Mixed Media Collages Utilize Recycled Wood Cutting Boards

The Bird Women are a mixed media series I've been working on since 2007. I love to read books about cultural history. I'm the nerdy one who reads all of the references at the back to find out what I want to read next. This is how I first came across Riane Eisler's book, The Chalice and the Blade. This book was like mana for me. It spoke to me, expressing many of my feelings and clarifying historical truths about what it means to be a woman.

From The Chalice and the Blade, I discovered another remarkable woman, Marija Gimbutas, an archeologist born in Lithuania and educated in Germany. She emigrated to the U.S. In 1949 and taught first at Harvard, then at UCLA. Her books, The Language of the Goddess and The Civilization of the Goddess are fascinating accounts of prehistoric Old Europe, outlining societies that were both matriarchal and egalitarian. Much of the archetypal symbols found in these books have made their way into my goddess collage art.

In addition to reading, I'm also a huge fan of a beautiful cutting board. Bamboo is my favorite material, but I'm also instantly hooked by cutting boards that mix dark and light woods. Mmmm - makes the food taste better when it's chopped on a beautiful board by an appreciative cook.

So where does a cutting board go when its utilitarian life comes to an end? I hope it's coming to me to be recycled! I loved the concept from Daniel Quinn's Ishmael books that humanity's big troubles began with the locking up and control of the food by a few.

As for the goddess worshiping cultures, with their nurturing, life sustaining and honoring ways....their time was clearly the time before the food was locked up. So, what better background to use as the foundation for representing this time in history than a well-used cutting board?

As happens with art, these Bird Women collages have taken on a life of their own. They seem to have a story to tell. The story is told in short snippets and alluring phrases that hopefully cause the observer to either say 'amen!' or 'I never thought about it that way before'. I've attempted to restore something of the sacredness and reverence for life that these early cultures embodied, while highlighting the importance of storytelling to ancient and modern cultures all over the planet.

I'm not overly focused on selling the collages at the moment, but there are 10 listed in my bird women etsy store, if you'd like to see them. I'm also listing a few art prints of the original pen, ink and watercolor drawings and prints of the Bird Woman Coloring Book. Enjoy!

Infinity Arts Going Green Update #2 - Recycled Wood / Formaldehyde Free & Milk Paints

We've finally found new materials! In keeping with my promise earlier in the summer that Infinity Arts was Going Green, I wanted to post that we've moved several giant steps in the right direction.

First, we discovered a replacement for the mdf (medium density fiberboard) that makes up the bodies of our clocks. The new material is called Arreis from Sierra Pine (read more). Arreis is an SDF (sustainable design fiberboard). It is made from 100% recycled wood fiber and contains no added formaldehyde. Even better is that it looks and feels exactly the same as mdf...same durability, light weight and smooth finish. I love it!

Second, we have purchased a new line of paints that I'm really excited about. They are milk paints from The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company and the color palette is absolutely gorgeous. The colors are rich and beautiful and, if you don't already know, milk paint is the most durable, long-lasting, no VOC paint you can buy!

As I have said before, we at Infinity Arts are dedicated to making our home decor and art products environmentally friendly. We're excited about our new materials and we're certain that you'll love the new line of clocks they've inspired - coming soon to our website: Infinity Arts Gallery.

Note: We hope to replace our current line of catalog clocks by early 2008. In the meantime, we will continue to offer our current lines of catalog and one-of-a-kind clocks in addition to any new clocks we make! Enjoy!

New Clock Designs, As Promised

Whew! I'm finally getting Justin's beautiful new clocks up - now that it's Friday. I'm really excited about these new designs. He continues to do what he does so well - earthy tones and brilliant, beautifully-rendered accent design work, but it comes across in a fresh way each time. I'm going to post my favorites, but to see all of the new ones and to purchase, visit Infinity Arts Gallery .

"DIAL 2" by justin potts / $125 / 11" x 12" / purchase

"TERRA" by justin potts / $135 / 11" x 20" / sold

"LOFT" by justin potts / $150 / 15½" x 20" / sold

Happy Weekend! I hope to be back early (?) next week with a few of my own new clock designs...that is, if I can get away from this computer long enough to make them!

A new project.

