Favorite Friday!

This week, my good friend Shari MacLeod (of Shari MacLeod Studio and the Rose of Cabot & Rose) gave me an early birthday gift. She had a 3D reel made for me using some of my favourite characters from my Altered Egos exhibit. Not only is this a fabulously creative gift idea but the company who makes the reels, Image3D, liked Shari's project and my work and posted the reel on their Favorite Friday page (with our permission) as inspiration. Thank you Shari and Image3D!

The Cure for a Slow-starting Spring?

After a successful showing at the Craig Gallery in November and a long winter's nap on my spare bedroom's walls, the characters from Altered Egos have now come out of hibernation to appear in the exhibition space at the
Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design.

Once numbering 22 works, the exhibition is compiled of the remaining 16 works
( 6 works found new homes while they were on view at the Craig--thank you to all of you who made that possible!) and I am thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to show them to my hometown crowd!

If you want a bit of comic relief from this long drawn out winter or to take in some colourful characters as opposed to looking at the snow that just won't go, head down to the Gallery at 322 Charlotte Street. Gallery hours are 10am - 4pm  Monday thru Friday and Saturdays 12 - 4pm.

"Boundless" by Teena Marie Fancey
vintage ephemera,acrylic, paper and handpainted embellishment on board
 4" x 5"

Painted ladies...

well not the usual kind of painted ladies. These ladies were literally conjured with paint and are now appearing at The Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design Gallery Shop and are available for sale.

For information on purchasing my work, drop me a line at  tmfancey@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

from top clockwise: Francophile, Lionheart, Loose Lips Sink Ships, Rainmaker, You Missed
All paintings by Teena Marie Fancey 

What the Fox Says...

"So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight...." says Trickster Fox.

Today is the last day for Altered Egos at the Craig Gallery. Thanks to all of you who got in to see the show and meet the characters. Thanks also to all of you who have followed this blog and saw most of the show via your screen. BTW, for any information on purchasing any of the work you see on my blog you can contact me at tmfancey@gmail.com. 

"...until we meet again."

Trickster Fox by Teena Marie Fancey
mixed media painting
custom frame by Shari MacLeod

 

Trickster Fox Detail


 

 

Lionhearted

I had a lot of fun working on this piece because I'd finally found the perfect opportunity to use some fur that I was gifted and I knew it was a piece that could be looked at or petted...should the viewer need to pet something.

Lionheart was inspired by my oldest daughter, who is a Leo and is brave and strong but has heart so big, it could crush this town. The Strength card in the Tarot deck also influenced this piece, noted by the lemniscate floating above the subject's head.

Lionheart can be seen at the Craig Gallery in Dartmouth NS at Alderney Landing until day's end this Saturday, Nov. 30. Drop in and meet her and her 21 Altered Egos friends.

Lionheart by Teena Marie Fancey
8" x 10" mixed media painting
upcycled fur, vintage curtain pins, acrylics

She was framed!

This is Deerheart. She came about due to my interest in shape shifting characters and the Celtic mythologies about the Bean Si aka the Banshee. The Banshee has been typically portrayed as a screaming, wailing hag but further reading of lore proved to be quite enlightening. So the result was the shape  shifting Deerheart and her accompanying poem.

Once the painting and poem were done, I tasked my good and talented friend Shari MacLeod to create a frame that would serve my bean si well. The results, as you can see, were fabulous! Hand woven with dyed rattan, some cane and embellishments of driftwood and feathers, Shari managed to build a housing that is a true extension of the painting.

I present the finished Deerheart (completed poem to follow below). Deerheart is part of my exhibit Altered Egos.

