Think Tank Thursday #114 Timeworn

Today I would like to share an artist with you.  This artist has taken paper and elevated it with vintage items.  Vicki Sheehan is a visual poet.  Her art speaks of faded memories, from the past.  Her art whispers and invites you to look again.  One imagines the voice of the past longing to be heard.  Here I have featured a few pieces of her art, from her Old Ink Series.  She also sells beautiful leather bound journals, so you can capture your own memories, collect your own words and gather your inspiration, in one place.

Ella:  Welcome Vicki to Poets United :D   Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

 

Vicki:  I am an artist, a mom, a wife.  I am a creative soul, a deep thinker, a dreamer of dreams...
I am the tattered lace on the hem of an old wedding dress, the crumbling pages of a treasured book, a piece of rugged, worn leather...I like rough edges.   I embrace imperfection, I see beauty in the timeworn.  

 Ella:  Vicki, this so poetic and beautiful!  Tell us about this first piece in your series.

 No. 1

Vicki:  I love how items from the past tell a story,  how time enhances their beauty. 

This one includes an old book page, an envelope postmarked 1912, a book spine and some very old lace.

Ella:  I love the colors, the thoughts, and wonder of this series.  It does make one curious, what book, who was Margaret, what was her life like?  Where did the lace come from, where was it worn?    This is such a romantic art form.

 No. 2

*This is no. 2 in a series of collages I made to honor these letters. Each piece is delicate and unique and completely original. This one includes an old book page, a letter with a date of 1937 and some very old lace.

Ella:   I love this series. I remember the first time I saw it and how many ideas danced in my head.    It is gorgeous~   Vicki tell me a bit about your process?

Vicki:  One of my favorite things to collect is old letters. The old fashioned handwriting is so beautiful.  As I read the stories, I often wonder how these old letters found their way into the dusty corner of an antique shop. This is no. 2 in a series of collages I made to honor these letters.  I seek the extraordinary in the most ordinary.  That is how I create...

 Ella:   I think this one, may be my favorite.   The wonder and magic of the written word. Maybe Mildred wrote or received poetry?   It is fun to imagine what the lives behind these items reflect.

Vicki:   I usually start with an idea, like this time it was about old letters and beautiful writing. I lay everything out on my table and just start putting pieces together.  I will sometimes do this for several weeks, before I come up with the final arrangements. Then I glue or sew everything together.  I always use originals and everything I use is old, something really old.  I feel like it keeps the piece more authentic. And sometimes I'll just use a small piece of something, telling just a small piece of the story.  It makes it more mysterious.

Ella:  It really does make one observe and take notice.  Your artful arrangement is  like a page out of a diary, a visual scrapbook.   The magic of our imaginations is inspired so much by our memories. I can see stories and poetry in your art :D

No. 6

                                                                             

*This one also includes a vintage book page, an antique letter, an antique envelope postmarked 1912 and some very old lace.

Vicki:  I do wonder about the people, that owned the items before me. I wonder if they were anything like me.  If they also had a passion to create and to beautify their surrounds. I sometimes make up little stories, in my head to go with a particular item.

Ella:  Oh, Vicki you should write your stories down!  One never knows when inspiration strikes. I gather words n' memories, like you gather these beautiful items.  I see you sold, some of your series!  I can see why, they are so dreamy.  I also like this new series you have recently added to your shop.  Could you tell me a bit about your  Fabric Art Collages?

Vicki:  The fabric collages started as a way to use very small pieces of treasured vintage laces and fabrics.  They were left over, from other projects.  I can't bear to part with even the tiniest scrap, just like the paper collages. Right now, I have many of these in progress. They are waiting for that special little scrap that will complete each one.

Ella:  I love your process, you are waiting for the right piece to fit the puzzle. What is No. 01 made up of?

Fabric Art Collage - Stitched Series .01

Vicki:  The backing is tea dyed muslin and this collage also includes a piece of washed burlap with its earthy frayed edge along the bottom, some antique netting with little white polka dots, a pretty piece of an antique doily. I added a small piece of old silk to give it just a touch of pink. It has been artfully layered and machine stitched. As a further accent, I sewed on some beautiful little glass pearls from a very old necklace.

Ella:  How romantic!  I love how you have arranged these.  Your art is like a memory quilt, so many fragments n' snippets of time, so elegantly gathered.

Vicki:  Thank you, so much! :D

Ella:  Thank you Vicki,  for sharing your wonderful art with us today!   I can't wait to read the poetry, your art inspires!   It has been a pleasure to have you share yourself, your art and your process with us.   Thank you so much~ 

You can visit Vicki at her blog and be sure to drop by her Etsy Shop. She is always listing new, lovely creations~  Her journals are stunning, too.

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."

William Wordsworth

                    "Beautiful memories tell our story, and wrap them     -selves in ribbons of the heart." -- Flavia

"Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. "  ~Angelique Arnauld 

  Select one of Vicki's collages or a timeworn item you own, to inspire your mystery into a poem!  I look forward to reading your offerings on our prompt #114 Timeworn.

If you have a prompt idea (even a Music or Film inspired one) that you would like to suggest or share with us please send it to poetsunited@ymail.com . We keep a folder set aside with all your suggestions and just might use it one day.

There 3 simple rules:

1. Don’t link to more than 3 poems per week.

2. Please visit some of the other poems linked here when you link to yours.

3. Leave a comment after you have posted your link.