UFOs

Napoleon Dynamite

I’ve seen the acronym UFO used by artists for “unfinished objects.” I have several of these, and occasionally I run across them and wonder why I abandoned them. But maybe abandoned is the wrong word. More appropriate would be that I let it “rest” or “simmer” (something I do in my head with a line for a poem). In fact, when writing a poem, I’m often too eager to finish it, when it would serve me better to let it sit in a drawer and then revisit it. Sometimes our creations need some distance, some time to breathe on their own, before we complete them. It is often this distance that gives us a more discerning eye to see what the piece does or does not need.

Another benefit of letting a piece sit idle for a while is that it can get mixed in the mess of the work area or studio. There is a correlation between a bit of messiness and creativity, and my Napolean Dynamite is an example of this. Napoleon was created a few years ago when I was into needle felting. I needle felted his likeness on a flat piece of felt and then cut around it. Having no idea what to do with it next, I pushed it aside. Time passed. I forgot about him as he was in an old suitcase I use for storage. On a whirlwind cleaning purge, I found him and tossed him onto my art table, right on top of a doily. This very act led me to see that the doily was a great background for Napoleon, lending to the campy feel of this piece. Also laying around was a mat and frame that I’d bought from thrift. I’d removed the heavy piece that was glued to it and TA DA – the fit was perfect. Because I couldn’t glue the doily down, I punched holes in the cardboard backing and stitched it on, so it hangs straight.

Napoleon came to be because a fellow artist gave me a challenged to do a portrait of a contemporary character from a film. He stated that a portrait does not have to be an exact representation but should have just enough resemblance so that the viewer recognizes them. When I showed my adult son the final product and asked him who it was, he immediately said Napoleon Dynamite! I was thrilled that my piece was recognizable.

Now Napoleon needs a home, as my walls are too full…he’s available in my shop and may be just what you need as a reminder of your own great skills! ;.)

Napoleon Dynamite