 

 

Dear Hearts

By Teena Marie Fancey

 

 

Gather you gentle ones,

where the boney birches stand

Where moss and lichen soften steps you take across this land

 

Gather you gentle ones,

you creatures of the wood

Stay shy outside the fairy ring as you have learned you should

 

The keening sounds to summon us, and echoes through the trees

And shakes them with its sadness and moves them like a breeze

 

Inside the ring she changes skins and shows to us her youth

While sobbing with the knowledge that she sees the bitter truth

A fellow soul will fall this night,

a dear heart in our midst

By means of claw or teeth or jaws, or arrow in their breast

 

Blood will stain the forest floor and mingle with the dirt

Their bones will end up underfoot, their soul will wait rebirth

 

Once death has taken what it claims, she’ll wipe away her tears

She’ll step outside the fairy ring and show to us her years

 

Off you go, you timid ones,

and take your leave at morning

She’ll come again with a breaking heart

 

and cry to us her warning

 

Sparking an Idea Pt. 2

A while back while working in the studio, I posted Sparking an Idea--a work in progress inspired by some paper cuttings and vintage welding glasses my friend gifted me. As you can see, the paper made it into the piece but the glasses did not, even though they inspired the composition etc. That is not unusual...sometimes things just need to be added or not.  There is no doubt that the glasses will make a future appearance and the paper cuttings will appear again and again, I'm sure.

So I give you the finished work: Static. She will be appearing for the rest of this week in at the Craig Gallery, Alderney Landing in Dartmouth.  

Alchemy revisited

A while back I wrote a post called "Studio Alchemy". I talked about stream of thought and how pieces come together. Here is the finished piece I was working on at the time.

She is Hot Head and she is appearing in Altered Egos at the Craig Gallery right now.

 But she'll be leaving soon...show closes Dec. 1st. So if you are in the Halifax/Dartmouth area, check out the Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth. It in the same building as the Dartmouth Ferry Terminal.

 

Hot Head by Teena Marie Fancey
16"  x 20" acrylic painting, vintage ephemera, electric stove element, lite brite pegs

 

vintage ad from 1960's magazine and a stove element

 

Identity Disc-Tron
 

 

The Seer

Why is it, that some people can see what others do not.

Even when it's as plain as the nose on one's face?

I'm not necessarily talking about seeing the future...just seeing the way it is.

This is the Seer. She is appearing now in Altered Egos, at The Craig Gallery in Dartmouth, NS until Dec.1st.

 

"Seer" by Teena Marie Fancey
 6" x 12" mixed media, found embellishments
 

 

 

 

 

 

The Observers

Did you ever wonder what happens to all the stuff your kids forget to take with them after a day at the beach? Colourful pails, shovels, inflatable toys, that kind of thing?

 

Meet "The Observers". They will be appearing in Altered Egos for a limited time at
 The Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing.

After Dec. 1st they will go to their new home, as they are SOLD.

 

The Observers by Teena Marie Fancey
8"x8" mixed media painting, starfish

 

Make 'Em Laugh

The sad clown, the fool, the trickster: bringing you comic relief, whatever the cost. 

 

The Comedian by Teena Marie Fancey
12"x12" mixed medium painting, glitter

 

She loves me...not?

Meet Daisy. She's plucky. One look and you know she's figured you out.
She's not to be trifled with.  I mean it.

 

 

Daisy is one of the many Altered Egos appearing at the Craig Gallery  in Dartmouth, NS until Dec. 1st!

 

 

Flora and the Hours

Young bud, resplendent

fresh cheeked and tender green

not a worry

in no hurry

The Hours grow long, easily

charming us with dappled light

no rush,

no rush

 

 

Shadows stretch out, drowsily

gathering moments on their way

time and time

again

 

 

Bud to leaf, blossom

to flower and gone to seed

back to the ground

Slow down!

 

Flora and the Hours--poem and Painting by Teena Marie Fancey.

This Mixed Medium Portrait is custom framed by Shari MacLeod and is part of my latest exhibit Altered Egos. Show runs until Dec. 1st at

The Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth, NS

For more information about the work, click the mail icon below!

 

 

 

 

She's A Believer

Promises, promises.

I posted a sneak peek of this piece last week. It's entitled Believer and is an
8"X 8"acrylic painting with vintage ephemera from a 1960's ladies magazine and some found bits and bobs added for embellishment. Note the glint in her eye, diamonds in the sky and the smooth look on his face. Why, you can see a big city skyline in that glass of champers! Drink UP!
 This is just 1 of 22 pieces you can see at Altered Egos, my exhibit at the Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth, NS. Show runs til Dec. 1st.