I thought I'd assert myself, blog-wise, and actually go ahead and write one! So, here it is:
Just before I turned 30 (I'm 34 now) I had some anxiety about hitting the big 3-0 and wondered how this might impact my art. I decided to undertake a big and ambitious project just to start my thirties off on the right foot.
When I was very young my dad used to make paintings and collages. I remember one collage in particular that was simply phenomenal to my 5 year old mind. I had always wanted to play around with collage and hadn't up until this time. I purchased some extra-heavy canvas material and some 2x4's and built a 99" x 44" canvas. I had amassed a great collection of odd paper pieces to use for the collage elements throughout the years- things I had found here or there, original sketches, photocopies of my old paintings and drawings, things people had given me to use in art projects, Mary's sunrise photograph copies, and my artist friend Tom's incredible art-ready detritus. I decided to make a piece that would somehow encapsulate or represent my life up to that point, in some way.
I worked on the thing intensely and obsessively for weeks. I called the finished piece Into Existence. It's very dense and it needs to be seen in person for the full effect. It's hanging in my music room right now and makes a great thing to stare at as I record songs! Here is the thing in its miniature entirety:



Anyway, lately I've been taking detail photos of it with the idea of making inexpensive prints available on our website. Below are some detail shots which may or may not be available as prints in the near future. If you're interested in prints let me know...it will help motivate me to get it together! Thanks for reading and viewing- Justin

Indie Obsession

The word 'obsession' keeps coming up today somehow, so I'll go with it...I'd like to say a great big thank you to Brandy at Indie Obsession for blogging about our clocks. We're happy to see our clocks mingle with other cool finds. If you haven't checked out this blog, now is the time. Right from the scripty title graphic on her indie art blog, you know you're going to like what you see and you do! Thanks again!

Iffy The Cat and Portland's, The Joggers

NOTE: Justin's new designs are now up for sale on our website!











I finally finished "Iffy The Cat", a custom clock I've been working on for a friend of Jonah's (our six year old son). It's very bright and design-y, with a swinging tail and I'm really happy with how it turned out!


On Saturday, Justin dragged me out to a live show at BERBATI'S PAN. I mean dragged, not in the sense that I don't enjoy live music, but in the sense that I firmly believe if I'm out past midnight, I'll turn into a pumpkin (a referendum on my thirty-something-mom status perhaps).

Anyway, Justin and I are going to do a joint blog about THE JOGGERS, a local indie band that, I must say, ROCKS! I'm soo glad I went! I managed to snap a few shots from the left of the stage and I even got a few good ones of the drummer way in the back - once the lady with the blonde ponytail and camera left, that is. But, I'm not really a music critic, so I will leave the rest to Justin.

Justin: I love synchronicity, and the fact that Portland's The Joggers were playing a show minutes from our house just as my obsession over their album "With a Cape and a Cane" was peaking, made me very happy! I don't get out to shows as much as I would like these days, but this one made up for that in a "quality over quantity" kind of way. Their sound reminds me of a long-ago favorite band of mine called Polvo from Chapel Hill, NC- but updated and chanelled through their own strange and wonderful prism. Cheers, Joggers!

Mary: One more thing - my personal favorite of the evening was drummer, Jake Morris, who was a pleasure to watch. He's an incredible drummer, and whether he knows it or not, a great performer as well. I apologize for the less than flattering photo, but I'm attempting to convey this guy's awesome energy and intensity!

Fun, fun!

Unveiling New Art Clocks!

Here are some images of the Monster Block Clock that Jonah and I collaborated on, as well as some of Justin's new clock designs. I hope to complete the cat clock that I'm working on for Jonah's friend soon so I can put it up, too!

The Block Clocks are my latest group of art clock designs. I use 3x3" painted squares and then build my clock design on a larger foundation. I am going to be making some more large ones like the Monster Clock (which measures 15" x 33.5") soon!

"Flow" by Justin Potts (I just love how this one turned out!)

"Magician" by Justin Potts

"Delta" by Justin Potts (with a hammered copper pendulum)

"Ornament" by Justin Potts (another of my favorites)

And, just for fun, here's an abstract shot of Justin's drum brushes (sorry, I'm not up on music instrument lingo) that I took last night - who knew an 70s orange countertop could be so cool!

I may be back sometime this weekend with the cat clock. Either way, happy weekend!

New Clocks - Clocks in Progress - Legend of Zelda Project

As usual, the three of us have many things going on. Among them are a new group of Justin's clocks, a custom cat clock I'm designing and Jonah's Legend of Zelda / Ocarina of Time project...and, I am sneaking in two more photos of the snow fort, which fell at the end of last week, may the "shawl lady" rest in peace.

.......

Here are the finished Block Clocks (most of them, I'm still not ready to unveil the BIG one yet).


Flow Wall Clock in progress:

Wow!

Jonah is deep into Nintendo's Legend of Zelda/Ocarina of Time and is currently working to recreate some of the important equipment in this dimension. This is his latest completed project - the fairy hero's shield and sword (with some help from dad and mom). Now, he's on to the bow and arrow. I'll post the slingshot next time, too, which he and Justin made several months ago.

Finally, this is the cat clock design that I'm working on for one of Jonah's friends for her birthday (it's a present from her parents, not me, just to clarify!). The tale will swing and I'll post a photo of the finished piece, too!

And, that's how the Potts Family is shaping up on a Tuesday. We've had a bit of wholesale activity lately, so we've got to get going and make more clocks!!!