Tuesday, April 15, 2008

spoons crazy


Inspired by my spoon collection and prompted by Paula asking if i am making spoons or collecting them (thanks, Paula!), i have started crazy making spoons these past few days. Oh how happy it makes me! I think i am going to make spoons for the rest of my life now.


the first two that i made.


string over paper on wire, 23 x 7.5 cm


paper on wire, 19 x 5 cm


paper on wire, 25 x 5 cm


This one is my favorite so far. John doesn't care for it but i love it very much.

20 comments

  1. Ohhh I can see why you would want to continue making these for ever and ever and ever. They are SO beautiful.

    I've been thinking about making some little paper mache boxes to hold embroidery stuff (inspired by your lovely work of course)... but for the first time in my life, we don't have very much paper around the house (?!?).

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  2. the one you love archs, and aches, and is open, too. :)

    these make me think, alot.

    the wrapped one is striking, and in that it can not be used, but is still, somehow indelibly a spoon... (what does that mean in me?...) time will answer.

    provocative. i love.

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  3. oh how I love the implications of spoons themselves:
    of nurturing, of nursery ryhme children being chased by angry
    cooks with wooden spoon, of spooning (lover's position or action), of the African Dan "wunkirle" a spoon trophy for the most hospitable woman. I had intended for a long time to make a dwelling of metal spoons.
    and then yours tell other stories too.

    your ladle is aching as mansuetude says a nest or womb deep and wanting and ever so delicate. it speaks of gourds too, nearly grown.

    Paper delicacies unusable (i think?)- Despite all the hunger, there is a fullness to them as well I can't quite describe.I can imagine bringing one, empty, to my lips with that slightly furred surface and wanting with an ache in the back of my throat. Which for me is both a feeling of thirst but also an indication of artwork I love. These are all so beautiful.
    hooray for when things come together just as we begin to despair.

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  4. These are utterly delightful!

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  5. beautiful work! very inspiring.

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  6. duuude, the spoons you made are such dopeness! They look so real, like you wrapped thread/paper machéd silverware! I actually thought you did, thinking that it would be a waste - usability-wise, but then i got over it accepting that it's what YOU want to do (and I love you, "no ma-uh what" in the Orbitz lady's voice). Then I read that you used wire and was like wow, dopeness! (as stated above)

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  7. Mien, these are lovely! Spoons have something happy about them, it’s their rounded shapes, I think they are smiling cutlery really, so can see why you can't stop smiling (back). The one that is paper and has a arched spine-handle is my favourite too, it looks feminine and graceful (reminds me of similar shapes that has come up in other works of yours), also like a strange bleached bone - what ancient creature could it come from? I’m thinking that it would have been used in old times to ladle up dew or the clearest spring water from a healing well. The wrapped one makes me think of a mirror that I’m not allowed to look into, as if it could pierce the one who peers right in and needed to be protected from itself. But wrapping always makes me think of (something) being wounded, bandaged and the wound concealed. Anyway, so glad you’re happily making work again. Made me smile to come here too, having had a rather dementedly tired day, but this got my imagination going. More spoons soon, I hope.

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  8. Oh yes! Theses are wonderful. Make more!
    Your favotite is my favorite too. A lovely, wobbly, arching-over delicacy. This is really nice work.

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  9. now coming back
    that wrapped spoon has my attention. it's function is not just stopped, but cocooned there too. As neatly wrapped as a ball of twine ready to be unwound (re-found).

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  10. Hi there Red red Day

    I also love the one you identified as your favourite!! Exquisite I would call it !!

    Thanks for the info anout the water colour effect mono prints. The materials you mentioned were difficult to get hold of here in the UK - but eventually I have managed to get a pad of this specialist 'paper'

    Will try it out soon and post on to my Flickr album. I must say your post about the spoons made me smile/laugh because I could sense your absolute DELIGHT in this process you are inside of at this time

    best wishes

    Aine

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  11. I'm glad you've found something that gives you that drive to create where it feels less of a struggle. It's nice to have breaks like those.

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  12. it's something very archaic about spoons...like this hands you bow to get some water...
    But like Magritte said when painting a pipe and writing "this is not a pipe" to it ( because it can't be used) your spoons are like hmmm....memories of spoons, shadows of spoons....
    I like them a lot!!

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  13. love your spoon creations! Just wrote about them on my blog. hope you dont mind:)

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  14. So clear, knowing you, that that would be your favorite one. Though why is harder to word.

    I like the mummy ones---look, cords meet bowl (=sheet) on a stick!

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  15. I love your favorite one too! I generally enjoy ladles - both the form of their deep bowls and curving handles as well as the hand action in using them. I think I need to go make some soup now....

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  16. you and spoons. me and bowls. why is it that certain forms hold so much interest?? love that about art.

    hey, mien, i wrote a post about "red red day". i will put it up on my blog on 04-30-08.
    go look on that date! thank you for letting me talk on and on about you! and i hope i did you proud. it was fun & and an honor to put you in the "spotlight"! xoxoxo

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  17. hi guys, i am back and yay! i have a free weekend to look forward to for some undisturbed studio time. thank you all for leaving me such thought-full comments! in between my trips and errands, i have been working on a little red spoon which i'm hoping to be able to post up sooon. gonna go and catch up on what's happening with you all now...

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  18. Wow! I really like what you're doing with these. Great work!

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  19. Dopeness, grace i think i love u, and the spoons, shh, don't tell anyone:)

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  20. I love spoons, yours are beautiful! Loving your favourite especially too.

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