M n' M TLC

Pray tell, what is this ... thing?

Why, just an utterly useless piece of plastic junk.

Or rather, it would be -- except that I have every intention of giving it second life as ... yet another F.A.P. (Future Art Project).

I had written about this M n' M candy dispenser thingy in a previous post (http://tinyurl.com/66rddz). From whence it came and why we would even have such a thing in our possession I can no longer recall (though I'm certain it involves the kiddos). In any case, it was one of the numerous objects of zero worth taking up more than their fair share of space upon which I came across cleaning our basement earlier this summer.

Given it's shape and rigidity, I think it will make a wonderfully lightweight and sturdy internal armature for a future papier mache project. Rather 'head, neck and shoulders-ish' already in design, or so it seems to me. Furthermore, the perfectly rounded shape of the globe top brings to my mind a pumpkin, or perhaps the moon or some such -- hmmm, might a Halloween theme be in order here?

Mirror, Mirror (Someday) on the Wall....

Yet another future project....

I recently found this mirror put out upon a neighborhood curbside, free for the taking..., and... take it I did (indeed, I've been known to dumpster dive, as well as curb crawl. Scavenger!)....

The mirror is actually a door -- I believe it was part of a medicine cabinet or some such? I really liked the wide wood framing around the mirrored part of the door when I saw it-- immediately I had the idea in mind for adding some sort of 3 dimensional sculptural elements. The actual door framing may have potential as well. In any case I've removed the door from the door framing -- and it's my intention to use both the mirror, as well as the door framing (more shadowbox action?), in separate future projects....

ShadowBoxing...

This resembles a whole lotta nothin', doesn't it?

Definitely not much to look at this point -- although it's actually the framing (9" x 5" x 13") from the dead radio found in my basement when cleaning (as aforementioned in a previous post), and from which I'm hoping to give second life as some sort of cool and utterly fascinating shadowbox-ish thingie, mmm-hmmm (crosses fingers)....

A few weeks ago I finished cleaning up the framing and fleshing out all sides a bit with leftover thin shavings of wood (salvaged from a recent wood working project of my husband's). Currently it's getting the preliminary papier mache treatment. Wish I could have taken a photo prior to all the prep work (talk about 'making something from nothing' -s- doesn't get much more 'nothing' than what it was to start with), but my camera was broken until recently so this has to do as the 'before' picture....

Beetlebird.com

http://www.beetlebird.com/

I stumbled across the above site recently (I believe it was through the Wet Canvas (http://www.wetcanvas.com/) message boards). As far as I can tell it seems to be free to both list and sell art through the site. And while it doesn't appear to be radically active so far? I suppose there is always the potential for it to grow,develop and prosper. Still checking the site out -- but if anything, the name "Beetlebird" makes me smile, so I went ahead and registered for an account: http://www.beetlebird.com/artistgallery.php?name_usr=ArtofPatience

A View 'From the Wings'

I've just entered this painting into EBSQ's August show 'Welcome to the Theatre' (
http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_690_profile_shows__1_1_G.htm). It's an existing, older painting from a number of years ago -- and while I do make the effort to try to create new pieces for these monthly shows whenever I can, I felt this particular one just really fit the show's prospectus (http://www.ebsqart.com/ArtShows/sh_180.htm) ....

"Naughty" Nude (or, "Art UNwanted")...

A number of years ago when it was still relatively new, I signed on for a free account with Artwanted.com, an online art community (http://www.artwanted.com/artist.cfm?ArtID=14973) like so many others that have popped up on the 'net. Though I never did get terribly involved over there, I have maintained a bio/portfolio hosted through the site, updating it from time to time (albeit very sporadically).

The other day however, I uploaded my new little bas-relief nude to my portfolio, without thinking much about it -- only to be informed within a few hours by the site moderators that they were removing it due to its 'unsuitable content' (rolls eyes). Please. I personally think the human body is beautiful in all its forms and guess I just take nudity in art for granted, because I was surprised, if not a little irked, by the reaction. What legitimate and credible art establishment worth its salt cannot tolerate a little nudity within the context of art? I forget that people can be so easily offended I guess. As if nudity equates pornography -- a total non-issue for me, and an attitude I really can't personally abide. In fact the whole matter strikes me as so very Bourgeois I'm now reconsidering even bothering to keep my portfolio open over there. Eh....

At any rate, this experience does remind me to be grateful and appreciative that EBSQ and Papier Mache Resource do not share the same arcane and prudish attitude/policies....