Skechbook Project update

and moving right along... spread number 2 of my sketchbook on the theme of 'i remember you'. using watercolor, cut out paper, rubber stamps, and an old silkscreen separation that happens to be a photo of my mom as a child.

Collage Series #9: The Birds Sing a Pretty Song and There is Always Music in the Air

This week i've been working on this little series of collages using some bad monoprints i made a while ago.  They are all a combination of monoprinting on an old music book page, rubber stamping, cut outs from an old sewing book, and machine sewing. I have to send one of these to Andrew for his show in PA.
find them on etsy if you like here.

CollageSeries #8: ...and we danced

Elizabeth Castaldo
"and we danced" 2011

I made this one during the blackout yesterday afternoon in the slowly fading light. luckily our power came back on by 8:30. Made on a random page in my sketchbook that just had that leaf cutout text page glued to it, i guess waiting for something good to happen to it. I used that weird cat paper to make the face of the moon and this cute vintage clipping for the dancers. the tree is drawn in ink with some stitching through it thats a little hard to see in the scan. Not bad for half light huh.

Sketchbook Project!

Just started on my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project at the Brooklyn Art Library!

Collage Series #8: Heron in the Water

Elizabeth Castaldo
"Heron in the Water" 2011

This collage is based on a photo I took in the Everglades of a Heron standing in the water. Lillypads and plants all over.

See it on Etsy here.

Collage Series #7: HS Yearbook

Elizabeth Castaldo
"HS Yearbook" 2011

The first piece in the collage series brought to you from Atlanta GA! Its been about two months since I've posted. we're finally settled in here in Atlanta, so Here is the latest installment...
Made with some old silkscreen separations i used a few years ago, layered together with a bottom layer of watercolor and some ink drawing and colored pencil. The portrait is from my mom's high school yearbook photo. I like the retro feel it has...
view on Etsy here.

Blerg! update....

I've had a couple of people ask me whats been going on with the semi weekly collage series here so heres the deal. I'm in limbo... ugh. and it sucks. The exciting news is that Joe and I will be moving to Atlanta GA at the end of June! I will be going to Grad school at SCAD Atlanta starting in the fall. woohoo!

meanwhile, i had to move into Joe's apartment temporarily and all my stuff is packed and there is no space, which isnt really an excuse for not working on 4 x 6 collages, but really i've just been going a little crazy. i'm still working on things slowly but surely, and in the mean time here is a little something to keep your eyes busy for a minute.... a monoprint i did last fall, part of a small body of work not many people have seen. Enjoy and i'll be in touch soon!

Elizabeth Castaldo
"Sewing" monoprint 2010


Find it on Etsy, here!

Weekly Collage Series #6: If a Tree Falls

Elizabeth Castaldo
If a Tree Falls 2011

The sixth piece in my weekly collage series entitled "If a Tree Falls" started out with two scraps of paper that looked nice next to eachother. then i thought hey that looks like a tree trunk on its side. i love adding sewn elements into my work so i stitched in some red leaves scattering onto the ground. simple and abstract. 

If you'd like to purchase this piece, click here.

Weekly Collage Series #5: Haircut

"Haircut"
Elizabeth Castaldo 2011

After kind of a quick hiatus, the weekly collage series is back! 


This latest piece, entitled "Haircut" is based on a photo by Robert Mapplethorpe from the book "Just Kids" by Patti Smith, a kind of autobiography/ biography about her younger years in NYC and relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe. it turned out to be one of the most inspiring and motivational books i've read. i totally recommend it. anyway there are lots of snapshots, most Mapplethorpe's polaroids, throughout the book and towards the end there is this great one of Patti Smith cutting her hair with this weird cat sitting on top of a chair. 

the contrast in the black and white photo gives it this great graphic look and i couldn't resist making its components into flat areas of color. i liked the underdrawing i did for it so left her face and hands rather than blocking those out too. 

The piece measures 7.5 x 7.5 inches. collage/ mixed media, pencil, and watercolor on paper. if you'd like to purchase it click here.

Illuminations Recap

The Opening for Illuminations was Thursday. It turned out to be a pretty busy opening, with many people from the community turning out to see work by local artists. It was great to be included in a show alongside other talented artists. It was a juried exhibition and my painting, "My Heart Grows Fonder", won second place for a two dimensional artwork. Yay! So this means i get to be in another show at the end of 2011. here are some photos of funny people:

Joe, Me, and Kim at the show

2nd place!

Weekly Collage Series #4: I'm Innocent!

Elizabeth Castaldo
I'm Innocent!.  2011.  collage on paper

This is an original piece of art entitled "I'm Innocent!", the fourth installment in my weekly collage series.

A little morbid and a little playful. my art in a nutshell. the arms come from Playboy and the little girl is from an old sewing instruction book, so it conjured up ideas of the ineveitable destruction of innocence.

The piece measures 4.5 x 6 inches. collage/ mixed media on paper. to purchase it click here.

Weekly Collage Series #3: Communications at Sea

Elizabeth Castaldo
Communications at Sea.  2011.  collage on paper

This is an original piece of art entitled "Communications at Sea", the third piece in my weekly collage series. This collage was inspired by the inside of a security envelope with a wave pattern. so i thought its the water, an interesting scrap of paper became the land, and i added the seagulls and a little section from some sheet music. seagullls dont make the prettiest of songs but lets just imagine. it makes me happy.

The piece measures 6.5 x 7 inches. collage/ mixed media on paper. To purchase click here.

Illuminations Art Show

My artwork has been selected to be a part of a group show being held at the Kaplan Hall Gallery at SUNY Orange in Newburgh NY. I'll have two peices in the show. It will feature works by artists from Orange County NY.

The opening reception will be held on March 3rd from 5 to 7pm and the show will run through May 6th. 

the Gallery is located at 5 Washington Center Newburgh NY. 

If anyone can make it i would be happy to see you at the opening!

Second in the Series: Elementary Modulation

Elizabeth Castaldo
Elementary Modulation, 2011. collage on paper.

The second piece in my weekly collage series sort of came together out of some random pieces of paper: trimmings from some prints i made, a little scrap of japanese paper, the header from an old music book... this strange landscape is what i came up with. 

size is 6.5 x 7 inches. to purchase click here.

Weekly Collage Series: Cover Me Up

Elizabeth Castaldo
Cover Me Up.  2011.  collage on paper

The first piece in the weekly collage series is entitled "Cover Me Up". mixed media collage on paper measuring 6.5 x 7 inches. i've been working a lot with stencils and overlay techniques, on the usual nature theme. guess i'm feeling a little nostalgic of the fall hence the colors. materials include, old book paper, a magazine cutout, colored pencil, over layed with translucent ochre vellum, with micron drawing. if you'd like to purchase this you may do so through my Etsy site here. 

Welcome to my new blog!

Hi everyone and welcome to my blog. This is the place to find news, updates, and images of new artwork by Elizabeth Castaldo. Also coming soon, the weekly collage series. i'll be posting one piece every week that will be available for purchase right here. for now you can also view images at local-artists.org/users/elizabeth-castaldo