Them Bones, them bones...

Proving once again that you can find just about anything on the Internet, I've received my order of animal skulls. From largest to smallest, they are a red fox, a gray squirrel, an Eastern mole, and a red-toothed shrew. Although I found them on the world wide web, it turns out that the vendor lives nearby and they are from local animals, which is important for my project.

The second batch of bones I've borrowed from a generous and helpful individual who has the rare propensity and talent of finding interesting things while walking in the woods. It's not just opportunity and observational skills--I'm out in the woods often, looking carefully at things, and don't have finds like this--but a deeper talent that allows him to spot them, and I'm grateful for the loan. The large one on the top left is a deer skull, the large oval object on the right is a turtle shell, and the rest await further identification.

I'm focusing on the bones of animals that are common here in my part of PA, and that I've encountered in the flesh while gardening or hiking. My interactions with most of them are fleeting, but they are an integral part of the environment and of my world view. I'm interested in the bones both for what they represent and for their graphic visual impact. The reality of the animals, and their remains, contrasts rather sharply with the images in my collection of vintage embroidered textiles, like this Bambi-esque deer and bunny:

And these squirrels:

At this point you may well be asking yourself, "how is she going to integrate images of those dry bones and those kitschy textiles into her artwork?" Good question. I don't really know yet. Wondering about it is occupying a good portion of my conscious and unconscious mind right now, as I busy myself working in the garden. It's very exciting. I do know it won't be macabre. No matter where I start from, my work always seems to end up looking cheerful. Stay tuned!