3-D Mixed Media Constructions by Linda A. Levy

3-D CONSTRUCTIONS
LA Levy creates artistic constructions using recycled materials, handmade papers, textiles, her artwork, photos, found objects and more. When the inspiration strikes, she has to build it!
I was inspired to make some "mini-altars" - Retablos, if you will - remembrances. I could "see" them in my mind, so, of course, had to make them. Traditional retablos, from Mexico, are crafted from metal forms. I recycled pieces of foam core (left from matting and framing my artwork), constructed the forms, covered them with handmade papers, and then created the "scene" from found objects, artwork, beads, etc. Enjoy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
3 new retablos below - 3-D Constructions - 6" x 9" - Tarot Card Themed.
These are $30 each. Contact me if interested.

3-D construction, LA Levy, Linda A Levy, Santa Cruz, Artist, Bonny Doon, California

Detail IV of Cups, 3-D construction, LA Levy, Linda A Levy, Santa Cruz, Artist, Bonny Doon, California

Tarot retable, "Page of Pentacles", 3-D construction, LA Levy, Linda A Levy, Santa Cruz, Artist, Bonny Doon, California

Detail of "Page of Pentacles", 3-D construction, LA Levy, Linda A Levy, Santa Cruz, Artist, Bonny Doon, California

"IX of Wands", 3-D construction, LA Levy, Linda A Levy, Santa Cruz, Artist, Bonny Doon, California

Detail of "IX of Wands", 3-D construction, LA Levy, Linda A Levy, Santa Cruz, Artist, Bonny Doon, California

Retablo #1, 3D construction art work by Linda A. Levy, Santa Cruz, California artist

Retablo #1, Detail of 3D construction art piece by Linda Levy, Santa Cruz, California artist, handmade papers, found objects

Retablo #2, construction art work 3-D, by LA. Levy, Santa Cruz, California artist

Retablo #2, Detail of 3-D construction art piece by Linda A. Levy, Santa Cruz, California artist, handmade papers, found objects

Retablo #3, 3-D construction piece by LA Levy, Santa Cruz, California artist, created using foam core, handmade papers, and found objects

Retablo #3, Detail of 3D construction art piece by Linda A. Levy, Santa Cruz, California artist, showing handmade papers, found objects, crystal hearts

"A Tribute to the Avalon Ballroom"
3-D Construction reflecting back to my hippy-dippy days in San Francisco (the '60's) - the iconic Avalon Ballroom. My first concert there was Buffalo Springfield and Quicksilver Messenger Service! If you stand close to this constructed "Altar" you can smell patchouli!

3-D Construction, Artist Linda Levy, LA Levy, Altar, Avalon Ballroom, Santa Cruz, California

3-D Construction, Janis Joplin on Stage, Artist Linda Levy, LA Levy, Altar, Avalon Ballroom, Santa Cruz, California

3-D Construction, Artist Linda Levy, LA Levy, Altar, Avalon Ballroom, Detail, Santa Cruz, California

"Pele - Goddess of Fire"
3-D Construction honoring Pele, Hawaiian Goddess of Fire - after recent major volcanic eruptions on the Big Island. Top drawer in the box contains a necklace for the Goddess who owns the box - matches the necklace worn by Pele on the box top.

Pele Goddess Box, 3-D Constructions: LA Levy creates artistic constructions using recycled materials, handmade papers, textiles, her artwork, photos, found objects and more. When the inspiration strikes, she has to build it.

Pele Goddess Box Inside, 3-D Constructions: LA Levy creates artistic constructions using recycled materials, handmade papers, textiles, her artwork, photos, found objects and more. When the inspiration strikes, she has to build it.

Pele Goddess Box Necklace, 3-D Constructions: LA Levy creates artistic constructions using recycled materials, handmade papers, textiles, her artwork, photos, found objects and more. When the inspiration strikes, she has to build it.

Pele Goddess Box Box Necklace Detail, 3-D Constructions: LA Levy creates artistic constructions using recycled materials, handmade papers, textiles, her artwork, photos, found objects and more. When the inspiration strikes, she has to build it.

Pele Goddess Box, Outside, Opened, 3-D Constructions: LA Levy creates artistic constructions using recycled materials, handmade papers, textiles, her artwork, photos, found objects and more. When the inspiration strikes, she has to build it.

Pele Goddess Box, outside - eruptions, 3-D Constructions: LA Levy creates artistic constructions using recycled materials, handmade papers, textiles, her artwork, photos, found objects and more. When the inspiration strikes, she has to build it.

Pele Goddess Box, Outside Opening, 3-D Constructions: LA Levy creates artistic constructions using recycled materials, handmade papers, textiles, her artwork, photos, found objects and more. When the inspiration strikes, she has to build it.

Pele Goddess Box, Outside elements, 3-D Constructions: LA Levy creates artistic constructions using recycled materials, handmade papers, textiles, her artwork, photos, found objects and more. When the inspiration strikes, she has to build it.

"Wild Coyote Dreams"
3-D Construction created after staying at the Wild Coyote Winery/Inn in Paso Robles. Southwestern / Taos influences. Loved staying there. Did a bunch of sketches and took a lot of photos - which were the basis for my construction / altar.

