Collage 694

Lucy Arrington
from page 643-644, volume 2 of original text
collage
made 11/4/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1127-1129

Collage 693

We are in Volume IV, Part Four, Chapter XX.

In the previous chapter, Pierre has told Princess Marya of his life-long love of Natasha and his desire to marry her.

Princess Marya is a little torn, as both she and Natasha are still grieving the death of Prince Andrei, Marya's brother and Natasha's one-time fiancé (until she tried to run off with Anatole) -- that was a deal buster!). But in her heart Princess Marya knows that Pierre and Natasha are right for each other.

There is an understanding between the couple, but Pierre must go to St. Petersburg in the meantime.  The 3 flowers represent Princess Marya, Natasha and Pierre in their quest for love and solace. -- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 641-642, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint, flora from Yasnaya Polyana
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1125-1126

Collage 692

Kutuzov's lone desire is the destruction of the French army.


the rest was for him only the habitual acting out of life.

Adrienne Wetmore
from page 639-640, volume 2 of original text
collage, oil pastel
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1025-1026

Collage 691

She was the same as he had known her almost as a child and then as Prince Andrei's fiancee. Her eyes shone with a merry, questioning brightness; her face had a tender and strangely mischievous expression.

Older, grieving, yet still childlike and eager. -Adrienne

Adrienne Wetmore
from page 637-638, volume 2 of original text
collage
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1121-1122

Collage 690

Lucy Arrington
from page 635-636, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1117-1118

Collage 689

Princess Marya senses that Natasha and Pierre love each other.

Pierre thinks to himself, 'I must -- however strange, however impossible this happiness -- I must do everything to make it so that she and I are man and wife.'

I had fun, identifying as much ephemera as possible with a theme of love/marriage. -- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 6330634, volume 2 of original text
collage, flora from Yasnaya Polyana
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1117-1119

Collage 688

We are in Volume IV, Part Four, Chapter XVII. Pierre is meeting with Princess Marya and Natasha. He recounts and his experiences as a prisoner, held by the French army. The women are sympathetic to his story and you can see that he and Natasha are starting to fall in love. They have always had a strong bond, but now things are really heating up. Pierre recognizes the deep impact that Prince Andrei's death had on both of them.

Pierre describes what he witnessed as Moscow burned.

'It was a terrible spectacle, children were abandoned, some in the flames... In my presence, a child was pulled out... women had their things pulled off them, earrings torn out...'. Can you make out the images of women and their jewelry? -- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 631-632, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1116-1117

Collage 687

The princess, wincing from the desire to hold back her tears, sat beside Natasha and for the first time listened to the story of those last days of the love between her brother and Natasha. - p. 1114 P/V

Lynn Waskelis
from page 629-630, volume 2 of original text
collage, paint, ribbon
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1114-1116

Collage 686

Emma Rhodes
from page 627-628, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1113-1114

Collage 685

This image comes from a print that Lynn found in her mother-in-law's old house on Cape Cod a few years ago. They were cleaning out the eaves and stumbled upon a bunch of prints that were never framed, most likely made by local artists. Is it OK to sacrifice others' art to make these collages? I certainly wouldn't like it if someone used my original work in their collage -- although I have often used some of my own old work in collage. This feels like crossing a line! And yet I have long admired this particular print -- maybe it's Princess Marya?-- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 625-626, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 111-1112

Collage 684

Lucy Arrington
from page 623-624, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1109-1111

Collage 683

I was responding to the following opening paragraph of Volume IV, Part Four, ChapterXIV:

"Just as it is hard to explain why and where ants hurry to from a demolished anthill, some away from the anthill carrying specks of dust, eggs, and dead bodies, and others back to the anthill -- why they run into each other, chase each other, fight -- so it would be hard to explain the reasons that made the Russian people, after the departure of the French, crowd into the place which was formerly called Moscow."

I built up some height using tissue pattern and sprinkled it with ink which kind of looks like ants. I also used some fabulous images from a 1960's fashion magazine for no reason other than someone brought it into the studio and I liked it! -- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 621-622, volume 2 of original text
collage, ink
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1108-1109

Collage 682

Big change in Pierre… 

Pierre is now Tolstoy. 

He is a listener no, not a talker. 

People have become clear to him. 

Life has now become clear to him. -- Chris

Christiane Carney Johnson
from page 621-622, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 12/31/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1106-1108

Collage 681

Pierre is simply living moment to moment.

He has true faith in God. 

“Why” is no longer necessary. 

