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

"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 invited to dinner at a friends home, and you can imagine my surprise, when I saw No. 145 in the home of our hosts! I asked permission to take a few of photographs (with my cell phone), and although I am less than pleased with the resulting images, I am delighted to know where it is and to have had the opportunity to take these few photos.
   The cigar box is collaged inside and out with beautiful imagery of flowers, art and text, followed with the juxtaposed and sometimes disturbing 3-D imagery like the bullet shells in the bottom left with small hands reaching skyward. In the center, a white ceramic rabbit is contained inside a sardine can, the 'rays' around the can are stir sticks that once held martini olives collected over the years. A wooden fish appears to be 'swimming through the box', while a tiny ballerina dances on. On the back side, the butterfly-winged young woman reflects about life. (click on any image to enlarge)

"Measure Up!"

 

"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 local theater group in Santa Rosa will hold it's 2nd annual fundraiser "IMAGINART, Luck Of The Art Draw" this coming weekend. I have donated this piece to be auctioned off at this event.  http://www.theimaginists.org/  (click on any image to enlarge)

"Up To Your Ass In Alligators"

 

"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, again, took a very narrow cabinet door, and covered it in tissue papers. Scrabble tiles spell out my favorite saying: 

"WHEN YOU ARE UP TO YOUR ASS IN ALLIGATORS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO

REMEMBER THAT YOUR INITIAL OBJECTIVE WAS TO DRAIN THE SWAMP"

   A small toy alligator, attached on the side, will move it's tail when you touch it's nose. Ready to hang.  (click on image to enlarge)

"The End" (again)

"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 tiny frog on the top looks on. (click on any image to enlarge)

"Obligations"

"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 objects such as keys, shells, coins and other personal momentos belonging to someone who had deceased.
   This one is called "Obligations", and it speaks of happy times and hard times and all the times that are our life.  In my interpretation I have taken a wooden fish, applied a coat of acrylic paint and covered it with hundreds of small vintage keepsakes. These include watch parts, crackerjack prizes, vintage jewelry, campaign buttons, coins, screws, bottle caps, and many other old found objects. On top, I added a cork screw to double as a handle to make it easy to carry. (click on picture to enlarge)

"Laugh Lines"

"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 words to laugh by.  On the back I attached a mirror and  placed 3 wooden coasters on top to add depth and interest.

I apologize for the photos, it is a difficult piece to photograph. If you click on an image you can enlarge it enough to take a closer look

"Escape Again"

 

"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 dreamy tune. 

The box is covered in front with glass, and topped with a clear glass knob. (click on image to enlarge)

"Silver Fish"

 

 

9/11/12 UPDATE: This is an art piece I made and posted last year.  

I am re-posting it because I entered it in a show sponsored by SCRAP

They are having their 4th creative re-use exhibition at 

ARC Gallery in San Francisco. 

Exhibition will run from December 1, 2012 to January 9, 2013.

Wish us luck!

"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, my husband and I were in San Francisco for a few days, and I made a point of visiting my favorite store in the city:  SCRAP.  I never know what I’ll find there, the materials in the store change daily, but I always find an abundance of “art materials”. The warehouse is organized by type of material: wood, metal, glass, fabric, paper, images, plastic, natural materials, beads & buttons, arts & crafts, toys, and more.

This day at SCRAP I found a ton of these silver buttons being sold by the cup-full, 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. And I started nailing . . .

