fanciful devices: Mr. 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.

10/7/12

Mr. Devices

Poor Mr. Devices had an operation this week for a hernia. I'm always confusing that with hemorrhoids ... but no it was his guts not his hinder. Beyond Ideas. Cosmic Medal Pendant with Faux Raku and Gold Leaf.

Beyond Ideas. Cosmic Medal Pendant with Faux Raku and Gold Leaf.

Beyond Ideas.
So I've been busy taking care of the big overgrown baby.
The Lovers. Cosmic Alchemy Iridescent Oversized Resin Earrings..

The Lovers.
Though he's much better now, 3 days later.

I am Nothing. I See All.

Finally got this guy up. The Visionary and the Mystic. Cosmic alchemy large resin pendant.

A Secret Way.
Here's a new pendant.

A River. Mod Bangle Stack in grey, cobalt blue and neon pink.

A River.
Something totally different- a modern minimalist stack of glass bead bangles in grey, cobalt and hot pink. I dunno, I just had to indulge in some pure color. And these were easy to make downstairs with the boy.

Winter Candy. Earring DIY Kit. Vintage Found object assemblage mixed media set. Cool blues and whites with hot pink touches.

Winter Candy. Earring DIY Kit.
I put up this earring kit.
Warm Cider. Earring DIY Kit. Vintage AsymmetricalFound object assemblage mixed media set. Orange brown amber green.

Warm Cider. Earring DIY Kit. Vintage AsymmetricalFound object assemblage mixed media set. Orange brown amber green.

Warm Cider. Earring DIY Kit.
And I made this one too. Warm Cider. Earring DIY Kit. Vintage AsymmetricalFound object assemblage mixed media set. Orange brown amber green.

Today I thought I'd try to catch up on some pictures.

Come to learn I'd somehow managed to make a big ol' pile of earrings such that I had little hope of photographing between checking up on the boy and trying to do at least a small percentage of everything I'm only now realizing he does to keep the house from falling on our heads.

See- bezels with bits from the alchemy book. Too fun- and much easier than making them myself with resin and what-not.

When He Wastes The Plain. Oversized Milagro.

Though I'm not done with the resin yet! Which reminds me, neshuma asked about what gauge brass I was using to back up the resin pendants. It is the super thin stuff I use for embossing my milagro hearts and stuff^^ So that makes it super easy to mess with, and its quite cheap because it comes in a huge roll that lasts forever.

And I got some pictures taken of my top secret special project for a book by Seth Apter, who recently published this. Awwww yeah, in the big time.

8 comments:

Beatnheart said...: So are those purchased bezels with the little glass tops ... Doesnt't Matter there still dope.; 10/8/12, 12:12 AM
Penelope said...: Churning out the shit! Good shit I mean, creative. Too bad I don't live nearby, I could come over and look after both of you! I'm jealous of your purchased bezels- I would do that but y'know, I got that thing against new stuff... stupid thing.; 10/8/12, 6:58 AM
Alice said...: Oh yes, men are big babies when they are sick.

Wow, I'm always amazed at how much you get made--and photographed! Heck it takes me days to get one or two things done, but then there's all the other not-so-fun stuff I do with the rest of my time.

I love all your earrings, and that pendant with the eye.; 10/8/12, 8:05 AM
alteredarcheology said...: Isn't it so cool how circumstances can push our creativity in the most unexpected places as in the case of your color blocked bangle stack? I just love that about life. A speedy recovery to Mr. Devices.; 10/8/12, 9:42 PM
Anvil Artifacts said...: wow! Earring-o-rama. Great stuff! Loving the eye, of course.
Poor Mr. Devices. Hoping he feels much better very quickly.; 10/8/12, 11:30 PM
Flotsam Tide said...: Best wishes to Mr. Devices and hopes for a speedy recovery, earrings are so enticing.. loving the lampwork and resin.; 10/9/12, 1:05 AM
neshuma said...: Imna echo the good karma to your lovebeast, and bless your sweep bippy for taking care of evvythang homeful. Also for answering my question and blowin' my mind widdem earrings yet again.
Gorgeous.; 10/9/12, 1:12 PM
Tribalis said...: Gorgeous earrings, Fanci!
Mr. Devices needs rest..take care of him...; 10/10/12, 2:18 AM