The Music Maker This full size violin has 9 "baby" violins. Like the Storyteller dolls of the Southwest, it is telling a musical story to them. The small violin in front is holding a violin "doll" and the baby in the cradleboard on the back has a music blanket. The base is collaged with music and musical terms. The tie and shoes are red--everything else is black and white. This is the piece which I used for my invitation.
Back of The Music Maker The cradle board uses small violin bows for the posts, music fabric for the blanket, and a tiny violin as the baby.
The Music Maker in the show setting. Red tag means "SOLD".
The Springfield Alphabet This is an alphabet done on 6" by 6" canvases. I used prairie colors: blue for sky and water, yellow for sun and corn, red for barns and bricks, green for trees and plants, brown for the rich soil. Each of the images are created on road maps since Springfield is in the center of the nation. Each of the 26 images represents some aspect of life in Springfield. See them more closely in the Springfield Alphabet album.
I arranged the alphabet by color, blue for sky, yellow for sun, red for bricks & barns, green for grass, brown for soil. The weather (at the side) has 4 of the colors for the 4 seasons.
The cow chair with ears, tail & udder.
Got Milk?
Overview with the two chairs, the Music Maker, Springfield alphabet, Orpheum and others in the background.
Wizard of Oz Chair [Collage/assemblage] There’s No Place Like Home, our show’s title, made me think of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin-man, and Cowardly Lion. I thought that a chair would be a fun canvas for my assemblage. The collaged images of the main characters are based on the original pictures from the 1900 L. Frank Baum book, illustrated by W. W. Denslow. I included an item from each of the main characters—the tin-man’s funnel hat, the scarecrow’s gloves stuffed with straw, the lion’s tail, the witch’s feet, and Dorothy’s slippers. In the book the slippers are silver, but were changed to ruby by MGM, probably to show up better on the Yellow Brick Road. So I used ruby shoes since that is what everyone remembers. The Emerald City, the Yellow Brick Road, and the heart’s desire of each character complete this piece.
Close up of the back of the Wizard of Oz chair The characters are taken from the L. Frank Baum book, not the MGM movie. Yes, the lion's mane looked like a big chocolate chip. The Emerald City is green shiny paper.
A Man's Home is his Castle altered Camelot game board; one of my Lincoln's Hat altered books, a memory box (altered cigar box) and Memories of Grandma's house (on wall above memory box).
Memories of Grandma's House, Memory Box, Lincoln's Hat, Keys to Happiness quote box, Arthur Adams Antique Store, Springfield (Lincoln) plaque, and School Days shadow box.
Another view of Memory wall
The Homestead [Wood burning/collage] Many generations know the family homestead, although they may see it from differing viewpoints. The home is there as a stable foundation for our lives. We may have grown up in the house or simply visited for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners, but it was where family got together. The home has seen our joy and our pain and it endures. There’s no place like home.
A Man's Home is His Castle Altered Camelot game board begins with the castle image and the knight--first lady in Medieval garb holding baked chicken on platter, then in Elizabethan garb, then in late 1700s dress, 19th century dress, Civil War era dress, 1930s dress (each one holding baked chicken) and finally the present day woman in Capris, Born to Shop t-shirt holding a bucket of KFC.
The Orpheum It has been 42 years and one of the biggest regrets voiced by people in Springfield is that the Orpheum Theater was torn down. It was a grand building which housed a ballroom and pool hall, as well as the theater. My father told me about going to see vaudeville acts at the Orpheum when he was a boy. On one occasion his younger brother was given a rabbit during an Abbot and Costello skit. Dad’s father was an iceman for C.I.P.S. and delivered ice to cool the theater during summer months. My rendition of the Orpheum shows vaudeville acts (note Bing, Jack, and George) on its stages. The exterior is covered with glass tiles on which I have embossed designs with metallic powders and grouted the tiles with gold glitter glue. I was not striving for an exact representation of the building, but to show its grandeur.
