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


Sunday, March 20, 2011

Just clearing the attic (my head) and trying to breathe♥

Well, I have been creating pretty consistently for the past few weeks and I am digging it! Winter is officially over in 6 minutes which is awesome! Spring has arrived and with it I pray for sun shiny days.
Reagan and I need an excuse to get out and walk around down town again...we usually get out from now until it is to cold to bear.

Thursday was a drag...my single parent lifestyle caught up w/ us. The electric company knocked at my door and made me aware that they had to shut me off for non-payment. Bummer. I attempted to put that bill off for so long and well...March 15th was as far as I could go. Living w/ one income is getting increasingly more difficult. I wish with all my might that parent number two would start to contribute because the stuff is hitting the fan.
I tried not to let the no electric issue get to us...we made the most of it. I will hopefully get it straightened out this week. My bad!
Reagan is wicked excited about her Ballet which is AMAZINGLY AWESOME! I love that she is excited about it. She should be...she is really good. She now goes 3X a week to dance. The amazing woman who teaches her has been so flexible w/ us knowing that my ability to pay in full is a struggle. She was able to give Reagan a partial Scholarship. Yea! Regardless of how broke we are, I need Reagan to experience passion for something and Dance...Dance seems to ignite something inside of her that bursts into magic when she performs.
I know things are going to get better...I keep trying and I believe that as long as I don't give up....I will succeed.
YEA~ It has been Spring for 4 minutes!
Reagan was very angry w/ God recently...She dreamed and prayed for a miracle....but the Miracle would not be as she dreamed. Little Stephen has returned to the Lord...to the heavens above. Reagan was devastated by his death and demanded answers that I was not prepared for. Life is unfair she screamed! Why would God kill a baby!? Sometimes life lessons are amazingly difficult...this one tested her trust in God, Her faith and her humanness! How do you discuss death to a child? The power of prayer? I am at a loss.
Not to mention the Church I go to seems to be a complete mess and my own faith is being tested. I want to go to church again...but I am having a personal struggle w/ that whole scene. I'd pray about it...
So...here I am trying to make something of my name: Pearle. I am creating  and selling on Etsy...which seems to be going pretty well. I opened in in 2008 but like totally forgot I did so...what is up w/ that. I remember signing up with Etsy but I couldn't sign up for Paypal so I stopped. It sat for a couple years and then January 15th of this year I officially opened. Yea! Finally....as some have said! Anyway...I have officially been open for 2 months now which is awesome. What a great community Etsy is...I am LOVING it!

I really would like to make a living off of my art...maybe start doing some craft/art shows in the future. I will have to educate myself a bit more about them. I have done some locally and they have all gone pretty well for me. I need to try to sock some money away to pay for them...I should start signing up for some now...as I believe they do fill up quick.
Okay...so I have no electric and I am struggling....but I do believe that I can take control of my life and support my baby w/ my art and my belief that I CAN DO IT!
As Charlie would say: Duh, Winning!
EPIC....! LOL oh boy!

3 comments:

  1. It sounds like you and Reagan are going through a lot... I hope things get better, and I'm sure they will! <3

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  2. Thank you! They will...life has a way of working out♥

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  3. It does indeed... you're very welcome. :)

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