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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Wednesday Wonder- a bone to pick

I have a morbid fascination with bones, this goes back pretty far. I can remember thinking that porcelain looked bone like. I made a necklace that was "bones" pretty early in my clay experience. It was 1972 and I sold one. I still have some of those beads made from porcelain.

Here is the modern-day version of that necklace here.
This necklace was published in Arts and Crafts magazine when it was still around.


I have lived most of my life in a rural setting and I attribute my obsession fascination to that and probably genetic memory.
We were always around life and death when I was growing up, it is the cycle of the farmer, animal breeder, and rural liver. We also have tons of owls around here and there is this cute little package of bones called an owl pellet. You can open them up and sometimes see a perfect little animal skull with the vertebrae intact. I think of them as owl hair balls.

We used to find whole frogs with the guts squeezed out and just a hollow form from them being smashed on the road. I found a whole horse carcass once. I always wondered what happened to that horse.
Sick, I know, but I always used to think of ancient man and if they would have made a purse out of that frog and if they would have worn mouse bones in their ears for adornment. They probably would have done something with the horse so that there was no trace of it left.
I had a lot of time alone when I was a kid living in what was called the boonies.
So, it would only be natural in my opinion to like bones and to like looking at them. If it is in my art work, it is only a matter of time before it makes it to a Wednesday wonder as a non traditional medium. After just having Halloween and the Day of the Dead. I thought it a perfect time to talk about it.


See more of Francois' art at his site http://francoisrobertphotography.com/
bare bones political statements.
 Here is a Francois Robert's Bone Art.
You can see Francois Roberts awesome pieces at the Carl Hammer Gallery page
where I got these photos.
Here is a fascinating article on using all types of body parts for art medium
http://weburbanist.com/2010/08/23/body-art-creations-made-of-human-flesh-blood-bones/


Sarah Perry is another artist that uses bones and body parts as a medium.
You can see her work here


Sarah Perry's "Pull of the Moon"
photo from http://www.netropolitan.org/
 WOW, that is so beautiful.
You can see some more of Sarah's work at Artnet.com
http://www.artnet.com/artwork/426011091/173223/sarah-perry-the-meek.html.

There is Christy Rupp chicken bone art
http://www.christyrupp.com/new/twomoas.html

There is the Bone Church, this is amazing and very cool!
http://www.artgraphica.net/art-shop/prague-kutna-hora-bone-church.htm

From Curious Expeditions, a site worth going back to again I think!
http://curiousexpeditions.org/?p=79

Then there is bone as canvas, as in Scrimshaw ala Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrimshaw

Here is an article for cleaning and bleaching bones if you are so inclined to use them in your art.
http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/peroxide-bleaching-skulls.html

Just a bunch of stuff to bone up on. ;-D

13 comments:

  1. Muchas gracias por los enlaces, ha sido curioso e interesante.
    besitos ascension

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  2. Wow ~ I like it. And so the circle of life continues to the bone ;-) Thank you for sharing this early Wed. morning, will visit again. Have a great day ~

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  3. This was such an interesting post. As a kid, I used to collect "treasures" that I would find, bones, rocks etc. I used to love to imagine putting all the bones together and making a new "something" come out of it....looks like I wasn't the only one. How cool this is. Thanks, Linda

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  4. ~fascinating yes...and no not gross...as you said this was and is apart of your life...what was within your days...it is nature and life...a circle that will forever be...living and dying...and bones are a lasting impression of what once was...

    i remember long ago in school we had to dissect owl pellets...i had forgotten all about them! curious...do you ever come across their feathers??

    well my dear...uniquely interesting post and good for you for remaining true to yourself...thank you for sharing these pieces with us...and a bit from your past...much l♥ve and light upon you always~

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  5. I've always been fascinated by bones too, never thought it had anything to do with my rural life style but maybe you are right. I have a raccoon skull on my window sill, along with various other bones and shells and bits and bobs. Makes it a bit hard to dust so I don't bother. I figure it is fashionable at least once a year, around now. Those examples of others bone art you show are gorgeous, thanks for sharing!

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  6. Great post Marie!
    I never found any bones in my life :-(
    Still searching for a tiny mouse skelly...
    I want to let you know that the doctor said i'm allright! all the evil stuff is gone!!!
    xoxo Donna

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  7. An "Owl Hair Ball" you crack me up with that!! I now live in rural TN. and also collect bones but I grew up on the ocean in NY and remember seeing a whale carcas on the beach and I was facinated by it. You could almost make a dwelling with those bones - them bones - they're all connected!!

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  8. I too have a fascination with bones and sculls Marie! I've always been around it... living on the plains of Montana and a father that lived on finding bones, beads, arrowheads... I have stashes of bones and sculls... when I pass on there will be much speculation on where did she get these bones!
    Luckily my son knows of my obsession!

    Not that long ago I bought some rattlesnake vertebrae and a bit later the seller contacted me and asked if I wanted his last 15,000 rattlesnake vertebrae??? What could I say but YES!!!! LOL!

    So if you ever need rattlesnake vertebrae for an art project I'm the one to contact.. : )

    Much Love to a kindred soul~
    Pattee

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  9. I really enjoyed reading this and your history behind it. Some beautiful art there, definitely going to have to check these links out.

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  10. This was very interesting, Marie. And it was cool to learn another little thing about you. Thanks for sharing the work of these artist - pretty cool stuff. Theresa

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  11. Wow! I know what I'm doing with my turkey carcass later this month.

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  12. You find the most amazing art. The 9/11 give me chills. So appropriate. Bones make me think of Africa...my Aunt was a missionary there back in the 50's when it was the Belgium Congo. How I wish we had all the African art she had brought back. **kisskiss** Deb

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I am so glad you stopped by. Please leave your words of wisdom. I look forward to them and I so enjoy reading them all.
Live to love, Love to create, and create to connect.
Marie

www.mariesegal.com
www.clayfactory.net