CONSTRUCTIONS

Constructions have been a central part of my work for more than 25 years. Sometimes they begin when I find an unusual box, like in Clean Thinking and Piggy Banker. More often, it is a unique object that inspires me to get to work, like in Lost and Melting Commodities.

Red Apple got started with both—an old photo of a teacher and a young boy and a wonderful old box. The project sat unfinished, waiting for something to happen. Then, one September morning, I noticed the red leaves on our Tupelo tree were spotted with tiny holes and portions had been skeletonized by rainwater. I collected a few before they had a chance to decompose.

I glazed each leaf with encaustic wax to give them strength and then coated them with gold powder. I found a perfect frame, but it was two inches too tall. Rather than cut the frame, I added a second box to the bottom and created a basement below what had become a classroom above.

The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet. — Aristotle

RED APPLE
12" X 16" X 3.5"
tupelo leaves, wire, encaustic wax and an old photo.

CLEAN THINKING
17.5" X 20.5" X 6"
an unusual box, mica and Mr. Clean

MELTING COMMODITIES
10.5" x 5.25" x 4"
old etching and wax figure

LOST
8.5" x 17" x 9.25"
rubber squeaky toy, charm and daylily stems

FOUND
11.5" x 17" x 9"
rubber elephant, brass findings and poppy stems and pods

PIGGY BANKER
16" x 12" x 6"
rubber squeaky toy, shredded money, shell flowers in an old clock box

I WANNA BE LOVED
22" x 8" x 3.5"
Marilyn figure, fern seed pods and brass cows

CLUCK
17.5" x 11" x 3.5"
chickens, toy blocks, egg and shelving paper

SIMPLY IRRESISTABLE
16.75" x 16.75" x 8"
rubber squeaky toy, game pieces, and cloth doll heads

ROSE
5.5" x10.5" x 3"
clay head in pod, wired pearls and a vintage card

NUMBER 4
15.5" x 18.5" x 3"
toy man, cars and elephants, glass ball and wire spiral

NO CASH VALUE
7.25" x 11.375" x 4"
porcelain doll head and hands, brass hardware and coin and shredded money

BLUE MOON
7.375” x 16.125” x 5”
circus figure, daylily stems and a blue ball

NIGHT SWINGS
7.5" x 9" x 2"
circus figure, twigs and electronic part

CIRQUE DE QUARTIER
13.5" x 13.5" x 2.5"
circus figures, nut and rubber screen

GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
10.25" x 5.375" x 3"
postcards, game pieces, rubber rings and a birthday candle holder

MY GARDEN
13.75" x 17.5" x 2.25"
encaustic flower photos, lead figures and celluloid parrots in painted drawer

THIS WAY MY LOVE
8" x 5.5" x 2"
pinecone bird, brass heart and fern seed pods

ENCOUNTER
15.75" x 10" x 6"
rubber squeaky toy, wooden S, capacitors and resistors

FISHING WAND
4.5" x 17" x 3"
wooden figure, wooden fish, small mirrors and chair leg

STRICTLY PURE
11.5" x 9.75" x 10"
doll, glass marbles, cardboard game fish and mica

IRONY
7.375” x 16.125” x 5”
circus figure, rusty chain and rusty flowers

WHAT MAKES A LADY OF EIGHTY GO OUT ON THE LOOSE
15.75" x 4.75" x 1"
puzzle pieces, metal letters, marble and toy truck

ASK GOD TO MAKE THE MEANING CLEAR
8.75" x 15.5" x 6"
baby carriage toy, curtain tie backs, ribbons and old paper scraps

MICHAEL VS LUCIFER
7" x 10.4" x 3"
monkeys, brass findings, gold wire and old etching