Obsessions and Collections

Early in June my exploration into the idea of "Obsessions and Collections" began with five textile and bamboo spoons.

A growth in the making.

What makes a collection? When does a collection become an obsession? What one might think is obsession, to another is a collection? These are just some of the questions that come up when thinking about this topic.

As a child, I remember my mom having a little spoon collection. Collectables from different travels. These spoons were displayed in a wood display case. What about the empty spaces in the display? Is filling the spaces where an obsession begins?

I imagine a collection of textile and bamboo spoons hanging in an enlarged display case. Should I make 15, 30, 100? Will the process of creating the spoons, and the number needing to be created consume me?

The first spoon is titled growth:


small organic root clusters, the beginnings of growth

The next is untitled:

mended

The third is migration:

a natural progression

The fourth, heliciculture:

snail farming

The final spoon, Colony, was chosen to be exhibited at Medalta's Spoon Me opening September 1, 2014, with the opening reception on August 28th, in Medicine Hat. The exhibition closes on November 30, 2014. Spoon Me will also be available online, on Facebook, and the spoons in this international exhibition will be for sale.

Here is a sneak peak at Colony, when it was a work in progress:

Check out the exhibit in person or online to see the finished Colony. I am excited to attend the opening next week and see the spoons on display and the artists that are able to attend the opening. One of the other artists, Sean Whalley's work looks like it may fit with  my theme of "Obsessions and Collections."

Where do you draw the line between an obsession and a collection?