studio notes #11
To start with the good news: remember how I mentioned in an earlier entry that I was applying for a residency with this body of work?
I got it!
This means that for the next four months I have some financial and material support to focus on this work and I am so excited about what that will make possible. As we get closer to the winter holiday season, I would normally be shifting my attention toward making production jewelry and vending at markets. Instead, I'm scaling that back in a big way and getting to prioritize my art. It feels pretty amazing.
Now onto the more tangible updates.
I got to do a little material shopping at Austin Creative Reuse (where I am doing my residency) last week and came home with a few bags of things that I think might help me fabricate some structures, along with some materials that just looked fun to work with. I'm going to try to document where these materials end up, too. I'm curious to see how many of them eventually make their way into this project.
Inspired by a few things I brought home, I made a puzzle piece necklace. I found a few large puzzle pieces in a bin of orphaned puzzle pieces and immediately thought: necklace. I collected photographs from thrift stores for years, so I cut two of them into scallop shapes to decorate the puzzle piece. I reinforced the back with some folder plastic I already had, and I'm currently adding beads around the edges.
The other necklace has barely left my body since I made it yesterday. it has a gentle pressure that’s quite comforting. It's made from a shoulder pad, some needlework fabric, etched folder plastic to look like a mushroom called angel wing, and a ribbon that originally bundled some dishrags we received as a gift.
I've also been researching slime molds, and I am really getting into the idea of slime molds and other nutrient recyclers as a possible way of thinking about processing grief. I don't know exactly where that idea is going yet, but I keep coming back to it. Also, slime molds are just stunning.
So that's where things stand this week. A residency, a lot of new materials, two necklaces, and another organism making its way into the project.
