I’m still celebrating my 50th year as an artist, and remembering 1981-1982. Here’s a poor drawing that I love anyway, of a rare moment, because it shines with domestic pleasure and irony. My daughter found joy in doing the dishes then. In our apartment we were on the third floor with great windows that opened to the trees, no elevator though. We managed to forage in the city for yarrow to dry, like we did in the mountains, A friend’s drawing of her kitchen sink hangs over. She had no running water, but we did.
© Kathleen O’Brien, “Audrey Washing Dishes with JOY”, drawing, 1981. I can remember looking out that window to see if the Washington Monument was going to be blown up. Across the narrow street, a lovely forest with Victory Garden from WW2 connected to Georgetown. Our getaway plan, on foot, cross Key Bridge to mom and dad’s in Arlington.
I painted son B’s portrait in oil. He was lying under some huge houseplants, he would stare for ages at the foliage. The ribbon pattern was on the blanket. I see now how that shape took hold in my visioning mind, still a prominent shape in today’s art. I think this is when I became in love with Robin Egg Blue.
© Kathleen O’Brien, “Baby Basil”, oil painting, 1981.This was possibly the first time I painted what I now call ribbons of celebration. At the time, the stylized shapes on the blanket represented the umbilical cord that connected us. Lying under our forest of houseplants was soothing for him.
Water and birds continued to be important subjects.
© Kathleen O’Brien, “Bird Taking Off”, oil painting, 1981
At this time I had my first open studio sale. This “heim gemacht” flyer was hand drawn with ink, featured my calligraphy, and magazine cutouts.
© Kathleen O’Brien, “Swan”, drawing, collage, 1981
Inspired by Joseph Cornell, I had begun to scavenge for found objects. This parrot was among the first mobiles I made after I found the rusty iron piece in the alley behind my apartment. Nearby was a bundle of copper telephone wire in an assortment of great colors that I wrapped. Added an antique faceted bead for the eye (it twinkles and winks in the light), a crab claw and macaw feathers which look a bit bedraggled now. But I still love my parrot mascot keeping an eye on me.
© Kathleen O’Brien, “Parrot”, mobile, 1982
This iron horse that was the initial prompt for a circus mobile was uncovered at an antique mountain trash pile. The challenge of this sort of sculpture is, of course, how to balance the weight so it turns smoothly. That little king charm is reminiscent of Henry Miller as the clown.
© Kathleen O’Brien, “Iron Horse”, mobile, 1982
I have boxes of stuff waiting for the next impulse to work in 3-D. Again, Joseph Cornell was instrumental in teaching me how to organize material, one of his greatest skills that he passed on and we can still study at the Joseph Cornell Study Center.