Obtainium Art - A gallery of assemblage works

The Edge

2012-02-11T22:00:00.000-08:00

"The Edge" "Come to the edge he said. They said, we are afraid. Come to the edge he said. They came. He pushed them, and they flew." This is a quote by Guillaume Apollinaire a poet, playwright, short story writer and novelist. When I first read it, I knew I wanted to use it in my art. This is what I came up with. A simple wall hung piece, spelling out the quote with Scrabble tiles and

Afternoon Tea

2012-02-03T05:23:00.000-08:00

"Afternoon Tea" This is my most recent mirror project. Titled "Afternoon Tea" because its petite size makes me want to raise my pinky while sipping my tea. The 7"x11" framed mirror found at my favorite thrift store became the perfect foundation for this piece. The ¾" thick frame is perfect for attaching found objects using small screws and nails. I first covered the frame using vintage

"Wonder"

2012-01-27T07:28:00.000-08:00

"Wonder"● We live in Northern California near the Pacific Coast. When I first moved here from Texas, I remember a feeling of fascination with the force and movement of the ocean. Today the same fascination exists. I love going to Bodega Bay after a storm, where invariably I find amazing pieces of drift The 'Wonder' always begins when I see a beautifully finished piece of drift wood,

The Hand-Off

2012-01-22T23:20:00.000-08:00

"The Hand Off" This is a piece I made a couple of years ago, around the time of the BP oil spill in the Gulf. I remember feeling so helpless, as CNN and all the other networks would show image after image of the devastation as the well continued to pump hundreds of thousands of gallons into the Gulf, (200,000 gallons per day) for almost 3 months before the well was capped. The only thing I

Fun and Funky Necklace . . .

2012-01-13T22:20:00.000-08:00

"Fun and Funky"● A couple of months ago, I went to visit a dear friend in Seattle, and in one of the trendy downtown shops, we saw a necklace that she fell in love with . . . "I can make one just like that, I have all the 'stuff' " I said . . . what was I thinkin'? Just so we are clear, I 'do not make jewelry', but this was really fun, and it turned out great! (click on any image to enlarge)

"The Details of Life"

2012-01-08T23:59:00.000-08:00

"The Details of LifeRock me. This piece pulls the viewer in to see the details, in doing so, the viewer sees himself. . . . A 4" wooden picture frame became the base for this wall-hung mirror assemblage. Attached to the wooden frame are various and sundry found objects of any person's life. A license plate, a typewriter eraser, a tag from the Del Prado Museum coat room, dominoes, plastic

"Happy 2012"

2011-12-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art - write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself." - Neil Gaiman

"I Saw One In A River Once"

2011-12-25T08:36:00.000-08:00

"I Saw One In a River Once"● Wikipedia.defines a double entendre (French pronunciation: [dublɑ̃tɑ̃dʁə]) as a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first (more obvious) meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic. In this case, the double entendre is in the title. It may signify that

"Mirror Me"

2011-12-15T23:03:00.000-08:00

"Mirror Me" ● A couple of weeks ago, after a few friends and I finished working on a mosaic project, I invited them all over to my studio, because they were all curious to see my 'workplace'. At the time, I was working on a several pieces, but "Burbank - The Hollywood Horse" was front and center on my work table. Also on the work table was "Rocky", the Rooster, you might remember both

"Day Dreams"

2011-12-12T12:20:00.000-08:00

"Day Dreams" Wkipedia defines a daydream as a visionary fantasy, one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions, imagined as coming to pass and experienced while awake. Daydreaming can also be a reference to future planning or a review of past memories. While daydreaming has long been considered a lazy, non-productive pastime, daydreaming can also be constructive and productive. There are

"Burbank" The Hollywood Horse

2011-12-01T10:10:00.000-08:00

In trying to find a title for this piece i googled "famous horse names" and came up with several I liked: Mingo Fancy Pants and Burbank The "Mingo" people were part of the Iroquois group of Native Americans. The word "Mingo" is better recognized as the name of Daniel Boone's best friend from the 1960's TV series "Daniel Boone," where Mingo was a half-Cherokee, highly educated graduate of

"Things Were Different in 1959"

2011-11-29T08:23:00.000-08:00

“Things Were Different In 1959" A silverware drawer provides the compartments to tell this story about life in the 50’s. I grew up on a farm in south Texas. On the farm we went to a Curandera (a medicine woman), not a doctor. We prayed to god and sang along with the “Mouseketeers". We played, we laughed and we wondered about a world bigger than our own. Our home was happy, it was safe and it

