First Piece of the Year..

click images to enlarge

 I spent the morning getting acquainted with my new camera and lens and finally have some photos to show. This Frida and Diego "Shrine/Memory Box" was something I created for an auction to be held this March. Rebecca at Recuerda Mi Corazon is hosting the auction online with artists from all over donating shrines~the only requirement is that a cigar box be used. The proceeds will go to help out a non-profit organization called Oaxaca Street Children Grassroots. They help sponsor children by getting them off the streets and financially helping out with their education, clothing,food,etc.  I think this is something worth supporting and so that's why I'm participating. I'm posting images now as the shrines are due this week and I will be mentioning  this post again in March with all of the details about the auction. Fellow bloggers Michelle from 3rdeyemuse  and Stephanie from Rodrigvitz Style are also participating :)

 

 

I found this cigar box online and loved the rich colors and imagery of "Romeo and Juliet" and so I tried to leave much of that untouched. (With doors closed, the Box Measures 6.5" x 8.5" x3.25"). I covered the sides with matching adhesive paper and added the same on the inside of the front doors (to cover up the Surgeons General stickers). They read "Frida y Diego..Nina Fisita and the Frog-Toad"..their pet names for each other. I thought it amusing to have my dolls in this box as they were a love story of a different kind than Shakespeare's characters..hardly Romeo and Juliet, but passionate nonetheless.

The Frida doll is my smallest one yet at 7" tall (my Christmas ornaments were 8.5"-9") and she is holding a Diego Marionette that stands approx. 3.25" tall. Frida is held in place with cording and lots of epoxy on her feet and at the top of the box  I recruited my "model-maker" husband to help me out with some of the technical details/materials needed as he's an expert at this). The top of the marionette is also epoxied to Frida's hand and the wood handle has a tiny metal rod in it to ensure that it won't break. Diego's hands and legs are movable as are Frida's arms.

The floor was made using tiny red tiles I found at the craft store and I added a design on each using a pink oil paint marker ~I love how they tuned out.The inside walls are coated with spackle/plaster and painted with acrylics. I used an image of a bird and banner similar to one Frida had painted and I translated, into Spanish, part of a poem from Edar Allen Poe (Annabel Lee) "We loved with a love that was more than love"~ "Adramos con un amor que fue mas que fue el amor" (I hope I got that right). I added a coppery wall piece with marigolds and Calla Lillies as well. 

This piece comes with a saw tooth hanger on the back or can be displayed on a shelf.

Oh and if you are interested in seeing shrines that have been turned in so far, you can visit the gallery at Rebecca's blog. 

That's it for now~I'll be back in the studio next week working on dolls/sculptures!

p.s. for those asking about Frida dolls I will be making more..