"Circus of Sadness"

  

"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 always look into their eyes to see if there is sadness behind the smile.

Sewing machine drawer covered in hand made papers on the outside and encyclopedia pages on the inside. A tearful clown looks sadly out - a mirror reflects the viewer as they look in. I used wooden drawer pulls for feet, and a crystal drawer pull as the topper. A colorful wooden fish swims casually by and a wind-up music box plays a cheerful tune.

"You and Me" (#3)

"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 TOO

SO 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 wood. The entire piece is covered in tissues, magazine images, and words. Scrabble tiles spell out the saying, and a small human profile punctuates the statement. The piece is ready to hang or sit on a stand. (click on image to enlarge)

"Pig Song"

"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 used various papers and images as well as Mexican Lotteria cards and other bits. Scrabble tiles spell out the quote, with a trio of dancing pigs, who appear to be singing.  (click on image to enlarge)

"You and Me" (again)

 
"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 the show closes).

A few days later I got a call from someone who asked if I would make her one "just like the one in the show" . . . I agreed.  So the one posted here (#2) now resides in Seattle, in the office of a woman who works with an organization that provides low income housing.  She said "this piece will make the perfect statement to what all of us at my organization work towards". (yey!)

So this is "You and Me" #2.  I want to make this clear, because a couple of days ago I got a request for a "You and Me" #3 . . . I normally do not like to do 'repeats', because all of my pieces are one of a kind, but I will, this time, because 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 TOO

SO WE ARE REALLY NOT THAT DIFFERENT YOU AND ME"

(I will embellish each one differently so each piece is in fact one of a kind)

A small wood cabinet door found at Habitat for Humanity's Re-Store is the perfect frame for this piece. The door is covered, front and back, in rich, vibrant green and red tissues, bits of vintage sheet music, and hand written letters and pattern pieces. The piece is ready to hang or sit on a stand. (click on image to enlarge)

"Mirror, Mirror"

"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 it holds momentos from many sources, not just one, and that it is done in silver bits primarily. The wood frame is collaged in hand made papers in various hues of green, and like most of my pieces, this one too is interactive: the little green stick-man on the bottom shelf has magnet feet, and when picked up, it manipulates the compass sitting next to it. (click on any image to enlarge) (you must do this to see more of the detail)