that song that your words called
into my mind, that song is like
a lost world, just images
in fragments, suspended like
a raincloud without rain,
a weight that refuses
to dissipate–I can almost
feel the memory but it won’t
land, it keeps circling
through the things that aren’t
quite there–like a bird
call I can’t locate, disembodied
wings hovering invisible
inside my head
I realized immediately that I had seen Lotte Reiniger’s work before when I clicked on the link from the Kick-About prompt. It did not surprise me to hear her say, “I could cut out silhouettes almost as soon as I could manage to hold a pair of scissors.” Her work is, yes, “astonishing”.
Me? I never had that dexterity, not even when young. I also don’t work in film, which was Reiniger’s medium. So how to respond to this prompt?
I was going to work with simple bird silhouettes, but was unhappy with the ones I made myself. Once again, I had constructed a 3-D collage environment with cardboard pieces inside a paper bag. I decided to use photos of bird silhouettes, and hang them from strings at the top so they would move.
I used circles to enclose the bird forms so I could put different photos on each side–the images would change when the dangling circles turned.
Using the ceiling fan to create more movement, I began to take photos.
You can read more about Lotte Reiniger here, and see her extensive filmography here,
Just wonderful! The silhouettes, of course, but the poem is so good, taking us into the sky with the cloud, circling with the bird memory.
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Thanks Jane. As you know, birds are always on my mind.
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I do know. They’re part of my scenery too.
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I love this Kerfe! And I love that BTS zoomed out shot to show the stage you have assembled! 🙂
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Thanks Graeme. It is like a small stage–I like that idea.
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Such a cool and creative idea. You created a flying diarama, the first one I’ve ever seen. I like the idea of this being representative of thoughts, memories, etc. flying around in your head.
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Thanks Jade. I really like the Kick About prompts because it gets me thinking in different ways. My mind certainly feels like this at times!
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You’re very welcome.
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Fabulous. Your art work is terrific. I hope you are able to exhibit somewhere one day. It desrves a wider audience.
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Thanks Suzanne. I used to submit my work to shows and galleries but with very little success. It eats up a lot of time and energy too. I’d rather just make things.
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That’s my attitude too. I don’t exhibit any mire either. I guess I thought New York might offer more possibilities but I guess it’s even harder.
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It’s all connections. You need a MFA from the right art school.
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Ah – that sounds similar to here. Being under 25 is another bonus here too.
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Here also. No room for the old.
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what a charming creative project you made and the poem dangles on similar lines
” suspended like
a raincloud without rain,”
p..s I do not know Reiniger’s work but your post brought to mind Mary Delany who made exquisite paper cut flowers – have you seen her work?
https://blog.britishmuseum.org/late-bloomer-the-exquisite-craft-of-mary-delany/
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Thanks Laura. I do know Mary Delany’s work and even have her book somewhere. It is exquisite, that’s just the right word. (K)
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I can really identify with your closing lines at this moment! I love the bird silhouettes too.
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Thanks Ingrid. You can’t go wrong with birds.
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Birds and memories. Of course, I love this! What a creative response to the prompt. In your first images, I thought they were spheres–like eggs.
And almost being able to catch a memory–yes.
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Thanks Merril. Spheres–now that’s a thought. Not sure how I would construct them though.
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Maybe actual egg shells to keep the bird theme. Or easier–some sort of Christmas ball type thing.
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Those Styrofoam balls…something to consider for a future project.
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wondrous, Kerfe, all of it ~
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Thanks. The Kick About challenges always make me try new things. I like that.
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