"Liebster Blog Award"

2011-11-27T21:29:00.000-08:00

This morning was off to a terrific start when I turned on my computer and discovered that I was the recipient of the Liebster Blog Award from Amyd the hugely creative blogger over at Four Corners Design where she creates beautiful, useful objects using things that others cast-off. She has the amazing ability to see form and function in very unique ways, she will mix together items such as

"The End" (Happy Birthday Zach)

2011-11-16T06:37:00.000-08:00

"The End" (Happy Belated Birthday Zach) ● A couple of months ago, my dear friend Sue Selman asked me to make this for her son, Zachary who was having a birthday soon. I was thrilled. I have known Zach for about 10 years, he was a sweet teenager when I met him vacationing with his parents on the beach in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. He is now a handsome young man of 25 and is sweet and caring as ever.

"Up To Your Ass In Alligators"

2011-11-08T19:34:00.000-08:00

"Up To Your Ass In Alligators"● Simply put, I love working with scrabble tiles! These pieces are so fun to make. The hardest part is finding the perfect substrate to put them on. It can be a box, a lid, a small cabinet door, a picture frame, most anything will work, the tiles just have to fit. People love these simple works. On the days I work at the gallery, I love to watch people stand

Mosaic Stepping Stones . . . . a workshop?

2011-11-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

To say that I have been in a 'creative slump' would be a huge understatement. It seems like the 'mo-jo' is gone, the 'muse' is away on holiday, the 'juices' have run dry. Truth be told, I have several art pieces started (10 to be exact) but for some reason none of them can get finished . . . . and I can't tell you why that is. Has that ever happened to you? Anyway, this past weekend, I

"Secret Lives"

2011-10-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

#5 "Secret Lives"● This assemblage was made as a special auction item for Face 2 Face, a local non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by HIV. This box is full of mystery, music, and muse, with images and tiny objects that may cause the viewer to become absorbed in thought; as they turn the imagery over in their mind meditatively and inconclusively.

"Hanger-On"

2011-10-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

"Hanger-On" This piece came together quite by accident. A friend of mine had a box full of these wonderful vintage wooden hangers, she no longer needed, and asked me if I wanted them. I, of course said yes. They hung around in my studio for over 6 months, 'annoying me' every time I saw them . . . they don't stack well, they looked messy, and I had no idea what I was going to do with them . .

"Grumpy"

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

"Grumpy"● "I wouldn't mind being grown up", he told me, "if I didn't have get up and be grumpy every morning." When I read this quote on a birthday card I received a few years ago, I was reminded of myself when I was a kid. I would play with abandon, imagine adventures outside of my little world, and carry on without a worry to my name. Everything was a wonder! Looking back, I can still

"Circus of Sadness"

2011-09-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

"Circus of Sadness" (Cirque de la Tristesse) "The world is a circus if we want it to be. The sadness of circuses comes at night. Don't get close enough to see the illusion for what it is. It is at night when the clowns are sad." This piece was inspired by a childhood memory of going to the circus. I once saw a clown who had a tear painted on his face. Since then, every time I see a clown, I

"You and Me" (#3)

2011-09-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

"You and Me" (#3) ● This is the third interpretation of this piece done. You can see the other one here. I really love the quote, and I am delighted to see other people love it too: " I LAUGH I CRY I HOPE I TRY I HURT I NEED I FEAR I LOVE AND I KNOW YOU DO TOOSO WE ARE REALLY NOT THAT DIFFERENT YOU AND ME" This piece is made inside a wooden frame that has been fitted with a thin piece of

"Pig Song"

2011-09-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

"Pig Song"● "NEVER TRY TO TEACH A PIG TO SING, IT WASTES YOUR TIME AND IT ANNOYS THE PIG" I posted this piece a few days ago, and I was not happy with the photo, so I took it down. And now here it is again, a little bit better image. The piece is constructed in a small cabinet door found at Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I used several layers of hand made papers on the front. On the back, I

"You and Me" (again)

2011-09-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

"You and Me" (again) ● A couple of weeks ago, I, along with 6 other assemblage artists, opened an 'all assemblage' show at a local community center. On August 13th, I posted a piece on this blog 'almost identical' to this one. The first "You and Me" sold to a local Chef who happened to be at the center the day we were hanging the show (thankfully she agreed to take delivery of the piece after

