FOUND OBJECTS - BEAUTIFUL ART

What draws us to to take an unusual object, study it, turn it over in our hands and then decide to create a majical piece of art from it? For me personally it is many things. The desire to keep a little piece of history close to my heart, my own experiences from being in the antique business since I was a young teen, and the need to create above and beyond the norm.

If I had to describe myself as a kid, I'd call myself a "Practical Dreamer". Growing up as a latch-key kid, I had more freedom then most of the children I grew up with. Practicality came in handy when my single mother needed for us to understand that money did not grow on trees, that we were responsible to make some of our own meals, do our homework and get ourselves to bed. The dreamer in me was always one step behind the responsible me, almost like a bit of a shadow that only I could see. I wrote stories, sang, acted in plays, sketched and painted. As a teen I began to understand how to somewhat merge the two together. I had my first job at a radio station when I was 14, as I needed to keep up with the latest fashions! (how practical!) About the same time, my mother began an antique business, and I was always at her side searching for treasures. I began to hunt for wooden objects that I could paint and sell along side her at the flea markets and shows. In order to feed that hungry shadow that was always lingering and calling to me to come and read a book or paint a masterpiece, I made do with what was most apparent in my life at the time.... junk, found objects, cast-offs and thrift store finds. I have to laugh a bit when I think of those first found-object creations. Derived from the mid 80's they were mostly lazy-suzans painted country blue with geese stenciled on them!

As an adult, I think I've finally turned the "Practical" and the "Dreamer" into one soul. I call on the Dreamer to help me create stories for each piece of jewelry that I make. I pour through old art catalogues, old books and the internet in search of my next story. I sort through my jars and boxes of odd objects, to find the pieces that will tell the story. Once it has been created, the Practical Gal who now knows how to be the shadow the Dreamer once was, steps forward and gets to work on promoting and selling the piece. They share me very well these days!

Though my specialty is to use the old, worn and sometimes the very unusual in my jewelry and art, I wanted to showcase others who use found objects in other ways as well. I may find my treasures at yard sales and flea markets, but there are artists in the community who find their objects of desire from the sea, the town dump, Goodwill and the family button collection. I hope you will be as inspired as I am by these wonderfully different and talented folk!

To celebrate our very first article from "She Dreams of Art" here at Indie Public, we are very lucky to have the talented author, artist and all-around JUNKSTER Susan Tuttle to share a few words of wisdom and to kick off this new column! This inspired me to call upon other Maine artists, some known, and some not so well known to tell their story.
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SUSAN TUTTLE

Susan and I met through the power of blogging a few years back, and dicovered that we lived a mere twenty minutes apart. Though we do not get together often, we have shared coffee, an art day at my house, and lucky for me, her first book project. When Susan asked me to write an article for her book, I was honored and excited to be part of this wonderful experience! When you meet Susan for the first time, you might find it hard to believe that this sweet, tiny and gentle being finds a lot of her found-objects at the dump! Susan chose to answer a couple of questions that I had asked the artists.......

~what draws you to a particular found object?

"The object has to speak to me in some way. Generally the objects that I am attracted to are weathered and worn, had a previous life and were discarded along the way. These types of objects whisper stories from the past and hold a certain energy, perhaps from the people that once owned them. I collect these old pieces not just because they add character and composition to my art, but because I want to preserve their energy and honor the objects and their previous owners by reinventing them as art.

My collection of found objects includes old photos, costume jewelry, antique buttons, lace, trim, rusty nails and auto parts, dollhouse miniatures, faux flowers and fruit, vintage sheet music, old picture frames, rulers, teacups, and more!"

~do you know right off how you will use your object, or does it come later?

