fanciful devices: Really really

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.

4/21/13

Really really

This is the really last post. Promise.

An Island. Rustic Gypsy beachy, victorian tribal ivory white button shell pearl earrings

An Island.
Just to let you know these guys are up.
Abode of Ineffable Things. Victorian Tribal Vintage Assemblage Collection Earrings.

Abode of Ineffable Things.
Time the River. Rustic Gypsy dark, victorian tribal assemblage earrings

Time the River.
And that I think my not-feeling-like-an-artist thing is about not experimenting as much, feeling too much like I know what I'm doing.
Nothing contains me. Rustic Gypsy beachy, victorian tribal ivory white button shell ceramic earrings

Nothing contains me. Rustic Gypsy beachy, victorian tribal ivory white button shell ceramic earrings

Nothing contains me.
Change. Rustic Gypsy beachy, victorian tribal ivory white bone lampwork assemblage earrings

Change.
Art requires discovery it seems.

Concentrate Your Way to Heaven. Rustic Gypsy dark, victorian tribal asymmetrical assemblage earrings with pyrite gemstone dichroic.

Concentrate Your Way to Heaven.
That sucks, hu?
An Arrangement of Stars. Rustic Gypsy dark, victorian tribal assemblage earrings

An Arrangement of Stars.
Soon enough I'm sure.
The Wind Through Your Mind. Rustic Gypsy beachy, victorian tribal ivory white shell earrings with solid perfume.

The Wind Through Your Mind. Rustic Gypsy beachy, victorian tribal ivory white shell earrings with solid perfume.

The Wind Through Your Mind.
Off to the library now.
Nothing contains me. Rustic Gypsy beachy, victorian tribal ivory white button shell ceramic earrings

Nothing contains me.
Intimate. Rustic Gypsy vintage, victorian tribal orange coral assemblage earrings

Intimate.

Let It Go. Rustic Gypsy vintage, victorian tribal orange coral red brown assemblage earrings

Let It Go.
Lost Star. Cosmic Victorian Gypsy Rustic salvaged escutcheon Cuff gold leaf Lampwork.

Lost Star.

6 comments:

darlene said...: satisfied sunday. xoxo; 4/21/13, 1:56 PM
Penelope said...: It's true, art requires constant discovery, both in our work and ourselves. Honestly I'm starting to think if I'm happy with what I'm making, I'm not doing it right. It's one thing to be content with what you produce for a short time, but every true artist will sooner or later think 'I need more'.

Your trip to Virginia Beach will give you fresh brains, and when you come home you'll be ravenous and inspired. If I have time I like to clean my studio before I go away, so I can come back to a blank page. That's just me though, you'll probably want to just take off all your clothes and dive into a pile of junk. Ooh that sounds pointy.; 4/21/13, 11:17 PM
beadybaby said...: I don't get it. I'm at "women's" shows with my jewelry the past 2 weekends and it's pretty simple but I hear from so many ppl they "aren't that creative" WTF? Sometimes it's a couple beads on a headpin. Are ppl really this stifled? Most of what I make for shows I consider well made but not "art" or "creative" I guess we all have different definitions...; 4/21/13, 11:54 PM
Beatnheart said...: I just love being happy with what I’m making...I love it when things flow smoothly...I get nuts when I can’t figure something out..

.I don’t consider myself an artist...I don’t really even know what that means...I know for absolute certain that what my husband does is art...I just can’t label myself that....it feel pretentious to me.; 4/22/13, 11:01 PM
Shari Replogle said...: Have a wonderful time in Virginia Beach , teaching awesome art created by a wonderful "artist".
xo; 4/23/13, 2:24 PM
martinisfor2 said...: Have a wonderful time with your class. I'm sure it will be an adventure of their lifetime ;); 4/24/13, 10:43 AM