Rustnstuff: Travellers' Shrines

Showing posts with label Travellers' Shrines. Show all posts

Friday, June 27, 2014

Unpacking and using a Travellers' Shrine

I have been asked what is the purpose of my Travellers' Shrines; and how are they used - so I thought I would post on that since I have just completed making a series of the Shrines.

My Travellers' Shrines are small portable metal boxes used to carry personal objects that often form part of a personal sacred space. They can be used in the home to create a sacred space; but they are also meant to be packed and wrapped and taken on journeys to create a sacred still space wherever you are.

In this post I just wanted to share a few photos that shows the process of unpacking a Travellers Shrine. The shots in the hand below give a sense of the size of the Shrines

Untying the Shrine.

My Travellers' Shrines come with a standard set of inclusions: a small bundle of incense (longer lengths cut to fit the shrine - tied with silk); a small brass incense burner; a small hammered bowl; a fold formed inspirational leaf (with love or peace stamped on it); and a small square mat to lay the pieces on.

People who purchase my Travellers' Shrines usually add their own bits to the Shrine such as: medals, small cards with inspirational quotes, a crystal, a small stone, a feather, a shell etc. But because the Shrines are small there are limits on size and the amount one puts inn them. We all individualise our own sacred spaces.

Once the traveller's meditation or prayer session is finished the Shrine can be left open to maintain a sacred space; or packed away for the next stage of the journey.

The top of the Travellers Shrines are made from recycled ornate silver-plated copper or EPNS; and are riveted in the corners. The bottoms are made from plain silver-plated copper or EPNS and are folded and lined with felt. Because the Shrines are made from recycled metal and are individually handmade they have a sense of age and history about them. Fiona took the photos - thanks to her.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Early light, bits for Travellers' Shrines and bits of rainbows

Today has been a day of small things; finishing the small pieces that will go into the Travellers's Shrines - inspirational leaf, offering bowl and incense burner-holder; capturing the fragments of rainbows on our stone kitchen bench; and capturing the exceptional light of an early morning on Treehaven Way.

First that early morning light…

And then the tiny bowls (about 30mm in diameter); and tiny inspirational (love and peace 40-60mm long) leaves; and brass incense burners.

And those tiny rainbows on our kitchen bench - love the angles of the sun in winter through our kitchen louvres.

All in all a gorgeous day.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Unfinished but lots of progress...

I had hoped to finish my Travellers' Shrines over the weekend but did not get all the time I thought I might (including attending an official engagement on behalf of our neighbourhood centre - not really our thing). And of course I was doing 6 shrines together. Still as you can see from the photos below I did make quite a bit of progress.

But before the photos of the shrines I wanted to show the small brass anvil I made for bending the shrine edges - it is made from a brass weight we picked up at some time. I was going to 'bequeath' it to Fiona for her interesting bits display; but I had to tell her it is now part of my tool collection. It worked really well.

And on to the shrines.

So I'm now up to lining the bottoms of the shrines (this part holds all the bits); and then making the bowls, incense burners and leaf forms that go into the bottom; and then polishing. Will do this during the week I hope.

And because I was polishing bits I finished making the pendant and earrings above for Fiona as a memento of NYC - made from a fork and two teaspoons bought from an open air market stall.

A good weekend in all.

Friday, June 20, 2014

A return to travellers' shrines

It is quite a long time since I have made any of my small portable Travellers' Shrines even though I have a couple of folk who would like to purchase them. I was looking back at older posts and see that the last ones I made were back in November 2013.

The thing is I usually like to have interesting metal to make the lids out of the shrines; and I like to be in the right frame of mind - I like to give the shrines positive maker energy when I make them. Well today those things came together and I made a start on a group of Travellers' Shrines.

Metal for the tops of the shrines all marked up ready for precise cutting in the guillotine.

There are always off cuts - but these will become word leaves, peace pendants, for giving away to other folk etc.

And the pieces are cut into shape with the metal shears ready for folding and riveting.

The fold over for the rivets is about .75cm and the rivet is about 1.5mm in diameter. Quite a tiny piece to hold together and rivet - quick release clamps are very handy.

