Nov 10, 2010

Inspired . . .

This is not polished and I'm not going to share the whole story in this post but wanted to show you some of the work I've been doing for an upcoming project. There are more pieces coming in this series but I may not post them all here.

In January of 2009, still barely learning about collage and how to blog about it, I wrote a post about one of the biggest inspirations I had for turning my life upside down to work on art full time. This was a very important crossroads in my life. I wrote about Mary Haldeman
in the post There's Something About Mary. I had seen her work in the book Artist Trading Card Workshop by Bernie Berlin nearly 18 months before I wrote the post and had searched for more of her work on the internet. She is a semi-private lady and I could not find much out about her. Still, I kept returning to her work over and over. The color and subtlety of her images, among of long list of other things, appealed so deeply to me. When I first wrote about her I was new to collage and hampered by processes and materials. I couldn't make what my mind saw. Though I still struggle with that to some degree, after two years of collecting images and practicing processes I find myself closer to being able to illustrate what her work inspires in my mind's eye.

As fate would have it, after somewhat of a sabbatical, Mary, on her son's urging, googled herself (like we all do from time to time!) and discovered my blog post about her. She reached out and once again my journey was impacted by the generosity of a fellow artist and the serendipity of life. We began emailing each other and learning about each others' journeys and life stories. What an incredible experience to be able to talk with and get to know someone that inspired you so much and in some ways changed your life.

I want to save the rest of the story for an upcoming project. Mary continues to inspire me as a human and an artist and I am so grateful for fate's chance for us to travel part of our journeys together. Parts of the story have confirmed for me yet again that there is a plan for each of our lives and when we are open to it and embrace it, amazing things can happen. When I share the rest of the story I am sure you will be as inspired by Mary as I have been.

For now, you might want to visit her Picture Trail here. The pieces below use papers that Mary shared with me as well. Her papers, a signature part of her work, are luscious sumptuous works of color and texture that truly made all the difference in my exploration of working in her style. Mary is a cut and paste gal (like I am at heart) so it is especially exciting for me to try and work digitally to create my "forgeries" of her work - exploring digital work is important in my work at this point, however temporary it may or may not be. It reflects in these pieces my attempt to borrow Mary's style but make it my own.

Keeper


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/10/10. All rights reserved.
Digital scene. Image credits: inspired by the work of Mary Haldeman and using some of her papers in the crown, body, and background mixed with my own textures, overlays, and images; black and white border from Crowabout Studio B.



Fate


copyright by Marsha Jorgensen 11/4/10. All rights reserved.
Digital scene. Image credits: inspired by the work of Mary Haldeman and using some of her papers in the body and background mixed with my own textures, overlays, and images; keyhole from cemerony.etsy.com; hand and black and white borders from Crowabout Studio B.


In other news - I've been a nurse the last week or so. One "child" is sick and one "child" had his wisdom teeth out. It has been a week of appointments, soup making, sheet changing, med bringing, drug store running, forehead feeling FUN around here. I say "child" but they are 17 and 18 and you'd think by now they could fend for themselves a bit. I swear they are worse now than they were when they were little. Boy child did have a particularly rough wisdom tooth extraction - all four impacted and horizontal and needing bone graphs. Today he woke up and his face is turning green from the bruising. They'll survive if I do!

Working on new collage sheets - something a little different should be ready in the next few days.
Photobucket

20 comments:

Tracey said...

That's such an inspiring post and yet another example of why the internet ROCKS!!!!! Not to mention the affirmation that "googling" one's self is a totally acceptable webby thing to do now a days. :D

Terri Kahrs said...

I can definitely see Mary's influence in these magnificent pieces, Marsha. There are no mistakes in The Universe!!! Hugs, Terri xoxo

The Queens Table said...

Simply love these images! Good vibes to your little big ones!

Brenda Grace said...

These are totally awesome, stunning, amasing, wonderful colours and mesmerising depth! These are a a real digital explosion of your true original style that I love just as much as your hand cut work. I am beginning to warm up to your journey into digitalwith these how exciting. I met and did a workshop with Bernie a few years ago - I can just imagine one with Mary!

Sharon Fraser said...

