Torn Apart - Ruth Andre

"Torn  Apart"

4"x6" Mixed Media Paper Collage 

by Ruth Andre

With so many active spring days I have been painting and not posting every painting. I finished the Red Painting above titled, "Torn Apart" yesterday. I had been cleaning in my studio when I saw a painting on the wall just begging for attention. I thought it was time to let it go so I tore it in two pieces. I liked the tear and continued to tear the paper and formed a collage. After adding a new layer of paint the work was completed. It was such a fun and a "Letting Go" experience. When I think all is lost it is fun to experiment and see what happens. It has been, "A Painting Day". 

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Moon - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Moon"

4"x4" Hand Painted Papers, Wire, Bead on Panel

by Ruth Andre

$75

The other night after all the house lights had been turned off I walked through the house and the full moon was shining through the back French doors. I could look out to the pasture and see the dark shapes of the horses. The night reminded me of other nights being out with the horses when one was sick and needed to be watched. I did not need a flashlight and could be with the horses without being a total intrusion. The moon collage above is a reminder of these beautiful moon filled nights.

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Feathers - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Feathers"

4"x4" Hand Painted Papers, Bead, Linen on Panel

by Ruth Andre

$75.00 - Summer Sale

Each morning and afternoon the wild turkeys in our neighborhood walk through the horse pasture. There were 11 turkeys this morning. They must sense they are safe here as they browse the ground for bits of hay and grain left by the horses. Our dog, Sadie, pays them no mind and lets them be. I love watching the flock as they position themselves to show who is in charge. The collage today captures the look and colors of wild feathers.

Backyard Vista - Wild Turkeys

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Secret Promise - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Secret Promise"

4"x4" Hand Painted Papers, Linen Thread, Copper Bead on Panel

by Ruth Andre

Summer Sale - SOLD

Today is the beginning of a long Labor Day Holiday. I hope everyone will have a fun and a safe time to  enjoy. I rarely leave the ranch and plan to enjoy the week-end just being at  home. Walking the old road to the creek and watching the wildlife that travels through our small ranch gives me a lot of joy. I talk about the quiet because it is truly very restful here. I have been put on 'Rest" therapy but walking is still something I can do. I did get myself in somewhat of a mess the other day. I went  out to check on my old mare who was down and needed a dose or pain medication. I bent down, forgetting that is a NO-NO and went head over heels and landing on all fours. I hurried away as fast I could thinking the mare might flail her legs and hit me. When My husband found me he was none to happy and gave me a well deserved lecture. Then I thought about the whole mess and started laughing. I was down, the horse was down and neither one of us could get up. I know dark humor sometimes has its place. I had to have help getting up and that made me more than unhappy. Shoot, how did this all happen?  I am healing but my bones have their problems and I need to be careful and mind what I do. If any of you following my blog have osteoporosis I would love to hear what you are doing to make yourself better. I have read and read about medications and therapies and have almost decided nothing works. Any advice would be more than appreciated. By the way Old Mystery took her time but she also got up and started pawing the ground to let us all know she was unhappy and wanted her breakfast of grain and hay. Mystery may just be a little spoiled but at 31 she deserves all the love she can get. Take care.

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Wishing for a Rain Cloud - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

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"Wishing for a Rain Cloud"

4"x4" Painted Handmade Papers, Bead, Wire on Panel

by Ruth Andre

As you know I live in the foothills of northern California. The summers are hot and dry with no or very little rain. This summer we have  not  had a single drop of rain and the fields are heavy with dried almost white grasses. I found myself feeling jealous as I spoke on the phone with a favorite aunt in Kentucky. She said the sky is grey and a big storm is coming. I remember living in the mid-west and feeling the hot temperatures drop when a storm came through. The rain was a blessed event and oh how lovely it was to see the earth soak up the falling water. I found myself wishing for a storm cloud.

