Channeling Joseph Cornell

 For our play date yesterday we had great plans.  We were to meet at SCRAP in San Francisco to purchase items to create a Joseph Cornell inspired assemblage piece.  Unfortunatley, SCRAP isn't open on Sundays.  so we had to improvise.  D. , K. and I all "shopped" in my craft room stead for chunky found items to be used inside a cigar box, or some other vessel.  For my piece above, i decided to make use of my fair sized collection of vintage office supplies.  I used a fairly shallow hinged cigar box lined with typewriter ads from an old magazine, circa 1930's.  I added some children's blocks to say TYPE whereas writer was done with some store bought letters in a cool font.  Pretty much everything else was old - the lids from round packets of brads and tacks, the red boxes are pencil leads, some old folding rulers border some vintage stamps, rows of trading stamps create some separation.  Hard to tell in this photo - but the three office machines are on raised block adding some depth to the right side.

 Here is D's box - which she actually started last month at a workshop she took at SCRAP.  This was the incentive for us to all go to the store.  If you have never been, please check out their blog.  It is a wonderful place to find stuff to use in art projects.  Originally founded for school teachers to get cheap art supplies - it is now a mecca for all types of collage and assemblage artists.  Just about everything in her box, an old slide sorter, was found in the store.  That's Amelia Earhart behind a row of test tubes.  assorted plugs and outlets give it that cool mysterious crazy scientist look.

 Here is Z's box -  a work in progress.  Originally a slatted wood tray,  after some struggles with adhesives she covered the back with a vinyl map - cut from a purse!  Hey - no household item is safe in the world of assemblage, people!!  She is staying true to the Cornell aesthetic, with a series of boxes and circular shapes.  Note the repetition of the objects. I can't wait to see how this turns out!

Here is K's box - a hinged box from the craft store i think she white washed.  going with a "kids" theme - she used a large auto bingo card on the right and let colours play off of that.  that red car was shiny and new, but after some serious sanding - made it look apropriately vintage.  She's not quite done - plans to add red hots candies to those test tubes for a flash of more red and also more playfullness. Also note the repetition of cirular shapes, so prevalent in Cornell's work. The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round...

One of our play date buddies could not make it due to horrible sunday traffic, and another is driving across the country to spend the summer back east.  Did they ever miss a fun and challenging and rewarding play date!  Next month - canvases with plaster....

If you are not familiar with Joseph Cornell's masterful works - please go right away to google images and check them out!.  Better yet - if there is ever an exhibit in your area - you must go.