Cigar Box Wednesday

This week, not something stored in a cigar box, but something you can do with a cigar box. I made this Frida shrine at a workshop with Lynne Perrella 3 years ago. Starting with a small wooden cigar box I used craft acrylics to paint all the surfaces. Using matte medium I adhered the picture of Frida and the door image. Cheesecloth embedded with printer's ink provides a scrim over Frida's face and an embellishment in the upper right corner. Skulls and jewelry pieces adorn the shrine and narrow painted twine forms a grid over the right side. The twine was also used as an embellishment - pieces tied together to form a shock. The quote on the left reads "Painting completed my life". This was one of my first assemblage boxes and I am still pleased with it. Just one more thing you can do with the ever handy cigar box.

Frida's Trunk

Two years ago this week I was in a wonderful workshop taught by Lynne Perrella called Lost and Found-Frida's Trunk. It was held at Carol Parks' NOHO studio in North Hollywood and was a fantastic three day weekend of colour and art. The first evening we created this ofrenda in Carol's living room.

As the weekend went on we added and added to it until it took up at least half the space in the room. It became a place of inspiration and reflection during our time there.

Lynne will be teaching this workshop again - this time on the east coast! At the Interlaken Inn in Lakeview, Connecticut - May 14-16 next spring. For info on Lynne's website go here and scroll down for all the details - sign up and have a wonderful time.

From the Bookshelf

Finding Frida Kahlo

Awhile back I did a post on Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress which detailed dozens of pieces from Frida's wardrobe that had been locked away for over half a century. Well, what that book did for her clothes, this book Finding Frida Kahlo does for her trunks, correspondence, diaries, receipes and "so much more". A fascinating view of Frida ephemera that also was hidden since the 1950's. For those of us who can't get enough of Frida - this one's a real find.

From the Bookshelf

The Diary of Frida Kahlo is this week's selection from the bookshelf. A marvelous facsimile of Frida's personal diary/sketchbook from the last 10 years of her life. Featuring an introduction by Carlos Fuentes, commentaries by Sarah M. Lowe and full translations of the diary pages.


On many of the pages the inks or paints that she used bled through the page which adds an eerie layer to the entries.


There are glimpses in the sketches of some of her larger well known works.


And on most of the pages references to the constant pain and body trauma that increased almost daily until her death in 1954.

"My structure displeases because of its lack of harmony, its unfitness. I think it would be better for me to go, to go and not to run away. If it were all over within an instant. I hope so."
---translation of above page by Barbara Crow de Toledo and Richard Pohlenz.

From the Book Shelf

This week's wonderful book is Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress: Frida's Wardrobe. When Frida Kahlo died in 1954 Diego Rivera had her bedroom and dressing room in the Casa Azul sealed up for 50 years. In 2004, the rooms were opened and her clothes were once again revealed to the world.

Skirts, dresses, rebozos, scarves, boots -the items have been painstakingly restored by loving hands. There are gorgeous photos of the clothes and original pictures of Frida wearing them
In 2007 I attended a three day workshop with Lynne Perrella called "Frida's Trunk" that was based on the newspaper clipping that announced the opening of the 50 year locked room and
wardrobes. It was a magical weekend filled with calaveras, papel picados, colours and delight.

If you love Frida, if you love clothes, if you love colour - this book will enchant and fascinate you.