"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)