Wayward brain at work

Last Saturday and next Saturday are designated  “fill in days” at the Arts Center of Corvallis.  My buddy Suzanne has torn herself away from the front desk for a dream trip of gallery hopping in Santa Fe, NM. With her gone, I was given the opportunity to step back into my old job. It’s always fun to pop in and do a day here and there. It changes my brain,  makes me more aware of art happenings in our local area & it physically removes me from the studio/house  to socialize with people. Plus  I have to be nice and helpful rather than my grumpy self.  Last Saturday was not busy, but I kind of expected that with OSU’s graduation, nice weather and Father’s Day.  So, I spent some quality time researching artists, chatting with visitors, dusting out dead bugs and checking out new merchandise. Don’t read that part Hester! 🙂

Since I wasn’t selected for the local installation project, I’ve been contemplating creating a smaller scale version of a different idea. The artwork has resided in my brain for about 6 years and it’s time to do something about it. Below is the starting doodle/scribble. It will be constructed using short lengths of branch (2-3″) that are drilled and wired together. The part holding me back is figuring out a good internal support system (and creation space). The branches don’t weigh terribly much, but they will after being wired together. The joints are also a concern as they dry and become brittle over time.  I need to create an inner ring system to support everything. The rings would be connected together, taking the stress off the branch joints.  The overall look will be kind of like a tornado of branches suspended over a conical pile of branches.

The big dream is to create a twig tornado with a top diameter of about 8 feet and extending down about 24 ft. Well, maybe not that tall but still huge! Rather than risk going so large to start, which would be foolish, I’ll attempt it on a smaller scale to get a feeling for the material and possibilities. I have a 3ft x 5ft flat twig structure in my bedroom using wire and plum tree shoots. I know part of this project is possible, but to what extent? Creating a test piece with a 2 ft diameter top that extends downward will give me a better understanding of possibilities. I’m uncertain when this project will commence but hopeful for this summer depending on everything. My biggest drawback is space for creation and storage. Without a specific destination, is it even worth the bother?  If I create it, will they come? I’ll have to guess a “yes ” vote and see what happens.

🙂