jennifer culp art

plywood bird paintings

2009-11-25T21:26:00.000-08:00

pink bird yellow background 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is created from vintage sheet music. *This piece was recently purchased as part of a movie set. The movie is currently in production, so not knowing much about the industry, I don't know how long it will be before I possibly see it again (on the big screen). When the movie comes out, I'll fill in the details.

hook and barbwire 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is created from a page from a vintage book about Peter Pan, a book that Heather (my partner in artistic crime) gave me.

top of the mornin to you 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece was created from a bit of a vintage map of Ireland.

golden song 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird is fashioned out of paper from a vintage children's book--then sprayed gold and enhanced with acrylic paint and pencil.

three's a crowd 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

I think I get the relationship between these three. [This is one of those pieces that I unintentionally created a relationship among these birds, and didn't notice until I stepped back when complete]. The female demurely sits and watches as her partner puffs up in a defensive stance because another bird is leering at her with an offensive confidence. Funny.

mixed media vintage postcards

2009-11-25T20:38:00.000-08:00

spirit of memories 2009 mixed media vintage postcard

These postcards used to belong to a collection that I've kept to myself for several years. I'm a collector of sorts, and I realized it doesn't do me [or anyone for that matter] any good to keep my treasures [like these postcards] to myself. These cards sat in a book, untouched and unseen by anyone until I decided to incorporate them into my work. Honestly, I'm a little torn about altering the original integrity of these postcards, but I consider each one carefully before adding my bits. The titles in this series mostly have the phrase "spirit of" to reflect the ghostly nature of the subjects, and to pay tribute to the original owners of these cards--likely long gone from this mortal plane.

spirit of quiet 2009 mixed media vintage postcard

changes 2009 mixed media vintage postcard

spirit of history 2009 mixed media vintage postcard

light as a... 2009 mixed media postcard

painting

2009-09-06T23:31:00.000-07:00

the birds 2009 20"x 20" mixed media

This painting was finished yesterday, with purpose. Many of my pieces are out at show right now, and it leaves my walls bare. It's not that I intend on adorning my walls with my own work, but a girl on a budget (such as myself) isn't able to fill a house with the works of others, so many of the walls in my house hold my work between shows. This has left my bedroom, in particular, bare. I decided I wanted to hang the king and i, but I felt it needed a companion piece--something to lend balance.

[reminder] the king and i

The birds in the complementary piece are created from vintage paper, sketched, and sprayed gold (for brillante). Once the two pieces were side by side, it inspired a new series I'd like to create called birds and beasts (like the animal fair).

painting

2009-08-22T17:10:00.001-07:00

2009 10"x 10" mixed media

This is a piece that will appear at an auction event benefiting Water for People. It is technically a plywood bird piece, but this is larger and fancier than I generally create. It's birch mounted onto a wood frame backing that pulls it up from the wall, similarly to deep gallery wrapped canvas. I'm waiting on a title--thinking of a 3 word [noun, verb, adjective] name that has been required for the show.

painting

2009-08-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

3 wishes 2009 24"x 24" mixed media

Last month I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit New Orleans for a few days. This piece is inspired by a memory made during my trip. The subject of a balloon release may not be significantly original, but this one is to me. It was a warm promising night as we let 3 balloons go over the Mississippi after taking some time in quiet to consider a wish. As soon as they floated up, I saw the painting in my mind, and there it stayed until today, when I finished this piece. Now I can let it go--like the balloons.

By the way, I know that at least 2 of the 3 wishes have come true [one being my own--more than nice].

mixed media vintage postcards

2009-08-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

spirit of seeing 2009 mixed media vintage postcard

I generally don't like to post new work I'm creating specifically for an upcoming "hang" [showing], but I'm so excited by this inspiration, I thought I could at least preview it. I have several more of these, and they will actually be part of an installation at Mode Organic Salon [on Roosevelt] in Seattle, so even by previewing these, one would have to stop by in person to get the whole feel. I plan to combine organic material from which to hang these pieces, which will lend itself nicely to Mode's cozy organic atmosphere.

spirit of understanding 2009 mixed media vintage postcard

quiet in chaos 2009 mixed media vintage postcard

plywood bird paintings

2009-08-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

london peek-er 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This piece is created from a vintage map mounted on plywood, and the bird is made from a page out of a vintage program from the Ice Capades. It's actually my program; I'm a [reformed] collector of whatever, and it pains me to call this treasure vintage--but let's be straight, it's vintage (by Etsy's standards 20 years at least), NOT antique.

did you hear something? 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This little bird is created from an illustration from a vintage English (as in European) book for girls.

the cat, the bird, and the feather 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is created from a page from a vintage children's book [that my partner in artistic crime, Heather, gave me].

