Repurposing Old Art

I have two collage pieces that hang in my office to the right of my desk; they were made by a friend of my father in the early 1970′s. I have no further information about the pieces. This was long before Photoshop, and it looks like she used some kind of transfer process, probably using some horribly toxic chemical, to merge her images together.

I have been wanting to use the images as source material for a while; not only are there tons of cool images hidden within each piece, but I have seen this art my entire life and I am sure it has influenced my own style in some way (maybe the collage-like style, the flatness, the busy detail?).

Anyway, I scanned her work and transplanted a few of the images into a mixed media triptych I made recently.  The pieces are called Dawn Breaking, Mid Day, and Night:

I love the mysterious characters floating around in the original pieces. They are obscured by the print transfer process, but you can still tell they are robed, like some kind of royalty or mythic holy figures.  I took a few of them and made them more central in the second piece of the triptych:

source material

Image of figures transferred into my art (detail)

Because I have been working on these pieces around Christmas time, I have been thinking about those robed figures as the three kings.  The three kings were actually Zoroastrian priests and astronomers, who heralded Jesus as a return of Zoroaster as prophesized in their own holy texts.

I often work themes of spiritual search, prophesy, and return into my work, albeit in very coded ways.  In the modern age, I really believe that clergy are obsolete, and it’s the responsibility of every individual to seek truth.  So maybe the three kings I’m imagining in this piece could be any one of us, not just religious scholars.  Anyway, here are the three pieces individually, they can be purchased at my ETSY store here.

My Work in Austin Woman Magazine

My hanging racks, which I sell in several stores in Austin and LA, were featured this month in Austin Woman magazine! Hanna Curran, owner of Sanctuary, a totally hip and beautiful Austin boutique, selected my work as one of her “holiday picks” for 2011. Thanks Hanna!

Misha Blaise Design at Blue Genie

I’m happy to announce that I am now selling my art at Blue Genie at The Oasis in Austin, Texas!  This store is amazing.  It is packed with top notch artists and designers and I am so honored to have my work there as well.

If you are wondering about the display, I have to mention that I basically had nothing to do with it.  This is one of the benefits of marrying someone in construction.  My husband Nick spent the morning cutting wood, drilling, and painting, and produced these amazing display boards and shelves out of thin air.  If I was left alone to design this space, I’m sure I would have just nailed everything up on the white wall.
Once I read about an artist who became so successful in the retail world, her husband quit his day job in order to help her produce her art!  A girl can dream…. Until that day, I will be hunched over my work at midnight while my baby sleeps, trying to keep up with my ideas during the few moments I have alone each day.

East Side Studio Tour 2011

I am so excited to be a part of Austin’s East Side Studio Tour! The event runs for two weekends, November 12-13th and Nov. 19-20th, 2011. Come by my place and check out my new series of mixed media prints that I have been working really hard on for the past few months! Our house will be open from 11am-6pm Saturday and Sunday; 3209 Walnut Ave. 78722. Come check it out!

Cool Globes

“Cool Globes reflects the essence of the Clinton Global Initiative…In the summer of 2007, the ripples of Lake Michigan reflected the artistry of Cool Globes and the power of inspiration. In future seasons, our shared capacity to change the world can create ripples that have no bounds.”
–President William J. Clinton, Preface to Cool Globes marketing book

The 2007 Chicago Cool Globes exhibit featured more than 120 sculpted globes displayed along Chicago’s lakefront and other locations throughout the City. Each artist was asked to transform a plain white sphere to create awareness and provoke discussion about a potential solution to global warming. Each globe is five feet in diameter, seven-and-one-half feet tall and weighs 2,300 pounds.

My globe was called “Unite to Solve Global Warming” and was based on the idea that the underlying issue of all of our global problems is fundamentally the disunity of humanity. Once we understand our common humanity and desire to make decisions based on what is ultimately best for the entire human family, we will be better positioned to handle difficult and complex problems.

My globe is now touring with a small group of other globes to Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles and London.