I check your blog daily Marsha, always thrilled when you post, and recognizing when you don't that you too have a LIFE. Your latest creations are beyond fabulous. I can FEEL the colors. Words fail me. And thank you so much for sharing Mary Haldeman's wonderful Picture trail. You filled my evening with an abundance of inspiration.

Sandy said...

Wow wow wow wow Marsha your work is totally amazing. So wonderful designs. Very inspiring for me.

Have a lovely day. Hugs.

Sueann said...

I love these new pieces. Wow!
And that you could meet and get to know Mary is fabulous!!
It is cool how things in life have a way of working out!!
Hugs
SueAnn

Marit said...

Thanks for the link to Mary - wonderful work! And yours is gorgeous as well!! Good luck with nursering the "almost adult but sick and so still child" ones!

Fiona (anubis 1 ) said...

Fabulous new pieces my friend. How exciting you got to meet your inspirer. There's hope for me yet then!!! I get to talk to you now I just have to wait to meet you as you are my Inpiration he he.

Hugs Fiona

Linda M. Cain said...

Strikingly gorgeous colors...some of my favorite combinations. YOU ROCK!
Kids are always your babies...and they know how to soak up the love.

Linda

BlueRidgeLady said...

Love these pretty new pages! Really enjoyed the story about Mary finding you! Her work is awesome! I laughed so hard when I saw her piece called "I'd Rather Walk". Hope the kids feel better soon. They can be so pitiful when they are sick!! Hugs sweetie, hang in there :D

Lori Saul said...

Brilliant work- definately yours but inspired by Mary Haldeman. Delicious colors and sensitive imagery!

Outstanding Stranger said...

So glad to see you back. Been missing you and your art. Sorry about your Son, I remember my sister had the same extraction at about 15 yrs. of age. Not fun. Love and Hugs, Diane

.Trudi Sissons said...

Heh NO more blogger glitch with the time! I kept checking to see if you posted but my browser would return me to your post toward the end of October - it wasn't until I saw this post in a little window at Tracey's blog that I knew something was amuck!
These are outstanding Marsha and you have a beautiful way of interpreting Mary's papers! Onwards and upwards!

Patti Edmon Artist said...

I have not looked at Mary's page(s) yet but I definitely recognize YOUR style, which is fabulous and amazingly creative.
It is wonderful when synchronicity is at work and we are open to it and reap the benefits... friendships, momentary connections, gifts of the heart...
Oh, when kids are sick, especially boys (even the real tall ones - dh:) they do revert a bit, don't they? ha.

VS said...

Greetings Sweet Marsha...
I hope all is going well in your part of the world!! I want to thank you for your sweetest of comments you left for me, how dear you are.
You would absolutely LOVE the Victorian's in LA, they truly are majestic in their vintage splendor, even the shabby ones shine so brightly. And your right there...I'd love to see your pictures of Angelino Heights. I could never get to much of them!
And thank you about my 30 Truths, it really was an introspective & freeing way to share a little about me with my friends. Their reactions were all so loving & accepting & I did have some controversial thoughts on some subjects! I would love to read your truths & get to know you better! {You could do them in groups of 10 & create a piece of art for each group from one of the thoughts that inspired you the most...how cool! I'm retarded}
Anywho, I just wanted to thank you & let you know you inspire me through your art. Your art speaks volumns to me!
Big Hugs,
Susie

Muckypup said...

Marsha, I do love to visit your blog - your art is so inspiring and it is always gratifying to know that the people you look up to, have in turn people that they they look to for inspiration. Look forward to your new collage sheets!

*jean* said...

these new layers are amazing...the depth of mary's friendship is evident in your beautiful images here...hope all is better with your offspring, mine is home sick and i agree, he is 12 and needs more now than when he was little...but in a good way :o)

Christy Grant said...

Marsha, your post is heart-warming. Mary is one of my dearest friends in the world. We talk nearly every day despite living on opposite coasts. Her work still blows me away even after "knowing" her after seeing her work first (sometimes the magic wears off when you get to know someone).

She's incredibly talented, loving and fun. Her son is equally talented and his style is very different from hers.

I hope that she will soon be creating some more pieces and there will be more to add to her site. I am the proud owner of some truly amazing pieces of hers. You can look at them and get lost in them.

I look forward to reading more of your posts in the future.

Maija said...

I adore Mary, and I love the inspiration you have garnished from her creative genius!!! Well done!!