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Golden Hills - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Golden Hills"

4"x4" Painted Papers, Embellished Rock, Gold Wire, on Panel

by Ruth Andre

I got to the studio late today. The shadows from the mountains met my view showing the golden hills that surround our small ranch. The grasses are so bleached by the sun they seem to glow. The Summer Sale will go on through September. I will be adding small collage works  here to the "A Painting Day" blog and also to the Daily Painters website. Enjoy the sale by adding a collage work to your art collection.

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Red Door - Summer Sale - Ruth Andre

"Red Door"

4"x4" Hand Painted Papers, Metal Disk, Linen Thread on Panel

by Ruth Andre

$75 - plus shipping

I hit a slump recently and I have been finding it difficult to get myself to walk the short path to the studio. So today I thought I would challenge myself to start a series of small collage works and have them available at a Summer Sale price. The "Red Door" collage is the first of the series. Getting this little one completed got me kicked into gear and I hope to be back into the studio tomorrow so stay tuned.

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Time Travel - Ruth Andre

"Time Travel"

6"x6" Found Papers, Painted Papers, Wire, Bottle Cap and Gold Leaf

by Ruth Andre

$150

This collage may be an entry for a coming Altered Art Show. I have never tried using found objects in a collage so it was interesting working with box paper and an old bottle cap that I found years ago and saved. I would like to compete a couple more altered works to see what finds its way to the finished work. I am enjoying the collage process very much. 

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Gold Fever - Ruth Andre

"Gold Fever"

6"x6" Mixed Media Collage

by Ruth Andre

"Gold Fever" Collage Close-Up

Today's work is a collage with hand painted papers, gold leaf, metal and stone beads plus wire. It has been exciting adding each element to complete the collage I have been told not to bend, lift or twist to help my back heal so I am working setting down and boy is that making things challenging. My distance to see the work in progress is shortened and it feels like a handicap so I have been standing after each paper or new media is added. I also take smart phone photos to give a distant view. I decided to move the composition to a more fluid mood by adding torn gold leaf and wire that floats above the collage piece. Living in Sutter Creek and seeing the remaining old and forgotten mine hoists along with vintage metal and rock buildings is a reminder of the days when gold was found in the creeks and land in the valley. Sometimes men with metal pans are seen at creek side panning for gold even today. They all hope to find their dream, Gold. 

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Following My Path - Ruth Andre

"Following My Path"

6"x6" Painted Papers, Glass Bead, Linen on Panel

by Ruth Andre

On Hold

There are times I look back on my life and think I might have, should have done more to follow my own dreams, my path. Maybe I did and just don't remember events as they were. At the time did I put things on hold?  The passage of time has a way of sheltering our desires and making us think we could have done more. Could I have worked harder? Could I have made more time for just me and what I thought was important? Maybe there were too many important things happening to think just about myself and my own personal goals. I tell myself, now is the time to do all that I can be by being who I want to be and doing what I want to do no matter what people say. It seems there is always someone giving advice filled with suggestions. My advice is to find time for yourself by carving out time to do what gives what is needed to make your life whole. The collage work is very addictive and the process takes time to gather the papers and paint them and then cut them and place them in a pleasing composition but the work is stimulating. 

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Valley Sage - Ruth Andre

"Valley Sage"

8"x8" Painted Papers, Rock, Linen Collage on Panel

by Ruth Andre

Sold

This piece uses purple and pink hand painted papers and a rock found underfoot in the horse pasture. The linen thread wraps and runs free and that is how I feel about living here in the valley. I can wrap my arms around the valley's beauty and still run free on my own land. Observing the land and thinking about its history gives reverence to my daily life. 

Please forgive the wonky photo but it was taken quickly at Jim Ginney's farming studio to share with you before the glass was added. The shadow box frame and matting has given a new dimension to the collage work and given the piece its own space. I left a few more collage works with Jim and is extraordinary assistant, Sarah Murray, for future framing. 

