In Wonderland

In Wonderland

by Clair Anna Rose

In Progress Shots:

This was one of the most fun shadow boxes to make.  I don't remember when it was, but am guessing April 2012.  I was taking a poetry class for the 3rd or 4th or 5th time will Jill Divine.  In the evenings I would sit cutting out each figure with an Xacto knife... though at the time I wasn't sure why.  But as the days progressed the idea unfolded.  

I've always loved Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.  I have also always loved paper.  This was the first and so far the only shadow box that has been completely made of paper cuttings. 

I spent a while rearranging the images again and again, first as a flat collage and then the idea of using spacers to lift images up higher came up.  Of course, I wanted to cram much more into the space than would fit. 

I got my favorites in: The Jabberwock, Alice, a flying pig, the frog, the griffin & mock turtle, the mad tea party, Humpty Dumpty, The White Knight and a few others. 

I was stumped on what to use for a back ground, and thought of it one day while in Jill's class.  Miniature playing cards.  

I rushed home from poetry and without changing out of my clothes (I have creative clothing rules for reasons) I began to paint modge podge on the board I was using and very methodically placed cards down and glossed over each one.  I took my time ... I was in that blissed out place I get when I'm gluing stuff to stuff. 

To demonstrate what happened next, I have some poorly drawn illustrations:

This event broke the slow, methodic spell of the afternoon and suddenly I was trying to figure out what was the most important matter to take care of first: the Modge Modge all over my clothes? The Modge Podge all over the floor? The Modge Podge all over my new work in progress?

All the Modge Podge was suddenly into play, and I must use it before it dries to the various surfaces it was now coating. 

There was no more time for brushes.   I reluctantly bent down and scooped up in my palms as much Modge Podge as I could ...  picking up whatever may have been on the floor with it.  I placed my hands on the art board and began smearing the Modge Podge all over the surface.  With gooey fingers I picked up cards and placed them down randomly.  I wiped cards directly onto the dress, and when I could no longer pick Modge Podge up off the floor, I began slathering the cards against the floor mess then slapping them down on the board. 

In a hurry I threw the clothes into the washing machine, crossed my fingers and went to go mop up the kitchen tiles.  I'm the reason we can't have carpet. 

I studied my work: something that probably would have taken a good hour or so at my day dreamy pace-- had my elbows not interfered-- took less than five minutes.  Not bad... though perhaps a little gritty. 

Once the background was dry I glued down the characters.

Ta-da!