Piecing...

Robert Rauschenberg

Bed, 1955

combine painting: oil and pencil on pillow, quilt, sheet, on wood supports

I started cutting up and piecing together some of my artifacts - old tablecloths, curtains, and linens from my childhood home and from my early marriage - also my rag dolls. I am also adding to the mix pieces from a studio drop cloth, and collaged elements. It feels oddly satisfying to do this. Doug asked in a comment in my last post if I think that my painting on velvet is "ritualistic." Well, in the sense that I show up regularly and religiously in my studio to make art - to make things happen - yes, I suppose that what I am doing is ritualistic!

I think that what I am doing over and over here, with the velvet, with the patchwork (and with all my self-portraits) is that I am telling my story, telling my story, telling my story, and always looking for new ways to tell my story again. I suppose that could be defined as ritual.

This quilt somehow ties in with the paint on velvet pieces. It may end up on a bed as sculpture, it may end up on the wall as relief, like Rauschenberg's Bed, it may end up as part of something else entirely...stay tuned...I'm heading somewhere...