We artists do love our collections, don’t we? Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to small, curious things—trinkets unearthed at flea markets, foraging for smooth stones and bits of metal on long walks, objects that seem to hum—waiting to share their own stories. Long before I knew what I’d make of them, I gathered these artifacts from the past.

As it turns out, I’m not alone in this. So many artists I admire share this impulse to collect—oddities, treasures, and fragments that make their way into their work or simply live in the studio as quiet companions.

In this ongoing series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to guest artists and the objects they love. Some names you may recognize; others might be new discoveries. Through their responses to a few simple questions, each one offers a peek at their collections and art practices in this virtual show-and-tell: the objects that caught their eye, the stories behind them, and sometimes how they plan to use them in their art or home. Be sure to check out their bios and links to find out more about each artist.

Today’s Found Object Friday artist is K. Wayne Thornley. When I decided to do the original series on found objects, I immediately thought to invite K Wayne Thornley, who was the first artist featured in February, 2014. As an assemblage artist, I knew he must have a collection of unique and interesting objects to chose from, and as a painter and mixed media artist whose style I so greatly admired, I just plain wanted the opportunity to hear and see what he finds inspiring. His style and his sense of humor still catch my attention in his posts to this day.

Welcome back K Wayne!

Do you still have the original object you shared with us in 2014?

I do still have one of the sashes I found in 2014. The other two have been cut up and pieces snatched to use in various collage and assemblage work over the years. As I write this, I am still a little stunned more that 10 years have past since that post back in 2014.

What object/s are you sharing with us now?

The object I am sharing for this Found Object Friday is one of those things all mixed-media makers keep on their forager’s radar. It is a handwritten ledger of all customers and purchases from a drugstore in Johnston, SC, which opened in 1924. This 500-page ledger records purchases starting March 5, 1961.

Tell us a little about where you found the object-- was it a gift, a purchase, or something you found?

This ledger was given to me by a dear artist friend, Betsy, whose grandfather opened the store. Betsy said she got a phone call from a man who had recently purchased the shuttered building for renovation. He explained that the attic of the store was filled with old paperwork, typewriters, and store furnishings. Because of the store’s history, he felt some family member might want some of these things. Through townspeople familiar with the store, he connected with Betsy. On the first of several trips to the store attic, she returned with her vehicle packed full of ledgers and other treasures. Betsy is an accomplished assemblage artist herself, so, she has the eye for the good stuff. After doing some initial sorting through the materials, she texted and invited me to her studio to look at her haul. I arrived to find Betsy sitting on the floor sorting through stacks of ephemera. I looked at the stacks of ledgers in front of her. “Please take some,” she said. After talking about her grandfather, her memory of the store, and what still remained in the attic, she gifted me with three journals. (I know, don’t hate me.)

Why did it catch your attention?

The ledgers not only contain page after page of handwriting, the blue-gray cloth covers, the design work printed on the back and front of each, endpapers with cryptic numbers and notes, and the hidden binding materials waiting to be harvested are all materials I will use in future works.

Is there any symbolic or deeper meaning represented in the object?

Handwriting, especially very old, cursive writing, has always fascinated me. More than just another form of mark-making, handwriting, to me, is evidence. Evidence that someone was here, sort of a modern version of the marks and symbols found on the cave walls of Lascaux. The move from handwriting to keyboarding in school classrooms makes handwritten passages even more important and inspiring.

How has your style as artist and collector evolved since the original series in 2014?

Looking back to 2014 and the work I was making at that time, I think the same themes of memory and memory lost, the importance we place on objects we keep or collect, and the fate of things left behind art still a part of my creative process. I have expanded on those themes over the last decade, experimented with new materials, and, hopefully, learned some new techniques, but those main ideas are still present in my current work. I feel I still have things to say about those themes and the human experience.

Thank you K. Wayne. You honor the generosity of your friend in gifting you these journals well with the work you’ve created.

Bio: Thornley is a mixed media artist whose work spans several media categories, but he spends most of his creative time as a painter, an assemblage artist, and a wire wrangler. His work has been juried into local, state, and national exhibitions and he has helped organize and participate many solo and group shows throughout the Southeast.

Thornley is a graduate of the University of South Carolina where he studied studio arts, but graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising and Public Relations in order to get at “real job.”

When not at his real job, Thornley works in his home studio in Columbia, SC. Recently, he has been teaching a series of project-based creativity classes, the ARTMAKERS BOOTCAMP series, with art partner Lucy Bailey.

Artist’s Statement

My work deals largely with life-shaping power memory, memory loss, and memory-imbued objects that ultimately become someone else’s detritus. Wandering figures in abstract landscapes began to appear in my paintings after my father passed away from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. That experience also influenced my assemblage and constructions which focus on using old photographs, thrift store relics, salvaged clothing, wire, rusted metals and other found objects that were once important or useful to someone at some point in time.

