In our homes, our most private spaces, we include artifacts and artwork that we feel represents us and our views. In my home, I found, it is no different. I feel that portions of my personality and aspirations are represented in the objects found on the walls and amongst the clutter on my table.
The first decoration on my wall, the one that I feel immediately draws your eye is a piece of metal
work depicting a tree and a few birds.
Although the image seems moderately complicated at best, it holds much meaning that is not very apparent at first glance. Formally, the image's purpose is to provide coverage for the plain white walls. Simply put, it's purpose is to provide a sense of fullness or completeness to the room. The next question, then, is why did I choose this particular image? What was it about about the intertwining branches and small song birds that pushed me to buy this particular piece? The answer concerns my particular impulse to feel connected with the world and humanity. Literarily, each piece is connected to each other, intertwining paths at one point, but all secured to one large piece, that which represents the "trunk" of the tree. Personally, I feel that we are all interconnected to each other. Each encounter affects your life at some point, and we all affect each other. To me this image is a clear interpretation of this, whereas someone else might see this piece of artwork as a representation of the beauty of nature. I have an alternate reading, yet others see a dominant reading.
The next image is also something that may catch your eye as you walk in the room because of it's size. It is rectangular in size, and quite a bit longer in length than in width. The front of the image is in scripted with various words, such as "Love", "Enlightenment", and "Beauty".
Even simpler than the last, this image is "packs a punch", if you will, with meaning and interpretation. Although, again, it's primary purpose is to provide coverage for the bare wall, it also has a secondary purpose related to it's meaning. Everyday, as I walk out my door, this piece of art reminds me to do or have all of the words scripted on the front. I have found that these words inspire me to keep my head up after a long day, or to just generally be a better person. If I have "love", or "wonder", and most importantly "laughter", I know I can brighten any day. This piece of artwork, in summary, represents my daily goals. And I feel that is is the dominant meaning; any person can walk up and feel inspired to be a better person.
The next piece of artwork is hanging in a separate room from the other two, in my kitchen, and is significantly smaller in size. It is also even in size, a square, and has a quote written on the front.
This small, wooden plaque serves to provide balance to the other small, wooden plaque across from it. It provides unity in my small kitchen and makes it feel much more comfortable. However it is the words written on the front that hold the true meaning. I have many favorite quotes that have different meanings, most notable are the few from the novel
The Great Gatsby. However, this one has a special significance. Although the origin of the phrase is highly debated, I like to consider the idea of the phrase to have originated from the H. G. Wells novel
The First Men in the Moon. A novel full of adventure and whimsy, it is a great fantasy that emanates from the love between two friends. This quote, to me, emphasizes the great lengths or distances that we go to for the people that we love. On the other hand, some might read it as an interpretation of the measurement of the amount of love we have for someone in quantitative distance.
The penultimate artifact on this list is not a painting or screen printed image, rather, it is an object that sits on a table. It's purpose is quite utilitarian, but it's deeper meaning is so much more significant than seen at first glance.
This lamp serves its purpose quite often, it illuminates the room when asked and provides vision when the natural light can't. Plain and simply, it is a light. However, it is when I look at the various materials, textures, and colors of the piece do I find a deeper meaning. The shade of the lamp is a deep, earth tone, which shows that connection to nature I yearn to find. On the other hand, the paisley design etched on the shade represents my appreciation of the culture from which the print originates from (specifically Persian culture). The metal/glass base reminds me of Victorian era lamps, as it is quite ornate and bulbous. The texture, the flakes of silver and paint, reminds me of shattered glass, which in turn represents to me fragility and tenderness. Yet all of these different aspects of the piece work together to create something that follows my own personal aesthetic. Many would take in the piece as a whole and interpret it as an elegant lamp that provides a sense of maturity and class, this being a dominate reading and my interpretation being an alternative reading.
The final image is actually composed of four elements, a jar with a brown ribbon, and large purple rose, a medium red rose, and a small paper rose.
This is a piece of my own creation, each element was an object I had collected at some point in my life and was combined in attempts to display each. Again, it is quite simple, just a collection of artificial roses used to add weight to the small end table at the edge of my couch. But the meaning of each part has weight in itself. Each rose represents a significant moment or piece of my life. The tall purple rose was collected at my first Renaissance fair, a place where I have come to find much joy, celebration, and awe. It is an event that means very much to me, and the metal rose allows me to return at anytime. The medium glass rose was collected on a trip to Venice, Italy, after I had seen a brilliant and authentic glass blower. That trip has such significance in my mind, as it was a truly once in a lifetime trip. This rose represents uniqueness and "one of a kind" type of idea, which I hold closely to my heart. The last rose was collected, in contrast, on the most mundane of evenings. The night was uneventful, and not in the least notable. But this two dollar rose holds the most significant meaning of the three. It reminds me of the beauty and delicacy of music, which I am ever so grateful to have in my life. I am not aware of what piece of music is printed on the petals, but that is what makes music so wonderful. The ability to appreciate the sounds you are hearing no matter the cotent. In summary, this small artifact holds much more personal meaning that could ever be derived by someone who is not familiar with me and my past.
