Mandala CI, CII, and CIII

(Above:  Mandala CI. Custom framed: 13" x 13" when hung as a square; 18 1/4" x 18 1/4" when hung as a diamond. Found objects hand-stitched to a block of an old quilt. Found objects include: A brass part of a table lamp; two different types of corn cob holders; shower curtain rings; yellow ducks from another set of shower curtain rings; felt covered piano hammers; brass screw eyes; four woven beads; four brown rings of unknown function; and buttons. Click on any image to enlarge.)

Less than two weeks ago I wrote six blog posts all on the same day.  I was trying my best to "catch up".  Silently, I promised myself that I wouldn't get so far behind again.  Something went wrong with this plan.  It's not all "my fault" though.  I ran out of the thin stretcher bars on which my Found Object Mandalas are mounted.  I had to wait for my order to be delivered.  By that time, the artwork was piling up.  Then, it snowed!  It was too cold and wet to photograph anything outside on the garage door.  

 

(Above: Detail of Mandala CI.)

As a result, I spent time over the weekend mounting and framing eight new additions to the series.  This morning, they were photographed.  If I wait even one more day, the next Found Object Mandala will be finished.  Thus, I am almost "forced" to blog another round of "catch up" posts this afternoon.  This is the first one.

(Above:  Mandala CII. Custom framed: 13" x 13". Found objects hand-stitched to a single block of a vintage quilt. Found objects include: The receiver end of an old rotary dial telephone; dairy pull tabs; dominoes; red plastic bottle caps and one red plastic jar lid; buttons and beads.)

I really like to stitch on more than one piece at a time. Small ones are ideal for taking with me to Bill Mishoe's weekly auction of used household item. This is one of the places where I've found numerous "multiples" for these mandalas.  It is fun to be stitching while waiting to bid.  In my TEDx talk, I called Bill Mishoe's auction house "my very favorite art supply store".  It is!

(Above:  Mandala CIII. Custom framed: 13 3/4" x 13 3/4" when hung as a square; 19 1/2" x 19 1/2" when hung as a diamond. Found objects hand-stitched to a single block of a vintage quilt. Found objects include: A red jar lid with a "silver, spoked thing" of unknown function; a blue bottle lid; dairy pull tabs; large aluminum can pull tabs; two kinds of New Belgium beer bottle caps; small, decorative, black clothespins (intended to be used on a cheap bulletin board); beads and buttons.)

Several months ago, I lost a table lot of "stuff" while attending Bill Mishoe's auction. (On Tuesday nights, "stuff" is sold by the card table lot.  Basically, card tables are loaded with all sorts of things that are sold together for one bid.  The minimum bid is six dollars.)  The only things of interest on this particular table lot were the little, black clothespins that went with a cheap bulletin board.  But, the table was full of candles, pots and pans, small kitchen appliances, padded coat hangers, paperback books, and other "stuff".  I approached the successful bidder and asked how much she wanted for the little black clothespins.  Her answer was, "There are clothespins?" I said, "Yeah!  Little black ones".  I rummaged around in one of the boxes and showed them to her.  She laughed and said, "Take them!" 

(Above:  Mandala CIII, detail.)

Sixteen, little black clothespins became the inspiration for this little mandala that was mostly stitched at another, Bill Mishoe auction. I still have more of them. Believe it or not, there were also several, even smaller, white ones.  They will likely be used in the future.