My current work still begins with this baseline of thought, but it is continuously evolving. Living on this planet with so many cultures and belief systems and the objects, textiles and icons that support them is fascinating. I love the juxtaposition of the familiar and the foreign. Objects, both mysterious and mundane. Images of family members alongside acquired ancestors from flea markets. Shapes, words and symbols that trigger positive or negative emotions, depending on the life experiences one brings to the exchange between art object and the viewer.

IG: kwaynethornley

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We artists do love our collections, don’t we? Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to small, curious things—trinkets unearthed at flea markets, foraging for smooth stones and bits of metal on long walks, objects that seem to hum—waiting to share their own stories. Long before I knew what I’d make of them, I gathered these artifacts from the past.

As it turns out, I’m not alone in this. So many artists I admire share this impulse to collect—oddities, treasures, and fragments that make their way into their work or simply live in the studio as quiet companions.

In this ongoing series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to guest artists and the objects they love. Some names you may recognize; others might be new discoveries. Through their responses to a few simple questions, each one offers a peek at their collections and art practices in this virtual show-and-tell: the objects that caught their eye, the stories behind them, and sometimes how they plan to use them in their art or home. Be sure to check out their bios and links to find out more about each artist.

Today’s Found Object Friday artist is Donna Zarbin-Byrne. I first heard of Donna Zarbin-Byrne when I showed a mutual acquaintance an image of my wax & wire jewelry pieces and she suggested I reach out to Donna, whose work she said I might resonate with. Sticking her contact info in my purse, I promptly forgot about it, until few years later when I joined Fused Chicago, an encaustic art organization, which Donna was also a member of. It was not until I went to see an exhibit the group had organized that my memory was jarred. As I stood in front of Donna's large-scale installation "Bowl of Prayers" in awe of the beauty of it.

Donna was first introduced to my readers in the original Found Object Friday series back in May of 2014 and I’m thrilled she agreed to give us an update today.

Welcome, Donna! I’m so glad you’re here!

Do you still have the original object you shared with us in 2014?

Yes, I am still working with dried banana stems, as I am fascinated with their anthropomorphic associations with vertebrae and figuration.

Donna has a fascinating process in sourcing and using her materials. Here she is to tell us a bit more about her work and techniques:

My most recent work has taken me out of the garden and into the landscape, with a focus on creating molds of objects found in the landscape and casting them in paper and bronze. Casting directly from natural forms observes and freezes a moment in time while simultaneously creating a new fictional account of that found object.

The recreated boulder from the work, Like Water from A Rock, was made by making paper castings from molds made of mountain surfaces. Also included are found rocks, cactus, cast-bronze shells, and other collected detritus. The sculpture was inspired by a "still life" I observed where a cactus actually grew out of a rock.

In other sculptures, I have altered and worked directly with plant forms such as the century plant in the piece titled Death Bloom. A tall, dramatic flower stalk blooms after ten to thirty years and emerges only once before the plant dies. While hiking in the desert of West Texas, I observed the stages of its life cycle. This plant also grows domestically, and I observed my neighbor's tree complete its life cycle. They were delighted that I volunteered to remove the "debris" from their yard, and I was delighted to wrangle this twelve-foot beauty into my studio.

My tactile-based process follows ecosystems and patterns found in nature. I build forms with materials that have become both substance and symbol. By applying patinas to dried plants, I re-articulate death into life, where I imagine against grief. Rusting steel releases earth tones of iron and orange onto handmade paper while I use fire and water to coax verdigris from bronze and copper. Direct castings of organic materials transform fragile plants into the strength of bronze.

Is there any symbolic or deeper meaning represented in the object?

These pieces were created for a show that was based on hikes in the West Maui mountains and the deserts of West Texas. While preparing for the show, extreme weather conditions and wildfires in Texas and Maui impacted me deeply. Maui was burning, and its most historic city, Lahaina, was destroyed. As a result, the work intertwined beauty with destruction and grief with hope. As natural cycles of life and death accelerated into human tragedy, creating this work became a physical expression of lament. The title, Like Water from a Rock, references the biblical account of the Israelites miraculously receiving water from a rock in the wilderness. Water serves as a poetic parenthesis around the two landscapes, imagining the ocean over time and space in geologic history, and quenching the thirst of the land and people.

The work has been a response to a time of environmental concerns and cultural crisis, and the landscape has become symbolic of strength and resilience —a place of longing amid loss. My work often serves as a vessel to hold concerns about the fragility of nature and life. I weave together beauty and hope in response to destruction and grief.

Thank you, Donna. I am in awe of your talent and the many layers of meaning you impart in your work.

Donna’s Bio

Donna Zarbin-Byrne's artworks range from site-responsive installations and public art to intimately scaled sculptures and works on paper. Her biomorphic abstractions investigate mysterious and cerebral responses to the forces of nature.

