Tuesday, July 23, 2013

My Innermost Being. . .

I have finally finished her, my "Psalms 139 Lady".
About 10 days ago I started on this lovely lady, and just this morning I finished her. I honestly thought I would be finished the weekend I started her, but "life" happened and I couldn't get her finished. But I am super pleased to have her off of my work table and standing up straight so I could introduce her to you all.
Here she is. . .  
 
 She is made on a modeling paste base inside a 13"x24" galvanized metal frame. She is based on the 139th Psalm (which you can read in its entirety below), this Psalm was written by King David as a prayer to God, and what an amazing prayer it is! How I wish I could pray like David did! In this Psalm David is confident that God knows everything about him, but he asks God to “dig deeper”. He just wanted to please God and be right with God.  
I wanted to create something that made me remember that God created me and knows every minute detail about me because He loves me just as much as He loved David.

 This Lady has lots of "exposed" parts to symbolize how God knows us so intimately.
"You have searched me, Lord,  and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely"
 For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
 All of the clocks and clock parts are there to symbolize how long God has known me  and loved me -
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

 This little bottle hanging here has 2 rolled up scrolls in it.
 
 I wanted to be sure to highlight verse 14 somehow on this piece, so it got added to one of my copper plant stakes here with the numbers "139" added inside of some cogs.
 (excuse the random leaf in this picture)
You can see in the picture below that the entire 139 Psalm is the foundation for this piece - it was taken from an old family Bible I collected. 



And all of the things in her head remind me of how often God thinks about me
 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God, How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand
    when I awake, I am still with you.
There are so many things on this piece, clocks, clock works and gears of course. But there are also light bulbs, wings, flowers, crosses, keys, springs and coils. There are also guitar parts and several compasses and even a crown. Most of the items on this piece are old and rusty. But there are a few new things as well. Thank you to all of my friends out there that have been helping me collect my "junque". They have found a happy home here with my lady.
 
I hope you have enjoyed looking my Lady over - I can't wait to get some big bolts in the wall so I can hang her up. She is a little bit heavy and I wont be trusting her to a regular finishing nail!
Here is the whole Psalm for you to read if you like.
 
Till we meet again. . .
 
Psalm 139
1You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17How precious to me are your thoughts,a God! How vast is the sum of them! 18Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand - when I awake, I am still with you. 19If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! 20They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. 21Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? 22I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. 23Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Monday, July 15, 2013

More JUNQUE - Litterally and Figuratively

WOW! I have been away longer than I thought!
I have been busy with all sorts of JUNQUE. . .
Finding JUNQUE
Buying JUNQUE
Playing with JUNQUE
well, you get the idea.
Here is a bit of the JUNQUE I have been purchasing (and playing with)
 
 Tons of "watch guts" or "watch glitter as the fancy people call it.
 
 7lbs of old rusty gears and sprockets - Loving the size of these!
 
 21 different watch movements (the pix above and below are the same ones just front and back side) Aren't they sooo cool!

Okay, I am IN LOVE with these! These are big wall clock movements and I took 2 of these apart today and what a treasure trove of rusty gold inside!!!!
(Sorry Deborah - I just couldn't wait for you. But there is still another one to take apart)
I am having to get creative in my storage containers for all of my new JUNQUE - any ideas???
 
In my quest for creating more storage space I did a little (and I mean a little) cleaning in my studio. I used to be such a clean freak - not no more! Now I think cleaning is way over rated!
 The shelf above used to be black & white stripes (when this used to be the girls' playroom) and it has always bugged me in my new darker, grungier studio. So while I was cleaning I decided to give it a little facelift. BIG MISTAKE! the shelf is that dreaded fake wood that is full of my arch nemesis - formaldehyde! Of course I drilled holes in it to attach the typewriter piece and allowed all of that gas to spew out! Needless to say the shelf is no longer there and I was exiled for 3 days.
I got some of my art hung in a grouping. They used to just hang on whatever nails were left behind when this was my daughter's bedroom.

 And I finally got my metal letters painted and up off of my floor so I no longer have to move them 3 times a day to get into cabinets etc.
 The funky white canvas that looks like it doesn't belong there is actually just a spacer for the piece below. It will look super cool there when I get my class sample back.
BTW - this class is this Friday afternoon and I think there are still a couple spots available if you want to get out of the heat and have some fun!
 
Playing with JUNQUE
 
I don't usually show my pieces before they are finished BUT I wanted to give you an idea of what I am doing with all of this JUNQUE I have been collecting.
This is my latest piece entitled
"Innermost Being"
(anyhoo that is the title for now)
It is based on the 139th Psalm
 
Here she is in different stages - I think I am in love!!!
 She is a big girl - about 1'x2'. I have to laugh at the Home Depot guy that "tried" to help me this weekend. He is not familiar with me and kept telling me that I had too many supports on this metal frame. I kept explaining I was not trying to support anything, but was trying to figure out how I wanted it to look. He finally gave up and asked to see it when I was finished.
 I really wish I could make this light bulb work! It is sitting in one of those lovely rusty sprockets I bought.

 Lots of gears and other clock parts on this fine lady. . .

 And even the whole 139th Psalm straight out of one of the big Bibles I have collected.
 
So this is sorta what I have been up to - this and a billion other things. I have to get back to my lady friend - she is anxious to be done!
Have a GREAT week and take some time to have and spread some joy!!!!
till we meet again. . .