Unique, mixed media one-of-a-kind, original artwork.
The classic black deep frame measures 27½ x 27½ x 3½ cm.
This mixed media artwork has been lovingly created using stitching, printing and curation of carefully chosen objects. This includes a tumbled gemstone. The rose quartz brings a healing energy to the piece, in this case heal from pain and grief.
16 x one-inch squares of salvaged wallpapers have been machine-stitched in place forming a grid. These colours complement the chosen gemstone – in this case, rose quartz. The selected objects range from buttons and beads to beachcombed shells and a hand cast resin piece. These items have been picked for their colour, relevance and meaning to illustrate the title of the work. The centre piece has been machine-stitched around the edge and includes a little heart before being mounted on coral coloured pearlised card which offsets the contents perfectly.
The title of this piece comes from a journal extract.
I have, and continue, to journal extensively as a way of managing my mental health issues. This sentence was written by myself at some point over the last few years. It was then turned into this mixed media artwork. The full explanation of this artwork is written on the reverse and reads as such:
“This bacon tastes like you have too many friends.
“After my widowed grandmother had a life-threatening health crisis at the age of 97, I invited her to move in with me. Had I been more knowledgeable about her mental health issues and my own as-yet undiagnosed mental illnesses, perhaps I would not have done so. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I ended up appreciating what a damaged, hurt and traumatised individual she really was and, sadly, it’s a truism that hurt people hurt other people.
“She struggled with the reality that I was not always entirely focused on her, particularly disliking the fact I had a lot of friends. Most of her trauma derived from childhood and a feeling that two was company, three was a crowd. She was thrilled when my husband had an affair and left, leaving just the two of us. I had a peaceful seven months before I met someone else and my social life became active again. One day, after spending a weekend with my new lover, she announced that one of her favourite foods — bacon — was suddenly tasteless and horrible and that she’d never eat it again. This was supposed to make me feel bad about enjoying myself but actually just meant she never ate bacon again.
“Represented in this art are the two vs. three dynamic which featured in her childhood, marriage and most of her adult life; rose quartz (aka the love stone) for healing; Gladys’ name; her interests of crochet and Christianity which apparently prevents her from taking her own life despite her threatening me with this at least twice a week; Whitby where I lived when she came to live with me; her feelings of always being the odd one out; my current partner and, of course, a sea sorceress’s love of beachcombing, scavenging and recycling.”
The rose quartz acknowledges the fact that difficult people still have to heal from their own pain and grief. How lucky are we these days to have so any opportunities to do this? My grandma, currently 102, did not have this luxury.
This original mixed media artwork is postage free in the UK.
It will also be sent with a free gift as a thank you for your purchase. The frame is stable enough to stand on a flat surface or can be wall-hung. If you love this imagery and the meaning behind it you can also buy greetings cards and postcards of the artwork.
