Bibelots: Small Objects of Curiosity
Dear Reader,
I received a letter recently that began with: “Congratulations.”
No, it was not Publishers Clearing House informing me that a
huge amount of money was about to come my way. It was from a
library near Boston, Massachusetts, telling me “that among
the overwhelming number of submissions for this round of art
shows at the Newton Free Library, your works have been selected.
The Library Art Committee would like you to exhibit in our Main
Hall for the month of June 2019.”
It was a happy August day. In January, I had submitted my proposal
for “Bibelots: Small Objects of Curiosity,” along
with a dozen images. I knew that if I were lucky enough to be
given an exhibit, I would need more pieces. I ordered more clay
boards and ink and worked through the months, creating these
fascinating artworks.
The exhibit concept and title came from a poem, “Poor light,”
by Mark Waldron, published in the October 2017 issue of Poetry.
It is an ode to poor light. When Waldron used the word “bibelots”
to describe eyes, it sent me flying to a dictionary to appreciate
exactly how perfect a word it is - “bibelot: a small object
of curiosity, beauty, or rarity” (The Random House Dictionary).
Something else struck me. That was precisely what I had been
creating for the past two years! Small – In 2016, I had
decided to reduce my series size from 8” squares to 6”.
Object – because of the 2” cradle, each piece mimics
a box. Curiosity – intricate abstract patterns draw viewers
close, as they try to figure out the shapes. Beauty – even
though I believe each one is, I will offer viewers 26 bibelots
to decide. Rarity – that’s the one-of-a-kind nature
of most art.
And there you have it, an exhibit to anticipate. My PaletteAndPen.com
home page will feature a different bibelot each month, up to
and including June 2019. By then, you will have had a preview
of these little beauties.
