"My Resting Place" - Mayn Rue Plats

I am an artist and I work alone in my studio. During most of the day and late into the night, I follow my instincts, I use whatever talent I have, and have more ideas than I can follow through with. My hands don't work as fast as my mind. A fleeting moment, a flash of inspiration often gets left behind due to other demands. Sometimes I write them down, or make a quick sketch. But, when something takes hold of me and won't let go, I have to fling myself down that rabbit hole.

And so it was one night, working away, listening to music, when a haunting melody, a song I'd heard many time before, gripped my heart. I listened over and over again. I am still humming it.

The first time I heard the song, I knew it was in Yiddish, and the minor key and the lyrics in English made me believe it was about the Holocaust. As the daughter of two Holocaust survivors, [Mom Dad] my response was immediate. But no, "Mayn Rue Plats" is a poem set to music, relating the sad story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.

Recent horrific factory deaths - fires, building collapses in Bangladesh and harsh working conditions around the world spurred me to create a piece of art that would reflect the horror of these tragedies - a response in mixed media. The price of profit... the lives of women...

The version I was listening to is by June Tabor, a British folk singer who I have followed and enjoyed since 1976 when I purchased "Silly Sisters" an album with another amazing folk singer, Maddy Prior. I had to follow my gut reaction.

The song is on Tabor's album Aqaba [one of my favorites]. Although the poem was written prior to the tragedy, it is very closely associated with the fire, which spurned changes in labor laws, state and federal government safety laws and unions.  

This is the poem written in by "Sweatshop" poet Morris Rosenfeld [1862-1923]:

Mayn Rue Platz
Don’t look for me where myrtles are green.
You will not find me there, my beloved.
Where lives wither at the machines,
There is my resting place.

Don’t look for me where birds sing.
You will not find me there, my beloved.
I am a slave where chains ring,
There is my resting place.

Don’t look for me where fountains spray.
You will not find me there, my beloved.
Where tears flow and teeth gnash,
There is my resting place.

And if you love me with true love,
So come to me, my good beloved,
And cheer my gloomy heart
And make sweet my resting place.


Most of the women who died in the fire were young Jewish and Italian immigrants - as young as 13. They were cutters and machine operators. The owners of the factory [located in New York City] locked the doors so the workers were not able to go into the stairwells to take breaks or to steal the products. When a fire broke out in a bin of scrap fabric, the women were not able to escape through locked doors - and many leapt out of windows or died in collapsing stairwells, flung themselves down the elevator shaft or were consumed in the fire, sitting at their sewing machines. Read more here, here and here. Warning, there are gruesome photographs on these sites.

The result of my trip down this sad, sad rabbit hole? My piece, "My Resting Place" 

It is 24x24" mixed media on canvas. It contains images of 129 women - each photo charred and sample "swatches" of fabric, also burned. It contains "ghost" images of actual victims Franny Rosen,

and Josephine Cammarata below...

of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and one upside down,  a child

 

plummeting from the 9th floor. 

Other details include hand stitching, burned locks and keyholes, silk flowers, ribbon, chain,

measuring tape, pins and machine parts. The background includes excerpts of the original poem in Yiddish. The main portrait is of a young woman, created in my signature style of paper mosaic. Photos here were taken in bright sunlight so you might see shadows, and are not perfectly aligned. You'll also notice an easel in the front. Please DO NOT COPY without permission.

Please listen to the song while gazing at this piece [here is a Yiddish version]. And please let me know what you think. If you would like to see my work "in person" Please visit my site to see where it is shown. If you would like to purchase this piece, please contact me directly.

"We're All Free" - A Portrait of Abraham Lincoln

Do you ever wonder where you get inspiration - ideas that compel you to create?
I'm new to Richmond, Va. When I arrived, the Spielberg people were all over downtown - the capital area filming a movie about Lincoln. Lincoln seemed to be everywhere - galleries propped paintings of the president out front, Lincoln stuff everywhere...Lincoln fever.
I chatted with my niece who told me she had a "thing" for the president - her husband thinks she has a crush on him...and then I looked at the mini poster hanging in my studio of Lincoln... and thought. Why not.

