Portlandia: Put A Bird On It
When I saw saw this clip, I just knew that I had to share it with you all. Over and over again, birds pop up on the collage and mixed-media art submissions that we receive. Occasionally we’ll get a letter to the editor that asks us why we use so many birds.
Because our art is submitted by you, the reader, we assume that you keep sending in birds because you like to see them in your art. So, while we’re always looking for new icons in mixed-media art and collage, we know that we’ll keep seeing birds as long as they continue to be a perennial fave.
…as long as we don’t take it too far (like in this clip, above).
Facebook.com/ClothPaperScissorsMAG friends share their art with a “bird on it.”
Want to see how much our readers like birds? Take a look at this clip we put together with our Facebook friends’ art! You’ll see tags, collages, prints, journal pages, watercolors, stencils, and lots more.
I originally thought that I’d get 9 or 10 pieces and would have plopped them into a blog—but no. Once again, you all blew me away with your creativeness and sense of community. You make it fun to come to work every day!
Do you have art in your studio with “a bird on it”? If you’re not a bird fan, do you have an image or icon that turns up repeatedly in your art? Why do you think that is? What do you think will take the place of birds as the next “in” icon? Or, do you think that birds are here to stay?
In our house, birds aren’t just a passing fancy. My daughter Becky (pictured here) has discovered a love for birds of all types (but especially Saw Whet Owls and Song Birds) after being introduced to bird banding with her Big Sister. We both create art occasionally that features birds. Becky also uses spaceships, hamburgers, and dogs, while I lean more toward symbols of home like houses, forks, hearts, and maps (both found and abstract).
No matter what icons you see represented in the art we feature in Cloth Paper Scissors, we know that you can find a way to take each project and make it your own, with your own favorite symbol or meaningful image. We look forward to your submissions and your letters to the editor, and we enjoy the discussion.
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BONUS! a last-minute entry by Crystal Neubauer that didn’t make it into the movie. These are a grouping of monoprint encaustic pieces from her “For the Birds” series. Don’t you want her to show us how she made these? |
Keep sending us your ideas, and let us know what your new favorite icon or image is in our comment section below! And a special thanks to all of you who sent in your art for this fun project. I hope you’ll share the link to this blog with your mixed-media luvin’ friends, too!
Cheers,
UPDATE! : An alert blog reader just pointed out that I should put in a shameless plug for this new fantabulous book by Abigail Patner Glassenberg. Seeing as I LOVE the book, I thought it was a good idea! Check it out—you could even paint a bird on the bird!