fanciful devices: 11/2015

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.

11/21/15

Sopvhronize- v, 1827 -1827, to imbue with sound moral principles
How does anyone ever take a decent picture of a bracelet? How.
Nubivagant. Escutcheon bracelet with Roman glass.

Nubivagant. Escutcheon bracelet with Roman glass.

Nubivagant- adj, 1656 -1656, moving among clouds
Like look at this mess. It's not a mess in real life.

Real life is a bore though. Well, a bore to report on. Sitting making all day, going to the gym.
Iridian. Colorful rustic assemblage keyhole bracelet.

Iridian- having or suggestive of the colours of a rainbow
From the inside, however, it's lovely.
Commendaces. Black stitched textile bracelet with antique nailheads.

Commendaces. Black stitched textile bracelet with antique nailheads.

Commendaces- npl, 1611 -1658, funeral orations; prayers for the dead
You know, part of me wants to buy some metal stamping supplies so I can use all these lovely words I've collected in the actual jewelry. But I'd want to do it without it being cutesy.
Habromania. Green and pink assemblage pendant or brooch.

Habromania. Green and pink assemblage pendant or brooch.

Habromania- insanity featuring cheerful delusions
I also want to do a million other things so proly the last thing I need is to spend $$ on a bunch of new tools.
Nephefliad. Rustic bird brooch or pendant.

Nephefliad. Rustic bird brooch or pendant.

Nephefliad- n, 1818 -1821, cloud-nymph
Isn't that always the case though? I want to do a bit of everything. I do do a bit of everything, without delving too deep into any one technique. I guess I want a bit more.
Heinrich. Rustic assemblage brooch or pendant.

Heinrich. Rustic assemblage brooch or pendant.

Heinrich. Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Swiss social reformer and educator, known as the Father of Modern Education.
Like you see artists that are all about wire wrapping, or polymer or soldered tin or or or..... I keep it simple when I do any of these techniques, and blend them together... Some people get so into one technique its like... "Hey isn't it cool that I can make this out of polymer" without realizing that if you don't know the medium or care, aren't considering buying the tutorial the result of the technique isn't that fantastic. Maybe that's just the case with polymer clay.
Cosmogyral. Rustic assemblage brooch or pendant with Ethiopian opal.

Cosmogyral. Rustic assemblage brooch or pendant with Ethiopian opal.

Cosmogyral- adj, 1808 -1808, whirling round the universe
One time an art friend said she wanted to see me make more things from scratch instead of just assemblage all the time. And that stayed with me, worrying at me.
Interlunation. Rustic assemblage brooch or pendant with Roman glass archeological find.

Interlunation. Rustic assemblage brooch or pendant with Roman glass archeological find.

Interlunation- dark time between old moon and new
No matter what I make, it's always in response to the materials I've collected. That is to say, it's never from scratch like traditional art jewelry.
Ellipsism. Warm rustic asymmetrical earrings.

Ellipsism. Warm rustic asymmetrical earrings.

Ellipsism- n. sadness that you’ll never be able to know how history will turn out
From The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
So silly to let something like this nag at me, I mean, I know all art that is sincere is legit...
Holtobenthic. Chunky, graduated blue earrings.

Holtobenthic. Chunky, graduated blue earrings.

Holtobenthic- passing entire life in the deep ocean
If anything the fact that this is non-traditional makes it more art.... or something,
Chrysalism. Blue earrings with polymer florals.

Chrysalism. Blue earrings with polymer florals.

Chrysalism- n. the amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm.From The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Something in the ol' subconscious telling me otherwise. Screw you, subconscious. Perantique. Blue tin cone earrings.

Perantique- adj, 1883 -1883, very antique or ancient
Anyways, I switched out the beads I had on these cone earrings (my polies) which I'd just put there because they were literally within reach and that's no way to art.
Hesychastic. Cast pewter lariat.

Hesychastic - keeping silence; soothing or quieting
I decided to use both of these cast guys I made together, lariat style.

Later today I'll list the following.

Eternitarian- n, 1746 -1746 one who believes in the eternity of the soul
So like, I don't think I believe in the eternity of the soul but still I find the word for someone who does to be pure poetry. Why is that?

Another of my caged babies.

Oh I made a bunch of simple lariats. (Check out that mop piece I drilled to make a toggle!)

Lately I'm all about simple.

I'm all about the herpes simplex virus.

And I burnt through my soldering iron! It couldn't stand the profundity of my art.

So I bought another. In the listing it looked small and perfect for joolz but when it arrived it was fat as fuck. Yup, as fat as fuck is. So now Imma buy another!

cat cute animals cute cat animal s cat massage

animals animal falling rabbit cute animals

cute animals cute animal funny animals funny animal

animal pet hamster cute animals cute animal

11/13/15

Sneak Peek

Well, I have things to show but it's been dark and stormy these last couple days so the photo situation isn't fantastic for those of us who like to start our workdays at 3pm.

So since I have to go out of town to be an aunt this weekend, I thought I'd leave you with little snippets, sneak peeks, as they say, if I may, as it were (...wow all those phrases mean the same thing and sound similar).