On Saturday, I had the opportunity to give an online workshop to my Puttyverse friends on box assemblage. I’m a big fan of the artist Joseph Cornell, who is pretty much considered the father of box assemblage. And I had a great time putting this workshop together. As is usual when I research something like this, I went a little bit too deep.

I researched the history of modern avant-garde art movements, going back to the beginning of the 20th century. It was basically to provide some context of the art community as it existed in the time frame that Joseph Cornell was making his art. As I said, I think I went a little bit too deep on the history, but I enjoyed putting it together.

I think the participants enjoyed what I had to say. Our task now is to build a box assemblage. And the topic is multipotentiality — a reflection of ourselves as a box assemblage. And I’ll be making one as well. I’ve given us three weeks to finish it, which should be plenty of time.

I do have a whole collection of gee-gaws and doodads and many miscellaneous items. And I’m going to pull from those and see which ones speak to me. Joseph Cornell had this concept of poetic magnetism, his idea that objects that belong together sort of attract each other. And that’s what I’m going to be looking for when I build.

So, it was a great workshop! It was the first time I’ve delivered this workshop, and now I have some ideas of what I might want to change. The next time I do it, a little bit less on the history and a little bit more on poetic magnetism.