"Mirror, Mirror"

2011-09-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

"Mirror, Mirror" This piece came together, after a friend showed me a similar piece she had in her collection, done with the bling, baubles and bangles of a woman who had passed away many years ago. The woman's husband, made it as a memorial to his beloved wife. I was so inspired and touched by the story, that I wanted to try and make a memorial mirror myself. This piece is different in that

"Gone Fishing"

2011-08-28T09:06:00.000-07:00

"Gone Fishing"● This is a bit of a departure for me, but I got this idea on a recent trip to Barcelona. My husband found the blue lure on the beach one day . . . I remembered the others I had back in my studio, acquired from various sources. I thought about the colorful stories they could tell together. I really like how colorful they are, and the strength and endurance each has shown, surviving

"You and Me"

2011-08-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

"You and Me" ●I read this quote and I just loved it. Immediately I thought it deserved to be imortalized in scrabble letters . . . Hope you like it. " I LAUGH I CRY I HOPE I TRY I HURT I NEED I FEAR I LOVE AND I KNOW YOU DO TOOSO WE ARE REALLY NOT THAT DIFFERENT YOU AND ME" A small wood cabinet door found at Habitat for Humanity's Re-Store is the perfect frame for this piece. The door is

"Children Of War"

2011-08-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Children of War"● Recently, the Healdsburg Center for The Arts, the place where I show my work as a Resident Artist, gave 100 local artists a 2" tin filled with chocolate covered coffee beans and challenged us to create an art piece with the tin. The art pieces created from these tiny tins will be auctioned off at the first annual "Tins of Imagination" fund raiser and exhibition to take

"Buried Treasure Project"

2011-07-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

This is my entry in the collaborative project "The 2011 Buried Treasure". This project, the brain child of Seth Apter over at The Altered Page will take place this year on Thursday July 28th. This annual e-vent asks participating bloggers to re-post a favorite post from their own blog. I am re-posting “Come Play With Me”● originally posted 5/27/2010. This piece is totally interactive.

"Rocky"

2011-07-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

"Rocky" In following my love of 'over-embellished' things this wooden rooster came into my studio about 6 months ago. When he arrived, he had very long legs and he was painted dark green. I began by cutting about 4" from his long legs, then I covered him in bits and baubles, political buttons, bottle caps and bells. Silvery buttons on the tail make sure he is struttin' his stuff. His green shoes

"Altared Days"

2011-07-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Altared Days" Last Fall, around the time of "Day of The Dead" I made 2 of these altars, the other posted earlier is titled Altared Nights and can be seen here. Unfortunately, the only photos I have of this one before it left the studio were taken with my cell phone. That's the reason, I haven't posted it til now. But it is a sweet piece. This one is made inside a mahogany drawer found at

"Wanting It All"

2011-07-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Wanting It All" When I was 6 years old, I dreamt of being a ballerina. I had a small jewelry box, when opened, it played music and a tiny ballerina would spring up and dance. My playmate, Junior (I honestly don't remember his real name) and I would spend hours playing, he with his toy cowboys and indians, and me with my music box. One day, I remember saying "when I grow up, I want to be a

"Old Friends"

2011-07-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

"Old Friends" I was at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago, and I saw these 3 in amongst the tools in the tool box . . . The first thing I thought of was "Larry, Moe and Curly", really! I just knew that because they had been together all these years, they HAD to stay together. I could not split them apart. This piece came together as a result. I found shoes for each of them, and a small metal

Five Fish

2011-06-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Five Fish"● This piece, is put together in a simple wood frame, with a background of vintage folding rulers, yardsticks and school rulers. A metal number 5 and a small wooden fish painted salmon-like add interest and dimension. This piece is ready to hang and already sold. (click on image to enlarge)

"She Wanted To Fly"

2011-06-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

"She Wanted To Fly" She's a wife, she's a mom, she has an amazing career. . . she has worked hard and has created a wonderful life for herself and her family. Sometimes, every now and then, 'she wants to fly' just to take a break, just to see what's out there, just to remember her dreams, the ones that slipped away. A vintage sewing machine drawer is the box that contains this story, a

"Bingo"

2011-06-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

"Bingo"● Another favorite: A wooden pig embellished with bits and pieces of this and that. The pig, named "Bingo" is approximately 7" x 4", and he has wings, and buttons, bottle caps and bells. He wears a level for a hat, and wooden beads for shoes. A part of a one dollar bill drapes his belly, reminding us that in a financial context, pork bellies, like lumber and oranges are still considered

