I finally did it. I’ve been thinking about doing assemblage again. I did some pieces years ago, and loved making them.

Our annual town Artwalk is coming up, and though I haven’t entered anything in several years, it occurred to me to do something with a few beautiful and enticing pieces of wood that my hubby salvaged for me.

I’ve been admiring a cherry drawer front, with an inside rim. The outer rim functioned as a frame, making that part easy, though I was considering adding my twist to it. The inner space was calling to me; crying for a creation.

Looking through my hoard (synonymous with artist) drawers, I found a tin of interesting washers. Brass and metal. That did it. They belonged to the wood piece.

Thinking of paint, I looked through my paint drawers (yes, I need my paint organized, though my palette doesn’t show it). I picked out a small jar of powdered white pearl pigment, rolled it around in my hands. The pigment moved, glowing its pearlescent snow. I looked at the inner wood space, and knew it belonged under the washers, a bath of white.

A sprinkling wouldn’t do. A pattern was needed, something to join the pigment with the mechanics of the washers. I looked over my texture tools on my table. Wire mesh, toothbrushes, wire brushes, sand, ribbons…

Suddenly a round, flat white plastic netted piece of something. Holes. Curves. White. Seems right. A background of movement, the washers seeming to move with it.

A visit to Home Depot, my jewelry store of art. Something. I needed something to join in with the metal washers, to help it move more.

I was hooked on the brass on the washers, and made it my focus. Brass washers, smaller. Small brass screws. Then I focused on the pipe aisle. Copper. Color. Metal. Love copper. The pipes were small, but still too much for the small space. My hubby steps up to the plate. That evening he pulls out his handy-dandy pipe cutter and cuts a dozen thin rings.

The trial was the composition. Placement using forms, color, line.

It ended up as an extension of a former painting and assemblage I did years ago.

“Nude Descending a Staircase”, by Marcel Duchamp, was the first reference, a falling domino of cubes. It amazed me when I first saw it. An abstract, grape-like pouring evolved, in reds and yellows evolved on my easel. “Falling Down.”

“Nude Descending a Staircase”, Marcel Duchamp

“Falling Down”, Linda Dimitroff, Graffia Gallery

Later I got into assemblage, a kind of collage of found objects. Using cardboard rounds from packing materials, corks (who doesn’t like a cork challenge) and craft sticks, with a bit of red, yellow and black paint, all arranged on board, and another cascading image emerged.

“Falling Again, Linda Dimitroff, Graffia Gallery

And so here I am again.

“Untitled 3” will be hanging in the Tri Cities Museum in Grand Haven. If you attend Artwalk in the next few weeks, stop in and have a look. If you like it, send me a comment. Or better yet, vote for it by October 7 in the competition. And enjoy the Artwalk!

 

 

Tri Cities Historical Museum

200 Washington St. 616-842-0700

 

Grand Haven Artwalk