Adjusting and Opining

My current obsession seems to be transfers. I just love rolling the paper off the back of the image and watching the magic happen. Best of all is when parts of the image peel away leaving a thing that is like a memory; broken and incomplete. The eye loves that sort of image.

To tell the truth, I can't stop my thoughts from returning to San Miguel at every turn. Remembering how each day was filled with adventure; friends and new acquaintances. Now I am rather itchy all by myself out here in the suburbs. I miss the faces that I met on the streets everywhere. I miss the warm expressions and the little walks to the neighborhood market where you are allowed to break off one celery stalk and buy it if that is all you need. I became one heck of a margarita maker while we were there. Those tiny key limes are the bomb.  

Where was I then? Oh yes, transfers. The one pictured above and below were from inkjet prints on regular paper. What I do is smear on matte gel medium with the side of my finger all over the image and let that dry. My theory is that the gel traps some of the water soluble ink. Then you proceed as with a regular (lazer) print. I apply the gel to the paper and then brayer the image into the gel. If you are transferring onto cheap or waterleaf paper you need to stabilize that paper first with either gel or acrylic paint. The image will not be as rich as a lazer image but if you live in the sticks like I do it is a back up technique. I used a clear gel pen on the lips, letters and some of the shadow. It didn't need it though, I was just doodling.

These are the pages ready for the next round of fun.

Like all of you I've been watching world events with a disturbed countenance. How do we keep our centers when the ground is shifting, forever shifting under our feet? Prayer, working for change, meditation, the distractions of our own survival are all useful coping devices. As I writer, I write. As a painter and journaler, I paint and journal what I am witnessing and how I try to turn my confusion into something useful. Even writing this today helps me; gives me a small job to do that raises my spirits as well as sending out an attitude of courage in the face of change.

Thanks for visiting with me here today. When I come here I am not alone. I can see and remember so many of your warm faces and it gives me comfort.