Knowledge and Power

 

 "Knowledge and Power"
The U.S Bureau of Engraving and Printing is the only agency authorized to develop and produce United States currency notes.  The BEP prints billions of dollars each year for delivery to the Federal Reserve System.  
When currency becomes badly soiled, dirty, defaced, disintegrated, limp, torn, or worn, they may be exchanged for new notes, through your local bank.  These damaged, no longer useful notes are removed from circulation, and returned to BEP who will shred the bills. Believe it or not, these shredded bits of US currency can be purchased directly from BEP . . .

I, however, found this bag of shredded money at a local garage sale recently.

 

 

 I called the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to inquire about this, as I was worried that there maybe be legal considerations for the use of this product.  I was told it was ok to use this bag of shredded money in what ever way I wanted.  Yey! Art materials!

***

A mannequin head wearing rim-less eye glasses, is covered in bits of shredded currency, and sits atop several CDs and a 1945 Standard American Encyclopedia Volume 1 A - Art.  
A small glass bottle is also mounted on the book, filled to overflowing with money. Two vintage brass drawer pulls anchor the piece.  Note the feet under the book . . . are vintage brass toilet seat hinges.

Girl With A Pearl

"Girl With a Pearl" ●

An exhibit of Dutch painters was recently at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.  Included in the exhibit was the painting by Johannes Vermeer, “Girl with a Pearl Earring” and, as the name implies, the artist uses a pearl earring as a focal point.

This is one of the best-loved paintings in the world . . . and it is a mystery. Who is the model and why has she been painted? What is she thinking as she stares out at the viewer? Are her wide eyes and enigmatic half-smile innocent or seductive? And why is she wearing a pearl earring?

The book in this piece is a contemporary novel by Tracy Chevalier by the same name

Besides the book, this piece also includes a mannequin head, clock gears and a mainspring, gold acrylic paint atop vintage book text, vintage sewing patterns, and of course a pearl earring.

Liar, Liar

 

"Liar, Liar" ●
The book used in this assemblage is a vintage copy (1926) of Charles Darwin's "Origin of the Species".  Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection has become the foundation of modern evolutionary studies.

First published in 1859, "The Origin of Species" provoked outrage from many as it implicitly contradicted the belief in divine creation. Darwin's critics were, and still are, numerous, vocal and very doubtful that observed biological complexity, especially in humans, could have developed simply.  Many of his critics still believe Darwin to be amoral and to have made up all his collected data.

Although Darwin’s theory has been modified over time, it remains fundamental to the study of life sciences. And the controversy still exists today among the Christian mainstream.

Although not readily accepted by the scientific community of his time, since it's publication, Darwin's concept of evolutionary adaptation through natural selection has become central to modern evolutionary theory, with the development of the modern evolutionary synthesis in the 1930s and 1940s. Today it is the unifying concept of the life sciences.

With this piece, my purpose is not to support or reject either argument surrounding the theories of  'divine creation' or 'evolution by natural selection', but rather it is to raise the questions again, about how the human race, as we know it, has come to be.

What do you think?

Mannequin head covered in papers, text, sewing patterns and embellished with clock gears.  A vintage "The Origin of the Species" sits on a wooden stand supported by brass drawer pulls.


July 6, 2013 UPDATE
I moved into a new studio last month, an artist community contained in a wonderful WWII building, originally used as army barracks for troops.  There are about 30 artists who have their studios here, and yesterday we held our 'First Saturday Open Studios' event.

This was the first experience holding an open studio.

Pictured below, is Morgan Ray, she stopped by my studio, and I was thrilled when she decided to take "Liar, Liar" home with her.   Thank you Morgan!

"Music Without Words"

“Music Without Words”

 “How is it that music can, without words, evoke our laughter,

 our fears, our highest aspirations?”     –   Jane Swan

 Our head is full of words and music. Where do we put it all?  Music is art, words are art . . .we put it out there, and in doing that, what you see is the WHOLE of who we are.  

