3rd Annual Artist Retreat - Tuesday part 1

One could say that I was on a tear Tuesday. And one would be right. However...yes, there is a twist...my definition of the idiom varies a bit.

With 3 pieces collaged and set aside, I decided to go really big and work on the triple circles.

So...it was hung this way. No whispering from the muses.

Then it was hung this way. Still no whispering from the muses, yet a giggle or two did escape and I could swear the phrase looks like boobs in the middle was uttered. After sitting, staring, sighing and only being able to see boobs in the middle, I decided to go on a tear and

voila! 1 became 2. The muses were happy. Esmerelda and Cecil were starting to dance. I pondered, viewed the pieces from varying angles, pondered some more and decided to go on another tear.

1 had become 2 had become 9. By now Esmerelda was fairly twirling in place and demanding more.

So, I gave her more. The triple circle piece went from being one huge, boob filled, overwhelming yet not very exciting piece to 16 squares full of energy, interest, focus and movement. And this is much closer to my vision of how the rusty fabrics should be displayed.

Imagine a set of 9 or 16 or 25...or even a simple row...of fragments of circles. That's my vision. Focus on the marks rather than the rust. Cotton is my palette, rust is my medium.

Phew! How's that for a Tuesday's worth of work?

The shape of things

Been playing with a new piece and can't decide whether it should be

a square or

a rectangle.

What do you think?

Not so much

From circles

to squares 

to rectangles

and now lines.

All to be used in good time. And, as usual, rusting one piece sparked an idea. When the line above was unfolded, it looked like this.

Folded in thirds and wrapped so the cotton circled the gear once, this piece rusted over 5 days. In places, I managed to match the lines perfectly. In places, not so much. It's the not so much areas that had me seeing a finished piece made of numerous sections of lines sewn together boro style. Can you see it? I can.

Just do it

Since finally arriving at the correct arrangement of the story squares, I've been wondering how they'd look once sewn together. What changes would connecting them bring? Would they still flow as well with just a bit missing...tucked behind in the seam? Would I sew them together and immediately regret it?

This morning I decided that there was only one way to find out and that was to just do it. So I did.

 #1

 #2

 #3

#4

4 stories

It's been quiet in my studio lately. No whispering. No barely stifled giggles. Just a bunch of rusty squares hanging around, being lazy, watching me experiment with other rusty stuff.

Since December 15, all has been well. I thought the arrangement was right...until this morning. Still no whispers or giggles at my expense. Instead, it was a glance that did it. Mine. Not their's.

I was sitting at my desk doing a bit of computer type work, but my eye kept being drawn to the story squares. Something just wasn't quite right so I set about rearranging the bottom two rows. Much better, don't you think?

1...23...7...4

Whispering can be heard in my studio. And, no, it isn't me talking to myself. This time.

The previously 16 foot rusted piece is promising to share it's...well, their stories with me just as soon as I fit the puzzle pieces together correctly. There's been a lot of muffled snickering from them as I move the squares about, trying to find the right place for each.

However, it's been very quiet since the latest arrangement happened at about 5:30 this morning. I must be getting close...

In the studio

In the quiet of the morning, while it was still dark outside and all in the house were sleeping,

except me and the cats, I danced in the studio to a rusty little tune. 

 

And 1 became 23.