2009 6"x 6" mixed media

I actually don't remember what this piece is called. I created it and sent it off to Florida, to Studio Gallery of Grayton Beach. I remember it had a good title, something to do with singing.

The birds are created from excerpts from a vintage children's book.

paintings

2009-08-08T20:51:00.000-07:00

and the tree was happy... 2008 30"x 40" mixed media

This is probably my most favorite painting I've ever created. It was a commission piece--a family tree. The client and I went back and forth because she wanted muted colors, and I [if you've noticed] am a loud color girl. I called her over often to look at it while working, because I was so afraid I would go over board with color. Maybe that's why I like this piece so well, because it's not entirely my idea.

Incorporated into it are leaves made of vintage cookbook recipes, and blossoms made from snippets of cotton. The title comes from a line out of Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree.

el capitan 2008 16"x 20" acrylic

This is one of my favorites also, adapted from a photo of my oldest son's dog Brutus. He's enjoying a boat ride on Lake Chelan--lucky dog.

plywood bird paintings

2009-06-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

jail bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

I think the black and white stripes give this bird an old school jail house rock feel--hence the name.

flag feathered friend 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

I'm always looking for something other than wires and branches to perch my birds on. Today I passed by a car lot that had flappy flags over-head, and it inspired me to created this piece (although in real life the flappy flags might be too unstable for a bird to perch?--I don't know; I'm not a bird expert).

dans le jardin bird 2009 6"X 6" mixed media

I wanted to create something light and airy, and it somehow seemed french when finished.

painting

2009-06-06T20:44:00.001-07:00

spring 2009 24"x 24" mixed media

This painting is an adaptation of a photo I took last spring. Its creation came from my hands and head while listening to inspiring music. This piece is mostly cathartic expression of color--painting for the sake of painting.

plywood bird paintings

2009-05-20T20:15:00.001-07:00

divine bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

Most plywood has a "good side", and with each of my plywood paintings, I try to pick the best side on which to paint. This piece did not have good side. In fact, the side I chose to paint is actually the side I would generally shy away from, but instead of trying to fill in all the cracks and sand down all the bumps, I decided to enhance them by letting the imperfections shine through (like I say, imperfections = charm).

lemon love bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

I entitled this piece with love, because I LOVE my new lemony colored spray paint [I kind of want to lick it, but I know it will probably disappoint like when you try to eat flavored chapstick]. The bird in this piece is created from an illustration of A Christmas Carol, taken from a vintage book, and the flower is cut from vintage drawer lining paper.

paintings

2009-05-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

pleasant 2009 4"x 4" mixed media

This little painting is created from acrylic and spray paint, featuring a bird made from a vintage illustration from a book.

upcycle sign birds 2009 11"x 33" mixed media

This piece is created from an upcylced sign. It was sitting outside the back door of my work, basically where we put things that are to be recylcled and thrown away. It was a shabby chicish sign (white). I asked what it was doing outside the door (because it seemed perfectly useful to me), and my boss said, "you can have it" (he must have seen it in my eyes).
It was so great; this white painted sign, in terrific condition with hangers already measured and aligned on the back. All I had to do was paint it. BUT, on a very rainy sleepy day, I began painting it. It was coming along well. The colors good, the birds perfectly shaped and painted--it was all going well...until...I went to mount the birds on the painting. I unthinkingly placed all 3 upside down. It was my mad painting skill. I had created such a nice branch in which the birds would sit, that it looked just as good upside down (maybe that's not a good thing). It wasn't until I flipped it over until I realized I had placed the birds upside down (and not on purpose like in some of my work), and had ruined the beauty of the sign being pre-hung.
So there you have it. By the way, I re-wired it, although the original hangers are there too, if one was inclined to hang it upside down.

girl on a string 2009 12"x 16" mixed media

I personally love this one. The colors and content. The bird is fashioned out of a vintage cookbook recipe and the girl from a vintage illustration from a book.

plywood bird paintings

2009-05-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

a bit of an off day 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from a photograph of a festive table from a vintage cookbook.

cast off bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from a recipe (pattern) for hand-knit gloves from a vintage book.

