If you like Edgar Allan Poe and you enjoy creating artful projects, you are in the right place!

Thursday, March 19, 2015

QUOTE THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #42: DREAM ON! (WEEK 3)


It is Week 3 of the Quoth the Raven, Nevermore Challenge, and I am here to remind and inspire you to come play with us!  For the inspiration for today's art, I chose part of Edgar Allan Poe's work "Dreams."  You can read the full poem here.  

The Poe image I used in my project today is a stamp from Carmen's Veranda.  The background paper is called Poe Boy and was purchased as a digital download (including 7 other backgrounds) from Smeared Ink.  




I hope you can find time to get inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and our "Dream On!" challenge this month. This challenge is subject to your personal interpretation; the only rule is that it must--in some way--be related to Edgar Allan Poe.  

Thursday, March 12, 2015

QUOTH THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #42: DREAM ON! (WEEK 2)

It is Week 2 of the Quoth the Raven, Nevermore Challenge, and I am here to remind and inspire you to come play with us!  For the inspiration for today's art, I chose what I believe is the most well known of Edgar Allan Poe's works, The Raven.  I have used just the first two lines of Stanza 5, but it is really worth reading (or rereading) the whole poem. You can do that here.

I wanted a dark and dismal feel to my project, so I chose a monochromatic theme, using white, gray and black.  My focal image is from Stampotique Originals and is called Dweeze.



I hope you can find time to get inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and our "Dream On!" challenge this month. This challenge is subject to your personal interpretation; the only rule is that it must--in some way--be related to Edgar Allan Poe.  


Thursday, March 5, 2015

QUOTH THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #42: DREAM ON!

The "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore" website has posted the challenge for March, and it is all about dreams!  This challenge is subject to your personal interpretation; the only rule is that it must--in some way--be related to Edgar Allan Poe.  

When I searched the literature for references in Poe's works to dream (which also would include variations of the word), I found more references than I had time to count.  As an artist, I did find a quote to which I could definitely relate!

Eleonora is one of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories.  Like many other of his works, it is said by most reviewers to be autobiographical in nature. If true, then it is clear to me that Eleonora is actually Virginia Clemm Poe, his cousin/bride.  However, the two introductory paragraphs of the story seem to be a defense of the narrator's sanity.  I cannot separate the quote I have used as my inspiration from those sentences that precede it:
I AM come of a race noted for vigor of fancy and ardor of passion.  Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence -- whether much that is glorious -- whether all that is profound -- does not spring from disease of thought -- from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect.  They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.
You can read the whole short story here.

My artwork today measures approximately 5" x 5" (without matting) and features a Stampotique Originals stamp called Bob's in Time Out.  Bob, with that mustache, does remind me a bit of Poe!  A supply list appears below the image.



Supplies used:

  • Beige and brown card stock from my stash
  • Graphic45 A Ladies' Diary Collection (background)
  • Dylusions stencil (DYS34216)
  • Wendy Vecchi's Crackled Texture Paste
  • Tim Holtz' Tea Dye Distress Stain (to colorize paste before applying)
  • Tim Holtz' Vintage Photo Distress Ink (to colorize paste after applying)
  • Ranger Mini Ink Blending Tool
  • Stampotique Originals Bob's in Time Out stamp
  • Computer generated and printed quote
  • Ranger Black Archival Ink
It's a brand new challenge today at the Quoth the Raven site, so come on over and play.  There are prizes to be won and fun and inspiration galore!