Wood frame, antique music, glue, protective coating.
11"x14" on 24"x24" canvas (reinforced to become frame)
Note From the Artist
My paper works using antique sheet music seek to celebrate and repurpose the best and worst quality music from my great paper era collection (1723-1945). My creative endeavours have focused on creating and celebrating language with a particular focus on universal languages. As a multi lingual and multi cultural person music was (and still is) a most tangible link to culture for me. I grew up moving every two years and although we were posted far and wide, my parents, an Irish mother from the North of Ireland and a French Canadian military officer with Métis heritage, made sure we were given strong links to our mixed heritage. I also use it because the wealth of printed music from the last several centuries has become obsolete for the most part. It was collected and shared with great care and love, from one generation to another, as such the quality of the paper was essential to its longevity. The greatest paper made was made for music, which was to pass from hand to hand to hand. I have always had a great love for it and have always yearned to use it in my work as an artist and artisan.
It is important for me to honour every aspect of each piece of music I used for this work. As such, the inventory of colour resulting from age, paper composition (cotton, linen, the honey coloured paper is the result of bleach as an additive during war time in the 20th century), margins, print size, decorative whimsy and graphic patterns have become components of my palette. We are all soothed by music, it is a universal language of healing and wellbeing and connects us to our ancestors. This work now connects me to all those who kept their music archive, to you and to all future folk that encounter it because they will do a visual dance of discovery, and so musical magic is made. Making sculpture is a way for me to navigate complicated waters with love and hope for healing for all us earthlings.
These landscapes were created with you in mind, that support and encourage love and lore of beautiful nature and making it available to many deserving inner-city kids. I have included Lou, my tenth buffalo, my beloved owl Fats and a glimpse of the mythology that swims continuously in this paper and this artistic exploration. I will send additional photos of the making of the pieces you purchase and some of the paper used in their construction. I will also send you a text on acid free cardstock describing your piece and sign it. Each piece does have a paper signature “rcyc” on it. The canvases on the landscapes are included in the price.
Made in Annapolis Royal, NS, aka Mi’kma’ki unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people, Canada