Tag Archives: unusual materials

Residencies

Patchwork Central Residency

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Patchwork Central artwork

the making of a character

In June when we needed a last minute guest artist to lead sculpture week at Patchwork Central (where I normally work as Co-Director), I was happy to jump in. I enjoyed interacting with the Arts & Smarts participants in a way that was different than I usually do. They were wonderful students.

We created fabric people. For our materials we pulled clothing out of Patchwork’s small clothing bank and used them in addition to the regular art supplies that have been donated to the Arts & Smarts program. I’ve done this project with many groups now, but each time I lead it, things go in new and interesting directions. This time around, each sculpture became a fleshed out character and its creator wrote its backstory.

On the last day of the class, we went around the room and everyone shared the story behind their character. It became a wonderful storytelling circle in which everyone was encouraged and celebrated. It was wonderful.

Below is a slideshow of the art that was created. If you click on an image, you’ll be able to read the story that accompanied it.

“Gucci” by Becki. Gucci loves her bling bling. She loves to shop and travel. She wants to be an actress someday and live in California.
“Gucci” by Becki. Gucci loves her bling bling. She loves to shop and travel. She wants to be an actress someday and live in California.
“One Handed Bob” by Eli. Bob was born with one hand. Bob is crazily insane. He likes carrots and pie. Bob had an adventure at the grocery. There were no apples and he was sad. He works at an apple factory. He works all day. He lives a normal live. He only wears pajamas.
“One Handed Bob” by Eli. Bob was born with one hand. Bob is crazily insane. He likes carrots and pie. Bob had an adventure at the grocery. There were no apples and he was sad. He works at an apple factory. He works all day. He lives a normal live. He only wears pajamas.
Love Monster by Jane
“Dr. Do You Love Me (Dr. DYLM)” by Daniel. Dr. DYLM reminds me of a disturbing doctor on a motorcycle. He also reminds me of a tall human because of his long legs. He wants to be loved.
“Dr. Do You Love Me (Dr. DYLM)” by Daniel. Dr. DYLM reminds me of a disturbing doctor on a motorcycle. He also reminds me of a tall human because of his long legs. He wants to be loved.
“Kevin” by Gavin. This is Kevin. Kevin likes milk. Milk comes from cows. Cows make burgers. Burgers have condiments on them. Ketchup is a condiment. Ketchup is made from tomatoes. Kevin does not like tomatoes. Kevin does not like zebras. That is the story of Kevin.
“Wonder Eyes” by Mariam. Wonder Eyes is a superhero born with stubbed arms. Many people made fun of her, not recognizing how truly beautiful she was. However, Wonder Eyes discovered self-love as she grew older and soon conquered her enemies. Self-love was her greatest strength as a superhero, that and her laser eyes. She led an amazing life, saving many people from the evils in her galaxy. Her laser eyes became well known to everyone making villains fear her.
Esperanza by Elisa
“The Paint Brush Man” by John. One day some sun shine and rain were half and half and a rainbow came, and the Paint Brush Man was painting the rainbow and painting different crafts. He loves to paint. He paints all different crafts. The people heard about the Paint Brush Man, so the people wanted to see him, but it was too far away. So the people draw to see what he looks like. The Paint Brush Man goes to sleep when the sun and the rain are not half and half.
“The Paint Brush Man” by John. One day some sun shine and rain were half and half and a rainbow came, and the Paint Brush Man was painting the rainbow and painting different crafts. He loves to paint. He paints all different crafts. The people heard about the Paint Brush Man, so the people wanted to see him, but it was too far away. So the people draw to see what he looks like. The Paint Brush Man goes to sleep when the sun and the rain are not half and half.
“The Prince Princess (A.K.A. The Money Pope)” by Renee. The Prince Princess (Formerly the Money Pope) got fired from the Pope job when he started spitting everywhere. Then, in a horrible accident, a penguin stabbed his eyes out. He also has a heart made of amber.
“The Prince Princess (A.K.A. The Money Pope)” by Renee. The Prince Princess (Formerly the Money Pope) got fired from the Pope job when he started spitting everywhere. Then, in a horrible accident, a penguin stabbed his eyes out. He also has a heart made of amber.
“Queen Fleek” by Jazmin. She is planning a secret attack on Queen Fifi. She lost all of her limbs in a war. She only wears purple. Sometimes she adds in different colors.
“Strawberry Shortcake vs. Lemon Blossom” by Ashlynn. Strawberry Shortcake had a fight with Lemon Blossom because Lemon Blossom snatched Strawberry Shortcake’s favorite lip gloss. Strawberry Shortcake went to an evil witch’s kingdom and begged for revenge. She offered the worst spell of all. When the witch cast the spell she purposely merged both Lemon Blossom and Strawberry Shortcake’s bodies together because she hates their sweet village. Then Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Blossom turned into Strawberry Lemon Blossom. From now on they will never fight again.
“Strawberry Shortcake vs. Lemon Blossom” by Ashlynn. Strawberry Shortcake had a fight with Lemon Blossom because Lemon Blossom snatched Strawberry Shortcake’s favorite lip gloss. Strawberry Shortcake went to an evil witch’s kingdom and begged for revenge. She offered the worst spell of all. When the witch cast the spell she purposely merged both Lemon Blossom and Strawberry Shortcake’s bodies together because she hates their sweet village. Then Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Blossom turned into Strawberry Lemon Blossom. From now on they will never fight again.
Aurora by Marian
“Officer Boo” by Owen. Hi, I’m Officer Boo. I’m a scary officer. I scare off thiefs. It’s kind of bad in some ways because they get away. It’s good in other ways because they drop what they got that they were stealing. Another thing is I like donuts. Every officer likes donuts. I get thiefs. Some officers get people speeding. Others keep people safe. I like being a police officer.
Doge Man by Eme
“Daisy” by Allie. Daisy is a free spirit and loves to travel. She loves to be outside and summertime. Daisy also loves to sing and be at the beach.
“The Ninja” by JJ. He is silent and fast. No one knows his/her past. Though The Ninja has been known to save the day. The Ninja wants to be known, but he is shy, so he is known by being a ninja.
by Jane
“Aqua” by Shammah. She is very peaceful and loves animals and nature. Her favorite color is blue. She is a mermaid princess.
“Aqua” by Shammah. She is very peaceful and loves animals and nature. Her favorite color is blue. She is a mermaid princess.
“Queen Felisha” by Jerriah. Queen FiFi grew up in a different neighborhood. She represents that beauty is not hair, clothes, or faces. She is nice to all people.
by Jane
Finished pieces

