The Machine

Greg and I are taking a workshop together at Callenwolde: Mixed Media, Photo Collage and Resin. It seems to be a good group of folks involved. We’re instructed by the lovely and the talented Elizabeth D’Angelo – another healed artist courtesy of Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way”. She’s a complete delight and we are both enjoying the experience she’s set up for the class.

The concept is cool. Each week we will collage a layer and cover it with about 1/8” of resin. By the end of the class, one should have a mixed media collage about an inch thick. The depth would then speak to time and development through the course of our eight weeks together. Both development in skill and process and thought, right? Get it? Totally cool.

The concept I’m exploring is the church as a machine. I’ve been pondering this topic for quite some time and it seemed like an obvious theme to spend these sessions exploring.

Layer #1 – the machine. I snagged some web images and did a photo transfer of these simple machine illustrations. I added a bit of color just to get past the intimidating white of the clay board. I also added the blown fuse you see to the upper right immediately as it will take a while to submerge in the layers of resin. I found that fuse while walking home from the train one day. I couldn’t believe my luck to find such a wonderful bit of used-up brokenness.

Layer #2 – the church. This layer was attained by color altering a photo, printing out and using a matte medium transfer. In the end, I rubbed off more than I’d intended but that’s how the cookies crumble and how we are challenged to move beyond our original plans. At this juncture, I added the lure. (I think Greg found that for me.) I added the bones. (These are part of the cremated remains of my friend, Kelly’s cat, Nikki.) I also added chips of colored glass gems from a bracelet I received from one of my Sunday school children. I hope his feelings wouldn’t be hurt at the demise of the gift but if a 4th grader could understand, he’d know that it is even more precious now and more personal and appreciated as a piece of my art.

Layer #3 – working the two. My focus at this point was mostly determining that I wanted a lot more church interior. I realized the machine is generally not immediately noticed in the church so it would make more sense for the church interior to be the dominate visual. At the same time, I tried to marry the machinery to the interiors – confuse the two – as they tend to be confused in the physical world. I added another layer of bone and broken glass. I’m starting to understand the potential of designing for depth.