Time Pieces

Something new I have been working on...

 

 

 

 

Thinking about time passing and what remains...

 

These are made with vintage pocket watch cases from CockroachShop on Etsy and human hair(...and glue and patience!) The curly one is from my last dramatic haircut; the others are hair extensions I purchased.

Sweet Home Sweets

 

Sweet Home Sweets: Paper clay with watercolor, cellophane wrappers, found plate. Each house around 1" tall.  2012

 

I found the perfect plate for these in my studio debris. I am using the word debris because it is quite a mess. However, mess equals activity...so I am delighted. More to come!

Looking Around: Puur Anders

 

 

Every so often, I see something on Etsy that sticks with me....and I just can't stop thinking about this leaf. You can find it in the shop Puur Anders which features the work of Miranda van Dijk.

 

Maybe it is because it is autumn here in Kansas (at last!) or because I have a little baby changing before eyes or because of my love of cloth between my fingers...or all of these...this peice has grabbed my attention and won't let go. Changing seasons, passing time, fleeting moments, fading memories, death....ah! So much more than a brooch!

 

If you care to explore a little further, you can read the Puur Anders blog and visit the website. They are a treasure trove of inspiration.

Considering Scale...and Food?

Scale has been on mind lately. I am working on a big project again...though I vowed to "take a break from big" after dealing with transporting one my largest piece to date, Rag Rug,  across the country last year. Sometimes I just get big ideas though...what can I do?

Scale is important in art. The size of the work in relation to the viewer has an impact on how the piece communicates; how it feels; how it reads. If a piece towers over you as you view it, it it feels very different than if you can hold it in your hand. An object can go from cute to creepy to menacing depending on its size. Creating unexpected extremes can be a powerful way to grab attention and stir thought. While it is easy to automatically make work of a certain scale because of standard size materials or costs or space in which to work, it is important to remember that scale can be a powerful tool with which to communicate.

Since I have been thinking about all of this, I have been seeing examples of scale extremes all around me. It all started in the grocery store...

with the cutest (and most delicious) potatoes ever...and then it continued on Etsy

with giant fabric food textiles by Brook Abboud...

and then on thisiscolossal.com with the work of Christopher Boffoli

These scale extremes caught my eye...and gave me a grin. 

Looking Around: Amanda Blake

A great weekend is coming to a close here and I think I'll wrap it up by posting about Amanda Blake, an artist I discovered while browsing on Etsy. Check out these lovely paintings...

Clover followed her imaginary friend everywhere

Nigel and Lily embraced by the sea

Rebecca wore a dress of wildflowers

She made wings of love letters and cherry blossoms 

They built a life out of hope and flowers

Where she went in the night

I respond to the dreamlike, almost haunting quality of these pieces. The painting itself is beautiful...the muted colors and the dry, sparing way in which the paint is applied. Flat and imperfect patterns and flat perspective give the work a folky, honest feel. The figures are mysterious...gazing out at me...waiting? listening? longing for something? I am left to insert my own narrative. When I look at these works, I feel like I am  remembering a nearly forgotten dream.

You can see more of Amanda's work online on Etsy, on The Enormous Tiny Art Show, and on her website. 

Ruth Tabancay

Another from my files....I first stumbled upon Ruth Tabancay in Fiberarts Design Book 7. Tonight, I visited her website and discovered even more exciting work. You should certainly take a look! Below are a couple of my favorites.

Sweet Dreams - hand-stitched tea bags

detail

Birthing Bed - wool felt and  liquidamber fruits

detail

What Linens Know - Hand embroidery on vintage linens

detail

Sweet Stop Motion by Elise Fachon

Stop motion is so fascinating to me. It is a tedious process but the results are so worth it.
I ran across this piece by Elise Fachon on www.thisiscolossal.com yesterday. Check it out...


PIN from Elise Fachon on Vimeo.

I constantly find myself personifying inanimate objects...spoons, cups, irons, buttons...so this seems very close to home. It makes me want to run to my studio with a camera and start moving things around!