59


Fifty-ninth series: shawabits, ed. 365 

I was in the Egyptian wing of the Metropolitan the other day and happened upon tiny turquoise statues called shawabits. They were created, one for each day of the year, and placed in the tomb to answer questions the dead pharaoh would need to ask once he awakens. I created my own from the casting of a small votive first communion figure I found in a Catholic supply shop in Louisville, a bit of paint, and some found objects – thread, string, trinkets, bells, beads, etc. They will be placed on top of ledges, tucked in corners, looking down on you from overhead beams throughout the subway stations, museums and streets - watching, waiting, there to ask and answer questions, beginning in late August.
Did you see one? Tell me!

58


(Mini)Red Tag Series, Pest
The work consists of a xerox sticker of a locust and a plastic casting of a little frog. Both are mounted on a red tag with some beads and sequins. Just for fun. 

56

(Mini)Red Tag Series, Touch
Consists of transparent xeroxes of my hand and multi-colored beads on a red tag. A few gold photo corners holds all in place. Just for fun!
Did you see one? Tell me.

55


Fifty-fifth series, Pilgrimage SeashellsA pilgrimage is a journey or search for moral or spiritual significance typically to shrine or other location to a person's beliefs and faith. It can be to a holy land like Jerusalem or Mecca or a visit to sites within a region or locale. I am using my pilgrimages for discovery and re-evaulation. I have devised a few paths to take and I will mark them as I journey. I have borrowed the seashell imagery of the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James or St. James' Way) in Spain for this project. I cast various shells have gathered on my travels, scallops, cockles, conches in liquid plastic and attached them to a bit of handmade or Japanese paper highlighting them with a bit of paint.
Did you see one? Tell me about your discovery.

54

DONE

 Fifty-fourth series: 
Blue Sky Windows

Winter is still upon us. So to offset the depression and vitamin D deficiency this time of year brings, I created little portable beaches to remind us of the azure waters of Cancun or Crete and the upcoming cerulean firmaments of spring. Armed with little plastic boxes, photographs of cloudy blue skies, polymer resin and a little Turrell maybe Tanguy influence I created 50 works. They are hung by blue ribbon or pink string and inside is sand from the beaches we all wish we were on plus a few other little treats.(Don’t open these boxes. They are glued shut plus the sand will fall out.) They will be placed in March and April, 2013 in Louisville, KY.
Did you take a beach vacation home? Tell me about it!

53


Fifty-third series, Bridge Butterflies
To celebrate the start of spring after this annoyingly snowy winter I will be making groups of cast butterflies in various colors, orange, red, yellow, blue... and placing them on bridges. I will start with my local Gowanus and then the others in New York all Spring and Summer 2013. As I visit a bridge or walk across I will photograph the placements, tweet them and check them off the list. below. Occasionally they will wander off on their own so you might find one or two off the bridges. They're just exploring. 
Did you see a flock? Tell me!

52

DONE Fifty-second series, Fairy Rings, ed. 100  
Going out in this frigid weather makes me long for spring. So I decided to scatter some fairy rings during my walks. In real life these rings, also known as fairy circles, elf circles, or pixie rings, are naturally occurring arcs of mushrooms found mainly in forested areas. European folklore states that these natural occurrences are gateways into elfin kingdoms, or places where elves gather and dance.

The works consist of liquid plastic poured into a simple button shaped mold. Invested in the plastic is glitter, sequins, bells, and beads. From a beaded hole in the front of the work flies a colored ribbon. The works are attached to a light pole with little magnets. The current “standard, octagonal, galvanized steel post with cobra-head luminaire lamps” that that blanket our NYC parks providing a sense of nostalgic also provides me with 8 surfaces to attach the works. The sequins glitter in the harsh winter sun and the ribbons flutter in the biting breezes. (One of my favorite followers says, “They remind me of Tibetan prayer flags.”) The works will always be released in sets of 8 and only in NYC Parks whether they are the tiny vest pocket parks trapped in the middle of busy intersections or the big ones like Central, Prospect or Pelham.

51

Fifty-first series, SeeMeTellMe Snowflakes, ed. 50
Just like last year at about this time, to celebrate the holidays I am borrowing the wonderful snow flake images of Wilson Alwyn"Snowflake" Bentley (1865-1931). A self educated farmer, Bentley attracted world attention with his photomicrography, most notably his extensive work with snow crystals. He adapted a microscope to a bellows camera, caught flakes on a background of black velvet, and became the first person to photograph a single snow crystal in 1885. He would photograph more than 5000 snowflakes during his lifetime.

These works will consist of a 2 x 1 x ½ inch clear box, a clear sticker of one of Bentley’s images, a battery, and a yellow, green, blue, orange or white LED. The QR code, title of the series and blog address is on the verso. The works will be placed in New York and Louisville until from December 16-January 4, 2011. (By the way, if you find a work and want to reserve the light just open the box from the top and un-tape the battery.)

50

Hurricane Collages, ed. 30.
All I could do during the storm and the aftermath was sit in the studio, watch the coverage on TV, worry, make collages and wonder why my city seems to be the site of so much "history" these days. I used images I love - butterflies and Muybridge nudes -  then added bells, letter beads, string, buttons, handmade rice paper and grommets and cast them all in liquid plastic. The works will be hung from string in the streets and subways through November and December.


49


a little glimmer of hope. In the days following the hurricane I walked the city seeing damage in Red Hook, the Gowanus, the West Village and the Chelsea art gallery district. I tried and tried to create a series of works that explained my feelings about this tragic event but I was unable to make my emotions into art. So I created a simple project of a pair of golden or silver wings that represent the bravery, resilience and optimism of New York. The 2 inch long wings are cast liquid plastic painted gold or silver with green, red, orange or blue highlights. Attached to an orange snippet of string they hang by magnets. On verso is the series title and an art sticker. 

If you see one of these works, in the city, on this blog or on twitter, and if you can afford it, make a donation to the Red Cross or another charity to help out our fellow New Yorkers. Tell me about your donation here, send me your address via email and I will send you a little glimmer of hope in the mail.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)