"She Would Only Fly When No One Was Looking"

2011-06-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

"She Would Only Fly When No One Was Looking" Last year I received a birthday card with the following sentiment: "For A Long Time, She Flew Only When She Thought No One Was Looking". . . it liked it so much that it has stayed with me for months. I found this wonderful box at an estate sale a couple of months ago, apparently it used to hold tools or nails or tacks . . . I covered the box

Circles Squared

2011-06-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

"Circles Squared" Inspiration for this wall hung piece came from one done by Catherine Nash titled "Circles Can't Be Squared". In it she used a beautiful vintage square as the anchor to her piece, and you can see it here . A lid from a wooden box is the frame that contain all the parts: a vintage metal square, a piece of a vintage level, the cross bar of a table leg, a wooden triangle with

"Come As You Are"

2011-05-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

"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

"Home Bird" and "Home Camel"

2011-05-14T06:31:00.000-07:00

"Home Bird" and "Home Camel" These 2 smalls were made using tiny wooden boxes I found at the flea market. I have never worked in such a small format before, and besides the obvious challenges, I must say, I love the results. "Home Bird"● is contained inside a tiny mahogany box (3"x3"). The hand carved embellishment is the roof of a vintage cuckoo clock I took apart last summer (see

Untitled

2011-05-01T11:56:00.000-07:00

Untitled● In 1974, shortly after moving to northern California from Texas and while working as a receptionist for a small chain of clothing stores that were the original Ross Stores, I met the “full of himself”, “self assured” and “very dashing” Richard Manley. In those days, Richard then was living his life disguised as an up and coming lingerie salesman. Today Richard is a remarkably

No. 145 - - - - S.O.O.B.

2011-04-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

"No. 145 S.O.O.B."● This is a sweet piece. A few years ago, I made this piece for an assemblage show, where myself and 6 other assemblage artists came together to show the diversity and range of our medium.This piece sold before the show was over, and in the end it went home with it's new owner without having been photographed . . . much to my chagrin. Last night my husband and I were

"Measure Up!"

2011-04-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

"Measure Up"●I love collecting stuff. I collect everything, especially things that are well used, and have lived a life before finding me. Things that measure have always been of special interest. This piece is made entirely (almost) of vintage rulers, yard sticks and skirt markers. Constructed on a 12"x7" sections of kitchen cabinet doors, and framed in yard sticks. The Imaginist Theater, a

"Up To Your Ass In Alligators"

2011-04-09T20:07:00.000-07:00

"Up To Your Ass In Alligators"● I love working with scrabble tiles! These pieces are so fun to make, and people love them. Often, when I am gallery sitting, I will see people stop to look at these pieces, and as they slowly read through to the end of the message, they will inevitably crack up with laughter. Sometimes, they will look around, hoping no one is watching them. For this piece, I

"The End" (again)

2011-04-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

"The End (again)"● "EVERYTHING WILL BE OK IN THE END, IF IT'S NOT OK IT'S NOT THE END" John Lennon I made a similar one of these boxes a few months ago, and it 'flew' out of the gallery! So i thought I would make another one. The base for this one is the lid of an explosives box. The frame is made from vintage yard sticks cut to size. Children's wood blocks spell out the message, and a

"Obligations"

2011-03-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

"Obligations"● This is the third fish is a series of 3 created in the same style. The first, "I Saw One In A River Once", the second, "Some Sort Of Sacrifice" (both can be seen on this blog) . All are made in the style of the early 'memory jars' that were popular in the 1800's. Memory jars, or jugs or bowls were made by first covering the vessel in mortar and then attaching small everyday

"Laugh Lines"

2011-03-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

"Laugh Lines"● Just finished this piece last week. In a sewing machine drawer, covered on the inside with hand made red paper, I affixed a laughing clown head thinking the word 'LAUGH' in children's wood blocks. A small crank music box plays the tune "Alouette"- a popular French Canadian children's song about plucking the feathers off a small bird. The outside is covered in tissues and

"Escape Again"

2011-03-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

"Escape Again"●This piece started out as a plain wooden wine box. It is now covered inside and out with maps and pages from a vintage encyclopedia. A sweet porcelain doll's head, with closed eyes, apparently dreaming of places she wants to escape to, sits inside. Vintage children's blocks spell out her thoughts, and a small mirror reflects the doll's face. Inside, a wind-up music box plays a

"Silver Fish"

2011-03-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

"Silver Fish" A wooden fish on a metal stand came into my studio about a year ago, and waited his turn to take center stage. A few weeks ago, at an estate sale, I found a box full of silver metal buttons, and I instantly knew they would make a beautiful "fish dress". I gathered all my other “silvery” bits and bobbles to include coins, bottle caps, milagros, washers, beads, charms and earrings.

