I created this collage using an image from a painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti who is one of my favorite pre-Raphaelites. I haven't seen a painting by the pre-Raphaelites that I haven't liked and especially enjoy the Sleeping Beauty paintings. I titled this piece Serenity because of the expression on Elizabeth Siddal's face (she was Rossetti's wife). This particular image is entitled Prosperine or in Greek mythology Persephone. The myth of Persephone is one of my favorite mythological stories.

This image is my newest digital collage creation. I have used the theme of Carnevale with its mask as my theme. I started out with a white background as the "background" layer. The next layer is an image of a painted background that I did on watercolor paper using a variety of acrylic paints. I followed this layer with a book page layer, then two mask layers, and finally a layer of the doge's palace in Venice. I added some photoshop brush images (those fabulous swirls). And last but not least, I used a different opacity for each layer giving it the depth that the image required. The painted layer that I used is:



It is always interesting to me to see how these images start out and where they go from the initial idea. As I have said many times before, I let the art lead me to the final product. This is the inital idea I started with:

I took two classes with Margo Field on August 6 through August 9 at the Creative Castle in Newbury Park, California. I was intent on working on my project when I returned home but while I was up there I spilled several vials of beads and have been sorting them out. It has been quite the job (especially since some of the beads are size 15) but quite addictive. I just want it done. I hate those little plastic vials (the lids keep popping off) so I am transferring all my beads to those resealable poly-bags. So far I have filled 80 bags and I still have 100 bags more to go. I will take some pictures to post of the projects as they stand right now.