Zarbin-Byrne holds a BFA and MFA from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a concentration in ceramics. She has studios in Greenville, South Carolina, and Haiku, Hawaii.

Zarbin-Byrne has received numerous commissions, including public sculpture for the City of Evanston, IL, the Gardens at San Juan, San Antonio, TX, and a garden memorial installation for St. Phillips Church, Glenview, IL. Her work is included in the City of Houston Civic Arts Collection, the John Peace Print Collection, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and private collections.

Donna is a recipient of the Otis and Velma Davis Dozier Travel Grant, the Dallas Museum of Art which enabled her to travel to Japan where she explored traditional and contemporary uses of Kozo (mulberry) paper. She was awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, in Interdisciplinary Art, grants through the Artists in Education program of the Illinois Arts Council, and the Franklin Furnace Fund to support an exhibition at Franklin Furnace, New York, New York.

Website: Donnazarbinbyrne.com

Instagram: Donnazarbinbyrneart

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We artists do love our collections, don’t we? Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to small, curious things—trinkets unearthed at flea markets, foraging for smooth stones and bits of metal on long walks, objects that seem to hum—waiting to share their own stories. Long before I knew what I’d make of them, I gathered these artifacts from the past.

As it turns out, I’m not alone in this. So many artists I admire share this impulse to collect—oddities, treasures, and fragments that make their way into their work or simply live in the studio as quiet companions.

In this ongoing series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to guest artists and the objects they love. Some names you may recognize; others might be new discoveries. Through their responses to a few simple questions, each one offers a peek at their collections and art practices in this virtual show-and-tell: the objects that caught their eye, the stories behind them, and sometimes how they plan to use them in their art or home. Be sure to check out their bios and links to find out more about each artist.

Today’s Found Object Friday feature artist is Amanda Jolley. Amanda and I connected somewhere in time, at a summer art retreat we each taught at annually. Though I can remember our first encounter and have a pretty solid idea of how many years have passed since that time, our friendship has grown such deep roots that it seems we have always known each other.

Instead of the regular Found Object Friday survey and artist’s response, today I’m sharing a post Amanda wrote about an assemblage she made in the Art + Assemblage workshop I taught in Amanda’s studio this past May. Each object Amanda selected to use in the creation of this work was deeply meaningful—a line in a visual story. But the work didn’t begin with that story in mind—it began with the reading of a poem.

The impact of this work is a testament to the power objects contain in telling our stories and the healing to be found in the process of creating.

The best poem ever
By Brian Doyle

What if, says a small child to me this afternoon,
We made a poem without using any words at all?
Wouldn’t that be cool? You could use long twigs,
And feathers, or spider strands, and arrange them
So that people imagine what words could be there.
Wouldn’t that be cool? So there’s a different poem
For each reader. That would be the best poem ever.
The poem wouldn’t be on the page, right? It would
Be in the air, sort of. It would be between the twigs
And the person’s eyes, or behind the person’s eyes,
After the person saw whatever poem he or she saw.
Maybe there are a lot of poems that you can’t write
Down. Couldn’t that be? But they’re still there even
If no one can write them down, right? Poems in
Books are only a little bit of all the poems there are.
Those are only the poems someone found words for.

Crystal taught this 3-day workshop the first week of May here at my studio in Kansas City. Leading up to the workshop I was hit by a respiratory virus and took every supplement possible to help me get well before the workshop. When the day arrived, I was well AND ill-prepared albeit excited and enthusiastic. I had no supplies pulled together for the weekend beyond my work gloves, no concepts.

And then Crystal shared a poem with us on Day 1. The poem hit that inner place and allowed that amazing creative portal in my brain to open and I KNEW what I needed to grab, an object that a year earlier I had a concept for and had decided it didn’t need to be expressed. It was too much and I had let it go.

The container for my assemblage is an antique doll carriage from my in-laws. I disassembled it and collaged the inside with pages from old medical encyclopedias about mental illness and child rearing. As the weekend went on, I found more and more of my deeply personal treasures in my hand. My baby blanket. The rabbit’s foot a hawk had left for me on top of a hay bale in 1978. A nest I found on the ground tucked in the center of three trees at my parent’s farm. The Blood Red pigment jar that was my great grandmother’s from her china painting days. A metal slinky that was my grandchild’s, stretched and twisted into a tangled mess. Greek Orthodox beeswax prayer candles gifted by a neighbor.

This piece is about something I haven’t shared on social media. All of it has been too big, too much. My oldest child is mentally ill, an adult now, out of my sphere of help. And no matter the nurturing, love and prayers that were poured into my child in their growing years, no matter how much luck (the rabbit’s foot), I could not prevent the spiral that has transpired these past 6 years. The slinky is a picture of the mental chaos and if you look closely, there are warning bells.

Creating this piece was cathartic as I continue to work through the strange loss and grief of it all.

Thank you for allowing us this glimpse into the deeper meaning behind your work, Amanda.

