He Made War Like A Man Anointing Himself

 I was very fortunate last year to be a participant in the 14th Annual The Figure In Contemporary Art Show at the Hilliard Gallery in Kansas City, MO, and the piece I submitted actually sold. With a year gone by, it is time to consider making something for the 15th Annual Show scheduled for April, 2022.

Denice and I had the opportunity to visit Dallas in 2019 and we made a trip to the Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas where we found this warrior in full regalia. 

My Photo From the Museum

Since 2019 I have had the two major components of this project waiting in my basement for the right inspiration. 

Piece #1: All that is left of a Roll Out Croquet unit I bought at an auction

Added a brace for the next piece

You want to be a Wisconsin assemblage artist. Then toughen up, Bucky!

Piece #2: This awesome mannequin

After shopping my own stuff, I selected an oil lamp bracket with a tin reflector, football shoulder pads and a metal belt.

Sometimes even the best of intentions take a right turn. After mounting the mannequin onto the croquet stand, I did not like the angle of the head. So, I lopped it off. 

Of course, that meant I had to attach it again. 

The oil lamp bracket got painted and attached.

When I got this far it seemed like I needed something to give this piece some horizontal dimension. How about a Halloween Batman plastic mask?

Some of my handmade rusted cloth provided a protective layer for the helment.

A belt from my stash added to the military feel.

I think this a hair barrette that I painted up for the helmet.

Thus we have He Made War Like A Man Anointing Himself, a line from Robert Bly's poem. At A Match Against The Vietnam War.

It consists of Roll Out Crochet Stand, Mannequin, Curtain, Lamp Shade, Oil Lamp Bracket with Tin Reflector, Decorative bowl, Metal Candleholder, Wood trim, Welding goggles, Hair barrette, Window trim cloth, Shelf liner, Cord, Belts, Football shoulder pads and a Curtain tie back.

Indeed, this piece was accepted into the 15th Annual The Figure In Contemporary Art Show at the Hilliard Gallery in Kansas City, MO, and Denice and I dropped it off on Monday, March 28, 2022 for the run of the exhibition.