I I wanted to archive a work I did this past October. I was one of three artists from the area asked to create a vessel for a silent auction to benefit the Ethnic Bottleworks in Johnstown, PA. Since the Bottleworks was created in an old bottling company, we were asked to make a "bottle" on our speciallty area. (The bottlesworks is an oranization formed here to preserve our rich, ethnic heritage of our town.) My first thought was to create a piece telling a story from my family who owned another bottling company just down the street from the Bottleworks site. My grandfather was one of thirteen children. (A German immigrant family.) The family horse also delivered the various sodas around town. Her name was Dodie and was VERY protective of the children. (From what I hear these kids where a wild bunch!!) When my greatgrandmother would try to discipline the children (hollering to "settle down" etc.) Dodie would go crazy and try to protect them! Anyway, I just had a mind block about this and may address this story in a future work. Instead I picked crows. There are a kazillion neighborhood. I was babysitting for my friend who has a 10 year old daughter. She is very bright at 10 years old and very into animals. She told me that she communicates with a crow that watches her in her back yard. She recognizes this certain crow and feels as if it is kind of a "pet". I told her of a lady who owned a store around where I grew up. She took in a random crow and trained it to talk. The crow lived at the store for many years. I know that crows are very intelligent and although they can be a pain, I really think they a beautiful. I still wanted to keep the idea of my bottle telling a story, but I wanted the viewer to interpret it in his or her own way. The "story" becomes your own. I liked the idea of the crows taking on human characteristics, kind of watching us from a distance. I see them as gathering our "rubbish" and somehow using it in a thoughful way. I built the piece from a vase I found. If I had more time, I probably would have built the whole from paper. I cheated!!:) I used some vintage pieces from the area. I pounded down some little molds, used buttons, stones, paper, and paints. I was glad for this experience. It has helped me grow some wings myself.:)