Wild Coyote Dreams Image #1. Altar construction by Linda A Levy, Linda Levy, LA Levy, artist in Santa Cruz, California

Wild Coyote Dreams Image #2. Altar construction by Linda A Levy, Linda Levy, LA Levy, artist in Santa Cruz, California

Wild Coyote Dreams Image #3. Altar construction by Linda A Levy, Linda Levy, LA Levy, artist in Santa Cruz, California

Wild Coyote Dreams Image #4. Altar construction by Linda A Levy, Linda Levy, LA Levy, artist in Santa Cruz, California

Wild Coyote Dreams Image #5. Altar construction by Linda A Levy, Linda Levy, LA Levy, artist in Santa Cruz, California

Wild Coyote Dreams Image #8. Altar construction by Linda A Levy, Linda Levy, LA Levy, artist in Santa Cruz, California

Wild Coyote Dreams Image #7. Altar construction by Linda A Levy, Linda Levy, LA Levy, artist in Santa Cruz, California

"After Altamira"

3D Construction "After Altamira" by Linda A. Levy

After Altamira, is Neli Moody’s first published collection of poetry. It was published in 2006 by Ismael Reed Publishing Company. You can get the book on Amazon, or read an ebook version online. Neli’s work has appeared in such publications as Reed Magazine, Konch Magazine, Appalachian Review, and Adirondack Review as well as on the website phrenz.com. Ms. Moody has read her work at Bookshop Santa Cruz, the Celebration of the Muse, Legacy of Poetry Day at San Jose State and at UCSC. Her scholarly analysis of Berengarten’s poem Avebury, “A Context of Stones” appeared in the Salt Companion to Richard Berengarten and was published by Salt Publishing in 2012. She continues to write poetry, a blog on her genealogical research and YA stories. A retired lecturer and proud nana, she now substitute teaches, cooks, sews, gardens, reads and teaches water aerobics.

https://atalantasapple.wordpress.com/

"After Altamira" at left - Inspired by a poem by Neli Moody, and created for a “Poet’s Eye/Artist’s Tongue” exhibition, the box explores a time in man’s evolution when symbols/imagery, underlying elements in ALL religions/cultures, gave rise to the written word. The poem discusses the imagery found in the Altamira Caves in Spain, some of the oldest and best-preserved cave paintings known to mankind, and it explores how the nature of man changed with the evolution from symbols/imagery to the written word.

The box symbolizes the struggle between Myth and Reality. The 2 animas (a female form and a male centaur) on the lid are pulling (tug-a-war style) a net between them, in which the poem’s words have been torn up and placed inside.

The exterior of the box, when opened, forms the backdrop for the two struggling figures. Again, the poem has been printed out on various papers/fonts/colors, and torn up and collaged to form mountains, sky, clouds in the background. The exterior is embellished with a texture/pattern provided by many of the symbols that are a part of our collective unconscious (and why we are attracted to these images): the spiral, the hand print, the star.

The interior of the box, when expanded open, forms the inside of the cave, with imagery of bison and bones. It also exposes “drawers” which are lined with a tiger-striped material. The top most drawer contains a copy of the poem, and a pair of earrings that match the jewelry worn by the female figure on the box top.

At left: recent (January 2016) Altars constructed for an upcoming show, "Shades of Blue" at the Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center. The slide show shows my construction process, along with detail images.

The slideshow, below left, has some images of other altars from years past. Enjoy!

If you have any questions, or would like to take a 1-day workshop in constructing altars, please contact me.

Baja Dreams (below) - After spending time *(n 2011) with good friends Dan & Laurie Hennig at their casita in La Ribera (Baha), I constructed an Altar to commenorate our visit..... The altar is constructed using left-over foam core material, then covered with handmade papers. The shelves are foam core (wired into the wall structure), finished with a "granite" spray. Other elements, cactus, sculptures, doors, are made from foam core with images affixed to the outer surfaces. And then some found objects: shells, rocks. The small raven on top and the ants on the side are made from sculpy clay and painted.

Hand constructed 3-D Altar, by Linda Levy, Linda A, Levy, LA Levy, Santa Cruz, California, Artist, one-of-a-kind artworks, assemblage, recycled materials

Hand made 3-D Altar detail, by Linda Levy, Linda A, Levy, LA Levy, Santa Cruz, California, Artist, one-of-a-kind artworks, assemblage, recycled materials

3-D Altar detail, featuring raven sculpture, by Linda Levy, Linda A, Levy, LA Levy, Santa Cruz, California, Artist, one-of-a-kind artworks, assemblage, recycled materials

Side panel of 3-D Altar detail, window closed, by Linda Levy, Linda A, Levy, LA Levy, Santa Cruz, California, Artist, one-of-a-kind artworks, assemblage, recycled materials

3-D Altar detail, Side panel, window openeded, by Linda Levy, Linda A, Levy, LA Levy, Santa Cruz, California, Artist, one-of-a-kind artworks, assemblage, recycled materials

Detail of a Hand made 3-D Altar by Linda Levy, Linda A, Levy, LA Levy, Santa Cruz, California, Artist, one-of-a-kind artworks, assemblage, recycled materials

OTHER CONSTRUCTIONS THRU THE YEARS

I sometimes "see" something I need to make and my engineering mind takes over. My mixed media constructions range from Altars, Goddess Boxes, to chairs, big sculptures - whatever strikes my inspired self.