came to' again after working on this piece, I was flabbergasted at how tiny it was, when all I'd felt while painting it was vast limitless spaciousness.

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Cobbler! Dive in! Hmm, it might be fun to see if I could share this post with the author. I'd much rather do that than much of what is enumerated as today's intended to-do's! The black scribbles were indeed deliciously organic, entirely satisfying to create. Thanks for your comments, Sheila.

Simone said...

Oh, Dotty, I love your bookmarks. I don't read enough (eventhough I read Elizabeth Berg last vacation. Hooray for me ;-)), but I'm sure I should make bookmarks, they will get me reading!
I love the image of the 18 square inch portal in the universe. That's exactly how I experience it.

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Simone, thanks for your response to my bookmarks. I love to read anyway, but having handpainted coordinating bookmarks takes the experience to an even MORE satisfying level!

The painting portal to the universe is just the most astonishing thing, isn't it? Truly, I leave the world in which my body is situated and travel elsewhere.

Janet Bradish said...

This 'bookmark' is beautiful. I am finding it hard to believe that it is so 'small'. Gorgeous colour, collage and line work! If I was an author I would want you to design a bookmark and a book cover!! Hope you survived your latest onslaught of winter. You have been getting some huge storms - don't know if this is the norm for you? Or is it a winter of extreme weather. Trust all is well on the home front - looking forward to seeing the next bookmark and the last word - WOW!!

Lola (Jen Jovan) said...

How GORGEOUS! But wait! Am I supposed to have bookmarks to match my books? ACK! Clearly, this is something missing in my life. MUST MAKE BOOKMARKS!

dotty seiter: now playing said...

The whole 'tiny' aspect of this kind of painting is quite astonishing. As you can tell from my post and comments above, through that 'little' door I step into infinitude! The bookmark posted above is even more spectacular in person—I put a high gloss glaze on it, and the textural layers of the collage are heightened.

Winter is just plain capricious. We have not had a winter of extreme weather, and I guess winter itself said, wait a minute, this can't be right! And punched us 1 - 2 - 3! I actually painted part of this bookmark under amusing conditions with light available, courtesy of our small generator, is some rooms but not others. I was walking back and forth between rooms with a flashlight, ferrying supplies back and forth, and generally making two trips for each intent because I inevitably forgot one thing or another! Thanks for all your good wishes.

dotty seiter: now playing said...

Thanks for the thumbs up, Jen, and, yes, by all means make yourself some customized bookmarks. You will never reget it!

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