The Joy of Collaboration

In April 2009, Journeys was created. Destined to be the repository of a dozen artists interpretation of the theme, Journeys was my book for the Altered Book Collaboration 

I began with a spread in honour of my then recently departed sister in law, (you can read about the creation of the book here) and took a deep breath and sent the book  off  on it's very own journey. The collaborators are from Biloela, Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Melbourne, Brisbane, and one travelled the world while involved in this experience! I believe Journeys was worked on in Texas USA at one point! 

Journeys came back home to me in June...A priceless treasure, full of inspiration, dreams, fears, adventures and so much more. It fascinated me how so many of the contributions in some way echoed my original inspiration...the preciousness of family, the sorrow of loss, the confused sense of self that can be experienced at times of change...as well as the joy of finding a life partner and the thrill of discovering new places...I've lost track of the number of times I've picked it up and pored over it - every time I look, I discover some nuance or detail that is new to me.

So, it was with tremendous delight that I recently headed to Brisbane to meet up with my fellow collaborators! Until now, I had only met three of the other artists, and had grown to 'know' the others through their work as each month a new book would arrive to be added to and sent on. Meeting everyone (except Shelly, who was having Thanksgiving in Texas with her new fiance's family) was a wonderful, energising and inspiring experience. We all agreed that being involved in this collaboration had been such a great experience that we all wanted to 'do it again'. So, we headed to "Era" somewhere in South Brisbane...don't ask me where...I was a bit bushwhacked by then!...and proceeded to discuss our plan of attack...

Jen and Peta, with Kristen behind attempted to demonstrate how the next collaboration would move among us...

Nanette and Olley, with Helen in the background explored the nitty gritty...(incidentally, Helen was kind enough to give us a bed in Brisbane - what a treat it was to visit her home! And what a generous woman to open her home to a couple of birds she'd never met!)

Tamara and Kristen listen carefully to Peta (our intrepid co-ordinator). Jen listens carefully, while I'm engrossed in what's being said on the other side of the table.

Our next collaboration is as yet, unnamed, but will involve a twisted version of Chinese Whispers...lots of secret squirrel business, and I suspect plenty of attempts to throw one another off track! Each artist will choose a theme, create a page and send that to the next artist, without disclosing the theme...The next artist is to interpret what they think the theme is, create a page and send that on (minus the original, which will be sent back to the artist who created it)...and so on, we are intrigued to imagine how the last of a dozen works will relate to the first after being through twelve sets of hands and minds!

I headed to Brisbane full of anticipation (and a little bit of nervousness...) I came home feeling that I had met some new, wonderful friends. There were eleven of us, we spent most of the day together, in a seamless, effortless flow of conversation, ideas, and fabulous creative energy. In the course of the collaboration, there were times I was fearful I wasn't up to the task, yet the support and encouragement from this group of people I barely knew at the beginning moved me though, and I'm so grateful to each of them...

If you ever get the chance to be involved in a collaborative effort - I'd encourage you to grab it and go for it....you'll stretch, bend, discover you can do things you may not have believed you could, and I just bet you'll make some fantastic new friends in the process.

Ice Resin Adventures

Finally, the bezel is complete, the collage cut and placed, and, the most exciting part - the resin is poured! It's a little hard for you to see in these photos, but the Ice Resin  used here domes up beautifully, dries crystal clear and is generally just fun, neat stuff! This little tower piece was done as class work from the Of Towers and Turrets workshop, I talked about a month or so ago.

There were a few other bezels hanging around the studio...pendant forms and ring forms, so I figured I'd set up a few pieces to pour while I was mixing the resin and had a batch on the go. I discovered - much to my delight - that Ice Resin is really quite easy to work with, and gives a fabulous finish. I also discovered that it is very effective as the permanent final resting place for wayward bugs! I'll be a little more careful about removing the lamp from over the pieces (a very effective way to eliminate the tiny air bubbles that rise up as it sets) before the evening influx of winged creatures that seems inevitable in this neck of the woods! Not to mention, be a little quicker to carefully place the upturned plastic container to protect the resin filled pieces from said insects, dust and the inquisitive fingers of grown men who seem unable to resist touching!

An accidental discovery was that the resin renders the paper from old books quite translucent, so where I added the word 'searching' it seems more part of the piece than it would have if I'd coated it with some gel medium before pouring the resin, which is what was done with the collage papers, so as not to let the ink run and get all muddied up and sad. What a happy discovery!

I think my favourite is "Searching" with that eye peering out at you, which is in fact a detail of work in one of the Altered Book Collaboration books, titled "While You Were Sleeping". Which is your favourite?

1000 Journal Project

Today's photo is part of the Altered Book Page I did for Peta as part of our Altered Book Collaboration. I loved being involved in the collaboration - really enjoying the journalling nature of it all.