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Heart of the Valley - Ruth Andre

"Heart of the Valley"

8"x7.75" Painted Papers, Rock, Linen on Board

by Ruth Andre

On Hold

I live outside a Gold Rush town called Sutter Creek. The valley was the home for many miners mining for gold. The remnants of the old gold mines still exist as you pass through the country side. In the past Gold was the heart of the valley and then I believe it went back to rivers and creeks that criss cross valley and mountain towns. I like to think the Rancehria Creek that passes through our small ranch is now the heart of my valley. I am a collector of rocks. The rocks don't have to be especially beautiful to catch my eye. Sometimes it is not the color of the rocks but the shapes that I find as I walk with the horses in the pasture. I always need a pocket to tuck away a small treasure. The heart rock in this painting is one found underfoot while brushing the horses. I hope you

 are enjoying these new collage works. 

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Bear Hunter - Ruth Andre

"Bear Hunter"

5"x7" Handprinted Japanese Papers on Board

by Ruth Andre

On Hold

"Bear Hunter"- Bear Fetish

One day our neighbor, Peggy, came to the house and she said she had just seen a bear cross her property following a path next to her home. She first thought it was a man hunched over and then she realized it was indeed a bear. She let it pass but had a good look at the big guy through a window. I have thought of Peggy's story am hopeful if this or another bear pass through I will see him before he sees me. This collage is embellished with an ebony bear fetish that was found on  a trip to Santa Fe. The bead shops in Santa Fe and Taos are quite lovely and once you step in the door there is no leaving without a purchase. I won't say how many beads I brought home but I am happy to report a few of them are finding homes in these new collage pieces. 

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Moonlight - Ruth Andre

"Moonlight"

7"x5" Japanese Papers and Paint on Board

by Ruth Andre

$150 Mounted on Paper  

I can see layering papers to form an art collage can become a true passion. I have had some paper work that needed doing but I could hear the studio calling. Finally after a day away I ventured into my studio and set myself to work. Working with these lovely handmade and painted papers takes me into another zone. I am looking forward to painting some new papers and and exploring new compositions. Enjoy, it has been, "A Painting Day".

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Fish Basket - Ruth Andre

"Fish Basket"

5"x7" Handprinted Handmade Papers on Board

by Ruth Andre

On Hold

Now that I am back to my own studio I have started some new collage pieces feeling very peaceful in the making of them. Setting down and cutting shapes and working with color and the papers is so restful but also exhilarating. I liken the work to be a lot of happy accidents making it a serendipitous art form. I do have a plan of sorts when I start but then I let go and let the papers guide me to find my way. The painting is what I see here at home during mid summer the creek starts to recede and small fish are sometimes spotted in the shallow waters. When I look over to watch the fish they scatter to a sheltered hiding place. I am not sure how many collage pieces I will make or for how long I will be making them but for now they  feel like an extension of my oil and cold wax works. 

It has been, "A Painting Day".

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A New Path - Ruth Andre

"Paths"

5.75"x5.75" Japanese Papers - Paint on Arches Paper

by Ruth Andre

$150 - Mounted on Paper

This past week-end my husband and I drove to Mendocino. California for a workshop with Donna Watson. The workshop was just two days and was titled, "Wabi Sabi and the Spirit of Collage". I know you are most likely saying, WHAT? Collage has interested me for quite some time and  when I found Donna Watson's work on her blog and the information for the coming workshop my path was sealed. I really wanted to go the workshop and learn about collage art.

"Wabi-Wabi represents Japanese aesthetics and a Japanese world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is 'imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete".

The workshop was an unique experience. Handmade Japanese papers were painted on day one of the workshop and then assembled on day two. Donna spoke of her experiences and travels within the Japanese culture. I found the workshop educational and inspiring. The collage above, "Paths" was the first work painted and assembled. I loved working with the Japanese papers and found painting them intriguing. Enjoy! It has been, "A Painting Day"

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