2023 10 In Vain Are All the Charms I Can Devise

I am taking part in an online Michael deMeng workshop called A-Poe-Thecary: A Collection of Vial Things. My goal was not only to make a bottle per the workshop but to create a shrine to hold the bottle as well.

I started with a honey jar that attracted my attention when we emptied it.

Part of the fun of doing these found object workshops is to shop your own stash which is what I did to find these additional items for the incantation bottle.

I chose this box from my collection simply because it was the best one to fit the bottle I was making. I decided that I would roast the edges of the box by using Michael's Tricky Burnt Flesh Routine. I added a little spice to the formula by mixing in some wood glue to the amber shellac to add texture and a general gunkiness to the result.

I had seen an art exhibition by encaustic artist Ray Papka and in studying his art in the gallery I saw that he liked to have a box within a box. I decided to try that technique on this piece. The Land O' Lakes cheese box had to be thinned a little but it made a great nest for the next object in this project.

At the last Make What Ya Brung I attended my art buddy Katherine Engen was making a structure that included multiple hand made books. This idea stuck with me so I decided to include that as well in this project. 

It seemed fitting that a collection of Grimm's Fairy Tales could be the cover for my book of incantations. 

Incantations

Hand Made Papers

Coptic Binding

Niello: a black mixture, usually of sulphur, copper, silver, and lead, 

used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal, especially silver. (Wikipedia)

Thus we have In Vain Art All the Charms I Can Devise. It is 18"H X 11"W X 4"D. It consists of a Honey Jar, Light Bulb Socket, Inscribed Metal Remnant, Tinker Toy, Nut, Lamp Finial, Wood Box, Drawer Handle, Land O Lakes Cheese Box, Nails (16 Large), Nails (14 Small), Plaster Cast, Masking Tape, Grimm's Fairy Tale Book Cover, Handmade Papers, Belt Buckle, Washer, Waxed Linen Thread, Paper, Paint, and Ink.

The title for this project comes from Thomas Campion's poem Thrice Toss These Oaken Ashes.