Amanda’s Bio:

Amanda Jolley utilizes the process of intuitive painting as a communicative device to express the patterns and metaphors emerging from her subconscious. Amanda’s mediums of choice include both encaustic painting and paper folding which she incorporates into this intuitive process. A staple in her work has become the use of embedded line-work as an expression of internal symbols and mimicry of the creases produced from paper folding. Amanda’s paintings are shown internationally both in solo and group exhibits. She also has a large-scale (12x6 sq ft) commissioned permanent installation at the University of Kansas Medical Hospital. She instructs and hosts workshops that draw an international audience from her studio in Kansas City MO US.

Website: amandajolley.com

Instagram: amandajolley

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We artists do love our collections, don’t we? Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to small, curious things—trinkets unearthed at flea markets, foraging for smooth stones and bits of metal on long walks, objects that seem to hum—waiting to share their own stories. Long before I knew what I’d make of them, I gathered these artifacts from the past.

As it turns out, I’m not alone in this. So many artists I admire share this impulse to collect—oddities, treasures, and fragments that make their way into their work or simply live in the studio as quiet companions.

In this ongoing series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to guest artists and the objects they love. Some names you may recognize; others might be new discoveries. Through their responses to a few simple questions, each one offers a peek at their collections and art practices in this virtual show-and-tell: the objects that caught their eye, the stories behind them, and sometimes how they plan to use them in their art or home. Be sure to check out their bios and links to find out more about each artist.

Today’s Feature artist is Graceann Warn. I’ve been an avid fan of Graceann’s work for well over a decade, first coming across images of her masterfully crafted assemblage works somewhere out there online. Graceann’s encaustic paintings and assemblage works are sold in galleries and fine art exhibitions across the US and internationally and I’ll never forget the feeling of standing in front of her work, soaking in the scale of it, in person for the first time at one of my own first opportunities to exhibit in one of those exhibitions.

This statement from Graceann’s website struck me as the perfect introduction to today’s post:

I paint and I construct.
​Both my paintings and assemblages use the metaphor of excavation.
My formal education in landscape architecture and classical archaeology provides structure to
artistic flights of fancy that always seem to revolve around some form of revelation:
The attempt to unearth an object or solve a mystery.
Uncovering/Covering.
Leaving a Trace,
a Vestige,
a Palimpsest.

Hi Graceann, I’m thrilled you’re here! What object are you sharing with us today?

Vintage Wooden Hand (probably a prop for displaying gloves).

Where did you find it? In a shop, on the ground, a special location? Was it a gift? Did you make it?

I found this in a messy little antique shop in Naples, Italy a few years ago.

What is it about this object that appeals to you-why did it catch your attention?

I have always looked at people's hands as they tell a lot about the person. As someone who works with her hands, I am proud of every scar, wrinkle, crookedness that I've earned in my life as an artist. My grandfather was a master carpenter and my mother was no slouch in that department herself. I remember their hands.

I remember the feel of my mother's huge hands on my face when I was sick. I crave that sometimes! I am suspicious of hands that are too smooth and perfect. I respect people who make things and that work is reflected in their hands.

Is there any symbolic or deeper meaning in this object? How does it make you feel to hold it/look at it/ work with it?

I have always felt a certain power in this piece. It is life-size which helps that feeling come across. The position of it connotes a certain strength, confidence

How will you use the object? In your art, in your studio? As a gift to pass along to someone else?

I hope to use it someday in a box but for now it is on my studio wall as a reminder of who I am, what I do.

Thank you, Graceann! I know so many artists and creatives have a similar affinity for the imagery and meaning of the hand. I love the chippy worn fingers on this one. It seems to beautifully illustrate the hands of people who make things that you spoke of.

Graceann’s Bio:
Graceann Warn, American, was born and raised in New Jersey. From Michigan State University she graduated with a degree in landscape architecture.

Later, while pursuing a master’s in landscape architecture at the University of Michigan and working as a landscape architect, she visited an exhibition of the last paintings of Mark Rothko. The emotional impact of that exhibition was the catalyst for great change.

Within a year she made the decision to devote her life to making art.

She has been a full-time studio artist since 1985 with work exhibited and collected nationally and internationally.

She lives in in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband Geoff.

Visit Graceann’s website: www.graceannwarn.com

Instagram: gwarnart

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I’m nearly done setting up the studio, and I’m clearing out as much as I’m keeping! 🎉 Join me Thursday, September 4th, for my next State of the Studio Live. I’ll take you on a quick tour through the new space followed by a live online sale you won’t want to miss.

Time and more details to come soon.

With gratitude,
Crystal Marie

The Found Object Friday Series:

We artists do love our collections, don’t we? Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to small, curious things—trinkets unearthed at flea markets, foraging for smooth stones and bits of metal on long walks, objects that seem to hum—waiting to share their own stories. Long before I knew what I’d make of them, I gathered these artifacts from the past.

