I love junk! I like to find unusual things and use them in an unexpected way. So when I found the book "Secrets of Rusty Things" by Michael de Meng I was very intrigued.
I love how de Meng uses so many color washes in his artwork and how that ties all the different little pieces together. I would love to be able to go to one of his workshops but most are overseas and I'll not be going over there any time soon, but to be honest I couldn't afford to go unless he was teaching in my town. He should, there is the most awesome junk shop here that has rusty bits and baubles everywhere that I think he would like.
So since I can't make it to one of his classes I read his book and did this piece of artwork as a study of his techniques.
This is a view through the front piece of glass. It's very hard to get the details of this work into a picture. When you shine a light down the top hole it highlights his face and magnifies it through the glass piece and the whole things has a bluish tint like he's underwater, it's pretty cool in person.
This is the top, can you see the part from an old Christmas tree stand? (it's the piece that has scalloped edges and it started out bright red!)
That is the beauty of de Meng's style.
There are straight pins, a piece of an old soccer trophy, circuit boards, copper wire, foam, and paint turns them all into matching pieces of a puzzle.
This is the front, which was originally the back of the carriage lantern, the part that would have screwed onto the carriage and faced inside.
This is the full piece. I wish it would photograph better, maybe I'm just not a very good photographer.
This piece is entitled "Slave of Technology"
It is a little strange but it was a teacher. I learned a lot from this piece, about attaching different pieces to an artwork, about paint washes, and I learned what my limits are, LOL.
So now what do I do with it? That is the question...
Michael de Meng has a new book out...
It's got some neat stuff in it too. Can't wait to get it.
5 comments:
Oh my! I think your new creation is gorgeous, display it proudly!
Thespa, it always fascinates me - the creations people come up with when they're using cast-offs. It definitely takes an eye! And you have it!
Diane
How fun to look at things differently to make such an amazing altered carriage lantern. You really have the talent. Happy creating...
I just saw pix of his studio and it was chaos..lol! I love his work too and your piece is just amazing!!
Your piece is just so marvelously creative!I Like it!I would love a look at that book.looks very interesting!
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