Eda Mae Shaffer was the other featured artist (watercolor). She wanted our things to be mixed, so two of my Springfield plaque collages are below her paintings.
Eda Mae Shaffer's florals with one of my Springfield plaques and a Memory Box on a shelf to the left.
An Altered Bowl of Fruit When is a bowl of fruit not simply a bowl of fruit? When it is a bowl of altered fruit books! Each piece of fruit opens to show an accordion-fold set of pages which alternate recipes with poems or quotations. The hardest part of creating these pieces was finding recipes that fit in the tiny spaces (and finding poems about bananas and oranges)!
The City of God Several months ago we sang City of God at church. At the time I had a strong feeling that I should illustrate this image. The idea has persisted for several months. My city is bright and light-filled. I wanted to have the buildings shine. And I sincerely hope that the city of God is my final home. This is the song by Daniel Schutte which inspired the piece: Awake from your slumber! Arise from your sleep! A new day is dawning for all those who weep. The people in darkness have seen a great light. The Lord of our longing has conquered the night. Blessed Sacrament Church [above] shows images of my home church.
The City of God This collage is created with lots of handmade paper--many textures, metallic sheens, and lots of architectural styles. I was sorry when it sold on opening night. It is so bright and cheerful that I had hoped to keep it.
Blessed Sacrament Blessed Sacrament is my spiritual home; it has been my parish since 1981. So I had to include my church for this show on home. The City of God [below] is a collage with a lot of shimmer. It is about 6 feet long. Two Lincoln's Hat books on shelves.
Blessed Sacrament [Acrylic, watercolor, pen] Blessed Sacrament is my spiritual home; it has been my parish since 1981. So I had to include my church for this retrospective on home. Blessed Sacrament is now lit at night and looks very different than it does in daylight. The colors of the building are warmer and architectural elements, unnoticed by day, pop our. So I painted the church lit at night. The angel on the left side is one of my favorites—one of four Herald Angels which flank the two rose windows. The two small canvases on the right depict one of the rose windows and a symbol of the Holy Trinity which is above the doorway of the sacristy. The gold designs represent elements which are repeated throughout the church.
Dreamers of Dreams [Collage/assemblage] Tambourines make me think of gypsy dancers. I found the wonderful quote which seemed to be perfect for the romanticized notion of a wandering gypsy life. "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams. Wandering by lone sea breakers, and sitting by desolate streams. World losers and world forsakers, for whom the pale moon gleams." [Arthur O’Shaunessey]
Heavenly Music [Collage/Assemblage/Watercolor] I bought the banjo at a yard sale and about a year later found the wonderful image of the banjo player on a vintage sheet music cover. The cover picture has black and white stars so I carried them up the neck of the banjo and added the moon and more stars to bring out the celestial image. It is indeed “Heavenly Music.”
Childhood Memories #1 [Collage/Assemblage] Where is home? Home is in our memories of childhood. Memories of long summer days—sitting in the apple tree reading—roller skating down the hill, thrilled and terrified, wondering how to stop—eating orange popsicles, the juice dribbling down our chins—playing hide ‘n seek or red rover as the dusk turned to evening—catching fireflies and putting them in jars to make a lantern before releasing them—walking to Ben Franklin or the small corner grocery with a nickel or a dime—buying penny candy, licorice whips, wax lips, chocolate drops, and getting small bottles of Coke or Orange Crush dipped from icy water in the old soda box—having sidewalk parades with our pets, wagons, and bikes—playing cowboys and Indians—going on picnics on the 4th of July, lighting firecrackers, sparklers, and “snakes.” These were the days when we kept our treasures in cigar boxes hidden in a drawer or under the bed. I hope that this Assemblage brings back memories of home for you.
Lincoln's Hat book (there are 8), Childhood Memory Box, and some Springfield plaques.
