Collage Diva

Chihuly: Glass Ceiling

The ceiling was colored with glass - simply stunning. {click to enlarge}

I had fun watching the people looking at the glass as much as looking at the glass.

The children's enthusiasm was infectious. This girl was pointing out all of the "babies."

Little cherubs floated above our heads.

Along with squid and star fish and glass of ribboned hues and patterns. {click to enlarge}

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The Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass exhibit runs from April 10 - August 7, 2011 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Oh there is more to see! Come back tomorrow!

{Namaste}

Kathryn, Collage Diva

Chihuly: Mille Fiori

Behold this garden of glass. Mille Fiori means 1,000 flowers.

The Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass exhibit runs from April 10 - August 7, 2011 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Join me back here tomorrow for another amazing vista in colored glass. It is truly an odyssey in glass.

{Namaste}

Kathryn, Collage Diva

Chihuly: Ikebana

Today's post features the "Ikebana glass" by Dale Chihuly. My eyes watered throughout the exhibit. I felt such a connection with what I saw. I've only studied Ikebana for two years but long enough to appreciate what Chihuly is doing here. As I walked through the exhibit I fantasized about working with glassblowers and gaffers on designing pieces that would incorporate the traditional Ikebana forms that I've studied.

Each piece had me in awe.

Oh how I was tempted to touch everything! I followed the lines of these pieces with my eyes and even now can almost feel the lines in my hands.

Chihuly is blind in one eye and has an injured shoulder, both from an accident so he no longer blows the glass himself. He does these paintings to explore and convey his creativity that are then interpreted in glass by teams that can be as large as 18 gaffers. I love that each piece is a collaboration.

I am delighted to introduce you to Dale Chihuly through this YouTube video that I found.

The Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass exhibit runs from April 10 - August 7, 2011 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

I have more incredible photos to show you each day this week. Be sure to swing by! You are in for a visual feast tomorrow.

{Namaste}

Kathryn, Collage Diva

Chihuly: Ikebana Boat

The Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass exhibit runs from April 10 - August 7, 2011 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Dale Chihuly has revolutionized the art of blown glass, moving it into the realm of large scale sculpture. This exhibition of new and archival works represents the breadth and scope of the artist's creative vision over the last four decades.

Pictured in this blog post is his "Ikebana Boat." Click photo to enlarge.

While in Finland in 1995, Chihuly wanted to see what would happen if he threw the glass into the river. He found only 1 out of 100 pieces would break. Teenaged boys in wooden boats were on hand to collect the glass from the river. Seeing his glass in the boats inspired this piece.

The individual glass vessels are what Chihuly calls his Ikebana pieces. Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging.

Join me throughout the week as I share more photos from this incredible exhibit.

Namaste,

Kathryn, Collage Diva

It's Time for a Magical Tea Party!

Collage Diva received an invitation to a Mad Hatter Tea Party. She put on her favorite dress and headed

into the Forest of Wishes. Did you know this is where dreams grow?

A storm blew in very quickly. {click to enlarge image}

Collage Diva came upon a house. "Maybe I can find shelter here?" she thought. {click to enlarge image}

Little did Collage Diva know this was no ordinary house. It was a magical house in the forest of wishes.

No one seemed to be home. Collage Diva looked around and noticed a beautiful table with a present and treats. 

The present looked so pretty that Collage Diva couldn't help but to take a closer look.

Much to her surprise the package had a postcard tucked in it addressed to her.

She pulled up a chair to read the card.

The card was addressed, "My dearest younger self."

"Could it really be from my older self?" she thought.

{click on the postcard image to enlarge}

Collage Diva loves to journal, but of course her wiser and older self knew that.

"I just love how this package is wrapped."

Smiling, Collage Diva realized that she would know that too. {wink}

Inside the beautiful package was the "Journey of the Heart" Journal as mentioned in the note.

Collage Diva poured herself a cup of dark hot chocolate...

...and enjoyed eating this decadent dessert as she looked through the journal.

Don't go just yet!

We want you to get your own Journey of the Heart Journal. Here is how!

CLICK HERE to download the first three pages of the journal. (pdf)

Subscribe to the True North Arts/Collage Diva newsletter to get more journal pages for free! That's right, subscribers will get access to a weekly journal page with new artwork, prompts, affirmations, and/or inspirational quotes. You can unsubscribe at any time.

