This pair of fur covered Reading Glasses is a homage to Meret Oppenheim. It is also a tribute to the wonderful children's story "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. The glasses are "focused" on the two times in the book where the rabbit became real. The piece asks the question what does it mean to be real.
Altered book showing two verses from Robert Lewis Stevenson's "Child's Book Of Verse".
My special friend at the window.
My mantra.
Even though you couldn't see him, 
"Am I the only person on the planet who doesn't like the smell of coffee?... For fifty years my father could not remember that I hated the smell of coffee. .. First served to me when I was three....I used to have to leave the room when it was being brewed."
I was introduced to Sherlock Holmes early and fell in love with mysteries, particularly puzzles. Later I found Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. This rabbit is reading a Book called "Quantum Physics and other mysteries...Down the Rabbit Hole".
The White Rabbit is not in “Through the Looking Glass” so he is reading the book to find out what happened next. He likes the pictures.
"When I was good I was very, very good. When I was bad I was climbing a tree in my dress."
Victorian ideas about fairies were my first encounter, not Disney. Earlier, fairies were thought to fly by magic, not with insect wings. The mushroom stem is covered with drawings of famous Victorian fairy paintings.
Putting on the hat gets you in the mood for the adventure. Props are so important, even if they make no sense to anyone else. I was so affected by the clothes I wore and loved to costume. I loved the explorer's hat I found. It gave me an opportunity to add a map to the room. Maps always fascinated me. I designed many pieces with maps, including the whole long wall, but alas, this is the only map that survived. The map was made using India ink and silver and gold acrylic paint pens. The hat is hung from a wooden elephant hanger.
The words on the side of the piece ask “What were real dinosaurs like Dad?” Actually, I asked the question of my Mom. Her shocked response was “How old do you think I am?” Children and quantum physists believe that all time actual exists simultaneously. Aren't kids smart?
I was convinced my dolls and toys had a life of their own once I went to sleep or was out of the room. Since I loved to read I was sure they did too. The dolls and the teddy bear are reading about goose coming back for his feathers from Andrewshek's fine feathered bed. It is a story from "The Poppy Seed Cakes" by Margery Clark. I was given the book when I went into the hospital to have my tonsils out. My parents were convinced I knew how to read until they realized I had memorized the words to go with the pictures. I love the look on the bear's face, with his paws up to his mouth. 