"All and Many Treasures"

2011-03-01T01:06:00.000-08:00

"All and Many Treasures" ● I was in San Francisco a few months ago, and got to see a terrific exhibit of art work done by an amazing collage artist. The works were on 20 x 20" canvases, each piece in the series contained anywhere from 10 to 20 small collages created directly on the canvas, creating many small vignettes within each canvas. The artist used layers of papers and medium and

"Up To Your Ass"

2011-02-14T21:41:00.000-08:00

"Up To Your Ass" ●One thing I remember about a former boss of mine was that he would always use parables when he was trying to explain a process or a procedure. This was one of his favorites: "When you are up to your ass in alligators, it is difficult to remember that your initial objective was to drain the swamp. I took a very narrow cabinet door, found at Habitat for Humanities - RESTORE

Work in Progress

2011-02-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

this is a 'work in progress' but wanted to get some feedback . . . the top image is the original magazine image i found in Vanity Fair magazine a couple of years ago. the second is a mannequin head, originally covered in music and today i took a duplicate of the vanity fair image and applied the face to the FACE. pretty interesting effect, from 2-D to 3-D . . . but not sure where i am going

"Declined"

2011-02-06T19:13:00.000-08:00

"Declined" Ever have one of those days, when no matter how much you try to do the right thing, nothing turns out the way you planned? The look in lil' Devil's eye got me thinking he had a lot of explaining to do and it had better be good! Wooden cigar box stained in bright yellow on the outside, and covered in hand made paper on the inside, contains a little red devil, suspended in pearls and

"Wine Tasting"

2011-02-02T20:47:00.000-08:00

"Wine Tasting"● I live in "Sonoma County California, better known as "Wine Country". Some of us call it "God's Country". An interesting idea, right? This may be one way to encourage more audience participation! This piece is constructed in a 6" x 5" x 1" wooden box, covered in art tissue on the outside, and collaged on the inside with text from a wine-making book. The 'folks' at the table,

"Every Grain of Sand "

2011-01-31T09:28:00.000-08:00

Every Grain of Sand And every time I pass that way I come to understand That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand. Bob Dylan Although I finished this piece a couple of months ago, I have not posted it before now because it is a difficult piece to photograph. The box dimensions are 10"x4"x4" (formerly contained a bottle of imported olive oil)

"Words and Music"

2011-01-27T14:48:00.000-08:00

"Words and Music"● Our head is full of words and music. Where do we put it all? Music is art, words are art . . .we put it all out there, and what you see is the WHOLE of who we are. This piece, the first in a series of three, is made from a mannequin's head, the kind beautician's use to practice hair styling and hair cutting. I found 6 of these at a garage sale, the young woman was

"My Life As A Fish"

2011-01-23T00:40:00.000-08:00

"My Life As A Fish"● I love this piece. It is fun and full of whimsy and enchantment. I am not sure what the wooden box was in it's former life, (maybe it held curios) but it contains 12 small compartments and I happily created a vignette in each one. Tiny vignettes of lives lived. If you have a minute, i encourage you to click on the images to enlarge – take a close look. The back

"Seeing Red"

2011-01-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

"Seeing Red"● This glass enclosed memory box was so much fun to make. I started by covering it on the inside and outside in tissue papers. The found objects contained within the box sort of 'selected' themselves. The placement of each item seemed instinctive and effortless, each piece found it’s place within the space that contains it and there it stayed, because it looked good. At the

"My Not So Still Life"

2011-01-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about all the things in life that fill our days. At times, the minutiae seems insignificant, but in reality, these are the details that add depth and character and color to our lives. This assemblage is created in a mahogany knife box, covered in New York ‘stock exchange’ paper, reflecting the results of the day. The collection includes a small wind-up music box, a skeleton key

Genoa's Adventure

2011-01-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

"Genoa's Adventure"● My young friend Genoa, who attends UC Berkeley, is off to New Zealand to study for one semester. This great adventure will allow her to spread her wings; it will change her life, broaden her experiences, and give her memories she will have for the rest of her life. Last night we attended a recital and going away party in her honor. I decided to make a small box assemblage

