How can anyone trash art? Literally. I received a sad e-mail from the Curator of Public Art this morning. It seems the "Ravenvane" I created a few years ago was vandalized. The piece was created for the top of a pavilion that is in Oberg Soccer Fields and Park near Chugiak, Alaska as part of a percent for public art work. Truthfully, several of us expected the bird to be shot at before anyone would
climb up on top of the pavilion and tear the art from the hinges! We used commercial, heavy duty hardware and tried our best to theft-proof the work. Even several neighbors have been diligent at keeping watch over the work the last couple of years, but vandals struck. When I saw the digital image of the piece in the trash can it made me sad, and even sadder to see that the criminals beat the hand made copper top against something. The directional "S" is missing, but all else is still in place. It's actually hard to believe the idiots, didn't just take it but instead, stuffed it in the park's garbage can. The wintertime image is of the "Ravenvane" when it was installed B.C. (before the crime - before it's beatdown!). The procedure for such events I learned, is to have the artist give a repair estimate and we will try to fix the artwork -but it may or may not be replaced back atop the pavilion...On a much lighter and happier note, I'm a basketful of art supplies richer!
The large, "Sandhill Crane" won the People's Choice Award at the Garden Fair this weekend! yippee! The votes for People's Choice were as follows:
1. "Sandhill Crane" by me
2. "Garden Mermaid" also by me
3. "Bird Sanctuary" (a lovely fused glass and forged steel birdbath) by Laura Mendola
4. "Chenik Fox" (a popular, raku, paperclay Fox sculpture -she also made the Hare "Miss Coquette") by Gina Hollomon
5. "Spring Bloom" (also a beautiful, fused glass and forged steel birdbath) by Laura Mendola
Here are links to some of the Garden Fair press: Fran Durner covered us in her ADN Blog "Talk Dirt To Me" and here is the KTUU Channel 2
News link on the Alaska Botanical Garden Art Show set up. The Art Show was a success and the ABG Garden Fair volunteers and committee were happy with the record attendance. Now that the volunteer work is over, I'm happily back at work welding today gearing up for this Saturday's G Street Art Fair "From Studio to Street" in downtown Anchorage where I signed up to have a booth...more to come. The hubby returned with the offspring from fishing and threw some steaks and veggies on the grill -mmmm! He's poured me a nice cold beverage and dinner is ready, life is good.