As it turns out, I’m not alone in this. So many artists I admire share this impulse to collect—oddities, treasures, and fragments that make their way into their work or simply live in the studio as quiet companions.

In this ongoing series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to guest artists and the objects they love. Some names you may recognize; others might be new discoveries. Through their responses to a few simple questions, each one offers a peek at their collections and art practices in this virtual show-and-tell: the objects that caught their eye, the stories behind them, and sometimes how they plan to use them in their art or home. Be sure to check out their bios and links to find out more about each artist.

Today’s feature artist is Robyn Gordon. Robyn is an artist residing in South Africa who frequently incorporates found objects into her hand-carved works—evoking a sense of ancient tribal artifacts with a touch of modern aesthetics and meaning. You may recognize Robyn’s name as a well respected and largely followed curator of daily art on Facebook. She was introduced on my old blog in the original series in May or 2014, but we’d followed each other on our respective Tumblr accounts and other places artists gather online long before that time.

Robin is so generous in promoting other artists to her large following in her curated posts each day. I love being able to turn that attention back on her and her incredible art. And I’m thrilled Robyn said yes to giving us an update on her fondness for Found Objects today!

Welcome Robyn! I’m so glad you’re here!
Do you still have the original object you shared with us in 2014?

Some of the turtle shell shards featured in your 2014 series have been put to good use as angel wings for a wooden figure I carved for my daughter.

What object/s are you sharing with us now?

I am sharing a square porthole from a yacht wrecked near our friend's cottage on the Wild Coast. Every time we visited for years after it wrecked we found pieces strewn over the beach and rocks, many of which have come home with me.

Tell us a little about where you found the object? Why did it catch your attention?

A retired couple set off on a dream adventure, sailing their new yacht along the east coast of Southern Africa. They were sailing along the Wild Coast, known for multiple ship wrecks, when the yacht ran aground in the middle of the night. How they got off the yacht and onto land relatively unharmed is a mystery. Their little dog, in his life jacket, also survived. They stayed with my friend for several weeks, in the cottage we stay in every time we go to the wild Coast.

Is there any symbolic or deeper meaning represented in the object?

It has been sad watching this yacht break up over the years with every high sea. I bring home bits of it after every holiday with the possibility of incorporating pieces in my carvings. Each piece reminds me of the broken dreams of a couple setting out on an adventure of a lifetime.

How has your style as artist and collector evolved since the original series in 2014?

I don't think my style has altered much since the earlier feature though I am carving more mounted figures similar to the angel inspired by the found turtle shell shards.

Thank you Robyn! What an absolute treasure these portholes and the story of the couple your friend hosted after the shipwreck is.

Robyn Gordon’s Bio:
I am a self-taught wood carving artist from South Africa. I started carving as a child after discovering my mother's unused carving chisels at the back of a drawer. A hobby that kept boredom away on lamplit evenings on the farm has become a form of meditation for me. An escape that has saved me many times over. I don't know life without it.

I love that everything I've ever learned in an art sense has found its way into my work. From the rudimentary patchwork my mother taught me at a very tender age, a folk art course we did together, my avid reading about African art and symbolism during my teens to mixed media classes in my twenties and a wonderful class with Lorna Crane in latter years. These influences have shown up in my wood carvings somewhere along the line.

Nothing has been wasted...and that goes for all my collected treasures too. All the things I've collected over many years from Wild Coast beaches, Drakensberg forests, flea markets, scrapyards all find their way into my work.

"I have tried to study African Art in order to assimilate it into my being, not to copy, but to seek the essence of it, it's spirit and quality of art." - Hale Woodruff

Other places to find Robyn, her work and her daily curated posts:

Robyn’s Webiste: Robyn Gordon

Robyn Gordon on Instagram: @robyngordonart

Robyn Gordon on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robyn.gordon.585

Art Propelled on Facebook: Art Propelled

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We artists do love our collections, don’t we? Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to small, curious things—trinkets unearthed at flea markets, foraging for smooth stones and bits of metal on long walks, objects that seem to hum—waiting to share their own stories. Long before I knew what I’d make of them, I gathered these artifacts from the past.

As it turns out, I’m not alone in this. So many artists I admire share this impulse to collect—oddities, treasures, and fragments that make their way into their work or simply live in the studio as quiet companions.

In this ongoing series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to guest artists and the objects they love. Some names you may recognize; others might be new discoveries. Through their responses to a few simple questions, each one offers a peek at their collections and art practices in this virtual show-and-tell: the objects that caught their eye, the stories behind them, and sometimes how they plan to use them in their art or home. Be sure to check out their bios and links to find out more about each artist.

