Blog

Bobbi’s Romantic Floral Mosaic Table

Mosaic Student Bobbi's table, summerhouseart.com

In my mosaic classes I teach Pique Assiette Mosaic, which is a type of mosaic made from broken dishes. This romantic floral table is the creation of my latest mosaic student, Bobbi. Most of the dishes were found in the “Shopping Class” where we poke through thrift shops looking for good dishes to break. By the second class we had a good start on a design. But before the 3rd Class, Bobbi had discovered while out shopping, a lovely little plate with a floral design that just begged to be featured as a focal point in the center of the table. The only problem was, she needed something to outline that focal point to set it off. A rummage through my stash of dish fragments presented a perfect dish, a pale green dish with embossed flowers, that I’d forgotten I even had! Continue reading “Bobbi’s Romantic Floral Mosaic Table”

Share

“Migration” a new Paper collage

"Migration" paper collage, Helen Bushell, summerhouseart.com

Will often helps me come up with titles for work. To him, it felt like the red pieces were moving or migrating, even.  Hence, the title.  I’m playing with creating framing within the composition.  And I’ve been saving the little blue crosses on my correspondence from Blue Cross and like them much better as little blue X’s. Sort of X marks the spot.

Share

“Sidecar”, new Paper Collage

"Sidecar", paper collage, Helen Bushell, summerhouseart.com

This is a 6in Square paper collage, again using double sided adhesive.  All the papers are created or found.  The speckle is a favourite, the security inside of envelopes in the post.  And that little orange bit in the middle, that is actually a series of numbers with the edges muddied in photoshop and then colored.  Most of the colors come courtesy of junk mail, proving again that artists see a use in junk.  I’m quite happy with the over-the-top color.

Share

Paper Collage, “Contained Action”

" paper collage, Helen Bushell, summerhouseart.com

We’re starting 2018 with a bit of change, a new blog design.  Nice and fresh and colorful.  Each time you open our blog you will see something new. And we’re hoping to feature more of our artwork, but maybe just a bit at a time.   This latest paper collage done with double sided adhesive is called “Contained Action” since it seemed to me to be flying bits flying around in a box of sorts.   I’ve been having a bit of fun doing these,  not only creating the collages but also creating the paper surfaces.   Each of these little collages is about 6 inches square.  So it’s tiny, but action packed. lol

Continue reading “Paper Collage, “Contained Action””
Share

Another little paper Collage

"Beachy" paper collage by Helen Bushell, summerhouseart.com

It’s been a very busy couple of months ending 2017.  But I’m hoping to post more of our work this year starting with this little collage done with double sided adhesive.  This one I call Beachy.  Sort of has that feel of ocean for me.The size is quite small, about 6 inches by 6 inches  (15 cm x 15 cm),  but they seem to take quite a while to create.  So many possibilities.

Continue reading “Another little paper Collage”
Share

My Studio Caught in Reflection

Studio Reflection, summerhouseart.com

I was going to post a few more of my collages today, but got fed up with Photoshop and decided to share a little view of my studio instead.  We love shopping at Thrift stores and garage sales mostly because we like to be thrifty, but also because you find such unique things.  You wouldn’t find this convex mirror at any department store, would you?  Continue reading “My Studio Caught in Reflection”

Share

Paper Collage Using Double Sided Adhesive

Collage on Studio table, Helen Bushell, Summerhouse Art

A while ago, in another post on collage, I said that artists aren’t hoarders, we’re just collectors with a plan. Not all the paper that comes into our home leaves by way of the paper recycling bag. Paper is, after all, for collage artists, a valuable resource. So I use old envelopes to create paint patterns on and even save envelopes with that lovely security pattern on the inside, as a rather tasty texture to use in collage. Anything out of the printer is saved as well for its textural value.

Continue reading “Paper Collage Using Double Sided Adhesive”
Share

A Foray into Fabric Design

A while ago I created a mosaic from broken dishes, in a few of my favourite colours and patterns, all the pieces were Triangles.

Mosaic in Broken Dishes, Helen Bushell, summerhouseart.com

Now we are a couple who do NOT just sit around doing only things we already know how to do.  Oh no!  We sit around in front of youtube and watch tutorials on things like creating seamless patterns for fabric design.  And eventually we’ll manage to make a lot of designs, because it’s kind of fun.  Zazzle, which is a great Print on Demand company, happen to have fabric by the yard in Print on Demand.

So, after much work and learning, we created a seamless pattern based on the above mosaic.  We are rather pleased with the result. We called it Triangle Treat.  We’re offering it by the yard, in Combed Cotton, and you can also order Swatches and Fat Quarters of it for the Quilters.

Triangle Treat fabric, close up, Zazzle, Summerhouse Art
Triangle Treat fabric, close up, Zazzle, Summerhouse Art

Triangle Treat Fabric, on Zazzle, SummerhouseArt

BTW, it’s really worth it to check out Zazzle and get on their email list because they are constantly having sales. Check out a little sample of what we have on Zazzle in our Zazzle shop page, where you can click directly to the shop itself.

Save

Save

Save

Share