Silly me, I thought creating a portrait of the 16th President would help me "fit in" in my new surroundings.

I grabbed an image online, a canvas and started the process. A lot of people who see my work ask me HOW I do what I do, so I'm sharing through photos. I took pics at every step of the way in the process - from the seat in front of the easel.

<-----Here you can see the image and my starting point. I draw with pencil and then start filling in with paint. I don't always paint, unless I really need to see how shadows are going to play. The green was the original idea... it changed later.
And here, is the painting done. I didn't paint a background. ----->

<---Idea generation - let's put a "flag" design in the background. I started with red. Originally, I was going to fill the entire background with photos of random people.
Now, I drew a circle...a "halo" --->
around Lincoln's head and added white and blue stripes, following the curves of the red stripes - within the halo.  Cutting all those little pieces of paper was really hard.

<---I added a "stripe" of people above and below the white and blue stripes.
And here, I filled in the halo's --->
background with sky blue pieces. And, I started on the shirt, and the tie. The tie is made up of pieces from my Dentist's appointment reminder postcards. I'm telling you, I save everything paper.

<--- I was a little stumped here. I decided to make the entire background sky blue - to have the halo just floating behind.
I used a variety of grey shades ---> of paper to fill in Lincoln's face. Most of them have text, but some are just texture - there is a lot of time and effort made to sort all of the junk mail in grey into shades, making sure all the tones are right.

<--- I wasn't totally happy with the
blue. I wanted to make it more homogeneous. So, I added some random shapes of blue tissue to tie it together.
And then some random white  ----->
tissue on top of the blue pieces. It's hard to see in the photo.

<---I used greys for shadows in grey for the hair, beard and coat. It didn't make sense to make this composition even MORE complicated or busy, the black also mimics the original resource photograph. I cleaned up ---->
the paint, details and coated the entire thing with a water-based lacquer. And now, it's done and looks like this!

We're All Free

I was trying to get this done in time for President's Day, but things don't always go to plan...

as any artist will tell you. The reason I added all the little people - of all colors, ages, shapes and sizes within Lincoln's halo - is to represent the President's dedication to Emancipation. and his belief in freedom for all people.

We're All Free

24x24"

Footnotes:

• As always, my art work is all hand done, mosaic "tiles" are created by upcycling a variety of paper - from junk mail to calendars to postcards, etc. All materials used are water-based, acid-free and non-toxic. For more information, please visit my web site.
• While I was working on this piece, I kept humming a song from the musical "Hair"

 "Four score
I said four score and seven years ago
Oh sock it to 'em baby, you're sounding better all the time!
Our forefathers, I mean all our forefathers
Brought forth upon this here continent a new nation
Conceived, conceived like we all was
In liberty, and dedicated to the one I love
I mean dedicated to the proposition
That all men, honey, I tell you all men
Are created equal.

Happy birthday, Abie baby,
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday, Abie baby,
Happy birthday to you!"

You can listen here -[Happy Birthday, Abie Baby] [warning, some very explicit language]

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

In Praise of Women - Eleven Portraits

For Women's History Month:

Lately, I've had a real yen to "just paint" and have had a reprieve between projects. I bought a bunch of small canvases and started a somewhat improvisational process. If you know me, you know I have a thing for women's faces [just look at my collection!]. It got me thinking as I started sketching...

What does it mean, really, to be a woman. To be a positive influence on the world. What might great women - from Cleopatra to Elizabeth I to Florence Nightingale to my Grandma to Gloria Steinam to Hillary Clinton to Lady Gaga have in common?

I decided to create a group of portraits to depict eleven aspects of women. These portraits are not a complete definition of womanhood, but a positive portrayal in paint.

