fanciful devices

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.

6/18/11

My first free day with my newly functional hand!

I couldn't resist snapping some sneaks.

Once again, disclaimer: taken under artificial, nighttime light.

Hopefully tomorrow there'll be time and light to take good pictures.

OK, I clearly have nothing to say.

All day long I'm coming up with all sortsa clever tidbits to pass along, but when it comes down to posting, I'm like- lookit! And that's about it.

I can't remember any of the inner monologue I was entertaining myself with so much.

Here's some simplish ones with a nice strong focal and a simple chain and/or cord.

Here's my first bracelet of the kind where, you know, the bracelet already existed.

So, Richelle, if you got both of your hands operated at the same time, how did you, um, wipe your heiny? and all that? I really hope I re-build my right-hand muscle. I got a lot of heiny-wiping to do!

7 comments:

stregata said...: So much gorgeousness happening here... drool...; 6/19/11, 12:15 AM
richelle said...: I'm not going to go into specifics, but mainly because I don't remember that as an issue. I do recall using the shower more than normal, though. I rigged up a way to be able to take a shower the first few days (you aren't supposed to get the wraps wet) by using trashbags secured over my arms with hair scrunchies my husband wrapped on. I think it's about the only thing I let anyone do for me, besides fetch the narcotics. My fingers were pretty useable--believe it or not more so than prior to the surgery. It was instantaneous relief once those bands were cut. I suppose i was already so accustomed to being severely impaired that I was already used to having to deal with compensatory ways of holding and using things. Weirdly, the most difficult thing I encountered was brushing my teeth. And...driving. I stupidly tried to drive three days after the surgery.; 6/19/11, 12:35 AM
Flotsam Tide said...: Fanci these are wonderful, I don't have much to say except that I love all these raw crystals mixed with textiles. The balance you achieve between rustic and feminine never ceases to amaze me.; 6/19/11, 12:38 AM
Penelope said...: ARRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Heart a-fucking-tack!! And many other swear words of delight, these pieces are THE LIVING END OF AWESOME. The washed out silvery colours, the mix of crystal and bleached silver, that bone and leaf one near the end that's like the big naga head on the sidebar....shit you're good. I mean...'you should have your own museum wing' good. And I'm not just sayin' that cause your my girl. People say I'm good, but hells bells I feel like walmart next to you.; 6/19/11, 3:57 AM
Regina said...: Good to have you back in action! Both hands on!; 6/19/11, 6:02 AM
Gardanne said...: Wow, that was a quick recovery. I'm sure jewelry making as well as heiny-wiping will be good exercise for you hand.; 6/19/11, 9:20 AM
Numinosity said...: Really that is a quick recovery! Good news.
I was in such a hurry to get your package off today like a good girl and realized it's Sunday when I got to the PO.
Glad I brought my laptop along to get a little high speed action in the library parking lot instead.
I absolutely love all of your work. you have such a knack for putting together the most amazing components and putting into your own style.
xoxo Kim; 6/19/11, 3:18 PM