3 little sugar birds 2006 6"x 6" mixed media

The birds in this piece are fashioned out of vintage cookbook recipes.

rick rack blue bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from the vintage paper packaging from rick rack (for sewing projects), and the background is fashioned out of the cardboard that use to line my painting workspace (mounted to plywood). The cardboard acts as history to my work--a collection of my favorite colors and materials.

under the weather bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from a vintage cookbook recipe. I thinly sprayed this plywood red, leaving some of the natural wood's attributes to seep through.

mixed media framed art

2009-05-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

tv cathedral bird 2009 4.75"x 6" mixed media

I just completed this piece today. The postcard is a vintage European, from the late 19th/early 20th century, and the bird is created from a vintage television owner's manual (70s I think). The frame is a tacky little piece I picked up at the thriftstore, sprayed it and transformed it into an object of cool.

table and chair birds 2009 6"x 8" mixed media

These two little birds are fashioned out of a vintage card; the illustration on the card is colorful and I've been meaning to work it into projects. The background is a postcard from the late 19th/early 20th century, featuring a historical cabin in Oregon. And the frame comes from the thriftstore, was originally silver, and sprayed with my favorite Montana Gold Himalaya blue spray paint (love that stuff).

plywood bird paintings

2009-04-30T19:35:00.001-07:00

crows, what do they know? 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

I love the bird in this piece--sketchy. The copper background shimmers through the splattery blue. The crow is fashioned out of vintage cookbook paper painted black.

generosity plywood bird 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from a comic illustration of A Christmas Carol, and on the bird's body is a excerpt about Scrooge's new generosity. The illustration is from a vintage book.

blue monday bird 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

How does it feel? This poor little friend is fashioned out of an illustration of a European cottage from a vintage book. When I stepped back to look at this completed piece, one of my all time favorite songs came to mind--Blue Monday by New Order.

bulls eye bird 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

This bird is made from a comic from a vintage book, and if you look closely, you can see people dressed as bears--curious, and makes one wonder what the story was.

fried prawns party bird 2009 approx. 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is created from a photo of a party table from a vintage cookbook about foreign party food to impress your guests.

paintings

2009-04-24T21:49:00.001-07:00

3rd bird has the key 2009 8"x 10" mixed media

The birds in this piece are created from a page from a vintage cookbook that is entitled something like foreign food with flair. The key is an actual key, like that of a cheap diary, which may explain the meaning of this work. It's funny, but a piece like this is just as mysterious to me as the random viewer. Sometimes when I'm finished, I realize an unintentional story has come to fruition, although I usually don't even know what it is. This piece, for instance, evolves through color and placement--a bird here, a bird there, then a key to fill a void, and Voila! When I step back I realize, something is going on between these 3, but what?

windmill bird mini framed art 2009 4.5"x 5.5" mixed media

This little painting has a rather drab title, but for practical reasons I wanted it easily understandable for those shopping in my etsy store. It began with my love for this thrift store found vintage frame. I intended to open it and fill it with new art, but when I popped the original art out, I found it charming. It looked to be a snippet out of a vintage magazine, possibly a photo of an original, printed in a magazine. I decided to add to it instead and draw from its charm. I put it all back together and sealed up the back--ready to hang.

cathedral canary 2009 5.25"x 7.25"

This is a marriage between things I love: upcycled pieces (like the frame) + vintage (like the European 19th/20th c postcard) + my art. The upcycled element brings a tacky frame to relevance, the postcard brings character and history to the entirety of the piece and my artistic addition brings new life to once forgotten pieces. The postcard is one of many I've collected--mostly from a particular girl who went on a European holiday at the turn of the century (20th).

bon voyage blue bird 2009 6"x 8" mixed media

This piece also incorporates an upcycled frame, a vintage postcard (from Astoria Oregon) and one of my birds (fashioned out of vintage sheet music), with a background of recycled cardboard that used to line my work space, so it's basically a history of colors and materials I've used in various projects.

country cottage bird mini framed art 2009 4.5"x 5.5" mixed media

This piece is also made from a vintage frame purchased at a thrift store, adding to the art that was already inside. The bird is made from vintage sheet music.

paintings

2009-04-13T20:41:00.001-07:00

love triangle 2009 16"x 20" mixed media

This painting features my two favorite birds sitting on a branch contemplating one another, but in this piece, a third bird has come into the mix. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe it's a relationship between the 3, or maybe it's merely because I thought it looked empty without the bird peering down.

