fanciful devices: The Mixed Media Artist.

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.

Maybe it's a self-protective reflex. After life has kicked your ass a few times, you put away dreams and appreciate the little things. You let go childhood aspirations. But you know what the Buddhists say about letting go.
It's strange to think of myself as an actual professional artist. It feels like a dream. I still don't know how the truly lovely Mr. Apter found me or what inspired him to invite me to the party. All the other artists involved are painters, collage artists, sculptors- non-wearables, you know art-art. Some rather jaw-dropping. Which makes this even more humbling and amazing. I get flustered.
Aaaanywobbledybits... I was thinking about how answering Seth's heady questions for the book lead me to more consciously understand where I was with my making. To visually articulate what this has meant to me, I decided to make a mosaic of some of my pieces since I then. Let's call this My Year of Cosmic Tendencies.

It's chronologicalish. Click for bigger.

And now allow me to provide you with enough eye candy to last through next year's tendencies, whatever they may be:

19 comments:

Mrs Pretzel said...: Your art is STUNNING!! So excited to be part of something like this with you! :); 10/11/13, 1:19 PM
Aleta said...: wow. I am totally amazed. I found you through Seth Apter.... and am totally impressed!; 10/11/13, 1:51 PM
donna joy said...: Beautiful work-glad to have "found" you through Seth!; 10/11/13, 3:03 PM
imoneyearth said...: The stuff is really great, you see your blog is your art too, being open, vulnerable, showing your swearwords, your mental health "crap" which is very good to see, a shyness among us all to show that, yes, the jewelry is great, but you are great too!; 10/11/13, 6:43 PM
Anonymous said...: You ARE a true artist! Your work goes beyond just being "wearables". Congratulations on the book. I see the people from Amazon haven't come to take you away for being ridiculous, so that must mean something!; 10/11/13, 6:55 PM
ArtPropelled said...: Congratulations! I've been intrigued by your work for some time. Looking forward to seeing you in the book.; 10/11/13, 8:48 PM
Seth said...: My book is better with you and your art being in it Marina. You fit right in with all the other all-stars!; 10/11/13, 10:02 PM
Anvil Artifacts said...: Congrats! You are deservedly in excellent company. I'll be making a trek to the bookstore this weekend. So now I can officially say I knew you when, eh? Very happy for you.; 10/11/13, 10:21 PM
stregata said...: Congratulations, Marina! As Anvil says, you are deservedly in excellent company. Ever since I first found you, I have been amazed and delighted by your art and your person. And I look forward to seeing the wonders you have yet to create.; 10/12/13, 12:47 AM
StaroftheEast said...: Well done!; 10/12/13, 2:03 AM
Lucie Tales said...: Congrats Marina! and so well deserved!; 10/12/13, 2:50 AM
Numinosity said...: This makes me so proud to see you included in such a book! I am beaming for you.; 10/12/13, 5:02 AM
Chris said...: Woo hooo! Awesome group-o-artists! And you belong there~~Kudos to you!; 10/12/13, 7:48 AM
Unknown said...: You sound like most really good artists Marina - you HAVE to make it and it wouldn't matter what "little bits" were in front of you - you'd assemble them with a fantastically creative inner eye. And THAT is why Apter found you...it's unmistakable trait.

Thank You for the extra eye candy!; 10/12/13, 7:55 AM
PipnMolly said...: Well deserved !! A lovely selection of past works too.
Beautiful.; 10/12/13, 8:52 AM
annamei said...: You are an artist!
Believe it:)))
Congratulation!
You and your jewelry creations deserve it to be part in an artist companion.; 10/12/13, 9:45 AM
Lela said...: BIG Congrats! Love the collage. I'm looking forward to seeing the book.; 10/12/13, 12:49 PM
Beatnheart said...: Marnia,
so happy for you...your playing with the big kids now as you should...glad you brought us all along for your ride...You would not have been included if you didn't belong...this dude knows what he is doing ...xxc; 10/12/13, 8:39 PM
GalleryJuana said...: Beautiful work. I am happy to be meeting everyone in Seth's book:) Congratulations!; 10/14/13, 9:33 AM