A Dream Come True - My Article in Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine

I have been enamoured with one magazine for several years now. This love affair with Cloth Paper Scissors started slowly, smoldering as my collection of issues grew, and finally engulfed me after I gave birth to my eldest daughter, Quinlyn. I nursed her on demand, and she demanded so much that she was 26 pounds by 6 months old, and I felt literally trapped under a baby most of the time. I longed so much to work on my art, but never really had the energy, something that most people who know me will never hear me admit. I normally have oodles of energy! The time was bittersweet, since I loved my baby and most parts of being a new mother, but I missed my freedom. Making art is up there with the things that I need to do to live, like breathe and eat. I am not me when I am not being creative. I had some commitments, to a gallery show here and there, and I made what I could, but it was not nearly as much as I was used to. So, I decided if I couldn't physically make as much art as I wanted to, I would be creative in other ways, such as by cooking, photographing my baby, and by reading, reading, reading about techniques I wanted to try. The cooking and photographing came easy, as did the devouring of new techniques, but it was sheer agony not to be able to actually make much. The magazines that I spent the most time reading and rereading, next to Mothering and Vegetarian Times, were Cloth Paper Scissors and Somerset Studios. It was at that time that I made myself the goal of bring published in a magazine. As a photographer I had been featured in several newspapers. And since then, I have had work in Filament, Highline, and PhotoEd Magazines, as well as in the book, 1,000 Ideas for Creative Reuse. All awesome but my heart skipped a beat the day I received my advanced copies of the 37th Issue of CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS, the one that I wrote the Workshop article on Fuji film transfer processes for. I am so happy, proud, amazed (I am still pinching myself that I have been working with the amazing people at Interweave!!) and excited. I own every single issue of this magazine, I even has my mixed media quilt, I Need Your Kindness, appeared in the Muse Flash section several issues ago, but now I am one of only a small number of artists who have shared their knowledge in a Workshop article. CPS even challenged me to make a video of the technique to go with the article. I am on cloud nine. Thanks so much, CPS, Jenn Mason, & Barbara Delaney!

I have worked with Fuji and Polaroid film processes for over 10 years. I have always wanted to write about it...

I love this image of Editor, Jenn Mason, with her vintage Polaroid Land Camera from Ebay...

 

My bio, fun stuff!

Page one of the article, with two assemblages I made to accompany it.

Mountain Art & Craft Sale at The Banff Centre

Memories #1 

Encaustic Collage by Tiffany Teske

I have been gearing up all week for the 2011 Mountain Art & Craft Sale, this weekend, Saturday, October 29th, & Sunday, October 30th. This will be the second year I sell my work at this sale, which is in conjunction with the Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival. A great place to find unique Christmas items made by mountain artists from Alberta & British Columbia, the sale takes place in the RBC Lobby of the Eric Harvey Theatre. With close to 30 artists, you can find blown glass, paintings, fibre art, photography, clothing items and more, all made by hand. Come see me this weekend, if you can, and meet all the wonderful people who make this show a place that locals look forward to shopping year after year. Hours on Saturday are 11 AM - 7:30 PM and on Sunday from 11 AM - 5:30 PM. I will have encaustic collage, Polaroid transfers, silver spoon assemblages, bird nest & glass tile pendants, and magnets, available.

