University Exhibition piece done and special Awards!

Well, many of you know I have been sweatin' an Alumni Exhibition I have coming up at the University of South Dakota where I graduated with my BFA over 20 years ago. Collage was kind of a dirty word back then and I was a Graphic Design major and worked in an entirely different medium back then. (well, not entirely different) Anyway, some of my professors are still there as well as the Dean, who I knew well. There could never be a more intimidating audience than one's previous professors. So, after excepting the invitation and after kicking myself daily, I finally finished a piece for the event that has been swimming around in my head. Suzee Que of flickr gave me the images that I found last night - they sealed the deal and made it all come together. I took great care with this collage. It is almost entirely hand cut and colored to some degree. The only really digital piece is the background background (not the buildings or borders or trims). But all the borders and the flooring, shoes, buildings, crown, fish, face and body were hand cut and edged or enhanced or recolored with ink and pastel. The face and body were printed in black and white and completely recolored down to the iris of the eyes. Because there is so much skin showing, it took several attempts to get the skin color even without streaks and the right soft shade. (she often ended up looking sunburned) It was a grueling workout on my patience! This is a larger piece for me, an 8 x 10. But it's done! yay, yay, yay!

Lady Fish


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 8/13/09. All rights reserved. You may NOT copy, download, or use this image in any way without my permission.
This is an 8 x 10 collage using a face and separate body from flickr's Suzee Que, wings from itkupilli.etsy.com, a crown from the Library of Congress, a fish from keeperofthenest.etsy.com, shoes from a magazine picture, flooring from flickr's 'Playingwithbrushes', buildings from the Library of Congress, black and white checked pieces from flickr's Nancy Baumiller (pieced together to form a frame), additional borders from flickr's wackystuff and designer Sande Krieger, and a main background from flickr's JoesSistah. All but the background were reprinted, hand cut with scissors, edged with ink, shaded with pastel and many were completely recolored with ink and pastel.

(close up view)


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 8/13/09. All rights reserved. You may NOT copy, download, or use this image in any way without my permission.

Awards
I need to pass on some lovely awards I got from Nancy Lefko. I think about them everyday since she gave them to me. Thank you, Nancy! For awhile, I haven't been passing on awards because it is so hard to choose just 5 or so out of so many truly lovely blogs I love to visit. So, I've slacked. Tonight, with Nancy's very special awards I thought I should take a minute to share some of my most favorite blogs. They're all favorite for different reasons - some I can explain and some I can't. Obviously, I'm leaving out 120 or so of the blogs I have in my links to the right and they're all linked for a reason - I love them and they're all my favorites! But, I will choose a few as a thank you for the inspiration or encouragement or generosity these folks have shown me and I am sure many others.



Bella Sinclair Award for Art Inspiration, Friendship, Sisterhood, Sharing, and Caring

This one I am passing on to these blogs for just those reasons . . .

Pringle Hill Studio
What's Up Roc
Broken Heart Art
Crowabout
Yoborobo





I love your blog
This one I am passing on to these blogs because I love them . . . (but I could give this one to everyone in my links list -aargh!)

Reflections of a Ramblin' Gal
The Kathryn Wheel
Arty Lovely (a brand new blog, you just have to see grow!)
Alice in Paris Loves Tea and Art
Blueridge Lady




The Superior Scribbler Award
This one has a link to read, a list to add your name to, and some rules to follow. You can find all of that in the info below the blogs I am sending this to . . .

Julie Haymaker Thompson
Queen of Arts
Lilylovekin Tails
Linda Crispell
Sophism Press

Here's the rules for this one . . . it's worth the time, you'll see . . .
Each Superior Scribbler must, in turn, pass the award on to 5 most-deserving blog buddies.Each Superior Scribbler must link to the person from whom he/she has received the award.
Each Superior Scribbler must display the award on his/her blog, and link to this post, which explains the award.
Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List at the Scholastic-Scribe's blog.
Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

Zazzle Store Update
I am still working on my Zazzle store. I only have 3 things in it so far. When I get it pretty well stocked, I'll let you know! (If you're a Zazzler, you might want to read the two posts below)