Dilemmas of Life

2011-01-07T11:15:00.000-08:00

"Dilemmas of Life" Constructed in a vintage calibrated weight tray, and framed under glass, this assemblage mirrors the dichotomies of life. Bits and pieces of the good, the wondrous and the illusive. Includes things like marbles, buttons, mahjong tile, coins, a cross, a hand in a shell casing the head of a wooden rooster, and yes, teeth. Some of the pieces move within the space that contains

Beth's Artworx: FAT Tuesday Artist Spotlight #12

2011-01-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Beth's Artworx: FAT Tuesday Artist Spotlight #12I was recently featured on Beth's Artworx blog - do take a look!

"It's Not Too Late"

2011-01-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

"It's Not Too Late" Box covered in layers of magazine images, expressing a sentiment I believe in. It is never too late to do or redo. Sometimes, in life, we have the tendency to look back and wonder if we did enough, if we accomplished enough . . . is it ever enough? It's never too late - in fiction or in life - to revise. Nancy Thayer. I have embellished this cigar box with a small brass

"The End"

2010-12-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

"The End"● "EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY IN THE END, IF IT'S NOT OKAY IT'S NOT THE END" John Lennon The ultimate piece of advise, don't you think? In other words, no matter how bad things look today, we all have the opportunity to make things better. So don't stop trying and don't give up (till the very end). A piece of wood covered in hand made papers is the frame that holds children's wood blocks.

"Suite Jesus"

2010-12-23T23:32:00.000-08:00

"Suite Jesus" This wooden box lid becomes an assemblage depicting a scene of 2 horses, dueling, apparently against the clock. Jesus ascends, or oversees from the 'suite' above. The crystal rod in the center, twirls with the twist of the vintage knob on the side, simulating who knows what . . . wind? air? water? The glass cover is secured in place by brass tacks and chop sticks. Inside and

"Sinking Under the Pressure"

2010-12-16T22:17:00.000-08:00

"Sinking Under the Pressure" This assemblage is constructed in a small wooden box covered with art tissues and anchored between 2"x2" wood pieces. Inside, an upside down apothecary bottle with a wooden stopper holds a vintage doll's head seemingly sinking in water (bits of tempered glass). I lined the box with mirrors, to accentuate the situation. It is difficult, sometimes, to rise

"And I Have You"

2010-12-13T23:14:00.000-08:00

"And I Have You" ● 3"x6" Clock box covered in vintage sheet music, has a glass front, and small dice for feet. Inside is a small painted wooden dog, a hair net and a metal violin. In private collection.

"Escape"

2010-12-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

"Escape"● Again, one of my earlier pieces. This assemblage is made in a vintage wooden cheese box, and contains a porcelain doll's head and vintage children's blocks. I used scrabble pieces for feet, and a glass drawer pull as a topper. In private collection. There are moments in our life when all we want to do is . . . escape.

For Those Who Seek

2010-12-06T22:19:00.000-08:00

"For Those Who Seek"● This is one of my earlier pieces. Assemblage created inside a glass covered vintage cigar box, embellished with a crucifix I made from 4 silver plate spoon handles, and surrounded by various icons pertaining to different faiths. This pieces includes a "crank" type music box, and it stands on wooden drawer knobs.(click on any image to enlarge)

"Some Sort of Sacrifice"

2010-12-05T21:24:00.000-08:00

"Some Sort of Sacrifice . . ."● This is the second in a series of three. The first was titled "I Saw One in a River Once" and both pieces remind me of the beauty we see in our rivers, streams, lakes and oceans all over the world. Somehow, even through our most valiant efforts, we (humans) seem to be spoiling even this final frontier. Pollution, waste, oil spills . . . all contributing to our

"One Little Life"

2010-11-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

"One Little Life"● A few months ago, I was one of 18 artists invited to participate in a self-portrait show. Each artist was given a 20"x20" white frame to work within, in any media. We were told we could use the frame "in any way you want" "as a box, or as a frame." We could "dismantle it or break it or use small parts of it." We could " enlarge it or compartmentalize it" we could "jump out of

"Mr. Lucky"

