Back to me to pick this month's challenge for our group--I went with "time". None of us seem to have any right now, so it seemed appropriate!
While at a mandatory seminar last weekend, I jotted down some notes and thoughts on the topic; here they are.
To begin, I need to decide if I'm going to look at time as neutral, as an enemy--prisoner of time, a limiter--or as positive. And personal level or society level?
Could do a family tree/genealogy theme. Or could use the fog of time that obscures things, yet sometimes it's only time that brings true clarity.
Incorporate mirrors (small ones) here and there in the piece, because you can't escape time, it is relentlessly objective, there is no appeal--it shows you what is, no escaping.
Also use an hourglass somewhere, or the shape of one? Could get the sand medium to use on part for "the sands of time" (might be too cliched). Or could do some train tracks somewhere for "the tracks of time". Maybe just do an entire piece using common cliches about time! Ha.
What are the colors of time? Browns, golden, iridescence, sand medium around edges.
What are the patterns of time? circles, spirals (use the new technique just learned with wireworking to make some--could use in the border)
Elements to use:
chains
mesh
mirrors
sepia tone
spirals
words/quote on side running off the edge
Find a quote about time--something that addresses how it imprisons and frees us at the same time.
Could do a progression--distressed at top, progressing down to pristine images--passage of time.
Could make a memento box with tiled top (and sides?)--would have to use all manufactured tiles. Idea from Mixed Media Mosaics.
Shapes of piece:
grandfather clock: a portrait rectangle with a circle hanging below it from a chain (chains of Time).
hourglass: two landscape rectangles with circle in middle
other: square on top, circle in middle, triangle on bottom (could use past, present, future in triangle)
