"It's All In My Head"

"It's all in My Head"●
Fourth in this series. Collage on canvas. Vintage encyclopedia pages are the foundation for all 4 collages in this series, this one is overlaid with images from a book titled Picturesque Quebec dated 1888, a wonderful leather bound volume found in a dumpster in San Francisco. The birds and butterfly add the much needed splash of color.  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION  

"Listen"

"Listen"●
Third in a series. Collage on canvas. Vintage encyclopedia pages are the foundation for all 4 collages in this series, these are overlaid with images from a volume of Michelangelo’s works retrieved from a dumpster in San Francisco. Velum greens, a cockateil and a mockingbird add color. Who is listening to whom?  (click on any image to enlarge)  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION  

"Bird At The Window"

"Bird At The Window"●
Second in a series. Collage on canvas. Vintage encyclopedia pages are the foundation for this collage, overlaid with images from a volume of Michelangelo’s works retrieved from a dumpster in San Francisco. Velum greens and a blue parrot add color. As the baby and mother observe the bird, a small photo of 2 small modern age boys look in at them and the viewer. (click on any image to enlarge)    IN PRIVATE COLLECTION

"Black Birds"

"Black Birds"●
Collage on canvas. Vintage encyclopedia pages are the foundation for this collage, overlaid with images from a volume of Michelangelo’s works retrieved from a dumpster in San Francisco. Bright green magazine images add color and a blue butterfly adorns her hair.  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION  

"Come Play With Me"

"Come Play With Me"●

This is a brand new piece, and totally interactive. A vintage oak file box has been altered and embellished with wooden inserts that hold things that are ROUND: A wooden top, a vintage light bulb, a tea ball, a lovely glass door knob, a compass, a doll's head, a globe, and eyeball that sits in a glass funnel.  All items can be picked up and played with, as their texture tells the story of the life they had before they came here. 

Also includes a wind-up music box, and brass drawer pulls on each end. (click on any image to enlarge for a closer look.)  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"Oh Happy Day"

"Oh Happy Day"●

Assemblage in a silver wooden cigar box, with a glass front. The box is lined with bright colored cotton cloth. Nestled in the box is an aged sardine can, embellished with a string of faux pearls. A white porcelain Happy Buddha, holding a bright orange die, stands inside. The box sits on six wooden dominos and is topped with a vintage amber drawer pull.  In private collection.

"Family Life"

"Family Life"  This is a sweet box I made for a very dear sister of mine. It is bright, colorful and very fun. The momentos are meaningful, some are corney, but all are lovely and happy. This is a wooden cigar box collaged inside and out with magazine images filled with trinkets and found objects of a life lived. Top and feet are brass drawer pulls. In private collection. (click on any image to enlarge)
IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"A Great Story"

"A Great Story"●
This clock box assemblage is covered in handmade paper and further embellished with magazine images. The metal overlay box front has been painted with high gloss acrylic paints (nail polish), the opening on the door (where the clock used to be) contains a vintage ornate ornament. Inside are various found objects a mirror to take in the whole view, and a "crank" music box that plays "Pop Goes The Weasel". IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"Just Joe . . . "

 

"Just Joe"
This is an early piece, created for a very special person. This vintage clock box is covered with beautiful hand made papers, magazine images, and a brilliant image of Frida Kahlo. The box front is metal and painted with several colors of acrylic paints. A concave mirror is suspended in the center with fine copper wire, and finished with a small mahogany frame.  Inside, the box is filled to the brim with imagery, thoughts, metaphors and keepsakes . . . items with meaning are a compass, a level, a skeleton key, an amber glass drop, a toy soldier, and other tokens and reminders of lives lived.
IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"Art & Beauty"

"Art and Beauty" 

An 'eye candy' over-filled box with images reminding us to look and look again, and again.  Vintage brass drawer pull on top. Three ceramic drawer pulls are used as feet.  The piece is emblished with found objects of whimsy and some delight.

"The Magic Chamber"

"The Magic Chamber"

This sweet glass-lidded box is covered in interesting religious iconic papers and marbled tissue.  Inside are 2 small happy Buddha statues, standing bejeweled and bedazzling on scrabble tiles. The piece is topped with a vintage glass drawer pull and footed on 4 small dice.

