Box full o' honey WIP

I finally was able to start this new piece "box full of honey" last night. I've been wanted to start it for a while and things just seem to get in the way- things like, no having the right materials, having a heavy work load at my day job, doing laundry, unpacking the studio, thanksgiving dinner oven issues, Christmas shopping, dog walking. I could make a bunch of excuses, of all the things that have kept me from working on a real piece, a piece with teeth, all of them are just really were ways to stall. But, in this case, stalling was OK. In this case, I will call it INCUBATING.

Incubating... My favorite part of the design process. Way back when I was a theatre student, we learned about the design process. For me making art is all about the process. How you get from point A to point B. I learn so much about myself when I am engaged in a project. It helps me move forward, in my life and in my head.
So this thing called the design process, what is it? It's really a problem solving model.

The problem: I have a piece of art that I am inspired to make. How do I do it?
The solution can be found through the process:

1- Commitment- you commit to the project- are you going to do it or not. Once you commit, you can't go back you have to move forward. Can can put things on hold, but have to see it through. You have to focus your intentions on the thing. set your focus on the challenge.
2- Analysis and research- gather information and figure out what you need to know more about. for me this gathering is often with images and music. I get hooked on to the thing that is inspiring me and either fill my bulletin boards with tons and tons of tear sheets or play the same music over and over again. I look in every nook and cranny for clues, for more intellectual and emotional information that will help me put together the piece.

3- INCUBATION- this is when you do nothing... you just let the idea GROW ( or fester) inside you.

4-Selection-pick the materials you are going to work with- get a good STRONG idea of what you want the thing to look like in the end.
5-Implementation- DO IT. Sit down and just get you hands dirty and do it!
6-Evaluation- when you think your done, or your deadline says your done. Stand back, look at what you did an make some HONEST judgements of what you like and dislike about your piece. What you would change, what you'd never change, what you could never recreate if you ever had the chance again.

That's the Design Process. It's not really all that linear either. You can jump around and be in two different places at once (a feat of metaphysics!!) but that's it in a nut shell. Can't believe, I remembered the whole thing. Angela Brande, design professor, would be proud of me now!

So, this is the beginnings of my latest project. Part of me really wanted to finish this before 12/10, because it is inspired by a DD song. I wanted to bring it to Montreal with me. Why? Because I'm a nutter. Actually, because, unlike some crazy screaming fan, their music inspires my life beyond the "normal" bounds. It's like Van Gogh or Frida is for some painters. Like the way a certain book might inspire someone else to create. I'm not talking about the "Hungry like the Wolf" or "Is there something I should know" songs. I'm referring to a wider breath of material that is a little more obscure, lesser know, but packs a stronger punch for me.

So back to my WIP and the photos-This is my "box full of honey." With many thanks to SLB for the lyrics as inspiration and my dear cyber artist friend, Laurie Blau-Marshall for the lovely honey comb, that was ABSOLUTELY perfect for this project. I washed the comb with a little Uzzzzhhhh (thank you Michael De Meng) and now it has a beautiful deep honey color. I used one of my newest ladies, Helen (she is so beautiful.) I bought her from a great Etsy seller, The Art Garage. And of course, there's my sad WWI, vet on the top of the box. My haunting ghost man, who shares the same birthday that I do. Only he was born in 1896 and I was born in 1969.
And this is in no way anywhere near being finished. But we are getting there- and I do have a STRONG vision of what I want this to be when it is done.
I've written much too much tonight, some of which is probably too revealing about how I work. But, that's ok. One of my H.A.G.s is to open my heart more. So sharing how I get from point A to point B is a good thing.

Box full o' honey
At the sharp end of the view
The edge of me and you
And all good sense dare tread no further
And as the ghost will shiver trees
How I'm trembling on my knees
But I'm still drawn on by the murmur

Are you laughing at me now
In my circumstance
When still I wear I your crown
My life's penitence
And for what
What's so funny
A box full o honey

What I thought a pretty tune
Was howling at the moon
To keep me company this evening
It's so lonely in the dirt
A scratching at the hurt
But I so generously did leave you

Are you laughing at me now
In my circumstance
When still I wear I your crown
Some cruel penitence
For what
What's so funny
Box full o honey

Is she flirting with me now
Is she dallying with me now
Are you flirting with me now
You'll always be my queen of tumble down
Miss melancholy

Are you laughing at me now
In my circumstance
When still I wear I your crown
And my life's a penitence
And for what
What's so funny
Ain't it funny
A box full o honey

Live in Montreal -Duran Duran - RCM

Yesterday was one of those days that just went by too fast. First thing I remember is Stephanie and I were driving up 89 in a snow squall and the last thing was crashing hard on the bed in the hotel. All the rest rest feels like it went by at 100 miles an hour. I really want to write it all down in great detail, but at this point I am so tired. I think it is going to have to wait. So, for now, I will leave you with pictures from the show- Which opened with ( of all things) Wendy Carlos, opening title music from a Clockwork Orange. DD played all the hits and a few songs from the new record, Red Carpet Massacre. I wished they would have played a few more of the newer #'s and less of the old hits. I guess I've seen these guys enough times, that I really don't need to hear, Please, please tell me now, the reflex, view to a kill or save a prayer, live, ever again.

Set List:
The Valley

Planet Earth

Hungry like the Wolf
Nite-Runner

Notorious

I Don’t Want Your Love

Save a Prayer

RCM
A View To A Kill

Falling Down

Come Undone

Ordinary World
Is There Something I Should Know

Reflex

White Lines

Sunrise

Wild Boys
Girls on Film

Rio

I think White Lines and Sunrise where perhaps the best songs they performed. The band really started to connect in the 2nd half of the show and were really rocking by that point.

And Oh Yeah, I forgot to mention, with the help from a few industry friends, Stephanie and I got to meet the guys before the whole thing started. That in itself, was pretty fantastic. I got a sweet little kiss from John and Roger- Simon, had a cold coming on, so there was no kissing him!

Going to Montreal

Tomorrow, Steph and I are going to Montreal to see Duran Duran at the Metropolis. We are making a real trip out of it and staying over night and coming back on Thursday. There will be lots of good shopping, great live music, great food and lots of drinking.

I'm pretty stoked! And although Stephanie is 10 years younger than me- I think she is too.

Talk about getting in touch with your muse. Music has such an influence on my art and my process and Duran Duran (believe it or not) is one of my favorites right now. I was a huge fan when I was in high school and then sort of fell out of love with them in the 90s. I recently re-discovered them when they put out their Astronaut record and have been hooked sinced.

I've been processing the why's that are behind the connection between my art and this band, and it has a lot to do with the moodiness of it all. There's a certain poetic melancholy that I associate with the lyrics. There's that old connection of their heart throb status in my past- but then there is this new connection that is more deeply rooted in something else. Je ne comprehend pas.

80s Look of the day - Friday November 21

I have DD on the brain lately. Probably because I'll be heading to Montreal in 20 days to see them at the Metropolis! Loving the leather pants and the pouting lips. Dontcha just love a man who can wear eyeliner??