I had time to finish one lid up to rough fold and rivet stage. This shrines lid is about 5cm wide, 7cm long and 1.3cm deep - about the size of a standard matchbox. The pattern reminds me of Cherry Blossom.

I moved on to start making the bottom-inside section that holds the mini offering bowl, incense holder, inspirational word leaf etc.

I was tied up all afternoon with meetings at our local neighbourhood centre - so I will do more work on the shrines over the weekend. Still a good feeling to start shrines that will take journeys with different people across and around the world. Roast pumpkin and blue cheese risotto for dinner - and yes of course accompanied by a red.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

A pair of Travellers' Shrines

Over the last few days I have been jumping around a bit making different pieces for different purposes as time has allowed: ladles for Maleny Additions shop; Peace Book Pendants and small bowls and Pods for our open studio; a pair of Travellers' Shrines and finishing off a third shrine; as well as helping Craige with the extension to the driveway (a deck thingy for cars).

Today I committed to finishing the 3 Traveller's shrines (two were commissions); and am happy to say I completed the task.

The new pair of shrines were cut from a small worn drinks tray - silver plate over fairly thick copper - very old and a gorgeous pattern and patina. As with my Travellers' Shrines each is made up of: the folded and riveted metal box lined with felt; a small offering bowl (can double as an incense bowl); an incense stick holder; some short lengths of Japanese incense; a peace leaf; and a small mat to set out the shrine. Photos of the competed pair follow.

I am pleased how these shrines turned out. They are smallish - about 8-9cm long and 6cm wide. I like to think that they will bring a little peace and stillness into the lives of the owners (travellers).

Friday, October 4, 2013

People matter

Friday is one of those days I just love to get into the studio-garage and do my art thing - and today I managed to do that but in the latter part of the afternoon. The earlier part of the day was taken up with community meetings and a part of this afternoon assisting a friend. But as the heading of this post says if one does not put people first then what is the meaning of art anyway.

And I worked on finishing a couple of my Travellers' Shrines which are about people - people taking life and spiritual travels or journeys. The square shrine below is to be taken to Rosebed Gallery on Sunday as it is be be delivered to its owner just before we take our Paths to Peace and Stillness exhibition home.

The smaller rectangular one below will head off overseas once I have completed a second square shrine to accompany it on its journey.

As indicated in an earlier post my Travellers' Shrines are usually made from quality and decorated recycled silver plated EPNS and are supplied with: a small incense holder and a small bundle of incense sticks (broken from longer sticks of Japanese incense); a small bowl which can be used as an offering bowl or to catch the ash of the burnt incense; and an inspirational leaf - usually with the word peace stamped on it or people who request a shrine can choose their own word (the shrine going to Rosebed on Sunday has the word love stamped on the leaf form as the person requested that word).

But it is expected that owners will want to add their own bits and pieces such as in the photo below.

I love the thought that people will incorporate the use of my Travellers' Shrines into their daily life and spiritual journeys; and their actual travels. Red wine calls - so I must away.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Travellers' Shrines

Over the weekend I completed my last pieces of work for our upcoming exhibition by making a few Travellers' Shrines. There is still a lot of tidying, polishing and adding hangers to various exhibition pieces - but the body of work is done

Quite a long while ago I made a prototype of such a portable shrine but never got around to making any more. But given the theme of exhibition I was inspired to make a few more. The ones I have made are in the style of much simpler box type Tibetan travellers 'shrines' such as those in the photo below.

My shrines are square (about 8cm square and 2.5cm deep). They have a brass lidless box that slides into the silved-plated EPNS lid; and the brass box is lined with felt. The lids have folds and rivets on the four corners. In the end I will only put two into the exhibition as the third shrine just did not come together well enough to be exhibited and sold.

As you can see from the photos above and below each of my Travellers's Shrine will include: a small hammered EPNS bowl (about 40mm in diameter); an incense holder made from a goblet stem; a small stamped EPNS Peace Leaf (about 70mm long); a small bundle of Japanese incense; and a yet to be added silk cloth.