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.