Mixed Media – Stone Sculpture & More

How are you Feeling?

Sometimes I play with bringing the body into the work more directly than relating to a sensual object like a stone carving. This piece’s interior is a smooth gloss black finish with a mirror at the bottom. When you look down through the glass pedestal top, you see yourself in the mirror alongside the reflection of the underside of the clay piece. It is awkward to look down there, and it is awkward to try to see the entire shape of the clay. The lamp is in the way and brightly lighted. It requires you to walk around and see the object in parts – you can never see the whole. The viewer’s body must be involved with the full examination.

Dimensions:	11″ x 11″ x 4′
Materials:	Wood, hinges, glass, clay, makeup, lamp, mirror
Completed:	1991
Last Shown	1991 “Animal/ Vegetable/ Mineral” N.A.M.E. gallery, Chicago

A Piece for Men

I didn’t really create this as a piece for men, but it proved to be such so I named it thus.

A heavy spring hangs above an open hook imbedded in the bottom base. A simple idea creates an incredible desire. Although women seemed more content to nod in recognition, men were especially attracted to trying to catch the hook – it was like an itch they couldn’t scratch. When this piece was in a show, a man dislocated his shoulder trying to stretch the spring!

Dimensions:	18″ x 4″ x 1″
Materials:	wood, screws, spring
Completed:	1991
Last Shown:	Member’s Show, group show Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago
Collection:	Scott Rankin

Self Portrait

Although not pictured here, when installed this piece hangs from the ceiling. It is quite buoyant. There is an eyehook screw in the middle top of the sculpture. A very long spring attaches to the hook which is tied to the ceiling. There is an abstract painting on the underside of the sculpture. The stair-step tops are shined to a nice gloss. This is a continuation of thinking about weight and public/private matters.

Dimensions:	18’x 30′ x 36′
Materials:	Wood, spring, misc.
Completed:	1990
Last Shown	1991 “Surprise Visit”, one person show Eureka College, Eureka, IL

Danger

Our bodies tolerate a lot of surprises and then turn around to surprise us. Ends up, bodies are not as reliable as we thought. This piece was up for about 2 weeks, and the water balloons did not break. The idea that they could give out at any moment added excitement to the piece. There was some discussion whether the forms relate to the male or female body and of course they do.

The installation of this piece could be placed in my “Performance Art Gallery” if I had one. Filling water balloons inside small bottles, tying and hanging them without breakage starts as a comedy but soon leads to tragedy with a touch of desperation. The final act may be long in coming but victory is realized! I love that the piece looks so calm and serene with no telltale sign of the drama.

Dimensions:	40″ x 20″ x 4″ installed
Materials:	Perrier bottles, water balloons
Completed:	1990
Last Shown	1990 MFA show

Brush

There is something about wrapping an object to “make it feel better” that appeals to me. This brush has done all its work and is given an art life. The thing is, I just love objects. Walking along, I find some interesting thing on the ground. Sometimes I don’t even know what a piece of hardware or doodad is for, but it stays in my pocket. Most objects do not sing, but this brush I found just had meaning. If I were a writer, I would compose a poem to this brush. If I were a singer, a ballad would be required. But I am a sculptor; and this brush, like many objects, touches my heart in a wordless way.

Dimensions:	8’x 3.5′ x 1′
Materials:	sad old scrub brush, pretty pink ribbon
Completed:	1989
Last Shown	1990 “MFA 90”, group MFA thesis show Smart Museum at University of Chicago
Collection	Artist

Bound and Proof

I really admire Christo’s work and was experimenting in graduate school with bound objects. More than anything else it might be more indicative of where my emotions where – tied up. The odd thing is that, much like a baby in a bunting, I found comfort in the tight wrapping. Bound was the first piece I did of this nature and Proof was the last. In Proof I was thinking about fragility as well as still enjoying how numbers animate objects.

Dimensions:	Bound: 12″ x 24″ x 8″, Proof: 30″x 15″x 4″
Materials:	Bound: Plywood, foam, ribbon, white plastic, nails, paint Proof: Balloon, breath, ribbon, vinyl numbers
Completed:	1989
Last Shown	1990 MFA show
Collection	Destroyed

Cleo

I can be quite patient with stone. I can work on it for years, tolerating slow progress when necessary. But my patience runs out when anything to do with thread or yarn is required. In weaving we had a class project, and the class tried to keep me away from it as much as possible. One night I had a dream of how to crochet. I had never crocheted before or even considered it. I tried it out and the dream technique actually worked! Thus I saved my grade point average by creating this sculptural crochet piece.

I don’t remember why it got named “Cleo”. It had something to do with what we were studying in art history. Cleopatra’s snake perhaps?

I sort of doubt that the sculpture still survives. Eureka College acquired it, and it sat in a lounge for awhile like a much-beloved pet.

Dimensions:	approx 12″ diameter tube, 36″ ht x 46″
Materials:	Yarn, chicken wire
Completed:	1978
Collection:	Eureka College Eureka, IL