Okay...so what do you DO with those Art-o-mat pieces?

Whenever I do an Art-o-mat presentation of any kind, invariably someone asks "so what do you DO with these things after you get them out of the machine?".

Here is an example of what I have done with my "Copper Beaded Web" collection by artist Valerie Hibbard...I made an "Arto-Tree".
















Copper Beaded Webs are marvelous concoctions of bits and pieces of copper wire, beads, metallic mesh and other items that Valerie finds and re-purposes for her delightful series. It is amazing to watch her construct and recycle the pieces...she makes it look so easy and random and effortless. I would be stressing and over-thinking every single piece I picked up.

Oh...btw...on some of the boxes of Copper Beaded Webs Valerie Hibbard used the name "Klop".

Valerie takes a length of wire, cuts it, twists and manipulates it, adds a bead, adds another element or two, adds more beads, does some more twisting and magic and voila -- Copper Beaded Web!














Valerie suggests that you might use her Copper Beaded Webs as paperweights, suncatchers in windows, as a pin or necklace...really, just about anything you can think of.



I have a metallic tree that was once a store fixture. I had it "planted" in cement in my garden and I usually hang glass balls from it starting in the Spring and running through early Autumn.

I have been wanting to hang up my Copper Beaded Webs for some time now. Well, today everything fell into place. It was sunny (it has been kinda rainy for a while here), not too hot, and I had some time and needed to start on the weeding, too. SO...hey!...instead of re-hanging the glass balls, I got the brilliant idea to use the arto-webs instead. They catch the sunlight, they turn in the breeze (it is pretty breezy up on the hill here in Northville) and they are just plain pretty and delightful.


Between weeding, tying the "invisible" string, testing lengths, taking rests, working on collages during breaks, then back to the cycle again it took me a couple of hours to assemble the finished Arto-Tree. I LOVE it!

Obviously, you don't need a metallic tree of your own to find a use for a Copper Beaded Web by Valerie "Klop" Hibbard. You could gently hang them from a branch...or affix them to a dowel and add them to your garden among your flowers...or put them in with your houseplants...decorate your mailbox...the possibilities are endless!

So there you go...this is an example of what you can do with some Art-o-mat art and a little bit of creativity and imagination!