Plastic Litter Collage

2016/07/282016/07/284 Comments

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I added quarter- by half-inch pine to the back edge of the thin plywood base to stabilize it and add more surface area to attach the frame to. The plywood itself is salvaged from the crates I built to ship my builds when I moved three years ago :)

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After painting the inside frame pieces with two coats of semigloss latex, I cut the two-inch ply lengths to fit and glued them on the base, butting the corners. I used binder clips to hold the frame to the pine strips and a flexible strap corner clamp thingie to hold the frame square while the glue dried. A first coat of paint dries with Albie’s supervision. Tomorrow I’ll tap in tiny nails to secure it all, then fill the holes, sand and paint, sand and paint, sand and paint. And hopefully this weekend I’ll have collected more plastic to call it done.

Plastic Litter Collage

2016/07/272016/07/274 Comments

Nearing completion on the plastic litter collage. I bought some two- by quarter-inch wide ply to build a frame, which I’ll paint white.

As more pieces were collected, I re-worked some of the areas. The blue-green section is pretty much filled in.

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Red could use a few more bits.

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And in the lower right corner, a bit of hipster humor and tree hugging :)

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Poppy Responds

2016/07/182016/07/1910 Comments

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Poppy the Fairy received these prompt responses to her questions from Ava and Aria. The messages were folded in half, rolled into scrolls and tied with white cord.

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Poppy gave it some thought, and decided to combine favorite colors and letters and fun paper folding.

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Cutting the letters from watercolor paper.

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Protoype fold for Ava.

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Aria likes pink! And bacon too! (not pictured).

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Will of course make use of the scrap paper.

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Both sides painted, replies written, awaiting final assembly.

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When I went down to mail them, I found this appreciation in the Fairy Mail box.

Awaiting delivery. One of the things Poppy mentioned in her replies is that she is going away for nine sleeps, coincidentally the length of time my neighbor, who takes walks with the girls, will be away on vacation. Hopefully I’ll have time for some landscaping and an oversized Fairy Mail bin before Poppy returns.

For the record, Poppy the Fairy does not know what poptarts or bacon are, likes both water and parks, her favorite color is orange, and she likes pink the most in flowers and the sky.

Fairies’ve Got Mail

2016/07/172016/07/1714 Comments

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The still-vacant relocated fairies’ house has become a topic of speculation and delight in our neighborhood. My neighbor alerted me that the fairies had received mail. As caretaker, I brought it in for them. Above is a note from 5-year-old Ava, with a drawing of a fairy.

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This is from her sister Aria, aged 3. Somewhat more abstract and, I believe, collaborative.

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So I made a proper mailbox.

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Had a fairy named Poppy write thank you scrolls in sparkly silver ink tied up with blue silk ribbon.

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And installed it streetside. This should be fun :)

Plastic Litter Collage

2016/07/0414 Comments

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I’m working on some illustrations to help build awareness about litter. This first piece (28 x 30 inches, 71 x 76 cm) — not yet completed — is made from various hard plastic pieces (not including recyclables) picked up primarily on Linda Mar beach by 14 volunteers, in just one half hour.

Thirty minutes.

Tomorrow we have our multi-site post-July 4 cleanup, and I expect to glean more than enough to finish the board. Sadly.

Collages like this are both fun and horrifying to look at, as we tune in to recognizable artifacts, both familiar fragments and unrecognizable bits of objects that once were ours, and that now litter and pollute our waterways and shorelines.

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