Mundane & Exquisite

I was near completion of this piece one day, which is a part of my ongoing "Song of Myself" series, and was reflecting on what it means to me. I'm eager to share the story behind the series, although the full tale will have to wait for another time. While the focus of the series may initially appear personal because of the title, the pieces delve deeper into universal themes that resonate with us all.

This particular work is a hand-crafted and painted torso of a woman who is covered meticulously with an eclectic assortment of buttons. From finds at yard sales to those sourced from formerly-owned clothing from reputable brands like Talbot's, each button has had its own history and journey.

The process of sorting buttons by color and size was a meditative journey for me, revealing the intricate beauty and rich diversity within this most mundane of objects.

Initially uncertain of the direction this project would take, I eventually settled on creating a woman adorned in a corset. The juxtaposition of the ordinary (mundane) buttons with the choice of the sexy-looking corset added a layer of intrigue to the piece, which itself has become quite exquisite.

For background colors, I used rich gold metallic paint to accentuate the elegance of the corset covered in white buttons. The woman’s skin is created with an assortment of rich brown buttons on a black background.

As I carefully adhered each button into place, I found myself reflecting on the essence of life itself. We are all, in a sense, like these buttons – mundane in our elemental makeup yet unique and exquisite in our individuality.

Every person, regardless of background or circumstance, is formed from the same basic elements. Yet, within each of us lies the makings of something truly remarkable.

We're all made from the same basic building blocks – just a collection of chemicals, really. We enter this world in the same way, and we'll all depart it in the same fashion. So, you could say we're all pretty ordinary in that regard. But here's the thing – despite our most basic of shared origins and journey, each of us is uniquely crafted as one-of-a-kind, like snowflakes. We might be made of the same stuff, but we are exquisitely individual.

Sure, in the grand scheme of things, none of us are particularly special. There have been billions who came before us, and there will be billions who come after. But in this fleeting moment we call our own, each of us is a masterpiece in progress. With every fleeting moment, and every passing day, we're sculpting our own unique existence.

It's important to remember that we're ordinary and extraordinary all at once.

So, as I put the finishing touches on this piece in my studio, I was reminded of the profound interconnectedness of all things. We are, each of us, a mosaic of experiences, a testament to the beauty of the human condition. We are both mundane and exquisite, indeed.