Tidal Wave VI, The First Victrola Spring

 

(Above:  Tidal Wave VI, The First Victrola Spring. Custom framed: 36 1/2" x 36 1/2". Found Victrola spring hand-stitched to a section of a vintage quilt with assorted buttons.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

Sometime in early 2012, I bought a broken Victrola at Bill Mishoe's auction.  I knew what I wanted it for ... for a pedestal.  For years, my Book of the Dead was displayed atop the Victrola.  The interior shelves were used for more artist books. I still have it.  Several of my altered Victorian photo albums ... artist books ... are inside.  The Book of the Dead is still on top of it.  It now resides in the loft of my sanctuary studio.  But ... back in 2012 ... in order to alter it for this new display use ... I removed the actual device used to play ancient records.  Most of these mechanical things were unceremoniously thrown into the trash can.  But, I kept the two, giant springs.  I had no vision for them; I just thought that "one day" I'd come up with a good use.

 

(Above: Detail of Tidal Wave VI.)

The two springs were moved from Columbia to my new church/home/studio and were put on top of a high shelving unit.  Somehow or the other, I knew exactly where they were when the "one day" struck me as if a lightening bolt of inspiration.  That happened a couple weeks ago after I'd already stitched the button outline of a tidal wave onto the section of the old, tied quilt.  I thought this new tidal wave would become another one filled with "found objects" ... except ... that was the "one day" when the Victrola springs came to mind.

 

(Above: Detail of Tidal Wave VI.)

As soon as I auditioned the spring on the tidal wave's button outline, I knew it was perfect.  Steve happened to walk through the studio at just that moment.  "I love it!" he said.  There was no doubt, just amazement that the springs waited for about fifteen years to find their new purpose!

 

(Above: Tidal Wave VI at an angle, hanging on the side of my home/studio/church.)

Like my Found Object Mandalas, the old quilt used as a substrata is fragile and often threadbare.  I cover the surface with tulle/netting before the first stitch is plied.  This works well to protect the fragile surface ... but with a tidal wave ... there are too many square inches where the tulle/netting isn't well integrated with the underlying quilt. Therefore, I hand-stitched star burst around every tie.  By the time all the ties were embellished, one could barely see that this was two layers instead of just one!  I was thrilled with the results ... and quickly starting another tidal wave for the second Victrola spring!