Cello Art

The blank canvas

In December I answered a call from the Treasure Valley Artist Alliance to Artists to make a cello into a work of art. 2 artists would be chosen and I was one of them! Below is my proposal: 

 A few years ago I was given a violin in disrepair to use in my art. I had fun turning it into an homage to a Native American violinist. Researching Zitkala-Sa I used paint, found objects and collage elements to represent the musician. In this project I would use metal gears and chains and other cast off items to turn the cello into a steampunk cello. This idea sprang from my research on famous women cellists and I came across a current cellist who plays in the style of Steampunk music. I was intrigued by the name she goes by: “Unwoman” taken from the book “The Handmaids Tale” Unwomen are the lesbians, feminists and others who wouldn’t submit to authority. I related to Unwomans answer when asked about her creative process. She said each song might have a unique creative process since there is so much experimentation. Some of it is on the fly and some of it is labored over. In my art I enjoy taking items that no longer have an intrinsic value in and of themselves and relish turning them into something new to be enjoyed by someone else rather than end up the in the trash. I would be honored to be chosen for this project.

My first step in the process was to gather all my bits and bobs and see what I had. I needed a focal point and created a little Unwoman character charm. 

I started laying pieces on the cello but didn't glue them down as I kept shifting things around as I would find yet another piece that would look better in place. 

The butterfly wings were the perfect addition to fill out the top and the colors blended beautifully.

It was at around this point that I started gluing items down. I would just glue a few at a time and let them dry. I am fortunate to have a room dedicated just to this project. I queried the "WorldWide Assemblage Group" on FB as to which adhesive I should use. Amazing Goop came out the winner. It is thicker than E-6000 that I had previously used.  

Then it was time to start working on the sides.

Almost there...and more and more stuff to work with surrounds it on the floor.

The finishing touches were adding dots of paint to strategic locations.

Lots of fun stuff hanging from the top.

I have been collecting small items from friends for years. Broken watch bands and jewelry, belt buckles, buttons and pins.

I went for balance but not complete symmetry as to add some interest.

The butterfly body is antique mother of pearl handle to a mirror or butterknife.

I used a mixture of steampunk gauges and gears mixed with feminine touches of flowers and pearls.

I have pieces wired and hanging to add layers of interest. Watches, musical instruments, bells and locks.

Watch parts and chains and bottle caps and meat grinder blade. 

Zipper pull, light bulb charms, washers and bits of this and that. I laid them out by color, size and shape to all blend together around the edges. 

The other side. 

Gathering supplies to make a stand, had to make 2 trips to home depot as the first dowel I bought was too wide to fit in the hole in the bottom of the cello. 

Screwing into the base I had from something else...

Then screwing the dowel into the stand and sliding the cello down over the stick.

All told I spent approximately 20 hours on it spread out over about 4-5 weeks. I'm pretty happy with it. I am told it will be on display at several shows and then will be auctioned off as a fundraiser for the Treasure Valley Artist Alliance. 

Alaska

No, I have never been to Alaska but I know it is a beautiful state. I have been collecting items from different states for my mountain biking series but as I am pretty sure I will never be biking there I'm using the items for my color series.

 
 While starting the blue piece I came across the Alaska bag of goodies I had gathered over the years  and added that to the blue items I had been collecting. I tried the silver frame but it just didn't seem good. Too fancy.

I found this wooden tray and that was it, the collection found it's place. 

Alaska
7" x 15"
Available

It's Not All Black and White

This piece I completed a few years ago. The pigs on top I made in Sue Latta's resin workshop. They are glued on a block of wood. I was never completely satisfied with this piece and took some pliers and a razor blade to it and took it apart.  I am working on a series of pieces using plastic cast off pieces and wanted to incorporate this into that series. I was going to attach the whole block to another piece but when I glued the pigs on top they extend off the back edge so it would not lay flat.

 I painted this frame black and added a backing covered with black scrapbook paper. I still wasn't satisfied and took it over to my friend Marianne's Studio for input. She said it's too bad that all the black items are devils, guns etc. and the white items are cute bunnies and hearts. But that's the way these things come and my plan was not to paint the objects but to use them as they are. 

This is the final incarnation. I overcame the problem of all things depicted in white as good and all things depicted in black as evil by incorporating color. My mother tends to be a person that see's things as black or white. That has never been me. As a Libra I can weigh both sides of an issue and always try to see the others viewpoint.

