Mary Hanrahan
THE SLIDE PUZZLE BOX: BECOMING WHOLE AND LETTING GO
This piece is based on the lessons learned from my studies at Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) from 2011 to 2013. It was also inspired by the idea of letting go of the past by repurposing personal memorabilia and ephemera. The slide puzzle box contains four sections representing the four VCFA semesters. Each section has 15 movable, three-inch puzzle pieces with shredded personal imagery. Each puzzle piece is coated with a thin layer of beeswax and resin to give it an overall feeling of nostalgia and a feeling of memories past. The four sections together complete a whole geometric pattern. The intention of the slide puzzle box was to design a piece that was not fixed, and could be rearranged into new patterns by participants. Once any of the top puzzle pieces are moved to see or read the messages and imagery below then the original geometric pattern is altered. “Sometimes you have to break patterns to make new ones in your life. In the letting go of an old story a new narrative and a new life story is finally able to emerge.”
Mary Hanrahan has been a graphic designer for over 20 years. Originally trained as a printmaker and a photographer, her love of collage, design and typography led her to pursue her Masters in Graphic Design at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She currently lives in the high desert artist community of Taos, New Mexico with her partner Perry Penick.
Photo: detail of the center of the Slide Puzzle Box. Materials used are acrylic, wood, various personal papers, beeswax and resin. Inside box dimensions are 2″ x 25” x 25”.
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