War Horse

Disney, dream on! This is part of a dance show where the horse is a giant puppet that is part of the show.

As far as I am concerned, this is gorgeously made and far superior to anything found in the Lion King.

An old weathered owl....

This is in my neighbors front yard. I love it when nature is incorporated into an art piece. Especially when it is only slightly modified.

How cleaver when a dead tree is turned into an outdoor sculpture. Love it!

Is that a bike?

I walked by this every day while I was in Charleston, SC on my way to a conference I was attending. I loved that it was randomly placed and different components needed for bicycles were used to make this. Just what was the inspiration? Who knows, but it made me smile every time. Love random.

It's a Flying Fish!

If I had a front porch!
Be da, be da, be da dum!
I would have a flying fish!
Be da, be da, be da dum!
But I don't, so I'll have to like this one!

I found this on the west side of town. I love it when art comes outside of the house, either on the lawn (see below) or on the porch. How nice to have a cup of coffee under this fish in the morning. Alas, I have no porch either....

Hippo Love

There are infrequent times where I wish that I had a lawn. When I find art that belongs in a sculpture Garden, then it is one of those times.

I once visited in gallery in Douglas, Michigan that had a beautiful walking sculpture garden. It has always been a fantasy of mine to have something similar. If I could, I would add this piece to my collection.

I am fond of animals and especially hippos after watching, Jessica the Hippo on Animal Planet. This reminds me of this endearing show. If you love animals and preservation of animal life, then this show might be for you!

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!

Cat and Art?

Meet my foster cat, Penelope. She is fitting right into our house. A cat that loves to sit next to a replica of 'The Schoolgirl" by Edward Degas, is okay in my book. 

I find her sitting looking out the window regularly. I suspect she really just likes the view, but who can resist thinking she might actually appreciate art!

BIG ART!

A giant cigarette butt was dropped in the middle of Trafalgar Square, London as a protest against the city's burning littering problem. Ever since smoking in indoor public places was banned, Londoners have been smoking outdoors and throwing the stubs on the streets. The Keep Britain Tidy campaign installed the giant structure to remind people that cigarette butts littler 78% of all streets in Great Britain.

Maybe this is what should have been selected for Ann Arbor City Hall!

Art in winter

My dog, Cooper passed away a couple of weeks ago which means I haven't been out walking anymore. I used to carry my camera with me and would snap shots on our walks all over town. Hence, I haven't had much to report as I have been hibernating in my house. 

It was been really cold, tops 20 degrees, so even going for a short walk seems unnecessary. And frankly after walking three times a day, every day for the past 14 years, it seems natural to want to stay in. I'll get another dog - I will always have dogs in my life - but for now, until I'm ready, my art finds have been limited.

This chicken in not one of them. I found this on the Internet on one of my favorite blogs that I follow. But I loved this. I've always been intrigued by recycled art. Who would have thought that old curlers would make good fodder for sculpture? Apparently this person and I think he/she was right!

Moving Art!

These kinetic sculptures are constructed by Andrew Carson from Washington state. He says his interest is not in metal itself, but in what it can become if assisted by the wind, water, or the environment. All of the materials used in the installations are intricately cut, forged, hammered, and patinated by hand. He designs each piece to fit into the environment it is going to be placed in.

There is a mesmerizing video showing pieces displayed in Vail, Colorado in action. They are not these pieces, but better. Click here to see them.

This topiary is found at the National Museum in Bangkok. I've always been found of this type of art. It takes patience and time with a good imagination to envision what a plant could be. 

I also love elephants, so it was a no brainer for me!

Theo Jansen

This is an picture of Theo Jansen standing in front of one of his works of art. The piece on the bottom shows his walking creatures. They are made from recycled electrical wiring from the Netherlands. 

I had the opportunity to hear him speak today in Ann Arbor. Watching his pieces move is like watching a prehistorical animal move. Or how you would imagine it would have moved. It is mechanical yet graceful in an almost unmeasurable way. 

Here is his website. This video explains how his work is made and functions. It is amazing to watch. Here is a shorter version just showing the movement. And here, another piece that is covered, as shown in the top photo. 

Amazing work! Love it!

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.

In honor of Shakey Jake

Last year an Ann Arbor icon passed away. His name was Shakey Jake Woods. He was known around the world. When I was traveling and would tell people I was from Ann Arbor, I would get a response along the lines of, 'Oh! Then you know Jake!" 

In fact I did know Jake, more than knowing of Jake, I helped him with his medications regularly. He was a kind a gentle soul who just wanted to live his life in peace. 

After he died, the funeral home had to accommodate an overflow crowd with live feed to a television in the parking lot. There isn't anything that would have pleased him more. Except perhaps seeing this lovely tribute to him. This is an amazing likeness of a man who made many smile. R.I.P. Jake. You touched many and still are my friend.

All that's missing is his guitar.

Who would have thought?

I noticed this piece above an entry way to a retail/housing building near the U of M Museum of Art. I don't know anything about it, but I liked it's surprise element. I'm always on the lookout for the unexpected.

A new acquisition

This piece was purchased by my Mom at the Ann Arbor Art Fair this year. My Mom doesn't make investments of this kind often, so I was excited to see it.

It is light in weight, as the kayak is made from canvas over a light wood frame. I really like this piece. It was not at all what I had envisioned. 

I've been interested in kayaking for a while now, this only peaks my curiosity! 

Stolen Art: Is It Yours?

When William M.V. Kingsland, a threadbare eccentric and an amateur genealogist of the Upper East Side in New York, died in 2006, officials found an apartment full of stolen artwork, including works by Picasso, Copley, Fairfield and Giacometti. The F.B.I. continues to search for owners of more than 100 works of art. 

Here is a sampling of the work that was found. There are four first cousins and an uncle claiming to be relatives that would be happy to divvy up the proceeds from the pieces that he did own.

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.

An unusual flock

If you look closely you'll see that these sheep are made entirely of old recycled telephones. I love it when folks find a second use for an otherwise outdated item. 

These are the creation of Jean Luc Cornec's and were first featured at the Museum fur Kommunikation in Frankfurt, Germany in 2006. 
The ability to see materials outside of their traditional roles is key to reducing the mass of products our society currently consumes. It assists in helping people make the connection of what happens at the end of a products use. Rather than dispose of it, look for ways to reuse it or in the best of circumstances anticipate it's second use upon design. This work did a good job of the former. What a creative mind!