"Cracked glass brings you luck", or so says the theme for this week's Saturday's Workout!
Here's one more page in my funky/chunky journal. The face, arms, yo yo body, and words, are from Sandra Evertson's book, Fanciful Paper Projects, and the clown's face is from Dover. The spring is unmounted rubber from StampFrancisco, and the rest of the doodles and outlines were done with a black superfine Pitt pen. I separated shards of mica leftover from other projects and attached them to the large face with Diamond Glaze for the cracked-glass look. The background is acrylic, and once again, I am very pleased with the way this page harmonizes with the other pages which show behind.
This is not another "puppet" piece, at least not in sense in which it was created. Rather than being controlled by a puppeteer, the little clown is loosely attached to it's mother, whose open hand, rather than tightly clenched fist, suggests that her strings are guiding and protective rather than domineering. The happy little clown with his outstretched arms is eager to meet the world, and the mother definitely has a spring in her step, as well as her coiled spine, which can bend flexibly to whatever a day brings. Her arms are wide open, her face is serene, and the cracked glass does not indicate that something is "shattered", because her face is completely in-tact. But rather, it illustrates the facets of herself that she eagerly shares with the world. It is the best of motherhood and childhood, and since all artwork is in one way or another autobiographical, without prior intention for this piece on my part, it does accurately describe my mother and my fortunate relationship with her as a child, who was kept safe, but always given enough rope to move freely and breathe the fresh air.
Have a wonderful day, Everyone!
Love it, looks really funky!
Posted by: Hermine | October 18, 2008 at 01:44 PM
wow, that looks really wonderful!
Posted by: ilonka | October 18, 2008 at 03:01 PM
It looks great, Barbara!
Posted by: Willy | October 18, 2008 at 03:59 PM
Gorgeous, colourful piece!
Posted by: astrid | October 18, 2008 at 04:12 PM
Wow! What a jubilant page. I was a little too intimidated to try anything with broken glass, but you pulled it off magically. I love ths whimsy here: the marionette head and the zetti legs...it is dreamy!.
Posted by: Katherine McCullen | October 18, 2008 at 04:19 PM
How delightful. This is really fantastic. Loved the journaling with the piece.
Posted by: faye | October 18, 2008 at 05:37 PM
Barbara, It is Funk-tastic. I loooooove it.
Nancy
Posted by: Nancy | October 18, 2008 at 08:02 PM
Wow Barbara this is stunning.
Unbelievable work. Love them.
Thanks for this brilliant entry to SaWo.
Posted by: Sandy | October 19, 2008 at 12:51 AM
it looks great and lovely colors
Posted by: anneke | October 19, 2008 at 04:56 AM
wow a lot went into this, love the way you used the mica and your doodles.
Posted by: Barbara | October 19, 2008 at 06:24 AM
Great page and wow on the technique used to create the cracked face
TFS
Posted by: Carol | October 19, 2008 at 09:59 AM
Wow, das kann ich gar nicht auf englisch ausdrücken - so toll find ich das...ich bin überwältigt!!
LG, Heike
Posted by: Heike | October 19, 2008 at 11:18 AM
You weave such depth of thinking into your pieces. I love just stopping to read what you have to say about your creative process because I learn so much about in and about you! This is a brilliant piece.
Posted by: Heather Robinson | October 19, 2008 at 03:53 PM
Fun Zetty piece. Love it.
Posted by: Char | October 19, 2008 at 04:04 PM
I am so glad I popped over or I'd have missed this marvellous chunky page! How wonderfully symbolic - do you set out to construct like that or does your muse take you to that place? Either way, it's an absolute triumph in colour and design - LOVE it!
Posted by: Rosie | October 21, 2008 at 02:42 AM
This is absolutely stunning hun well done xxxx
Posted by: carolann | October 21, 2008 at 08:52 AM