Vintage sheet music and pages from a vintage book were used in this piece.  A metal skewer is altered to hold silver chains and a silver belt buckle hat. The mannequin head sits on a wooden platform covered in green tissue. 

"More Than Words"

 

"More Than Words" ●

This piece began with a 'mannequin' head, the kind used by cosmetology school students to 'practice' cutting/styling hair and or applying make-up.  First, I cut the hair, then shaved the head smooth.

Initially, I was taken by the lack of expression on the face of the mannequin. However, when when I started layering it with vintage text, it began to take on a persona all it's own, really. 

When I started working on this piece I was not sure where it was going. The text came from a 1926 volume of the 'Book of Knowledge" destined for the dumpster.  The tissue-like texture of the pages was easy to work with, the paper clung to the mannequin head without a fuss.

Initially I was only going to use pages of text from the book to cover the head, but in the end the book itself became part of the finished piece. I was drawn to the wear shown on the hard cover of this near 90 year old book. The gold imprinted lettering seemed to be desperately clinging to it's cloth cover.

It seems odd to say, but this piece practically made itself, telling me what it wanted to become. The stainless steel drawer pulls anchor the piece. The lazy-susan component from the bottom of a revolving spice rack was the perfect addition,  allowing the head to turn this way and that.

The black beads around her neck are from a broken abacus from my stash and the colorful beaded sash on the side, adds the needed splash of color.

Words can speak volumes, but there are times when words simply aren't enough.

I came a cross this Stephen Hawking quote, that seemed appropriate:

"For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then something

happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. We learned to talk

and we learned to listen. Speech has allowed the communication of ideas,

enabling human beings to work together to build the impossible.

Mankind's greatest achievements have come about by talking,

and its greatest failures by not talking."

Altered Alice

"Altered Alice" ●

The Marin Museum of Contemporary Art (MarinMOCA) is having their Altered Book Show/Auction in Novato, California. This year’s show will run from April 21 through May 26, 150 artists from all over the Bay Area will  create an altered book to be auctioned off to benefit Marin MOCA.

The silent auction will run for five weeks and conclude with a rousing live auction closing party. While all proceeds go to the museum, it is a terrific opportunity for an artist to have their work shown at Marin MOCA and to join with other artists in helping to increase public awareness and interest in the book arts.

Once again, Donna Seager of the Seager Gray Gallery  in Mill Valley will give a talk at the opening and will also select the “top three” award winners along with some honorable mentions. All very exciting. I feel honored to be a part of it..

This is the piece I made for this show.. It is made from a vintage and very tattered copy of "Alice In Wonderland", a book that had the appearance and wear of a book that had been enjoyed by many, over many, many years.

The mannequin head is set on a ½” thick machine gear found in my 'stash' of stuff.  Both are anchored on a wooden platform, that was formally part of a lamp. The wooden platform is covered with text and acrylic skins made from illustrations taken from the book. She is adored with clock parts from a Howard Miller mantle clock that was, not long ago destined for the landfill. Gears for ears and a gear hat. The neck embellishment is the clock's main spring, it is attached in such a way that it adds a kinetic element to the piece. She is beautiful!

"Words and Music"

"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 selling them because she was changing careers.  I love their life size, and the well defined features on them.  After shaving the head, I began by applying papers from vintage books and vintage sheet music. I found that the rubber finish on the mannequin head takes collage beautifully.

Using a 1" square hole punch, I took vintage sheet music and pages from a vintage encyclopedia to make all the paper pieces. Once the paper was down, 'music' on the left side and 'words' on the right side, I sealed the whole thing with a high gloss varnish medium. Then I embellished the ears with clock works, and used a gold tone chain belt as the necklace.  An old pair of  wire rimmed glasses finish the piece. The stand is a wooden vase base Click on any image to enlarge     SOLD