The old European life is pointless. 

Pierre no longer seeks a purpose in life. 

“Just look right down in front of your feet...and LIVE” -- Chris
Christiane Carney Johnson
from page 617-618, volume 2 of original text
collage, oil pastel, Sharpie
made 12/31/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1105-1106

Collage 680

Pierre abandons his tormented search
for the purpose of life:

Now, to this "Why?" a simple answer was always ready in his soul: because there is God, that God without whose will not a single hair falls from a man's head.

- Adrienne

Adrienne Wetmore
from page 615-616, volume 2 of original text
collage, ink
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1103-1104

Collage 679

No need anymore to SEE beyond…

No need anymore to SEE Europe… 

Pierre has learned that so many people died. 

He is numb. 

He no longer cares because he can no longer FEEL. 

He only SEES grey skies, 

Yet for the first time he finally FEELS freedom. -- Chris

Christiane Carney Johnson
from page 613-614, volume 2 of original text
collage, Sharpie pen
made 12/31/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1101-1103

Collage 678

We are so fortunate to have another contribution by our friend Matt Kish! As you may recall from the introduction to this whole endeavor, Matt's project was the inspiration for The War and Peace Project.

Here is the link to his fantastic blog. He also published a book called Moby Dick in Pictures: One Drawing for Every Page. I bought a copy and it is just too fabulous! Get your own copy! Become a Matt Kish fan! I also bought one of his collages from his Etsy store and proudly hangs in our kitchen where we can enjoy it every day. My husband Mark, our photographer, is crazy for Matt's work. -- Lola

When I think of Tolstoy, I think of the vast and sprawling legacy of Russian literature, and how these books and these ideas have changed the world on such a volatile and almost fundamental level. I began to think of books as machines, as things with moving parts capable of great effects. From there the pieces fell into place quickly... an image of a bearded man who reminded me of Tolstoy, an anatomically correct eye, a forest on fire, and Tolstoy (again) presenting his words... his thoughts... to a world hungry and ready for them. It's a chaotic mass, a jumble of images that the viewer can skate across alighting here or there before the flames burn too hot for comfort. -- Matt

Matt Kish
from page 611-612, volume 2 of original text
collage, ink
made 1/11/12
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1110-1101

Collage 677

Lucy Arrington
from page 609-610, volume 2 of original text
collage, flora from Yasnaya Polyana
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1098-1100

Collage 676

This collage is a sister to Collage 308, one I'm fond of.

Lynn Waskelis
from page 607-608, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1096-1098

Collage 675

On the crossing of the Berezina bridge:

The crowd of the French was running at a constantly increasing force of speed, with all its energy directed at achieving its goal. It ran like a wounded animal, and it was impossible to stand in its way.


-Adrienne

Adrienne Wetmore
from page 605-606, Volume 2 of original text
collage, ink
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1096-1096

Collage 674

""Look at the stars, burning away something awful! You'd say it was women spreading sheets,' a soldier said, admiring the Milky Way." -pp. 1094 in P/V

Emma Rhodes
from page 603-604, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 10/28/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1093-1095

Collage 673

In this scene, the Russian soldiers are making camp. It is 18 degrees and frosty. Tolstoy notes that they are without warm boots, without winter coats, without a roof over their heads, without even a full ration of provisions -- and yet...

never, in the very best material conditions, did an army present a more cheerful, lively spectacle. That came from the fact that each day all those who began to lose heart or strength were thrown out of the army.

That is just like Pierre who was never happier than when he was a prisoner of war. Is Tolstoy giving us a lesson here, in how to be happy?

We got a lot of mileage out of the fly paper that Lynn and Lucy picked up in NYC. It appears in many collages around this time period. In many ways this project is archaeological in the sense that there are many layers, each representing a specific time. Although often times our favorite materials re-emerge at a later time.

Last night I was packing up materials for our New School workshops and waxed nostalgic about what we call "tiny music" (books of classical sheet music) which Lucy found in her town dump. One person's junk is another's treasure, that's for sure. -- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 601-602, volume 2 of original text
collage
made 10/21/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1091-1093

Collage 672

In this scene (Volume IV, Part Four, Chapter VII), the French soldiers are setting up camp after the last day of the battles of Karsnoe.

"It was already dark when the troops came to their night camp. The whole day had been quiet, frosty, with light, sparse snow falling; towards evening it began to clear. The deep purple, starry sky could be seen through the snowflakes, and the frost began to deepen."

