I Am the Same Boy My Mother Used to Kiss

I was on a flea market thrift store run the other day when I saw this corn planter for $10.

Sometimes $10 seems like more money than I want to spend considering what I am going to do with a found object.  But on this particular day, this piece instantly called out to me.

Here is another irony:  I have a basement full of found objects.  In fact, I have so many found objects I am thinking that I have too may objects that I have found.  So, I really did not need to buy this piece.

But--then what would be the point of being a found object artist if I stopped buying stuff?

The figurative nature of this corn planter was what inspired me.  I scoured the afore mentioned found object laden basement to find some arms, legs, head and a baby.

Always start with how the piece is going to hang--it saves so much grief at the end.  

Some ribbon I had was attached to represent the effect of giving birth.  

Attaching the arms was an engineering feat.

Now it was time to prepare the baby's arrival.

While the baby was drying I began to paint up Mom.

The girl's got legs.  And they are going to fry float.

As time went on it turned out this piece was not heavy enough so I sawed a circular chunk of wood I had in the basement to add dimension to the central core of the figure and about five pounds to its weight.

When completed and assembled, this piece was not easy to hang.

This piece was juried into the Family ehibition at the Next Act Theatre to accompany their production of Motherhood Out Loud in April & May of 2016.

The title for this piece comes from the poem "Not Dying" by Mark Strand--
I am the same boy my mother used to kiss.

Who Are These People #1: Palm Reading: Brother Harry and Friends

5/17/16
Last night I went to an auction and bought a zillion cabinet cards and photographs for $25.  As I sorted through the images this morning, I was intrigued by the question of who are these people, how did their photographs end up with me and what is the meaning of life.

So, until I run out of energy, I am going to do a series on some of the cool images that I have uncovered.

This first image is a photograph that measures 1" wide by 1 1/4" tall.  It has a blue stain in the upper left corner that adds interest.  The stain does not appear to be related to the development process but probably spilled onto the photo at some point in its long history.

I am not a great historian but the manner of dress suggests to me a turn-of-the century era for the photograph.

Why is this photo so small?  Could it have been held in a locket?  Possibly--but I think an image with two women for a locket does not send the right message if we are romantic traditionalists.

A clue might be the words written clearly on the back of this tiny photograph:  "Brother Harry and Friends."

5/18/16

After contemplating the idea of talking about particular photographs, I decided I should actually make a project with each photograph that peaks my interest.

Because this photo is so tiny, my thoughts went to putting it into a locket or small niche.  That was abandoned as cliche so I went for a book structure because I have made these before and they are always fun.

Part of the serendipity of working on a project with a book is that I like the title of the book to mean something to the work.  Today I selected Palm Reading by Dennis Fairchild and Julie Kaschkis (Running Press, 1995    9781561386260) in part because of the theme the title indicates but also because it is a small book to match the small photograph.

The easiest way to make a window in a book is with a drill but the process does not always go smoothly.  Today, drilling the hole went well but adding the two screws on the back of the book so I could add hanging wire went wild.

Then it was just a matter of finding the baby hand to go with the palm reading and the joke eye.

Lastly, something needed to be added to frame the photo and show it off.

The back of the book replicates the handwritten message on the back of the photo.

And, so, the first of the Who Are These People projects is Palm Reading:  Brother Harry and Friends.

  

2015 Car Craft Auto Show

Here are some photos from the Car Craft Auto show in the summer of 2015 at the Wisconsin State Fair.