Jan 4, 2013

Zoning out and Framing in.

Collaging the cover of my 2013 diary.
My humming-bird girl is humming a tune.
A Happy New year to you all!
  2012 Saw me without a little diary to jot down important dates or places I had to be, at a certain time.
 It felt a bit chaotic in hindsight, so this year the little notebook is back. I also want to keep track of what and how much I make. I forget that sometimes, and it is uplifting to see what you have accomplished. 

 However, those little commercial, plastic covered diaries are very boring to look at. So the first couple of days of this New Year when I had a bit of time, I played with old magazines and colours and glue. Totally zoned out everything, did not listen to the news even.  
 And I do usually like to keep up to date with the world. When I turned the news back on yesterday I realized I had missed out on hearing about murders and assaults, and very stupid drunk people and mysterious fiscal cliffs, with people talking and yet not achieving anything...
Glad I zoned out...
Working in miniature this time.
 I have been doing those collages the size of a fashion magazine page, but this time I had to find little pictures. Her dress skirt was a picture of a crystal goblet. And the clouds were pictures of paper lanterns.
The collages I did last year, have all had words added to them and a layer of glaze paste. This dries up matt, making all the different papers look the same, since some were glossy and others not.
 And it is a good protective layer too.

These words seemed right.
 Treasure Hunt Showcase.


I got more than I bargained for.
Yesterday I popped into town for a walk, and visited one of the only opshops open around this time of the year. Apparently they get lots of cruise-ship tourists in! Who would have thought; you go on a cruise and you visit the opshops in port, hilarious!
We get a lot of cruise ships in Napier now, a lot of Australians and Americans too.

Anyway, I was looking for some frames, as I have 3 things to frame. I took my measurements, but nothing much in the shop. I mentioned it to the op-shop-keeper ( who is always full of jokes) and he said I could have a look in the back, if I bought a hundred... So I got to have a look there. 
Wow!... lots of different rooms , all dedicated to different things, 1 whole room full of discarded toys.
I know that they run a scheme for people who suddenly find themselves in strife or without a roof, clothing, furniture, food even. Lots of ladies were milling about sorting things.
And there were 5 boxes full of frames, with or without glass or pictures. I started sorting through, measuring tape at hand. Found some gorgeous little ones, quite old, with decorative frames, one in Art Nouveau style and a white plaster one, and....then I get a shock!...; snowdrops painted by my Mum.
I went all hot and cold at the same time. 
I hadn't expected to still come across something from Mum after 6 years. 
 Maybe my Dad had donated some more things last year before he left for Thailand.
 I think of both my Mums a lot, but I haven't devoted a particular time of the year to it.
 But sometimes grief hits you totally unexpected.

I took the little painting home of course. 
Actually, I bought 8 frames.
 Not a hundred though.

Kitschy gold frame and faded roses print overhaul.
 A while ago I had come across an embroidery tapestry kit, that had never been made. It dated from the early 1970's. I wanted to give it to my eldest, since it looked really Frankie magazine style, which she adores. But of course in my usual way I didn't explain myself properly, and she looked a bit uncomfortable; she thought I wanted her to make the embroidery. Hahaha!
Nono, I said, I want to frame it as is, with a nice colour frame.
Relief on her face!!

So one of the kitschy frames was a fake gold, no glass. Yesterday afternoon I cleaned it, gesso-ed it, painted it in Resenes' "scandal" blue. ( I love test-pots.)
My favourite colour blue!
I trimmed the tapestry canvas, glued it down by the corners on the black painted background. And popped it in the frame.
 Now I am just wondering, did I replace kitsch with other kitsch......?

1970's Embroidery tapestry without the embroidery.