As an extension of my painting practice, I make my own tools with bits and scraps from the studio, what others might consider garbage. Sometimes, I will carry trash into my studio from my city visits and utilize these scraps in my work.
 |
| Wire tool hanger. |
 |
| My Tools-Close Up. |
 |
| More Tools-Close Up. This one is a favorite! |
For me, the end of a used roll of tape and a bit of shelf liner becomes a tool with which to make ben-day type dot patterns. A scrap of wood with nails embedded into it becomes a paint tool or a scraper. Old erasers, plastic pieces of pipe, buttons, pennies, bike chains, and many other items that would normally end up in the bottom of a junk pile, are all fodder for possible use as tools or as a layer of texture within my work.
 |
| Some well used tools and some newly created tools. |
 |
| General Studio Shot. |
 |
| Studio view. |
The possibilities for turning odd materials into painting surfaces or patterns serve my purposes well. I explore territories of structure and disorder, what is noticed and what is ignored. My paintings allude to maps, communities, architecture, house plans, and neighborhoods.
 |
| Fire extinguisher for safety and a red box full of scrap papers. |
 |
| In progress work. |
 |
| Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Wax Paper Collage. |
Thanks for viewing. Have you aver made tools to work with that you could not buy at a store? I'd love to hear your story.
No comments:
Post a Comment