Part 2. People:
A favorite aspect of my art is incorporating objects that people give me. They become part of the art piece just as much as the component they contributed. Additionally, people teach me new skills and lend me tools to apply to my art pieces.
This art piece incorporates materials / techniques from 8+ people, a new world record!
1. Cardboard Tube: Tore Bellis gave this to me – it’s from his brief stint working at Home Depot.
2. Wax paper (wrapped around carboard tube): Paulette Lyman gave me a long roll of translucent paper. I wrote the word “inexplicable” all over the paper.
3. Gelli printing techniques: Visual Art League of Lewisville member, Crystal Nelson, was a guest speaker in one of our monthly meetings. She rejuvenated my interest in gelli printing techniques when she demonstrated her skills. After writing “Inexplicable” on the translucent paper, I applied gelli printing with colorful paints to the back of the paper.
View of the translucent paper held up to the light. It’s a colorful mess! And rest assured, Crystal’s techniques are considerably more advanced.
4. Styrofoam cutter: Tore Bellis lent me his Styrofoam cutter to cut a custom-sized circle to fit inside the cardboard tube. It adds structural support to the piece and also fulfilled my goal of using Styrofoam. I also cut a piece of Styrofoam to help secure the slinky inside the foot.
5. All-thread rod: Tore Bellis introduced me to this material. For those unfamiliar, picture a long metal rod that looks like a screw without the head on top. (Or put simply, a long, threaded rod). The rods come in different widths and can be trimmed with the right tools. To hold them in place you can attach nuts, wing nuts or acorn nuts – all of which I used in this piece! The rod goes from the foot down the cardboard tube through the cigar box and in to the metal gear. An acorn nut is securing the rod in to the gear.
6. Slinky: a prize in a birthday goody bag I received from friends, Kathryn Rebecca Ikle and Andrew Leff. The image below shows the steps I took to spray paint the slinky AFTER I attached it. (It was clearly an afterthought and a risk!)
7. “Rondells”: Tore Bellis made up the name, “Rondell” to describe the spirals. My mom taught me how to hand sew these spirals made of cording. They are also based on the techniques for making baskets. The rondells cover the top opening of the mannequin foot. It was serendipity they are the right color for the piece.
8. Decorative paper: a business associate, Terri Gibbs, discovered I’m an artist. She gave me a pile of delicious decorative paper. I cut strips of the textured white paper and added gold foil. I used glue to stiffen the paper and draped it on the foot to create a ribbon/shoe lace effect.
9. Peppermill: My aunt Jennifer gave me a broken peppermill. I took it apart and used the components to make two dolls. Miss Sally Spring, featured in this piece, has the wooden portion of the peppermill as her body.
10. Assorted metal objects: My aunt Carmen and cousins gathered bucket loads of wonderful metal objects from their land in New Mexico for me to use in my art. The large (and heavy) gear, the metal base for the doll and the doll’s hat are all contributions from Team New Mexico.
The gear’s weight is balancing the entire art piece!
Part 3. Materials:
I’ve touched on most of the items used in the piece. Here are details on the remaining components:
Doll head: I purchased it from Curiosities in Dallas, it is most likely a Madame Alexander doll. The original plan was to have the doll inside the cigar box. I initially auditioned a brunette for the role. Then I switched to the blonde, but she didn’t fit the space.
I assured the doll she’d be used for a future art piece. But the doll was very… persuasive. I realized she needed to be the star of the show by being outside of the cigar box and holding the slinky…. Obviously!
The idea would not have worked had it not been for the metal “hat” I found among the objects my aunt/cousins gave me. It’s bent perfectly in the shape of a cowboy hat, fits the doll’s head and is the perfect diameter for the spring. What are the odds? I drilled a hole in the doll’s head (the price of beauty) and secured the metal hat.
Cigar Box: I purchased the cigar box from a tobacco shop in Grapevine, Texas. But why was I in Grapevine? I was viewing art by my friends, Lisa Chittenden, Steven Rodriguez, Tina Alvarez and Jose Angel Hernandez. Without their art on display, I wouldn’t have discovered the art gallery or the tobacco shop with mountains of empty cigar boxes waiting for me to snatch up!
Fishing float: I found this somewhat broken fishing float at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. It’s perfect for the doll’s body and I removed trash from the wildlife refuge.
Machine embroidered hand: I traced my hand, shrunk it down and converted it into a machine embroidered hand. The fingers have wire inside so they can bend. It was pure luck the fabric coordinates with the cardboard tube. (I have a pile of pre-made machine embroidered hands for every occasion. But who doesn’t? Ha!)
Mannequin foot: The foot is from Dillard’s of Collin Creek Mall in Plano. Dillard’s was closing and I snatched up quite a few mannequin parts. A few years later Collin Creek Mall was demolished. I have been holding the mannequin parts for just the right occasion.
The foot is manufactured hollow but is weighted at the base with ball bearings. (I discovered the ball bearings when I drilled the foot). A layer of Great Stuff foam holds the ball bearings in place.
Combine all the pieces over a period of years and voila! “Inexplicable” is made!
Perhaps you have random objects that need repurposing. Give it a try. You might discover an inner artist. The entire process is playing, experimenting and problem-solving. Helpful tools include a drill, all-thread, nuts and a variety of heavy-duty glues. The rest is your imagination and willingness to try.
Or… if you like Inexplicable, it can be yours! It is available for purchase and it is guaranteed to become a conversation piece.
Fresh Ideas Exhibit dates: July 15 – August 19
Location: Lewisville Grand Theater, in Lewisville TX
Learn more about the Visual Art League of Lewisville here.
big bertha's adventures 
Muy fabuloso, mi amiga!
Gracias, Crystal! 🙂