Glass Tile Ring by Tiffany Teske 

Ferns

Polaroid Transfer by Tiffany Teske

Bird Nest Pendant 
by Tiffany Teske 

Abundance

Spoon Assemblage by Tiffany Teske 

Off to a Good Home in Hawaii - "Becoming Whole" Polaroid Emulsion Lift Original

For me, a lot of creating art is about the process. I am always thrilled with the final result, but am addicted to the rush I get while I am creating, or dreaming of when I will have the next block of time to create. That being said, there are some pieces that I am attached to. After all, creating each piece is actually birthing them, and how can you part with your children? One piece that is about to leave the nest is "Becoming Whole", a Polaroid Emulsion Lift Original that I created a few years ago. The image was originally shot on slide film, and one of my best friends, Jeanne, who lives in my old stomping grounds in Maine, is the model. The lift is on watercolour paper and is approximately 5x7". On an interesting side note, it caught the eye of artist, Darlene Olivia McElroy, who asked to features the piece on her website for her book, Image Transfer Workshop. She doesn't cover the process in her book but she wants to inspire others with examples of what can be done with transfers. Anyway, I am happy to share that this piece is going to a previous buyer whom I consider a friend. Arlene Solomon lives in Hawaii, and is a talented photographer and massage and movement therapist who purchased three of my Polaroid transfer originals for her studio. I am so excited that she also wants to give a home to "Becoming Whole". Maybe I will make it to Hawaii someday to see my work and Arlene at her studio...

Now that the original is sold I will be offering a limited edition of 15 5x7" prints of this piece for $30 each. If you are interested in a print, please leave a comment here.

My First Highline Magazine Blog Post

My daughter Quinlyn was born in Quebec but is now an official mountain girl...

Polaroid Spectra double exposure by Tiffany Teske

I am a big fan of Highline Magazine, the best read in all of the Bow Valley. The shiny glossy print mag comes out twice a year, which is just too seldom. To remedy this, Highline decided to start a blog. If that was not exciting enough, they then contacted me about being one of their regular bloggers, and, but of course, I said YES! Now, I am on my way to becoming a regular contributor to the Art + Soul department of the Highline blog, yeah! And my first post when up this week. Entitled, Banff Becomes This Gypsy Girl, it is about how I came to live in the Bow Valley. Please check it out and let me know what you think. Better yet, let me know how you ended up in the Bow Valley, or wherever you live. We ALL have a story...

Myself against our Rocky Mountain backdrop...

Polaroid Spectra double exposure by Tiffany Teske

New Series - Childhood - Yet to be Named... - #2 - Alberta Corn

Alberta Corn
By Tiffany Teske

I am still thinking on a name for this series. You can read a bit about it in this post.

Altered Book Show at the Banff Public Library

Books by Cindy Gibson

I am excited to be part of a month long altered book show at the Banff Public Library. During April, 12 altered books will be on display art and book lovers to peruse. The books are the result of a class, taught by Jane Newman, at the library last fall. Newman, has four books on display, and the other eight are from the students. I have one book in the show. It is a tribute to my grandfather who passed away last September, entitled "Goodbye My Loving Grandfather (fly away home). It contains a Polaroid passport photo from the 1970s, amongst other personal belonging. In my next post I will show you my book in more detail...

Here are a few images of the exhibit. The Banff Public Library is at 101 Bear Street. There will be a closing party for the show on Thursday, April 29th, from 7 -9 PM. The artists participating in the show are Mojo Anderson, Cindy Gibson, Zoe Nelson, Pat Allin, and Tiffany Teske, and Jane Newman.


Book by Cindy Gibson


Book by Tiffany Teske


Book by Tiffany Teske

Here is a great article, written by Michelle Macullo, about the exhibit.

February 17th - A Little Collage

I have not been posting here, I have been busy over on Thing-A-Day. I have been working on this collage for a few days. I was inspired to start it because I had lots of book page and sheet music hearts left over from Valentine making. I usually start a collage with a vague idea of what I want but I never plan things out, aside from which materials to use. Once I gather the materials, which probably takes the most time, I lay things out, move things around, then just look at it for awhile before gluing things down. Sometimes, I use 3-D elements, which I did here. It can be difficult to make out everything in my collages, since little bits of text, 3-D elements, and fine details can get lost in photos. My favorite parts about this collage are the Polaroid (of course!), the 3-D hearts, and the two little glittered elements. This called Chorus and it is 8x8".