About a week later, Silver Fish was finished: be-jeweled and be-dazzled, sitting on his metal perch, ready to celebrate in silvery style. (click on image to enlarge)

031211

"All and Many Treasures"

"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 color to create depth and dimension.
   I loved the work, and I wanted to try my hand at it, only I wanted to use 3 dimensional objects, since I work  primarily in assemblage. This is what I came up with.
   I took the lid of a wooden box (approximately 8" x 10" x 1") and I 16  wooden blocks ( 2 x 2 x  ½” each).  I covered the lid with hand made paper, and then I collaged each of the 16 blocks with various magazine images, vintage sheet music, maps, etc.
   I then embellished each block with a treasured memento, or a special keepsake. Each one creates a tiny vignette, telling a story of a time spent with friends, a trip to far away places, or a long lost love. (click on image to enlarge)

"Up To Your Ass"

"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 Store, and filled it with scrabble tiles to spell out the saying.  I used vintage yard sticks to frame the door. (PS: the misspelled word has been corrected - can you find it?)  (click on image to enlarge)

 2/16 OK - I FIXED IT - THE FIRST PICTURE IS THE  CORRECTED ONE.

SOLD

 

Work in Progress

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 with this

PS i promise it is exactly the same image, but the bottom one looks like the face has a slight smirk doesn't it?

"Declined"

"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 wearing what appear to be wings.  He is ascending slightly above the wildlife, and looking a little worried.  The deer and the horse stand on a glass platform,  marbles and other bits float underneath. The box has a glass lid, held in place with wooden chop sticks. (click on image to enlarge)

"Wine Tasting"

"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, besides welcoming everyone, also glow in the dark! (click on image to enlarge)

Cheers!
SOLD 

"Every Grain of Sand "

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) is covered inside and out with vintage map images. I cut a piece of glass to cover and sealed the edges with a clear plastic ruler. Inside is a beautiful piece of driftwood found on a northern California beach, the glimmery black sand is from a beach in eastern Maui. I added a very small abalone shell given to me by a dear friend, and a glass bubble and red/white marble to add interest. The piece is interactive in that it is meant to be picked up and played with. When tilted back and forth, the sand and other items contained within the box, gently sift through the drift wood transporting the viewer to beaches in exotic lands. (click on image to enlarge)

"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 

"My Life As A Fish"

"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 side of the box is covered in amazing images of “fish” that have seemingly convened to discuss the subject at hand.  The images of these exquisite fish came from a beautifully illustrated fish cookbook found at my favorite thrift store.
   The sides, top and bottom of the box contain images in black and white of an Italian country side. I incorporated beads and dice to the three knobs on top to add interest.

"Seeing Red"

"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 end of the day, once the piece was finished, as I was closing up my studio to go home, I remember briefly thinking about what to name the piece.  The next day, the minute I opened the door to my studio, and without having given it another thought, I saw the piece and found that even the title was self administered . . . (click on any image to enlarge)

"My Not So Still Life"

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, a vintage fishing lure, and a small wooden fish. A glass cigar tube contains marbles and dice that move freely inside the tube. Very fun! (click on image to enlarge)

Genoa's Adventure

"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 that travels well, as a gift for her. The box measures 3”x 7”x 1” and when open, it reveals a scene of collaged images of flowers and foliage. The birds and butterflies, perched on real tree limbs look down on a metal lizard and wooden gazelle, adding to the 3-D effect. On the outside, the box is again covered in magazine images, of green foliage and jungle critters who will keep a watchful eye on Genoa while she is away.

Be safe, sweet friend, have fun, and come home with many stories to tell.
IN PRIVATE COLLECTION

Dilemmas of Life

"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 them, making he box somewhat interactive. The piece can be laid flat on a table or hung on a wall.4"x13"x1½ "  (click on image to enlarge)

Beth's Artworx: FAT Tuesday Artist Spotlight #12

Beth's Artworx: FAT Tuesday Artist Spotlight #12

I was recently featured on Beth's Artworx blog - do take a look!

"It's Not Too Late"

"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 bell on the back. On the inside is a toy violin, a wooden cat and tiny wooden mouse. I topped the box with a crystal drawer pull. (click on any image to enlarge)

"The End"

"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.  A vintage folding ruler finishes the piece.
IN PRIVATE COLLECTION 

"Suite Jesus"

"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 outside, the box is collaged with layers of handmade papers and magazine images. This piece is finished and ready to hang. (click on image to enlarge)

"And I Have You"

"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.