Wall Hangings

Wall Sculpture :: For the Roses

Karen

The Wall Sculpture :: For the Roses was the second wall sculpture that I made. I had picked up that book for some reason before the concept of hanging altered books entered my mind. When I was looking for books to work with, the title immediately made me think of roses blooming on the page. I cut the center sections out and then painted the back sides of the pages in darkening degrees of pink. I cut out little star shapes and folded them back, which created the the roses. My sister says they look like stars, but I see roses. I cut and folded pages of the book for the vines that I wove in and out of the pages before I glued them shut. I really like the way this book looks on the wall.

I’m working on another flower-themed wall hanging right now called Anatomy of Paradise. It’s taking me a while to get it finished because I have to keep leaving home to take care of my mom. I have a hard time working on a project if I can’t stick with it over time. I like to just sit down, start, and then work and work until it gets done. If I have to put it down and pick it up, I get frustrated; I lose my rhythm. So right now the vines and leaves and blossoms for this altered book are lying all over my work space and have been for about three weeks. I can’t seem to sit down and continue working cause when I get back from my parents’ house, I have so much to catch-up with at home. I thought this summer I would really be able to focus and create. It’s just not turning out the way I had imagined.

Contemporary Wall Decor :: Stone Heart

Karen

Contemporary Wall Decor :: Stone Heart

I just added Contemporary Wall Decor :: Stone Heart to my Wall Hangings Gallery. It’s very dark– makes me think of broken love or wearing your heart outside on your sleeve or looking inside a chest that’s been cracked open during surgery. Two very shiny paper hearts are suspended inside dark and silver niches.

Maybe I’m thinking dark thoughts because I’m listening to Bonnie Raitt’s great song “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” which has got to be one of the prettiest sad songs ever written. Bruce Hornsby is playing the piano; Bonnie’s singing in that smooth, sultry voice of hers. Just makes me want to have a shot of tequila or something.

Here’s a little poem I thought up while I was waiting for my son at the mall the other day.

Spilling Over
Everything is spilling over
The girl’s breasts are spilling out
of her too-tight bra
and low-scooped shirt.
The man’s gut is spilling over
his silver belt buckle
and low slung denims.
The goth girl’s thighs
are spilling out of the rips
in her black fishnet stockings.
The teenage boy’s striped boxers
and butt are spilling out
of his sagging bagging pants.
The top of that woman’s feet
are spilling out of her strappy
spikey little sandals.
The teenager’s belly is spilling
out from below her tanky top
and over hip hugger jeans.
And I just stand here, watching,
wanting to stuff everything
back in where it belongs.

Wall Hangings Added to My Web Site

Karen

Today I finally finished adding the new Wall Hangings Gallery to Karen’s Whimsy. I started making these book sculptures almost a year ago, and showed them for the first time at the Bay Area Book Arts Jam last October. I sold my first one there; it’s still one of my favorites. It was called Earth Source and was made from an old Reader’s Digest book. It was a gold green color and had all these paper strips spilling out from it. I was so excited when it sold because it validated my own feelings for that book, reassuring me that I wasn’t crazy, that it was something special. I never even got a chance to photograph it, but it’s still clear in my mind, and I hope to make another one like it soon.

I really enjoy making these book sculptures because I can just let my imagination go crazy. I just got a bunch of books at the library book sale to use for some of these, and one of them is almost finished. It’s called Stone Heart, and I’ll probably finish making it tonight.

I was happy with the way my latest one, Dream Weaver turned out. It’s really colorful and crisp looking. I had originally intended to have the colored strips weave across the page from left to right instead of from top to bottom. Somewhere along the way I changed my mind, but I think it turned out fine. Maybe I’ll do a second similar one with the weaving going the other way just to see how it turns out. However, I’ll have to wait for a book with the right title to float in my direction.