Sunday, January 25, 2009

The Remains of the Day


That's right, this is what remains today from several days and weeks in the studio. The red and gold pieces were about angels, the textured pieces are what is left of two other ancient waters. The blue fish from a series of prints and stamps along with maps and a great big moon hand sewn to several layers of painted paper. I've done this many times with works on paper but foam core is hard to cut and thick for collage. The level of emotional relief is wonderful, I was at a dead end and now these little sections have been saved...recycle...who knows?
My new sewing machine has arrived and after I post this I'm going to unpack it and glance over the instruction booklet. It has 60 stitch choices, made with plastic parts, lightweight and electronic and I could afford it.
I've been drawn to squares, squares of all sizes, squares within squares. I looked up squares in my symbol dictionary and it said: the square is related to the four Elements, the four seasons, the four stages of Man's life and especially the four points of the compass...all sources of order and stability of this world. It gave many more details of the square and it's symbolic meaning so I have a lovely base to build on with my other chosen subjects of mapping and restoration. I'm full of new promise and am interested in sewing these squares as part of my mixed media painting!
Speaking of paintings, I have sold my small" Ancient Waters 2" that I featured in the previous post! It doesn't happen often for me but it is so sweet when it does happen.

23 comments:

  1. Oh, well done! Congratulations.
    It was fabulous, I am not surprised in the least. :D


    P.S. Today is Australia Day Down Under, and my word verification is ausenta! Cool.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love all these remains. Very evocative and inspiring. Nice colors and shapes. Congrats on selling that wonderful piece. Hope you have fun w/your new sewing machine. I am now contending w/mom's two machines. She told me they were both broken so not sure what I will try to do w/them. Maybe list them on freecycle.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi, nice to have met you in this "pond". I'm enjoying your posts.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Natalie, Happy Australia Day Down Under Day!

    Suki, It is always nice to have a sewing machine...maybe a trip to the sewing repair shop?
    Always feels good when the work leaves for another home and wall!

    ReplyDelete
  5. my word verification is exusapp. i was just thinking that i need to take a nice walk for some exercise but that i also feel tired and would like a nap...
    when you are tired of exercising and need a nap:

    exusapp

    ok, enough sillyness.

    these remains are so sumptuous! colors like jewels. colors of illuminated medieval manuscripts. beautiful!!! and congratulations on your sale! it is so validating.
    i hope that your new sewing machine is all it's cracked up to be - you will have alot of fun using it with the mixed media!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Amazing!Congratulations on sale!
    The residual noble pieces inspire to next formation.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your leftovers are rich with possibility. Congrats at selling a painting. It's a good feeling!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well done Mary Anne! Now there's motivation for you. Glorious rich colours and I also thought of illuminated manuscripts.

    ReplyDelete
  9. OH! I'm so excited about the sale of your previous piece,,,it is glorious! I'm so late getting 'round to the blogs,,,I almost missed that jewel!
    All these pieces in this new post are so exciting,,,and I can't wait to see how you put it all together!
    Stiching with your new machine? Very ambitious!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sue, So glad to be in the same pond...this blogging has been good all around. Visit often.

    Martha, I especially love your take on my scraps as bits of medieval manuscripts...wow!
    I spent the better part of the day familiarizing myself with this little machine...I believe I've burned a fair amount of brain cells but I have it up and running...good enough for now!

    ReplyDelete
  11. B & W, Thank you about the sale!
    Yes, as the old saying goes..."From your lips to God's ears"!

    Patti, They are the best bits and pieces I could find in the rubble...we shall see.

    Robyn, Illuminated manuscripts...that is something to aim for...wow!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Babs, I spent a good portion of the day reading a 55 page instruction book...I am sewing, I'm a little dizzy but I am sewing! ha

    ReplyDelete
  13. ooooh, Mary Ann - all those lucsious colors piled up together - a piece on it's own! congrats on your sale - that must feel very good

    ReplyDelete
  14. That is so wonderful. What a platform for your work. So many more people see your work and love it. Good going.
    You are right about blogging. It is sort of like learning to walk. My knees are a little skinned but hey! I am standing up right, at least.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your paper leftovers are so rich and beautiful, and I so so glad you shared their history. "Remains of the Day" is a post full of history and wonder... it so reminds me of my own artistic search in my altered book, earth tones and I feel a common thread! Congratulations on your painting being sold, and your new sewing machine! Roxanne

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congratulations on the sale, not surprised, the painting is beautiful. I love all your gold and blue pieces, just waiting to be incorporated in a larger work. I am also working with squares and rectangles, they keep appearing, so I have enjoyed reading what your symbol book has to say.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Congrats on selling your work! It's indeed a great piece :)
    The remains are beautiful, lovely powerful colours!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Jeane, Bits and pieces and boxes of more bits and pieces...it's a wonder how any find a new life!

    Pat, Blogging for me, has allowed me to see so many interesting blogs and meet so many interesting bloggers!

    Roxanne, I think we share a common thread in our approach to new work. You still have the best music in blogland!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Diane, Funny about the squares appearing and the symbolic meanings. Tomorrow I'm visiting the library to research more related to the square and some fabric histories. I love the gathering part of the creative process.

    Luisa, Thank you, I know the new owner of the piece "Ancient Waters 2" so I can visit on occasion!ha

    ReplyDelete
  20. If you made bookmarks in those colors, I would buy one of each. I love beautiful bookmarks. But those are of foam core and that wouldn't work very well. Anyway, the colors are incredible.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Mary Ann, Great sale. I really liked that one two. I have a little something I left for you over at Oasis Writing Link. Please come over and pick it up!

    ReplyDelete
  22. How wonderful that "Ancient Waters 2" has found the proper home--it's a stunning piece!

    And your "remains" are lush. A study in possibility.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congratulations on your sale. I hope to see your art someday in person.

    I enjoyed reading about the squares. I used to draw cubes all the time in my school notebooks. Maybe I need more than just what the square symbolizes.

    ;-)

    ReplyDelete

reply