Saturday, April 25, 2009

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...

4 comments:

artslice said...

That quilt is fabulous... all the things you've added on the squares are very interesting. Am excited to see where it goes.

martha miller said...

thanks, brenda! i'm having fun!

Jeane Myers said...

this is just incredible, Martha!

martha miller said...

thanks, jeane!