Deck of Boxes
Wood, metal boxes, collage, and acrylic paint, 3" x 4" x 1.25" (when closed), 2009
The inspiration for these boxes came from a workshop by Nick Bantock (author of the Griffin and Sabine book series). In one creative excercise, we had to choose a suit and a face card from playing cards, and then further explore what characteristics or imagery was associated with that combination. From that we developed a large card for that character. I've continued the spirit of that excercise, and created a series of 5 boxes respresenting my King of Clubs, Queen of Spades, Jack of Diamonds, Ace of Hearts, and I've also thrown in the Joker, to add some drama to the bunch as the trump card.
These boxes are like little devotional objects for each of my characters. The exteriors show their outer appearances, and the interiors delve deeper into their characters, revealing their traits and secrets. Each character has an element associcated with it, as well as a color. And the edges of each wooden base has a pattern unique to each character.
King of Clubs
KING: power, wisdom, honor, leader, endurance, mastermind, dominance, grand, ceremony, pawns, land, kingdom, pomp, circumstance, inheritance, lineage, consequence, judgement, organization, loyalty, obedience, conquest, influence
CLUB: luck, growth, bold, power, heavy, burden, weapon, security, strength, protect, empower
ELEMENT: fire
COLOR: red
Queen of Spades
QUEEN: maternal, nuturing, healer, responisibility, fertility, life giving, life sustaining, power, dignity, regal, balance, beguiling, peacemaker, multi-dimensional, multi-tasking, charming, witty, domestic, mask
SPADE: nuturing, unearthing, protective, piercing, quick, light, weapon, armed, severe, discovery, creation, sustain
ELEMENT: earth
COLOR: green
Jack of Diamonds
JACK: trickster, resourceful, witty, cunning, self-preservation, rogue, influence, fluid, opportunistic, covet, motives, inspired, industry
DIAMOND: strength, clarity, wisdom, pressure, treasure, wealth, opportunity, covet, consequences
ELEMENT: water
COLOR: blue
Ace of Hearts
ACE: warrior, honor, alpha male, strength, durable, stamina, reliable, alliances, loyal, lover, charming, fierce, adventurous
HEART: humanity, love, cherish, genuine, blood, passion, spiritual, care, energy, lifeblood, yearning, dreams, complications
ELEMENT: air
COLOR: purple
Joker
JOKER: trump card, no rules, female, vixen, free spirit, free will, chance, coincidence, luck, destiny, etheral, intuition, innocence, enchanting, unpredicatble
ELEMENT: spirit
COLOR: white