Mixed-Media Art

I am fascinated with the idea of taking junk and making it into something beautiful. It's even better if it is functional and beautiful, but...not in this case -- unless you consider 'looking pretty' to be a function.

I have a tendency to pick up blocks of finished wood at rummage sales and thrift stores with the intention of adding some creativity to it later. Some were bread boards, some were plaques, you get the idea...

This particular wooden block was from my grandfather. He fancied himself a photographer and took hundreds, if not thousands of pictures during his life. He had enlarged this photograph and attached it to the board and then covered with some kind of sealer or varnish. It looked like it came right out of the 70's. This was the base for this art project. I considered removing his photograph, but decided to keep it as an added dimension to the piece. I began by gluing elements to the middle of the block and worked my way outward. For the adhesive, I used the tacky craft glue, which dried clear.

Mixed Media Art, "Bubble up" by Kelly E. Lee

Truth be told, I am captivated by glues and tapes, and the process of finding the right one for a project. If you have crafting ambitions, learning about adhesives is essential to making the project work correctly. After gluing various trinkets and treasures onto the piece, I let it dry on a flat, level surface for about three days. Probably 24 hours would be sufficient, but I put on a lot of glue, trying to emulate a cheap version of resin crafting. I was rather pleased with the results. I ended up using buttons, broken clear glass, metal rings, and a necklace chain. Of course, I added blue glitter in with the glue. What's a project without a little glitter?