Weird Constructs

What can I tell you? Over the last year, I've seen things in my imagination that I just had to build. I have a bit of engineering in my background, so it tickles the logical portion of my brain to figure out how to make things sturdy, operational, etc., as well as aesthetically pleasing.
		These are giant red shoes / chairs. I called them "Mountain Mama Artifacts". Seems like "Mountain Mama" was leaving large things at our gallery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. They are constructed out of plywood, particle board, metal, upholstery batting, red satin, and faux Bengal Tiger skin. Sorry, chairs sold!
The following items are "Goddess" boxes of sorts. I started playing around with foam core material left from matting & glassing my fine artworks. I've been cutting the foam core to create the overall expanding box with "drawers", and covering it with handmade papers of all varieties. I have been making some raised metal sheet designs, usually figuratives and decorative designs, which are attached to the boxes, both inside and out. The overall piece is then embellished with charms, fetishes, found objects, beads, semi-precious stones ...whatever strikes my fancy. No two boxes are alike.
Box Front Box Opened Box Details		My latest Goddess box, constructed after the VERY near Martin Fire in June, 2008. "Pele, Goddess of Fire" I had originally started this construction to be an "Aloha Spirit" box, with a hula dancer on top, but the Martin Fire started less than 1/4 mile away from my home interrupted my project early on with a forced evacuation. Returning to a thankfully intact home, the Goddess Pele came to life and the construction followed.
Box Front Box Opened		"Box Your Blues Away", at left. Click on the thumbnails to view a larger image.
Box Front Box Back Box Opened		"Goddess Box 1" Click on the thumbnails to view larger images.
		Top / Inside view of "Goddess Box 1". Sorry, Box sold!
Box Front	Box Back	At left is "Goddess Box 5" and is currently in a gallery show, "Get Down & Dimensional", May 4 - June 23, 2001, at the Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center. Click on the thumbnails to view a larger image.
Box Open - Inside	Box Open - Outside	In the evolution of these constructions, figures appear not only tooled in metal, but now as a handle on the top of the box. Sorry, Box sold!
	Box Open - Inside	Goddess Box #6 4 separate drawers, exterior decorated with found objects, turquoise and carnelian pieces, dried proteus blossoms, etc.
		Sorry! Box Sold,
Outside of the box, Opened		"Mnemosyne: Mother of the 9 Muses" Box closed, with Goddess lid in place. Click on the thumbnails to view images larger.
		"Mnemosyne: Mother of the 9 Muses" Top displayed in front of open jewelry box. Box comes with a "charm" bracelet, silver with 9 amethyst hearts, representing Mnemosyne's 9 daughters. The Goddess figure on the box wears a similar bracelet on her left arm. Sorry! Box Sold!
Click on the thumbnails to view larger image		This box has a Poetess residing on the top, working on some poems. Judy Dykstra-Brown provided a Poem, "Maybe it is My Heart", which is wrapped in various areas around the box. Sorry! Box sold.
"The Fainting Couch"		This box at left was designed for a gallery exhibit, "Figure It Out!" at the Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center. It is called "The Fainting Couch" as it is modeled after my wicker chaise lounge. There is, of course, a necklace and earrings inside the box for the Goddess who owns the box. Purchase Price $150 Sorry! Sold.
		Goddess Altars Please click on the thumbnails to view larger image. Okay, these are a series of "Goddess Altars", all hand made with specialty papers, constructions, glass, bone and metal adornments. They all hang on a wall or can stand on a table. For more altars, see my workshop offerings.




		Okay, this was an edible dragon. She showed up at an edible art show, and was gobbled up during the opening reception. Artichoke leaves with humus formed the scales. Fire-roasted peppers flamed from her mouth. Olives for eyes, candi-corn fangs, split tiny hot peppers for claws. She was protecting her nest-eggs : artichoke hearts each holding a bocaccini (fresh mozzarella ball), nestled in humus. She WAS tasty!
		This wall piece, constructed from black foam core, feathers, beads, artwork, and inner mechanical workings, is actually a self portrait. When you pull on the hanging "legs", it raises up the bird's beak/face and reveals my self portrait.
		For "Simply Red Again", an exhibition in 2009, I constructed a large RED lipstick...obviously Mountain Mama dropped this from her purse. Constructed using foam core, cardboard, gold foil cardstock, glue (lots of glue!) and paint. Stands over 5' tall with lipstick over in place.
		Look! It's another Mountain Mama artifact! She dropped her keys outside the SC Mountains Art Center. I can't imagine how she got home...her keyfob for her Ford Mustang was on the keyring. Constructed from foam core and paint. 4' tall, by 10 " wide.