SINGING WITH A FULL VOICE!

That's the title of my second altered book. It's a very personal book. A strong personal representation of who I am and what I was thinking and feeling in the summer/autumn 2006. This altered book, its title and thematic presentation grew from an antique book that I found in Larry's stash: THE WARRIOR GIRLS.

In this book, I painted on: paper, antique lace, paper towels, antique doilies, photographs and magazine photos and pictures downloaded from the internet. I used plain old craft store acrylics and lovely Jacquard products. Alcohol inks. Water colors. Colored pencils. Fabric. Machine embroidered pieces. Found objects. Beads. Buttons. Fibers. Stamps. Leaves printed on hand-dyed fabric. And, ephemera from my stash. Text and quotes from my collections by favorite authors.

This page celebrates the Triple Moon Goddess: the maiden, the mother and crone.

The completed altered book has been entered into a local art show; I really pushed to meet the deadline. Well, it felt like a push because completion ~~ saying it was complete ~~ was like giving birth: the time had come even tho' I wasn't totally ready. And, even as I submitted the book for the show, I was thinking, "Well, I can make these changes later ~~ when I get it back....." Looking at it today in the show, I couldn't remember what I wanted to change...........

In my haste to get the book into the show, I forgot to take photos for the blog. So today the photos were taken in haste and without only indoor, overhead lighting: some pages and spreads did not make the cut for my blog.

I gessoed on the old record book paper and then painted over it, and over it in many layers to get the kind of texture I wanted.

This spread is actually 4 pages ~~ the two in the center are cut and folded and are doorways into Artemis' Island.

Quite a bit of the focus of my book is "Artemis". Goddess and Protector of Maidens. Of Mother's in Childbirth. Of wildlife. I have had a fascination with Artemis for many years. She is known as the Virgin Goddess but actually that title really referred to her INDEPENDENCE!


I went to Greece just before my fiftieth birthday. Alone. Solitary. Spent 3 weeks in Leros, one of the tiny islands in the Dodocanese (actually closer to Turkey than to Greece. Twelve hours by ferry from Athens.

Leros is known as Artemis' Island.

Some images of Leros today.

Being in Greece was a JOYFUL time.
I felt completely satisfied with myself, in my solitude.
Curious.
Brave.
Daring.
I loved it!

Few English speakers on Leros. Not a popular vacation spot for Americans. Lots of Scandinavians. Germans. So I was nearly totally silent except for the few Greek phrases I learned and the lovely 16 year old Leros girl who loved practicing her English with me.

This spread is based on text about looking at the moon, solitary.....and knowing oneself wholly, in every aspect.


This spread presents a visualization of the question: "how might you have been different if you had" an older woman or women who helped you through you growing up, your growing into adulthood. It comes from a wonderful book by a Jungian (oh, but now I can't think of its title). I used to buy this book in multiples to give away to my women friends. Who then followed my lead and either passed it along or purchased another for other friends.

This is an important message to me/for me: a personal mythology, I suppose.

This is actually the first spread in the book.

Hecate is the image on this page.

The last page in the book; reminiscent of the Venus of Willendorf.
A reminder of how important it is to love our bodies.
Irrespective of what body type is "selling" on
Madison Avenue,
in Vogue,
in Cosmo,
or anywhere.