just before the wish 2009 8"x 8" mixed media

I love wishes. Had to paint one in it's most optimistic point in time.

menage et trois 2009 16"x 12" mixed media

Again, three birds that are related no more than by aesthetics--or perhaps not? The birds are fashioned out of a story told in comic form from a vintage book for girls.

plywood bird paintings

2009-04-05T19:11:00.001-07:00

curious feather friend 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from recipe from a vintage cookbook.

recycled material birdie babe 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This and the piece below are fashioned from the cardboard that used to line my workspace. I painted it and mounted it on plywood.

cardboard blue bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The backdrop to this piece is the cardboard that lined my paint workspace for a very long time. It gathered lots of paint and material over time, and when I pulled it to replace it, I thought it contained history and beauty, so I've worked it into some projects.

seven little friends 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The birds in this piece are all adorned with rhinestones as eyes--brilliante.

tiny tim bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from a comic of a Christmas Carol, and if you look closely you can see tiny Tim.

paintings

2009-04-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

no bird 2009 4"x 4" mixed media

This miniature painting is meant to inspire (ha ha). The bird is fashioned out of paper from a vintage cookbook.

i cup bird 2009 4"x 4" mixed media

Juvenile, but funny. I decided to do i cup, because when I asked my daughter what information I should put in the "about me" portion of this blog, she said "i cup." I thought it was funny and it's been stuck in my mind since--well actually been stuck in my mind since second grade. The bird is made from a recipe from a vintage cookbook.

eat dirt bird 2009 4"x 4" mixed media

Truly inspirational, and meant to impart a feeling of warmth to all who look upon this piece. The bird is made from a recipe from a vintage cookbook.

plywood bird paintings

2009-03-31T20:29:00.000-07:00

a bit of an off day 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This bird is actually made from a vintage cookbook recipe, but I got carried away in the process of painting and the recipe is now hidden.

out to lunch 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

Just a cute way of saying "not all there".

cream puff bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This bird is made from a vintage recipe for cream puffs, and I added the barbwire for balance--fluffy and sweet, but edgy.

strawberry love bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This bird is made of a recipe from a vintage cookbook, and the heart it dangles is a photograph of a strawberry dessert from the same book.

feathered friend 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from a 1962 calendar from a vintage book.

paintings

2009-03-31T19:53:00.000-07:00

ladies everywhere 2007 30"x 40" mixed media

Roses = women. Gold = divinity.

curious feather 2009 10"x 10" mixed media

The bird in this piece is created from a recipe from a vintage cookbook.

behind the curious birds 2009 10"x 10" mixed media

The birds are fashioned out of vintage cookbook recipes and they have rhinestones to add sparkle to their eyes. Behind them is a secret mistake--the original painting I intended. I didn't like how it was going, and painted over it, but the body of the original painting still comes through in texture.

loosely connected 2009 10"x 10" mixed media

This is my favorite version of these two birds (so far). The taller one looks so regal, confident, yet gentle, and the smaller one looks captivated, like she's moving in just a little closer.

holding down the fort 2009 10"x 10" mixed media

This painting illustrates the beauty of looking after one another. We all have off days, and we're fortunate if we have someone to hold down the fort until we're able to pull ourselves back up.

plywood bird paintings

2009-03-30T20:42:00.001-07:00

cardboard bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

Cardboard serves as the backdrop to this piece. It's the cardboard that lined my painting work space for a long time. All of the colors and materials that gathered on it over time inspired me to do something purposefully artistic with it.

so pretty vintage music bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from vintage sheet music to the song I feel pretty.

transparent bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This piece is a combination of spray and acrylic paint, with pencil.

cardboard bird (original) 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

Again, this piece is made from the cardboard that lined my painting work space, mounted on plywood.

lemon drop ice cream birds 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

I saw some colors somewhere that inspired me to do a little landscape scene, and the birds were an after-thought. They are created from photos of homemade lemon drop ice cream from a vintage cookbook.

paintings

2009-03-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

untitled 2009 8"x 10" mixed media

These are two of my favorite birds and they appear over and over again in many of my pieces, usually together, but sometimes alone.

out to lunch 2009 8"x 10" mixed media

This piece, a favorite theme of mine, illustrates the comedy that life truly is. The bird is fashioned out of a recipe for duck (I think) out of a vintage cookbook.