My parents recently loaned me a DVD they thought I might enjoy called 1000 Journals. They were right! I found it quite fascinating. Some of you may have heard or read about this project - a gentleman, going by the name of 'Someguy', created 1,000 blank journals and set about sending them out into the world, with their individual number recorded inside along with the website details to visit and 'report' on the journals location and progress. The idea is for the journals to be worked in by a variety of people and his wish is that at least some of them might find their way back to him when they are full. According to the documentary, he has had four returned and is working on getting them exhibited somewhere - no small undertaking considering there are 1,000 in the 'collection' and he has no notion of the whereabouts of the other 996!

First and foremost , it is a quite fascinating glimpse into human nature...the generosity of some, the selfishness of others, the ego and, sadly, even the cruelty that we humans can be capable of.

Some people drew, some painted, some pasted in bits of ephemera, others wrote...a fascinating range of styles, techniques, themes and ideas appear through out the story.

Here is what the website has to tell us about the Project:

About The 1000 Journals Project

The 1000 Journals Project is an ongoing collaborative experiment attempting to follow 1000 journals throughout their travels. The goal is to provide a method for interaction and shared creativity among friends and strangers.
How it Works:
Those who find the journals add something to them. A story, drawing, photograph, anything really. Then they pass the journal along, to a friend or stranger, and the adventure continues.
Unfortunately, you've got a better chance of winning the lottery, then of getting a hold of a journal. That's the problem when there are only 1000 of them. Now, you're best bet is to check out 1001 Journals where you can sign up for a journal, or launch your own traveling, location, or personal journals.

I enjoyed our collaboration so much, and a large part of that was that each month, I met a new collaborator on the pages of the book in my hands, and over time, came to know each artist better and better by seeing more of their work with each book. I wonder what it would be like to be involved in a collaboration where you might never see the finished product, or get to know any of your fellow contributors? I'm curious....curious enough? I haven't decided yet. What about you?

More from the Altered Book Collaboration - "While You Were Sleeping"

The Altered Book Collaboration is rolling along - in fact there's only one more to work on before "Journeys" comes home!



This fun one is titled "While You Were Sleeping" and belongs to Jacqueline Ware. Lots of fun to work in, but, as always, my initial feeling after drinking in the wonderful work already done by the other artists in the collaboration was one of overwhelm and under confidence! Does this happen to you too? That moment of panic that I'm not really any good at this? Fortunately, we learn to push past that (at least I hope I'm not alone in this, and when I say we there is in fact company with me here!) and just lay down some paint and get going...once it's started, those gremlins seem to slip away to terrorise some other poor doubting soul!



There are lots of layers of translucent paint, and old text and tissue here, topped with collaged papers, some stamping and handwriting. I was hoping to capture that dream state...where things seem real, but bizarre. The most memorable of these is the organ grinders monkey complete with little red felt hat and machine guns in the lush gardens of a tropical resort! (Our breakfast table is frequently the scene of recounted dreams - mostly mine - with my family shaking their heads at the garbage my subconscious is capable of producing!)



The next book due in my mailbox is Fractured Fairytales and is the baby of Tamara Allen. Apparently quite a small format, which will be quite different to work in. That will be the last before my own book comes home to me, after being in the talented hands of eleven artists over the past year. For a look at some more of the titles in the collaboration, have a look at the Altered Book Collaboration blog, and be inspired to get involved in a collaboration of your own. You're guaranteed to discover you can achieve things you didn't know you could do, and try things you may never had tried - it's a wonderful way to stretch and learn!

Altered Book Collaboration

The studio has been a bit quiet over Christmas and New Year, but it's time to get back in the groove and down to business! Along with a bundle of plastic bag beads; this book - belonging to Olga Bath, from Biloela, has been the first order of business...

"Who Am I?...I Am Who?" is the title, it's developing into a most interesting collection of visual biographies.

My pages are painted, handwritten, stamped, drawn on, collaged on, and I had a great time creating the little doorways (some silk paper there...)

The writing includes all kind of strange details about "Who Am I?"...I noticed that in different places I love the smell of rain, the sound of rain on a tin roof, and the feel of rain on my skin! I had to stop and wonder if I'd chosen the best possible place I could live?! It really doesn't rain much here! But, perhaps that's why I appreciate it with all my senses so greatly!

I found it a very interesting piece to work on - I have never met almost all the other artists in this collaboration (though I am coming to know them through cyber space) and contemplating how to answer the question Who Am I, makes one realise what complex and curious creatures we are (or at least I am!!)

Try it for yourself sometime...a blank sheet of paper, some magazine pictures, maybe a photo of yourself - or try collaging your face from an assortment of images that mean something to you - maybe write your answers to the question...I can almost guarantee you'll have a little moment of self discovery!

Thanks Olga - for an opportunity (and valid excuse!) to spend a couple of days totally immersed in myself. Now that doesn't happen very often!