"Come As You Are"

"Come As You Are" ● 

   When I found this wooden cross in the dumpster of a nearby apartment complex, I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but I could not walk by and leave it. I brought it to the studio, where it sat for months. 

   Last fall I attended a collage / mixed media class. We were asked to bring  magazine images, favorite 'chachkas' and other found objects to use in art class. The found wooden cross was the first thing I grabbed. 

    I first covered the cross in purple tissues, then I sprinkled words from a poem here and there, front and back. Later, images of hands and feet from different bodies were added. The timing was near "Day of The Dead", so I added an image of a skull wearing a coat and tie and a crown with a bird on top. A red sun dress finishes the collage imagery.

   The piece is embellished with a gothic cross on a chain, the dress is layered with gauze, brass tacks and a red bow . . . quite stunning I must say.. (click on any image to enlarge)