Schism

Here is another assignment for Pamela's class.  This was for the mixed media assignment, in which we were challenged to create a piece that was 50% ceramic, 50% mixed media. 

I have had this idea in my head for a while.  I picked up a Home Economics handbook from Good Cents that was from the 1950's, and with Mad Men always on my Netflix queue, I have had the idea of women's roles and the schism between the public and private spheres stuck in my head.  While flipping through the handbook, I was really interested in the words that they used to describe household chores and what they mean when taken out of context- rules, separate, beat, method... I took these words, along with others, and wanted to put them inside an icon of female craft- the embroidery hoop- and recreate the idea of sewing.

Originally, I was going to have all ceramic circles within the hoops, but I found that incorporating fabrics with traditional, soft patterns would compliment the ceramic slabs, which were worked to have a very subtle lace texture through acrylic paint.  I took the idea of female identity to the next level by incorporating the hair of myself and loved ones, as well as synthetic hair in slabs which needed a hefty amount of hair.

A detail with the braided hair of my sister and myself.

Human hair, thread, fabric.

Synthetic hair and fabric.

Thread and synthetic hair.

The hoops are 4.25" in diameter and 12.5" in diameter.

White earthenware, fabric, embroidery hoops, thread, synthetic hair, human hair.

Fox Head

 

I just love this thing.

Foxy Lady

For the past couple of weeks in Linda's class, we have been busy bees making costumes for a festival in Railroad Square this weekend called Artigras.  We are all making animal costumes and walking in a parade!

A couple of us are paper-macheing giant fox heads to wear...

So of course it only made sense to have fur on our costumes.  So a couple of days ago, Michelle and I went to Good Cents (love that place so much) and made out like complete bandits.  Less than a dollar each for giant stuffed animals with fox-like fur?! PERFECT. 

I proceeded to, like a complete weirdo, rip every seam out of these stuffed animals for their prized hides. I got a nice pile I think, and Michelle is taking all of the stuffing!

Unfortunately I can't be in the parade because of personal issues, but someone else will be taking my place, and we all know that I will, someday in the near future, put this costume on in it's entirety and snap a picture for all of you!

“The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.”

—William Blake

This is my final project for Experimental Drawing.  The assignment was to simply do an installation.  Also, it was a group project.  When Terri first told us this—to be honest—I about died.  However, the girls I was in a group were probably the best of the best.  

We each have dealt with soft sculpture in the past, so we decided to base our idea off of that.  We were inspired by bird nests.  The original concept was a sphere of yarn and other things, but when we actually put it together, it created more of an egg shape that resembled a nest.

We installed it in the Call Street parking garage, and from what I have heard from others, people seemed to enjoy it while passing by on their way to exams and such.

I love it very much, and will continue to explore soft sculpture in the future.

Approximately 3'x2'

Wire, fishing line, yarn, jute, lace, ribbon, feathers, rope

December 2010