I’ve been working periodically on a collage that I never quite finished up, although I have posted it on the blog as a work in progress. But the Creative Every Day theme of Body prompted me to get the final coat on and post this. It embodies (not a pun) the theme.
My husband actually cleaned out some things several months ago and unearthed a box of sheet music that had been his grandmothers. I had the idea of depicting the stages of life because this music has great words for the different little exercises and such. I also had a bunch of vintage fruit crate labels. I’ll tell you what the words for each stage say since it’s impossible to see in this little photo.
The babe on the bearskin rug has the words slumber, awakening, melody begin, and speak right underneath, all from the sheet music, and symbolizing of course the awakening of life. Such a funny image, but growers seemed to choose their favorite things, or family members, pets, hobbies, and so on for the crate labels. They didn’t bother matching the name, image, and produce to make sense. Some of these labels are from the 40s and later.
From there, our infant progresses to toddlerhood, represented by friendship, whims, and mother.
The circle continues with elementary and middle school phases, depicted with dreaming of love, youthful, and romance. Not a coincidence, the image shows someone somewhat carefree.
But from there, the youth becomes a strong young man, in a hurry to experience life, with over the top, ecstasy, legend, ambition, hope, dance and en masque. Those words, while perhaps not representative of everyone’s journey, were chosen with a particular young man in mind.
Finally, of course, we get old age, which I chose to depict in a tattered manner. Song of the angels and peaceful accompany age. At least in idealized life.
Creation is a strange process. I looked and looked at this collage and couldn’t satisfy myself, until finally I put the red streaks of paint on. Then, it seemed right. The more I look at it, the more I like it. And it is a different way to look at Body.
Interesting theme. For more about this challenge, go to Creative Every Day.
As an aside, I have finally managed to get things on flickr. Just a few, but is one of my resolutions this year to build it up. Plus, posting on flickr for this challenge gives me that slight push I seem to need on so many things.
So that’s all folks. For today.
