Who will give me $52m for my Protest banner?

Who will give me $52m for my Protest banner?

Hi there.
Thanks for popping in.
Thought I would show you how to make your own protest banner today – well at least how I made mine yesterday.
Start out with a red stain on a sheet of coated Clarity card.
This is done by smearing the red Cranberry Crush ink pad on a blending mat, spritzing it with water, then laying the card into the wet mess.
Lift and allow to dry.
Make a couple, so you can make more than one protest banner.
There’s plenty to protest about right now!
Lay the extra long Town Stencil down on the stained card,
and drag some clear texture paste through the stencil.
You aren’t looking for total coverage – just drag and leave it where it lands. 
Use a paper towel to get a rough texture before you lift the stencil.
Lift stencil and leave to dry for an hour.
The red stain shows through the clear paste when set.
The paste makes it more vibrant,
as you can see here. 
Now let’s add an explosive element to the red.
Puff a tiny amount of Colour Burst Indigo to a blending mat.
Spritz with water.
Interesting to see how far a tiny puff of this powder goes.
Lay the art piece face down in the wet purple 
Let the purple ink run down into the red.
Let it soak into the card around the paste.
Just let it move in between the cracks.
it will.

Add more, and just sit back and see what happens.
A mess? Yes, I think that’s what the man called it….

Mop up a little, and take stock.
Then absolutely obliterate it.
Use black ink in the house too, to really create chaos.

Then just sit back again,
and let it do its own thing.
Leave it to dry out completely. 

If you take a damp cloth, you can mop the black off the paste,
off the sides of the houses.
The stain will stay dark in the cracks though,
but the red will show through again.
it’s always there, sealed in by the clear paste. 

See how the walls of the houses look peppered with bullets?
That’s because they are.

Yes,
so there you have it.
A simple protest banner, made with ink stains and clear paste.

Bit too heavy ?
No. I don’t think so. 

Make a protest banner yourself.
Make a piece of art which speaks.
I watched a programme about Christies the auctioneers 
in New York last night.
$52 million for a piece of art by Jean-Michel Basquiat,
which clearly spoke to somebody with more money than sense. 
Fifty-two million Dollars.
Let me find it for you….
Call it an investment if you like. 
Yes, so as I was saying,
the world’s gone mad. 
BUT.
If somebody will kindly give me $52 million for my banner, 
I will give it all to Aleppo.
Every single cent.
Any offers?
Love & Peace,
Barb
xxx

48 thoughts on “Who will give me $52m for my Protest banner?

  1. If I had it spare Barbara I'd glady buy it off you!
    Feeling a little low today after seeing all the horror of the last few days!
    Trying to immerse myself in some lovely arty stuff!
    Paul's show this morning helped!!
    Love and hugs xxx

  2. Thank you.
    I can never fathom why someone would pay that amount of money for a piece of art, rather than use it for a phynthropic purpose to make the world a better place for many. Words fail me.

    1. Afternoon dear blog friends thinking of you all sending heartfelt hugs of all who need them ,I've just finished off my 2 groovi bookmarks to give for Christmas very pleased with them .hopefully will get some crafting done later today but see how day goes xxx

  3. I saw that programme too I don't know which amazed me more – the $52 million for that picture or the man straight off a flight from Hong Kong who bought a $2+ million blue square in a big white frame on the spur of the moment!
    It's a magnified version of keeping up with the Joneses, so many people with so much money just want something someone else wanted and no one else can get.
    Liked the man who was giving his six figure profits to charity.
    Cooking for 15 for tea tonight so I've got Paul on record to look forward too later xxx

  4. Thank you for the step by step Barbara. It truly does depict both your feelings and what is going on in the Middle East, as Aleppo isn't the only town, city, community, people, being obliterated. I haven't found a way to express my emotions in art, don't know how to. Just my 'words of wisdom' instead.

    I can't believe how much that painting cost. I don't even like it, I think it's horrible, and has an evil feel about it. But that's just my opinion. I much prefer your art, worth far more than that painting, in my opinion. Wonder if any rich people read your blog to make you an offer for it…

    Hope you are managing to box the feelings for even a short time. We've got to keep going, otherwise those abhorrent members of our human race win. And we don't want that. No matter what they do, be they extremists or world leaders, we all have to stand tall, show our humanity and compassion, and speak out, and in doing so showing them all we can't and won't be beat. Drown them out with compassion and caring for our fellow human beings.

    I know it's a tiny thing, and doesn't change what is going on in the world, but if it helps someone who is looking to do something to put on the other side of the scales. What I've been doing is making a big load of "just to brighten your day" ATCs with Christmas pictures on them, for my garden guy to hand out to as many people as I can make them for. I've been keeping them easy so I can make them in bulk, using wee topper pictures with wee bits of doodling or whatever added on. (A way to use up old stash I've grown out of for the maximum benefit of others too) Trying to spread as much smiles around as I can next month. Just an idea.

