After a short mourning of "My Vintage Soul" (see previous post for details) I have gotten back on the proverbial horse/bicycle.
Today I contemplated going back to bed at 8 a.m. (I went to sleep at 4:00 a.m. after playing Mahjong for 4 hours!), but instead I jerked myself directly from the front door as I waived good-bye to Claire and headed down the stairs.
Into the studio.
To look at the carcass:
After facing that . . . which felt very similar to viewing a newly dearly departed, I decided to work on some new techniques while I pondered what to do with the remains. My instinct was to trash it, cremate it, send it on to its just rewards - but that is hurt and anger surfacing and some of my best works have been pieces that went 'wrong' and I had to re-work them to salvage them. The only difference here is that it was finished to my great joy and I know any re-creation will be but a shadow of the original (such was my then state of mind).
I decided to rummage through all my new supplies and chose to work with some new RF Paintsticks. In the encaustic process I had been using, I would paint encaustic into the divots and distress marks and scrape the layers down. It is back-breaking and time consuming work. Can you imagine my delight when I was able to create this work within about 2 hours, start to finish, while simultaneously working on 4 others?
Let me introduce you to "Traces of Time", 6"x6", Encaustic, Handwritten letter, Leather/silver watch band.
As I sit here typing this title, it occurs to me that I dealt with the very thing I was mourning - my loss of TIME. Art is so amazing that way. You do not even know what you are seeking, but it forms itself before your very eyes if you get your ego and brain out of the way. Finally, after getting myself out of my own way, more works came forth.
"Run Away" 6"x6", Encaustsic, Vintage Fairy Tale pages, quickly followed the time-piece, and then came
"Descent"
So, if I would only listen to my own advice I would save myself A LOT of heartache, right?
I was excited to use some of the real butterfly wings Don and I had collected on our Lake Lure, NC 2006 vacation. We came upon hundreds of butterflies hovering over puddles and upon closer inspection realized there were dozens of drowned butterflies. Apparently some of their wings had become wet and weighed them down and they couldn't fly away. The living butterflies appeared to hover in a mournfulness of collective spirit.
Once again, my feelings are just bubbling up to be revealed in these new works . . . time, the need to 'run away', and mourning.
One benefit to all the years of collecting is that I have an amazing resource of materials on hand. To have them all, more or less, at my fingertips in the new studio is something I have never experienced before.
I NEEDED those butterfly wings TODAY, and because I had taken time to unpack and sort - I knew EXACTLY where they were - safely encapsulated in U2's "All That We Can't Leave Behind" CD case.
There are no coincidences. There is only synergy. The flow and flux as the energy transforms.
Consequently (or not)!, what I ended up with today was three new completed works and the energy to begin or re-begin some other works.
I now have all the butterfly wings dipped in encaustic and ready for the next 'calling', plus I infused multiple antique baby clothes for my textile version of "Ashes, Ashes", and, best of all, I found a technique that will increase my efficiency and save my body many aches and pains!
Somehow, in less than one week, I have decided that this self-destruction of "My Vintage Soul" contained many valuable lessons.
I am looking forward to using these new techniques and insights to create new, and, hopefully, better work in the future.
Don't forget:
"I get knocked down, but I get up again - you're never gonna keep me down!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAM9diIDHqs
Chumbawamba- Tubthumping
Here are a few images I took of the studio today - I am, apparently, back in action!
Real butterfly wings (found) dipped in encaustic.
Vintage baby dresses, in the process of being infused with encaustic.
Vintage Baby Robe, infused with encaustic, hardened, standing on its own.
One shelf of collected figurines/vintage toys for future use in assemblages.
Mid-process of encaustic infusion, antique embroidered pinafore with safety pins in pocket.
Read MorePart II - Durham Journal - Augusten Burroughs/Haven Kimmel
So Thursday everyone visited different things.
Kate, Baby Alice and I did a Thrift Store Bingo ride, led by the Tom-Tom. I found a few great things . . . in one store they didn’t even speak English . . .
Here are a few of the treasures I found in the Durham Thrift Stores:
Above you can see the great hat and dollhouse/shelf I found for Claire at "Everything Except Granny's Panties" - which had to be my favorite location of all.
How could I possibly pass up these vintage copies of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books? Garth Williams, the illustrator, really inspired me as a child and I spent endless hours drawing women and girls in old-fashioned clothing and sunbonnets. I can barely wait to use the aged pages in some collage encaustic paintings.
Also at 'Granny's Panties', I found these bizarre Lucite balls. When placed on the fabrics (those were given to me by fellow blog baby, Carrie) they create bizarre distortions which I find greatly intriguing. I also found and purchased Lucite cones:
I am very intrigued by these Lucite objects as I will be able to create some amazing sculptures, their characteristics also remind me of my 2006 series "Collected Works" were I suspended obje cts in resin and candle gel within toy capsules. If they still have any left in July when we re-visit NC, I plan on buying them all. Sometimes it is hard to know until you get home, how 'valuable' the items will be to your artistic production.
"Collected Works I" with detail. 2006. 2" toy capsules with found objects.
Around 2 pm, we made our way to GEORGE’S GARAGE (which was sadly George-less). The decor was unique and so was the set up . . . Mediterranean food . . . purchased by the pound . . . so we all loaded up our plates and gathered together (hosted by Caryl) . . . unfortunately Linda and her gorgeous son SAM were held up at Chapel Hill and didn’t make it to the dinner.
Towards the end Caryl and I explained DEAR CARRIE’s “Fugly Bead” game . . . which brought her presence right in the room with us . . . Molly won the ‘ugliest bead’ so will receive a masterpiece from Carrie. Each bead was wrapped in lime green handmade paper tied with tiny twine - so I kept the remnants to use in future artwork.
