Art in the Community
Back Story: The Monticello Area Arts Council was fundraising to start an art center here in Monticello, IL. The idea was to collect so much money per chair then have an artist donate their time to transform an ordinary everyday chair to one an extraordinary chair. Each artist was to put their special talents to work to create a work of art. As -Derek and I could not resist the chance to put forth our collective ideas to create something very unique.
ART STATEMENT: Mother Nature’s Chair, June-2009
Something about this old chair caught our eye. It had obviously done it’s duty as a serviceable support while someone toiled at a long forgotten desk, or ate at a table that has since moved on. It’s sturdy lines and solid planks are only slightly adorned with subtle curves and minimally carved forward feet. Built more for function than fashion. At some point in the life of this stalwart seat someone decided that it’s well-worn wood was better off covered in a non-assuming coat of mushroom colored paint. A choice of coating that would ensure no glamour could ever emanate from the grain beneath. But, something about it caught our eye….
Since we often work on commissioned pieces where we are trying to achieve the vision and standards of a particular client, we welcomed the chance to let the design of this project simply flow. We brought the chair home, set it in our garage/shop, and worked around it for a couple of weeks. In this time, with the chair in our space, as well as in the back of our minds, we began to discuss a design. We each had our own individual visions, but they were strikingly similar. We decided to take this rather plain old chair, strip off the dirt, dust, and thick coat of paint, and begin to adorn it with our artwork. We approached the project as an additive sculpture. Start with one element and see what comes next. Adding the pieces that “looked right” as we went along. Since I have had a desire to make an iron rocking chair for some time, we started there. The rockers were forged and added. Then the design began to grow. Vines sprouted, flowers bloomed, and cattails marched their way up the back. Before we knew it, even a few creatures decided to make the chair their home. As the project progressed, the chair, with its sturdy hardworking stance, and embellishments forged from nature, made us think of a place where someone would sit and think of natural wonders. Sit and create natural wonders, then relax and watch as the creations interact, grow, and advance across the landscape...someone, like the mythical Mother Nature.
ART STATEMENT: Mother Nature’s Chair, June-2009
Something about this old chair caught our eye. It had obviously done it’s duty as a serviceable support while someone toiled at a long forgotten desk, or ate at a table that has since moved on. It’s sturdy lines and solid planks are only slightly adorned with subtle curves and minimally carved forward feet. Built more for function than fashion. At some point in the life of this stalwart seat someone decided that it’s well-worn wood was better off covered in a non-assuming coat of mushroom colored paint. A choice of coating that would ensure no glamour could ever emanate from the grain beneath. But, something about it caught our eye….
Since we often work on commissioned pieces where we are trying to achieve the vision and standards of a particular client, we welcomed the chance to let the design of this project simply flow. We brought the chair home, set it in our garage/shop, and worked around it for a couple of weeks. In this time, with the chair in our space, as well as in the back of our minds, we began to discuss a design. We each had our own individual visions, but they were strikingly similar. We decided to take this rather plain old chair, strip off the dirt, dust, and thick coat of paint, and begin to adorn it with our artwork. We approached the project as an additive sculpture. Start with one element and see what comes next. Adding the pieces that “looked right” as we went along. Since I have had a desire to make an iron rocking chair for some time, we started there. The rockers were forged and added. Then the design began to grow. Vines sprouted, flowers bloomed, and cattails marched their way up the back. Before we knew it, even a few creatures decided to make the chair their home. As the project progressed, the chair, with its sturdy hardworking stance, and embellishments forged from nature, made us think of a place where someone would sit and think of natural wonders. Sit and create natural wonders, then relax and watch as the creations interact, grow, and advance across the landscape...someone, like the mythical Mother Nature.