"Cherish" is finished!

The book for the "Curves" Exhibition is finally finished!! I've posted each page in a separate post...my computer had a huge hissy fit when I tried to upload a lot of photos in one go!

Each page inside has it's own title, and has been scanned and printed onto watercolour paper, which was bonded to the back of the page, so that I could add a small amount of text to the 'story'.

My warmest thanks to those precious women who entrusted me with their bras...and especially to Jill - trusting me with this has meant the world to me. I can't wait to show it to her in the flesh!

All the pages follow - I'd love to hear which one/s are your favourites!

Fate Knocks At The Door

The first page of the book...Fate Knocks at the Door, takes it's title from a very, very old book cover (the one I snaffled at Reverse Garbage in Brisbane ages ago). This page has a base of woven strips of silk paper, with appliqued and painted pieces of bra cup lycra, foil from tomato paste tubes, a handful of bra hooks and some little artgirlz charms

Kind of says it all, I think!

My Cup Runneth Empty

Page Two! One of my original ideas for the title of the book was My Cup Runneth Empty...I worried that perhaps it maybe a little lacking in sensitivity... But, it persisted, and became the title of this page.

The base is silk paper, with torn pieces of bra cup fabric incorporated into it, with lots of hand stitching, an embossed velvet tree and some buttons. The colours, swirling feel and 'bandage' appearance from the torn bras speak to me of anaesthetic, nausea and the haziness of being plunged into this journey...

Tides of Uncertainty

Tides of Uncertainty is consrtucted from silk paper with velvet pieces free machine stitched into place...

Here it is in place in the book..it reminds me of microscopic cells and scientific stuff, as well having a very watery, fluid, floaty feel...

New Life For Obsolete Bras!

I'm excited to have been asked to create a piece for an exhibition called Curves - Through Art We Share Our Experiences Of Breast Cancer, which will be held in Surat at the Surat on Balonne Gallery in September.

What you see here will be the cover of an artist book - yet to be named...I have a thousand ideas floating around my head - but none quite right just yet. (Maybe you have a great suggestion?)

My inspiration is my friend, who, after way too many other life challenges (really, really tough ones), found herself facing a double mastectomy. Her positive attitude, strength, humour and courage have been a true inspiration.

She had been troubled by what to do with her bras... no longer any use to her, and quite a symbol of her loss. She bravely (and very trustingly!) handed them over to me when I suggested they could be used in this piece. Her daughter, sister-in-law and friends have also contributed to the collection. The fabrics were cut out of the bra cups and then torn into smaller pieces; laid down on a felt base with straps and bows, and machine stitched into place. The whole piece was then painted with dyes and paint.

I'm off to see what else I can do with these abandoned undergarments!