I collect a few of the artifacts of my art making. I have a box of cut paper figures/part/pieces that I will someday incorporate into a new piece.
I collect quite a few things. I’m not a hoarder, and I think that many artists accumulate raw materials for our various mediums.
Collecting is a benchmark of Les Arts Modestes. What we collect says something about us, our preferences and connection to the past.
I have an entire cigar box full of bread ties in the basement, and they make their way into my work.
In addition to various little metal boxes, I have quite a few spoons.
And toys, army men, etc.
Not to mention books.
Back to the artifacts of art making. I save the blades that I use in my paper cutting. I’m guessing there are ~1000 blades in this container (it’s a tall container). I started saving these back in 2012.
I’ve been saving little bits of dried acrylic paint in plastic bottles. They are collected from the top of paint tubes, and from plastic carry-out food lids I reuse as paint palettes.
It took about 10 years to completely fill the first bottle. They are a visual stratigraphical representation of each project I’ve painted, seen through time.
The second bottle was actually started in grad school at my campus studio in 2015. It holds the bits from the giant scrolls I made in the basement. I just filled it today.
These bottles weigh a few pounds – the feel impressive to me.
There something satisfying about these collections. Someday, I will repurpose the old blades int0 some new work.