The heat and humidity remain unabated. I think this is the hottest summer I have spent at the Falls of the Ohio. Yes, there were always super hot days in the past, but this year we have had many more of them. I was excited about this weekend because I have three days off, few family obligations, and I planned to go out to the river to see and make what I could. I have collected some large pieces of Styrofoam and it’s time to use it before the river eventually rises and carries it all away again.
On this day, I have made one of my tallest figures ever. This one is a head taller than I am and when you add the extra long arm…it is even more so. I can’t say that I worked up a story to go with this one…yet. If, however, he hangs out long enough, I’m sure I will think of a narrative. For now, this is what I made and in the process I drank all the water I brought with me and soaked through my shirt. A mixture of sweat and sun block kept running into my eyes which led to a few choice words said by me. Fortunately, there wasn’t anybody around to hear them!
After I made this figure, it seemed to me that it had some affinities with the Wallace and Gromit characters. I think it’s because of the close-set eyes and large nose? I like that this guy has a sense of humor which can’t be said about some of the figures I have made before. He’s probably amused that anyone would choose to spend their day off engaged in this activity!
What prompted this sculpture was the long stick I eventually used for one of his arms. The body is somewhat elongated and the extra long arm brings this out even more. Perhaps the arm is an evolutionary adaptation for picking fruit from the higher branches of the tree? In this way, it works similarly to a giraffe’s neck with its ability to reach the topmost leaves.
The brutal sun kept me close to the shade of the willows, but even this had its issues. There are mosquitos in the shadows and the humidity is trapped by the vegetation and foliage. Being uncomfortable made me less patient with myself. Every once in a while I would get distracted by the song of a wren or the myriad insect life around me. There are still many butterflies and wasps visiting the flowers and willow trees.
I had a few technical problems to work out. The main one being how will this sculpture stand upright? Even though the sand and mud are soft, this figure is clumsy and comes down to a point. My solution was to rest the figure on a tripod of sticks. Two of them can be seen, the third “leg” lends support from behind the figure. Once it cools down, I would like to move this sculpture around the different vignettes that the Falls offers and see if I can improve upon the photographs. For the moment, I consider these evidence that I made something on a fairly uncompromising day cut short by the heat. I decided to leave early and left this figure resting against the trunk of a tree. I can’t wait for it to cool down a little. I can tell Autumn is around the corner. I detect a hint of yellow in the leaves around me that were a bright green not too long a go.
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 
flamingo dance? 🙂
Yes, I can see that!
You found enough styrofoam there to create such a large work of art?
Wow–that’s a lot of ‘foam’!!!
Like your approach.
Yes, there’s no shortage of this stuff around here. The largest piece I ever did with Styrofoam was a figure about 12 feet tall or so! I don’t get into measuring out on the river so this is just an estimate. The analog image I have of it is twice as tall as me and part of it is hidden and buried in the sand. I have made by now, hundreds of these works in all different sizes. Again, for me, polystyrene foam helps define the times we live in. I had no idea that I would form a working relationship with a material I dislike, but I had to use this junk in some way.
I hear what you are saying about the materials defining the times in which we live. Certainly understand that. Also understand about working with materials you dislike. I am well aware of just how much of this awful stuff is around. Managed recycling drop off sites for several years and at the start was amazed at the incredible amount of wasted packaging materials that are produced and just thrown away even though they could clearly be re-used again and again and again. It is a sign of cultural insanity from my perspective. I think what I find disturbing about the amounts you find to work with is the sheer volume of the stuff in the areas in which you’re working. It seems criminal. I understand that it’s a reality but I don’t understand why people don’t stop contributing to creating the mess.
Bottom line, I find your work and working locations very interesting on multiple levels. Thank you.
Well done on long arm – and in all that heat too! I can see the Wallace and Grommit similiarity – there’s something in the expression of the face. You are so brave to go out in that heat – I can’t, I would burn to a crisp…and just the mention of wasps…well :O Good pics (as usual)
It’s been a rough summer here Lynda that has me questioning my sanity! At least during the coldest part of winter you can dress warmly. If Long Arm survives, I would like to take some different pictures. Thanks for your comments!
I should write more clearly. I didn’t mean to imply my photograph of this sculpture was twelve feet tall…although that sounds kind of interesting too.
It does sound interesting. No problem, I ‘got’ what you were expressing.
I’d put long arm outside my kitchen bay window just to greet me every morning. Looks like he’s waving. He makes me smile.
He is a friendly presence Leslie. More and more I appreciate humor in art because it seems in especially short supply.