Here is a view of two of Carrie's masterpieces, which I call my "Molten Sky-Drops"
As we left many pictures were taken, but not by me, because I was just STUPID . . . I think GiGi has the most pictures . . .
We then all visited the Regulator Bookstore (fabulous independent, they hosted the reading) which is just across the street. I already have every Augusten/Haven book, but I loaded up on some others (including one of Suzanne’s and lots of art journals).
We also went to a store called “Vaguely Reminiscent” nearby and Amber and I (we realized later) bought the same lovely handbags! Kate found some smashing vintage earrings . . .
We headed back to the Inn to freshen and dress up for the Reading . . . As we arrived at the Carolina Theatre around 6 pm we were greeted by Kimbits (a fellow blogger) who came up to us and explained “ARE YOU KATE AND SHER?” - we had our own ‘fans’ and had been ‘recognized’ on the street. It was thrilling and sweet. It was fun getting know them better and then we finally got to meet Linda and darling SAM . . . and on into the theatre we went.
We were all held like cattle waiting for the official seating. The Carolina theatre is GORGEOUS . . . even the vintage ticket box was evoking of the old, glory days. We were not worried because, thanks to Nora Barnacles a/k/a Sherrill, we had reserved rows of seats right up front. I had made some tags just like the t-shirts, so we were set!
Kate's daughter, Alice, waits for the seating . . .
I totally embarrassed myself by acting like a dork when I saw Kat (Haven's adult daughter) and her Gorgeous Boyfriend Tyson . . . I was like “Can I say HI???” . . . but they were gracious and chatted like normal human beings, of course!
Here is a row of Official Blog Babies, holding our seat reservation signs. From Left: Sam (Linda's son), Linda Carter, Molly, Amber, Kathleen, Maureen, ME, and Sherrill a/k/a Norabarnacles.
Here we see GiGi waiting with her collection of Augusten/Kimmel books.
Maureen and I had already agreed to sit together because we had not had a chance to ‘hang’ much. You could even get soda/wine/beer and popcorn to consume during the reading . . . wow!!!! I was driving and in pain so chose Root Beer and Milkduds as a lift me up.
Awaiting Haven and Augusten was fun in itself because you could see the family hanging around the entry door . . . the introductions were touching and then Haven did a beautiful introduction of Augusten. They then took their directors seats and began on a riff . . .
it was obvious we were attending the Haven/Augusten Show and not a typical reading. It was HysteriCAL. All the sudden they asked for questions and we all sat there enthralled and stunned.
They really need their own radio show!
Then the signing . . . which was standing in line for what seemed like hours and probably was . . . as we were in the end of the line!
They and WE prevailed and stuck there as they signed every book proffered. I had Haven sign a “Klattermaster” book for Claire and she made sure to say it was MADE IN AMERICA. I also had my much marked up, highlighted, flagged IODINE and she talked about the notes and symbols she used when she wrote the book. I told her I was working on my own index and she gave her blessings on that endeavor. For Augusten I had him sign a specific page in my Wolf At The Table Book - which made me cry as I stood in line choosing which page . . . I finally chose the one with “my mother couldn’t protect me”.
I blathered at him as I am rather amazed that he is alive, that he never tried to commit suicide as a child. I am just so glad he survived with such resilience of spirit - that is something that is impossible to figure out - how some of us ‘dark place’ survivors actually blossom and others fall into an eternal abyss.
So now, at 10ish, we finally make our way back to the Inn, Linda and Sam joined us there . . . and we are trying to figure out where to eat in the lounge . . . I go to the bathroom and everybody disappeared except for Sam and Linda. We wait and wait . . . and wait . . . then we finally leave out of exhaustion as well. Now, instead of ordering room service and taking a long hot bath and going to bed early as most sentient beings would do, I chose to . . . follow this scenario:
I was painfully exhausted and all I wanted was my 2 bottles of Italian wine. I was determined. Kate was visiting with her brother, his wife, and newborn niece in our room so I went knocking on doors . .. Shanna wasn’t next door so I went on down the row until Molly and Amber answered - yippee!!!! - I petulantly refused to eat any of their chicken they had smuggled in from TGI Fridays . . . and Molly went downstairs to have the bartender open the bottle of wine . . . and, low and behold, everybody had re-gathered down there! But we decided to have our bottle of wine (which was already paid for!) in their room. We talked about breathing the wine, the bouquet, and the legs . . . they enjoyed the imported wine and we had a hoot. Talked about the reading, the barn, the whole experience and even went into relationships and surviving abuse. It was a great talk with much depth and moments of pure joy. I love me some Amber and Molly and I am encouraged that we have such intelligent, hopeful young adults to help us, as humankind, move forward into a bright future.
Before we made our way downstairs Maureen and Kathleen returned upstairs and Kate called begging for the party to convene to our room . . . so we all marched or 'ballet-ed’ over there.
I did a hysterical search for a corkscrew again, called the front desk in sheer desperation while Maureen suddenly appeared with one. Ooops, we ended up with 3 corkscrews. So we had the 2nd import and Amber and Molly offered up their White Zin . . . Alice slept through the entire 4 hour slumber party.
All I know is this: we are an amazing group and I want to know all of you the rest of my life.
I didn’t get to hang with Caryl or Shanna or GiGi 1/2 as much as I really wanted to . . . so I am thinking another get together is in order . . . to include all the missing Blog Babies this time . . .
After a quick goodbye to Shanna and Caryl in the lobby after Kate loaded up earlier and went to breakfast with her brother . . . we headed out of Durham with one last stop at the SCRAP EXCHANGE. What a glory that was.
Here is an Ode to Durham and our Blog Babies Retreat . . .