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The Raven (Nevermore)
Starting with a realistic miniature of a raven, and with Edgar Allen Poe in mind, I anticipated composing a darker, more sinister piece. But when reading up on ravens, I discovered how playful and intelligent they are and decided to offer a more nuanced view of the bird. The playfulness of ravens is represented by a game board (the goose from the Jeu de l’oie board), their intelligence by a stack of books, and the sinister view in popular culture by a Tarot card (the 8 of Swords) as well as the prominence of the black frames.
Despite the sculpture using a fair amount of black, the piece is brightened by the gold column and floor, the light yellow background, the white goose, the splashes of orange and coral, the bits of white and the reflectiveness of a choker designed with an especially good quality and cut of citrine, onyx, carnelian and Murano glass. Other components of this small sized mixed media piece include dollhouse miniatures, acrylic paint, resin, wood and paper. Inspired by Necklace MU 243.
Custom framed with museum glass in a sophisticated deep wooden frame in collaboration with Chevy Chase Art Gallery, Washington, DC.
Frame color: Black
Size (in inches): 10" x 12” x 4"
Framing
Though many designs appear simple, each work in fact takes several months to create. The final version is rarely the one initially envisioned; the laws of gravity force numerous adjustments. Execution involves a multitude of skills, some of which are acquired specifically to achieve the desired artistic result. In fact, it took several years of experimenting before I even hit upon a technique for creating assemblages.
The framing process is itself a component of the work, both conceptually and artistically. Though the frame is clean and modern in appearance, the framing process is not as simple as it seems. The determination whether to create a "room" (as with Born Free) or an intimate atmosphere (as with What Price Silence) is in fact part of the artistic process.
Works are custom framed to provide sufficient depth to accomplish my artistic goals as well as to support the weight of the work (often 40-60 pounds). The 4-inch deep decorative wooden frame curves outward to bring the work closer to the viewer.
As many designs are supported by the base as well as the backing, the framing process can be tricky. It took several months of experimentation to determine how to create a work that it was practical to frame. The glass protects the work from damaged caused by dust and dusting.
