In French, a still life is called a nature morte which means « Dead Nature ». I like « Still Life » much better as it sounds more positive but in this case « Nature Morte » perfectly describes my feeling and message behind this work. Spring 2021 I picked up some trash and some flowers at the local riverside. I dried the flowers in a book and the dead nature came to live! Collage made with acrylic paint on cardboard fitted into a wooden frame from the fleamarket.
Red was found at a local free market the 13th of October 2019. At a free market, ‘marché gratuit’ here in France, you can bring the stuff you don’t need anymore and you can take whatever you like ! Pink was adopted one month later the 23th of November. Also for free ! The ladies of the local « Secours Catholique » said that she wasn’t worth enough to be sold. When Pink went for a walk with us in the woods just afterwards she lost her tongue. She hasn’t spoken a word ever since. Red fell in love with her. Blue was found at a Church’ fleamarket that same Winter.
Red, Pink and Blue are in charge of everything second hand or vintage in my home. They are ringing the bell when too much stuff in the art studio is just hanging around and telling me that some vintage items should become happy in another home. They also insist on making art with old frames and things instead of new canvases and paint.
Since today they are officially my Etsy Shop Members and Curators. I’m grateful for the job they’re doing!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MyrtheCiancia
The 2 goals for this Plastic Free July were:
1.See if we can drink more tap water (maybe by using a filter?)
2.Create with Plastic Bottles, recycle them, make Art!
Well I can tell you that I drank tapwater and I will be drinking more!
The first tapwater I tasted was purified with Ceramic Rings and the taste was ok!
While I’m writing this there’s a piece of Active Charcoa in a bottle of tapwater doing its job!
Testing, testing and now wondering how I’am going to collect plastic bottles to create as I will buy not that many of them anymore. Yes I will be creating with plastic bottles in the Wonder Garden! As you can see at the picture I now have an old suitcase full of Plastic Bottle Pieces and that’s only a start 😉
The most Simple and Fun idea I found to recycle a little plastic bottle is THE SHAKER or MARACA! Easy to make and so much fun to play with! No need to cut the bottle. Just put some rice (or something else to make the noise) in the bottle and decorate it. I made a collage from supermarket promotions using Varnish Glue!
If you make one HAVE FUN!
… and of course I sent something special this year. To celebrate the come back of Art and Culture!
My latest Art Theme is « Trash » and while I was mostly ‘just’ making pictures I decided to keep some of my finds to create! I picked some flowers that very same day, dried them and used it all together to make these 2 (6″x6″) (15x15cm) Mixed Media Art Collages. My First 2 Trash Collages : « ALMOST NATURAL ».
6x6x2021 – The International Small Art Phenomenon
Rochester Contemporary Art Center
JUNE 5, 2021 – JULY 18, 2021 – Rochester NY USA
Myrthe Ciancia 