In my 20 November posting, I wasn’t sure if this piece was done. Throwing caution to the wind, I had it framed. Frequently having the work framed finalizes it in a way that makes a work complete. At other times, the frame merely highlights the fact that the Foundling still isn’t really finished. This time it turned out that this Foundling wasn’t ready. So this piece stayed in my studio, waiting. The question always is, waiting for what?
Continuing to work on a piece that is already framed makes the process difficult. The fact that it is mostly a completed work limits the access I have to the underlying structure and the frame can get in the way. As discussed, I build these Foundlings in a way to make sure that they don’t come apart in the future... or in transit, so the engineering needs to be secure.
It turns out that this work was waiting for the familiar theme that I return to time and time again, the square and circle. The circular frame completes the Foundling by reinforcing the circular focal point. The focal point, a ruffled lamp shade, made of white milk glass, has that radiant quality that I am so fond of but this glass element is always difficult to work with (don’t ask). There is also a bit of tension between the overall square shape of the work, all of the squares in the background and the rectangular frame. I waiver between this element fighting the overall square theme or adding to the square theme by being unexpected. Never-the-less I am finally pleased that Mandala II is now complete. It is 20" x 20" x 5".
