After making “Open Ended Communication“, I wanted to do more with Mylar overlays and explore the emotions around partially hidden objects.
“Packaged Moments” started out as three individual pieces, but as I worked on them, they began to play off one another so well that they had to become one piece.
I chose images that reminded me of items you might typically get in the mail: fashion magazines that can be rather impersonal; announcements of weddings or births or graduations or other happy occasions; and ominous mail such as sympathy cards or official summons or rejection letters.
Each canvas is wrapped with a Mylar overlay that partly obscures the images because of the way it’s folded over from the back of the canvas. It creates a sensation of wanting to see the image clearly but not being able to. The overlay is tied in place with a bit of twine; think of the lyrics “brown paper packages tied up with string”.
I love watching people see this piece for the first time, and see how they want to reach up and untie the string but have to make a conscious effort to keep their hands away.
The lower portions have address labels that are themselves hazy, and old postage stamps. The stamps reflect the mood of each piece.
Title: Packaged Moments
Medium: Collage with printed images, found paper, postage stamps, twine, brads, Mylar
Size: Three panels, each 12 x 12 inches
Signed: Yes, on the back
Exhibits: “Delivering Stories” at the BOX Gallery, Akron