Biohazard 101 and a few fossils!-Final contributions to Lisa's Pulp Redux Book

Lesson number one in how to avoid becoming a biohazard...





Don't include natural stuff!!!



Sigh!



Okay so it sounds like common sense doesn't it.
Don't put any items that were once alive in anything you want to post to New Zealand!
Apparently I wasn't listening.

After finishing the pages for Lisa's Pulp Redux book I thought I had the customs guy beat. Surely imbedding everything in resin was going to beat the biohazard importation rules! Maybe not! Sad to say, I chickened out.
After a little more research into New Zealand customs do's and don'ts I was pretty sure I was going to challenge almost every rule they had on importing anything prohibited into the country, (short of trying to bring in a dead body and maybe that would have been easier)!

In short I decided to rehash the pages rather than risk Lisa's book and run the risk of it becoming the latest addition to a Guy Falkes night bonfire! (Does anyone else still do this or is it only me??? I love a good burning, LOL!)


But... I'm stubborn!!!
(Stop it, I can hear you all snickering away!)



So I flatly decided I was going to stick to my theme and keep to my idea of reflecting on labyrinths in nature... or nothing!

and so...




Tada!

Here 'tis!


When last I left you we had pondered the idea that man is constantly finding inspiration in nature. We mulled over one or two ways of reproducing nature's labyrinths in a man made form, then...
boom! In comes the resin encased natural items I decided to include to represent natually occuring labyrinths in nature.

So now to carry on...


Heres the latest on natural labyrinths.


Leaves and trees!

Oh yes you say, wonderful Kim, but aren't they also natural items and therefore their inclusion is banned by every law pertaining to the customs importation of a certain country.

Well yes, but I didn't put in any real ones!


So here's the page as it now stands.

The cabinet is still there, more on that later.

On the left, a leaf.
Well my leaf!

Enter the labyrinth of the trees.
(You know the deal, click on the pictures to see the details if you like).

The background structure for the page is created from burned book pages (yes, yes, more burning, LOL), acrylic washes, and inks.
The leaf is made from leather and embroidery thread. The page is a reflection on Spring. The world turning new again with the unfolding of Spring's new leaves on the trees. The colours here a reflection of brown wood and the bright green of new growth.

The page is hinged and opens to reveal the contrast between Spring and Autumn. From the green of spring to the decay and golden colours of autumn, the leaf's structure is revealed.

The leaf here is one of those skeleton leaves in glorious autumn colours of gold and rust. See no real biological hazards in sight!


Of course since that page flips out another is revealed.


The trees.

Here's how the page looks opened out at this stage.

Lift the flap and the tree is revealed...


as a living thing.


Here I have created a little pocket for Lisa to put in feathers, twigs, leaves, real ones of course, and any other items that remind her of trees. I have been very good and only included a few artificial ones here for reflection.





And below...

Winter lays bare the beauty of summers dress to reveal the bare bones reaching towards the heavens.




I have kept the page free of overdressing, trying to imply the bareness of winter in the trees.




The view unfolded.




But then, there's the cabinet door...

and what lies behind...

Of course last time we had a page of natural items embedded in resin inviting you to touch.


Now I was still determined to keep with the touching idea, I rather liked it!


And so, how to continue without compromising the original idea?


By creating fossils!


Yes, it was nature again to the rescue!


Fossils, natures fabulous means of showing off her former accomplishments even though they haven't existed for millions of years!

I decide to create fossils of my own, taking negative copies of the natural itmes I wanted to include in my piece using Fimo clay.


After a little pressing, baking and paint splashing...
Tada!


Fossils, well sort of!




You can still touch!

I knew you would be soooo excited!
The pieces retain all the texture of the original items in negative and feel wonderful to the touch!


Here's the pages spread out from the book.

Excuse my photography skills or lack of them, it was a real challenge to take pics of the entire opened structure!

So there you have it, finis, complete!
Lisa's book will be away this week to the next person.
(My humble apologies for the starburst that used to be a book that will arrive on someones doorstep!)


And as for that customs man...

Haha! I won! LOL!

I'm such a child!