Collector’s Boxes

collection-houses

I am back in the studio distracting myself from this horrific election. So glad we sent in absentee ballots a couple of weeks ago. I do not think I could face the voters who seem totally incapable of critical thinking. There are some acquaintances that I will not be able to keep as close as I used to. This has been a costly time for us here in the United States, and I am sickened by the short-sighted frustrations of those unable to consider the reality of our times.

So the solution is just keep my head down and go to work.

I dug out some old stamps that I made during undergraduate school, so some of them are over twenty years old. Next I pulled some of the gelatin plate walnut stained prints from the string line in the studio. Turning them in various directions, I settled on sort of a theme….The Collectors. This lets me put some bits and pieces inside with them. It lets me make a house for them to keep their collections. A person and crows make the selections and I willingly give it to them….too much stuff anyway.

Here are some of things beside imagery that is being picked over.

collectors-stuff

And here is the first house completed. I made a hole near the peak of the roof with my Japanese hole punch so that if it is hung, it hangs tight against the wall.

collectors-box-1

These are appealing to the mixed media artist that is easy for me to fall into. Again I think that is because we gather things that look interesting and then for years have no idea what or why we have it. And there are those lovely little bits of Nature that all remind me of a particular place and season.  And I can wrap or stitch threads here and there. Maybe even stitch into the next panel before it is fixed into the house. Both pieces so far have clothes lines in them. I think this is an influence of recently stringing one up here at home….first one since we moved to North Carolina in 1992.

I have missed the building. Every so many years Lee and I have built a new place. But not any more. This is where we are and will stay. At this point in our lives it is best to be around the familiar and not become confused with change.

So for now I will make these little houses. I used to make so many. See below.

cropped-storied-housegreentea-house-openpenland-book-out-of-the-houseinterlude-editions-outside-assembledinterlude-editions-interior-assembledwebpagecabinetsarrowmontjournals2

Next week I will post more pictures of new houses for the little collectors. In the meantime, wish us luck tomorrow.