Spirituality and Health Magazine
The request by a national magazine for photos and a phone interview about my story prompted my desire to show more of how I make my boats. I will be included as an article this summer in
http://spiritualityhealth.com.
What is a Spirit Boat?
It is a boat that carries your spirit while you journey to another realm. It is for transformation.
Why would you make a Spirit Boat?
To honor yourself, another person or animal, or a special thing.
What might your boat hold?
Something you want to hold dear or remember.
As Leo was taking photos of my demonstration boat, I had to clarify my own thinking process. The beauty of this kind of art making is that it is simple and open ended- meaning there is no right or wrong and you have lots of flexibility.
Cut off the top and bottom of a thin plastic water bottle with a utility knife. Cut the middle part with scissors into 2 pieces. Connect the non-pointed ends with tape or staple. This creates a shell that looks like a canoe. I like to cover all of the plastic with tracing paper glued down to become a natural looking skin. Then you can carefully pierce the sides with holes or glue twigs, wire, string, or other interesting things that stand up, hang down, go around, wrap across and more. As you work, you can find many things that might suggest ideas to you that can be included either on, in or around the boat. Many people like to make oars or add sails to suggest navigation.
As I gathered art materials that were close at hand, I enjoyed making this little Spirit Boat.
The shell is a small 18 oz. Crystal Geyer recycled water bottle.
It has white tracing paper covering glued down with modge podge.
Paper bag handles are opened at one end to look like oars.
Wood supports go across the center.
Twine runs along the sides.
Fine wire netting becomes a sail supported by a twig.
http://spiritualityhealth.com.
What is a Spirit Boat?
It is a boat that carries your spirit while you journey to another realm. It is for transformation.
Why would you make a Spirit Boat?
To honor yourself, another person or animal, or a special thing.
What might your boat hold?
Something you want to hold dear or remember.
As Leo was taking photos of my demonstration boat, I had to clarify my own thinking process. The beauty of this kind of art making is that it is simple and open ended- meaning there is no right or wrong and you have lots of flexibility.
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| Piercing the sides with a stick |
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| Cutting center section in half |
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| Adding paper skin by gluing |
Cut off the top and bottom of a thin plastic water bottle with a utility knife. Cut the middle part with scissors into 2 pieces. Connect the non-pointed ends with tape or staple. This creates a shell that looks like a canoe. I like to cover all of the plastic with tracing paper glued down to become a natural looking skin. Then you can carefully pierce the sides with holes or glue twigs, wire, string, or other interesting things that stand up, hang down, go around, wrap across and more. As you work, you can find many things that might suggest ideas to you that can be included either on, in or around the boat. Many people like to make oars or add sails to suggest navigation.
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| "Healthy" is named in honor of the magazine that inspired this art making. |
The shell is a small 18 oz. Crystal Geyer recycled water bottle.
It has white tracing paper covering glued down with modge podge.
Paper bag handles are opened at one end to look like oars.
Wood supports go across the center.
Twine runs along the sides.
Fine wire netting becomes a sail supported by a twig.
Hey, Jennifer, congrats on getting your story written about. It's a challenge to have and stop and think about your process, more so to actually demonstrate it. Wish you and Leo well. We hope to see you both sometime in Spring 2014 :)
ReplyDeleteI started my fourth spirit boat yesterday. This one is much simpler than the last three. I am teaching spirit boat construction to my mental health art group, and several clients and one fellow staff member have begun making a boat. Another staff member told me she wants to make one. It is a wonderful project. I work on my boats everyday after work. Love this process. Thank you Jennifer for your work and your creation.
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