"It just depends. Sometimes I go to my favorite fleamarket haunt on the lookout for a collection of found objects that I hope to incorporate into a project. If I am lucky, these objects present themselves to me and I have an "aha" moment of knowing just what to do with them. Once, while on one of these quests I found a bucket filled with old silverware. I couldn't resist their designs and darkened patina, so scooped up a bunch of the silverware. Within minutes I found an old canning jar sitting in a wire holder with a wooden handle. Immediately I thought of creating a funky carry-along for the silverware, perhaps for an old-time family picnic. I was then drawn to a box of old photos and as serendipity would have it, a 1950's photograph of a family picnic fell into my hand. It fit easily around the jar, tucked into the wire mesh of the holder. At home in my studio I added an old fabric button, some trim, white shabby paint and voila -- there it was. It was published in Somerset Life.

Other times I collect found objects just because they are beautiful to me. Initially, I have no idea how they will be used, but when the time is right they do tend to show me just what I need to do with them."

Find Susan at:
Ilka's Attic
Ilka's Attic at Etsy
her book "Exhibition 36"
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BOB MATUS

Bob, boat bulider, wood carver, lobsterman and owner of Herron Cove Wood Carvings, creates beautiful objects from found drift wood and more. Invite Bob into your backyard and you might find him pilfering a piece of maple branch that has fallen from a tree! He is lucky enough to have many friends that will drop off their wooden treasures from pine-scented forests and sandy beaches. Bob and his wife Sidney are both dear to my heart, and I feel lucky to know them.

"As a woodcarver my use of found objects fall into two categories: driftwood/weathered wood and branch wood (tree prunings, break-offs, etc.)
Since the silvery grey color and sculpted features of driftwood are so appealing my inclination is to interfere as little as possible with the beauty already present. Often the weathered shape will resemble something, a fish, a whale or some other shape....needing only a bit of shaping to help bring out the figure I see. Sometimes a knot will resemble an eye and the shape forms around this feature. I try not to impose too much detail as the unique beauty of this material has already been imparted by years of exposure to sun, sand and sea!

Branch wood is especially useful for carving spoons, ladles, spatulas and other curved objects. This is truly a case where form and function meet as the natural curves of the wood best determine how to use each piece. Where two branches form a "Y" there are often several choices on how best to proceed, whereas other branches may have just a slight curve. Through experience with similar pieces I get a sense of what I can carve from a particular piece. By following the naturally grown shape each piece is different and extremely strong....uniquely one of a kind and possesing a beauty that cannot be duplicated by working with flat lumber. Although labor intensive, I find working with this kind of material extremely rewarding!"

Find Bob at:
Heron Cove Wood Carvings
Lucky Dog Gallery in Rockland, ME.
Sisters We Three in Newburyport, MA.
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KELLIE SMITH

I reconnected with a long time Maine artist friend, Kellie Smith through our Etsy Maine Team group. I remember Kellie's old apartment filled to the brim with treasures and collections. (no wonder we connected immediately then!) We were thrilled to discover eachother in the forums, and I was even more excited to see Kellie's work! Her work is unusually clean and even contemporary in comparison to others who decoupage objects with old pages of books. Kellie's finds most of her objects to decoupage from Goodwill.

"I never quite know how the process of creating a decoupaged object will start. Sometimes it will begin with a very old book that I thumb through. It may be the feel of the paper, the size of the print or a drawing that is interesting. Or it may be the object that is the starting point...its shape, size or possible combination of covering it in some ironic or silly book pages. An example of that would be the resin deer head I created a few months ago. I found it in a thrift store for the price of $1.00 (which is my rule of thumb...pay no more that $2.00 for any object). I didn't know what to do with it, but I knew there was great potential for something cool. As soon as I got it home, I thumbed through my collection of books. And I'll tell ya, that old cookbook hopped out at me and said "Cover the deer head in venison recipes!" I know I'm onto something when I start working on an object and it cracks me up. When it strikes me as funny, smart or just odd. Another project I did was decoupage a ceramic bunny in old German text. The sweet, round shape of the bunny combined with the square shape of the German print was beautiful with interesting contrast. In that genre I have also created Lipstick on a Pig and a Holy Cow. I love words, both ironic and silly. And I love unusal, outsider art as well. I don't have a degree in anything, I can't talk much about art history, but I know for me what is inspiring, what is captivating, what makes me think creatively and connect to others. And I love the process....the gathering of an item and a book, thumbing through the pages, the smell of old paper. Reading and thinking and enjoying a very peaceful moment. Holding the object, appreciating the form, the lines and angles.I love how when glue hits paper it becomes fragile and fluid. And then the quickness of paper placement as the drying begins. Because I fully cover my items in paper, I have to allow wet parts to dry....so the process is slow, contemplative. It allows me to reflect on the text I am using and become inspired by the words I see. To be open and allow whatever needs to happen between the object and the paper to happen. Really, I'm just the labor. The process is what I remember. The end result I often forget about unless I take a photo. I have little or no attachment to what I make. But I do love the fact that no two pieces are exactly alike and that they are being bought by people who are never exactely alike either!!"

