Holding the Moon (thinking inside the square) Mo 19
vintage electric blue leather over bookbinders board, egg shell mosaic & black papier maché moons, antique parchment (circa 1812) stars, linen thread, vintage blue silk lining, egg shell mosaic macadamia nut moon
H 6cm x W 6cm x D 6cm
here’s some more formal photos taken after the sun came up
I love how the macadamia nut has become a moon seed holding the potential for growth
Holding the Moon (thinking inside the square) Mo19
Posted: June 12, 2019 by Mo Crow in It's Crow TimeTags: moon ladder, Once in a Blue Moon, reaching for the stars, talismans
Comments
It's Crow Time 
love this idea of giving the moon a safe place xo
(((Judy))) I love boxes and secret compartments, considered stitching it closed for safe keeping but felt the moon would rather be able to get out like a cat and wander where she will
Your artistic visions are sooo out of this world … AMAZING totally amazing
(((Tina))) it worked & love how Old Man Crow found the macadamia nut in the street and suggested it would make a good base for the egg shell mosaic moon!
this is amazing, and I forgot to ask about the use of egg shells, which I think is brilliant and curious; I don’t think I’ve ever come across someone who makes art from crushed egg shells, in such a fantastic way. 🙂 But I do wonder- don’t you worry about “stability” and longevity? or is this part of your mindset – over time, things crumble, disintegrate etc. Just curious. I just love the textures of it – and that “cover moon” – ahh, I’m swooning at how tactile it is; I’d be wanting to desperately pick this piece up, cradle it, explore, with hands and eyes, both open and shut! And the macadamia nut is so brilliant an idea and most well rendered!
Oh, your techniques, the different mediums – how gorgeous and sublime is this?!
egg shell is a very strong and resilient material, have you ever tried composting it? It doesn’t break down even out in the weather which this box cetainly won’t be. I clean the shell and remove the inner membrane, use an acid free PVA to adhere it to acid free bookbinders board and the macadamia nut seed covering is very hard, to break a nut open requires a hammer. The vellum parchment is over 200 years old and so strong it doesn’t rip or tear even with all those tiny stitches. The electric blue suede is from the 1980’s and hasn’t lost any colour. I pride myself on making work that will last for generations, thanks for asking!
yes, you’re quite right about the egg shells – I hadn’t thought of it in that way i.e. composting or even used in gardening, as a slug repellent etc. and it’s incredible strength, durability and longevity. So it makes perfect sense. And extremely innovative as well. Wow – how exceptional – all your fine attention to details, preservations etc. (it’s so often lacking in many people’s creations, and not as a conscientious idea in opposition to archival systems) is astounding. Just incredible. And I love the fact that you have vellum parchment – wow, incredible. What a treasure.
As in this piece, and the others I’ve been looking at, including your most gorgeous hand-made books, I’m just truly amazed at the quality of your work, the craftsmanship, as well as the inspired ideas, of course. You really are such a gifted artist. And it’s refreshing to see such love and attention to creating such beautiful things, as opposed to our overly “throw away” society.
The thoughtfulness of this construction is swell and that electric blue is swoonable.
(((Michelle))) that electric blue leather was for a 3/4 length coat a friend had bought the pattern cut it all out and never made the coat so she gave it to me along with the blue silk she had bought for the lining, that electric blue is her favourite colour, I covered the crepe myrtle branch for I dream of a world where love is the answer in it
(((Mo))) A moon box!! Fantastic!
(((Nancy))) I am in love!
Stunning. So much to be enthralled with. The sense of peering in. The idea of sheltering the moon, of it being so completely out of view. And so many places for all those stitched stars. Beautiful, Mo.
(((Dee))) you have such a way with words
Such a beautiful box and so tactile, exquisite craftsmanship. I am glad the moon is safe inside.
(((Louise))) the construction was inspired by your exquisite garden boxes!
I am very proud and delighted that I may have helped in any way! Thank you, it is exquisite.
Hi MC – amazing piece of work and as usual such thought in the design and material elements as well as the meaning. I too love that the macadamia nut has become the moon – potential for growth or at least holding growth energy. Go well. B
(((Barry))) that macadamia nut seed casing is such an amazingly hard material & love how it has become a moon seed for incubating dreams
Simply stunning Mo! So perfect in its conception and creation – it is a precious precious piece. I think I’d leave the lid open some nights…
(((Fiona))) sometimes, just sometimes the reality of the thing I can hold in my hand and put out into the world comes very close to the dream
The egg shell mosaic has such a perfectly cratered look to it … and having first encountered the word “haptic” here, I would say this is such a stunning example of that. Your thought-full care in construction ensures that anyone drawn to touch the varied textures will indeed be transported by the experience of it all. I can close my eyes and imagine … yes, ’tis so.
(((Liz))) love how the seed moon holds the dreams, I considered drilling a hole in it and putting it on a spring to make it a jack in the box which would have been fun but decided it worked better being free
((Mo)) this is such a lovely box, full of moon tales and your loving, nurturing thoughts, carefully yet deliberately crafted by your amazing hands, heart and mind
(((Saskia))) for it to go out in the world it needs some way to hold the lid open just a bit so the viewer can peek inside and yet I don’t want to lose the simplicity of the cube…
PS I just made a little moon ladder but it crowded the simplicity of the form & concept, it works as is holding the mystery of the moon inside
Magic. You’ve made magic!
((((Patty))) magic days indeed, my wonderful sculptor friend Bronwyn Berman visited last night & got me thinking outside the box, will post photos of how it happened in a new post soon!