So here goes- my 12" x 16" "Where's Waldo" assemblage I have included things that are controversial, American Flag = extreme right tea party vs a more liberal philosophy - the gun -2nd Amendment vs those that don't think we all need to be carrying guns) cellphone =radiation and government spying, Food=GMO's and what's gonna kill us or give us dementia or cancer, the stethoscope = the Ebola crisis, the Ken doll with the bicycle helmet = helmet laws vs personal freedom,  the computer- is technology making us all less social and is this just another venue for Big Brother to watch us?, The cow and the cheese = dairy, is it good for us, what about antibiotics?, The woman's torso with the red light pointing to it = body image issues and the media, high heel shoe's and surgery, the dice represent gambling (state lotteries giving $ to education?), Dinosaur, is the earth really only 6,000 years old despite scientific data?, and hence the Jesus fish. The white tennis shoe represents exercise- how much is too much?, The spider- people hate spiders but they are part of the ecosystem, the lamb= veganism, vegetarianism, is it healthier?,  lady bug=pesticides, Red Bull pull tab- really?, Eagle= new wilderness designations?, camera= photographing in the wilderness for a fee, coke= obesity epidemic, Halloween and Christmas. paganism or religious holidays?

Get Hooked

Get Hooked  14" x 17" $175

9X12 original acrylic painting with found objects touting the natural beauty and fabulous fishing in Idaho.

 Now how to finish it off?  At a Thrift Store in Hailey, ID. I found something better than a frame. A shallow wooden something that was just 2" bigger than the piece of art -all the way around.

Here I am playing around with what I will do with it. All the rocks made it kind of heavy. So I decoded to add some paper that looked like weathered wood and just put a few rocks in the corners.

 I glued down the papers and the collaged painting. I set weights on top of the painting to make sure it was attached well and waited 24 hours before pouring 2 part resin around the piece and then placed the rocks into the wet resin.

Get Hooked  14" x 17" $175

Bambi

 There is nothing like selling a couple pieces of art to get motivated to make some more. I sold 2 canvases to a woman from out of state who had bought a piece from me that she saw at the Boise Art Museum and then wanted a couple of companion pieces. I am a prolific artist. Once I get going, I can just whip them out...the problem is my house is overflowing...maybe I'm not as good at marketing as I am at producing...hmmm...I think most artists are in that boat!

 Here is the start of Bambi. All my art is made from things I already have or got second hand except for paint and mediums. I had this plaque that was just unstained wood which I gessoed and then stenciled over a plastic doily that was my grandmothers.  The stand is made from a wooden diamond and a bracket that I nailed and glued.

A few years ago I had seen stuffed animal heads attached to these boards as take on taxidermy animals, that was white I had intended to do but then spotted this little guy in my stash and decided to use Bambi.

 I also found this antique bead/button when I was sweeping under a bookcase and decided to include it too.

Bambi 5 "x 7 " $45

The finished piece has a 70's kitschy sort of feeling. Finishing touches are dark brown and white detailing around the edges, a gloss polymer coating and a sawtooth hanger.

Our Lady of ...

"Our Lady of ...."  Found Object Assemblage 6" x 7" x 3 1/2"

 This is my third entry for the TVAA show Silver Linings

 

 

 

This one started with a gold garage sale frame which I painted over with silver ink. It looks way better than it did!

Next was this wooden box from a garage sale lined with silver papers that Rebeca gave me. I also gave it a thin coating (wash) of the silver ink

Actually I should have said the piece started with this little box, which I had 1/2 way completed but did not know what to do with. I am sure it has been in my studio for a year now asking to be used in something.

Side view, I think it is a freebie wooden jewelry box that back in the day your ring or necklace purchase would have come in  instead of a cardboard or plastic box.

I have a collection of small glass jars with cork tops. I added silver glitter to it and glued it to a lug nut I found in the street for height.

Not sure what this was for, looks like a place holder but there is no place to put a card in it.

close up of interior

The fun part was layering all the parts to add depth to the piece.

So back to the name. I have already entered the show and named it Our Lady of Silver Linings, but now I am having second thoughts that this piece should be something like a patron saint of arts and crafters who like to use lots of glitter, so some other names could be Our Lady of Glitter, Our Lady of Shiny Things....What do you think?

Honoring People and Objects

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