I've used hands in my art work for many years...some drawn, some painted, some collaged and then again in my bead and fiber work. My first series was 13 hand portraits done using the outlines of bead artist friends' hands. Each person graciously outlined their non-dominant hand for me and I took the outlines, reduced them by 50% and using the reduction as a pattern, traced each hand on different fabric and then beaded each hand as a "portrait" of each individual artist. You can see this series on my flickr site under, A Beader's Dozen set.
When I started the bjp for 08/09 my focus was in making the pieces larger and more 3-D than last year, but a few hands did show up in some spring and summer months.
For the last few weeks I've been pondering next year's bjp and what my focus will be. I had vaguely decided I wanted there to be more beading than last years, but I also wanted to go smaller this year, since I am always drawn to the tiny and miniature. I thought about doing a shaped piece instead of the rectangles I've done the last two years and considered houses, birds and hands.
This morning the image of two hands, palm to palm, came to mind and I was wondering about doing 12 hand-shaped books with hand covers but I don't think I've got 12 books in me. Next I wondered about resizing the hands and layering them, so I took my hand and put it palm down on my copy machine and made a copy of my right palm. That was interesting but a bit too large to bead, so I made two smaller copies and cut them all out to use as pattern pieces. I rummaged through some older fabric that already had stabelizer ironed on and cut out the three hands in three different fabrics and layered them.
So that's how far I've gotten this morning.
I'm still considering a book in there somewhere (I loved robin's books about her mom and dad that she incorporated into two of her bjp pieces) but I'm thinking of maybe just having the smallest hand slide aside to reveal a line or two of poetry? Maybe I can attach it with an eyelet to the next size and that would allow it to swing up?
So, I'll see what I can do this week with the three hands I've cut out. This can be my artist's proof or template, if you will.
And then we'll see if I'm still excited about this idea in january, lol!
9 comments:
Extremely cool idea!
Marty S
Crackpot Beader
This is right. I was interested to learn that you collect hands. I think the way you use them in your art is interesting. I think this is is cool too, and I don't believe that you don't have 12 books in you. You are too creative not to.
Oh, I betcha there are more than 12 books in you! Love your ideas and your process, too . . .
Kathy V in NM
ooo very cool! I bet you have 12 books in you too. I really like this idea... interesting, you collect hands and I collect eyes.... shall be interesting to see what we all come up with, hey?
I like the idea of 12 books too -- how about 6 books if 12 is too much...I could also see the hands as an accordion stand linked together kind of like a papercut of hands...
When I first looked at your current idea, it made me think of 12 months of nested hands...going from largest to smallest...almost like cupped hands one inside the other...so much creativity here today Bobbi that my head is awhirl!!
Don't you just love an idea that shakes you, and you ponder and ponder? This is really a compelling place you are in, and others seem as interested!
My first thought was to use two hands per book, as the front and back covers, and that way you'd only make 6 books. I'm confident you'll come up with a creative solution :- )
Thanks for all the kind comments and suggestions...there are so many ways I could take this project, so I imagine the final decision will probably happen as I'm starting in january.
I just LOVE this idea, Bobbi!
I agree, if twelve seems to many...six would be great. I like all the above suggestions too. You could even do your hand and Chuck's together. You could do one book with with you and Chuck's hand (front and back), with ten pages inside of Jaime, Holly, your mom, Cheri...family. You could do one book with six pages and bead them front and back. My head is buzzing with thoughts too, but I think the idea is wonderful. I know whatever decision you chose, it will be perfect! XO ;-)
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