Sanctuary of the Esquiline Venus |
Hello friends. Today is my forty-third day of mandatory leave from my work site due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As I wait for an end to this world health crisis I continue on with a collage practice almost daily.
With this collage, titled Sanctuary of the Esquiline Venus, I was attempting to keep myself confined to working with the Esquiline figure and the pink and blue sheet music, adding just a bit more embellishment. What I ended up with though, is quite a bit more decoration than I had envisioned.
The piece began with the sheet music. Once I cut the section I wanted to use from the sheet music book, I was initially drawn to the idea of juxtaposing it with a figure of some kind, so I paged through a copy of The Horizon Book of Ancient Greece. I chose the Esquiline Venus because of its simplicity.
Once I had those two main pieces sitting next to each other, I knew I wanted to place a large floral element behind the figure and keep that area on the left side open. Then I had the idea to add the climbing vine to the figure. Once I did that it seemed like the sheet music needed some detail.
So much for trying to confine myself to just a few elements! I've discovered that I rather like tiny details and the painstaking process of cutting the thinnest of lines and the curviest of curves. But I do like the idea of the modern sheet music and the ancient marble sculpture placed side by side. It feels new and exciting - like in this sanctuary there is a 'good vibration', if you will. Maybe it's a refuge for kingfisher birds, which no doubt need such a place in the real world.
Thank you for looking and I do hope you have a creative practice that you are able to work on while you stay home and stay safe.
Take care and see you again soon.