The Imagined Illusion of Balance - Collage Including Polaroid For Exquisite Corpse Project

This summer, I was invited to be part of an exquisite corpse. It is really not as creepy as it sounds. It began as the parlor game "Consequences" and was later used by the Surrealists on the 1920s. The written version involves passing around a sheet of paper upon which each person makes an contribution then folds the paper to conceal part of what is written before passing it to the next person. Later this game was used with both drawing and collage, with the paper being folded in thirds and each person contributing based on seeing very little of what is above or below. Our project was quite different from these examples...


Believe or Wolfwig Dreams of Venice by Alice Helwig

I was asked by Calgary painter, Alice Helwig, to be part of her exquisite corpse. She created the first piece, the collage above, and then sent a color photograph of it to the next artist, who had two weeks to create a work based on what they received. We were also given a theme to work within. The other artists who participated were Simon Wroot, a metalsmith, Barb Fyvie, a painter, Susan Thorpe, a potter, and Susannah Windrum, a metal worker, mixed media painter, and arts administrator. I work mostly with photography and mixed media. A diverse group, to be sure.

I will not post all of the contributing artists' work here, since Alice did an amazing job of explaining our project and showing each piece along with an artist's quote on her blog. I chose to create a collage. Below you can see images of it and read my statement about my process as well as the materials I used.


Title: The Imagined Illusion of Balance
This is the 5th piece in the series.

Process: I thought about the theme, “the joys and difficulties of being an artist”, before I received Simon’s piece, so I must say I was more influenced by it, than by Simon’s amazing work. For me, as the mother of a three year old and four month old daughters, finding the time to make art is always a challenge. A natural night owl, I generally toil in the latest hours of the night or wee hours of the morning, with my youngest child strapped to me, sleeping. I spend my days thinking about when I will be able to make art, while I am cooking, cleaning, caring for my kids, and trying to do a bit of crafting. As any artist, making art is like breathing so I need to do it. I am infinitely happier, as well as more patient, when I have had time to create.


The Imagined Illusion of Balance by Tiffany Teske

I wanted to make something light hearted to convey my thoughts on trying to find balance amongst the important things in my life and my challenge to find the time to make art. I decided to work on a collage, which is usually something I can create in one sitting, however, this one took me several days of thinking, arranging, viewing, rearranging… I usually start with a vague idea of what I want to accomplish and a pile of materials with which to make it all happen. In this case, I started with a small canvas, 6x6”, and a paper napkin that I brought home from a BBQ (I am a bit of a magpie). The paper has a repeating pattern which reminded me of clocks. The color palette of brown, pink, gold, beige, and white is lovely. The ribbon was added to remove some of the business of the background. The Polaroid had to be added because in most of my photography and art I work with Polaroid. It is blank to act as a backdrop to the woman, but also to put her in “the box”. But, as you can see, both her feet and head are not actually in the box, and the way her head is tilted in thought helps to illustrate that she is in fact thinking “outside of the box”. The “balance” text over her eyes makes her more universal, less individual, but also illustrates she is blinded by her constant thoughts of trying to be balanced. The definition of balance is hovering in an unbalanced state over her. The camera is over her heart both because of her love for creating with it but also because her need to use it is like her need to have blood pumping through her heart. The buttons are like bullets in front of items on a list, but are also fasteners, and the list is of things most important to her. The stitching binds her to these things. “Art Making” is hand written to distinguish its special place of importance on the list. I chose the title because this woman seems to have it all together when people look at her, but in reality, it is all an illusion. Like everyone else, she does the best she can, but makes no secret about her inability to find true balance between all that she loves and needs.

