New Mosaic

I started a new mosaic. I didn't get that far. Even though I like it - just like this, I am going to keep going. I feel it is not yet resolved.

Just about there

This is after an hour and a half yesterday.

And, this is after 2 hours today. That brings me up to a total of 23 hours spent thus far. It is almost finished. I need to just tweek it a bit. Stay tuned...

Big changes

I started to think a lot about what this piece was really about. And, that may always be a problematic process, but I was always explaining what the source material was (Bergdorf Goodman catalogue) and what that had to do with anything. The tiles of the mosaic are made by cutting little rectangles out of the photos of models from a Bergdorf Goodman "Vision" catalog that I found in the laundry room - of all places. The prices in this thing are way out of the realm of any of us who use the laundry room!

So, I made some radical changes. I cut out the reference to Oscar De La Renta - that was on the earlier version. In this top one - you can see the changes made in an hour and a half session yesterday. And, the bottom image is after another 3 hours today.

Further progress

I worked for an hour and a half on this piece - yesterday. I don't know how many hours that is in total - thus far. By the way, if you click on it, you see it at the actual size of the piece. It is about 6 x 4 inches.

Koala and Panda

I am beginning work on a book project. I will be collaborating with my son - Stu. He is going to write the story. I am not a great writer. Here is a little animation I made with the characters - a panda and a koala - showing how they can move. They are paper dolls with movable limbs.

Today's work

I spent a couple more hours working on this mosaic. This slow, tedious process allows for a lot of thought.



Thoughts:
Mrs. Delany's work and it's connection to mine is how I am a part of female visual culture. This culture started (?) includes processes considered acceptable for female occupation -- sewing, collage, embroidery, paper dolls, silhouettes, etc. I found a connection through Mary Ellen Best, a nineteenth century British 'lady' watercolorist. Here 'Change of Costume Cards' were the inspiration of my veil cards.

With this thought (this morning) I see that I have a right to this kind of work. It is my heritage (no pun intended).

From Merriam-Webster.com

Main Entry: her·i·tage
Pronunciation: \ˈher-ə-tij, ˈhe-rə-\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from heriter to inherit, from Late Latin hereditare, from Latin hered-, heres heir — more at heir

Date: 13th century

1 : property that descends to an heir
2 a : something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor : legacy, inheritance b : tradition
3 : something possessed as a result of one's natural situation or birth : birthright

This is interesting to me. Afterall, history refers to the story of mankind. Heritage infers handing things down through generations. This would naturally have to happen through mother to child. I think the word innate - as in inborn - infers to something (talent, trait) inherited from the mother.

Today's work

More time (a couple of hours?) spent on the mosaic. I think I could endlessly do this.


I wanted to paint on magazine text and then cut out the shapes for a collage of a doll I bought at the Newark Museum yesterday. She is from Africa. I put her on black painted paper - like Mrs. Delany.