"Bel Isle Designs" on Etsy became a reality on June 18, 2010 - I knew very little about this community art and craft site site, but my own "shop" now has a small collection of my collage art that's been a long time coming. Six years ago I made a transition from 35 years of teaching art and technology to at-risk high school students in a special public school to teaching in the Computer Science Department at Trinity University in San Antonio. To say I was out of my depth is putting it mildly - every second of spare time went toward staying one step ahead of the students. There was no time for art, and I missed it, although I loved my new career and my delightful, super-smart students and colleagues.
After some personal challenges over the past two years, however, I knew that I had to get back to the studio for my own soul-health and happiness. I've always been a collage artist (you can see my large origami constructions and graphic designs on my personal website), but now I've combined my love of technology with the love of art and I'm designing and constructing hand-made covers for iPads and e-readers which can also be used for paper journal notebooks.
It is so much fun! These smaller pieces are allowing me to get back into the creativity I love without the added dimension of galleries, agents and all those things that I used to deal with. That may again be in the future, but right now, the journal covers and the associated collage cards that seemed begging to be created are making life pretty joyous.
I've called this blog "My Mythologie" because it combines connections with art past and present and with stories and personal creativity. Everyone has a personal myth that explains the influences that helped them become what they have been and are becoming.
These posts will deal mostly with process, technique and content as I get back into the studio to discover new techniques and practice old ones. I'm looking forward to adding another layer to my own mythologie.
You can see my Etsy Art Shop, Bel Isle Designs, at www.etsy.com/shop/belisledesigns
What I'm reading right now:
A Deeper Blue -
The Life and Music of Townes Van Zandt by Robert Earl Hardy
My favorite author of all time:
Rick Riordan, my son and often my role model :)