Materials:
6x6” Pre stretched canvas, tissue paper, vintage ribbon, buttons, embroidery thread, text and images from a vintage sewing book and dictionary, under exposed Polaroid 669 pack film image

Four of the artists, including myself, met in early October to show our work to one another and to bind the images and text about each piece into a book. I had not met any of these artists in person, so it was great to have known Alice via the web, and then through her to meet these other amazing artists. One of them lives in the next town and she and I plan to work on more projects in the future, hopefully with new artists and artists from this group. The works from our exquisite corpse were on display for the month of November at the Calgary Jewish Academy.

art, Canadian Photography, Collaborative Art Project, collage, Exquisite Corpse Project, polaroid, Polaroid collage, Tiffany Teske

Canmore Christmas Artisans’ Market 2009 at Canmore Collegiate High School

Holiday Star by Tiffany Teske

I am excited to be selling my photography and art at the Canmore Christmas Artisans Market this year. It is a wonderful way to do all of your Christmas shopping while supporting the handmade movement while not even leaving the Bow Valley!! I heard there are over 75 vendors this year... I will have items from $1 to $100, ranging from matted photographs and Polaroid transfers to magnets, pendants, pins, single and card sets, and postcards. There is something for everyone. Plus, if you come by my booth I will let you hold my little cherub baby :) Come and have some fun and read on for more details...

From the Canmore Events Calendar...
Canmore Christmas Artisans’ Market 2009
Saturday November 21 and Sunday November 22, 2009
10am to 4pm
"Treat yourself to something wonderful, or finish your Christmas shopping in a single day. Join over 60 artisans and artists from the Bow Valley and surrounding areas, as they present their beautiful, handmade creations. This year, the 14th annual Canmore Christmas Artisans’ Market will feature luscious art for the home, personal treats, and traditional crafts. We’ll have blown glass, turned wood and metal work. There will be a wide selection of pottery, jewellery and paintings. Indulge in chocolates, home made treats and luscious bath and body products. Snuggle up with cozy hats, slippers, gorgeous clothing, teddy bears and the cutest stuff for baby. From $5 to $1000, there’s something for everyone. Admission is $2, in support of the Canmore Preschool. Kids free. A light lunch is also available, featuring specialties from a number of local restaurants, along with hot drinks and the always popular bakesale table. We're at Canmore Collegiate High School, 1800 8th Ave."

All Over The Map - Solo Exhibition at the Banff Public Library

Wow! The month of October was spent getting ready for my show. And the past week has been spent shooting and posting for Polaroid week. And my in laws were here, and now my dad is here. Add play dates and preschool, crafting with friends, hunting treasures, baking and cooking, etc etc etc, man oh man I am tired.

Tomorrow night, Saturday, November 7th, I am having an opening for my latest show at the Banff Public Library from 7-9 PM. If you are local, please come! I am thrilled to have already sold two pieces in the show. And friend and writer Michelle Macullo wrote an awesome article about the show in this week's Rocky Mountain Outlook. She writes about all of the art shows for the library. It was so fun to chat with her and then to see what she would write. She is so sweet, I can't believe she said I give people the same feeling hot chocolate does! Below you will find the article and my artist statement for the show.


Image by Craig Douce of the Rocky Mountain Outlook

Artist all over the map with new exhibition
Published: November 04, 2009 10:00 PM
Updated: November 04, 2009 11:05 PM

MICHELLE MACULLO, BANFF

There’s something remarkable about Banff photographer Tiffany Teske.

Within minutes of sitting down with her, she puts you at ease. She’s that friend who loves you unconditionally, flaws and all – the kind of person who makes you feel the way hot chocolate does.

And while her Twitter page claims she’s “trying to get a handle on all the projects running around in her head,” it’s clear she’s got a gift for getting things done. With more than one blog, various projects on the go and two young daughters, she still manages to pursue her love of photography.

During the month of November, Teske presents All Over the Map – a solo exhibition of previously displayed and new photo-based works at the Banff Library Public Art Gallery. An opening reception with the artist and family in attendance takes place at the library, Saturday (Nov. 7) from 7-9 p.m.

Whether Polaroid transfers, collages or photos embellished with hand-sewn details, the end result is curiously pleasing, inspiring and peaceful. Noteworthy pieces include Wedding Cake from Kiki’s Wedding Series (Polaroid emulsion lift), Tremendous Journey from the Series Wanderlust (mixed media collage on a recycled album jacket) and Amazing Grace (Polaroid Transfer).