Find Kellie at:
Wordysmith
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JENNIFER ATKINS LISA

When I discovered Jennifer's jewelry at an Etsy Maine team meeting in Rockland I was blown away. Some of us from the team try to meet once a month, and we bring our pieces, and set them up on a table for trade, purchasing, and well, just a general show and tell. I photographed everyone's art that day to share on my blog, and when I started to organize the photos at home, I was once again mesmerized by the unique beauty Jenn's pieces held.

"The found objects incorporated into my art are vintage or antique mother of pearl or shell buttons. I inherited my family's collection of buttons. After lugging the boxes around for years and wondering what to DO with these buttons, I finally listened to my muse! Digging through the buttons and separating them into categories, I realized the mother of pearl and shell buttons were spectacular. Almost like little gems! I design sterling pieces that accentuate each button's lovely characteristics.

In my sketch book are pages and pages of designs waiting to come to life. For some I have a particular button in mind; others, I will find the button while I am making the piece. I organized my buttons into trays by hole numbers, diameter, color, carving, and quality. This helps when putting buttons together for a work in progress.

The buttons are definitely the focal point of my jewelry. I'm prond of the seamstresses in my family and these buttons that they shared and saved. By incorporating these buttons into a piece, I am ultimately sharing my family's heritage with my customer.

Sterling rivets securely hold the buttons to the jewelry. Occassionally I will alter the button by drilling out the button holes to accomodate a flange style rivet (essentially a tube rivet). Eventually I will add to the collection by actually sewing the butons to a piece with colorful thread.

Collections in the home are excellent resources for found object art...and there's no money involved! When incorporating my family's buttons into these jewelry pieces, the personal satisfaction and pride I experience is boundless."

Find Jennifer at:
Quench Metal Works
Quench Metal Works at Etsy
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SHE DREAMS OF ART is a new monthly column by Jessica Moreau-Berry, published right here at Indie Public. Look for new articles on the first Sunday of every month!
If you would like to be featured in future month's articles, then you can convo me here at Indie Public, or send an email to berryandco87@hotmail.com. I am looking for one to two paragraphs, a flickr link to a photo you'd like to show, and your website info.

Next month's article will be "The Very Green Artist." Article will be based on recycling everyday "throwable" items into art. Here are a few ideas you can write about:

* How long have you been making green art and when and why did you start
* Did you grow up with a green family, or is this something you have taught yourself to do?
* Where do you find your recycables that you plan on turning into art?
* How did you or do you come up with your ideas?
* Why is it important for you to continue on this artictic path with green art?
* How do you feel the community has taken to your art

REMEMBER, these are just ideas to get you started, please write what's in your heart!
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Jessica Moreau-Berry is a self-taught mixed-media artist who has been creating with vintage throwbacks since her teens. She started making jewelry in 2004 and to this day still delights in the numerous ways jewelry can be constructed from flea-market treasures. She finds her muse quite often at home and in the natural surroundings Maine has to offer. When it comes to art and being creative, she follows her own natural rythms, needs and desires and simply creates what makes her happy at that moment.
Find Jessica at:
Junque Revival
Junque Revival at Etsy
Sweetpeas
Belle Amoire Jewelry: Winter 2009 & Summer 2009