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Thank you all for visiting! Now be sure to visit the other Mad Hatter Tea Parties. Many thanks to our darling hostess, Vanessa. She knows how to throw the most magical parties and has been a HUGE inspiration to me.

{soul hugs}

Kathryn, Collage Diva

Here I am!

Last night I met a friend for dinner. She came bearing gifts. I just love getting prezzies. Tucked in a bag was the journal pictured above and some matching notecards. The words and images are truly perfect. I shared with my friend the details of the shocking news that I received last weekend and where I'm at with it. As hard as this news was to hear, it has helped me to make the last break out of my cocoon. There is a loss of that child-like innocence and I'm claiming my womanhood. Finally I am free. Free from the judgements of two very critical judges. For you see, I am now my own person no longer pushed or motivated for approval. I have arrived. Here I am!

I'm grateful that I took the steps in earnest last November to begin this process. I know that I will always be evolving and growing, but today I can say that I've reached a very new place in my life and I'm excited to see where the adventure will take me.

Don't forget to join me tomorrow for the Mad Hatter Tea party. Come back to my blog and I'll tell you a story. I also have a little gift for you too!

Until then,

Namaste,

Kathryn, Collage Diva

Ikebana - Beauty in the Broken

This is one amazing ikebana arrangement made by a fellow student at Ikebana Flower in Nashua. The vase had mysteriously split in half one day. It was a clean cut, like it had a stress fissure and it was a matter of time when it would break. The two pieces were used in this arrangement and provided a unique look at how something broken can hold so much beauty.

I apologize up front for my poor quality photos. It was crowded at the student show and I rushed to snap shots of the arrangement. From this angle you can see the beautiful lines and movement.

I adore calla lilies and these orange ones are magnificent. The callas look like trumpets heralding good news.

If you've been following my blog, you read this week that I received some upsetting news. I felt broken much like this vase with a quick clean and unexpected cut. Looking at Shari's arrangement, I can see how beautiful even something broken can be. It may take rearranging the pieces a bit, but there is always a place for love, light, and beauty.

Namaste,

Kathryn, Collage Diva

Do this in memory of me.

I love it when Collage Diva can make an appearance at the day job. Each year for three years now, I've had the priviledge of designing the Religious Education Month poster that is circulated to Catholic parishes and schools in 12 diocese throughout New England. Each November parishes and schools are invited to hang the posters and plan activities that celebrate religious education. I collaborate with our Director for Catechetical Formation (now isn't that a mouth full) on designing lesson plans that tie in with the theme of the poster. The lessons are not just parishes and schools. Families are also encouraged to do the activities at home.

Design notes: The colorful papers on the left are photocopies of scripture and music that relates to the theme. The photocopies were then covered with doodles and paint, before tearing and scanning. Pieces of wheat were scanned and then altered using Adobe Photoshop. For a closer look at the design click on the image. Click a second time and you can enlarge the image to see even more detail.

The theme for the poster ties in with the theme for Catechectical Sunday which is celebrated in September throughout the United States.

Today's post is a sneak peek at the poster design. I just sent the file to the printers. I can't wait to see the final printed piece which measures 16" x 24". I'm so delighted that my artwork will be circulating around all of New England come November.

Enjoy the preview!

Kathryn, Collage Diva

Keeping an Open Heart

Running, retreating, hiding...these are all my knee jerk reactions when faced with a difficult situation. I guess it is that "flight" response. My word for 2011 is "love" and I'm keeping this watchword close to the vest these days. This time, rather than running and hiding, I'm pausing.

And, I'm keeping my heart open.

{soul hugs}

Kathryn, Collage Diva

Sailing Lessons

I received some disturbing news last night. It is the kind of news that challenges everything one has known. I can't share any details, it is just too personal, but what I can share is that it is about a trust that was broken and a boundary that was violated. My heart swelled last night so big and torrents of tears rocked my body. I managed to get some sleep thanks in large part from a phone call from a dear friend who has known me for a long time.

This morning I woke up and thought about how life has a way of throwing curve balls. I'm seeing this as an opportunity to test out all that I've learned in life. I've untangled the rigging and replaced a tattered sail from last nights emotional storm and today I'm ready to set sail. I know there will be more storms ahead but just as I've been writing in recent blogs, the emotions that form the waves on the surface are fleeting. I have deep within me a calm center and I know how to get there.

Today I'm embracing what is lovely about life and choosing to take my time as I navigate these new waters.

{soul hugs}

Kathryn, Collage Diva