Collage... I actually dream of doing it in my sleep!

I was collaging before Venice this year but now it has really entered my bloodstream. 

I cut and paste this priceless advice on collage process from painter and collagist 

Harry Stooshinoff 

Harry Stooshinoff

"How to make a collage....
-dig around for a piece of painted paper, but don't dig too long or you'll drive yourself crazy
-cut or tear the paper.....put big pieces down first....the first 2 pieces cover the whole image size
-paint on the glue, apply immediately to the surface, place typing paper on top and rub, quickly turn typing paper over and rub again, so that you rub out any glue that squeezed out....don't let your hand touch the collage....much
-put your hand in the water bucket every so often, and dry off with gnarly old towel (old is good!), so that you don't stick to your coffee cup
-proceed until you are happy with your collage.....and always be happy.
-stare at your finished collage until you suck the life out of it....at this point you have to make something else....and repeat, forever.
-save the bigger pieces of cut up leftover collage paper, but the smaller pieces have to go in the garbage.....or you will surely drive yourself crazy! (but those smaller leftover pieces also look soooo nice....)
-always clean up after every session (things can get very STRANGE very quickly)."

Above are four of my own collages created pre Venice. 

The last two titled 'Starling City 1 and 2 ' were done in New York city in 2012

Advice for the artist regarding awkward remarks and questions directed at her and/or her work

"Here’s a little exercise for one of those rainy days, or nights when you're not painting.

• Think about all the questions you have been asked about your work and write them down somewhere safe where you can come back to them.
• Under each question write down your normal answer.
• Then think about it for a while and see if you can create a better response that will have a more positive impact on the person asking the question.
• Once you have developed your answers, learn them, store them in your head and use them.
• Revisit the list when you need to add more questions and answers and to revise the ones you already have."

This is copied and pasted from Art House Reproductions web page. Good Advice and timely!

This is a piece (one of 20) I created last week using an oil stick plate, 

a pencil, a live model (Fara) and rice paper

Studio sale and other sales

I have had a wonderful success with my end of year studio sale...have sold 20 pieces of work! There is nothing quite like the feeling of exchanging my work for dollars! People can say how much they love it etc..but when they actually give me the heads up by buying it that's when I know for sure that it is indeed loved...
Even though I am overjoyed at the success (as i had previously to this only sold a handful of drawings this year)  I still take casual flippant remarks about the work or the price to heart. Does any one else suffer from this affliction?

Anyway...on a more interesting note I am suddenly selling items on Red Bubble...cards, prints,
travel mugs, cushions and iphone cases
This exact item has sold 7 times across the globe
I have 1,902 images on RB (I know...way too many) so I am thinking maybe this is on another blog or somewhere. I find it quite remarkable.
BTW The image above is made by painting gold acrylic paint on a paint swatch from Bunnings.

This is the latest work bought. It is going to Katoomba. It is called 'Two Horses in a DreamScape' it is made of glue stick glue and pigment on tea stained Arches paper 300gsm A4 size.
Thanks for reading and

Merry Christmas!