In The Time Tunnel

"In The Time Tunnel"

The time has been set to France in 1851. Contrary to popular time travelling beliefs, one does not travel at blasting speeds filled with blurry dizzy images. Instead everything is magnified and illuminated. One finds somewhat strange bizarre absurd sightings in the tunnel. Some of them are fellow time travellers while many are in fact old irretrievable memories and deep heartfelt sentiments. They, like anyone else, yearn to be remembered, not forgotten or forsaken. Memories which are retrieved will cease to loiter in the tunnel. The owl historian apprentice takes all she sees to heart.

This 2nd piece of the Time Travel collection measures 16 inches by 16 inches on canvas. Antique bisque figurines, vintage hardwares, clock watch parts and brass stampings are glued onto the canvas with trusty epoxy glue. I like how the owl look with the antique optical lens over her right eye :D

The Gears That Set History In Motion

"The Gears That Set History In Motion"

Finally, here's the first piece of my Owl Time Travel collection!

I made a wish on Christmas 2011 that I would wish to time travel to France in the 19th century, this 1st piece documents the moment when gears started shifting in my head for this possibility. It turned out quite different from the sketch that I showed in the previous posting, especially the background. I thought a dark and almost black background gives that mysterious sense of imagination.

This artwork measures 16 inches by 16 inches on canvas. The owl is embellished with vintage clock and watch parts acquired from a watch parts dealer from Eastern Europe. Her head is layered with mainly clock and watch gears, I added a bee in there too, inspired by the saying "I've got a bee in my bonnet!" !

An Owl Begins Her Time Travel Journey

The last 2 months had been great fun and excitement as I searched local and online for supplies that I would need for my new collection of mixed media assemblage artworks. Ophelia the Owl also a historian apprentice is preparing her journey to France in the 19th century. Here's an initial sketch of how the 1st piece, "The Gears That Set History In Motion" may look like:

Sketchy Thoughts From My Journal

Something was definitely gearing up within Ophelia to go back to historical times. She could hardly wait to be a first eye witness to the arts and cultural happenings of that era, she had to experience it for herself! She has come up with a  list of people whom she wants to meet and places she wants to visit, she's still consolidating her list at this juncture, trying her very best to make the most out of this trip.

Here are the pics of what I had hunted and gathered for this purpose (just part of it):

Vintage Watch Faces

Vintage Small Clock And Watch Parts

Vintage Clock And Watch Gears

Vintage Keys And Hardwares

Vintage Bisque Doll Parts

Vintage Decorative Tourist Souvenir Piece

Will be working on the 1st piece on canvas this week, finished work will be updated here :D

Wearable Owl Art Necklaces

This limited edition necklace series of my owl artwork is now available here 

The owl image is encased in a clear glass dome that measures 1 inch wide. The glass dome is then mounted securely on an antique bronze crown bezel setting, simple yet elegant. A matching 18 inches antique bronze cable chain with lobster clasp comes attached to each of the pendants. Be sure to check out the rings,brooches and bobby pins here too!

Wearable Owl Art Collection 2012

I'm pleased to announce that these handmade accessories and collectibles of my owl paintings will be made available in my store in Jan 2012 :D Each image is preserved under a clear magnifying glass bubble dome and mounted securely onto antique style jewelry. Only limited quantities available for this collection.

These beautiful ornate brooches measure about 2.25 by 1.75 inches, the owls look like miniature paintings in these frames. Pin them on your jackets or cardigans for that extra unique flair!

The glass domes on these bronze toned rings measure about 1 inch wide. They are not too small to go unnoticed, just the perfect size to strike a conversation piece. The rings have adjustable romantic filigree style bands to accomodate most ring sizes.

Like the rings, the glass domes on these bronze toned bobby pins measure 1 inch wide. Wear them on weekends with your girlfriends or whenever you feel you need a mood lift!

Necklaces? Very soon once I'm able to find the right chains for the bezels :D

Owl Art - Autumn Woodland Rhapsody ( Mixed Media Assemblage Collage Art)

Here's the 12th and also the final artwork of my "Catching A Fleeting Moment" collection, Autumn Woodland Rhapsody.

There has always been this mental photograph in my head, it's me sitting on a thick carpet of autumn leaves which have fallen from the tree I am sitting under. I am reading a storybook aloud to a gathering of woodland creatures who have decided to stop foraging the forest floor for a while, we are sitting in a circle on a pinic mat with baskets of fruits, bread, biscuits and some tea. What a lovely autumn afternoon we are having! :D

I feel emotionally charged by the rich colors of autumn. This red plumish colored autumn leaves provide a perfect background for this piece. The owl was painted with a warm tones of blues and browns, embellished with white pearls around the eyes and the wings with green and turquoise rhinestone gems.

There's such antique-ish charm about these brass stampings that I simply have to have them in my art, found a bear cub, some tiny bunnies, a squirrel, a fox and a pair of birds. Was so excited when I found these tree branch buttons, each of them came from a different tree. There's the cherry tree, apricot tree, alder tree, pear tree, thorn tree, catkin tree and hazelnut tree. These buttons are very smooth and have been protected by natural tung oil.

The borders have been layered with shreds of autumn themed fabric, yarn threads and floral lace. Lightly frayed fabric florals are added to add some shabby charm.

