Cheshire Tree Art Journal Page

Featured Artist: Ky Sanders
Blog: Ky's Bunny Nest
Location: United States - Illinois

Well, I have never wanted to maim an art journal until I saw this page by my fellow Oh, Alice! design team mate, Ky Sanders. I would really, really, like to (oh so carefully) cut it away from the binding and frame it to hang on MY WALL!!!!  I am totally in love with this page, every detail whether bold or subtle absolutely enchants me and I just love to look at it.  By happy coincidence Ky posted this beauty on my birthday, and I kept looking at it and thinking that this is the happiest my eyes will be on my birthday!  Take a look, and click any picture to enlarge:

The first thing we notice is the absolute explosion of color in the tree! This brilliance was achieved by application of alcohol inks onto glossy paper - gorgeous! I love the torn edges and the torn paper trunk.

The White Rabbit is always associated with haste and time, and I just love the way she has used the Tim Holtz Timeworks mask to encircle the tree with the Roman numerals of the clockface. The theme is emphasized by the pocket watch and the words "You're LATE. . . you're LATE" stamped on a small panel that is threaded on the twill tape running down the left side. It is bracketed by two images of the Queen of Hearts in her "Off with their heads" fury, mounted behind what looks like clear acrylic Fragments.

I also love the way Ky added just the eyes and grin - we don't need to see the rest to know that the Cheshire Cat is hanging around! The sparkle of white in the eyes seems to indicate a twinkle, which echoes the merriment in that big, engaging grin!

Below the tree on textured hills, we see the rabbit racing along, ever hurrying in his desire to not be late! The copper embossed rabbit echoes the wonderful warm color scheme of the page. What a perfect stamp for this scene! Ky has combed hills out of modeling paste, building up layers of color with multiple applications and distress ink and homemade glimmer mist for color. What fabulous texture! It adds such a tactile element to the page.

It is a good thing Ky lives nowhere near me or I would be on her doorstep BEGGING for this page. I can't tell you how much I love it!  But I know she would never give it up, especially as she has recently decorated the facing page in the journal with a piece that celebrates Frabjous Day:

The final battle of Alice Through the Looking Glass takes place on Frabjous Day, and Ky has echoed this in her design with the checkerboard of the battlefield and the image of the Jabberwocky. The chessboard is actually woven - another very tactile element that acts a pocket. We see a wonderful Sweet Pea image of Alice and the Cheshire Cat looking on, contemplating the battle to come perhaps. Another mask was used to add interest to the background, providing a common element between the two pieces.  Here is a view of the completed two page spread:

I hope you have enjoyed seeing Ky's art journal pages. Be sure to visit her blog and leave her some love - you can see the Cheshire Tree HERE and the Frabjous Day piece HERE.  Ky has been doing more and more art journaling and she has a wonderful style; I know you will be impressed and refreshed when you see her other art journal pages!

And, as always, please leave a comment here for me before you go!