Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Peace mends the world

A while back I was struggling with the wet weather and its impact on paper-based work and turned to metal. I enjoyed rummaging around in Barry's metal piles until I had collected a lot of discarded copper.

Copper is a pretty universal metal, found on nearly every continent on earth and this made me feel as if it was something shared by many peoples.

My book has seven pages, with fragments of copper stitched together to create a whole.  Step by step peace can mend the world. There are still gaps as the job is never finished. Each page is a treasure, contained within and protected by perspex, held together with hand-made copper rivets.

Fragile, strong. Peace can mend the world.








24 comments:

  1. Beautiful, what a piece of work!

    Diane.

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    1. Thanks Diane - I am pleased you enjoyed it. Go well...

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  2. That is a really fantastic piece. I have some panels I want to stitch together but I wasn't sure how to do it. You have given me some ideas.

    Those pieces of copper are a lovely patina as well.

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    1. Thanks Roberta - I love the patina too. We used a dremel in a stand to drill the holes - makes for a nice and steady drilling. Perspex offers lots of options I think, I hope you enjoy your panels!

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    1. Thank you Cathy - I was really happy with it. Some of the shots were taken before I fully tidied it up I was in such a rush to enjoy it!

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  4. Beautiful... and so love how it relates to Barry's work, but is all your book.

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    1. Thank you Valerianna. I think you can see Barry's work in the genesis of this, but it is very much mine as you say; I think the fastidiousness of it might have driven him crazy! There are nice links tho as we drilled and riveted together...

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  5. Wow...that's stretched the boundaries somewhat. Well done you.

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    1. Thanks Jo! I definitely went a bit beyond, whilst doing things I am familiar with, Perspex, metal and books - just putting it all together in new way. Glad you enjoyed.

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  6. This book has so many interesting & unique qualities... I love especially how you can see through parts of the pages, and the layered effect this creates. I also like the way in which the pieces of copper are 'patch-worked' together, creating very appealing compositions (makes me think of countries bound together - seven pages = seven continents?). And of course there's the one-of-a-kind patina of the individual pieces. Very intriguing, and beautifully executed!

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    1. Hi Lisa - thank you! I think you are seeing all the things that I enjoy about this piece - and the stitching together of the copper has so many meanings for me. The patina is so varied and interesting and there is lots of interest in the layering...I'm glad you got so much out of it!

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  7. this is simply gorgeous - love it

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    1. Thanks so much Ronnie - I was pretty happy with it.

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    1. Oh Anna - love your comment! Glad you like it - I did when I was finished, that sense of satisfaction that you almost did what you set out to do...

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  9. This is a great book Fiona, love the copper stitched together and the patina, and those handmade rivets. When I've sandwiched things in between perspex I've not progressed beyond fishing line - I'm impressed.

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  10. Thanks Helen - I am fortunate to live with a metal smith who has taught me how to rivet. They were the perfect solution for me here and together we quietly and slowly held and snipped and hammered and fixed. I also worked with a few layers of perspex glued together - one plain one with the cut-out and then riveted them together front to front so to speak...

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  11. yes! so much strength and fragility! what a powerful piece of work!

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  12. This is beautiful. Makes me want to branch out into other materials but I don't think I could make something that just feels so right

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  13. What a amazing peace. I really like it.

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  14. absolutely beautiful, fiona - i am so intrigued by your and barry's use of perspex...

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  15. Oh wow! I love the fragments stitched together in so many different coppery hues.

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  16. Fiona, this is stunning! I love the whole idea from conception to delivery. It is beautifully crafted and realised.How on earth you managed coptic stitch bindings with copper I'll never know. Outstanding.

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.