Thursday, July 9, 2009

Woven Memory

Photobucket

What We Cannot Speak About by Moonwild on Flickr

My memory is a crystal clear prism. I’ve always felt fortunate that it is, that I can close my eyes and recall scenes from the past, including the environment - what people were wearing, what colour the furnishings were etc – and most importantly, the words that were said. There are some things in my past that I’d like to forget but I’ve found that I can’t free myself from them, only work from them and with them. If I deny them they just lay in wait and corner me when I least expect it! But maybe I’m fooling myself. It has been said that we are sum of our memories, that all that we have ever experienced goes into that end product. But…. it makes sense to consider the reverse of this statement. People’s memories are not only the sum of all that they have done, but there is more to them: The memories are also the sum of what they have thought, what they have been told, what they believe, or have been led to believe, so that we're all always 'angling the prism of memory'.

Photobucket

Altered Baby Dress from Altered Alchemist on Flickr

Photobucket

Tea Bag, Found Objects and Wax Dress by Jennifer Collier

Photobucket

for my Granma

Photobucket

Original art above available from Etsy left to right Morgana’s Fairy Closet by Camp Cactus, July Breeze, Sculpture by Deborah Harrington from Cow Bird, The Dress 2 Original Mixed Media by Monica J, White on White Original Artists Trading Card from Boubelina 2,
Recital Dress Haiku by
Unbecoming Lily an Australian artist and poet, My Victorian Dress Closet from Pug Pink

Photobucket

Something a little different but so exquisite I had to share. Dress For Monozygotic Twin or The Cat Dress by Australian textile artist Robyne Melia on Flickr. Robyne has used the old fashioned punched card method (remember the old card boxes?) in an avant garde fashion. Please have a look at Robyne’s crazy quilting while you're browsing her work on Flickr. It's truly inspirational. Robyne also sells some of her embroidery patterns on Etsy. For some little victorian dresses to work with yourself visit No Flying In The House. I've purchased and received one and now waiting for some time and energy to alter it.

Inspired by the art and writings of Sandra McQueen and by the writings of psychologist Elizabeth Loftus.

38 comments:

Leah said...

gorgeous finds, I do remember the old card boxes, I'd love one now! Thanks for the lovely comments on my blog!

DELiciousDesignz said...

Memory lane. Things usually seem so much better upon reflection. We can not live in the past but it is a nice place to visit...

Strawberry Girl said...

Very intriguing, I love these!! I've made my piece with my past (though it can still come out to bite).

SG

Jeana Marie said...

Chrisy, it is an honour to be included in such a beautiful showcase - thank you :)

very thought provoking post too.

xoxo

jeana marie

Melissa G said...

That was a profound post. Good and bad things happen to all of us, and it is very easy to let the bad memories destroy our present and future lives. It takes a great kind of will to turn the bad memories into cautionary tales from which to learn from or to help others in similar circumstances. The good memories remind us what is valuable and worthwhile in this world.

Alicia @ boylerpf said...

I often write things and one of my family will say they don't remember it being that way. The next one will say "no it was this way" and so on and so forth.
The dress is amazing...so creative!

FrenchBlue said...

How beautiful all these are! I especially love the tea bag memory dress~ I love all your posts. They are all so whimsical and real~
xo's

Curtis Collectables :) said...

I agree with FrenchBlue - very whimsical. I love it.

GalleryJuana said...

Incredible selections of art works.

I agree that we need to look beyond the statement that we're the sum of our Memories. We can be tricked by our own memory, selectively remembering, sometimes to our disadvantage.

La Chauve-Souris said...

oh what a cool dress is this...love the way it is all structured!!!!

Hey Harriet said...

My memory is far from being a crystal clear prism. Perhaps that's not such a bad thing...

Very nice selection of images you've included!

belinda marshall said...

your posts are always interesting and i like the way you deal with the not-so-great memories. i agree sweeping them under the mat doesn't work.
love the dress by jennifer collier and jeanamarie.

ARTISANNE DESIGN said...

LOVE that cat dress!!! :0)

Renee said...

Chrisy this was incredible and boy thought provoking.

I definitely believe in th prism of memory.

Love Renee xoxo

Kat said...

Holy cute Batman! I have a bit of an obsession with tiny dresses, I always end up with a new collection of Etsy favs when I visit.
That cat dress is exquisite, the pattern creation alone!... it boggles my mind

studioJudith said...

Each image so full of so many mysteries ...
really LOVE the wax dress.
Jjj

Unknown said...

These dresses (like the dolls that most of them used to cloth) are mysterious and a bit creepy. So of course... I LOVE THEM! Such an interesting compilation this time. Very nice.