So what are the best things about women? We're tenacious, we're intelligent, we multi-task...

There are the obvious biological components, physical attributes, genetics. Half of the earth's population - or more - are female.

Okay, so beyond being female and having an assortment of specific organs and other goodies.

But spare me two things:
Let's not even discuss beauty - for several reasons. One, it's fleeting, and these days what many call beauty could very well be a concoction dreamed up by a magazine editor or a plastic surgeon.
For another - every society has a different version of how physical beauty is manifest - a face, a figure, the length of your neck or your tiny feet.
Different times called for different needs. To be considered beautiful a generation ago meant straight hair and an upturned nose...the generation before loved curves...many generations before, the ability to lead a team of oxen behind a plow or survive influenza or childbirth was a big plus.

So let's take physical beauty off the table.

I'd also like to dismiss "hotness" as evidence of womanhood. Sex appeal for the sake of being an object of lust or gratuitous sexuality is quite frankly, subjective. And, not in the realm of my sort of definition or thought process. And some of the worst aspects of womanhood can be related to sexuality - as a tool, a weapon - or exploitation - or as victims. Sexuality is a double-edged sword.

A lot of negative things can be said about some women recently. Rush Limbaugh calling a law student a slut, whore, prostitute just because she wants birth control covered by her insurance? Laws that force women to have ultrasounds and listen to heartbeats prior to an abortion?

Perhaps there are false, scheming, money-hungry, sluts. Negative things can be said about men. Or anyone.

There is so much more to being a woman. I'm keeping this light. Positive. What I am trying to create is an ideal picture - and it's my ideal of womanhood. I am sure I've left out attributes.

I am also not looking to re-create a mother, a daughter or a friend or lover by creating this grouping.

Once you get to a certain age, you realize that within a society, people fit into "types." No one is exactly one way or another. It's not complete, but these ideas came from several weeks of painting these eleven portraits. Different faces, expressions, ages. Eleven aspects of womanhood. Of course, the combination of all eleven aspects - in one portrait, so to speak, would create a "perfect" woman.

This collection of eleven small [11x14" each] paintings on canvas creates the combination.

The portraits themselves are random faces - no one in particular, and none are the same. This was an improvisational process.

They started out as line drawings on canvas, then I focused on the faces, using the same color scheme for all of them [you can't tell by the photos]. They were all redheads with green eyes [no particular reason]. As I kept painting, I started making slight changes to colors. I pulled in; keeping the portraits an 8" square and created a translucent background - keeping the original sketch lines painted. The titles are hand-painted. There is a bit of gold-leafing and tiny mosaic tiles "frame" each portrait. Then I created small tiles of gel and translucent and metallic colors; and from junk mail. They're all in gold metal frames. The pics below show them before the tiles were added; the pic above is the completed group. Not a great shot, I admit, but the glass reflects light [and me with a camera].

Here are the eleven - as I see it -

1. Genuine: She is open, a loving friend, partner, parent, daughter, she is loyal, you can count on her, she is sharing and honest.

2. Wistful: She is hopeful, spiritual, sentimental, is positive and forward thinking, respectful of people, animals and the environment. 

3. Expressive: She is humorous and witty, ready to try anything, adventurous, spontaneous, eloquent in her own way and always enthusiastic.

4. Strong: A confident demeanor, independent in thought and deed, vigilant, enterprising and ready to take on any dare.

5. Alluring: She is quietly sensual, in private she is enticing an vulnerable, exciting with a fascinating personality.

6. Sincere: Helpful and kind to others, truly caring about people and causes; altruistic and sweet.

7. Feminine: She is attractive and charming to all, both mysterious and sensitive, she is naturally curious about the world.

8. Knowing: She is thoughtful and serene, wise and perceptive listener, discriminating and intelligent.

9. Nurturing: A giving partner and empathetic friend, attentive to those she loves, she is protective as well as compassionate.

