3/23/10

Art in the works, great uses for old books...

I have been working on these two pieces (off and on) for the last two years. The top one is based on some photos I took of a maker of "barro negro" (black pottery) near Oaxaca, Mexico. Her name is Sofia, and at age 92, I do believe she is still at it! The center image is of a piece I am doing based on Venus fertility images. These unfinshed pieces haunt me. Just when they start to "progress", they come to a screeching HALT! I think I am just too concerned about the outcome. I should know better by now, NEVER be concerned about the outcome...art is all about the journey.

I just LOVE my collection of old and soon-to-be-discarded books. I have found another great use for them (other than altering them for journals and using parts of them in my assemblage pieces)–I use them to weigh down artwork I am gluing to backing boards, as I prepare them for framing. The wide array of uses for old books never ceases to amaze me...

5 comments:

  1. I love your works in progress and can empathise with your worry about outcome. As for old books, I am currently selling many of mine on Amazon, but the really old ones either have been used for pressing flowers, or are being reserved for alteration. It has taken me all of my life to realise I could 'destroy' a book; must be the war years (World War Two) when I was a child and they were so scarce and so precious.

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  2. Thanks for the comments, amyd and WSC!! Yes, I still have a hard time destroying an old book for use in my artwork. To me, they are all special!

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  3. Your work is fantastic! I too collect old books that areat thrift stores, etc, and it pains me to use them in work, but it gives them a new life!

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  4. Than you Suziart! Yes, using old books does give them a 2nd life, whereas they might have ended up in the dump!!

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