This week’s featured artist is Shary Bartlett, who first appeared in the original series back in April 2014. Shary and I met at an encaustic retreat where we both taught each summer for nearly a decade, and we quickly became friends. I was instantly drawn to her sculptural works—which are as lyrical as her speaking voice, complete with that distinct Canadian accent. I realize I said the same thing in the original series, but it still holds true: once you’ve met Shary, her voice, paired with her empathetic and generous nature, leaves a lasting impression.

I’m excited to welcome Shary back today!

I’m honoured to be invited by Crystal Marie to contribute again to her Found Object Series, and to share with you one of my favourite found materials: a spunbonded fabric fibre called Lutradur. The sculptures I create from it feel like a perfect fit for her blog post, “Other People’s Flowers.” (note from Crystal: Other People’s Flowers was the name of my blog where the original Found Object Friday series ran.)

When I began thinking about “found objects” it made me wonder, do we really find them, or do artists always have a curious, imaginative eye open for beauty and the possibility of creation?

Looking back at my post for Crystal Marie’s series 10 years ago, I thought of the many objects that I have found and collected for over 30 years from the recycled/manufacturing discards/art store called Urban Source, where I live in Vancouver, Canada. (I still have many of their lasercut wood pieces I shared with you in my Found Object post in 2014.)

One of my greatest Urban Source found treasures was a remnant of translucent fabric once used for theatre stage lighting purposes. Held up to the light I could see its endlessly spun fibres of thread bound together. Where else had I seen this before? I recognized it as the same material found underneath mattress box springs! So, I approached my local mattress recycling facility to collect a bag of Lutradur for me, which I then bleached, and set to experimenting. (I later found Lutradur sold as interfacing in the fabric store.)

I fell in love with this translucent fabric: when heated, it shrinks into oddly curled shapes or transforms into lace. When dipped in encaustic (molten beeswax) it becomes even more translucent (being an artist who works primarily with Encaustic, I’ll dip many things in wax experimentally to see what happens!). I’ve even found this fabric can be hand-dyed into a rainbow of colours… so many possibilities!

Here are some examples of some of the sculptures that I’ve made using Lutradur with Encaustic wax over many years….

Recently I’ve begun adding the element of LED lighting to this Lutradur and Encaustic duo to highlight the fibre’s luminescent beauty.

I adore creating with this found fabric and have shared it’s magic with students, both in workshops and in my online course called “Spun Gold: Spunbonded Fibre and Encaustic Wax.”

I’m excited to be sharing an upcoming in-person workshop, Illuminated Sculptures: Encaustic, Textiles, and LED Lighting at the Canadian Encaustic Conference in Ontario, Canada this September 2025. Artists and instructors from around the world will be sharing their passion for beeswax – you might want to join us!

Thank you for the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for the creative serendipity of found objects. Keep your eyes peeled for your next inspired discovery!

Shary Bartlett

Shary’s Bio:

Shary Bartlett is a Canadian artist living in Vancouver, Canada. Her mixed-media encaustic paintings and sculptures are held in public and private collections internationally. She teaches art workshops globally, nationally, and online and has been a long-time fine arts instructor at Capilano University, Langara College and Red Deer College. Shary instructs with the internationally acclaimed masterclass, Painting with Fire. Her encaustic mixed media artwork and techniques are published in the books, Encaustic Art in the 21st Century, and Encaustic Revelation. Her personally curated encaustic wax pigments, created with Enkaustikos Paints, are sold internationally.

See more of Shary’s work on her website: www.sharybartlett.com

Shary’s Classes: https://sharybartlett.newzenler.com

Shary’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/sharybartlett

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sharybartlett

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sharybartlettartist

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We artists do love our collections, don’t we? Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to small, curious things—trinkets unearthed at flea markets, foraging for smooth stones and bits of metal on long walks, objects that seem to hum—waiting to share their own stories. Long before I knew what I’d make of them, I gathered these artifacts from the past.

As it turns out, I’m not alone in this. So many artists I admire share this impulse to collect—oddities, treasures, and fragments that make their way into their work or simply live in the studio as quiet companions.

In this ongoing series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to guest artists and the objects they love. Some names you may recognize; others might be new discoveries. Through their responses to a few simple questions, each one offers a peek at their collections and art practices in this virtual show-and-tell: the objects that caught their eye, the stories behind them, and sometimes how they plan to use them in their art or home. Be sure to check out their bios and links to find out more about each artist.

Today’s feature artist is Seth Apter. I first connected with Seth back in the day through our respective blogs. Before artists were able to easily access other artists through places like Instagram and Facebook, we networked through our blogs and Tumblr feeds. Seth’s blog was called The Altered Page (mine was Other People’s Flowers). Through his blog, we were introduced to his own art life, and also to each other’s. Seth was intentional in lifting up the artists in his community, and if you’ve encountered Seth in a workshop or anywhere online, you know this is very much a part of who he is as a human.