Since becoming a mother, Teske’s managed to weave visual arts into her regular routine. With 22 group shows and three solo efforts, there’s little doubt she’s adjusted. While the amount of time she spends on her craft has changed, her love of art hasn’t.

“I have no illusion that I’ve got it all together,” she laughs. “I’m not happy if I’m not creating. I have to feed the need to be creative. So even though I’m not getting into the studio as much as I’d like, I cook more and I bake more.”

And while she’s good at many things, she has no interest in being the best.

“It’s hard to be a perfectionist in art because you stand in your own way,” Teske says.

The transition from straight photography to mixed media has been a natural progression for Teske. Her inspiration is found in family, spirit, recycled objects and creative genius – something old, something new, something borrowed and hand-made glue.

All pieces in the show are for sale either framed or unframed. For additional details, or to contact the artist directly, please e-mail tiffany@oldesage.com.

All Over the Map runs until Nov. 30 at the Banff Public Library Art Gallery.


Metamorphosis
Mixed Media Collage
By Tiffany Teske
SOLD

All Over the Map ~ Mixed Media Works by Tiffany Teske

I have to admit that this exhibition has turned out differently than I originally planned. It makes total sense, in fact, it is truly perfect. Not the work perhaps, but the way it all came together. It is a bit like the way my husband and I travel. We have a map, we have a guidebook, but in the end we hop on some mode of transport and just let the experience take over and dictate where we will go. In the end, we have the most amazing adventures because we are open to not only all good experiences, but also to the occasional mishaps and misadventures. The ups come with some downs and in the end it is absolutely sublime. Like life. Like making art while at the same time mothering my two children.

Maybe someday I will present the body of work I had originally intended to create, a cohesive group of art like I was trained to create while in University. The kind of work I used to be able to create, before I became a mother. However, I am a much different person now and since I just keep changing, as does my life, whatever I plan to make in the future can not be what I had envisioned in would have been in the past. So, I am realising as I write this that what I have created in this retrospective body of work, that is sprinkled with some new pieces, is exactly what I meant to create. All Over the Map is real, it is true, it is me, and how I am creating art right now.

I used to be really good at my life. I looked as if I had it “all together” and truthfully I did. I could juggle dozens of balls in the air without dropping one. I could work on several projects at once and finish what I started in good time. I was not ruthlessly structured, I had a map and would use it, but I would also meander in appropriate ways. I had 24 hours 7 days a week to be me; a wife, a daughter, a friend, an artist, an activist, a traveler, an adventurer. Now, I am also a mother.

Lately, I have taken to calling myself the Artist Currently and Forever Known as Mama. I had no idea what I was in for. I thought for some reason babies would just be extra balls to juggle in the beautiful circus of my life. But, I am pleased to say, that in fact, they are the main attractions upon which my spotlight is permanently fixed. Their beauty transfixes me in a way that I can scarcely take my eyes off of them in order to catch the balls that now fall from time to time, some occasionally rolling away. Now, instead of seamless working on several things at once, I can barely start what I finish artistically because I am too busy relearning the wonder of being a child. It is sublime in a way that I could not have imagined. Yet, I must admit that there is a darker side, that my muse does become cranky, frustrated, and sometimes down right angry when I don’t create but she is appeased by snippets of time that I can spin into art; the art that you see here. In the three and a half years I have been a mother, I have been able to create and to participate in 22 group and three solo shows. All while watching my children grow and while joining them in play. All by learning that perfection is not my goal. I freed myself by truly not caring if others think I have it all together. I can honestly and happily say I don’t. All Over the Map is showcases my current adventure. Thanks for coming along.

Happy Dance

This week, I seem to be catching up on all the things I have been meaning to post about on this blog, and this one, and this one. It is good to have a week like that. Especially, since I have been creating a lot of new work this week, as well as putting together several submissions. I am not ready to show most of these on my blog yet, but keep coming back, as they will be starting to appear. After I get done catching up on all these languishing post ideas from the past month or so.


