Thursday, June 22, 2017

Silence is Golden and other new artwork!

 (Above:  Silence is Golden I, detail.  Click on any image in this blog post for an enlargement.)

Last week I finished His Secrets and Her Secrets.  I blogged about them HERE.  It was such fun project and I truly thank the many people who contributed digital images of their mouths/lips.  Yet, I didn't feel done.  Many of the sent images weren't high enough in resolution and/or out of focus.  These snapshots weren't "terrible".  They just weren't good enough for the slightly larger, color phots I used with the red buttons.  I felt a little guilty that I hadn't used all my digital donations.  I knew that if I desaturated the pictures and made them a smaller size, I could use almost all of them.  That's when an idea occurred to me:  USE GOLD BUTTONS!

 (Above:  Silence is Golden I, 30 1/2" x 22 1/2".  Black-and-white images collaged to heavy watercolor paper with gold buttons and stitched with gold, metallic thread.)

With a gold button over every mouth, the piece would accurately reflect the old adage Silence is Golden.  I went to work.  Each picture is 2" x 4 1/2" ... in order to create a grid 5 images wide by 15 images in each column.  That's SEVENTY-FIVE "shut mouths".  I had so many images that I am now working on Silence is Golden II.  There aren't 75 photos ... but plenty more!  So ... thank you once again ... to everyone who sent a picture!

 (Above:  Silence is Golden I, in progress.)

Silence is Golden I is glued to a white-painted stretcher bar, just like His Secrets and Her Secrets.  This time, however, I didn't place a bunch of heavy objects all around the edges in order to get a firm, even attachment.  I used a bunch of clamps with strips of foam-centered board to protect the artwork's surface.  This was easier and better.  I'd forgotten that I had so many clamps!

(Above:  In Box CCXCVI.  Inventory # 4034.  Framed:  33" x 21".  $550.)

I've been busy this week!  Two new, large "In Box Series" pieces were completed.  These will likely go to my solo show at Waterworks Visual Arts Center, a regional museum in Salisbury, North Carolina.

(Above:  In Box CCXCVI, detail.)

I am about to start making another selection of Lancet Windows ... because all those that I've made are either sold or in galleries.  I'll need more before November's Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.  Planning so far in advance feels a odd but it is absolutely necessary.

(Above:  In Box CCXCV.  Inventory # 4033.  Framed:  33" x 21".  $550.)

It is especially important when scheduling workshops!  I'm teaching "Second Life" at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts on October 21 - 22.  (Click here to register.)  I'm teaching "HOT!"at AYA Fiber Studios in Stuart, Florida on October 25 - 26.  (Click here to register.)  These workshops have been on the organization's website for over a month.    

(Above:  In Box CCXCV, detail.)

This week the Eastern Shore Art Center listed my upcoming January 26th "HOT!" workshop on there website.  (Click HERE to register.)  If you live near Fairhope, Alabama, you might want to consider this!  This workshop coordinates with my solo show Anonymous Ancestors which will be at the Eastern Shore Art Center from January 5 - 27th.

(Above:  Husband and Wife? or Brother and Sister? What Does It Matter?, The Wall of Ancestors.  Altered antique image in antique frame with convex glass.  18 1/2" x 24 1/2" including the frame.)

Speaking of Anonymous Ancestors, I'm still creating more work for the Wall of Ancestors.  How can I resist ... especially when my successful bid for this frame, convex glass, and image was just $10?  I knew when I bought it what phrases I'd use.

(Above:  Her Lines and Hem Lines, Conformity ... Inside the Lines for The Wall of Ancestors.)

I didn't know exactly what words I wanted on this vintage classroom photograph.  I only knew that I wanted the letters to address the uniform hem lines on all these homemade skirts.  This piece is much smaller.  The glass size is just 7" x 9".

(Above:  The Modern Woman for The Wall of Ancestors.)

Finally, here's another antique frame.  Sure, it is missing one of the wooden leaves for the cross-bowed frame intersections ... but I don't really care.  With age comes a little wear and tear!  That said, I'm older too.  On Saturday I turn fifty-eight years old.  To mark the occasion, I've updated all my social media profile images to reflect "how I really look" ... just me ... without make-up ... in a t-shirt ... with eyeglasses ... in front of my Wall of Keys.

(Me ... by Forrest Clonts Photography.)
 
Yes ... there's a little wear and tear ... and wrinkles and gray hairs ... but that's me!  (Okay, I admit it ... a professional photographer had a lot to do with this! LOL!)

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

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