fanciful devices: List-o-rama

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.

5/5/13

List-o-rama

I just listed a butt-load of stuff and I'm all PHEW as if I'd been doing some heavy lifting. Our Lady of Impossible Vastness. Cosmic assemblage statement necklace with rainbow titanium crystal and galaxy nebula.

Our Lady of Impossible Vastness.

More like heavy listing amarite?

The Once-Upons.

OK, I feel like I shouldn't have used all these awesome beads because that forced me to price it higher than anyone's gonna pay for it. On the other hand who knows, reverse psychology and all.

La Exploradora.

Every time I see the name I chose for this piece I think of Dora the Explora. Sure lowers the dignity level there.

Wistful. Rustic assemblage statement necklace with matchbook label and tribal beads. yellow, dark.

Wistful. Being out of the studio for only 3 days really got me itching to make again.

Melancholia.

Oh and I finally got to relist these that were waiting around as class samples for like three decades.

Understanding.

Had to re-take the photos and edit and everything. I'm spent.

The Lining of the World.

Also a bangle stack.

And dasit!

8 comments:

Tinibelli said...: So beautiful jewellery - all of them!!!; 5/6/13, 12:21 AM
StaroftheEast said...: Cool stuff!; 5/6/13, 5:05 AM
annamei said...: The awsome beads you´ve needed are perfect for your neckpiece,it has to be:)..direct psychology.
Your stack bangeles are super cool!

and the fun part is the dutch writing about security matches at your class cuff...Attention ,hot stuff!; 5/6/13, 5:50 AM
HenrietteWhite said...: Lovely as always! And those beads are really gorgeous! You can certainly not price those cheaper.; 5/6/13, 2:38 PM
Beatnheart said...: Hey Anna’s Here! hiya Anna. i agree with what she said..; 5/6/13, 6:09 PM
alteredarcheology said...: I was surprised to see that necklace with all the gorgeous beads wasn't priced HIGHER! Well worth what you are asking!! Really digging on that colorful purdy Asian lady one too.; 5/7/13, 10:18 AM
Jackie said...: I really, really loves the bangle stack, that's all I've got for now. Oh wait, I also love the little baby horse falling down...so cute.; 5/7/13, 12:00 PM
Tribalis said...: gorgeous necklaces Marina..; 5/8/13, 11:54 PM