When I visited San Fransisco last fall, I met this wonderful old gal. Her name is Gina, and she’s since gone over the rainbow bridge. It was lovely to get to know her a bit while staying with her parents.
I made this diorama for Gina’s folks. They told me that raccoons come into the house at night through the dog panel in their door. I was so envious!
The inspiration for this comes from family, and in particular, my grandmother.
Rosamond Laurie Doran died before I was born, in Panama. She was a nurse.
The names on the tombstones belong to the dead raccoons that were killed by cars. They are buried in my yard.
There is a ghost in the clock – shrouded, because I’ve never met this particular ghost.
Above the bolo knife is a painting my grandmother made. It’s the only thing I have of hers. It hangs in my dining room, and she signed it. She was quite beautiful.
I often sense that she looks after me.
Here’s part of a piece I’m putting in a show next month. It’s a triptych – this is the middle section. It’s not finished yet, but it’s fun to share WIPs.
This is the second grandfather clock I’ve made for this piece (the first was a prototype). Well, it’s really the fifth, if I count the sketchbook. I discovered last summer that if I work on the layers in my sketchbook before working in the diorama, I end up with a record of the piece, which will stay around after the diorama goes to live somewhere else.
Here’s the first rough sketch I did:
I’m interested in the idea of theater, the physical space and and what happens there.
I’ve finished this piece and am adding a few more pics below.
There – that’s better.
