Mending Bobbi

I found out last night that someone broke "Bobbi's Last Ride". It was of course by accident, they bumped into the piece and broke one of the boots. When I asked the girl working if she could salvage any pieces she said that it was shattered. The boot was made out of either porcelain or terracotta so it isn't the easiest to replace, and it was a found object. The last time I went to the reuse place, they didn't have any left. The news was given to me while I was at a friends dinner party. My buddy Anne Pinkowski was there so I asked her about what she has done in the past when this sort of thing happens. It's one thing to break a piece that isn't sold.. but this piece is sold. She advised me to be honest with the person that bought it and try to fix it if I can. I know shit happens but what a total bummer. It would be easy if I could go out and just pick up a new one.. but I can't. I guess this is a learning process and it is all part of the whole picture. Nothing is perfect and maybe the "Bobbi" hasn't seen her last ride yet... On a bright side to this sad little situation, I have an extra doll part with a cowboy boot on it. It is totally different from the one used in the original piece but it might work and who knows.. it might be better. I am going to try and fix it today.

About Anne, I just met Anne at a friends house about a month ago (give or take). You should definitely check out her work. She is a very established and talented artist who has been compared to Joseph Cornell. I admire her work and am so thrilled to know her. It's fun to meet people that do similar work, it is very inspiring.

Valentines day was yesterday, ugh, sigh, ugh.. I'm so not about Valentine's day. I found this lovely picture on Passive Aggressive Notes. and thought it summed up how many people feel about the commercial lovey dovey holiday.

A friend of mine said it seemed like something I would make, which I think makes it even better. I know you might be sitting there thinking to yourself.. "that is so rude and crass". Yes, it is and that is why I like it. My favorite heart is "eat crotch". Speaking of hearts..

I sold the piece "Mended" this week. I am so thrilled that someone else got this piece. The woman that bought it said it made her feel melancholy and sad, and that it intrigued her. I knew then that she got what I was trying to say. I know that I have posted the pictures of it before, but here they are again.

I love this bottom picture. When making this box it was important for me to put an image of a woman with her back turned. This picture is just perfect, I found the image in a 1940's Life magazine, the issue was about women's fashion. "Mended" was made to depict a very somber, sad and alone feeling you get after either you are left in love or that you are far away enough from it to know the reality (even if painful) of that love. The mended hearts hang almost in a mocking fashion of the future growth one must take. Many of the hearts are mended with words taken from a erotica novel, things like "our tongues" and "my head went back in ecstasy". There is also a box inside the box with the mended hearts and words flowing out of it, this goes along with the idea of our inner secrets. Most of my boxes are talking about inner secrets and this just fits right in with it. I love "Mended" and am thrilled about my friend who bought it! I could go on and on about the meanings of this piece for me but don't want to taint your view.

Writing all of that just made me think again about how I believe that this series of work will spark many other spin off series. I'm very excited to journey into this.

Until next time..