One Giant Leap

Happy Leap Year!

I'm very thankful for an extra 24 hours this year. I have a lot on my plate right now, but I am slowly chipping away at it. I've been working on my piece for the "Take It Further" challenge. February's challenge consisited of two parts ~ a color scheme, and the challenge to create an art piece based on "what you are old enough to remember". Here is my piece. It's not finished, but I'm getting there.

"Space Junk"

Below is the color scheme. When I first saw it, it didn't really speak to me. I've spent a bit of time this month thinking about the other part of the challenge ... what do I remember? Well, I remember milk being delivered in bottles in a little metal box outside our door. I remember when the barn near my grandparents' place burned down. I remember banana seats and wearing plaid pants with argyle socks (mom! what were you thinking!!).

Then, in one of my art groups, some folks started talking about man landing on the moon. I was only about 18 months old. Surely I don't remember that. But I have these vague images ... of being at my grandparents' house and the TV being by the wall at the front of the house ... of being told this was important ... of asking if that was "the man in the moon" because I really didn't understand who the man in the moon was ... So do I remember it? Or was it relived for several years after the event, and is that what I remember?

Recently, I saw some breathtaking photos of earth from space. As I was looking at them, I realized that I was viewing the challenge color scheme! So, my decision was made. I went to NASA's website where there are hundreds of copyright free images, and found one of earth. I've been wanting to do some image printing, and this was a good opportunity to practice. I fused my image to the black background and the thought of space junk orbiting the earth came to me. So I got out my bags of found objects and whatnots and started to pull things out ... a broken piece of chain, a cap from a paintbrush, a rusty smashed bottlecap, a button that had been run over, some springs, and a broken rivet.

As I started working on my layout, the rivet caught my attention. At first I couldn't believe what I saw ... I couldn't believe what was embedded into the rivet ...

1969! That was the year we walked on the moon. That was where this whole piece started, even if I didn't know it. Coincidence? Serendipity? Karma? Cool! I still plan to stitch some "stars" (either tiny pearls or crystals, I haven't decided yet) onto the piece, and it needs a backing and binding. I will finish it soon. And then I'm going to frame it. The piece is 7x7 inches. I have the perfect frame.
Above is another detail shot. If you look closely, you can see one of the springs towards the top of the photo. I'm glad I made time to meet the challenge this month. We'll see what March brings!