Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog

Here’s a project from this April that shows some variation from my usual working process.  I started this dog sculpture, but wasn’t completely happy with it.  I did cut into the dog’s styrobody to inset the foam pieces that make up part of its legs.  I also started with small fishing bobber eyes, but later changed them to hickory nuts.

Two shots from the river the day I made this sculpture.  The ears are pieces of thick bark.  I posed this work first next to a plastic gasoline container.   I find a lot of these and have a collection of photos of them.  I also plan to later post  a series of “Collections” that I have made of other river debris. The second shot was in an area where fishermen would see it.  I come across real dogs at the Falls on occassion.  People do walk their animals here.  I do remember being surprised once by three pit bulls running down the beach all unleashed!!  They had run ahead of their masters and found me.  Fortunately, they were all sweethearts, but I have had encounters with feral dogs running in packs in other woods.  Oh, there was one other highlight on this day.  I saw and poorly photographed an American Turkey walking along the tree line.  It was the first one I had ever seen at the Falls and is a bird strangely not on the park’s checklist.

Last shot is of the revamped “Styro-Hound” at my home.  I saved this piece, because I knew I could improve it and make it seem more dog-like.  I switched out the ears.  One is the sole of a shoe and the other is a plastic, wing from a dove hunting decoy.  I also changed a few of the sticks forming its limbs.  All the materials were found at the Falls.  I can keep my project “pure” because so much washes up here.  “Styro-Hound” variation II, was unveiled at the park’s Earth Day observance.