About lynbelisle

Lyn Belisle Artist’s Statement: Shards and Veils As an artist, my personal obligations and passions are pulling individual connections from the circular nature of time, fashioning shards of recognition from the well of collective unconscious, exploring the idea of the “secret handshake” in symbol and archetype, celebrating the frozen moment between what was and what is to come. I work in four main media to explore these ideas: • In collage, often using beeswax and altered papers to celebrate anonymous faces and otherworldly places • In unglazed earthenware clay and found objects, often to create spiritual and symbolic “neo-santo” assemblage • In fiber and paper, often to create wall pieces with natural colors, wax, felt, cheesecloth and digital photo images • In acrylic paint, often as pure, non-referenced exploration of form and veiling I take inspiration and comfort from the knowledge that we are all connected on a deep cross-cultural level with shared collective memories that each of us can glimpse through art without the need for words.

Great Afternoon

Thanks to my fellow artists and all the friends who came to the art show this afternoon – I don’t think I’ve ever been so busy or so pleased with the response. You guys are the best.
Short Video of all our artwork in Jan Longfellow’s lovely home

A Day in the Studio

I celebrated the 4th by having a long day in the studio working on things for the upcoming Open Studio sale at Jan Longfellow’s house. Mostly, I worked on face shard magnetic pins in frames, and here they are. They are such fun to make. I have a couple of real favorites – will be hard to sell them.

Fall Workshop Calendar

Information on my first three fall workshops is now available on my website. I just finished uploading it and the descriptions are complete (except for the book workshop which will be described in greater detail later.)
Sign up now!

Hanging out in Graveyards

I took a trip to old San Fernando Cemetery yesterday morning to visit faces from the past. Besides the wonderful sculptures, there are always families, mostly in pickup trucks, driving slowly along the narrow paths in the cemetery, stopping at ancestors’ graves and getting out for a few minutes to look, talk and sometimes put fresh (plastic) flowers near the headstones. Here is one of yesterday’s favorite faces:


Saying Goodby to Creations

Yesterday was pickup day at La Vida Gallery – I brought home a couple of large pieces that were not sold at my show and six pieces that were. Friends had asked if I would pick up their purchases. They’re wrapped and ready to go – sigh, it’s harder than I thought now that they are back in my hands. But at least I can visit them!

Ann Pearce Just Keeps On Creating

I went by Ann’s shop today and saw some of the new work she’s done with the faces – she just keeps getting better and better. Here are a few of the new ones – they look spectacular “in person.”

Open Studio at Jan’s

This should be fun and different – I’ve never had an open studio somewhere else, but I’m looking forward to it. I’m planning to offer a free gift! Stay tuned.

Transplendent Collage

That’s the name and theme I’ve decided on for a workshop I’m giving to a group of teachers in August – we will uses transparent media and discuss transcendent ideas take the ordinary object to the extraordinary by juxtaposing it with the creative and unexpected.
Included in this would be

  • Transparency and layers
  • Time travel combinations
  • Juxtaposed metaphors
  • Transformations
  • Morphs
I think that’s what I tried to do with this series in the La Vida show.

“I feel transcendant and splendid. I feel transplendant.”
from the akaruihito blog, 2006

 

Summer Workshop Videos –

These workshop have been so much fun – yesterday was the last one until August 19th when I’ll offer a two-part workshop with Ann Pearce – I’ll post the brochure here in a few days, but other classes will include Collage on Canvas and and Card and Votive workshop – stay tuned!

From Sunday, June 24th


From Sunday, June 17th

Adornments and Such

I was making some face shards for Ann Pearce’s jewelry designs yesterday and decided to try some little flat clay pendants. They remind me of game tiles or little ancient book covers. Here are three of them, just out of the kiln this morning – I’m still experimenting, but so far I like them and can also see them as part of my mixed media paper and earthenware collages. The one on the far right has gold leaf added. The others are finished with walnut ink and iridescent mica powder.