10. Natural: She does not artifice to glow, she is demure, tolerant and calm with subtle touch and grace.

11. Creative: she has a lively and disciplined imagination that works for her, she is inventive, nimble and playful and clever.

This is a preview - the entire collection and individual pics will be posted on my site soon. Please email me if you are interested in seeing details.

I hope my little paintings reflect the best in womanhood. I'm looking forward to your feedback!

This is a bit of a departure from my mosaic portraits, but painting is fundamental to all of those. The collection is currently at my home studio - they will be hanging in my studio/gallery in Richmond, VA later this week!

To see the rest of my work, please visit http://www.schimmelart.com

Eureka! How it all started... I found the photograph.

This is a photo taken in Venice, Italy. It's not a great photo, but read on...

As you may have read previously, I studied mosaics in Italy and Turkey.
The last day in Venice...strolling around... I came upon 2 things that caught my attention. They both had a profound impact on me.

One was a chandelier - multiple branches - with glass pendants. The fixture itself was simple, it was the glass that made me come close to drooling... why? Fruit. Apples, pears, grapes...so many colors...flowers, leaves, beads.
I asked the price - it wasn't too much, but the shipping was hundreds of dollars. About to board a train through Slovenia on the way to Hungary - schlepping a chandelier was not going to work. I took a mental picture... which is easy since I'm eidetic.

What might seem totally off the mark at this stage of the story is a beautiful story book I had as a child. The Arabian nights. In it, Aladdin makes his way into a cave, finds a tree dripping with fruit made of gems [looked like glass to me]. Translucent, colorful, startling...beautiful. Aladdin presents a bowl of these jewel fruits to a Princess to win her hand. The images from that book have never left me [once again, eidetic... I can pull it up on the screen in the air anytime]. I still have that book. So that chandelier really made an impression!

Anyway - as I am known to say - "I can make that," my search through Venice's tourist stores was a hunt for glass fruit, beads, flowers. I found nothing. I went back to the lighting store and asked if I could just buy the fruit? "No." Can you tell me where I can find them? "No." Back to the stores.

Through the door, I saw the stained glass mosaic you see above. I walked into the store and stared at it. Looks like a Mucha. Little squares of glass in many colors. On Glass. Grouted. In a metal framework. This time, the price was too high, forget about the shipping. Took a photo and moved on.

I never forgot the chandelier or the mosaic.

It took me 18 months of searching, bidding on ebay, visiting antiques and lamp repair stores, web sites, etc. to accumulate enough glass and crystal fruit to create my own chandelier. Hard to see, but there are apples, pears, grapes, flowers, pendants, etc.
Of course, within a week of assembling this, a store here in Phoenix is carrying the chandeliers from Venice.

The portrait also stayed on my mind. "I can make that," my mantra... became a reality, of sorts. I found small squares of glass. I glued them to glass, grouted it... not bad. Made a geometric, a flower, a woman. Problems I ran into:

1. I couldn't find the colors I wanted.
2. I couldn't find little squares
3. I don't like to cut glass
4. I didn't want to use stained glass pieces - too thick, too opaque.
5. I couldn't afford to go back to Venice to find out more.

I tried finding more info about that piece online to no avail. Not done, though. What else could I use? At that moment, my parents arrived with a box of greeting cards and a paper cutter.
Aha... maybe I'll use paper, instead of glass!
I pulled a self-portrait off the wall - willing to sacrifice it to experimentation. Cut "tiles" out of cards. Glued them on the painting.
Eureka!


Okay, now that I found the photo [after many years]... I can see that what I do now has evolved from the initial inspiration to something completely different... but that image never left my mind. I credit that moment in a store in Venice with what has become my medium of expression.

I guess when I say "I can make that," I usually do.

Inspiration is a jumping off point... all of us artists - in every medium - start with a grain of an idea and create...everything beautiful.

Thanks for reading!

Creativity and Inspiration and Work

The last two posts have been about the links and patterns in my thoughts and memories that lead to inspiration and my best work.

