PEARLE: What to do on a gloomy Monday...○

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

Monday, March 7, 2011

What to do on a gloomy Monday...○

Well, it is Monday which is like my favorite day of the week...New beginnings! I created a few things over the weekend which was quite satisfying...

A small little (5") pepper mill...I really enjoyed painting this one...made me think of apples...candied ones in particular. The dot dot dot dotting that I do seems to create movement in its patterns but also gives a fantastic texture....bump, bump bump. I totally dig it!

I've had my 18 year old son David visiting which has been very nice. Money is tight so we stayed home a lot...I am a little bummed about that. It would have been nice to go out and do something awesome. We did go to the movies Saturday night and saw Rango...That is 2 hours I will never get back! I love Johnny Depp movies, usually, but this one dragged on...I felt every single boring moment of it! (ugh!)
My son is here until Tuesday....I love when he visits even if the conversations are about nothing at all really. After the time we have had w/ life just having him near is wonderful!
I am also experiencing a bit of a crush♥ on someone which is way weird because I have been single for like 9 years. The idea of digging somebody enough to date them is like wild in my head and has even caused me to create some puffy glass Heart tile pendents....oh boy~ I guess I am not dead inside after all. I haven't felt this dizzy in a long long time....I think I want to run w/ it! ♥

What can I say...I guess I am still willing or able to consider going there. The whole LOVE scene. ♥

I am thinking it should be a good week. I want it to be and so therefor it should be! Fingers crossed and chin up....

I found some pretty awesome things to paint...so many in fact that I am so excited and can't seem to get to them fast enough so I can get them don e and share them with you!