These two pieces began as 'found pieces' giving the look of old and tattered and torn. My journal entry began as my first recall of autumn. Very sketchy images as in a dream...I do remember my father carrying me to a hospital doorway (3-4 years old) and seeing for the first time my 'other' grandmother. She didn't smile but I remember she had kind eyes and a glass with a straw and her bed was green metal. It was our only meeting from that doorway...no words exchanged, within days I became her last granddaughter. Over the years I wondered many times what it would have been like to have known her. I have her chin, nose and eyes and when I was young and wild, I was told "I was just like my grandmother!' I was also told she owned a laundry in the early 1900's and did beautiful handwork and crochet.
The blue piece measures approx. 12"x12", cloth trim, photo of a paper mache' prayer bowl of mine, paper collage, cheese cloth and acrylic. The red/orange piece is 12"x12" and focuses on an old Norwegian design...I cut this design into a rubber stencil, cheese cloth, acrylic and I used a Vaseline resist for the gray acrylic.
these are stunning!, evocative images,
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rememberings of your grandmother and how to SEE her in yourself..
This entry and the artwork hit me in a soft spot. It took me back to time with my own grandmother. I love the 'old and tattered' look because it speaks of time...of connections,....of rebirthing and much more. Thank you for a thought provoking blog.
ReplyDeleteThese are so attractive - especially the blue. I wish I had your ability to arrange shapes in a square/rectangle. I'd love to see you working.
ReplyDeletewonderful beginnings to autumn artworks. So sorry you never knew your wild grandma.
ReplyDeletei tried vaseline resist the other day and ended up with a mess. Will have to try again.
Nice! I especially like the blue piece.
ReplyDeleteWhat was her name?
ReplyDeletelooking at the work and your words i longed to know her name
Beautiful images
and a lingering one you gave me about a little girl and a grandmother meeting
lovely
and did I tell you how nice your new photo is? I did..well..I just told you again
great pieces, the blue one is really wonderfully textured and just sings to me. what a poignant remembrance of your grandmother, and thoughtful reflection of of her in yourself.
ReplyDeleteLove the colours in the orange piece. It reminds me of the repeat designs on Indonesian fabrics.
ReplyDeleteOh the Blue piece is so stunning!I enlarged it and am intrigued. Lovely texture and very mysterious.
ReplyDeleteI like these very much! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletethe blue piece is just wonderful - it looks like part of an old fresco - enjoyed the story about your grandmother xxo
ReplyDeletei like both, a rich random elegance like strips of dna to the orange'fire piece.
ReplyDeleteits just amazing how we have such vivid memories of standing in doorways as children. i can remember such details of childhood its sometimes as if i am standing there, again.
wild thing! ; )
Beautiful post Maryanne...
ReplyDeletethe works are wonderful but i cant quite get past the one on the right...it sings out to me... it absorbs my gaze...i am drawn in and I like it very much!
...when you describe the green metal bed...oh my...what a distilled image... Loely to read of this grandmother and so sad you missed actually knowing her...but there's a lot of knowing of her in tis post!
just lovely!
S
She had a laundry... :-) The art is amazing and I love them both but I'm such a word person that your writing always touches me. The fact that you have the image of the straw in the bedside glass - I can see it now.
ReplyDeleteBoth of the paintings are wonderful and the story is terrific. Don't you love to find stories of your independent women forebearers? Oh, I do, I do. And to honor them is this way is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteNeva, I am smiling...thank you so much! evocative...really?
ReplyDeleteZappha, We have heart wrapped around grandparents and memories...glad my experience and work touched you in that way!
bridget,We are all in our studios creating...placing our colors, shapes...pretty exciting stuff.
Suki, Thank you..I have two large ones to begin to finish the autumn series.
Try the vaseline again...maybe longer to let the paint dry.
Willow, Thank you...I especially like your new photo...love the hat!
Suz, Her name was Carrie Holum before she married my grandfather and then she had 10 children and then she left him for dancing and fun!
When I was little, children were not allowed in hospital rooms...sad.
LDT, Thank you...the blue piece is my favorite too!
Annie, A friend saw a Native American influence, another Chinese and now Indonesian...maybe it is the colors.
Robyn, Glad you like it and I was going for found mystery...thank you.
Annell, The sharing on this blog is so important to my art making...a spirit lifter to share.
Jeane, Glad you like the blue piece...always love using cheesecloth! Our stories are important to share.
Such a poignant story Mary Ann. A brief touch with family history and memories. Your work reflects the feelings beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThis stream of consciousness goes very deep..such powerful memories..and how wonderful that you wound up doing such beautiful art!
ReplyDeletemansuetude, I so love your take on the dna of the orange piece. Thank you.
ReplyDeletesophie, I've reread each word of your comment...thank you.
SKIZO, Good to see your icon and I appreciate your comment!
Karen, I actually have a photo of the laundry...absolutely bleak...a building in the middle of nowhere!
Pat, I feel connected to this grandmother...not sure about her independence as much as her wildness!
Leslie, I've held that small fragment of a moment in time all these years...nice to attribute this art to that lost connection.
Lyn, Yes, deep and powerful memories of my child's view...fuel for art making!
The blue piece really speaks to me. I have a small rug hooking I made with 3 bowls hooked from strips cut from plastic bags. Bowls, boxes, blues--a good fit. It's fascinating to read about the materials you've used in these pieces; one would never guess.
ReplyDeleteDreams and memories; oftimes difficult to differentiate but all food for reflection.
Touching post. I was also reminded of my grandmother. She made quilts out of the outdated fabric samples from my grandfather's general store. The linings were so soft. I'm guessing they were old sheets or some other salvaged material.
ReplyDeleteimagery that brings back strong family memories are powerful images.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann what a wonderful story about your remembrance of your grandmother...however short... to know you carry on her spirit within your being and with your art is divine....
ReplyDeletewonderful images and your rememberinings and wonderings touch my heart.
ReplyDeletegentle steps
It's amazing how these little moments stick in our memories and affect us later. thanks for sharing this with us. The pieces are beautiful; the blue one especially reminds me of time and memories...
ReplyDeletelouciao, I like that we share the three bowl images and with different materials...memories are good art making tools!
ReplyDeleteEva, Thank you for sharing about your grandmothers quilting. The times called for such thriftiness and still beauty was created!
Donna, So true on the subject of memories...they are important artists tools.
OTL, Isn't it fascinating how we carry all that DNA mix around with us...life+DNA!
LauraX, Glad to know my story was touching to you...always nice to hear from you.
Sharmon, The blue seems to connect with a good amount of bloggers in the area of memory...thank you.