I am working on another commission with cherished family keepsakes: a little brass locket of a winged heart, a wooden Buddha, and two brass pins—a hanging purse and decorative flower. These are such varied and delicate items that I have concerns about putting these together and looking “right”. How do I get them to “live” together as well as how do I highlight them so they don’t get “lost” in the overall work. Even the scale of the items present some difficulties.
I have decided to make a kind of triptych with each of the three boxes acting like a small stage for the keepsakes. This will bring them together and make each the center of attention. In addition, all three boxes have little wooden cups sitting on top of the boxes. These cups are basically just a decorative element but they also have a purpose. They can be little offering bowls so any other material can sit in these as well (these are not designed to hold much, perhaps a flower, but the idea fits very well with keepsakes).
Compositionally, I have never tried to have three separate boxes as a base for one Foundling but the people commissioning this work, Alicia and George, have total confidence in me and I have total confidence in listening to what the keepsakes are saying to me.
