What’s going on? Seriously, what’s going on?

(2017 update: still not sure but I think I’m getting there.)

(2016 update: nothing about dollmaking in this post  — me so lazy to update – but that’s what I’m mostly doing now.)

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

So I’ve recently discovered that there is a term for what I do and it is even considered a genre — Altered Art. With the exception of crochet, it is a form of mixed media art and is the modification of ordinary objects’ function and meaning by turning them into art pieces with the use of ephemera, scrapbook papers, fabric, and even found objects through various techniques like rubber stamping, collage, and decoupage.

Find out more about it here: www.altered-art.net

Ah… so what about this grubby, wrecked look happening, as if a Hummer ran over the pieces, what is THAT about?

I love the grunge, aged, weathered, distressed look. It lends the piece some sort of mystery and history even if it’s recently made. My work does not seem to fit in the current trends. There is none of that clean, crisp, fresh, harmonious look that seems to be the mainstream in social media, as if everyone’s got a light box of some sort except me. I tried it (or maybe I just didn’t make too much of an effort) but I didn’t like it so much. I want fuss, I want busy, discordant, weathered colors. Grunge and a little goth. Looks like I never got over those stages.

What stuff do you use for your stuff?

Papers, scrapbook papers, magazine cutouts, ephemera, stickers, beads, found objects, rubber stamps, distress inks, acrylic paints

But… but… rubber stamps and scrapbook papers designed by someone else and used in the pieces for sale, is that OK???

Hell, yeah! (whew!) I use gorgeous stamps and papers from Tim Holtz, Dylusions, StampinUp, 7Gypsies, PrimamarketingInc… I inform the buyers that the images are not mine. These companies have this so called Angel Policy…

The Angel Policy, oooh, sounds heavenly and out of this world, what is that?

“An Angel Policy is a form of limited license that specifies how a rubber stamped image can be used and any specific requirements of the manufacturer or artist. Typically this outlines under what circumstances, if any, a stamper can make and sell items created using a manufacturer’s rubber stamps.” Read more about the Angel Policy.

I even contacted some of the companies to make sure that I am covered by the policy. There are a couple who have not responded yet so I will refrain from using the stamps for now until I get a go signal.

Again, but… but… rubber stamps by someone else, then the art work is not your own then?

On the contrary. You cut, you paste, you stamp, you layer, you mix, you combine, you put one object together with other objects and elements and then you create an artistic expression that is all your own. Now, if I claim to have designed the images on the rubber stamps, we-ell, that’s a different story altogether.

What objects do you alter?

Game pieces, jigsaw puzzles, tangrams, puzzle pieces, domino tiles, jenga blocks, toy blocks, chopping boards, wood, old books, bottlecaps (although I use machine flattened, unused bottlecaps most of the time).
P.S. Check out @CreativeChaosofMargaux in Instagram

(2017 update: P.P.S. I also do magic. I practice transfiguration – I change yarns into works of art, ahem.)