One day, several weeks ago, I opened and Etsy convo and did a happy dance. A previous customer, whom I have had great communications with, was hoping I could fill some image needs for her business. She has already bought my Polaroid transfer, Bloom, seen above. And I had given her permission to use it on her business card. She is a doula, which is something I am familiar with since my very best friend was my doula during my daughter's natural birth. The DONA (Doulas of North America) website defines doula as, "a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth." (Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, Mothering the Mother). She has named her business Bloom, so she loved the image. You can read more about this initial meeting in my blog post here.

As I was saying, this woman (whose business I am happy to link here once her website is up and running and I get her permission), and I have had pleasant conversations via Etsy. I am currently pregnant, and she was was truly interested in hearing about when my babe is born. She had mentioned that she might be back to my shop for more images. Well, she was not kidding...

She ordered this:

Tickle Fern by Tiffany Teske

And this:

Iris by Tiffany Teske

And this:


Fragile by Tiffany Teske

AND this:

Bouquet 2 by Tiffany Teske

AND THIS:

Bound by Tiffany Teske

AND THIS!:


Amazing Grace by Tiffany Teske

AND FINALLY this:

Bouquet by Tiffany Teske

Happy Dance?! Yes!! These are those moments that independent artists love. When someone who loves what you create finds you and wants to support your art making by owning your art. And the best part? She is thrilled with her purchase. Thank you so much for supporting individuals by buying original art :)

Town of Banff HomeGrown Art Show

Tonight we had a ball at the annual Town of Banff HomeGrown Art Exhibition. 48 local members of the community, ranging from amateur to well-known professional, gathered to show off their talent. I really appreciate the concept behind this show; it is open to all, no jurying, the more, the merrier! And when you have that many artists showing their work, it becomes a HUGE party... there were a couple hundred people there. The Town takes a small fee from each artist and then furnishes a spread of awesome food, desserts, and wine from local businesses. Yum yum!



My piece was in the main room with the food. I was happy to see it there, partially because it is a nice open room with good light and you can back up and view the work well, but also because I am pregnant so being near the food it important... My piece, titled "Visions of Banff" looked really good. The photo doesn't do it justice... I could not use a flash without glare, so I had to shoot it hand held without flash and it is a bit off kilter. I am going to write a post about the piece in coming days, along with a step by step tutorial. It is a photo quilt. Something new for me. I am planning to do a series of these quilts. I learned a lot while making this one, through trial and error, and I look forward to honing the technique.

Thanks to the Town of Banff for putting on such a fun family event where the residents of our community can shine!

Bloom

Today, I sold this in my Etsy shop. It has always been a very special image to me, since I took it of one of my very good friends, during her first pregnancy. She now lives in Spain, where she is from, so this image reminds me of her and makes me smile when I am missing her....

The woman who bought it lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where my husband is from, and near where we were living, in Wakefield, Quebec. It is so cool how small the world is, and how it takes the internet for this person to find me, even though I used to exhibit my work all over Ottawa! This very image has hung in public in Ottawa. She wrote me a sweet little note that says, "I love your work. I live in Ottawa Ontario and am feeling the pregnancy blues and this made me feel spring and beauty in the midst of winter! Thank you!" Isn't that lovely? It really made my day! From what I can tell from feedback ratings, this is only her third purchase on Etsy, and it is really cool that she chose my work. And that is spoke to her. That is what an artist needs to hear. And I think it is nice that I am pregnant, too. I am going to send her a little note back...

This image has really received a lot of good feedback. I had a student doula contact me, to ask if she could use it on her business card. While I would normally charge a fee for this, a small one for business card use, I believe so much in the importance of doulas for pregnant women, and I have been a student, that I said yes, please use the image!

I love being pregnant, and I love to capture this fleeting time in a woman's life.