this moment 2009 11"x 14" mixed media

I'd like to tell you that the title is clever, but it actually doesn't even originally belong to this piece. The title card had already been made for a piece I intended to show, but changed my mind at the last moment. Instead of making a new card to perfectly match the other 35+ cards that had been made, I decided to stick this title to this piece instead, and since I'm a firm believer in "no accidents", it seems fitting. The birds are made from excerpts of a story from a vintage book for girls.

good as gold 2009 8"x 10" mixed media

This painting is created from an upcycled canvas and the gold interlace type design on the wings is gold leaf paint.

barbwire bird 2009 8"x 8" mixed media

The bird in this piece is made from an excerpt of a story about Joan of Arc from a vintage book.

plywood bird paintings

2009-03-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

luke warm vanilla bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird is fashioned out of a recipe from a vintage cookbook, and you can see the "lukewarm vanilla" in his body.

all in the game called love 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The birds are made from dessert recipes from a vintage cookbook (delicious), and they stand uneasy upon barbed wire (ouch). The back drop is a red poppy mimicking a heart (nice), yet they look at one another with connection and tension (?). All of this is part of the "game called love", like Gregory Isaacs notes in his song from one of my all time favorite albums, Call Me Collect. *hey, do we still call them albums?

? 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

I don't remember what this one was titled, and I don't have record of it. The bird is fashioned out of a vintage cookbook recipe, and he holds a heart made from vintage sheet music.

sing 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird is made from painted vintage sheet music, hence the name.

three little birds 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The birds are made from bronze spray painted sheet music, and the title is a reminder of the stoic "don't worry about a thing" attitude we all should practice.

paintings

2009-03-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

map tree 2009 8"x 8" mixed media

This little piece incorporates vintages round bits of map paper as the blossoms to this tree.

forest bird 2009 8"x 8" mixed media

The bird in this painting is a "recipe" for hand knit gloves from a vintage book for girls.

when life hands you lemons 2009 24"x 24" mixed media

The birch trees in this piece happened as a result to experimentation (I love when that happens), and the birds [and lemon] are fashioned out of vintage paper, actually rules to the game Clue. The consummate optimist may not even notice the lemon in the tree, revealing they may be a natural maker of lemonade.

no where to run 2007 12"x 12" acrylic

This piece is a depiction of the beauty that sometimes seems just beyond the horizon, yet we are unable to run toward it because we are stuck on a track running circles, due to outside or internal limitations.

view from my room too 2008 22"x 28" mixed media

This is a reproduction of a piece that originally was more realistic and hung in my room for some time, hence the name.

plywood bird paintings archive

2009-03-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

lucky number 5 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This piece features a bird made out of vintage paper that reads an excerpt from a story about Joan of Arc. I found this round paper with the number 5 on it, and I thought it looked nice incorporated into this work. It's not my lucky number, but I figured it must be someone's, maybe the person who purchased it?

under the weather 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

The bird in this piece is fashioned out of paper from a vintage cookbook, and is actually the directions to folding a fancy napkin. I like how this piece is delicately morbid, kind of like life. Making the ugly pretty, or the pretty ugly--same/same.

by-product bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

I named this piece as a clue to its content. The cardboard that serves as the background to this painting sat under my paint work area for a long time. It collected all my favorite colors and materials and when I was ready to replace it, I thought it would make a nice additive to some of my work.

joan of arc blue bird 2009 6"x 6" mixed media

This painting features a bird made out of paper from a vintage book--an excerpt of a story about Joan of Arc.

paintings

2009-03-28T19:27:00.001-07:00

hootenanny 22"x 28" 2008 mixed media

This piece features pink sprayed vintage sheet music as the flowers that are sprinkled about the painted blossoms. It was named by my daughter who was really into the word hootenanny at the time.

is it really love? 2008 16"x 36" mixed media

This painting is based off of a photograph I took, and ponders one of life's most perplexing dilemmas. Also, the delicate leaf buds are fashioned out of vintage sheet music sprayed bronze.

the king and i 2008 18"x 24" mixed media

This painting is adapted from a photo a friend of mine took. It's a step away from the work I usually produce, but something about this king is compelling so I had to give it a try.

black velvet 2008 14"x 18" mixed media

This painting is based off of a photograph of a puppy from a vintage book, and when I finished it I thought it looked tacky--hence the name.

doodle 22"x 28" mixed media

This piece is basically a giant doodle, similar to doodling on a phone book while talking on the phone, but painted instead.