2010-11-17T00:23:00.000-08:00

"Mr. Lucky" the bobble-head dog appears to be discussing the finer points of his religious convictions with his pal Pablo, who is standing on one-half of the new Testament (Roman Catholic Version), as La Virgen de Guadalupe looks on. On the back side, is an image of a Roman statue and a 45 vinyl record bearing Mary Ann Morgan's rendition of 'Vaya Con Dios". A vintage rosary hangs on the side,

"House of Spirits"

2010-11-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

"House of Spirits" A brightly painted blue box incorporates religious imagery from several continents. I do not consider myself particularly 'religious', but the images associated with religion, more specifically the christian religions, are powerful, and always bring on overwhelming feelings left over from childhood experiences. Visit any church in any country, and the "spirits" can be felt or

"My World Revolves"

2010-11-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

"My World Revolves . . . "● A sweet old candle lantern flea market find has been converted to a glass enclosed box (of sorts . . . ), a mirror on the bottom, reflects it all for the world to see. A globe hangs in the center, and revolves. Sweet!

"Circa 1986"

2010-10-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

"Circa 1986"● I was living in New York, and climbing the 'corporate ladder. On my off time I would often wander the streets of the city with 35mm camera in hand, photographing doorways or graffiti. Always I would find "stuff" for my boxes (little black bull on top, head shot postcards). Although at the time I did not call it art, eventually I would take these things and put them in or on a box

"Several Ways To Heaven"

2010-10-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

"Several Ways To Heaven"Bourbon box embellished with iconic images, holy ones and some not so much. Wooden monk wears his faith in his rosary, iron hot plate with hand cut mirror insert, is the church window, reflecting faces of the onlookers wanting to learn the way to heaven. A vintage Mexican ‘molinillo’, chocolate wisk, becomes the pulpit. On the back is an image of Michelangelo’s “The

"Altared Nights"

2010-10-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

"Altared Nights"● This is a piece I just finished, and will be featured at an auction to raise funds for a community event for Day of the Dead. In thinking about the upcoming Day of the Dead celebrations throughout Mexico and Latin America, I tried to imagine how altars are created by the people who make them and keep them to honor their faith in god and in their saint of choice, the Our Lady

"Selected Endings"

2010-10-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

"Selected Endings" A vintage oak file box has been converted into a (black?) magic box . . . containing 8 ways to choose your poison . . . sort of . . . will it be a vice? a vulture? drowning at sea? or death by gun shot? Mystery and misery contained in lovely little glass bottles to be examined and explored. . . . this is the 3rd of 8 new pieces created for the upcoming

"Saints and Sinners"

2010-10-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

"Saints and Sinners"●This is the second of four (maybe 5) pieces that I am presenting for Day of The Dead. This piece is covered in bright orange artist's tissues and an image of Frieda Kahlo on the back. A metal lizard on the front, and brass bell on the side. The curtains on the doors are part of a vintage beaded lamp shade. Inside are found objects reminding us of day of the dead items:

"The Real Trio"

2010-09-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

"The Real Trio"● In preparation for "Day of the Dead", I offer this piece constructed in a wooden cigar box, containing 3 small ceramic 'Catrinas' dressed for the occasion. On the back side, the scene is a collage of magazine imagery, which includes a colorful wall and a vintage coca-cola refrigerator on some dusty street in Old Mexico while a fancy pig meanders by. The piece contains a wind-up

"El Patito"

2010-09-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

"El Patito"● Small wooden duck, be-jeweled and be-dazzled sits on his 3 porcelain knob feet, and is ready to celebrate in grand style, wears a satin ribbon rose hat. Intricate found objects to embellish include coins, bottle caps, buttons, colorful beads and a few silver charms. On this lucky duck's back is one half of a vintage silver plate heart ornament that has been in my family for years,

"Edna (take me as I am)"

2010-09-09T16:45:00.000-07:00

"Edna (take me as I am)"● This is Edna. She is terrific. A styro foam mannequin head that came from a garage sale in Arkansas is covered in vintage sheet music and embellished with parts from a vintage cuckoo clock that came from Germany many years ago. Because there were no facial features on the form, I created the nose, eyes, ears and mouth out of clock parts. The necklace is the chain that

Blocks

2010-08-31T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I just got back from a train trip vacation. What an inspiring way to vacation! I worked and worked on these sweet little wooden blocks cut from a left over 2"x2" piece of lumber. I collaged each block with text from vintage Japanese, English and Spanish books. I used magazine images, vintage maps, pictures from a bird book and of course sheet music. They look terrific! (click on

"Traveling Museum"

2010-07-22T23:56:00.000-07:00