Virtual Tart Graffiti Exhibition

I’ve long been fascinated by Graffiti. For me, good (real) graffiti is equal parts art, soul and rebellion. It speaks to the viewer.Unlike art kept under covers and behind frames with signs that say ‘please don’t touch’ it has a life cycle. It interacts with both man and nature.

My original graffiti pages. These were cut up to become the graffiti boards being exhibited on the Virtual Tart website this month.

Sometimes it’s face is changed by social intervention and the process of life and death are quick. On others mother nature adds her touches, changes colours, washes pieces away, continuous evolution causing the piece to change in relationship to time and climate. Like all good stories there is a start and an end.

 I invite you to be part of that.

A collage of images from my exhibition. Visit the Virtual Tart site to see each image in closer detail. All works are for sale. Email me for more information. To view another series of collages completed by me click here!

Graffiti Exhibition.

Remember these book covers? I mentioned a while ago that I was going to use them as collage boards.

This book covers and I have been on quite a journey. Having a project has been so good for helping me to over come my depression. I missed the deadline for the international signature exchange due to it and the fact that I had made graffiti collage signatures that now had no purpose became depressing too!

But I got over it! One day I picked up a craft knife and cut those signatures to pieces. There was no turning back after that!  I cut out interesting pieces of the collages and re-assembled them into new collages. Instead of graffiti pages they became graffiti boards instead. I thought the boards would be my contribution to the 2012 International Collage Exchange....but guess what?

"D" was still my companion and I missed the deadline for that too! I made 6 boards in one almost manic session and couldn't bring myself to make the other 7 I needed in time. I hit the deadline with only 8 done. Depressing!

All was not lost. Just recently I had an unexpected opportunity to do my first ever solo exhibition at short notice. Lucky for me I knew just what to submit! My exhibition will be on the virtual tart website through out May. Please drop by and check it out! I am pretty excited about my accidental opportunity.

Is it just me or do these boards look wonderful just like this?

One of the original signatures, sorry for the shoddy photo. If I still had the collage I would re-photograph it but it was cut up with all the others. I really recommend cutting up homeless works, it's so much better than having them collect dust and reminding you that you failed to meet a deadline...it's a bit like having the last word, there's something satisfying about that!

Map pieces for me represent the community. Recycled papers, walnut dye, thread, indian ink...

Below: One of my collages for the exhibition. It has the remnants of multiple collages with some addition details. This is a particular favorite of mine because it has the look and feel of weather collage. The image is not really of anything but I really like it.

It's titled "Side Street." All of the collages are named after places you typically find graffiti. 

The text says:

I looked for signs and wonders

I have desired fame, riches

In strange webs of fortune caught

Thirsting to be more than mortal

I was even less than clay

If you have an interest in graffiti or guerrilla type art watch this space. A new collaborative project is in the pipelines. It's a little bit DisCo, a little bit Erosion Bundle Project and a little bit like graffiti...

Portrait of the Artist

In December there will be an exhibiton titled "Portrait of the Artist" on the Virtual Tart website. I knew I wanted to enter but I was completely stumped for quite a while on what I would do for my submission. I kept thinking 'self portrait' which is definately not my strong point! As it turned out the answer was right under my nose..or rather right in front of me in my art stash! Some things are just too obvious to see at first:)
Two things lead to me realising what it was I needed to do. One thing was the comments Alicia recieved about her contribution to my Labyrinth book. The pages were so very nest like and everyone kept saying- "That is sooo Lisa!" They were right of course!
The second thing was Seth questions and answers for his artists call out. When I answered them I realised that my art dosn't just reflect what I like, as in birds and nests and recycled things, it also reflects who I am.
I'm so very pleased with this self discovery! (And that's all I am saying about that for now...)

I'm also only revealing a peek of what I have done for Dale's exhibition which opens at the start of December...I'll post the full piece on my blog then.

This piece is due next week, I started 3 nights ago! Talk about cutting it fine!

After I created this I realised that it wasn't actually the first time I have attempted a self portrait in this way...

Self portait in 2008. How things have changed! You can see the original post with  my thoughts and your comments here.