Did you get a chance to see my latest assemblage in May while my solo show was on exhibit? No worries: this way I can tell you the full backstory of "Give Us A Hug." Here she is... by day:
... and by night.
You might remember my great-grandmother inspired this piece -- or rather, I was inspired by explanations that might illuminate why Mickey became a mean drunk and a neglectful mother. I don't have those reasons, or even a photo of her as a young woman. So for this piece I painted a stand-in for Mickey...
... and explored the possibilities of why she spent more time drinking than parenting. Speaking of drinking, I created a faux-mercury glass effect in a glass from which I could imagine Mickey drinking whiskey.
Into the cup she went. And when I turned the glass on its lip, the image of Mickey-as-a-jellyfish fell right into place.
I wrapped her stinging tentacles around the wrist and fingers of baby doll arms, which stood in for Mickey's two daughters. Although Mickey is trying to drift away from her children, she can't: the tentacles anchor her to the children.
And the children are tethered to their mother as well. Barnacles and the crusty, sandy edges of the piece underline their unyielding bond to their mother.
Remember that Twyla Tharp quote? "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home."
I think that's why I sympathize with Mickey, even as I still wish I could time-travel to protect my grandmother from the fallout of Mickey's behavior. (And if I did, would that action create a Grandmother Paradox?) How do you run away without leaving home? Tell me in the comments or on Facebook.