Lily S. May–Life with Art
Yesterday, I walked through parts of the University of Toronto. In the midst of the city are places like this one that feel like sanctuaries to me. I took these photos at the Munk School of Global Affairs. I found the corridors beautiful and was interested in the patterns the late afternoon light made--the interplay… Continue reading Photographs of the University
As I’ve continued looking through my old prints and refashioning them, I came upon another linocut I made in the 1970s that I called Roots and Ruins. This is a scene from my visits to the Virgin Islands years ago. A favourite site of mine was a place, now wooded, which had once held a… Continue reading Roots and Ruins
I don’t think of myself as a photographer, but since I take my camera with me most days, I’ve decided to show you some of the photographs I take. The ones in this post are from the University of Toronto campus last week. Sometimes a scene calls out to me to be taken in… Continue reading Photography
When I was around 16, I made a pastel drawing of lilies of the valley in a ceramic bowl. I loved those flowers and was very happy with what I’d done. That drawing was saved, I don’t know by whom, and now hangs on the wall of one of my relatives. When I saw the… Continue reading Finding My Way
Before I took up feltmaking, I worked for a few years making quilts and appliqués . While making appliqués from cotton fabric, I ventured into using synthetic felt for the ease of cutting the shapes and sewing them. I then began learning about real felt--I mean material made from wool. And thought I'd try my hand… Continue reading What Lead Me to Feltmaking
I've been thinking about the work I've done in the past, some of which I have hanging on walls I walk past daily. One media I greatly enjoyed working with was wool. For several years, I used merino wool roving to make small felt wall hangings, purses and ornaments. I used the wet felting method which… Continue reading Feltmaking
Here are the origami models I mentioned in the last post. I made them from parts of an abstract linocut, Introspection, which I printed in the 1970s and recently coloured with pigment markers. I then thought of making a larger pinwheel envelope out of waxed paper. I put the others inside where they could be… Continue reading Mail Art Origami & Waxed Paper
I often find that during the process of making art work, I experience physical pain from repetitive movements. Oil painting at an easel was the only pain free work that I’ve done. And so, a few weeks ago, I took a break from making booklets out of old prints and rose from sitting to standing. … Continue reading Small Collages Out of Old Prints
Surprise fold booklet by Lily S. May, 2013I did indeed use the fold out booklet I wrote about on Feb. 2 as a model. Again, I was happily surprised at the variation that I discovered. Booklet with surprise folds by Lily S. May, 2013This mail art booklet is 5” from point to bottom and 2 ½”… Continue reading Surprise Folds
I’ve received my first mail art, in response to work I sent out in early February. Hélène Lacelle of Goop Gallery in Ottawa sent me three terrific pages of an altered book in a floral plastic sleeve. These were enclosed in a brightly printed envelope. In my eagerness to see the work, I peeled off… Continue reading First Mail Art Received
Arts of May 