For a closer view - click on any image to enlarge.

"Daddy Long Legs"

"Daddy Long Legs"●
This assemblage is constructed with remnant 2x2 pieces of lumber from a recent remodel. Each piece is covered with vintage sheet music, maps, dictionary pages and magazine images. It is topped with a beautiful piece of driftwood found on the northern California coast. I used wooden dice for feet, and embellished the piece with various found objects including a large brass drawer pull. On the backside, the piece is seemingly held together with two vintage folding carpenter rulers.  I love the way the blocks fit together anyway you turn them, each one becoming an art piece on its own, and when they come together they tell a whole story.  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"Open Heart"

"Open Heart"●

Assemblage constructed in a vintage sewing machine drawer covered on the inside with "bleeding" tissue. Includes vintage children's blocks, a wooden heart and a porcelain doll's head, and topped with a vintage glass drawer pull. This piece includes a music box that plays "It's A Small World".  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION

"Pray For Me"

 

"Pray For Me"  ●

Assemblage made of a constructed fruit crate painted red.  On a background of lace, ribbon and faux pearls, a silver plate spoon handle cross is nestled in a sardine tin.  A carved wooden tiger and giraffe stand  guard.  6" x 8" x 2" 

Like Never Before

"Like Never Before"●

A sweet assemblage made in a glass covered cigar box that has been collaged with magazine images including a Frida Kahlo image on the inside, and an interesting man sitting in a tree on the back. Inside are various found items, a small Kewpie Doll, a brass bell and a red glass icicle. 3 Stainless steel drawer knobs become the feet and a different stainless steel drawer pull on top is embellished with a small bouquet of red roses. 00321100

"Carpe Diem (Bending All The Rules)"

Carpe Diem (Bending All the Rules)●

Assemblage consisting of various vintage wood pieces, book, mirror, dried flowers in glass, painted wooden fish, piano keys and chop sticks. All in a vintage tool box drawer.  22" x 6" x 2"

How did it get so late so soon?

It's night before it's afternoon.

December is here before it's June.

My goodiness, how the time has flewn.

How did it get so late so soon?

~Dr. Seuss

"The Memories We Keep"

"The Memories We Keep"● 
Some are only moments, others are bigger than life. but what defines us are the memories we hold on to. Mixed media assemblage.  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"Buck Rogers Says 'Sorry' "

 

Buck Rogers Says "Sorry"● 

Mixed media, duck decoy covered in bleeding tissue papers, and embellished with a variety of found objects, bottle caps, beads and buttons. Duck sits on vintage wheels.    IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"Confused"

"Confused"● 
With all the choices before us and before our children, how do we decide which path to choose?  Do they all lead to the same place?
Mixed media assemblage.  Hinged glass covered box with vintage papers, key, glass beads and other found objects.  Brass toilet seat hinges used as box legs. 3"x 3" x 2" 2009 IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"It's All In Your Head"

"It's All In Your Head"●

The beauty, the sorrow, the love and the colors. We can see it all so clearly.

Mannequin head, embellished with bleeding tissues and vintage papers, and an antique umbrella handle.  The piece sits on a stack of CDs and a wooden oriental stand.  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"Imagine"

"Imagine"●

Assemblage, porcelain doll head in a vintage sewing machine drawer, with children's blocks and wind-up music box. IN PRIVATE COLLECTION   

"48"

"48"●

Mixed media assemblage, constructed in a vintage humidor cigar box, containing vintage ceramic miniature busts on hand crafted boxes, rear view mirrors, vintage papers and a bullet.  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION

I Will Not Die An Unlived Life . . .

I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible,
to loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
to live so that which came to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom
and that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.
— Dawna markova

"Never Tease a Weasel"

This assemblage is made in a box that may have had a previous life as a jewelry box.  I covered the box in poka-dot fabric, and the glass door is covered in "music" fabric.  Inside are various found items that include a cork screw, a wooden articulated artist model.  On the back side is an image of Marilyn Monroe wearing butterfly wings and a dress made of ribbons.  The piece stands on black dice, and topped with a white round drawer pull.

"View From My Window"

"View From My Window"  

Framed and matted collage on water color paper, tree branches. Inspired by one of Joseph Cornell's amazing works.