Liberate Your Art 2016

I'm not sure what gave me the courage to put my name down to join in with the Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap project.  But in true Deb tradition, the minute I'd entered my details I had a 'what on earth was I thinking?' moment. The final blog post from Kat Sloma about the swap can be seen here. Just check out some of the amazing postcards that people sent around the world.

But that's the end of the project, let's rewind and remember the beginning - I read and re read the instructions and with the thought that art can take many forms, not just paints and canvases I went ahead and had some postcards made with a few images of quilting that I had done and photos I had taken.  They were written on, packaged up and sent on their way to Kat to be forwarded on to other participants.

 

The date for the exchange came and I impatiently waited for the cards that would be sent to me from 5 other artists.  Look at the lovely cards I received:

from Krisha in Southern California.  This is a page from one of her art journals, and created with just a pallet knife.  Isn't she clever?  The writing says 'She sent her heart afloat before it could be broken'.

 

From Janice Darby in California.  'Until you spread your wings you will have no idea how far you can fly' is the quote on the front.  Such beautiful details in her artwork, my photo does not do it justice!

 

'Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul' - John Muir.  This is the quote Sarah Calhoun in Georgia added to the reverse of her card.  This photo was taken in Cloudland Canyon State Park and is quite amazing.  I would never have guessed it was a photo, the techniques she has used are brilliant.

This rather regal lady is the artwork of Janet Reid.  She has added the quote 'Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life' - Pablo Picasso.  I tried to find something with similar colours to add as a 'prop' to my photo and liked the way the colour of the Chambord matched the majestic purple and the crown on the label echoes that in the picture.

Now, art can take many forms and Dona Hyll is a member of a band called Vatra Ziva from Columbus, Ohio.  She added the quote 'A painter paints pictures on canvas, but musicians paint their pictures on silence' - Leopold Stokowski.

I just have one more that I am waiting for, the one from Kat herself. 

It's been such a lovely project to be part of, and I apologise now to the recipients of my cards for they have no clever or thought provoking quote included on them.  I just added a short personal message but I will know better for next time.  For there will be a next time - I have really enjoyed waiting to see what beauties will be waiting for me on my door mat when I get home from work.  Happy mail really is the best!  Technology is great and it is such a quick and easy way to communicate but there is something about receiving something in the post that you can touch, look at and admire.

 

Huge thanks go out to Kat for organising this; I can't begin to imagine the logistics of how she does it, for although all the cards I received were from USA participants, people took part from all over the world.  175 people took part from 12 different countries!  Kat made it so easy to join in, even from overseas, and the instructions were clear and easy to follow.  Did you take part this year?  I think that every one of the people who comment on my blog are artists in so many different ways whether it be scrapbooking, card making, painting, sewing, knitting, crocheting ... the list of ways you can create art is long.  I've really enjoyed checking out the blogs and etsy shops of those people who sent me their details and it's been fun spreading my wings and finding new blogs to check out.  Come and join me next year - I'll let you know when the sign up begins!