Out of the Hurly Burly or Life in an Odd Corner
Mixed Media, 2025
Don’t we all want to be there? Inspired by a very old book cover, this piece features plaited hand dyed fabric, vintage buttons and wallpaper, and a LOT of wonderful vintage ephemera found at a beautiful giftware shop, Adornments in Lismore. On a deep edge stretched canvas that has decoupaged edges, it’s set into a stunning oak box frame with a gold painted interior, professionally framed at Lismore Art and Framing.
A couple of small bookmarks made from remnants of the book cover are tucked into an envelope, behind a para from the book:
“Fun is the most conservative element of society, and it ought to be cherished and encouraged by all lawful means. People never plot mischief when they are merry. Laughter is an enemy to malice, a foe to scandal and a friend to every virtue. It promotes good temper, enlivens the heart, and brightens the intellect.”
Is it bad to “destroy” a book? Nope, absolutely not! I think it’s good to save even a part of it, rather than tossing it out. I have many books that belonged to my parents but I’m guessing that this one belonged to my grandfather, the Rev. Percy Waterhouse. The book is described as a classic humorous novel by American author Charles Heber Clark, published under the pen name Max Adeler. The original edition was published in 1874 by the "To-day" Publishing Company in Philadelphia and this edition, was published by Routledge & Sons in England.
The book is a collection of satirical short stories and sketches that provide a witty look at 19th-century American village life, contrasting its simple charm with the chaos of the city. It was a bestseller in its time, selling over a million copies. The book is also notable for featuring some of the first illustrations by the comics pioneer A.B. Frost. I think I need to read all of it!!
This piece measures approx 250mm x 250mm x 60mm