    Love and a big bear hug, Brenda xx
    Thank you to everyone who left me replies yesterday xx

  5. Wouldn't it be something if all these people with more money than sense donation a 1/4 of what they have to people suffering like those poor people in Aleppo and other war torn countries. They won't it is all about "keeping up with the Joneses" so to speak. Lovely step by step and thank you for sharing.
    Hugs to you and Dave
    Linda xxx

  6. If I had it to spare it would definitely be yours Barbara. Unfortunately I don't think there is enough money in tbe world to fix all the problems there are at the moment and perhaps I'm cynical but I fear that quite a lot of the money already given in aid tends to end up in the wrong hands and never reaches those that really need it, but I agree that there are many much better ways of spending this large amount of money, more money than sense springs to mind. x

  7. If I had the money I would gladly give it but unfortunately I don't think any amount of money would stop the fighting. Maybe if it comes to an end money would help to rebuild the homes and hospitals. However as Pat said the chances are it would end up in the wrong hands. Can't help being a bit cynical.
    As to the $52 art,well I think it would scare the life out of me if it was on my wall! The art on my walls is mostly prints of pictures that give me pleasure every time I see them.

  8. Unfortunately parts of the world are continually war torn on the whims of powerful men, whose power they have is not enough for them. What the solution to this is anyone's guess, but doing nothing allows evil to continue. I agree with you that the obscene amount of money invested in art when people are suffering is beyond my comprehension, but like your art today, art has been used powerfully to relay anti war messages. One of these is Guernica by Picasso, but there are many war artists who bravely have been, and still go into war zones to use art to show the humanitarian disaster that destruction brings. Sorry, got a bit strong there, but, I find it distressing and futile as well. I thought your art work was moving and fitting for your blog today. Xx

  9. I agree! Total madness for that horrible painting! I don't understand the outrageous amount people are prepared to pay and they are goaded by the people from Christie's who advise them! You have to buy because of this, that and the other and they blindly take the advice! Reminds me of the Emperor's New Clothes – how wonderful they are, he was vain and believed them and they weren't there at all! These super loaded people want to think they have the best so are easily led – not all but some! As for the square blue box – words fail me! Your artwork is a perfect protest piece and worth more than all the Christie's stuff. Some of which I did like but nothing is worth those prices in my opinion! xxx

  10. Very atmospheric artwork, great step by step. I heard about that blue square picture, and said the same thing! I think if I went to an art show withictures like that I would need tape over my mouth to stop myself getting into trouble! 😇. Xx

  11. I watched this with Barb, and was also 'shocked' but not surprised by the revelations in this programme.. Christie's premiums are high,both for buyer and seller, so of course they will advise clients on both sides of the gavel…they cannot lose! As for the moral dilemma, Do you spend fifty odd million on a piece of Art ? Or do you try to help others in a constructive way ? I think that we would all probably go for the latter… Bearing in mind that "Children in Need' this week raised almost the same amount !!!
    Nuff said I think…David x ( Recovering ex Auction Addict ! ) ps. The artwork Barb, is really powerful.

  12. Hi Barbara
    Thank you for the step by step, I can understand the therapeutic qualities of letting the ink doing its own thing while you wait and watch. Now if I had the money …! Don't like the painting that went for that huge amount, I expect it will be kept in a vault somewhere or on a wall where only a few people can see it. Have a lovely evening with Dave .
    Love Diane xxx

    1. Hello dear blog friends, well it was wet and windy here last night and more to come. Emma sent us a text this morning saying it was minus 6 as she walked to work, what a difference a few hundred miles makes. Been enjoying my ''twas the night groovi plates today. Hope everyone is ok. Sending hugs xxx

  13. Agree with all of above. Will watch the last and final episode re Chrstie's though. Amazed at how comparatively little the beautiful classical pieces go for. As for most of the modern stuff we saw, and the obscene prices, nuff said!

  14. I would gladly give you all I have, if it would solve the problem. I have done my own protest banner. Shall I take it to work? Think the sack would be the order of the day with the MOJ – so, so political correct and a circus.
    Thinking of all the poor people in chaos all over the world and saying some prayers.
    Love to all the bloggers and some for you, Dave, Paul and the Clarity cres
    Anne (Reading)

  15. Unfortunately I don't have that sort of spare cash… just because I cannot paint that ugly… otherwise I would earn that amount of money.
    And there I thought my art sells nicely… blimey… $52 millions….

    Btw…. your protest banner is really good… the colours are just perfect.

  16. Hi Barb, love how you did your protest banner. I watched the Christies program too, and was totally gobsmacked by the prices people pay for "art". I saw one which was 3 stripes of colour, said to hubs, I could do that, he said yes, but nobody knows who you are in the art world 🙁 If I could buy your painting, I would and then sell it on and give those proceeds over too. Take care lovely lady. Bx

  17. Hi Barb,
    Sorry I didn't comment last night ,I was determined to finish my perpetual calendars – painting and sealing them. I was so tired by the time I finished that I just fell into bed! The painting sold by Christies is awful ( in my opinion!) and it always astounds me what people are persuaded to spend their obscene amounts of money on! If I had the money, I would rather have your Aleppo piece as it certainly packs a punch. Thank you for the step by steps. Love and hugs Alison xx

    1. Hi bloggy friends,
      Hope you've all had a good weekend and that you have a good day today. Got to rush, off up to Newcastle shortly with a couple of friends. Love and hugs Alison xxxx

  18. Just received my club posting. Sorry to hear about Romeo – but what a way to go. I truly believe that my cats will all be waiting for me when it gets to be my turn. What a waste otherwise!! Big hugs to you ( and Dave). X

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