I participated in a swap at ArtFest that was coordinated by the talented Portland artist, Nikki Blackwood. This was a swap between members of Camp Runamuckus, a group of women who share housing in Dorm 225 at Fort Worden. Nikki random matched up the interested women into pairs, who then exchanged information about each other to help figure out what to make for the swap. Nikki drew my name so we were officially swap partners.
I've known about this swap for several months and had played around with a couple of ideas of what I wanted to make for Nikki. At an early point, I was going to make her a set of blocks that represented our theme of Outlandish Tales, but I jettisoned that idea long ago. For a while I thought I might do an altered tin since Nikki loves rusty, vintage, edgy pieces. Again, this didn't quite feel right. I finally settled on creating a set of images on Formica tile samples, something I could embellish and place into a rusty tin. I started in on this and really made some progress. But a few days before I was leaving for ArtFest, it just wasn't working, the Formica didn't have the right sound or feel. I decided I would take something I had started at Art and Soul a couple of years ago, rework and revamp it, and make it Nikki's. I cried (really, I did) as I realized I was going to do this. So, with reluctance and excitement, I took my Vintage Metal Deck from the wall and began transforming it into a story of outlandish proportions. And all of this was done the day before I was leaving! I worked on the metal deck for all of last Tuesday and managed to get it completed.
A bit of the process (Destree popped over late in the day and breathed new life into a few of the pages).
The completed deck:
All wrapped up and ready to gift:
Nikki opening her gift from me:
Nikki made me the coolest altered book cover, incorporating lots of vintage lace and metal and numbers and paper and even a big 'ol brass D!
And just in case you are curious or want to see more of the pages I created, here are some close up shots of what's inside.
4 comments:
What an amazing piece of art Dayna, I would definitely cry too to part with something like this, but I'm sure it is being admired in awe where it rests now!
simply fabulous
Jami
l would cry telling this go and l would REALLY cry receiving it. Oh..l want one. It is one of the most beautiful thing l ever seenxxwow.lynda
I've received some cool art in my life but none as precious as this little tin beauty. I have it hanging in my studio so I can admire every time I go in.
Thank you so much, Dayna. I know it was hard to let go but you are welcome to come by and visit it at any time.
Nikki
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