Assemblage in Progress: "Remember"

It has certainly been a productive week, I've completed 3 assemblages and an optical lense necklace and have very nearly completed this assemblage I've been working on for a couple of weeks now. Not to mention several new projects laid out on the work table (okay the work table is a wreck, they're laid out on the floor! shhh, don't tell anyone!), jotted many sketches and ideas down in my idea book, and finally got some photo albums of my past work on flicker.

Although I keep a notebook handy to sketch out ideas when they hit me, most of my work is not planned. I usually start with an element that intrigues me and the piece evolves from there. This piece started with this fantastic house shape I salvaged from a vintage german cuckoo clock found not too long ago at an estate auction. I can't believe how close I was to going home before it to came up on the block!

Once I have an element I know I will be using I begin experimenting, pulling out my stash of treasures, wandering around my studio, trying this and that and whatnot until I find a piece that seems to fit. Its almost like putting a jigsaw puzzle together without the lid of the box. I have no idea what it will look like when its done, but I know when a piece "fits" and when it doesn't.

The theme usually begins to develop in my mind as the pieces come together. As I covered the house with antique text and the tissue of an old sewing pattern and began to coat it with layers of gesso, acrylics, glaze and varnish, it began to resemble the weathered skin of an elderly person. It made me think of the house as a shell or a body containing a soul.

The theme evolved as I began to imagine the soul of the house being the memories it contained. What would the walls whisper to the present occupant if they could? What wisdom would they impart? What warnings or encouragement would it give?

Deuteronomy 32:7 teaches, "Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations; ask thy father and he will shew thee, thy elders and they will tell thee."
We do have a lot to learn from our elders and from the lives of those who have passed before us.

I don't know when this piece will be "done". I just know its not there yet. Keep checking....

Tree of Life 3

Based on John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.", I see the tree as representation of the cross that Jesus was nailed to as payment for our sins. In his death our sins are paid for and through his resurrection we have eternal life, thus the cross is ultimately "The Tree of Life".
This is the third installment of my tree of life series. It has been created inside the box from an antique cabbage shredder. The images in the back are from an 1880s geography text book and a 1930s edition of Grays Anatomy. The tree has been crafted from rebar wire and is adorned with a bit of antique rosary. It has been secured to the box with antique nails salvaged from an old box camera.

"Remembrances" Wearable Art

I've just finished this Keith Lo Bue inspired piece titled "Remembrances", my first attempt at drilling glass! It's hard to tell from these pictures but the antique text has been hand rubbed to near tissue paper thin and applied to the antique optical lense glass with a fine satin varnish. The finished effect is a dreamy translucent quality behind the tiny camera lense which contains an antique tintype photo. I should be listing this one on ebay tonight so be sure to check my auctions!

Shadow Box Assemblages

I dug out a couple of shadow boxes from my trunk of picture frames this week and made these two collage assemblages. Each one is under glass, although I have removed it for taking photos. The first one is titled "There your heart will be" based on Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." and the second one is titled "Sublime".
I had a lot of fun with these, I dug out my box of collage ephemera and created collaged backgrounds first. I have been working on assemblages and wearable art for so long I wasn't sure if I remembered how to do a collage, but I loved the results and am eager to do some more!
These little shadow boxes started out as cheap blue shadow boxes from Ikea. Its been over 2 years since I've been to Ikea. Now I have an excuse to go back!
The few weeks before back to school are notorious for being sloooooow on ebay. I'm not sure if I'm going to list these tonight or not. Be sure to keep checking.

I hope you Dance.....Egghead

Okay don't fret! I'm not calling you names! Just having a little fun and catching up with my "Wearable Alphabet" Series.
D is for (I hope you) DANCE and E is for EGGHEAD. Egghead is my most favorite to date. Usually I save the collage on the back for the buyer alone to enjoy, but I couldn't resist sharing this one! Check them out on ebay!

Desire.....This World Is Not My Home

Searching...Searching...Searching...What are you searching for? What is it that your heart desires and longs for? What is that yearning deep inside? And what would you be willing to give for it? Would you give your eyeteeth to have your hearts desire?

It seems no matter what we fill our lives with, no matter how hard we strive, there is an empty spot deep inside. A longing unfulfilled. Some mysterious voice whispering...

'This world is not my home'

There has to be more then this...there has to be more...will you recognize it when you find it?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says "He has set eternity in the hearts of men". We know that we were created for something better then this. We were created for an eternity with our Savior. We will long for Him, either knowingly or unknowingly, until the day we leave this world.

C is for Creates Art

What else could it be?? Check it out on ebay now!

Hey Mom...I finally finished your doll!

Happy Mothers Day Mom! I'm only a few months late...eek! Well I hope mom likes her. She'll be coming with a collaged tag all of her own based on the scripture "Then maidens will dance and be glad" from Jeremiah 31:13.
This is another in my series of spool art dolls. I love the way her arms swing when I wiggle her back and forth. Her hat was a little paper mache cone given to me by my friend Becky of Bees in her bonnet, I think the key is from an antique clock. I actually drilled a hole for it right through the marble base that once held a crystal lamp that mom gave me. And there you have it, junk goes full circle... or what goes around comes around!