Behind The 8 Ball

"Behind the 8 Ball"
When someone is in a bad situation, or in a losing position, this is the phrase that comes to mind.  The phrase comes from pool (or billiards). When the cue (white) ball is behind the eight (black) ball, a player usually has no shot.
That's all.  I thought this would make a good art piece.

Vintage Japanese porcelain jewelry display hand found at the flea market and a well used eight ball are the focus. A pair of black dice and 2 crystal stars finish the piece.
The box is a mid century gentleman's valet case with the original velvet lining intact.
The back is collaged in a poster found in Pt. Reyes Station CA, that reads: "Face to Face Laugh Now Laugh Later". The poster was over-covered in gold acrylic paint and sealed with a varnish finish.
I think it turned out very cool.

What do you think?

The Hand-Off

"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 could think of was "what a mess we had created" for ourselves and for the generations to come.  And it was not just the oil spill, there were so many world issues, many of which are still with us today:  the global economy, the wars in the middle east, climate change, and on and on and on . . .

This piece was  made to express what I was feeling at the time, and what I was hoping.  We are handing the next generation a 'messy world', my hope is that the next generation will learn from our big screw-ups, somehow be better able to care for our planet, in doing so, they will be able to take better care of themselves.

I was pleased with the way the turkey claw looks so ancient and the small hands reaching from below so young and pure, and full of hope.

Mixed media assemblage containing turkey claw, ceramic doll hands, wooden fish, dice and vintage papers. (11710)

Circles Squared

"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 an amber marble reminds me of the all-seeing eye. The bottom circles piece came from one of those revolving spice racks. Inside the circles are marbles, coins, dice and a round metal filigree piece found on one of my walks. A piece of glass covers the circles, allowing the pieces to move freely inside. The background is vintage measuring tape.

"Selected Endings"

"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 Day of the Dead festivities.  (click on any image to enlarge)

Currently all 8 pieces are on exhibit at Dimensiona Galleria in Petaluma, CA.  More images of new pieces to follow in the next few days.