A Towering Sculpture!

This completely cool tower was made from Ash trees that succumbed to the Emerald Ash Bore. They burrow between the bark and the base of the tree and worm around in wiggly patterns that eventually kills the tree.

Wendel Heers constructed this piece from dead trees. He used a crane to put the pom on the top. I had the pleasure of viewing this piece up close. I crawled into the piece an took photos looking up. I got to view the bore paths up close. It was amazingly beautiful!

Oh, and one last thing. The first three trunks were as tall as I!

Blue Dolls!

These dolls are found in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They are two to three feet tall and the benches are facing one another. Unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to view them in person. My Mom took the photos and forwarded them. I liked them enough to post (finally) again. I hope you'll like them, too!

The Wedding Feast

This piece by Stephen Fessler is on display at the River Gallery in Chelsea. I saw it at the opening this past Saturday. It is an amazingly sized 84" x 176" with a price tag of $13,000. No mind. I love it anyway. These are the times I wish I made more money, so I could go buy art that I love. And yes, I love this piece. It is full of whimsy and fun. It's size comes from it's first life as a drop cloth. After time when it is sufficiently spotted and mucked up, the artist uses it for a canvas that he creates pieces that evolve and have no planning. Rarely do I wish for a large wall, but for this piece you would need a really large wall. So, a house and the art is what I want....

Elevated 3-D Art

I visited my Dad in Pennsylvania recently. The drive takes me by these pieces on the two (sometimes four) lane highway. I've been wanting to document them for years and finally had the chance to snap a few photos. 

Folks in PA think big when trying to catch your eye on a highway that has all kinds of beautiful things to look at. The views of the countyside are spectacular and competing with that is tough. These two businesses have devised a way to do that. 

These two pieces have become markers for me. They let me know how close I am to my destination. It's a nice thing to look forward to as you are nearing the end of a long drive.

Parco dei Mostri

Planning a trip to Italy anytime soon? 

Then perhaps you would want to add visiting the Monster Garden in Bamarzo, Italy to your agenda. 

These are a sampling of what can be seen in this unsettling garden. To view more click on this link.  I know I'm going to add it to my list. 

Not surprizingly, it inspired work by Salvador Dali and Jean Cocteau (famous film maker in

France) to name a few. One can easily see where the Dali influence came from.

Giant Cattle!

There is nothing that catches my eye quicker than art placed in unusual places. Discovering an unexpected piece in non-traditional surroundings is pure joy for me.

These large cattle sculptures, by Peter Woytuk, are fabulous! I love animal art and the bigger the better! If I had the money and space, I would  have a huge piece of land full of fauna and sculptures. 

The closest I've come to mimicking my ideal, is at a gallery in Saugatuck, Michigan that has just such an area. The home functions as a traditional gallery and the backyard is a garden that has winding paths with outdoor art interspersed. It is unusual, beautiful, calming and I am envious. That would be one of my biggest dreams, to live in a home like that. Hmmm.

2008 Zaragoza Expo

This is a giant sculpture found in Zaragoza, Spain for their 2008 Expo. This event runs through September 14, 2008 and focuses on the timely themes of water and sustainable development.

There are over 3,400 performances by 350 international troupes and talents ranging from Cirque de Soleil to Bob Dylan to Daniel Barenbosim. (Who?) 

But the signature edifice is the Water Tower. It houses two sculptures and has a cafe at the top of the 250 foot building. This image is of a splash of water is sculpture form. 

This sure makes me want to go visit and to climb the alphabet and the tower!

The steers of city hall

These "steers" are on display in front of Ann Arbor City Hall at the moment. They are titled Umbororo Crossing and are based on the artists experiences with a nomadic tribe called Umbororo from Sudan. They are the work of Elshafei Mohamed, a graduate student in the University of Michigan's art program. 

I like how they blend in with the landscape. Although I'm interested in why they are headless. What kind of commentary is being made here?

He was recently a recipient of the Golden Paintbrush Award from the Ann Arbor Commission on Art in Public Places. Congratulations Mr. Mohamed! They are also for sale, for more information click on the title of this entry.

Squirrels in the Arb

The Arb is a 123 acrer park in the middle of Ann Arbor. A fabulous place to go and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Lower Michigan recently had an invasion of the Emerald Ash bore which crawls between the bark and cellulose of a tree and kill it. As a creative way to deal with the left over stumps, squirrel art was born! 

This other photo is a close up of a tree that has been killed by this bore and it's aftermath. People have also taken a little liberty with the lower part in the picture.