New work for the Wall of Ancestors and more tagged keys

 (Above: Tagged keys.  Click on any image in this blog post to enlarge.)

In anticipation of this past Monday's Sustainable Midlands Holiday Sale and the upcoming Crafty Feast Sales on December 14th, I decided to make some more tagged keys.  It seemed easier than removing existing tagged keys from the wall in my studio.  Making new ones also meant that I knew which keys I had ... the key to happiness, the key to love, the key to a fast Internet connection, the key to a thin waistline, the key to respect, etc.  I love making keys!  It also meant that I had out all my supplies for collaging.

 (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, A Charmed Life.)

I had my brush, matte medium, and my stash of clipped vintage letters spread out across my mat cutter.  It seemed like a perfect time to make additional pieces for my Wall of Ancestors ... especially since I would be working at Mouse House over Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and right through Cyber Monday.  During this time, I created fifty-two new works.  I also absolutely LOVE making these pieces.  It gives me a chance to sort through all these old, anonymous photos and imagine the lives these people might have lived. 

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Abused Behind Closed Doors.)

Originally, I had about thirty or so pieces last year for my solo show called I Am Not Invisible.  I upped the number to 127 by spring when I exhibited them at Gallery 80808/Vista for Artista Vista.

(Above:  The Wall of Ancestors as exhibited at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios during last spring's Artista Vista show.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Always Together.)

It is probably stupid to be making more pieces, especially over fifty of them, but I am hoping that this installation will be accepted into next spring's ArtFields competition.  If I'm lucky and get this opportunity, I will probably need even more than I currently have.  I didn't really want to wait and feel "under the gun".  Thus, I enjoyed the process over the long weekend and now feel very hopeful for good news.

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Always Went to Confession.)

I am happy to report that Stitching Together was accepted for the upcoming show at the McKissick Museum!  I'm looking forward to it!

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Always Wore a Clean Apron in my Spotless Kitchen.)

The rest of this blog post is simply the rest of the pieces made for The Wall of Ancestors.  Enjoy!  I sure enjoyed making them ... and have other ideas for even more! Remember that each one can be enlarged by clicking on the image!  Also ... I was very thankful for Thanksgiving!  Steve cooked the entire dinner.  Over the weekend, he built all the frames to my specifications and assembled everything!  I'm quite lucky!

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Atheist.)

I'm linking this post to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Fridays", a site for sharing fiber arts.

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Beach Bums.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Buried Three Babies.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Burned My Bra.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Couldn't Hold a Job.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Died in Child Birth.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Died in the Flu Epidemic.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Donna Reed Was My Role Model.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Draft Dodger.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Eloped As Teenagers.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Forbidden to Marry the Girl I Loved.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Fought for the Right to Vote.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Future Introvert.)

  (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series,Gambler.)

   (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Grew Up Without a Father.)

   (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Had a Back Alley Abortion.)

   (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, He Cheated On Me.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Hid My Homosexuality to My Dying Day.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Hurt the One I Loved.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, I Hated My Mother.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, I Would Marry Four Times.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Inseparable for Life.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Left at the Altar.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Lived in an All White Neighborhood.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Lived Off the Land.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Mama's Boy.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Man of God.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Married for Money.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Miss Congeniality.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, My Mother Didn't Want Another Child.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Never Filed Income Tax.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Never Learned to Drive.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Never Wore a Seat Belt.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Orphan.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Playboy.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Ran Away to Join the Circus.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Rebel Without a Cause.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Served Time in Jail.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Shoplifter.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Shotgun Wedding.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, So Cool.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Suffered Post-Partum Depression.)

   (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Those Were the Days.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Town Drunk.)

   (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, We Assumed Our Sally, Dick, and Jane World Would Never End.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, He Broke My Heart.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, Kissing Cousins.)

    (Above:  The Wall of Ancestors Series, The Greatest Generation.)