In January, I entered the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana’s Miniatures show. Each piece could be no larger than 2″ in any direction.
My piece is called “In Error”. It is a 2″ square of pencils cut to different lengths but none over 2″. They are arranged with the erasers pointed out.
I used old pencils whose erasers are in varying stages of petrification. Some were from vintage pencils, and some were from cheap, new pencils. All of this makes them even more varied and interesting.
I’ve reworked this piece. I shared a photo of it last year when I’d prepared it for a show and then realized that there was a problem.
In the end it was a good thing. Having time to rework it meant that I added quite a few more layers of glitter, thread, and paint. It’s better for them.
I still envision it as a kind of mystical creature surrounding the little boy and girl and suspending them in the air–a mystical creature made of discarded materials, comical googly eyes, and a mass of glue.
It continues to be an exploration of the things that we collect, the way that we relate to them, and the way that we project ourselves onto them.
I kept the original title of the piece. Someone remarked that the glittery circle is reminiscent of Ezekiel’s vision of a wheel covered in eyes, which I liked. The inspiration for the piece hadn’t been the Bible verse, but I decided to make a reference to the folk song “Ezekiel Saw the Wheel” by titling the piece “Way Up in the Middle of the Air”.
The piece measures 9″ square and is about 3″ deep.
The local arts council is having a show that challenges artists to make art that is no more than 2″ in any dimension. Here’s what I created. The little whirligig on the top spins when you blow on it.
The base is made of the official 2″ square canvas I was given by the arts council and part of a suction cup. The sculpture itself is made of corrugated cardboard, beads, a pin, a security envelope, googly eyes, gold paint, and microbead glitter.
I’ve been working on some new art lately.
One of the boxes of odd objects that I displayed as part of Jane’s and my show in Jasper held tomatillo husks that I collected in my garden last fall. I combined the husks with a wonderful little bit of clothing (used just as it came to me with a safety pin holding it together), some beads, and some cast off silk thread.
It’s no more than 5″ tall and hangs from a pin in a shadow box.
It’s been accepted into the Working Together show at the Evansville Museum put on in conjunction with the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana. Yay!
I have a couple art bundles hanging in my magnolia now. Here’s the second one after it’s had a little time to weather. I have seeds planted inside. Also inside are the remains of a planter lining and some fabric. I’m not sure what will happen, but I’m hoping for growth–even if it’s just the growth of mold.
As part of our show in Jasper, Jane and I led a workshop for a group of local high schoolers. We talked about our art some and they looked at the show. Then we went to the workspace downstairs and made some art.
We all constructed bundles of objects with the thought that they would be hung from a tree outside to weather. It was an idea that Jane and I had tried out earlier. I thought the kids came up with some great ideas and interesting construction techniques. In a way, we were manufacturing the kinds of objects that Jane and I collect from the street and other interesting places.
We provided a lot of odds and ends–fabric, paper, markers, thread, yarn, feathers, old toys, bolts, washers, pop cans, magazines, old Starbucks gift cards–even a Girl Scout cookie. They were asked to bring some object that they found around where they lived, and some did.
Above is one: a bundle of bundles. There was also one that made wings out of the Starbucks cards so it would spin. Several others got innovative with markers. Some even pulled the felt out of the inside of the markers and hid them at the center of their bundles with the thought that in the rain, the dye would seep out.
The teachers said they’d hang the art up outdoors at the school. I hope they did and that Jane and I can see it when we go back to take the show down.
Amy Rich 