Art Seen on Main Street

Debbie Clarke's leaf work drawings quietly speak for themselves.

the reflection is so strong.  the visual distortions interest me.

best,

deb clarke

foil works on stretchers copyright clarke 2011 gloucester ma

Building the Empire Show: sneak peek 7

Transferring Hokkusai 'The  Great Wave".  4 panels complete.  Brother Mike notes the images get very dimensional when the voided space of the 8x8" stretchers is considered during the re-construction.  

copyright debbie clarke 2011

gloucester ma

vinyl transfer, packing tape, aluminum leaf, Kanku dye (non-edible, not for human consumption)

Transferring the Hokkusai

Hokkusai "The Great Wave"  from the 36 views of Mount Fuji.  This image was on my shower curtain.  A few weeks ago I started to 'see things' in the shower curtain.  What I was seeing was the slow dissolution of the vinyl print dripping down the plastic curtain.  It was not The Virgin Mary.  It was not the face of Jesus.  I replaced the shower curtain with a light green leaf printed affair.  the price was right $4 from Bananas.  long/short on the way to becoming a drop cloth I experiemented with lifting the print with clear packing tape.  yes, success.  below is an image of the work table with the transfer in process.  i will use it up, print, plastic, tape and all.  8x8" on stretchers.

best to all,
deb

Easter doings, and Building the Empire Show sneek peek 5

 white eggs dyed orange by putting onion skins and vinegar in the water bath

 this face emerged in the palette knife scraping

 packing tape with paper transfer

 epson print transfer with palette knife scraping 

 palimpsest with aluminum leaf, chalk transfer and kodak laminate

the palimpsest described above with brighter light

highlights from the work last week.  the palimpsest completed yesterday morning.  boiled the eggs yesterday, recipe courtesy of my good friend June, with a nod to her childhood memories. started cooking yesterday am, didn't stop until 6 or so.  hightlights of the efforts:  2 quiche lorraine, 2 sweet potato pies, one roast beef, scalloped potatoes, asparagus and...

Hey EB!  I have your D&G Sunglasses! 

best,

deb.

Building the Empire Show: sneak peek 4

putting in my time.  have lost count of work.  wanted to share the work with you under the moment-to-moment light changes.  very plastic.  very bright.  panels to live with and dream into.  the work table is manageable, still can't find the new deck of charcoal.  running out of aluminum leaf.  running out of stretchers.  2 books of genuine silver leaf.  lots of combination leaf, but want to stay away from gold for a bit.  palmisest in process on the shelf.

what do you see when you peek into these works?

best,

deb

ps:  just found 2 fresh rolls of packing tape: 3,871.8".  maybe i'll build some work without stretchers.

Beginning: marble dust monoprint

the things i do for art.  can you see the print on the tape?  starting a new work 10x10".

best,

deb.

Building the Empire Show: sneak peek

#24 in progress.  idea for palimpsest in wax on shelf.

Debbie Clarke

The Empire Show

June 2011

Gloucester MA

artists, followers, friends:  do you share your works in progress on-line?  or do you only share completed work?  pros/cons.   

Debbie Clarke June 2011

Building an Empire Show!

Debbie Clarke

June 2011

Gloucester MA

location:  Public 

The box contains 18 completed packing tape and leaf works.  There are enough stretchers to complete 12 more (2down/1 in process).  This is the work that represents my 'winter' work cycle; which is, usually, spent working with paper, wax, gild.  This year packing tape is the newest material to enter the mix.  

This work is rarely shown as it is experimental, the place of dreams, usually on the studio wall until packed away.  This will be a rare light in Gloucester with a glimpse into my winter world where I demand more and more of my materials.  It is challenging to not work with a figurative intent.   When a figure appears, it comes out of the process, as oppossed to imposed upon the surface.

When this cycle is completed I will set up the outside oil studio and continue the black foil series with a focus on the palimpsest.

best,

deb

New works on blue backdrop

some new work with multiple exposures.  some of these really show off the beauty of the material:  kodak laminate, packing tape, egg tempera, sharpie, dry pigment, china marker, aluminum leaf, etc.

really liking the blue backdrop.  it shines through the transclucent mylar. these constructed drawings are 8x8". 

click the image for detail.

best,

deb

I’m into adhesives.

5x5inch mixed media constructed drawing.  

packing tape, gold powder, aluminum leaf, kodak holographic laminate, egg tempera, charcoal.

copyright clarke 2011, gloucester ma

the detail is awesome.  very difficult work to photo, this is a scan.

best,

deb.