Mixed Media Artist John W. Fesken

I met artist John Fesken at an art festival in Baton Rouge today. Mixed media is his specialty and he uses vintage photographs and recycled wood in his pieces. When I saw his work I was instantly drawn to it - its edgy and provocative yet somewhat restrained.  When Mr. Fesken gave me permission to take a few photographs I was elated!

The above piece has a vintage silhouette as the focal point - ripped and stained its positioned over old photographs (upside down) and framed with recycled wood.

artist John Fesken March, 2015

Many of his pieces use images of men, as those seen above, so there is a masculine appeal.

His shadow boxes are fun and inventive.

Thank you to Mr. Fesken for allowing me to share his artwork.  I thoroughly enjoyed visiting his booth   His work is simple but not boring.  It celebrates the lives of those who came before us and it gives new meaning to found objects that when used together tell a little story.

Junk Art Frame DIY From Costume Jewelry

Hello!

I made a recycled, junk art frame to share with you today.  With a bag of junk jewelry, a glue gun, and a pair of pliers I made this little frame in about an hour.  Maybe more (time) because I fuss with my projects...but if you are aggressive you can complete your own in no time at all.

This was my original bag of costume jewelry and blank picture frame.  I selected a thrift store frame that I acquired for .25 that is metal covered with paper.  A wooden frame would work, too. 

The frame's original state was pretty worn but it came with glass and the photo easel back so it worked fine for this little project.  Size is 4"x6". 

• Remove glass and easel back.
• Glue your crown or focal point on first.

• Next add pieces along the bottom of the frame for visual balance.  Because the crowning piece was so large I needed elements to anchor the project.

• Next start to fill in the sides and bottom of the frame.  It was at this point that I decided to incorporate silver junk jewelry because the gold (only) was looking garish (garish on a junk art frame??)

Notice that I balanced the silver elements in a visual triangle to encourage eye movement along the frame.

Here is the frame totally filled in with costume jewelry.  Even though I had plenty of recycled pieces in my original goody bag the sizes weren't working for this frame so I went to my backup stash and brought some of them into the equation.  Those items were the gold buttons, plastic flowers, silver snap, silver button, live love laugh charm...well about half of the frame came from something other than the first baggie but I'll use the leftovers for some new "unthought of" project down the road. (To be honest, too, I used a couple new Making Memories Foil sequins...but all other elements are recycled.)

• Tilt pieces, fill in holes with beads, etc. and don't be afraid to overlap...its OK to conceal part of a broach or button, etc. because your eye will fill-in the missing part of the zebra's feet, etc.

• Crop your desired photograph, clean glass, add all to completed frame.  In looking at this picture, now, I think a white mat from Dollar Tree and a smaller picture behind the mat would be cute, but I'm OK with my adopted ancestors from an old French post card just as you see them here.





• Proudly display your little frame where it will get lots of sunlight or artificial light so all of your elements sparkle! 

I hope you enjoyed today's project.  If you have a junk art picture frame you've made from recycled costume jewelry please let me know.  I would love to feature similar projects!

Bye for now.  Cynthia

Green is good.  Junk is good.



P.S. I made the little glass stand from an old clear saucer and recycled candle holder.  They are glued together with super-duper all surface glue - can't remember which - but the equivalent of Super Glue.

Post script added 4.15.11  After being featured on Love2Upcycle I decided to add a readers challenge.  Be sure to participate.  Its easy...just become a friend.
http://myjunkinspiredlife.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-junk-inspired-life-friends-challenge.html