Jigsaw Puzzles

I love jigsaw puzzles.  I love the zoned out and relaxed feeling I get while doing a jigsaw puzzle.  After a certain point, some part of my non-conscious spacial brain takes over.  I love it when my hand reaches for a piece and places it in the right slot before I am aware of what I am doing.  I love the intimacy gained with an artwork after studying each of angles and the hues.  It is very different from taking an art history course, where you learn about the time period and the symbolism.  With a jigsaw puzzle, I study the minor details, the shape of a leaf, or reflections on water.

I was downtown at the Washington State Convention Center and saw this caught my eye.  My first thought was "This would make an awesome jigsaw puzzle."  I love the colors and the little faces.  I would want to get to know each of these creatures, understand their shapes and colors.

The Spirits Within by Alfredo Arreguin, 2002

You might not be able to tell from the photo, but this painting is huge.  It takes up most of the wall on the opposite side of an elevator bank.  Here are a few close ups:

I could spend hours looking at each of the little creatures Arreguin created here.  The best thing about a jigsaw puzzle is that you do get to spend hours studying what ever image you are trying to re-create.  I am guessing it took the artist months to create this.  Why shouldn't I spend a decent amount of time looking at very corner, especially for something so richly detailed?

My friend Grace introduced me last year to Card Kingdom, a puzzle and game shop with a cafe, in Ballard.  They have a massive selection of jigsaw puzzles, including the Liberty Puzzles, which are made out of wood.  When you open the box, you can smell the burnt wood from where the laser cut the pieces.

Here are some of the amazing shapes inside the box.