"A Safe Place"

Lindsey Delich "A Safe Place"

8.5x11x5, clay, oil paint, acrylics, paper, book cover, glue, water, 2021

My idea for this work was to incorporate books into my art. I got the idea from other artists who actually create books solely for art. I wanted to use books in my art because I love to read. I had to go buy an old hardcover book for this. I started by making my clay person and fire. I used a little plastic palette knife to shape them and add detail. I then moved on to the book. I used black oil paint to cover up the old title. I added the detail on the cover with another small plastic palette knife. After I painted the pages of the book, I glued every individual page together. This artwork is supposed to represent the safety that reading can provide. The black and red splatters on the book cover symbolize the darkness or danger or just undesirable parts from the real world. The book is shielding them from hitting the clay person, the reader. The inside of the book is beautiful and peaceful and symbolizes the escape inside the pages of a book. Gluing all of the pages together was probably the most difficult part, just because it was time-consuming and boring. I just decided to glue for 15 minutes every night until it was done. If I had to change something, I would probably paint on pages that actually have words. I think that could have looked cool. This is a surreal piece of art. It’s unique to my own personal style because it’s put-together and messy at the same time, and I love that. I also love that it has meaning to me and that others may be able to relate.