fanciful devices: I'm an International Superstar!!

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.

3/1/14

I'm an International Superstar!!

Oh you don't believe me? Than what pray tell is this:

YEAAAAAHHH BOYYYY!!!!

Emmanuelle, a gorgeous lady with her own blog and shop just out the blue offered to translate it for FREE! And muthafrackers, she's a professional muthafracking translator to boot. Muthafrackers. For free. Finally my dim bulb flickered on as I realized I could offer this regular buyer (and daily convo bud) a flippin' necklace for it- duh. Lookit this ring she made with a shell bezel:

and this one:

(If you're not in Europe and you'd like the French tute, contact her directly here for it.)

I also wanted to share some of the few images I have from the professor who invited me to speak at her University.

She makes these miniature installations-

- that you can only see through little peepholes built into walls.

Well, she does a lot of different things but nothing's on-line because she's old fashioned.

So I though screw it lets share pictures of her house because they're available and it's so awesome.

Her name is Rebecca Silberman and she only learned recently via her students that she comes up when you google her name-

- and that people have been pinning these images of her home to pinterest.

Which of course they have.

This one above is her studio. Goddamn it. See not much more on her meagre flickr. Please feel free to hound her to put more up.

Also I was so excited about my new Chucks I took a picture of me in them.

Which quickly devolved

into a selfie. I'm psyched about my hair I guess. AND I was wearing make up today.

Did I go in with a blur tool to make my skin more creamy? What? What, no, what makes you say that?

14 comments:

Aleksandra Patova said...: Hahah that's what I call to write a post while being excited. Hooray for the translation. Love Rebecca Silberman's home and even the fact that she is old fashioned and just recently discovered that she is popular on the net. Old fashioned people are rare spacy nowdays.; 3/2/14, 1:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Loving the new crop, very Tank girl. Your new friend's house is very cool, it's a full sized diorama.; 3/2/14, 2:43 AM
Xena said...: That house is AMAZING!!!!!!!
I'm gonna look it up on Pinterest.
those rings are cool tooo ahhahhahha.
:: blushes ::::
thanks, from a fellow Chucks love ;); 3/2/14, 3:02 AM
Louise said...: frickinhilarious. you foul mouthed thang. my word, these images are very eclectic so many things to look at, and to finish off with these beauties of the lady herself. you are a fine looking one, know that! a real twinkle in your eye!; 3/2/14, 4:05 AM
Louise said...: oh and by the way i can compete. i got some same shoes but they are black leather. i got them second hand though, not new. but i still think you look better in yours. ;); 3/2/14, 4:07 AM
La Fileuse said...: The professor's house is amazing ! It reminds me of Howl's bedroom, in Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle. Stunning !
And, of course, you're popular, Marina... It's no surprise. ^^; 3/2/14, 5:23 AM
Anonymous said...: Cute girl!; 3/2/14, 7:04 AM
Rebecca S. said...: Well, thanks for the big plug, Fanci! Of course I knew you could find stuff looking though Google...just didn't realize how easy it was for students to cruise the Flickr account that I set up to show YOU a couple of things!

I have been LOVING the discussions about making and how we view ourselves--whether we use the artist label or not. Honestly, I have never felt more connected or encouraged by a conversation that what you have gotten started here...I love all your peeps!

And you and your Chuck Taylors are adorable. I just got my daughter a pair of grey high tops for Christmas!; 3/2/14, 8:28 AM
Mardi said...: I have been meaning to order this tut for a long time now. I just sent it through and am looking forward to making my own gypsy bangle stack. I love your free spirit and your designs and follow your blog and list it on my own blog. Have a fab day!; 3/2/14, 9:06 AM
Penelope said...: I have been commenting here for like ever and I only just noticed it says 'participaNtion' above the comment box. I'm not wearing pants; I'm often not wearing pants. Am I no longer welcome here?

ps - that house is mad creative, I couldn't live there though what with my ptsd and need for control. My face would be like the cat's face.

pps- this is you: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/172122016978358023/; 3/2/14, 10:39 AM
Jiorji said...: uhh yeah cos her house is fuckin UNREAL!! seriously. SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i just can;t handle that. If she was my friend, i'd be over at her house all day long.

and your hair is so badass i can't stand it :D; 3/2/14, 11:29 AM
Unknown said...: Your post feels good Marina! It's all good. Goin' over to flickr. now to eat up the rest of the visuals of the living/studio space. That white cat. Oh love is in my heart when I look at it. Your hair is perfect. Your dimples are the bomb. Norma, x; 3/2/14, 11:24 PM
Wildthorne said...: You are adorable in your chucks and that smile :); 3/5/14, 9:28 PM
Tribalis said...: I have one PINK!; 2/13/15, 9:24 PM