Last night on the NPR radio program "Prairie Home Companion" there was a Lake Wobegon piece about the beauty of winter. Somehow Tolstoy captures the beauty and horror and brutality -- even of war. -- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 599-600, volume 2 of original text
collage, ink
made 10/21/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1089-1091

Collage 671

Emma Rhodes
from page 597-598, volume 2 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
made 10/21/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1089-1090

Collage 670

Obviously, the Russian nest was devastated and destroyed; but beyond the destruction of the Russian order of life, Pierre felt unconsciously that the French had established their own quite different but firm order over this devastated nest...Pierre felt like an insignificant chip of wood fallen into the wheels of a machine unknown to him but functioning well. pp. 962-3

Lynn Waskelis
from page 595-596, volume 2 of original text
collage, flora from Yasnaya Polyana
made 10/21/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1086-1087

Collage 669

On these pages, Tolstoy writes about how General Kutozov presented circumstances differently, depending on who he was talking with. Some passages (whole chapters!) are difficult to respond to visually. (Unless you are Otto and love history!!).

So with this piece, I was just having fun with some fly paper that Lynn and Lucy ripped off a wall in New York City in October when we made a road trip to The New School to talk about a show.

And our show is happening next week! We will be giving two free workshops in collaborative collage-making, followed by the opening reception at 6pm. So if you are in NYC at that time, come visit Team Tolstoy. Either at the workshops or the opening party.

And today's BIG announcement: we finished the project today! We met in the studio, and finished! Adrienne, Emma, Lucy, Lynn and I. 748 collages. Unbelievable. Check out our Facebook page!

It was bittersweet for me. This has been such a huge part of my life for the last 2 years, and it is neither the elation of"finishing" nor the sadness of "ending", exactly. It is hard to say what I feel about it. I have really poured myself into it; we all have. We've had our ups and downs, our ins and outs. But we have finished, and we all still like each other! Now that's saying something. "Collaborating artists" is a bit of an oxymoron. Artists don't really like to repeat themselves, so sticking with the 5x7 inch format for 2 years was a challenge! And yet we have pulled it off and have an amazing body of work that we are all very proud of.

We have a lot of shows in the future already lined up, and who knows what else may develop.

Stay tuned - we will continue to post an image a day. Which will take about 3 more months! -- Lola

Lola Baltzell
from page 593-594, volume 2 of original text
collage, ink
made 10/21/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1085-1086

Collage 668

Kutuzov and Napoleon

Two military leaders as different as war and peace. Tolstoy mocks historians who praise Napoleon's leadership ability and belittle those of Kutuzov, and argues that it was Kutuzov who was the leader who better understood what was happening around him and how little of those events he actually controlled.In Lola's text for the next collage, No. 669, she writes "some passages (whole chapters!) are difficult to respond to visually. (Unless you are Otto and love history!)" Frankly, I find these pages tedious, and only a little more tolerable than most of the second epilogue (see, for example, collages number 742 and 743).  -- Otto

Otto Mayr
from page 591-592, volume 2 of original text
collage
made 12/5/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1083-1084

Collage 667

Trish Crapo
from page 589-590, volume 2 of original text
collage, magazine images, rice paper, hand-made paper, journal entries
made 10/25/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1081-1083

"She did not know it, she would not have believed it, but under the seemingly impenetrable layer of silt that covered her soul, thin, tender young needles of grass were already breaking through..."

For this collage about the shifting of Natasha's grief I tore up journal entries I'd written and scribbled over back in 2008 after the deaths of my mother and my sister, three months apart. Sometimes the things we write in the spur of the moment grow, like these needles of grass Tolstoy conjures, into something else -- a poem or a story. Other times the writing itself is a process that helps us cope and we don't need to preserve it intact any more. Here, I liked the idea that my old journal entries could be compost for the thriving green shoots of Natasha's soul.  ~Trish

Collage 666

"A wound in the soul, coming from the rending of the spiritual body, strange as it may seem, gradually closes like a physical wound. And once a deep wound heals over and the edges seem to have knit, a wound in the soul, like a physical wound, can be healed only by the force of life pushing from inside."

I found an image of birches that reminded me of the trees at Yasnaya Polyana and used it to call to mind the force of life pushing from inside the edges of the wounds Natasha and Princess Marya have both suffered at the loss of Prince Andrei. ~ Trish

Trish Crapo
from page 587-588, volume 2 of original text
collage, graphite
made 10/26/11
Pevear/Volokhonsky translation page 1080-1081