fanciful devices: HALLELUJAH!

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.

12/11/12

HALLELUJAH!

Finally got some sun today! Woooo-hooo!

Looket this over-the-top piece of girl candy.

And yeah, that's a little santa. Cellulose, from Uruguay. So yeah, that means I gotta try and sell it very soon/fast.

But come on! The santa had to go there.

I went to the gemshow last Friday, where I was overwhelmed with the urge to eat some pretties every time robert tried to point the camera at me.

Here it says Amethyst (Uruguay). Now I've mentioned my goofy country twice in as many sentences.
Uruguay.

Here I am drooling. These pix plus the heat-gun crunch inspired me to shave my head 2 nights ago.

Now I look like this:

So mom took some camera shots of me to show my niece Marcela cuz being the girly girl she is, she is going to hate it.

Here's another over-the-top baby:

Cosmic!

And some shmearings.

I've been really digging making ear posts lately.

And embellishing kuchi bits.

And some gold leafing.

These titanium points and ruby jade are from the gemshow.

Some more leafing. Fishing spoons heave ear posts resined on them.

Some more rainbow titanium body pierce barbells. Top circles have ear posts.

And here.

And a necklace.

I finally was able to finish up pix of the stuff I showed last time so now I just have to measure everything, figure out what needs describing, write it up, come up with some clever quotes from god knows where... upload photos, come up with titles, tag every flippedyfloppin' thing...

Now I'm definitely just whining.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...: Wooo! coolness. I love the purple blue/green necklace. And kuchi posts with bells & buddhas.
What are fishing spoons?- are they the parts that look like popsicle stix?
Can't wait to see your shaved Do! ;); 12/11/12, 8:28 PM
Bets said...: I am in awe everytime I look at your work. I am so glad your mind works the way it does!!!; 12/11/12, 8:31 PM
Juliette said...: Ai yi yi....LOVE the second 'over the top' cosmic necklace. I want, please!!!

So show us your shaved head! You didn't do it really, did you?

xo Juliette; 12/11/12, 8:57 PM
Jiorji said...: ...so i went to art school for many years and thusly was exposed to many hours of art history talks *yawn* while some scholars analyzed and made some story about some artist's body of work throughout their life and it seemed that if they went through happy times, they'd use brighter and happier colours in their work. i disagree but is the pink in your necklace because you got SUN?? heheh

well either way...i like the blast of colour and gold leaf i've been seeing lately in your work :); 12/11/12, 10:51 PM
Numinosity said...: Now we know your secret. You eat gemstones for snacks. Cute haircut!
It's amazing the way your pieces glow and it looks like some photo trick but I know it's not.
I'm always a little thrilled to see how you used my little bits in your pieces. I knew I didn't beed to send matching pairs and that the orphans would find a happy home.; 12/12/12, 5:22 AM
Spirited Earth said...: whoa..what's goin' on over here..there's soo much color being flung around i'm almost blinded..lol..
your work is fabulous.i especially love the earrings with the gold leaf touches.; 12/12/12, 8:53 AM
Coffeefreek53 said...: Holy mackeral, look at those colors. You rock with making up those girlie stuffs.; 12/12/12, 9:07 AM
patty said...: wait a minute here, you got your husband to go to a bead show with you. I was unable to focus after that.; 12/12/12, 4:47 PM
betweenreader said...: Wantee needee girlee stuffs, post menopausal, living in a place that gets only a few hours of daylight, and that wet and gray. Vit. D won't do it, but these lovelies will!; 12/12/12, 9:59 PM
Flotsam Tide said...: Gah these lovelies are like beautiful exotic birds... very welcome during this period of winter grey. That photo of you trying to eat beads is awesome.. Nom nom for the sparkylies. "G" says: "she's crazy" (in a loving way). Uh i don't get how your pix (love your profile in the second photo) inspired the "do" but you are teasing me, and I want to see a real pic somehow. I am picturing you looking really cute like tank girl. <3; 12/12/12, 11:35 PM
Anonymous said...: yeah with flotsam, love tank girl. It's really murky over here, smoggy,foggy and damp. Need this colour rush, especially the blue cosmic necklace.; 12/13/12, 4:41 PM
sandi m said...: Ha - I worked at the show on Friday for a vendor. Now I'm mad I didn't go back to shop. Love those quartz points - or you call them titanium.
You never disappoint on creativity and the way you can combine elements - little works of art.; 12/14/12, 7:59 PM
Jennifer Valentine Morford said...: LOVE the gilded, the color, the bold...seemingly airbrushed subtleties and all around gorgeousness.
sighhhhhh......; 12/18/12, 10:54 PM