Longitudes and Lattitudes

Eight playing cards for collaboration flew into my life about four months ago. I was drawn to the variety of birds on the playing cards—avian creatures ranging from eagles and egrets to chickadees. Even the humble junco had a place! But I think it was this very diversity that, in the end, threw me. If the cards had contained a bunch of iconic Big Black Birds I would have run with the symbology. I love Big Black Birds. But real birds? The type I watch in the pond and at the feeders and everywhere I travel? Nope. The feeling was strong that I needed to honor these guys. I wanted to unify the set of cards to reflect my thoughts about the birds I so love. But how? Enter paralysis. And so I perched on the cards for about four months, with nothing feeling right.

And then I was lucky enough to spend a half-day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I was there for other exhibits, but one of the last things I managed to squeeze in was the Photographic Treasures from the Collection of Alfred Stieglitz show for no other reason than that my companion is interested in all things photographic. The images that I saw unmoored me, carried me off to someplace with different longitudes and lattitudes. I was reminded yet again that when we give ourselves opportunity to look at viewpoints other than the ones we are used to every day, we give ourselves the freedom to change perspective.

And thus the Birdwatcher series was born. Here are a few samples from the set of eight cards.

Birdwatcher #4, Laura Tringali Holmes & Liz Cohn, December 2011
Paper on paper on playing card with mixed media

"Birdwatcher #7," Laura Tringali Holmes & Liz Cohn, December 2011
Paper on paper on playing card with mixed media

"Birdwatcher #1," Laura Tringali Holmes & Liz Cohn, December 2011
Paper on paper on playing card with mixed media

This set of cards will be part of a travelling exhibition created by Liz Cohn called “Playing With (more than) a Full Deck." The show's first stopover is February 2 at the Cannon Beach Gallery in Cannon Beach, Oregon. From there it moves to Portland. At last count, there are over 1200 tiny collaborative works of art featuring over 150 artists.

It was a close call, but I'm so glad that these eight cards will make it in time.

Thanks for listening.