I listened to a teleconference about time management yesterday - I got a few good nuggets out of it. And, since I have had three conversations lately with friends struggling with their creativity and how to use it, I thought about a few things that have helped me stay focused on my work. Maybe I can share a little with you.

How to approach art as work:

First and foremost - if you're an artist - it's your job. You must get up and go to work every day. Don't wait to be inspired. Just do something. In the middle of the process, even if it seems like drudgery - keep going - something will spark. Think of it this way - if you were a lawyer, or an accountant or a bus driver - you don't wait until you "feel like it" to do your work; your JOB is the same way. Otherwise, it is an avocation, not a vocation... ask yourself if it's a hobby or how you want to make a living.

This notion that you must be dead first to make it as an artist is ridiculous. Why bother? We can all name some artists, crafts people, writers, etc. that have made it big in their lifetime. Aspire to be one of those. Someone's gonna make it - why not me? Why not you? As the old adage goes - "there's always room at the top."

Not everything you create will be genius to you. Every artist produces duds. But, your dud might be just the thing for someone else - it might speak to them - so don't judge, just produce your best work!

If you're a writer - you don't have to write the next great American novel - if you're worried you won't be able to back it up with the next novel... how many people freeze if they can't do the best? Gee - have you seen a movie lately? Someone is buying up that crap.
Can't paint the Mona Lisa? Gee - have you seen a shark in a tank of formaldehyde? That "art" sold for millions?! Can you explain the popularity of Thomas Kincad or Ed Hardy?
Worried your next dress design won't make the cover of Vogue? Gee - a lot of people shop at Kohls.
What I am saying is - the world of "art" runs the gamut from Renoir to Velvet Paintings...from "War & Peace" to "I Love New York." Know where you want to be in that continuum.

Set goals. Read or listen to the greatest business people, every motivational speaker on earth and they will all tell you the same thing. Set goals. Write them down. Write down the steps that will take you toward fulfilling those goals [they're called objectives] and do them. You can listen to "the Secret" all day long - and it won't make anything happen by magic - you have to move your ass - you have to work on achieving your objectives to make your goals.

Stay focused. If you are an artist, building your business is a brick-by-brick process. Don't take on projects that are not in your goals - and don't get distracted.

Everyone will have great ideas for you. I can't tell you how many people have told me to paint dogs. I don't want to paint dogs- the thought of it gives me hives. Do what is true to you - but do remember this - you have a product. Whether it is a painting, a screenplay, a dress you designed or any other "thing," you have to take that product to market. Someone has to desire it. You need to sell it - so you can be true to yourself, as long as you know your customer base wants what you're making.

You will hit low points. You will feel like a failure. You can stay depressed and go nowhere, or you can use your time to dust off and move forward. If you want something enough that you can see it, taste it, smell it - if you can picture it, you can do it. Take a Psycho-Cybernetics course if you need a workshop that will help you reach goals. Listen to Zig Ziglar or any other speaker. None of them will tell you how to build your business, really - but they will tell you to set goals.

It's great to be creative. It's not great to wait until you feel creative to do something.

My favorite place for inspiration is the library. I'm lucky that I'm interested in so many things. I know exactly what stacks to hit - grab a bunch of books. I always find a jumping off place. The best thing is - the library is free.

For me - creating every day is part of who I am. No matter what I am painting, I look at it this way - I'M PAINTING!
As much as I want to keep working on the series I've started, I do have moments when I stray... I just finished a portrait last night that is very different than the others I've done lately - it was like a little break.

And, I like it. Someone else will like it, too.

Lastly - it might just be up to you to sell your work. Until someone else becomes your biggest cheerleader, it's gotta be you. There is nothing wrong with marketing yourself. If you don't believe, who will?

Go to the library and get "The War of Art," [not the Art of War] and read it or listen to it. It will help you figure out a way to make your art your job.

NOW GET TO WORK!