Natural art with paper

by in AAPJ Print Editions, The Abouts: Then & Now series
“Mixed media collage. “Saving the System” (was) made of various papers, acrylic ink and paint for a postal museum exhibit. Here’s the story…in 2010 the USPS district manager closed the mail processing center here in Lima, stating it would save 1.4 million dollars. Now our mail travels to Columbus, then sent on or comes back to where it started to be delivered locally. This represents a post card addressed to her (using her initials) from the people of Lima who lost jobs and timely mail service. It’s one of my first collage pieces, not great, but I love the message it conveys.”

Not all art media has to fit neatly into a specific package. Watercolors, oil and acrylic, illustrations and monoprints are a few examples of how diverse art can be. Not only is her media vast, but so is her matter of form. Sue Nocera makes no apologies for jumping from bold abstracts to soft contemporary botanicals.  It all begins with paper, her real passion of art.

 

Sue says, “Paper was, and still is my favorite art supply. Throughout my life, I’ve worked with various other media but I mostly enjoy using watercolor, acrylic, inks, and fountain pens.”

24 x 30 inches collage by Sue Nocera.

Recently, Sue was commissioned to create a collage painting for the US Marine Corp League that was representative of the history of the US Marine Corp. It was presented during the 244th birthday celebration. The map of the world was exquisite and layers of chilling scenes and phrases were strategically placed in accordance with dates of occurrence.

Nocera’s work with paper is often incorporated with her love of nature. Monoprints using botanical elements on a gel plate grace much of her work as the seasons change and offer unique qualities of leaves and flowers.  She displays her method used in detail in the 2019 Winter Art-to-Art Palette Journal digital/print edition found here:

http://www.arttoartpalettejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/2019-Winter-AAPJ-digital-print-edition.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1G_65RBLkMUOFOOMmyfKI0Ci7oS5UuHejiMildaeKP_l-jt24OVyi46hc

Monoprinting is a form of printmaking that has lines or images that can only be made once, unlike most printmaking, where there are multiple originals. There are many techniques of monoprinting. Examples of standard print making techniques that include lithography, woodcut, etching and gelatin.

“Watercolor. Some artists dislike watercolor, finding it difficult to control. It moves, it runs, it bleeds into other colors. Yes, it sure does and that’s the beauty of it. That movement gives us what we call ‘lost & found edges’. The flower petals that bleed off are the ‘lost edges’. The defined, sharp petals are ‘found edges’. Using both creates interest and variety. This simple watercolor uses the 3 primary colors, red-yellow-blue.”

 

Sue has always been fascinated with the look and feel of different types of paper.  She says, “My creative life began at a very young age when I was introduced to scissors and tape. If it could be cut and taped, I could make it. If I had a dollar for every roll of scotch tape I used, I’d be a rich girl and retired on a coastal island somewhere.”

 

Illustrations are also a part of Sue’s special talents. In 2014, along with local writer and Jefferson Award recipient, Candace Newland, her illustrations were displayed in 2 editions of ‘Pekoe’. Find these children’s paperback and kindle editions at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pekoe-Candace-L-Newland-ebook/dp/B0792XQMG2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=pekoe%20book&qid=1552867850&s=gateway&sr=8-3&fbclid=IwAR1X6aw-a-kqx2F6iaMl0FwcUvGvdQAVKxKZUT_9d2qNY01wyvShzHCjvaI

Nocera has exhibited and won honors for her miniature work and also mixed media. In 2005, she won first place in the professional division of West Central Ohio Art League’s Lake Fest Exhibit as well as in 2006.

Artist Nocera resides in Northwestern Ohio and continues to create mixed media paintings in acrylic and watercolor. Visit her on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/suenoceraart to stay up-to-date on her latest work.

Fisherman’s Luck “Mixed media collage painting. 14 layers of handmade papers with text and image plate from my creepy vintage book. It showcases the old with the new (modern). Nearly all my collage paintings and journals include these vintage elements. I love rescuing these old papers and giving them new life in a work of art…”

Recently, a display of hand pulled gelatin prints collage with layers of painted watercolor paper, book pages, map, rice papers and acrylic paints graced the cover of a personalized Molskine Journal.  These make great gift ideas. You can also visit Shop for Good-Gifts Boutique at 230 N. Main Street in Lima, Ohio where creative gift tags, journals and greeting/note cards of a botanical nature can be found.