My mixed media assemblage mobiles and jewelry

 blend art, nature, spirit and story.

Elayna Toby Singer with “ReTooled”

 A single object’s shape, color and texture can instantly rouse my artistic vision around which a composition’s design and aesthetic is built. Mingling re-imagined and repurposed materials imbues new layers of meaning into the objects themselves and generates a dynamic synergy among the distinct elements.

 

Everyone loves a story and so do I. Whether an artwork’s materials are purchased, found or given to me by friends after they’ve cleaned out their garage, I’m always curious and interested to listen to, or unearth, the back story behind each object.

What material is it made of? Where does it come from? What was it used for? What metaphysical or other properties does it transmit? I always love sharing the history of every object in my compositions with viewers and clients.

 Each piece’s balance and movement stirs from the center, inviting viewers to connect with their own emotional, physical and spiritual core. Twirling and dancing with the air around us, energy shifts, ruach (spirit in Hebrew) awakens, transformation occurs.

 Presented in new contexts, each item’s intrinsic beauty is revealed. Discarded and precious materials – vintage tools, machine parts, manufacturing remnants, garden trimmings, mineral stones and beads from around the world – are combined to create one-of-a-kind artworks. No two Elayna Toby pieces are ever the same.

I use only “cold connections” in creating my assemblage mobiles and jewelry. I never use heat or a flame to join pieces together. No welding or soldering for me!  Instead, I use wrapping and knotting techniques, along with fishing swivels and metal links, to connect one object to another.