Paper Artwork

Paper Artwork

Lately I have been becoming more and more interested in art – or more exact, affordable art. I have always loved going to art galleries and appreciating others talents, but with a young family, mortgage, etc, art for my own house is usually last on the shopping list. First of course, are foods which after cooking, slicing and dicing I usually end up throwing in the bin after arguing with my children to eat them. But that is a whole other subject!

However, I have found some lovely artwork lately by some very talented artisans using just paper, covered buttons or fabric. The art is very simply – white frame, white background, white edging board, with 9 identical items in beautiful paper or fabric in the case of the buttons spaced out. Very simple, but effective, and more importantly for me - very achievable for little cost. There is an art to it but like anything, with time and experience one becomes more inventive and is willing to experiment that little bit more. Of course you don’t have to use the white background that I refer to – but a simple background seems to work best.

I put this into practice when my little ones broke a present from my sister-in-law. My lovely sister-in-law brought for me a little chain of wooden cats. The kids loved it because it was bright and the cats were cute. There was a bit of push and shove between the cat chain and two children and the cat chain went to splitsville. Rather than throw it in the bin, I simply glued the cats to a small white canvas and hey presto art work created.

Now days with card making and scrapbooking such a huge pastime there is incredible paper available that really does not need a lot of tampering with to create visually effective wall art. Anyone who sews knows how hard it is to walk past fabric. I recently put a ban on myself buying any more fabric, but like dieting, as soon as I put that ban on, I seem to have an abnormal impulse to buy. Fabric art is a great way to indulge in this fabric passion without having to buy metres and metres to alleviate this need. I also have a hard time throwing out those little scraps of fabric that I am sure I can use for something. Hoarders now have a purpose to keep!!

I am sure there are lots of techniques, but I simply work out my design, but the appropriate material, stick with a good quality glue and then when that is all dry, give the whole surface a couple of coats of varnish.

Give it go!
Jen & Row
shimi.com.au