Frolicing Day 36 #100DaysStudioObj

This year (so far) I have completed four large collages on cherrywood panels, each combining an image of a woman from Frolic magazine partially covered with small strips gathered from one issue of a much different publication.

I love them all, these wonderful, impervious women.

I completed the last one pictured here just a couple of days before the Keystone Art Space Open Studios event and happily displayed her on my back aubergine wall, where she looks over my studio still today. Laughs over my studio. Swirling around her are hand cut strips cut from a 1959 issue of Philadelphia Enquirer. The stories are about the joys of the growing suburbia in the city, a tree that blocked a busy road, a new church, advertisements for Crisco, Spam, cleaning supplies, items to aide the happy housewife, kids Christian themed toys.

I love her joy and laugh. And the wedding ring cracks me up. My quip to others who noticed it was, "Yeah, well I was married once too." (hashtag divorceesdoitbetter)

A few process shots and an image of all four pieces below. I loved making these. The process was tedious in a way because there are so many small bits, but the repetitive, obsessive, detailing of cutting the pieces and intentionally placing them is very soothing for me. This last one had the least amount of added material to the woman, but creating the sense of movement and jubilance of the cuts (not just her) took some time.

 Nobody holds back the Frolic women!