Altered Inspiration

I posted the other day about altered art and how it inspires me.  I've been spending some time drooling over some really great artwork, Keith E. Lo Bue of Australia (I already posted about him...) and another wonder-jeweler, Kristin Diener.  Check out her website and be prepared to pick your jaw up off the ground!  Kristin creates stunning assemblage jewelry on a grand scale, and that is putting it mildly.  I especially like her use of vintage and antique eyeglass lenses, still in frame, as cabochons.  What a GREAT idea.  This mixed media, altered art movement is really....well...moving!

At the same time, I am also creating my own series of altered works, inspired by these and other artists, for an upcomming show I will be in called "Theatre of the Absurd - Beauty in Uncommon Forms".  This show is all about mixed media, unusual art.  I'm having a blast.  I have always incorporated found objects such as bone, feathers and fur into my designs, but after seeing what some of these phenomenal artists are up to, I am looking at things entirely differently.  I consider these new "explorations" absolutely infantile--first attempts--but I do enjoy the results so far.  I've included photos here of two new designs.  One is a tiny masonite box shrine called "Southern Girl".  I used a vintage photo, tiny air bromeliads from my back yard, a sea urchin and various gems and charms to create the main "soul" of the piece.  I used an antique porcelain doll body--head above, body below, to finish and give 3-D "body" dimension to the woman pictured.  The piece is about 6 inches tall.  I plan a series of these...I'll post more pics as I go. 

Next is a pretty elaborate piece for me, inspired by Lo Bue, called "When the Baby Comes".  I began with two tiny lidded tins--one an inch round, one a little over an inch rectangle.  I used the tins lids and bottoms as separate items, separate bezels if you will.  In the central round, deep bezel are layers of images and objects including vintage photographs, text transparencies, mica, porcupine quills, watch parts, and paper text.  Below, the rectangular box holds a aged bronze baby, door image, mica, watch parts and leather.   The rest of the necklace is made from the tin lids, which I filled with images and objects front and back--the entire necklace is totally reversable.  I used a key as a link and a tiny key as accent.  The result is pretty damned cool if I say so myself and fun to wear because most of the elements spin individually and are double-sided so you can wear this multiple ways.

I think I am attracted to art like this because most pieces tell a rather detailed story, and I love a good story.  I like jewelry that has meaning as well as beauty.  So, here I go, off on another new artistic journey.  Wish me well on my travels!