Earthen Vessels

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Guilt and Love

Loss and Healing

I just finished a week sharing my art and my process with the children at Patchwork Central, where most of the time the children see me as the Co-Director and camera lady.

It was fun to share my sculpture with them, and it was very fun to see the art that they created. It was also great to work again with my friend and fellow artist Jane Case Vickers. I started my career in community art almost 18 years ago by teaching art as Jane’s assistant in Patchwork’s Arts & Smarts Children’s Program.

I was very glad to get to teach with Jane again–I think she’s a great artist and a great teacher. We’ve always been attracted to similar materials and have similar artistic inspirations. We’ve done several projects and exhibits together.

One of these collaborative projects was called “Earthen Vessels”. We each created a series of female figures that explored the human form as a container for emotions and experiences. Each figure expressed an individual emotion or memory using  found fabrics and found objects that we felt were symbolic of the theme.

The images above show my work paired with Jane’s. The first shows Jane’s depiction of Guilt (titled “Guilt: She’s Got a Belly Full of Walnuts”) and my depiction of Love. The second shows my depiction of Loss and Jane’s depiction of Healing. They range from 64″ tall to 40″ tall.

When we took these photos, we intentionally paired a more positive emotion with a more negative one to highlight the interaction between the two.

 

Finished pieces

A Somewhat Larger Critter

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Somewhat Larger Critter in Motion

Detail of Somewhat Larger Critter

Continuing on the theme of small creatures created from scraps and detritus, here’s a slightly larger creature. It’s currently on display at One Life Church in Evansville as part of an exhibit of artwork inspired by Places.

This piece is 2″ wide and deep but about 6″ tall. Like the previous piece, it has a little propeller that spins. I’ve had fun exhibiting these creatures within glass display cases that add to the appearance that they are collected specimens.

Works in Progress

The Piece that Isn’t

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Way Up in the Middle of the Air Way Up in the Middle of the Air (detail)

This piece of art doesn’t exist, even though it’s the most recent piece I’ve been working on.  With it, I learned that when you’re making art out of found objects, you’d best do your research.

The centerpiece is a beautiful little nest that I found on the ground last fall.  I created a mass of glitter and googly eyes to surround it. Someone remarked that the glittery circle was reminiscent of Ezekiel’s vision of a wheel covered in eyes, which I liked. The inspiration for the piece hadn’t been the Bible verse, but I decided to make a reference to the folk song “Ezekiel Saw the Wheel” by titling the piece “Way Up in the Middle of the Air”.

I was about to deliver the piece to a local exhibit when it occurred to me that perhaps birds’ nests are included in the same regulations that forbid anyone from possessing feathers or other parts of wild birds. I looked it up, and they do.

I should have done more research first. I disassembled the piece for now, but you may see it reinvented later–minus the nest.

Finished pieces

The Cicadas’ Dance is Music to My Eyes

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Cicadas' Dance

A couple weeks ago, the sound of the cicadas was deafening. For a piece earlier this summer, I’d felt lucky to have found a single cicada shell, but I decided to look again after having my ears assaulted. This time, I came up with quite a collection.

I’d wanted to make a piece for a local recycled art show, so I used the cicadas as an inspiration, building a kind of mandala from them and some crazy lenticular eyes I’d picked up at the Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. Throw in some old buttons, wedding confetti I picked off the ground in Germany, old doilies, beads, pins, sequins, and thread, and it’s a writhing dance of empty shells and eyeballs.