Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Big Head on a Bike....

Hello and welcome to my brain!
Today I have a piece of mixed media art to share with you that involves elements from three separate challenges.  The concepts are: Chalkboard and Industrial, Freedom and Time Flies.
I'm incredibly late to the party for Tim Holtz's 12 Tags, like years late, but today I decided that I would see one through to the end, so let's begin with his January tag.
Above, you'll see the triple layered Industrial gears that turn the thoughts in the ol' noggin.  To add a humorous twist, I folder embossed the gears with a cobweb folder, sort of to say, it's good to challenge yourself and blow out the cobwebs occasionally.  I also have here my giant head, made by using the chalkboard method as described on the 12 Tags January challenge.
It seemed only logical that you can't have a giant head and no leg possessing structure just aimlessly floating in mid air.  Therefore, it must traverse on the most likely piece of transportation...a unicycle, of course!
Now why on earth is there a small boy on a swing dangling from gears situated nearby a pair of ballerinas?   Well, that little boy signifies the childlike state of the mind. Curiosity, creativity, silliness, innocence and playfulness.  All of these traits are fond memories generated when the adult mind's gears begin to turn.  They are what I hope the brain remembers to never forget.
The ballerinas are there to represent the ability to help the mind think differently, or to recapture those feelings or to relearn that which may have been lost or forgotten.  One ballerina has been given wings to raise his partner up so that she may turn the gears in the opposite direction. This allows for big head here to start to see things in a new way or recall back when....
Here you'll see the gears again as well as windmills, clocks and piano keys.  For me this signifies the never ending process of thinking. It's constantly churning out ideas, thoughts, concepts, goals, inspirations, enjoyment, emotions and  freedoms beyond the realm of the body.
A few closeups of the big head and inner child.
This particular sentiment was borrowed directly from Tim's blog post and I thought it fit perfectly on my project.  
And here's a little side view...

Here are the three challenges that this project was made specifically for:
Tim Holtz - 12 Tags of January (Chalkboard and Industrial Technique), The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge -Time Flies (The effects of aging and maturing and how the mind evolves from childhood
to adulthood and how that can change our perceptions and creativity),
Mixed Media Place - Freedom (The unicycle is symbolic of movement as is the swing. The wings are to reflect the ability to leave the confines of the ground, and the mind is most significant because it breaks all barriers and restraints. The mind can be your most freeing aspect.)



Thank you SO very much for stopping in for a visit.
I appreciate that and YOU!
Hugs and Happy Creating,
Lisa xx

23 comments:

Jane said...

Hi Lisa what fun to see you joining the Tim challenge this year.....I will be able to keep up with you all year not just for Chirstmas...LOL! How fantastic is your truely unique take......I like being inside your brain it's a really fun place. Belated happy new year to you and looking forward to sharing the journey with you....it's my 3rd year at Tim's and it's been a really creative time. Hugs xx

Adventures in Paperland said...

So happy you posted this to FB, I'm in awe...totally speechless...and completely mesmerized by this project L2! It's fabulous in every way and the detailed post with all of your thought processes is wonderful. You have my vote for the win in every challenge!!! xx

experiments in paper said...

Oh, I LOVE this.....all the different symbols and representations just make this piece even more special, along with all the yummy detail. Fabulous dimension in all meaning of the word! Wow, wow, wow!!! xxx Lynn

Chrissy said...

This is the first time I have actually been able to be inside your head and can totally understand your concept on this brilliant piece of art Lisa..Absolutely LOVE it..

luv CHRISSYxx

Pia S said...

I'm 100% certain I would never have come up with an idea to create something like this! So creative, so artsy, so detailed, so original, so fun!!

Sandy said...

Now I know what my problem is -- my head just will not fit on my bike. Just as well though, I don't need anyone swinging from my head as I am dizzy enough as it is!
Now I just have to figure how you stay on that unicycle without falling over.
Tim is going to faint when he sees this. Inner child indeed - I thought that was your ear bob!
Sandy xx

Tammy said...

Wow Lisa, what an amazing thought process! Thanks for sharing your thought process for this amazing mixed media! Glad you left out the gears that tell us to do chores!

Divya Deepak said...

Oh wow Lisa!.. I truly admire your creative thinking process...!!! Amazing work!!!

Dr Sonia S V said...

Ooooh so super!!

Paper Profusion said...

Your brain and creativity consistently blow me away Lisa. Stunning, brilliant and thought provoking with FUN is both this and you! Nicola x

Words and Pictures said...

Oh Em Gee... I'm with Nicola - this trip into your creative brain is mindblowing! What a fantastic, off the wall, Heath Robinson-esque piece of work - proper Steampunk fabulousness. I'm poring over the photos as I compose this message... so many elements I completley adore - the silhouette on a twine swing, the amazing cogs and clocks, the fab quote, the face itself -all unbelievably cool!
Alison xx

Pascale B. Scrap said...

Wow!!! Great work, your project is fantastic!! Thank you for joining the Mixed Media Place challenge!

Riikka Kovasin said...

This is fantastic! So inventive and artistic! Thank you for joining the Mixed Media Place challenge!

Karon said...

This is truly and amazing creation - wow. Look at all the mind processes you had to go through to come up with this - fabulous!

Jenny Marples said...

I love this! You are ingenius! Seriously, the most creative way of tackling Tim's tag ever! Jenny x

Unknown said...

Beautiful creativity. Great piece and such fun!!

Karen Dunbrook said...

super cool and very interesting piece..love all the elements you added!

SewPaperPaint said...

WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!!! OK, enough with the wows, but hard to figure out how to express my opinion of this - it's such a cool contraption and fabulous creativity! I love every single element, especially the cool sentiment. What a clever design, love it!

Mylissa Stout said...

WOW....you got a lot of creativity going on....and you explained it all beautifully!Sooo fun and sooo much detail to look at...NICE!

Rachel said...

holy friggin cow this is SO COOL! I love all the meaning behind each piece you included. Just a very awesome concept and it turned out great. LOVE THIS. Thank you so much for playing with the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!

-Rachel
rwkrafts.com

SewPaperPaint said...

Lisa, so very happy to see you take the grand top entry at MMMC! This is one amazing project and so worthy of extra attention!!! Hugs, Autumn

Lisa H said...

This is so wonderfully creative Lisa! Congrats on your win at MMM and thanks for playing along. I hope you will join us for the Glitter challenge!

experiments in paper said...

Oh dear, I am late to this party - But SO PLEASED on your win at Mixed Media Monthly!! Very well deserved!! xxx Lynn