Several More Found Object Mandalas

(Above:  Detail of Mandala LX.  Framed as a square: 25 1/4" x 25 1/4"; as a diamond: 35 3/4" x 35 3/4".  Found objects hand-stitched to a section of a vintage quilt.  Found objects include: a ceramic dish; souvenir spoons; laminated Tampa Nugget cigar bands; washers; four letter openers; plastic protective corners for a beveled mirror; decorative wire embellishments; buttons; Blue Moon bottle caps; corn cob holders; garter hooks; brass screw eyes; dairy pull tabs; jingle bells; and toy NASA space shuttles.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

This blog post features four different found object mandalas. Although it isn't unusual for me to have multiple pieces in production, it is rather unusual for me to finish and photograph so many on the same day.  Why did this happen? Well, these were intentionally left at various stages of development so that I could share my process with the Logan Lap Quilters, a local chapter here in Columbia. 

(Above:  Mandala LX.)

I needed one to be on its stretcher bar in the process of being stitched.  I needed one off the stretcher bar with the stretcher bar ready to be covered with a piece of acid-free foam-centered board.  I needed one stapled back on the foam-center board covered stretcher bar and in the process of getting stitched to the foam-center board.  I needed one ready to fit into the floater frame.  It took a little planning.  It took a lot of resistance too!  When I'm close to finishing a piece, I'm itching toward that finish line! LOL!

(Above:  Detail of Mandala LX.)

It was fun to share my process with others.  It was especially fun to talk about the constant search for unique multiples.

(Above:  Doll faces purchased on a table lot at Bill Mishoe's auction.)

I've had quite a bit of luck lately while attending Bill Mishoe's auctions.  He holds two every week.  On Tuesday, most things are sold by "the table lot" ... which means that a card table is stacked up with lots of stuff.  The successful bidder gets everything on the table and under it.  Sometimes, I only want a few of the items.  This means that 1) I either bid higher than others and have to "get rid" of the things I don't want (because the successful bidder is supposed to get the stuff OUT OF THE BUILDING!) or 2) I let someone else purchase the table lot and then hope that person will sell me just the things I want.  There is strategy and risk involved!

(Above:  More of the things I got on my table lot from Bill Mishoe's auction.)

I was the successful bidder on the table lot with all these doll faces and toys.  I was also successful in selling the rest of the stuff on the table to the antique dealer who bid against me.  We were all both happy!  Two holes were drilled into the wings of the toy NASA space shuttles in order to stitch them onto the mandala.  The four doll faces were stacked on top of one another ... and also drilled with an eighth-inch drill bit ... up both sides.  Amazingly, the ceramic dish was also drilled.  I really thought it would break ... but it didn't!

(Above:  Mandala LXI.  Framed as a square: 16 1/2" x 16 1/2"; as a diamond: 23 1/2" x 23 1/2".  Found objects hand-stitched to a block of a vintage quilt.  Found objects include: a faucet valve knob; four, red toy motorcycles; four blue hair curlers; screw eyes; New Castle Brown Ale beer caps; laminated Tampa Nugget cigar bands; loose leaf paper rings; owl-eye paper clips; orange insulin needle caps; and buttons.)

I used four of the red toy motorcycles on Mandala LXI.  To do this, I had to cut the silver exhaust pipe and muffler off of one side.  This required a dab of hot glue to keep the other side attached ... but it worked and allowed the toy to lay flat.

(Above:  Detail of Mandala LXI.)

I have a lot more of these red toy motorcycles and plans for them!  I've got a plan for the dozens of toy tractors too!

(Above:  Mandala LXIII.  Framed: 15 5/8" x 15 5/8". Found objects hand-stitched to a block of a vintage quilt.  Found objects include:  Stork scissors; keys; dominoes; loose leaf paper rings; three plastic sifter lids; eight, vintage canape cutters; eight one penny UK coins; gold beads; dairy pull tabs; Arizona craft beer caps; and buttons.)

The Logan Lap Quilters meeting was on Tuesday but amazingly, I got to make the same presentation on Zoom for an art quilt group in Arizona ... on Wednesday!  In anticipation, I included four craft beer caps collected on Steve and my recent trip to Arizona!  Neither of us can remember which brewery we visited near Sedona, but we remember asking for more beer caps, especially the ones featuring the Arizona flag.  It is always great when drinking beer becomes part of one's artistic endeavors!

(Above: Detail of Mandala LXIII.)

Thankfully, I learn a lot when making these presentations.  Someone at the Logan Lap Quilters told me that I was using canape cutters.  I thought they were chocolate molds! LOL!

(Above:  Mandala LXII.  Framed: 13 3/4" x 13 3/4".  Found objects hand-stitched to a block of a vintage quilt. Found objects include:  Speaking cap of a rotary dial telephone receiver; screw eyes; hair permanent curling rods; bright pink Spoolie hair curlers; plastic sifting caps; sewing machine bobbins; Dogfish Head beer bottle caps; buttons.)

 I also learned that the grey hair curlers used on Mandala LXII were for permanents. Who knew? Not me!  My hair certainly doesn't need a perm!  After the two presentations, I finished up all four pieces within a day of each other.  I'm already at work on the next one!

(Above and below:  Me presenting my work at the Logan Lap Quilters!)