BirdDog im{press}ions

IMG_5171.JPG, originally uploaded by theHandmaiden.

Earlier this month, I finally did something that I had on my to-do list for years. Enter the Sweet Pea Festival poster design contest. I have a connection to Bozeman, Montana. First of all, it is an incredibly scenic place and a really cool town, but it was also named for an ancestral cousin – John Merin Bozeman. In short, the Bozeman family {aside from being Dutch} hailed from North Georgia near Ellijay {one son eventually moving his family to East Tennessee where I am from}. This John Merin character went on a wild west trip  and ended up leading wagon trains, eventually getting himself killed by the Blackfeet tribe. I could break out the family tree to prove it, but you’ll just have to take my word for it this time.
Alas, I didn’t win, but I did receive an honorable mention. I have more ideas already for next year, including some covered wagon paintings that I did back in my college days at the University of Tennessee.
My poster was created with layers of letterpress patterns and vintage sweet pea illustrations, feedsack fabrics and machine stitching. I printed panels on my hand-fed C&P using patterns derived from my feedsack collection and antique wood type to print the words Sweet Pea ’09 and Bozeman, Montana. Cut swatches of feedsacks to create the fabric flower and then stitched it all together on my sewing machine. It was a satisfying process and I love the combination of these tools and techniques, I will continue to develop this way of working. More photos from my Flickr Set here.

ps. it seems as though Oh So Beautiful Paper had her eye on our poster today too! Thx. Nole!