This artwork measures 11.5 x 9.5 inches. When framed, it measures 14 x 12 inches.

Owl Art - The Way He Makes Me Feel (Mixed Media Assemblage Collage Art)

Here's the 11th artwork of my "Catching A Fleeting Moment" collection, The Way He Makes Me Feel.

My husband may not be a sweet talker, does not shower me with gifts and can be quite forgetful at times. In spite of these, he still overwhelms me with his goodness and makes me feel I'm worth his time and affections. On days when we are at home (both of us work from home), he prepares our 3 meals and in between he will be at work on his gigantic canvases. Sometimes, the meals come with carved flowers from thick vegetable stems or heart-shaped sunny side ups.The list is long but there's a recent event that really moved me. On the eve of our flood evacuation to Hua Hin Beach, he was very quiet, we were pretty stressed by the mega flood that was coming our way. He then asked for my sunglasses and said he would want to try to repair it, he knew I would need it during our stay at the beach. Precious. Cherished. Nourished.

This kittens with tiaras fabric is kind of apt for the feeling that my husband makes me feel. I deliberately stained the fabric with tea in a sporadic manner rather than tea dyeing the entire piece, just to remind myself how he embraces my obvious imperfections. Like all the others, the owl's eyes are embellished with white pearls and the wings with sparkling milky white rhinestone gems.

The borders are mounted with vintage music paper shreds, fanciful yarn, fabric hydrangeas with rhinestones,romantic butterflies and colorful precious looking gem buttons.

This artwork measures 12 x 12 inches and 15 x 15 inches when framed.

Owl Art - Living In A Lavender Sachet (Mixed Media Assemblage Collage Art)

Here's the 10th piece of my "Catching A Fleeting Moment" collection, Living In A Lavender Sachet.

Before I take a sip of my homemade morning coffee, I will close my eyes and inhale the sweet coffee aroma deep into my lungs, this immediately puts a smile on my day. During bath time, I will repeat the same routine with my body shampoo before lathering and rinsing. Perhaps, it's my way of allowing the smells and scents of the day stimulate the senses, adding a happy dimension to the day.  Hence, I feel scent ought to be a constant companion throughout the day especially when I work and sleep. I choose Lavender, no other scent comes close to this one :D. It's no wonder why sometimes I feel like I am living inside a sachet of dried lavender and I love it for its' calming and relaxing effects.

Dried lavender with frozen charlotte doll

The owl was painted on a light blue vintage fabric of white and purple flowers, her eyes are embellished with soft pink pearls and milky white rhinestone gems add sweet sparkling charm to her wings.

This whole lavender sanctuary was created with many fabric yoyos, I love the homely comfy charm that they possess. The yoyos were mounted on layers of lace. Apparently, there was another lavender loving owl, a pin brooch from my personal owl collectibles. Lavender chiffon roses to add the airy fairy effect to this artwork.



This artwork measures 8 x 10 inches and 12 x 14 inches when framed.

Owl Art - The Frozen Seconds (Mixed Media Assemblage Collage Art)

Here's the 9th piece of my "Catching A Fleeting Moment" collection, The Frozen Seconds.

I wish time could stop in its' tracks for just for a few seconds, let me experience the sound of total silence, let me stroke the wings of a butterfly resting on a flower, let me admire the shapes of the passing clouds a little longer, let me memorize the silly grin on my dog's face ....let me hold a moment before it's no more.

The owl was painted on a slightly distressed vintage love song music sheet. Her eyes embellished with light purple pearls and her wings with milky white rhinestone gems. I used torn strips of decorative papers to create a shabby chic border. Fabric flowers, vintage inspired clock and key charms, buttons, creamy lace and butterfly appliques with rhinestone gems were layered and mounted onto the border.



This artwork measures 8 x 8 inches and 10 x 10 inches when framed.

Owl Art - Dolly Affair (Original Mixed Media Assemblage Collage Art)

Here's the 8th piece of my "Catching A Fleeting Moment" collection, Dolly Affair.

Of late, I'm drawn to old vintage photographs of little girls and their dolls, such is the attraction to them that I now have a collection of such photos which I purchased on the internet. Perhaps, it's because I feel all warm and fuzzy at the sight of these girls beaming with smiles with their dolls. It was only much later that I figured it was possible that at a deeper level, I wanted to be a memory keeper of their once upon a time treasured relationships with their dolls, such moments were deemed too precious to be forgotten. Most of these little girls had doll buggies and prams, they would take their dolls out for a walk, acting like little mummies. This photo below is my favorite, she looked like she was going to to bring baby along with her to the market.

I chose a sweet girly wallpaper-look fabric, tea-dyed it to give it a warm nostalgic feel. Painted the owl all cuddled up, obviously she's feeling warm and fuzzy surrounded by her favorite dolls :D The owl's eyes are embellished with white pearls and her feathers with rose-pink rhinestone gems.

It was not easy to find miniature dolls with stuffings so these 10 dolls of vintage inspired design were custom made from fray treated fabric and were stuffed with polyfil polyester. Each measures about 2 inches tall. I added antique gold ribbon bow stampings, pearly hearts (they remind of me little girls' toy jewelry) and pastel resin flowers.

This artwork measures about 8 x 10 inches and 10 x 12 inches when framed.