crown

Assemblage. Sigh.
How enticing!
But how?
What?
How?
With what?
How?
Flitter, how?!

The bug crawled in during the mentorship week in Naramata. Like street art (more on later), it's been simmering for a while, but when I saw Susan's work in person, the need to poke into it got under my skin.

I've always had a collection of found objects somewhere (ok, in many places) in my studio. Pieces have found their way into paintings and, happily, into collectors' lives. Even then I was careful with liberty, for a strangely - or worse, unworthy - placed addition on a 2 dimensional plane is just so wrong to me. The question: "Is it wanted?" had to be a answered with an absolute #%^* yes! Naturally, when it came to grabbing that skinny tall box and running into the studio with my headsetonfirebyalltheburningideas, the same question bubbled up. Only this time, it wasn't about one object or idea added into a project. This time, the whole thing was a question.

Because it was unfamiliar. Because it had so many components - yeah, that is a piece of my shattered thermostat in there and I so wanted to include the mercury but not this time. Because I had to find skills I didn't know I needed. Because I was almost as intimidated as I was excited. Almost. Because sometimes, there is no choice.

"Crown", assemblage, 3 x 30 inches, 1.5 inches deep, found objects, paint, silver leaf & resin. 
Above, complete project. Right, detail


Check out Susan McCarrell's work here