Recent work: "Time Shift"

This image began as a physical collage, to which I added hand-painted papers, postage stamps from my collection, a photograph of pilings sticking out of the water, a sketch of Mt. Fuji, and more.

I really like the big, bold red element, as well as the tiny little image of Mt. Fuji bottom right.

To see a high-resolution version of each of these pictures at Fine Art America / Pixels, here's a link for you:

https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/featured/time-shift-carol-leigh.html

Copyright ©2020 Carol Leigh

Recent work: "Harbor Departures"

When I created this image, I quickly realized it would work equally well as a full-frame horizontal and as a square, so I uploaded both versions. Each has a different feel to it, which I like.

Here's how I described them:

The more I worked on this piece, the more I began thinking of Japan and ships coming and going. I made it using my own calligraphy, my own marks, stained papers, and circles.

To see these photos as high-resolution images, here's the link to one of them on Fine Art America/Pixels:

https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/featured/harbor-departures-number-one-carol-leigh.html

Copyright ©2020 Carol Leigh

Recent work: "Distant Hills" photomontage

 I completed this work at the end of January this year, and here's how I described it:

As I was making this piece, I got the feeling of a pilgrimage from sea to mountains. The forms were created by using torn papers, a cut-out circle, water stains on cardboard, Japanese hankos (signature “chops”), and more. 

For me, it's a calm, monochromatic, quiet piece of art. Something that's especially appealing to me in these "interesting" times.

To see a high-resolution version of this picture, here's the link:

https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/featured/distant-hills-carol-leigh.html

Image copyright ©2020 Carol Leigh

Mail Art

For the past 8 years I’ve been (sporadically) making postcards and other mail art. Some are handmade collages, some are digital, and (more often) some are a combination of both. I also make envelopes, but we won’t be talking about that now!

Why make mail art? They’re not exactly huge sellers. It’s just that they’re fun to create. If they sell, great. If not, I still had a good time in the studio!

The top one’s my latest, focusing on a Noh (Japanese stage play) mask I photographed at a mask-carver’s studio in Kyoto, Japan. I added old postage stamps from my collection, bits of stained papers, and more.

Below the mask are a couple of the many I offer at Fine Art America/Pixels. If you’d like to see them in higher resolution, just click the links below.

The card “Do Not Affix Stamp” was used as part of a Dolcezza clothing line last year, which was rather exciting!

All images copyright ©2020 Carol Leigh.

Noh Mask
Do Not Affix Stamp
Mastodons Are on Their Way

Recent sale: Japanese Matchbox Labels

I have a set of Japanese matchbox labels, probably from the very early 1900s. The printing quality on them isn’t very good, with most of them being out of register. But that’s what I found rather charming about them. I’m also thinking that maybe they were “factory rejects!” There’s no advertising on them, so perhaps they just didn’t make it through “quality control.” Who knows?

These would look good individually or as a grouping — perhaps printed on metal to make the colors really pop.

Here's the link to the full-resolution versions of these pictures if you'd like to see them in greater detail:

https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/collections/designer+series+japanese+geisha+matchbox+labels
A buyer from New York purchased these two (of the 12 that are available). I hope they look superb wherever he or she decides to put them.

Images copyright ©2019 Carol Leigh.

Recent work: "Calligraphically Speaking"

Japanese characters from an old book that have been folded, spindled, and mutilated to become something else altogether.

I made a series of three different images, and then, just because I could, made a diptych (two in the same frame) and a triptych (three in the same frame).

Do the characters have meaning? I could say something zen, like yes, they mean "clouds crossing sky," or "breathe deeply," but no, I just made scribbles. You, however, could make up something yourself...

To see these in high resolution, here's the link:
https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/collections/designer+series+calligraphically+speaking

©Images copyright 2019 Carol Leigh

Triptychs!

If the format and subject matter lend themselves to it, I'll sometimes make a triptych, a combination of three pictures all contained in one frame. The result is a larger piece -- with more presence -- that works well on a large wall.

And that's what I created here for these three photomontages of boro paper from a kimono packet, protective paper packaging designed to keep the kimono, carefully folded inside, dust-free.

To see what these look like larger and in full resolution, here are links to them both:

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/kimono-triptych-060704-horizontal-carol-leigh.html

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/kimono-triptych-060704-vertical-carol-leigh.html

Images copyright ©2019 Carol Leigh

Recently added to Fine Art America . . . "Shikoku Warmth"

There is a “pilgrimage route” on the Japanese island of Shikoku, and at each shrine or temple, you may have your book stamped with a singular stamp as a remembrance of your visit.

I have such a book in my collection, and this circular image from one of the temples has particular appeal. It’s intrinsically lovely, and to me, carries a sense of mystery.

I combined the stamp with some hand-painted papers I made and came up with this warm-colored abstract image -- both in a vertical, "full-frame" version, as well as in a square format.

If you'd like to see more detail, here's a link:

https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/featured/shikoku-warmth-carol-leigh.html

©Copyright 2019 Carol Leigh

Recently added to Fine Art America . . . "Woman of the Kurofune-ya"

Featuring a 1980 Japanese postage stamp, this montage consists of various antique Japanese papers, inks, and my own hand-painted papers. The oil painting on the stamp was done by self-taught artist Yumeji Takehisa in 1919 and was issued in October of 1980.

To see a close-up of this image, here's the link:
https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/featured/woman-of-the-kurofune-ya-photomontage-carol-leigh.html

Blue Enso on Plaster

Just finished the other day . . .

A blue Enso circle seemingly floats above a horizon line of warm red, yellow, and orange. I like the comforting colors, the complementary blue/orange combination, and the overall texture.

You can see this picture larger and in more detail in my "Circles" gallery at https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/featured/blue-enso-on-plaster-carol-leigh.html

All images Copyright ©2019 Carol Leigh.

Recent work . . . "Page 0419"

I am creating handmade Japanese ledger-style (daifuku) books, each page being a collage of old Japanese book pages, my own handmade papers, handmade prints, paint, and numerous other items.

I particularly liked how this page looked as a standalone image, and so brought it into the computer to make a digital print. This way I have the best of both worlds: cutting and pasting and painting in the studio, and then the computer processes afterwards, doing little tweakings here and there.

Here's a link for more information at Fine Art America / Pixels: https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/featured/page0419cl-carol-leigh.html