fanciful devices: Room of Wonders...

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.

Wonder Room.

Last night I couldn't stand it so I made something. And today I had to sit in the bathroom for an hour soaking my right hand in scalding hot water. Who cares? I made something I like and I'm happy.

ShesSoWeird partially came up with the ... I should have a word for this. Cuz it's not a description per say. It's the tale that goes with the piece. Any ideas for what to call that? The story is interesting, about the most famous cabinet of curiosities, but the real wonder room in my life is my studio. D'aawwww!

Note: Thanks Stregata for "narrative," it's exactly what I was looking for! How is it that you're not a native English speaker but still manage to be more articulate than me?
Also, yes richelle, I've had cortisone shots up to now but the surgeon said to call him next time they hurt so that I could quit the shots and have no more issues again. The cortisone also somehow ate away at all the fat around my wrists so now you can sorta see the veins and its all gross... And I still have muscle loss that the surgery will alleviate. I'm seeing the surgeon this Thursday (did I say May 10th? I meant March 10th!), so no sweat.

8 comments:

Venus Soberanes said...: This piece is fabulous! I am sorry to hear you are is so much pain.; 3/6/11, 5:24 PM
richelle said...: Cortisone. Shots.; 3/6/11, 7:08 PM
Regina said...: It that a lower jaw bone? Some kind of rodent? Wow! Beautifully done. Hope you feel better soon, maybe you should do some stringing, so your wrist get some rest.; 3/6/11, 7:13 PM
Regina said...: Neotoma - if you are still looking for a name.; 3/6/11, 7:14 PM
stregata said...: A narrative?; 3/6/11, 11:32 PM
richelle said...: Oh, you mentioned the muscle and tissue loss/damage but I didn't realize you'd already had cortisone. Yay for the surgery!; 3/7/11, 4:03 AM
Pretty Things said...: That is absolutely fascinating!; 3/7/11, 5:24 PM
Jennifer Valentine Morford said...: for what its worth, my dear, I'm sending healing thoughts....
but really it is for my own selfishness....really? really. because I'm a Fanci addict, and I need a constant fix of from your talented hands.
no, but seriously, i hope you get relief soon, dear one.
pain sucks.; 3/8/11, 1:51 AM