fanciful devices: Through HIM, With HIM, In HIM

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.

7/29/10

Through HIM, With HIM, In HIM

SALE ...Farmhouse Romance ..Angel and CrossGarden Statuary Pillow

Full of Grace Are You. Soldered Antique Picture Board Pendant.

The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you Vinyl Wall Art Decal

1846 Christ Restoreth the Blind Antique Currier Hand Colored Lithograph

Crown of Thorns 19th c antique miraculous reliquary old 1800s flaming heart of Jesus applique ooak ex voto assemblage

Original photograph - Light beams in the Holy Sepulchre

DIGITAL Download SCAN Antique Postcard SWEET CHILDREN WITH THEIR GUARDIAN ANGEL 300dpi Print 572P

Antique GLASS HOLY WATER BOTTLE Art Deco Design

Devotion. Original matted photo. Free Shipping.

chicgiftsbysass made this treasury. I'm guessing she's not talking about the Finnish metal band HIM? Do you know that as much as I use religious imagery all the time, it surprised me to be in such a Christian treasury? Because... I use this religious stuff more for its evocative power than for its direct actual intended meaning. But how should anyone else know that? Er, sorry, any Christian readers. (I can't much distinguish between all the different kinds.)
OK, so, I'm back at work and I'm miserable knowing that my glorious studio and my magical projects are sitting there ... deserted... while my boss babbles on about forms and filing systems... aaarrrggg!!!!
I just turned into a pirate.

1 comment:

Penelope said...: yeah I was in a 'Jesus rocks' treasury with my necklace I made with the animal bone (you sent me) and a crucifix. I saw the treasury title and I thought 'er....do they know I'm pagan?' I only use the Christian stuff in my work verrrrry rarely, mostly because it looks good, that Catholic gothic look. I just bought a whole bunch of esoteric pendants though for the new work, they're more my deal.; 7/29/10, 2:50 AM