Sunday, March 12, 2006

To “Bee” or not to be

I found this playing card (along with a four-leaf clover) in The Poetical Works of Felicia Hemans that I bought years ago in a junk shop. The book is beautiful with a padded leather cover, tiny engravings and gilding on the pages. I don’t know how old it is, but based on my research I think it was likely published in the 1870s. Hemans was a friend of Wordsworth and lived from 1793 to 1835. Her husband left her with five boys all under the age of six and she supported her family by writing poetry!
But I don’t think this playing card is really that old. Although it was obviously used as a bookmark, it appealed to me nonetheless. So I scanned the card, then “painted” and altered it in Photoshop replacing the beehive with a picture of Emma’s eye. It’s exactly the same size as an ATC, so I’m thinking it might be fun to use as a trade at Artfest.

3 comments:

Sharon said...

Look who has a blog! I love your picture Susan and I can see her in you perfectly. Can't wait for you to have the Arfest experience and I look so forward to hearing about it. Wish I could go. Alas, I should be content with my upcoming Art & Soul but it doesn't seem real. Must I take something with me to give away to everyone? I barely have the time or the inspiration to do our 'homework'...
Sharon

Sharon said...

Look who has a blog! I love your picture Susan and I can see her in you perfectly. Can't wait for you to have the Arfest experience and I look so forward to hearing about it. Wish I could go. Alas, I should be content with my upcoming Art & Soul but it doesn't seem real. Must I take something with me to give away to everyone? I barely have the time or the inspiration to do our 'homework'...
Sharon

Beth Barany said...

I love how the card becomes something else--a story, a reverie, a look into another and a look inward. An invitation for a journey. A ticket for the train to the land of flowers and vision.