Angela said...

sometimes these memories were so clear as if just happened yesterday.

Renee said...

Oh my God Chrisy you spoilt me rotten.

I LOVE IT, ALL THREE OF ITS...

Chrisy you are too much. Did you see that when the white rabbit left your house he took a beautiful faberge type egg and a remarkable picture that I need to frame immediately because it makes me very happy.

Love you and thanks so much Chrisy.

Love Renee xoxoxo

cabin + cub said...

Wow... all great works and they are all so charming, and each have their own stories. Thanks for sharing! ;)

Meghann said...

Very, Very cool! Thanks for sharing :)

Mary-Laure said...

What precious dresses, so special...

Chrisy said...

Yes Renee...white rabbit insisted and I mean insisted (it stays I stay...) on draggin that egg half way round the world with him...said something about it being a family heirloom of his (as if)...but what can you do when a white rabbit insists....

Gabbi said...

Such a treasure. Wish I had a precious memory dress also :)

I also love Robyne Melia's Cat Dress!

Sam said...

So thought provoking Chrisy! My memory is pretty good to me but there are one or two things that pop up every now and then and make my face go hot with shame. I guess I know not to do that sort of thing again. ...and again you've chosen such wonderous items to illustrate your post! Have a lovely weekend!

marianne said...

Lovely dresses! I love that cat dress!
Thanks for visiting me on my birthday!

Greetings!
Have a nice day!

Jetta's Nest said...

I've got a really good memory. I think perhaps to too good for the things I'd rather forget and not so good for the things I'd dearly love to remember. The dreaded memories that jump out and grab my heart when I least expect it are always lurking in my shadows, damn them.

Making me think as usual, Chrisy :)

NeereAnDear said...

Wow... this post certainly hit me where my heart is... fascinating... profound... makes one really reach into the depths of ones mind... I like your style ...

These dresses are quite lovely... interesting actually ...

JO

Debbie said...

This whole post was incredible. But that cat dress? Just spectacular.

Susan Tuttle said...

i too have a memory like that -- i think it is a very good thing:)

thank you for sharing all of this wonderful art with us -- i am so intrigued:)

Unknown said...

Hey Chrisy, this is a really cool post! I am loving that dress art! Very cool and unique.

I came over to tell you that I posted about the apron that I won from you and the print that you sent me! Thank you so much!

I also wanted to let you know that you have an award waiting for you over on my blog so do come on over when you get a chance! Everyone is welcome to visit!

Oh, and check out the post just before the award/apron giveaway post! It has a baby dress with tatting on it. You may like it since you've got some dress art here. It's kinda cool. I rescued it from an antique store in Las Vegas in the 90's!

See ya there! :)

cactus petunia said...

What a lovely post and a lovely blog-thanks for including my fairy gown!

planettreasures said...

a totally beautiful blog post.
I want to look at it forever!

Splendid Little Stars said...

What intriguing images. You have an amazing memory. I'm thinking of my brother -in-law, who, at a young age, has a severe short term memory loss. What then, of a person who does not remember. There was a National Geographic article a while back about a person with no short term memory and a person who remembers every detail of every day she has lived.

Anonymous said...

Making money on the internet is easy in the hush-hush world of [URL=http://www.www.blackhatmoneymaker.com]blackhat method[/URL], It's not a big surprise if you haven’t heard of it before. Blackhat marketing uses alternative or little-understood methods to produce an income online.

Anonymous said...

It isn't hard at all to start making money online in the undercover world of [URL=http://www.www.blackhatmoneymaker.com]google blackhat[/URL], It's not a big surprise if you don't know what blackhat is. Blackhat marketing uses little-known or misunderstood ways to generate an income online.

Anonymous said...

i genuinely enjoy your writing taste, very charming.
don't give up and also keep creating for the simple reason that it just nicely to look through it.
excited to find out much more of your own articles, kind regards!

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.onlinecasinos.gd]casinos online[/url], also known as accepted casinos or Internet casinos, are online versions of commonplace ("buddy and mortar") casinos. Online casinos approve gamblers to carouse and wager on casino games boldness of the Internet.
Online casinos superficially submit on the trade odds and payback percentages that are comparable to land-based casinos. Some online casinos aver on higher payback percentages as a nostrum with a conception allude to machine games, and some delete non-military payout strain audits on their websites. Assuming that the online casino is using an correctly programmed erratically take the measure of c estimate a recapitulate up generator, list games like blackjack want an established congress edge. The payout allotment through regardless of these games are established sooner than the rules of the game.
Uncounted online casinos tuck minus or emerge their software from companies like Microgaming, Realtime Gaming, Playtech, Intercontinental Excursus Technology and CryptoLogic Inc.