ASSEMBLAGE AND COLLAGE: WORK BY ARTIST SUZI COZZENS

I AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE NEAR THE RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN. BECAUSE OF THIS I AM ABLE TO GET ORIGINAL ART AT GREAT PRICES...AND MEET THE ARTISTS TOO!

THESE PICTURES ARE FROM A SERIES OF "BOXES" BY ARTIST SUZI COZZENS.

ONE BOX FEATURES A RENAISSANCE WOMEN IN THE BACKGROUND, THERE ARE "LADIES" THINGS TACKED HERE AND THERE, SOME SEWING NOTIONS AND SUCH. A WHITE SQUARE HOVERS IN THE FOREGROUND, UPON WHICH A LADY STANDS, A STRAIGHT PIN MIMICS BOTH A STREET SIGN AND THE MOON BEHIND HER, A BLUE CIRCLE STANDS OVER HER LEFT SHOULDER, A "BLUE MOON" PERHAPS? ALL ROUND (BOTH INSIDE AND OUT) THE BOX IS LINED WITH INTERESTING BITS OF EPHEMERA-HANDWRITTEN NOTES, MECHANICAL DRAWINGS, EUROPEAN STAMPS WITH THE FACE OF A MAN IN THE SAME PROFILE AS THE WOMEN'S.

ANOTHER BOX SHOWS A PICTURE OF A YOUNG GIRL DREAMILY LOOKING OUT FROM THE PAGES OF A BOOK, IN FRONT OF HER A PLASTIC BALLERINA SPINS ON A SPOOL OF THREAD, THE WORD "TWIRL" IS FIRMLY PLACED ON THE FRONT OF THE BOX. THE EMPHEMERA LINING THIS BOX INCLUDES MAPS OF EXOTIC PLACES...IS SHE DREAMING OF BEING A RUSSIAN BALLERINA? I ADORE THE WAY HER SHADOW SHOWS TWIRLS INSIDE THE BOX!

THE LAST BOX HAS A VINTAGE CHILDS TOY BLOCK WITH A PICTURE OF A BIRD IN THE FOREGROUND, THERE ARE SEE-THROUGH PLASTIC BIRD PICS IN THE BACKGROUND THAT HAVE SCATTERES OF BLACK SPOTS-IT LOOKS LIKE BIRD SEED. HOVERING IN THE BACKGROUND IS A WHITE BOARD THAT HAS "MY BABY BIRDS ARE LITTLE" PRINTED ON IT. AGAIN, EPHEMERA THE LIKES OF MAPS AND GRAPHS PAPER THE BOX INSIDE AND OUT, EVEN ON THE BACK.

SUZI COZZENS' WORK HAS ALWAYS FASCINATED ME. EVERY TIME I LOOK AT ONE OF HER BOXES I SEE SOMETHING NEW. THEY MAKE ME THINK ABOUT THE (REAL AND PERCEIVED) CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OBJECTS AND THE INTER-RELATED ASPECTS OF ANIMATE AND INANIMATE OBJECTS. I FIND THEM NAIVE AND HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED AT THE SAME TIME. THEY ARE BOTH CURIOUS AND CALMING. THEY ARE SOOTHING AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKE ME QUESTION THE PAST AND PRESENT.