"Circa 1986"

"Circa 1986"●
In the mid 80's I was living in New York, and climbing the 'corporate ladder. 
On my days off I would often wander the streets of the city with 35mm camera in hand, photographing interesting people, colorful doorways or thought provoking graffiti. 

Additionally, I would always I would find "stuff" to use on my boxes (note the little black bull on top, or the head shot postcards of news personalities, the skeleton key inside the box).  Although at the time I did not call what I did "art", all of these 'found' treasures would eventually find their way into or onto one of my boxes.

Yes folks - this is a box I made for a dear friend a long time ago, long before I even knew the word "assemblage”. (click on any image to enlarge)  
IN PRIVATE COLLECTION 

"Several Ways To Heaven"

"Several Ways To Heaven"

Bourbon box embellished with iconic images, holy ones and some not so much.  Wooden monk wears his faith in his rosary, iron hot plate with hand cut mirror insert, is the church window, reflecting faces of the onlookers wanting to learn the way to heaven.  A vintage Mexican ‘molinillo’, chocolate wisk, becomes the pulpit. On the back is an image of Michelangelo’s “The Sinner” wanting to find his way there too.  Bottle caps for feet and brass drawer pull on top. (click on any image to enlarge)

"Altared Nights"

"Altared Nights"●
This is a piece I just finished, and will be featured at an auction to raise funds for a community event for Day of the Dead.  In thinking about the upcoming Day of the Dead celebrations throughout Mexico and Latin America, I tried to imagine how altars are created by the people who make them and keep them to honor their faith in god and in their saint of choice, the Our Lady of Guadalupe.  The very poor and faithful find ways to create things of beauty from nothing or very little. Altars are not special because of the value of the things that make them up, rather they are valuable because of the special things they represent. 

This simple altar is made up of a wooden drawer from a dismantled tool bench.  The front columns are the legs a chair that have been split in half, a marble is inserted where the dowels used to be.  The inside of the drawer is covered with colorful tissues, and an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  I added some 'bling' and glitter, flowers and glow in the dark stars, and inserted a piece of glass in front.  
Very kool! (click on image to enlarge)  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION  

"Selected Endings"

"Selected Endings"  ●
A vintage oak file box has been converted into a (black?) magic box . . . containing 8 ways to choose your poison . . . sort of . . . will it be a vice? a vulture? drowning at sea? or death by gun shot?  Mystery and misery contained in lovely little glass bottles to be examined and explored. . . .   this is the 3rd of 8 new pieces created for the upcoming Day of the Dead festivities.  (click on any image to enlarge)

Currently all 8 pieces are on exhibit at Dimensiona Galleria in Petaluma, CA.  More images of new pieces to follow in the next few days.

"Saints and Sinners"

"Saints and Sinners"●

This is the second of four (maybe 5) pieces that I am presenting for Day of The Dead.  This piece is covered in bright orange artist's tissues and an image of Frieda Kahlo on the back.  A metal lizard on the front, and brass bell on the side.  The curtains on the doors are part of a vintage beaded lamp shade.  Inside are found objects reminding us of day of the dead items: on the top shelf is a bowel of fruit, a rooster, a bottle of tequila and flowers.  On the bottom shelf are the dearly departed, and an armadillo with a bobbing head.  (click on any image to enlarge)  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION 

"The Real Trio"

"The Real Trio"●
In preparation for "Day of the Dead", I offer this piece constructed in a wooden cigar box, containing 3 small ceramic 'Catrinas' dressed for the occasion.  On the back side, the scene is a collage of magazine imagery, which includes a colorful wall and a vintage coca-cola refrigerator on some dusty street in Old Mexico while a fancy pig meanders by.  The piece contains a wind-up music box, and sits on a swivel platform covered in colorful artist's tissues.  On top, coca-cola bottle caps add more color, and a brass suitcase- handle makes it easy to carry. (click on any image to enlarge)

"El Patito"

"El Patito"●
Small wooden duck, be-jeweled and be-dazzled sits on his 3 porcelain knob feet, and is ready to celebrate in grand style, wears a satin ribbon rose hat. Intricate found objects to embellish include coins, bottle caps, buttons, colorful beads and a few silver charms. On this lucky duck's back is one half of a vintage silver plate heart ornament that has been in my family for years, but it broke last year, and has now taken on a new life. (the other half will show up in something soon I am sure . . . )

(click on any image to enlarge)   IN PRIVATE COLLECTION 

"Edna (take me as I am)"

"Edna (take me as I am)"●
This is Edna. She is terrific. A styro foam mannequin head that came from a garage sale in Arkansas is covered in vintage sheet music and embellished with parts from a vintage cuckoo clock that came from Germany many years ago. Because there were no facial features on the form, I created the nose, eyes, ears and mouth out of clock parts. The necklace is the chain that was once used to wind the clock. The hat and stand are vintage metal receipt spindles. If you look closely at the hat you will see the little cuckoo bird from the clock.  (click on the image to enlarge)  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION 

Blocks

Hello everyone! I just got back from a train trip vacation. What an inspiring way to vacation! I worked and worked on these sweet little wooden blocks cut from a left over 2"x2" piece of lumber. I collaged each block with text from vintage Japanese, English and Spanish books. I used magazine images, vintage maps, pictures from a bird book and of course sheet music.  They look terrific! (click on image to enlarge)

"Traveling Museum"

 
"Traveling Museum" ● . . . . . this is an 'ode' to Joseph Cornell
   This assemblage is very kool!  The wooden box is small 6" x 6" x 5". The outside is covered in vintage maps taken from a 1921 encyclopedia Britannica.  The brass feet are vintage toilet seat hinges, and the embellishment on top is a brass drawer pull.
    On the inside are 9 small bottles filled with things collected from my travels. . .  black sand from Hawaii, beads from South Africa, sea shells from Mexico, tempered glass from a broken window in Paris, white sand from Malibu . . .  you see where I am going with this.  Very fun and interactive.

"Las Canicas de Dios" (God's Marbles)

"Las Canicas de Dios" (God's Marbles)  All the roadsigns are there, the trappings, the rules.  We can choose to obey the rules or we can find our own way. Who's watching?
    This mahogany box is embellished with a vintage brass door plate and a doll's eye . Vintage papers cover the inside. Juxtaposed on an iron stand, Jesus wearing the 'key', looks longingly towards his guitar. On the other side, is 1/2 of a vintage clock face and a glass enclosed coca-cola box handle with three red marbles that move back and forth. The vintage compass is continually pulled by a magnet attached to the top knob. (click on image to enlarge)

"Snake" (by d.h. lawrence)

"Snake by D.H. Lawrence"●

In high-school, one of my favorite poets was D.H. Lawrence. And one of my favorite Lawrence poems was SNAKE. (http://homepages.wmich.edu/~cooneys/poems/dhl.snake.html)   I memorized every word. And even now, years later, it's verses still run through my head. This piece quotes the first 7 lines of this famous poem, written in scrabble pieces. This assemblage is constructed from a piece of wood, that in a former life was a kitchen cabinet from the 1930's. It measures 16"x14".  I framed the piece in vintage yard sticks, and it finished it off with a lovely brown snake that is attached in such a way that allows both the head and the tail to move when touched.  (click on image for a closer look)  IN PRIVATE COLLECTION  

"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