contemporary collage paintings
the process
Leslie Avon Miller

My life flows when I'm in my art.


Jean De Muzio

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Buried Treasure



Today is Buried Treasure Day. Seth at the Altered Page has proposed that bloggers re-post something from the past. I started blogging in December. Looking through my past posts, this one was a nice reminder to let go of some uses of our time, so we can focus on the things that really matter to us.

This image is a collage from the 2008 International Collage Exchange. I’ve begun exploring the use of the color brown again. This collage is inspiration for me to strive for good rich browns, a color of the earth, in my current work.

For a complete list of Buried Treasure participants I have placed a link on my side bar. Enjoy!

Saying Yes, Saying No

A quiet satisfaction, a sense of anticipation.
Sorting, choosing, releasing.
Listening to myself.
Simplification.

Letting go of old ideas, paths once explored,
but now I turn back. Saying no, so I can say yes.
There is clarity in this action.
I feel the power.

Contemporary collage paintings.
Minimal softness,
textures, shapes and marks.
Non-objective mark of the artist.

Line and space.
Neutral colors of the earth
and of the rocks, of the elements.
Weather, time and thought my subject.

Deepening my voice with knowing and
the mystery of future discovery.

Yes.

My possibility is exquisite expansive
breathing room – to create.
Saying no, I have said yes, and now I find myself
standing inside the room with space, my studio.

My perspective has become more certain.

34 comments:

  1. Wow I loved this and especially "My perspective has become more certain". That really speaks to me. The art is great too so thanks for sharing your buried treasure!!!

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  2. I love your "contemporary collage paintings." Your style is inspiring and I'm so grateful to have found your art. I will be back (and often).

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  3. I love the painting and the words. "Saying no, so I can say yes" .... I remember those words made an impression on me when i read them the first time.

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  4. Taking the Buried Treasure tour! Your blog is lovely! I will explore some more. Thanks for sharing with us!
    Artful Blessings,
    Kathryn

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  5. I like your image, I love the background colour of your blog, I am coming back to read more after I check out all the other treasures!

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  6. good choice Leslie! The words speak to me on so many levels and the work is a treasure.

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  7. lovely work...and one of my most favorite styles!
    so nice to have met your blog leslie and i wouldn't had it not been for seth
    so thanks to him too!

    :)

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  8. I did the exchange too, as soon as I saw this it looked familar as if I had enjoyed this or something similar before...great to see your art again!

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  9. Fabulous! So good to find you! Yay Seth! I'm putting you in my favourite blogs link. Your collages are AMAZING!!!

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  10. Lovely collage, lovely prose, lovely lady, lovely blog. Enjoyed my visit here!

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  11. Kerin – Thank you!

    Elizabeth – Good to see you.

    Kate – You are so welcome.

    Robyn – an on going theme for me – remembering to say no, so I can say yes to what I really want to do.

    Deb – I love the color too – like adobe in the rain, earthy and rich.

    Mary Ann – Thank you. AS I said to Robyn, I like to remind myself about the power of the word “no.”

    Mar – Seth is quite a guy, isn’t he?

    Lisa – Good to see you again too. Thanks for visiting.

    Evolving Artist – Thank you so much.

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  12. Taking the Buried Treasure tour. I really love your work. It's so textured and layered. I'll come back by often to see more.

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  13. Hi Kelly - Thanks for stopping by on your tour. I took a look at your blog and found you are a great story writer. I reference the honeysuckles and your nephews.

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  14. What a wonderful collage and I enjoyed browsing around your blog.

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  15. Great post. I enjoyed reading your words just as much as viewing your work.

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  16. how wonderful to find you! i'll have to send hugs to seth for the wonderful idea.

    i absolutely adore your art and have very much enjoyed reading this post. thank you so much for re-sharing!

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  17. Love the collage! Have to come back and browse.

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  18. Wonderful to see these unearthed artworks :)
    Thanks Leslie for your insights.

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  19. Hi Leslie,

    Great having the room to breathe! And seeing things anew. I feel I must have seen this the first time around but am not sure! So I appreciate the second chance too.

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  20. Your work is impressive...I will be back...excellent choice.

    May I link you?

    Regards.

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  21. Wonderful piece, Leslie. I really love how that one bit on the right has the look of marble. Brilliant.

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  22. I love this collage. The red circle grabbed me, and helped me move around the rest of the image. Your work has been an inspiration for me. Thanks for visiting my blog and your supportive comments. I have noticed that many folks still think of collage as craft rather than art. That brings up an entire new discussion. Why is craft not considered art?

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  23. Diane – Thank you!

    Azirca – I am enjoying your thoughtful and beautiful blog as well. Thank you.

    alteredbits – Thank you also!

    Ginny – I enjoyed seeing your blog. Thanks for stopping by.

    Jo – Thanks Jo. I got your comments on my last post, “approved” them, and then they never showed up on the post. Sometimes Blogger is having an off day.

    Derrick – Hi and always so nice to have you visit!

    John – Thank you. Yes, please do link. I took the liberty of adding your blog to the list on my side bar. Your work is simply stunning. I enjoy the originality of your vision. Thanks for visiting.

    Willow – Thank you, and thanks for visiting.

    Miki – Collage is art I think, when an artist uses their artistic resources and an artistic approach – thinking, applying design principals, intuition, emotional response to the subject, authenticity, originality…any or all of that and more. I goggled art vs. craft and lots of good discussions came up. It’s such an on going discussion that I suggest you goggle it as well and read a few articles. I know my friend the local potter is an artist at the deepest levels. Pottery is called a craft, but in the hands of an artist clay is simply another medium. My brother is an exquisite wood worker. In his hands, wood becomes a medium. His use of line, values, and form are stunning. But wood working is considered a craft. To me, beauty is beauty, and craft is more often art. Oh gee, you got me started!....

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  24. Leslie, your blog is already added to my favs list and this post only serves to justify why. Wonderful words, 'saying no, so I can say yes'. I think this line will ring true for many of us who read the post. Lovely work, keep it up!

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  25. Good choice. Knowing what to say yes to isn't so hard but it's the no that's so difficult... giving up what's good for what's better. I really like this piece.

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  26. there's power in those words & I really, really like the collage image ... thanks for pulling out this treasure to share.

    I hope to be back soon for some more exploration. :)

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  27. Love this collage, Leslie. Have fun working with the browns. I wait impatiently to see your results.

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  28. I really like your artwork, what great buried treasure!

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  29. 'lessness' has some excellent qualities...

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  30. Wonderful Post! I see why you choose it for the Buried Treasure. Your work is so earthy and rich and your words are equally impressive. Cheers

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  31. Great selection of artwork here -- but I know that I would have loved any one that you picked. Your words are so thought provoking. I often think about the power of saying yes and saying no. Thanks for joining in on this!!

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  32. You have a great following - I am not the least surprised!

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