Seth was featured in the original Found Object Friday series in March of 2014. Since that time, his art practice has exploded, (not that it wasn’t already well on it’s way). Seth has several mixed media lines and endorsements and a successful business selling his products, workshops, and art. Be sure to check out his bio and links at the end of the post.

Hi Seth, Welcome back!

Do you still have the original object you shared with us in 2014?

I do not. Like many of my found objects, this eventually found its way into an artwork. And this piece was sold and can now be found in somebody else's home.

What object/s are you sharing with us now?

This found object is a rusty metal piece that has been naturally weathered over time. It is deeply embossed with three numbers and some smaller letters. It holds one of the corners of my current studio inspiration board, a 3.5 x 2.5 foot installation that is changed annually

Tell us a little about where you found the object-- was it a gift, a purchase, or something you found?

Sadly I cannot recall where this piece came from. My best guess is that I purchased this at a flea market or antique shop as I do not believe it was found on the street.

Why did it catch your attention?

In general, I love an object that comes to me with a history and that can potentially be used in found object art. But this particular find caught my eye for many additional reasons as well. Every inch of the surface is rusted, which for me is a beautiful thing. The edges are wonky and organic. There are both numbers and letters, each in runs of three - my favorite number in art.

Is there any symbolic or deeper meaning represented in the object?

I think the symbolism relates to the passing of time - a theme that is very prominent in my work. Also the dual notions that imperfections are in fact perfect and that wonkiness is to be embraced.

How has your style as artist and collector evolved since the original series in 2014?

In the last 10 years I have become more connected to organic elements and shapes. This is evident in both my artwork and design, where mark making is now at the core. In 2014, as can be seen in my original choice of found object, much of my work revolved around circles - a very well defined shape. Since that time I have leaned more heavily into the random and the wonky. Makes me wonder where I will be ten years from now.

Thank you Seth! What a delight to get this update and glimpse into your current practice.

Seth Apter’s Bio: I am a mixed media artist, instructor, author, and designer from New York City. I came to the world of art later in life, transitioning from a full-time career as a psychologist to being a full-time artist and maker. My artistic practice is based on the concepts of community and collaboration, and I believe in the power of art to bring people together. My work has been exhibited in multiple exhibitions and can be found in numerous books and national magazines. I have also published two books of his own - The Pulse of Mixed Media and The Mixed-Media Artist- with North Light Books. My love of the creative energy that occurs when artists are brought together has led me to spend a great deal of time teaching workshops - both in person across the world and online. As a designer, I currently have collections with Sizzix, FreeSpirit Fabrics, StencilGirl Products, PaperArtsy, and WOW.

Visit Seth’s website: https://www.sethapter.com

Find Seth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethapter

Seth’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/sethapter

And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seth.apter

We artists do love our collections, don’t we? Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to small, curious things—trinkets unearthed at flea markets, foraging for smooth stones and bits of metal on long walks, objects that seem to hum—waiting to share their own stories. Long before I knew what I’d make of them, I gathered these artifacts from the past.

As it turns out, I’m not alone in this. So many artists I admire share this impulse to collect—oddities, treasures, and fragments that make their way into their work or simply live in the studio as quiet companions.

In this ongoing series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to guest artists and the objects they love. Some names you may recognize; others might be new discoveries. Through their responses to a few simple questions, each one offers a peek at their collections and art practices in this virtual show-and-tell: the objects that caught their eye, the stories behind them, and sometimes how they plan to use them in their art or home. Be sure to check out their bios and links to find out more about each artist.

Today’s feature artist is artist and owner/CEO of Stencil Girl Products, Mary Beth Shaw. My introduction to Mary Beth was through her collage work back when I was first beginning to explore the medium and soon became a fan of her large scale mixed media and acrylic paintings. Mary Beth was featured in the original series back in March of 2014. Since that time, her company Stencil Girl Products has flourished and is a fan favorite for many a mixed media artist to this day.

Welcome Mary Beth! Let’s dive in . . .
Do you still have the original object you shared with us in 2014?

I do still have the acorn caps. I have put them with my new object, the ceramic hand.

What object/s are you sharing with us now?

A ceramic hand.

Tell us a little about where you found the object-- was it a gift, a purchase, or something you found?

I found the ceramic hand in a small artist shop in Mineral Point, WI. Sadly, the artist was not present so I didn’t get to meet her. I was entranced by the hand for so many reasons. It was quite small, about the same size as my own hands and I learned she used her own hand to make this piece.

Why did it catch your attention?

As an artist for twenty five years, I cherish my hands. It seemed momentous to find a hand similar to mine. Ideally, I would love to have an exact model of both my hands.

Perhaps some day.

Is there any symbolic or deeper meaning represented in the object?

My hands are Maker Hands. They serve me and others in so many ways. The knuckles are big and a couple of my fingers are twisted. They are often stiff, especially when I push them through Yoga moves several times a week. They look almost exactly like my Mom’s hands and her mom’s hands. Working hands that don’t hesitate to get the job done.

