Five Fish

 "Five Fish" ●
This piece, is put together in a simple wood frame, with a background of vintage folding rulers, yardsticks and school rulers. A metal number 5 and a small wooden fish painted salmon-like add interest and dimension.  This piece is ready to hang and already sold. (click on image to enlarge)

"She Wanted To Fly"

"She Wanted To Fly"
   She's a wife, she's a mom, she has an amazing career. . .  she has worked hard and has created a wonderful life for herself and her family. Sometimes, every now and then, 'she wants to fly' just to take a break, just to see what's out there, just to remember her dreams, the ones that slipped away.
    A vintage sewing machine drawer is the box that contains this story, a story many of us share. A "winged victory" statue depicts her feelings. At her feet we see her child, her work, her faith, while her dreams line the walls, under glass. A music box, plays a tune, and mirrors reflect the size of her world. (click on any image to enlarge)

"Bingo"

 "Bingo" ●
Another favorite: A wooden pig embellished with bits and pieces of this and that. The pig, named "Bingo" is approximately 7" x 4", and he has wings, and buttons, bottle caps and bells. He wears a level for a hat, and wooden beads for shoes. A part of a one dollar bill drapes his belly, reminding us that in a financial context, pork bellies, like lumber and oranges are still considered commodities. (click on any image to enlarge)

"She Would Only Fly When No One Was Looking"

 "She Would Only Fly When No One Was Looking"

    Last year I received a birthday card with the following sentiment: "For A Long Time, She Flew Only When She Thought No One Was Looking". . .  it liked it so much that it has stayed with me for months.
    I found this wonderful box at an estate sale a couple of months ago, apparently it used to hold tools or nails or tacks . . . I covered the box in handmade papers, and put it on a stand with a small wind-up music box on the bottom. On the left inside wall, a mirror reflects the doll, and on the right inside wall, you see bits of safety glass with various images underneath.
    The doll is made up of doll arms, a doll head and a vintage curry powder spice tin.  She holds a set of golden wings in one hand and a gun in the other . . . contradictory at best
    The doll is suspended from the back allowing the legs and arms to move. On top is a blue water faucet handle, and on the back I added a silver metal piece that was formally a strainer from a shrimp cocktail server. The front of the box has a glass cover. (click on any image to enlarge)

Circles Squared

"Circles Squared"
   Inspiration for this wall hung piece came from one done by Catherine Nash titled "Circles Can't Be Squared". In it she used a beautiful vintage square as the anchor to her piece, and you can see it here .
   A lid from a wooden box is the frame that contain all the parts:  a vintage metal square, a piece of a vintage level, the cross bar of a table leg, a wooden triangle with an amber marble reminds me of the all-seeing eye. The bottom circles piece came from one of those revolving spice racks. Inside the circles are marbles, coins, dice and a round metal filigree piece found on one of my walks. A piece of glass covers the circles, allowing the pieces to move freely inside. The background is vintage measuring tape.

"Come As You Are"

"Come As You Are" ● 

   When I found this wooden cross in the dumpster of a nearby apartment complex, I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but I could not walk by and leave it. I brought it to the studio, where it sat for months. 

   Last fall I attended a collage / mixed media class. We were asked to bring  magazine images, favorite 'chachkas' and other found objects to use in art class. The found wooden cross was the first thing I grabbed. 

    I first covered the cross in purple tissues, then I sprinkled words from a poem here and there, front and back. Later, images of hands and feet from different bodies were added. The timing was near "Day of The Dead", so I added an image of a skull wearing a coat and tie and a crown with a bird on top. A red sun dress finishes the collage imagery.

   The piece is embellished with a gothic cross on a chain, the dress is layered with gauze, brass tacks and a red bow . . . quite stunning I must say.. (click on any image to enlarge)

"Home Bird" and "Home Camel"

 "Home Bird" and "Home Camel"
These 2 smalls were made using tiny wooden boxes I found at the flea market.  I have never worked in such a small format before, and besides the obvious challenges, I must say, I love the results.
     "Home Bird"● is contained inside a tiny mahogany box (3"x3"). The hand carved embellishment is the roof of a vintage cuckoo clock I took apart last summer (see Edna). A small ceramic bird sits a top an amber colored crystal, while looking over the metal house in the corner. A brass bell on the side adds interest and noise.
    "Home Camel"● this mahogany box (2" x 4") is embellished with wooden wings and a brass bell on the outside.  Inside the box, a tiny camel patiently waits by the house ready for flight.
     Both are ready to hang. (click on any image to enlarge)

Untitled

 
Untitled●

   In 1974, shortly after moving to northern California from Texas and while working as a receptionist for a small chain of clothing stores that were the original Ross Stores, I met the “full of himself”, “self assured” and “very dashing” Richard Manley. In those days, Richard then was living his life disguised as an up and coming lingerie salesman.

   Today Richard is a remarkably successful playwright.

   Over the last 37 years (Has it been that long, really?) Richard and I have remained good friends, even though our careers have caused us to at times live on opposite coasts, we have managed to always stay in touch, and see each other when we can.

   I learned last month that Richard and Jennifer, his beautiful bride of almost 20 years will be moving back to New York next month, as that is where plays get produced, good things happen to talented writers. Although San Francisco is a beautiful and amazing city, New York seems to be where R and J feel most at home. Alas, they are moving! I am thrilled for them, and that now gives my husband Walter and I another really great reason to visit New York.

   Whew! That was a long story!  When I learned Richard was moving, I felt a strong need to create a piece of art for him to have in his studio in New York. For the life of me, I cannot understand "why?" in all the years I have known Richard, it never occurred to me to make an assemblage for him. . . .

   This piece, still untitled, is small, created in a 3"x6"x4" vintage recipe box, (if you don't count the antler . . .) A beautifully carved black frame corner adorns the front of the box. A silver cover plate from an old SINGER sewing machine on the side. The box is filled with treasures to entertain and wonder. A small bottle filled with 2 sands the white from Malibu and the black from Hawaii. A vintage bottle holds trinkets and treasures to be played with and examined. A tear-eyed jester, a tiny hand waving good-by from a 45 magnum shell casing, a small image of an angel. A wind-up music box and a tea ball containing other trinkets. I added a small screw driver so the antler can be removed when packing for transport.

   Photography is not my best talent, but I think you can still see the story. (click on any image to enlarge)

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)