fanciful devices: Niiiiiiiiuuuuuuu

A Stone Is Nobody's

A man ambushed a stone. Caught it.
Made it a prisoner.
Put it in a dark room and stood guard over it for the rest of his life.

His mother asked why.

He said, because it's held captive, because it is captured.

Look, the stone is asleep, she said, it does not know whether it's in a garden or not. Eternity and the stone
are mother and daughter; it is you who are getting old. The stone is only sleeping.

But I caught it, mother, it is mine by conquest, he said.

A stone is nobody's, not even its own. It is you who are conquered; you are minding the prisoner, which is yourself,
because you are afraid to go out, she said.

Yes yes, I am afraid, because you have never loved me, he said.

Which is true, because you have always been to me as the stone is to you, she said.

Russell Edson

FAQs

1. Are you a Southeast Asian dancing girl from the 1800s?

No, sorry to disappoint. My avatar and banner images are from an ancient book I found in the depths of my grandmother's cabinets. More on that here.

2. How do you make everything look so old?

First, you need a good oxidizer to brush on every bit of metal you can reach. I'll tell you all about it here.

Then there's this wax. I first mentioned it here. You'll have to scroll down a lot.

3. How can you be so productive?

I'm insanely obsessed and I have no offspring. I do nothing else- I don't have a day job, I don't clean my house or cook, I spend all day in pjs, often completely abandoning personal hygiene... I only interact with other humans when I walk my dog. And I like people! But I prefer dogs.

And I'm sloppy- but I make that sloppiness work for me.

4. Any tips you'd like to share?

No! Except for these 16 posts about techniques and this one about how to find your aesthetic.

5. Would you be offended if I took some inspiration from your designs?

Well, I'd be happier if you outright copied them.

No really, imitation is how we learn. I have enough ideas to go around. And even if I don't- please. No one's going to do this obsessively enough to threaten my business. (Probably.) I learned by copying others and I've seen others copy me as a step toward developing their own voice. So feel free. (I'd love if you tossed me a link in my comments, so I can feel like a proud momma.)

6. What do you look like?

Why, what have you heard? Really? Wow.

6/15/10

Niiiiiiiiuuuuuuu

There's this item from buttons I received form Fran's Button Corner. Tying them up took considerably longer than I expected. The fan thing is a sample booklet displaying different thicknesses of sheet metal.

It's very collegiate librarian and woodsy.

I also made this bright and colorful one with two metal pieces from my Uruguay haul. I wasn't able to capture the odd symmetry of the two outward facing horses. Hm. Sucks for me.

I have two pieces I feel are my 'important' pieces. In part because they have religious imagery, iconic, sculptural sort of silhouettes, maybe older or more expensive elements. They also took a butt-load of time. I mean, all happy-making time, of course.

This one includes an antique cross soldered to a coyote tooth from my father-in-law, a pocket watch frame with an antique shield shaped piece showing Mary and child dangling inside. This soldered to an oversized found nail. All except for nail and tooth from Uruguay. Then the necklace involves one row of glass seed beads interspersed with tiny pearls and labradorite button rondelles. Alongside is a strip of several different vintage textiles, some dyed, stitched together with embellishments of red tiny glass, flat matte silver sequins and tiny gorgeous black beads sent to me by Fancylinda. You can see them in the second picture.

But it looks best hanging.

The final piece I now think might not be right. It has soldered glass fuses and earthy tourmaline buttons. The image is an antique Russian icon I transferred to a sporting medal from the 60s that Sparrow sent me. (Sigh, she's in England and I miss convoing w/her.)

It might soon be a before in one of my before-and afters. Cuz I'm thinking there should be long strands of something coming down from the base of the medallion, like where the nail is? It looks truncated. I think. Maybe. Sheesh, who knows. What do you think? Anybody?

If and when I do remake it, I need some tight close-ups of the medallion. The stuff around the square is etched leaves and vines, too cool. And glass resin on top.

Phew. Lot's of makings going on! And on a weekend when my little niece and nephew visited. Carlos, the 4-yr-old, has apparently heard his mom say 'Damn it!' and misunderstood because he now goes around yelling 'Dime it!' And he told me my bathroom smelled and he knew because "I'm a good smeller."

P.S.- It smelled from a toxic cleaning supply I used after not cleaning it forever. Not from poop.

7 comments:

stregata said...: I think your "fan" is likely a measuring device. And I love your two "important" necklaces - they are fabulous! Don't remake the Mother and Child piece, please - the nail and the key are just perfect.; 6/15/10, 11:34 AM
Marin said...: I think your instincts are correct about the last necklace--strands of the same textile hanging down, maybe a tourmaline or two. That or the whole thing could go on a plain leather thong, and the necklace saved for something else (or not, it'd be quite lovely on its own). But, what do I know? ....you asked..
<3; 6/15/10, 3:54 PM
steufel said...: Gorgeous pieces. And I have to say: I like last one as it is. The mixture of beads and fabric is totally awesome. regards Stefanie; 6/16/10, 4:19 AM
fanciful devices said...: hmmm...
maybe I'll leave it as is for a while. If it sells, that's that. If not, I'll change it... not that that's the whole point to what I do, of course...; 6/16/10, 5:33 AM
fanciful devices said...: those tourmaline buttons (must be like grade D or something...) are pretty cute, huh? all nubby and earthy? just wanted to mention b/c I'm very taken w/them; 6/16/10, 5:36 AM
shessoweird said...: NO, NO please leave the Madonna and Child piece as is. It's perfect. However, if you must do something (and I totally understand that), only add some beads on both sides of the nail next to the wiring that attaches the nail. Maybe more beads on one side than on the other. And maybe, just maybe, a textile/ribbon tied to the top of the medallion hanging down below/behind the key. I'm just saying. But really, I love it just as it is. You are amazing!!!; 6/16/10, 10:01 AM
fanciful devices said...: you guys rock. i was thinking just that, shessoweird- a couple strips of fabric hanging behind and then going down about...5 inches? we'll see. if i get off my ass, that is. I gotta tweak the other mary one, the clasp comes undone if yr wearing a messenger bag...
i should do all my pieces by comitte via blog comments!; 6/16/10, 5:15 PM