Childhood Memories [Collage/Assemblage] Where is home? Home is in our memories of childhood. Memories of long summer days—sitting in the apple tree reading—roller skating down the hill, thrilled and terrified, wondering how to stop—eating orange popsicles, the juice dribbling down our chins—playing hide ‘n seek or red rover as the dusk turned to evening—catching fireflies and putting them in jars to make a lantern before releasing them—walking to Ben Franklin or the small corner grocery with a nickel or a dime—buying penny candy, licorice whips, wax lips, chocolate drops, and getting small bottles of Coke or Orange Crush dipped from icy water in the old soda box—having sidewalk parades with our pets, wagons, and bikes—playing cowboys and Indians—going on picnics on the 4th of July, lighting firecrackers, sparklers, and “snakes.” These were the days when we kept our treasures in cigar boxes hidden in a drawer or under the bed. I hope that this Assemblage brings back memories of home for you.
Childhood Memory Box This one dates from the 1940s and is geared as a boy's box.
The Family Album [Acrylic/collage] Two years ago I completed 4 Family Album collages, each with 16 photos, designed to be seen as pages of a family photo album with captions. These photos and captions became the nucleus of my Family Album greeting cards. This year I decided to take 3 of my family album members and add depth to their lives by creating an entire album page on each person. So Aunt Hattie, Uncle Alvin and Cousin Rose have their own page with 4 photos and captions. The 4th album page is devoted to some of the family pets. These vibrant collages will add instant personality to your family tree. Cards are available for these and other Family Album photos
Cousin Rose Four of my Family Album pieces, all on Cousin Rose. The purple edge is from an antique album. I use the images and the quips which I write on greeting cards.
Another view of Arthur Adam's antique store, some Lincoln's Hat books, a Keys to Happiness quotation box, a Childhood Memory Box, etc.
Arthur Adams and his antique store
A Music Wall Sarah [Sculpture] Sarah is a Blues singer. She loves to entertain her audience with her music and a pithy sense of humor. Clarinet Cutie -- Clarissa [Sculpture/assemblage] When I saw the broken clarinet, I thought of the Jazz Age. A time when music was hot, the clarinet was sending out a siren’s song which brought music lovers in droves to the clubs. This was a time of cloche hats, long necklaces, and a new sophistication for women. Clarissa is the older of the two women; she is more sophisticated and daring. Clarinet Cutie -- Violet [Sculpture/assemblage] Violet is younger and has an aura of naivety, although she is trying to copy Clarissa’s flair. The tambourines and banjo complete the theme.
Springfield plaques, Heavenly Music, Lincoln's Hat books, Dreamer of Dreams (tambourines), Sarah (blue singer) Violet and Clarissa (Clarinet cuties).
Sarah, the Blues Singer
Clarinet Cutie -- Clarissa [Sculpture/assemblage] When I saw the broken clarinet, I thought of the Jazz Age. A time when music was hot, the clarinet was sending out a siren’s song which brought music lovers in droves to the clubs. This was a time of cloche hats, long necklaces, and a new sophistication for women. Clarissa is the older of the two women; she is more sophisticated and daring.
Clarinet Cutie -- Violet [Sculpture/assemblage] Violet is younger and has an aura of naivety, although she is trying to copy Clarissa’s flair.
Clarinet Cutie -- Violet
Long Wall with 4 Family Album pieces, Roadtrip 1947, several Springfield plaques, Lincoln's Hat book, and Childhood Memory box.
An Altered Mannikin This is the piece that I made for the artist's raffle. I stamped designs on tissue paper and collaged them to the wooden figure, then coated all with varnish.
Grandson Rylan Irwin came to my opening.
Oldest grandson, Ian Bishop, {tallest}, his friends Timmy Vogt and Carrie Dahlkamp, at my opening.
My daughter, Sarah, her husband Nate and son Rylan Irwin, at my opening.
Katherine Pippin Pauley and husband Ed Pauley at the opening night party.