How has your style as artist and collector evolved since the original series in 2014?

Since I started my company and embarked on my teaching career, I have largely stepped away from exhibiting my own work. These days I find my most profound artistic efforts within the pages of my journal.

Thank you, Mary Beth! What a treat to have this glimpse into your sacred space.

Mary Beth’s Bio: I am so lucky to be living my dream. I worked in the insurance industry for many years and finally quit in 2000 to explore my creativity. I have never looked back and today fill my days with teaching, managing my company (StencilGirl®Products) and making my own art. Mixed media is thrilling to me because of the freedom it offers; I feel like a mad scientist playing with all the options. My process is a dance between spontaneity and intent and mistakes allow me to detour into new territory. I founded StencilGirl® Products in 2010.

Visit Mary Beth’s website: StencilGirl® Products

Check out her course offerings: StencilGirl® STUDIO

A secret club for stencil lovers? Oh my! StencilClub

Other places to find Mary Beth and Stencil Girl products:
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter @StencilGirl
YouTube

StencilGirl Talk

Mary Beth’s Favorite Art Supplies: https://www.amazon.com/shop/stencilgirlproducts

Be sure to leave a comment by clicking the comment button and/or like this post to show Mary Beth some love!

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We artists do love our collections, don’t we? Ever since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to small, curious things—trinkets unearthed at flea markets, foraging for smooth stones and bits of metal on long walks, objects that seem to hum—waiting to share their own stories. Long before I knew what I’d make of them, I gathered these artifacts from the past.

As it turns out, I’m not alone in this. So many artists I admire share this impulse to collect—oddities, treasures, and fragments that make their way into their work or simply live in the studio as quiet companions.

In this ongoing series, I’m thrilled to introduce you to guest artists and the objects they love. Some names you may recognize; others might be new discoveries. Through their responses to a few simple questions, each one offers a peek at their collections and art practices in this virtual show-and-tell: the objects that caught their eye, the stories behind them, and sometimes how they plan to use them in their art or home. Be sure to check out their bios and links to find out more about each artist.

Today’s feature artist is none other than fiber artist, Wen Redmond. Wen was featured in the original series back in April of 2014. Since that time, Wen has written two books, been featured in numerous articles and magazines, and has a feature length course with the outstanding Fibre Arts Take Two community. I am thrilled Wen said yes to the invitation to be a part of the Found Object Friday series once again!

Hi Wen! Do you still have the original object you shared with us in 2014?

Yes. I still collect stones, albeit larger ones. They line my windowsills and serve as weights for pressing work.

What object/s are you sharing with us now?

Wen: Because weights come in handy for pressing books and gluing pieces to mounts, I also have a collection of old irons. These are literally made of iron and are very heavy.

Tell us a little about where you found the object-- was it a gift, a purchase, or something you found?

Wen: I started collecting antique irons on journeys to antique stores and flea markets with my mother-in-law. She was an antique dealer on the hunt and I, lacking funds, would collect inexpensive objects.

“Antique irons, often referred to as sad irons or flat irons, are pressing tools heated for ironing clothes, typically made of cast iron and heated on a stove or fire.”

Why did it catch your attention?

Wen: The antique iron caught my eye because of my history as a fiber artist. Then the idea popped in my mind to use them as weights for my art process. They also come in handy for holding long rulers in place when rotary cutting works in progress.

Is there any symbolic or deeper meaning represented in the object?

Wen: The iron’s long herstory of use by women, for women’s work is symbolic. The connection of the iron to fabric is hard to deny. Using them seems to be a connection to that past, and using them as tools in my art now, makes them useful again.

How has your style as artist and collector evolved since the original series in 2014?

Wen: I feel art making is an evolution. I continue to explore fabric but have included mixed media processes and materials to my work, with an emphasis of exploring photographic presentations.

I print photographs, that are artfully created, onto mixed media substrates, creating unique photographic textural constructions. These imaginative presentations complement the pioneering investigation of my media and give the finished work its pioneering edge.

Every work generates an artistic tension, followed by the excitement of the actual creation of the work. Each work is unique and created individually. A dialogue is started, and the work becomes real.

My techniques can be further investigated in my books—Digital Fiber Art and Other Mixed Media Masterpieces, and a brand-new book—Explorations with Collage! Merging Photographs, Paper & Fiber.

Join Wen’s online workshop with Fibre Arts Take Two coming in September of 2025.

https://www.fibreartstaketwo.com/courses/wenredmond/

Find out more by visiting Wen’s website: http://www.wenredmond.com/

Follow Wen on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/greymooncove and Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/wenredmond/?hl=en

Shop Wen’s artwork on Etsy UpLIFTmeNTs Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/WenRedmondArt

Or Artful Home: https://www.artfulhome.com/navigate?searchTerm=redmond

I love that Wen’s irons and rock collections double as weights in her art practice. How about you?

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