Oh, and this one...is SOLD!

 

Here is the BEFORE

 

 

 

 

And the AFTER

 

 

Believer by Teena Marie Fancey


AND some DETAIL

 

 

Post Opening Shout Outs

It's been almost a week since my show opened and it's high time to send out a few words of thanks.

First of all, I want to say thanks to all of you who have taken an interest in what I do--whether that comes in the form of encouragement, support, patronage, sharing my posts on FB or on Blogger or simply following my blog. I also want to thank the Craig Gallery for once again hosting an exhibit for me and to all of you who attended the opening or have visited the gallery and viewed the show. But I give a big shout out to my friend and sister in law Jane. She not only gave me lodgings and hospitality but helped me install the show and has given me BIG encouragement and support over the years. Cheers Janey (she's the one on the right--don't kill me for posting this pic!)

L, TM and J opening night. Trickster Fox in the background.

 Altered Egos will run until Dec. 1st and then hopefully some of the pieces will be on view here at home on Cape Breton. I will also be posting pics of all the works over time so if you want to contact me for purchase or info click the mail icon below this post. Cheers Everyone.

At Last

Tonight is opening night for Altered Egos! It was a long time coming. I wrote the proposal back in early 2011. Throughout the process of bringing the exhibit to life, there was a lot of wavering on my part. Often worried that I was losing my direction or original intent...I figure that must happen a lot to artists when they propose something so far in advance. But that said, with all the 'push' this past while, trying to get the show complete while juggling work with studio time, it all came together and I'm pleased.
So, if you happen to be in the Dartmouth/Halifax area do stop in to The Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth Nova Scotia. Altered Egos opens tonight from 7-9pm and runs through to Dec. 1, 2013.
I leave you with "Rainmaker". Cheers Everyone!

Rainmaker by Teena Marie Fancey
4" x 5" mixed media painting, glass beads

Installation Day!

Off to the Craig Gallery this morning to install Altered Egos. Will try to take some pics or video some of the process. I will have sidekick (that's you Janey!),  helping me with today's task and she'll be a great sounding board and will use her artistic eye  to ensure the installation will be a success. Plus she'll deal with me being fussy!

I leave you with today's teaser entitled, " Believer"

 

"Believer" detail shot by Teena Marie Fancey
8"x8" acrylic painting, vintage ephemera, found embellishments

 

Altered Egos coming soon

I believe a teaser is in order. Should you wish to meet this bearded chap in person, he'll be appearing in Altered Egos at the Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth, NS from November 6th through Dec. 1st.
Until then...

the Comedian by Teena Marie Fancey
 

3 More Sleeps

Packing, making labels, and waiting for the paint to dry on just a few more little pieces for
Altered Egos!
Today I will share a wee piece called Boundless. Here's her before:

Below is her after, with added paper ( thanks David Crowe) and a found bead that I hand painted to look like EARTH! Lynn, this is off a bathing suit you once lent me--pack rat much?)
So, take 2  of what she's taking and call  me in the morning...
No, just stay tuned...I will be sharing some more new characters over the next 3 or 4 days.
Altered Egos opens November 6th at 7pm at the Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth, NS. If you're in Hfx, why not hop on the ferry, the Craig is conveniently located right in the same building!

Can you hear me roar, "I'm almost done!"?

Just finished the last bit of studio-time before Altered Egos opens at the Craig. Spent the last 4 days in my studio hard at it. The village was very quiet...only the few full time residents and me. The wind howled and the cloud-cover made it feel like the end of the day almost all day and there was even a wee bit of hail mixed in with the rain.
(Oh November! You're breathing down our necks)
And there was nothing to distract me from my task.

So...just a bit of finish work to be done now and some planning for the installation of the show. Phew!

I leave you with this detail pic of one of the portraits I worked on this week. A little teaser. Up-cycled fur (thank you Shari!) and some vintage curtain pins turned out to be just the thing.

Meet "Lion Heart".