RE-PURPOSED HEIRLOOMS

Just recently I discovered the amazing art of Diane Savona .... or rather, Melanie of My Croft sent me the link and the first image to greet me on Diane's website was this blazing red, layered piece which brought a lump to my throat as it reminds me so much of my mother.



Diane embeds domestic objects between the layers of filmy fabric to form fossil-like impressions which bring to mind exposed artifacts at an archeological site.


Diane writes, "As a part of daily life, sewing is a dying skill. Expertise that was passed down, mother to daughter, for hundreds of years is now dying out: types of mending are no longer general knowledge, and most young people don’t own a pin cushion. Hence, my work shows textiles in an archaeological context."

"In my latest series, Fossil Garments, the work is presented as fossil specimens. The deconstructed garments – sometimes embedded in handmade felt – are offered for inspection on taut surfaces. By carefully cutting apart and arranging the garments, their human connection
is emphasized. Crochet and lace, showing through the almost transparent garments, appear skeletal. I used mending techniques in overlapping layers, sometimes obscuring parts of the garments, sometimes cutting through them. The rigid framing exposes the somewhat sentimental clothing in an unemotional perspective, allowing the viewer to examine the clothing as archaeology."

Soft Bodied Specimens #3 (size: 20”H x 12”W) are bits of crochet preserved under old glass mason jar lids. In some museums, soft bodied specimens are kept in small liquid-filled tubes, inside liquid-filled mason jars, so there is absolutely no danger of drying out. This piece is constructed inside a flat wooden box. The background cloth is printed with the names of various types of crochet and lace, and the soft specimens are preserved under the glass lids, which have been stitched down to the bottom of the box.

To see more of Diane's intriguing work, go to her website, here and please do yourself a favour and watch the video!!

Virtual tour of Closet Archeology here.

The whimsical work of Elfi Cella, putting a collection of vintage buttons to good use.

It's surprising how many artists use heirlooms, broken or discarded, in their art. Many bloggers know the enchanting work of Elfi Cella. If not you are in for a treat when browsing through her blog, here.

Juliet by Beverly Soasey. See more of Beverly's work at the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery website, here.

Blue Torso. Mosaic made from English Spode by Janice Corbishley. See Janice's website here.

Heirloom by Clare Twomey. See more here.

Robi Renzi creates "patchwork" cabinets from salvaged wooden components.

Armadiature by Robi Renzi for Renzivivian. See more here.

..... and now for some light relief .....

A quirky bird by Chris Griffin at the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, here.