Pearle Northrop

Artist Statement
It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I started taking what I do seriously and it took even longer to consider myself an artist. I love to paint whatever I can get my hands on from things as small as a Scrabble® piece to as big as a dresser and hopefully even bigger someday. Whatever it is I will paint it. I love transforming trash into treasure literally. Imagine that a chair that came from a dumpster (2006) made it into a museum (2009). It blows me away to think that something I did creates a sense of awe in a viewer’s eye.
I was talking to a friend a few years back about my love for furniture, my relationship with chairs in particular. There was a chair that I found discarded and ultimately forgotten. I came upon this chair accidentally. I wasn't looking for a relationship. Anyway, the chair was a very handsome chair with so many things to look at. His back was decorative; his arms were long and lean. His legs...I have never seen such beautiful legs. But he was beaten down. His self-esteem had long been worn out. His seat, which was repeatedly upholstered over years, was torn and faded. His stuffing was busting out revealing his age and loss of pride. Me, being a care taker and rescuer of sorts....picked up the chair and brought it home. He sat at the top of the stairs for a few weeks in a corner. My friends however saw this chair and commented on how ugly he was. They wondered why I had him in my home commenting on how dirty he was and how unattractive he was due to the years of neglect. I ignored them and kept him around. Finally one day I decided to put him on my coffee table and take the layers of cloth and wool stuffing off of his seat. Then I cleaned him, primed him and painted him black. Three months later I sat back and looked at him and this is what I saw.....A chair, a man restored...but not only restored but given a whole new purpose. He was beautiful again. He was unique and wonderful....The same chair that my friends were grossed out by....is now a chair that they ask permission to touch. Amazing.....One thing is for certain...NOTHING STAYS THE SAME! Change is inevitable and what is ugly or dirty or discarded as trash can be saved, can be rescued and can be made shinier than new!
Taking discarded forgotten pieces and giving them their self-esteem back is a passion for me. Living in a world where we discard things so easily I’d like to think I am making an itty bitty difference.
Pearle Northrop

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

I was once a Little Girl...(sigh)

It is amazing how far removed I feel from that little girl...
The winter has become long. The skeletal remains are beginning to sway in a twisted taunting manner.

I think the days get harder when I realize how alone I am. The walls of winters prison are shrinking around me.
I can't breathe!
I am struggling today with my "faith" and I am not entirely sure why other than I am in my head a lot. Swirling thoughts emerge causing self doubt and at times complete self loathing!
Being estranged from my family...the years are wearing on me.
The world is a HUGE place when you are all alone just wondering...
I am sad today but I know tomorrow is a new day and I will get through this emotional moment and be fine...
I always do...
I just need to get over this hump....Get through another weak moment. When I give into my sorrow I just raise my arms and scream to my GOD.....MERCY!!!
Silence is not my style although....when things start to hurt inside I tend to become silent! Shh.
Listening to Eminem....I really enjoy listening to him when I get into a funk.
I like to sing along with him. I get to swear....It's like getting to punch a punching bag aggressively and just letting out all my ANGER!
Man, I said it: ANGER! Crazy! I thought I was just sad....but NO....I am really Angry as well!
Wow! I need to process this because I think I will be much more productive if I just accept it!
From  The song
Eminem....Beautiful...
And I know some sh*t so hard to swallow
But I just can’t sit back and wallow
In my own sorrow, but I know one fact
I’ll be one tough act to follow
One tough act to follow
I’ll be one tough act to follow
Here today, gone tomorrow
But you’d have to walk a thousand miles

(Chorus)
In my shoes just to see
What it’s like to be me
I’ll be you, lets trade shoes
Just to see what it be like to
Feel your pain, you’ll feel mine
We’ll go inside each other’s minds
Just to see what we find
Look at sh*t through each others eyes

Don’t let them say you ain’t beautiful
They can all get f*cked, just stay true to you
Don’t let them say you ain’t beautiful
They can all get f*cked, just stay true to you
I really love these verses. I didn't put the whole song....I thought this part was enough. I really love it!
Maybe I will needlepoint it onto a pillow.....rest my head on these words!
Sometimes I just feel very alone...No family to turn to. Orphaned in this world w/ my little girl...sometimes it just gets emotionally overwhelming. I have spent a great deal of time praying to my God....He will respond in His time.
I am going to force myself to do something productive....
I'll put that violin back in it's case, pull up my boot straps and trudge forward.
Thank you for allowing my breakdown!
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3 comments:

  1. KateHollomanFebruary 23, 2011 at 8:49 PM

    awwwwww...:( I don't even know how one should respond to this... cheer up! God loves you!!! and He wants you to know that He cares!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 25, 2011 at 3:06 PM

    I agree, Kate, it's hard to know what to say...

    And I agree with you, Pearle- once you can process all this you'll probably feel much, much better. I hope you're able to work through this soon!

    Sending you a virtual HUG!

    Love,
    Taylor Lynn <3

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownFebruary 25, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    Thanks...I just have no family and the friends I am close to are MIA. I feel isolated and alone and my church...well, that is a whole different story. Just felt it hard the other day!

    ReplyDelete

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